Into the Light

49 | AZEROTH

Khadgar hadn't had time to think about everything that had gone wrong since they arrived, everything had happened so fast. Malfurion and Xe'ra were gone, and despite Illidan's return as a powerful being, who now aided them, it wasn't enough. Even with their combined powers, Sargeras's avatar was proving to be near immortal.

Khadgar suspected it was the latent Light of Elune still within Tyrande which sustained her far beyond the point of physical death. But none of this really mattered if he was running out of mana. Soon he would be unable to cast anything more than a flame for a lamp. He glanced at Kalec, who appeared to have endless resources of mana, but then he was the former Aspect of the Blue Dragonflight. He was glad he had agreed to let Kalec convince him to join them, instead of sending Kalec to aid the offensive on the Broken Shore. And Idira--he stopped himself from looking at her so as not to break his concentration--her power was incredible. How she was able to sustain her shields against the might of Sargeras, a titan, told Khadgar things he wasn't sure he was comfortable with.

Not even a Guardian could have done what she was doing, even so, he sensed Idira was using only a drop of her abilities. She was more powerful than even the Dragon Aspects. That left only two possibilities, a Na'aru, which she clearly was not, or . . . no, he wouldn't even allow himself to think it. They would survive this, Tyrande's ravaged body would succumb to their onslaught, and Sargeras would lose his avatar forcing him to return to wherever his stronghold was in the Nether and leave Azeroth in peace. Soon, it would be over, and they would return to Dalaran, triumphant. Tonight would be the beginning of a new life for him, with Idira by his side.

One of Illidan's spells hit Tyrande hard. She staggered, and fell to her knees, panting, on all fours. She turned her head, and looked up at them, her eyes churning with fel. She laughed, and for the first time when she spoke, he did not hear Tyrande's voice, but Sargeras's. His deep, commanding voice gripped Khadgar, mesmerising him. He lowered his staff.

"You think you have defeated me? Fools. There is always another. There will always be another, you will never stop me. Azeroth will be mine."

Silence fell. Kalec and Illidan stared at what was left of Tyrande as she dragged herself across the floor, trailing pieces of flesh, blood, and fel behind her. She reached Gul'dan and lay down beside him. Fel energy spiralled within her, and slid, sinuous into Gul'dan and across the room to the others.

Tendrils of fel touched Illidan first, wrapping around him. More tendrils shot out and imprisoned Kalec next. They reached Khadgar and brushed against him, sinuous. He thought they would be cold, but they were warm. They slithered up around him, tightening. He felt the immense power of the titan, and how much more he could be if he succumbed. Confusion clouded his thoughts. What had he been fighting for all this time? What Sargeras wished to do made so much sense. He was a benevolent titan, but none understood him. He had to destroy to create. A universe cleansed of all life was better than a universe controlled by the Void. Sargeras only wanted to begin again, but to do so, he had to destroy all life, even life as yet untainted by the Void. Yes. A fine plan. He understood Medivh now, finally, after all this time, Khadgar understood. It was a relief.

Illidan stiffened, his hands clenching into fists. Light sparked within his fists, and shot out, against the fel encasing him, a desperate, feeble attempt to overcome the power of Sargeras.

Idira walked through the ice barrier. The fel tendrils sliding between the mages and the pair on the floor eased away from her, unwilling to be touched by her. She stopped in front of Khadgar, and turned to look at him. Her hand slid through the barrier. She touched his face, the grief in her eyes palpable.

"My love. I shall miss you."

Terror seized Khadgar. No. They could still end this, they just had to free themselves from the hold of Sargeras. There was still time. He had to stop her. He couldn't move, the fel had encased him in its grip, in preparation for the theft of his spirit. He tried to call out to her, but no sound came. He watched, utterly helpless, his heart pounding, as she walked across the room to Sargeras, working to create a new avatar for himself out of the others.

"Sargeras, " Idira said, quiet. "You will not have me."

Tyrande rose up to face Idira, a slow smile spread across her blistered lips.

"Ah . . . Azeroth herself comes to me."

Khadgar sagged within the grip of the fel, his worst fears confirmed. Idira was the world soul, Azeroth herself. Long ago, when Medivh was still his mentor, Khadgar had found a book in Karazhan that spoke of the titans, and of one, called Sargeras who had defeated them all in his obsession to cleanse the universe of all life. It had been said there was one, and only one world soul who could stop him, who had been cherished, protected and nurtured by the titans. Azeroth. It had seemed a fanciful tale, indeed it had been written like a story. But it was no story after all, it was true. Azeroth was alive, and had brought herself into the world, hidden away in the farmlands of Westfall, letting circumstances lead her to where she needed to be and the one who would give her access to the things she needed to learn so she could be here, right now, to defend herself and all that depended on her. Azeroth would live, but Idira would be no more. Khadgar felt tears burning his eyes. Idira, my love, how shall I go on without you?

Idira's eyes lit up, so bright the Chamber glowed with violet light.

"You are wrong Sargeras. Life will overcome the Void, not fire."

Tyrande raised her hand and fel fire flamed from her fingers. "Fire is all there is," Sargeras hissed. "Even for you."

A wall of flames stuck Idira. They slid over her frozen gown, harmless, extinguishing. She smiled, soft. "Even in fire, life remains, both good and evil. You cannot cleanse evil by destroying life. It is the way of wisdom to understand there must be balance. Always, there must be balance."

She reached out and touched Tyrande's fingers. The fel burning in them retreated, rushing back up Tyrande's arm and into her torso, sweeping upwards until only the colour of fel continue to burn in Tyrande's eyes.

"You have done much harm to me, Sargeras. I have been patient, but the time has come to end this once and for all."