The thought that he had spent years in close proximity to such a dangerous creature—even allowing her to infiltrate the very heart of Stormwind's power—sent a chill racing from his spine to the crown of his head, accompanied by a wave of boundless fury.
This wasn't just a slap in the face; it was a blatant trampling of his dignity.
"How... how is this possible? You... how can you be a black dragon?" stammered a human noble who had long been an admirer of the Countess.
"Countess Katrana, this can't be! This must be some evil magic, some wicked polymorph spell!" Several Stormwind nobles clearly refused to believe their eyes, even as the truth loomed gargantuan before them.
"Polymorph magic? Open your dog eyes and look! What kind of polymorph can turn a regular woman into a black dragon? If such a powerful spell existed, why wouldn't I use it on myself?" Rhodes snapped with a cold snort.
A Mage's polymorph can turn an enemy into a sheep, but only for a short duration. A Shaman's hex can turn someone into a frog. These spells last but a moment and don't work well on the strong. A Druid's shapeshifting into a bear, eagle, or stag is meant for combat, but if they could turn into a Black Dragon, that would be the ultimate prize for any Druid or Mage.
Rhodes had already dispelled the Holy Light barrier, allowing the soldiers outside to rush in.
"Protect the King!" Duke Bolvar reacted instantly, drawing his blade and positioning himself in front of Varian as Holy Light formed a protective shroud around them.
Other soldiers and nobles were in a state of total chaos, watching the scene with wide-eyed terror.
"Your Majesty, you can't... you can't listen to this man! The Countess has always been loyal to Stormwind, she's provided council for years... this must be a trick!" A few heavily charmed nobles continued to defend their beloved "Countess" even now.
Rhodes shook his head in pity. The charm magic of the Black Dragonflight was truly terrifying. It was no wonder Deathwing had almost swindled the sovereignty of Alterac away from King Terenas and the entire Alliance.
"You idiots! She's a ten-thousand-year-old mother dragon who's popped out more eggs than you can count. King Varian, I think the nobility in your city needs a serious purge," Rhodes remarked.
"Lies! This is all your conspiracy! You—" A noble started to shout but was silenced by a swift blow to the head from a veteran Paladin.
"I believe Lord Rhodes! This must be a revelation of the Light, bringing the Lord here to excise the dragon rot from our kingdom!" cried an Expedition Paladin. Since returning, they had felt the atmosphere of the kingdom had soured—no longer the land of honor and courage they remembered, but a nest of corruption. Now, it all made sense.
"Enough! Today is a day of shame for Stormwind. Restrain those 'suitors' of the dragon; I will deal with them after I handle the beast. Lord Rhodes, I thank you for unmasking this monster. But I wish to slay her with my own hand—to avenge my wife!" Varian said, taking a deep breath.
He understood everything now. Tiffin's death was her doing. Though he hadn't seen Rhodes' "Holy visions," he remembered one thing clearly: Katrana was the primary voice suggesting they stiff the Stonemasons, rallying the other nobles to her cause. This was a stain on Stormwind that he had to wash away personally.
By now, Onyxia had stopped pretending. The enemy had come prepared and had her cornered. Today, she had lost the game.
"Foolish humans! You dare ruin my designs!" Onyxia roared. A horrific draconic pressure exploded outward, several times more potent than that of the four dragons Rhodes had brought.
This specific mental pressure turned the legs of many soldiers to jelly. Give us a break, they thought. We just survived the pressure of four dragons, and now there's a boss-level one? Are we supposed to survive this?
"Designs? You mean sowing discord, corrupting the elite, and rotting Stormwind from the inside so your flight can crawl back to power?" Rhodes sneered. His Holy Shackle did not waver; instead, it glowed brighter, clashing violently against Onyxia's shadow energy with a sharp, sizzling sound.
Even in her true form, Rhodes's chains held firm. While creating the new Holy Archangels, Rhodes had tapped into an even deeper well of Holy Light. Furthermore, for reasons unknown, the presence of the Sunwell seemed to bolster his power.
"I've seen enough of your tricks. Enough talk—I'm going to beat you until you beg for mercy," Rhodes stated coldly.
The four dragons and five Archangels were just there for show; Rhodes intended to go one-on-one. He was going to beat this Black Dragon Princess into submission. As for the King's revenge? Sorry, Varian, stand aside. This dragon lady is going in my mount collection.
"With this pittance of Light, you think you can bind me?" Cruelty and contempt flashed in Onyxia's eyes. She was shocked her cover was blown, but supremely confident in her might. This human was strange, but he was still just a mortal!
She took a massive breath, her chest swelling as molten heat began to glow in her throat—a breath capable of melting steel and shattering walls!
"Of course not just this!" A golden barrier manifested before Rhodes. The Holy Light solidified, making the dragon's breath entirely useless.
"Lord Rhodes, this is Stormwind's business. Please, hand her to me. I will mount her head upon the city gates!" Varian shouted, moving forward.
"Apologies, King Varian. Besides unmasking her, I need to take her back for the Judgment of the Light. This involves the Titans. So, I'm afraid her head won't be hanging on your gates," Rhodes said over his shoulder.
If I let you kill her, what happens to my Onyxia's Reins? I have to ride her! As a mount of course.
"Titans?" Varian frowned, gripping Shalamayne. He recalled rumors of Rhodes's power being linked to Watchers, but now he was claiming the Titans themselves? "Lord Rhodes, I respect your connection to the Light, but this dragon murdered my Queen. For both my kingdom and my family, I must end her."
"I understand your rage, Varian." As Rhodes spoke, he casually leaned to the side, dodging a claw swipe that would have leveled a building. He conjured a massive warhammer of pure Holy Light and slammed it into the dragon's claw joint with a resounding thud.
Onyxia let out a pained shriek as she was sent reeling by the blow. Rhodes had learned this from Uther—a massive-scale attack of the Silver Hand—but his was forged of pure, raw Light. He had even experimented with "Green Lantern" style constructs; Holy Light was incredibly malleable.
"But her fate is tied to something bigger than personal grudges. She is a direct scion of Neltharion. I need her... as a sample. For the future of Azeroth. This involves the new Black Dragonflight. For the sake of the world, I ask you to step back," Rhodes said. For the sake of my mount, you've got to take one for the team. Everyone knows WoW players would backstab their own brother for a rare drop.
"A sample? Rebuilding the flight?! Who do you think you are, you bastard!" Onyxia bellowed, the humiliation driving her to the brink of insanity. She was a high-born Princess, and this human saw her as a sample? "I will burn you to ash, worm!"
She took another deep breath. Deep in her throat, a white-hot fire swirled with roiling shadow energy—Deep Breath. A breath meant to incinerate the soul itself.
"Rhodes, look out!" Jaina cried, her hands already weaving an Ice Block.
But Rhodes was faster. He didn't retreat. He slammed his palms together in front of his chest and thrust them forward.
"The Light... is not always gentle."
A torrent of pure Holy Light erupted from his palms. An impossibly large, golden greatsword materialized in his grip, and he swung it with a violent force. The golden blade met the Shadowflame breath head-on.
Ssssssss!
It sounded like a red-hot iron plunged into ice. The collision of Light and Shadow shook the heavens. To everyone's horror and amazement, the "invincible" dragon breath was actually pushed back by the golden tide. The light was winning!
Rhodes's lips curled. I'm not just a Priest or a Paladin anymore, sister. I am the Master of the Light.
"Impossible!" For the first time, terror appeared in Onyxia's eyes. Her breath was being overpowered by a mortal's raw energy?
"Watch closely, King Varian! This is the ultimate Light—absolute dominion over darkness! Onyxia, get on your knees and talk to me!"