Into the Light

01 | THE CALL FROM BEYOND

Tyrande sat up. Where was she? She waited, calming herself. Darkness surrounded her. This was new, unfamiliar. This was neither the Emerald Dream nor the Nightmare. It was just--nothing.

A voice, in the distance, so faint, she had to strain to hear it. Her name. She knew that voice. But, it was from so long ago. Another time, another age. Thousands of years in the past. Light came. She looked around, stunned. She had seen this before, once, while walking the Emerald Dream.

The Twisting Nether. She rubbed her hands over her arms, feeling cold. It was so vast, it made the travails of her world feel small and insignificant by comparison. She closed her eyes. It was enough, she wanted to leave.

"Tyrande," a whisper, filled with longing.

She opened her eyes. Her heart caught between beats. She had forgotten how he had looked, he was power incarnate.

Her voice wavered, uncertain. "Illidan?"

He reached out, his fingers brushing against her cheek, tendrils of light sparkling where their spirits connected.

"You came to me. I can hardly believe it. I have waited so long. Gul'dan has found me. I can hold against him a while longer, but not forever." Tethers of fel energy slammed into him, crawling over him, clawing at him, tearing into him. He looked up, agonised. "Help me. I beg you, I need the Light . . . before I succumb, before I am . . . one with Sargeras."

Hesitant, Tyrande touched him, channelling the Light of Elune into him, exhausting her own supply within heartbeats. Still, he shuddered, quaking, lost in his internal battle against Gul'dan.

She gave him more, everything she had, knowing she would pay a great price on her return. She didn't care, she couldn't bear to see him suffering. He was fighting against the Legion. Alone. She had to help him. All of Azeroth had to help him. He was the key, he could destroy the Legion, so long as he was given the support he needed.

A tether snapped free, whipping away, clutching a piece of Illidan's soul in its maw.

He hung, panting, exhausted. She waited. He met her eyes, his own hollow, desperate. "Gul'dan takes me, piece by piece, giving life to the avatar that will be Sargeras." He looked away. "He has shown me all, he has my body. He takes my soul, and feeds it back into my body, corrupted. The only thing standing between Azeroth and its annihilation is my will to fight."

Tyrande nodded, her heart cold. Gul'dan was far more dangerous than anyone had considered. To be able to breach the walls of the Nether. It was unthinkable. Yet, he had done it.

"Where is your body? If we find it, we can stop this."

He paled, the tethers were climbing over him again, digging, virulent "The Tomb of Sargeras. The Chamber of the Eye."

He screamed, writhing, tearing at the tethers.

Tears burned in Tyrande's eyes. It was unbearable. No longer could she see the monster Illidan had become. All she could see was Illidan, the night elf once more fighting, alone, to save Azeroth. Only this time, he might win, if she, and everyone else rallied to his side.

She touched his brow. "I will come back, I promise. Hold on, just a little longer."