Kil'jaeden's phantom vanished abruptly and pathetically, as if Rhodes's final, soul-piercing words had completely shattered his psychological defenses before he could even leave behind a proper threat.
No one expected this commander of the Burning Legion to depart in such a manner. The group had anticipated a grueling struggle, yet Kil'jaeden was simply gone.
A faint smile played on Rhodes' lips. The seeds of doubt and betrayal had been sown. The primary reason Sargeras could lead the Burning Legion was his transcendent martial might.
To put it bluntly, 90% of the Legion's combat power came from Sargeras himself. You could count on demons to destroy a planet, but they'd likely only ruin the surface. The only true God-tier beings capable of cleaving a planet in half were Sargeras, the tortured World-Soul Argus, and the Avenger Aggramar—the latter two being Titans enslaved by Sargeras.
"The... the First Ones? What are they?" Jaina asked.
Since childhood, she had pored over countless tomes in Dalaran. All of them stated that the Titans were the creator-gods. Now, a "First One" had suddenly appeared. As a brilliant mage, she prided herself on understanding the mysteries of the cosmos, but what she heard today completely upended her worldview.
Jaina looked at Rhodes once more. When she first met him, she suspected he wasn't backed by a Titan Watcher, or that he was one himself.
But after long exposure, she was certain his temperament was that of a mortal; he had mortal desires and cared for worldly emotions—especially his feelings for her and that elf woman.
She had eventually concluded that the being behind Rhodes must be a true Titan, as only a Titan possessed the power of creation required to produce his unique soldiers.
Now, it seemed her guess had been too small. The "First Ones" might be the ultimate secret behind Rhodes.
"The Titans... are not the creators?" Highlord Mograine gripped the Ashbringer. His faith seemed to waver for a moment, but soon, an even fiercer Holy Light erupted from him. "But the Light is real! That is enough. Only the Light can save us."
The other Paladins nodded in agreement. From start to finish, they believed in the power of the Holy Light and its ability to save humanity. The Light had never abandoned them—even Grand Marshal Rhodes utilized its power.
Prince Kael'thas's eyes flickered. As an elf who had studied ancient history, even he had never heard the term "First Ones." The secrets of this world were far deeper than he imagined.
Illidan stared fixedly at Rhodes, his burning eyes trying to peer through him. "Rhodes... who exactly are you? How did you learn these secrets?"
"Who am I? I'm Rhodes—just a lucky guy who stumbled upon some ancient knowledge and an inheritance," Rhodes replied nonchalantly, brushing the topic aside. Some things were too troublesome to explain; it was better to remain mysterious and let them fill in the blanks themselves.
"What matters is that everyone understands now: the Burning Legion is not invincible," Rhodes said with a smile. "Their 'Great Crusade' is more like a doomed suicide mission led by a madman. They aren't a monolith; even a commander like Kil'jaeden is filled with doubt and fear."
If Sargeras ever found out how Kil'jaeden performed today, he certainly wouldn't let it slide.
"Today, we didn't just conquer the Black Temple and defeat Magtheridon; we crushed the conviction of Kil'jaeden the Deceiver! We made him waver! This proves that even the giants of the Legion have Achilles' heels.
As long as we stand united and hold fast to our world and our beliefs, the Legion's ambitions will turn to ash!" Rhodes raised his arm and shouted.
"Lord Rhodes is right!" Akama was the first to respond, hoisting his warhammer as Light flared around him. "Titans or First Ones, we Draenei follow the guidance of the Light! And Lord Rhodes, you are the miracle the Light brought to us!"
Akama assumed that during Rhodes' contact with Prophet Velen, he must have learned these secrets. He truly was the Child of Prophecy within the Light.
"For Azeroth! For our home!" Jaina called out firmly, snapping back to reality.
"For Quel'Thalas!"
"For the Alliance!"
The coalition cheered, though Illidan remained frowning.
"It seems cooperating with you is indeed my best choice for now," Illidan walked to Rhodes's side and spoke in a low voice.
Rhodes responded with a smile. "Outland needs a strong ruler to consolidate power against the Legion. You are the only choice, and I will be your firmest supporter."
"What do you plan to do next?" Illidan asked.
"First, I'll fulfill my promise to Akama and the Draenei. I will help as many Broken as possible return to the embrace of the Light. This will vastly increase the strength of the Draenei, and they will assist you in fighting the Legion," Rhodes said.
"To be honest, Rhodes, I don't trust you, nor do I trust those Eredar. But for now, our goals align. However, I think you should reveal at least some of the secrets you hold," Illidan countered.
"I understand, Illidan. But now is not the time. You are still too weak. When the time is right, I will tell you everything," Rhodes shrugged.
The truth of the First Ones was something Blizzard had hidden well; Rhodes only knew of their existence. Where they went and what they were doing remained unknown.
Some "theory-crafters" even suspected the First Ones were the game developers themselves. In many franchises, creators love inserting themselves into the work.
The First Ones were like the Titans of old—creators beyond the rules. Judging by the "tech-heavy" aesthetic of the Sepulcher of the First Ones and Titan spaceships, Rhodes suspected the First Ones represented a hyper-advanced civilization rather than just "magic."
Regardless, Rhodes knew he wasn't strong enough to explore the cosmos yet. Even with his Tier 10 units, he was a king on a planet but a "noob" in the vast universe.
Over the next few days, the coalition cleared the interior of the Black Temple. With the defected Shivarra, Illidan moved fast, wiping out Magtheridon's remnants in a single day.
Rhodes kept his word, handing over several Arch Devils he had saved up to Illidan. These Devils would undergo Demon Hunter training to become elite hunters. While they were previously reinforced with fel, they paled in comparison to Archangels.
If only I had more Archangels, Rhodes thought. Angels were the pinnacle of "cool and powerful" in any world.
Defeating Magtheridon and clearing the temple also granted Rhodes rare resources and a special building—the first since the Broken Shore. This building was the Dragon Cliffs.
Every week, he could recruit a Red Dragon. By spending gold and sulfur at his Hill Fort, he could upgrade them into mighty Black Dragons.
Black Dragons were formidable. Like Magic Elementals, they were immune to all magic, and their melee capability surpassed even that of Angels.
Black Dragon Stats:
HP: 300
Attack/Defense: 25 / 25
Damage: 40-50
Speed: 15
Traits: Flying, Dragon Breath, Immune to all magic (including beneficial spells).
Because of their immunity, Rhodes couldn't heal them with spells; he had to use a First Aid Tent.
Azeroth has its own Black Dragonflight, Rhodes mused. I wonder what Deathwing or Onyxia would think of my dragons? Though they weren't the same species, they looked identical.
Rhodes stroked his chin, planning to use his Black Dragon to prank the "Lady Prestor" in Stormwind once he returned. He could fly it over the city or claim he had tamed a Black Dragon mount just to see her reaction.