Creating a "Sunwell" would require a staggering amount of Holy Light—far more than Rhodes currently possessed unless he summoned his ultimate trump cards: the Archangels, the Sacred Phoenixes, and all his Light Elementals. But those were his hidden aces, and he had no intention of exposing them to the Highborne.
The Highborne mage before him, however, was beginning to pique his curiosity. Just who is this guy?
"Lord Rhodes, I believe this plan is entirely feasible," the mage said, his face twisting into an unabashed look of greed. "We just need to find a suitable location and perform a sacrifice using a being who possesses absolute Holy Light energy. You, for instance, would be a perfect fit."
The idea was simple: sacrifice Rhodes to obtain a massive pool of Light energy, combine it with the waters of the Well, and the project would be a success.
"Heh! If you think you have the skill, feel free to try," Rhodes sneered. "Let's see if you end up dead by my hand, or if you actually manage to put me on an altar."
Rhodes wasn't limited to the Light. While he rarely used Fel or Shadow magic, mimicking those forces wasn't difficult for him. Moreover, having just consumed the Well's water, his attributes had spiked across the board, and Fel energy was notoriously effective at suppressing Arcane power. After all, the only reason Sargeras was able to solo the entire Pantheon was his mastery of Fel storms; otherwise, the Titans would have overwhelmed him through sheer numbers.
Seeing Rhodes's defiant attitude, the mage let out a cold snort as Arcane radiance began to swirl around him. He was ready to strike, but Queen Azshara raised a hand to stop him.
"Things haven't reached that point yet, Lord Rhodes. He was merely joking with you... right, Counselor Xavius?"
At the mention of the name Xavius, Rhodes's gaze sharpened. So it's this guy. In the original timeline, Xavius was the first to turn traitor and open the door for the Legion, eventually becoming the first Satyr—a Night Elf twisted by Fel. Later, he would become N'Zoth's puppet in the Emerald Nightmare, kill Ysera the Dreamer, and corrupt Cenarius before being sealed away.
His resume was terrifying. Even after his masters, Sargeras and N'Zoth, were defeated by adventurers, this guy always seemed to crawl back—a literal cockroach of a villain kept alive by fate (or rather, by writers who wanted a recurring antagonist).
"So, this is the famous Xavius," Rhodes said with a mock bow. "If you wish to test me, I'd be more than happy to oblige. However, we should find a better location, unless you want to make a mess of Her Majesty's private chambers."
If you want to sacrifice me, let's see what you're made of. Rhodes sensed that Azshara had brought Xavius here specifically to gauge his limits. There was no reason to back down.
"Fine by me," Xavius hissed, the Arcane gem atop his staff pulsing violently. "Let me see the tricks of this 'astral traveler'."
Azshara waved a hand lazily. "Go then. Just try not to ruin my gardens. I'd quite like to see how much the Well of Eternity has improved you."
She knew Xavius was one of the top mages in the empire, second only to herself. If anyone could push Rhodes to show his true hand, it was him.
Rhodes followed Xavius to the training grounds outside the palace. Dozens of Highborne mages gathered, sensing a duel, and erected Arcane barriers to contain the inevitable shockwaves. Most of these mages had interacted with Rhodes over the past month and were eager to see how his "strange magic" fared against their premier counselor.
Xavius held a staff inlaid with a massive violet gemstone. He didn't rush in; instead, he performed a traditional Elven mage's bow, though the contempt in his eyes was palpable. Since hearing of Rhodes from the Queen, he had looked down on the outsider. He couldn't accept that a mere "mortal" could rival his power or, worse, slander the "True God" who had promised him everything.
"Stranger, you may have the first move. I wouldn't want it said that I bullied a guest."
Rhodes stood with his hands behind his back, a mocking smile on his face. "Lord Xavius, your 'generosity' is touching. But I worry that if I go first, you won't even have a chance to show off those... new powers you've been learning from your master."
"Arrogant!" Xavius snarled. He slammed his staff into the ground, and Arcane energy boiled over. Dozens of violet Arcane Missiles swarmed toward Rhodes like a cloud of hornets, their trajectories calculated to seal off any escape.
Rhodes didn't even move his feet. He simply raised his right hand, fingers splayed.
"Holy Crystal Wall."
A massive golden barrier of pure, condensed Holy Light materialized instantly. When the Arcane Missiles struck the wall, they didn't explode; instead, they were caught as if in thick golden amber. Their momentum stalled before they were reflected back at Xavius with even greater speed!
This was a move Rhodes had mimicked from the Saint Seiya anime—the Crystal Wall of Aries. It could block and reflect any attack, provided the opponent's power wasn't significantly higher than the user's.
"What!" Xavius gasped, frantically weaving an Arcane Shield to negate his own reflected spells. He looked disheveled. He hadn't expected Rhodes's use of Light to be so refined, carrying such a strong "Order" property that it could perfectly deflect chaotic Arcane energy.
"Trivial tricks," Rhodes mocked, his hands still behind his back. "Is this really the extent of your level? If so, I'm deeply disappointed."
"Do not grow overconfident, outsider!" Xavius roared. He unleashed a barrage of Flame Strikes, Blizzards, and Arcane Comets. Yet, no matter the spell, Rhodes's Holy Crystal Wall held firm, bouncing every attack back. Rhodes even went as far as to yawn, beckoning Xavius forward with a finger as if to say, Is that all you've got?
High on the terrace, Azshara watched with rapt interest, her wine glass mid-air. Xavius was clearly being toyed with. The "Holy Light" barrier was fascinating—it wasn't just a shield; it was an act of absolute rejection.
"Outsider, I will show you the power gifted to me by a true god!" Xavius decided to stop holding back. He began a dark incantation, and the gem on his staff flared with a sickly, emerald-green light—the power of Fel.
Frustrated by being stonewalled by a single defensive move, the Archmage unleashed his ultimate spell.
"Fel Fire Rain!"
Dark green clouds gathered over the arena, and fireballs dripping with corrosive Fel energy poured down like a monsoon. This wasn't pure Arcane; it was the magic of destruction and chaos, highly invasive to all things of Life and Order. The spectating Highborne whispered in shock—they had never seen such a sinister power.
"Finally decided to use your master's leash?" Rhodes laughed. Facing the rain of green fire, he didn't retreat. He took a step forward.
He actually felt a bit nostalgic. After the Battle of Mount Hyjal in his own time, he had learned a few things from Archimonde, including Rain of Chaos. But he wouldn't use Fel here. He would use the Light to crush it—Light, after all, was the natural predator of Fel.
"Xavius, I'll make an exception and show you what true power looks like."
A pillar of golden light erupted from Rhodes, punching a hole through the Fel clouds. Then, the light began to solidify behind him, growing into a thirty-meter-tall giant of pure, shimmering radiance with massive wings.
Holy Secret Art: Susanoo-Style — Colossus of Light!
The Fel Fire Rain struck the Colossus and hissed as it was instantly purified, unable to penetrate the solid radiance. The thirty-meter-tall golden titan loomed over the arena, stunning every elf present. Even Queen Azshara stood up from her seat, her eyes wide with shock. The Colossus was magnificent—a perfect, winged avatar of golden power.