"When we first departed from the planet Argus, the Light once showed me a prophecy. It foretold that in a time unknown, a legendary warrior would lead all beings across the universe who turn toward the Light to stand against the Burning Legion.
There, in a place called Azeroth, he would thwart their schemes and bring a definitive end to Sargeras's crusade." Prophet Velen looked at Rhodes and the three massive beings of Light behind him, his voice thick with emotion.
There is no mistake, Velen thought. This human before me is the Child of Light I have spent lifetimes seeking.
Rhodes's smile instantly froze. Wait, what? Are you kidding me?
Child of Prophecy? Me? What kind of cosmic joke is this! Go find Naruto! He nearly failed to maintain his solemn, holy expression.
According to the official lore, the poor soul targeted by Xe'ra for a forced "Light-forging"—the true Child of Destiny—was supposed to be Illidan Stormrage! Rhodes was just a transmigrator with a cheat system who used the Light to show off; how did he end up being the "Chosen One"?
In the prophecy of the Light, there was indeed a savior, but the one destined to end Sargeras's crusade was Illidan. It had nothing to do with Rhodes. It seemed his overwhelming Holy Light, the two Archangels following him, and the Holy Fire Phoenix had led Velen into a massive misunderstanding.
Rhodes's daze lasted only a second. To the onlookers, it appeared more like a brief moment of awe and humility after being struck by the weight of destiny.
In truth, everyone already viewed Rhodes as a figure of destiny. It was Rhodes who had gathered the remnants of Lordaeron, allied with the Night Elves, and thwarted the Legion's plot at Mount Hyjal. He had even slain Archimonde and worked alongside that Night Elf named Illidan—assuming he still counted as one—to attack the Frozen Throne and secure an advantage for the Alliance.
"The Prophet is right! Grand Marshal Rhodes is the Child of Prophecy! In Azeroth, he led the entire Alliance against the Legion, and he struck down Archimonde himself at the Battle of Mount Hyjal!" Whitemane, standing next to the elder Mograine, suddenly stepped forward and declared.
After learning of Rhodes's firm stance against the Orcs, this former "anti-fan" had officially converted back into a loyal devotee.
The others nodded in unison. Looking back at the events of the past year, Rhodes was the undisputed protagonist. The Scourge, the Burning Legion—his shadow was cast over every major historical turning point.
Prophet Velen nodded too. A major reason he was so certain was hearing that Rhodes had already defeated the Legion at Hyjal and killed Archimonde.
As one of the former triumvirate of the Eredar, Velen knew exactly what level of power Archimonde possessed. Although Archimonde was the youngest of the three, his mastery of magic surpassed them all.
After Sargeras arrived, Archimonde was the most welcoming, and Sargeras had not been stingy, granting him unimaginable Fel power that warped his body into a total monstrosity, vastly increasing his strength.
In terms of raw combat and spellcasting power, Archimonde actually sat above Kil'jaeden. Kil'jaeden excelled at scheming and plotting; he was the architect of the early stages of a world's invasion.
But when it came to the moment of the true killing blow, the one who descended was always Archimonde. Their titles said it all: one was the Defiler, who polluted worlds with Fel energy, and the other was the Deceiver, who lured natives into the Legion's web.
"The Light guides you, Grand Marshal Rhodes. You must be the legend from the prophecy."
"Lord Rhodes, please lead us in our resistance against the Legion!"
"Great Prophet Velen, your praise humbles me," Rhodes said, quickly assuming a modest tone. "I have indeed been blessed by the Light and allowed to summon these holy companions. But I know deep down that the great task of opposing the Burning Legion can never be accomplished by one person alone.
Azeroth has repelled the Legion time and again because of the sacrifice and unity of countless heroes, and the shared conviction of the allied races. I, Rhodes, am merely a fortunate participant in this grand epic."
He had to be humble! The real "Child of Light" was currently in Outland, but that guy wasn't using the Light right now—he was dripping with Fel energy.
Rhodes paused, his gaze sweeping over the Alliance members who were clearly awestruck by the "Child of Prophecy" title—from the solemn Mograine to the worshipful Whitemane—before returning to Velen.
His voice was sincere and firm: "If there is such a thing as a 'Child of Prophecy,' it is not a single individual. It refers to the collective of all living beings who dare to resist the darkness and believe in the Light.
It is the Alliance; it is the unyielding mortal warriors; it is souls like you and your Draenei, who refuse to bow to evil even after ten thousand years of exile. Every one of us can be a part of the force that ends this endless war."
This speech was powerful. It skillfully avoided the trap of directly claiming the "Child of Prophecy" title (preventing future embarrassment or moral kidnapping) while simultaneously boosting the sense of mission and honor in everyone present—especially the weary veterans and the long-suffering Draenei.
A flash of surprise crossed Velen's deep blue eyes, followed by a deeper sense of admiration and relief. He had lived for tens of thousands of years and seen many blinded by power or prophecy. The humility and vision of this young human were far removed from Kil'jaeden's lust for power or the blind arrogance of zealots. At this moment, Velen was more certain than ever.
He found him! He had found the legendary Child of Light! The man destined to defeat Sargeras!
Seeing the "holy man" expression on the old Prophet's face, a thousand "what the hells" ran through Rhodes's mind.
Rhodes: No, wait! What did you find? Don't just make stuff up! Fighting the Legion is Illidan's job, not mine!
Then again, he couldn't exactly shirk the duty of fighting the Legion. Killing Legion high-rankers meant loot, resources, and powerful hero units for his system. Still, I'm okay with being a support player in the raid; being the Main Carry is a bit much.
Let me wait until I've amassed 100,000 Archangels, 100,000 Archdemons, 100,000 Titans, 100,000 Behemoths, 100,000 Phoenixes, and maybe 10,000 Green Dragons. Then I'll upgrade them all and go toe-to-toe with the Legion!
"Your wisdom is as breathtaking as your power, Lord Rhodes," Velen said with a slight bow. "Perhaps you are right. Destiny is not a single track, but a web woven from countless choices. Whether or not you are the one from the prophecy, your existence and the hope for unity you bring are already changing the course of the future. You will be the key to this war."
"I won't deny that, Prophet. When it comes to dealing with the Legion, I consider it my duty. I have been fighting them all along; Kil'jaeden sees me as a thorn in his side," Rhodes replied.
During the Battle of the Sunwell, I'll let that bastard Kil'jaeden come through, and then I'll kill him too. Velen will be a very important combat asset then.
"In that case, I look forward even more to cooperating with you and the anti-demon forces of Azeroth. On behalf of the Draenei, I join your Alliance. My people have accumulated tens of thousands of years of knowledge and experience in fighting the Legion, and we are willing to share it.
Furthermore, I sincerely invite you, Lord Rhodes, and all the leaders here: when it is convenient, visit our temporary home. Though it lacks the splendor of old Shattrath, it remains a sanctuary in Draenor... or Outland. As for the formal alliance, I will send a group of Draenei to accompany you back to Azeroth."
"This world is on the brink of shattering. Perhaps you should consider moving elsewhere," Rhodes suggested. "Azeroth is vast, and there is plenty of open land on the continent of Kalimdor for your people to settle."
In Kalimdor, the humans needed to join forces with the Night Elves to counter the Horde. If the Draenei joined, that pressure would be significantly reduced. The Draenei and the Orcs shared a blood feud that went to the bone.
"I will seriously consider that proposal. Thank you for the invitation, Lord Rhodes," Velen nodded. The Draenei were indeed looking for a new world. Draenor was fractured and likely wouldn't last many more years; this broken planet was destined for destruction, whether in decades or centuries.
"Prophet, once we have safely returned the Expedition heroes to Azeroth and stabilized the Eastern Kingdoms, I will personally visit you to discuss the details of our alliance and the war against the Legion," Rhodes said.
Velen smiled and expressed his welcome for Rhodes's eventual arrival in Shattrath.
As the meeting wound down, the atmosphere grew increasingly harmonious. The Draenei began exchanging ideas with the Alliance Mages and Paladins. Velen even spent time observing Rhodes's Archangels and Phoenix with great interest, marveling at these holy lifeforms unique to Azeroth.
Meanwhile, Rhodes quietly sent word to Illidan through Vashj about the successful contact with the Draenei.