Into the Light

27 | A PLAN

Modera stood up, pale and trembling. "Forgive me, Khadgar. I should have trusted you."

He nodded, accepting her apology. "In this time of great danger, the Council must not become divided like the rest of Azeroth. We must stand together, united, or we all will fall."

Karlain stood up. "Tell us what we must do." The others came to their feet after him. Khadgar gave them their instructions: gather the leaders of the Horde and Alliance and bring them to Dalaran. Kalec pointed out the others were not in danger from what they could see from Khadgar's projection. Surprisingly, it was Modera who first saw the wisdom of his deception.

"Khadgar says we have one month at the most. How else shall we convince them to unite together for another assault in such a short period of time?"

"We can't," Ansirem answered, grim. "We can make restitution later, when Azeroth is free of the Legion. Until then, I say we do whatever is necessary."

Kalec rubbed his hand over his jaw. "I don't wish to bring up a sore point, but you mentioned Idira has a key part to play in our fight. She is an untried apprentice, which causes me to have some reservations about her having so much importance. I think it is within my rights to know what part you intend her play."

Modera nodded, her face taut. The others murmured their agreement.

Khadgar cast another projection, playing out a scenario. "The tunnel under the channel between Hope's End and the Chamber of the Eye is warded by dark, powerful magic in two places. To get past it, we would need to use massive arcane bombs."

"Which would alert the Legion to our presence, bringing the full fury of all their forces upon us," Vargoth surmised before the scenario finished.

Khadgar gave him a curt nod, continuing, "Our most important objective after getting the faction leaders settled in Dalaran is to get into the Chamber of the Eye quietly and quickly. We need to get Illidan and Tyrande's bodies out of there. Without them, the Legion will be set back to the beginning, granting us the time we need to regroup and attack once more. Gul'dan and Sargeras are counting on their plan to succeed. I am counting on stopping it."

"And Idira?" Modera asked, tense.

Khadgar met her eyes. "She is able to pass through echoes of magic."

Modera looked perplexed. He explained. "To travel through time, I needed to go elsewhere. I made a teleport and left this office. Not only could Idira walk straight through my wards, she was able to use my teleport long after it was gone."

The Archmages gaped, incredulous. He waited.

Karlain recovered first. "No. Impossible."

"I saw her do it with my own eyes, disturbing as it was. As I said before, I have no idea where her power is coming from, but it is powerful. And right now, she is the greatest gift we have. It is as though Azeroth has created her, and sent her to us just for this very purpose."

"She could be a demon and is deceiving you," Ansirem suggested.

Khadgar took a deep breath and forced himself to tell them what he had done to her.

"Again. I am sorry to have doubted you, Khadgar," Modera shook her head. "That poor woman, it seems all the Kirin Tor has done to her is punish and torment her."

Kalec had been quiet for a long time, lost in his thoughts, his arms crossed over his chest. He started, and uncrossed them. "What if--" he began. He shook his head, catching himself, "No. No. It's so unlikely."

Khadgar didn't care how unlikely it was. Kalec had been in Azeroth for thousands of years, anything he thought was worth listening to. "Let us hear it anyway."

Kalec looked up, and scratched his cheek, suddenly reticent. "It's just, well, she looks a little like Aegwynn did. I only ever saw her once, however."

Khadgar felt the pressure in his head begin to lessen. Of course. Aegwynn's magic could not die, even if her body had. Her powers had just remained latent in Azeroth, until the time was right for another to bear the burden of such power. Poor Idira. Aegwynn was a titan among mages, and had defeated Sargeras once all by herself. He couldn't imagine what it must have been like for Idira to grow up alone in Westfall, having to carry the weight of such power, alienated and untrained. How lonely she must have been.

Khadgar suppressed the urge to hasten the others from his office so he could test Kalec's theory. Beside the physical similarities, Idira would have gained latent memories from Aegwynn's life, he was certain of it. How appropriate her energy had returned just when Sargeras's threat had become real again.

"Khadgar?" Modera's voice pulled him back to the present.

"Hm?"

"I asked you what you thought. Could she be carrying Aegwynn's power?"

Khadgar nodded. "It is possible. I will have to find out. If she is, she will have memories, or at least dreams which will be of Aegwynn's life."

"Regardless, what is it you intend to do with her, you still haven't said," Karlain pointed out.

"If she can pass through the echoes of magic, then she will be able to pass through the tunnel," Khadgar replied.

"You will have her open the way?" Ansirem asked.

"That is my intention."

"But how?" Ansirem persisted. "Just because she can slip through, it won't change the fact we can't get in without creating a disturbance."

Khadgar thought of the ancient font, standing alone in its cold, dark room. "Leave that to me. I have a plan."