In the distant Temple of the Moon, a cold, cosmic pressure rippled outward, startling every Moon Priestess in the middle of their devout prayers. None of them understood what had transpired.
The High Priestess of the Temple of the Moon, an elder Night Elf adorned in silver-white robes and a crescent crown, was leading the congregation in their evening orisons. At the exact moment Rhodes's "scandalous" metaphor left his lips, her hand gripping the Staff of Elune jerked violently, as if struck by an invisible arctic current.
The High Priestess looked up sharply, peering through the temple's hollowed dome at the "White Lady," which seemed to have suddenly coalesced into an entity of endless frost and solemnity.
"The Goddess's will..." the High Priestess whispered, her face etched with shock and confusion.
"Such clear displeasure... What has happened in the mortal world to draw the Goddess's direct attention so abruptly?" another High Priestess remarked.
Suddenly, a terrifying consciousness surged into her mind, conveying a divine decree. A cascade of moonlight descended upon her body, and all the priestesses present collapsed to their knees to listen to the Goddess's teachings. Everyone realized that the Goddess had descended upon the High Priestess.
As the highest-ranking member of the Sisterhood of Elune, the High Priestess possessed the right to communicate with the deity. After a brief moment, she opened her eyes.
"I must convey the will of the Moon Goddess. All members of the Sisterhood of Elune, all priestesses, assemble at once."
"Find the being known as 'Rhodes' and bring him to My temple for an audience." This was the divine command issued by the Moon Goddess after her communication, specifying only that this 'Rhodes' was currently residing within Queen Azshara's palace.
The oracle was concise to the extreme—no reasons, no explanations, only a clear command.
The prayer ritual was forcibly interrupted. Every Moon Priestess felt a throb of dread and pressure from the depths of their souls, kneeling and pleading for the Goddess's forgiveness. None of them knew why the Goddess was angry or what could have possibly provoked such ire.
The High Priestess immediately convened all the high-ranking priestesses, including a young novice named Tyrande Whisperwind, who was permitted to attend due to her rare piety and spiritual sensitivity.
Tyrande was very young and exceptionally beautiful; there were even rumors that her beauty rivaled that of Queen Azshara herself. Because of this ridiculous rumor, Azshara had once tried to summon Tyrande to serve as her handmaiden, but Tyrande had steadfastly refused, choosing instead to join the Sisterhood of Elune as an initiate.
Becoming a handmaiden to the Queen was the dream of countless Night Elf girls. To ordinary citizens and nobles alike, Tyrande's choice seemed unwise; one was a tangible Queen offering immediate wealth and status, while the other was the ethereal and elusive Moon Goddess.
Inside the council chamber, moonstones emitted a soft glow as hundreds of Moon Priestesses stood together, ready to hear the divine word.
"Sisters," the High Priestess's voice echoed through the silent hall, carrying an unprecedented gravity. "Just now, we all felt the will of Goddess Elune. A clear, unmistakable... displeasure has descended upon the world. The Goddess has issued an oracle, demanding that a being named 'Rhodes' come to the Temple of the Moon for an audience."
"High Priestess... who is this 'Rhodes' the Goddess speaks of?" one priestess asked, looking bewildered. "I have never seen this name on any list of devout followers or notable druids. Who is he? Where does he come from?"
Rhodes's name had only circulated among the Highborne and had not reached the commoners, so the Sisters of Elune were in the dark.
"We have served the Goddess for over a thousand years and have never felt such distinct... rage. What could this Rhodes have done to provoke such a reaction?" another priestess added.
"Since the founding of the Empire, the Goddess has never directly summoned a member of our race, has she?" Senior Priestess Elena frowned, her tone laced with astonishment.
"Could it be related to the spatial anomalies reported over the capital recently?" Priestess Sophia speculated.
As one of the highest organizations of the Night Elf Empire, the Sisterhood of Elune had sensed unusual activity in the capital—frequent bursts of power from the Well of Eternity and spatial fluctuations. They had inquired about the cause, but Azshara had merely dismissed it as magical experimentation.
"The Goddess did not state the reason, which is a mystery in itself. Should we investigate first to ensure this person's background and character do not defile the temple's sanctity before we act?"
"Elders, please forgive my bluntness," Tyrande, the novice, spoke up. "The Goddess's will is as vast as the sea of stars. Since she specifically named 'Rhodes' and requested an 'audience' rather than raining down punishment, perhaps the person himself is the key to the answer. Our speculations here are likely far inferior to the truth that will be revealed once we bring him before the Goddess."
She felt they shouldn't waste time debating who Rhodes was, but should focus on finding him. The Goddess had issued a divine task, and as her servants, they should simply obey.
"Child, are you saying we should follow this unconditionally without any vetting? What if this man is a person of absolute evil?" the High Priestess asked. They had all felt the fury contained within that moonlight.
Tyrande bowed slightly, her posture respectful but firm. "I am not suggesting we forgo discernment, but rather that the Goddess's gaze pierces through time and appearances. If she wishes to see him, there must be a profound reason. Perhaps this audience is itself a trial, or the beginning of a vital... dialogue. Our duty is to be the bridge between the Goddess and her target, not the filter."
"Lately, the Arcane fluctuations from the Well of Eternity have been unusually active—even... tainted with a disturbing distortion. The Queen's court is increasingly immersed in that power. Could this 'Rhodes' be connected to that?"
The High Priestess raised her hand to stop further speculation. "Speak carefully! The Queen's affairs are not for us to gossip about. Regardless, fulfilling the Goddess's request is our primary duty. Prepare immediately; I will personally lead the team to the Queen's palace."
Tyrande was right; the "why" was not their concern. The task was to bring Rhodes at once.
Over the next few days, a small party led by the High Priestess and several senior priestesses—including Tyrande—left the quiet temple on swift nightsabers. They crossed moon-drenched forests and valleys with silver streams. The journey was not easy; the closer they got to the capital, the more the air hummed with a restless, powerful energy that clashed with the peace of the temple.
Occasionally, they encountered commoners whose eyes, a mix of awe and detachment, spoke of Queen Azshara's far-reaching influence and the widening chasm between the Highborne and the people. The Night Elves were splitting into two distinct groups, as if becoming two different races.
The priestesses did not linger. Only during necessary rests would they exchange whispered worries about the stranger who had stirred the Goddess's will: "Rhodes."
"Will Her Majesty... let him go easily?" a young priestess asked.
"We represent the will of Elune. Even one as noble as the Light of Lights must show respect to the Goddess. We shall... act as the situation dictates," Tyrande said. Because of her earlier insight, she had been specifically appointed to join the delegation.
After several days of travel, when the magnificent capital—built of crystal and enchanted metal around the Well of Eternity—finally rose before them, the priestesses straightened their dust-laden robes, regaining their inviolable solemnity. They approached the heavily guarded gates and clearly announced their purpose: "The High Priestess of the Moon, by the oracle of Elune, seeks an audience with Her Majesty and wishes to find a gentleman named 'Rhodes'."
The news was like a stone dropped into a still lake, sending ripples through the palace corridors until it reached the ears of Azshara and Rhodes as they enjoyed an Arcane illusion.
"What did you say? The Great Moon Goddess has issued a divine decree to see Rhodes!" Queen Azshara frowned.
Several days had passed since Rhodes's flattery. While she had felt the Goddess's gaze then, she figured a deity wouldn't be so petty. Or perhaps, her own supreme beauty and moving dance had even provoked the Goddess's jealousy. (Azshara was, as always, incredibly narcissistic.)
"Yes, Your Majesty. It is the Goddess's will. The priestesses are waiting," the handmaiden reported respectfully.
Sitting to the side, Rhodes was speechless. What have I gotten into?
I just gave Azshara a little puffery, used a tiny metaphor, and now you're coming for me directly?
To be honest, Rhodes was a bit nervous. Elune was an officially recognized true god in Warcraft, with a power level comparable to the Titans—and in future updates, she might even surpass them. After the Shadowlands lore, it was clear that the Winter Queen and Elune were sisters, making her at least an "Eternal One" level being.