"For the Legion! Crush that mage!" a demon lieutenant roared, attempting to bypass the chaotic frontlines to strike at Rhodes.
Rhodes's Holy spells had dealt devastating damage to the Legion's demons and undead, and his Arcane mastery was equally formidable. Since his goal was to draw their attention, he didn't hold back. As the demons surged forward, he summoned Solmyr and commanded him to unleash Chain Lightning.
The giant blue Djinn appeared, channeling terrifying arcs of electricity. Boom! Boom! Boom! Over a dozen demons were instantly torn apart. Rhodes followed up with a Fire Wall to further fortify their defensive position.
A massive Felguard swung his giant blade and charged Rhodes, but mid-stride, a green blur leaped from the shadows behind him.
"Your opponent is me, demon!" Illidan's low growl sounded like a death sentence. The Twin Blades of Azzinoth traced two intersecting, lethal arcs at a speed that defied the eye. The Felguard tried to parry, but Illidan was too fast. The blades sliced through his bat-wings and buried themselves deep into his neck and chest.
"No—!" The demon barely had time for a short scream before Fel energy erupted from his wounds, incinerating him from the inside out. He crashed to the ground as a charred husk. Illidan landed lightly, flicking the demon blood from his blades with a cold, practiced indifference.
"Nice work, Illidan!" Rhodes shouted, while simultaneously blasting a group of approaching Felhunters with Magic Arrow. The spell dealt over 100 points of damage, obliterating over a dozen hounds in its radius.
"Don't lose focus, Rhodes! Clear the fodder so I can concentrate on absorbing the Skull's power," Illidan replied, spinning into the remaining Felguards like a whirlwind. His style was wild yet efficient, every strike hitting a vital spot.
Rhodes stood firm in the rear like a mobile artillery battery, alternating between Magic Arrow and Lightning Bolt to pick off high-ranking commanders. For the general swarms, he used Holy Flash, Holy Storm, and Consecration. Any stragglers that managed to breach his magical barrage were intercepted and torn apart by his Iron, Gold, and Diamond Golems. He even unleashed a massive Inferno, knowing that the skeletons and zombies were essentially tinder.
The synergy between Rhodes's suppression and Illidan's assault was perfect. Within fifteen minutes, the area was cleared of all Legion and Scourge presence.
At the center of a crude Fel circle sat a grotesque orcish skull, its eye sockets burning with eternal emerald flames. This was the Skull of Gul'dan. This warlock had been the architect of the First War, the one who led the Horde into Azeroth and into the arms of the Legion, only to betray his masters and die in the Tomb of Sargeras seeking power.
Illidan's gaze locked onto the skull. Even without eyes, the beacon of dark energy was unmistakable. His breathing grew heavy, a primal hunger burning within him that eclipsed ten thousand years of weariness. This was the weapon he needed for his revenge.
"It is here..." Illidan's voice trembled slightly as he reached out.
"Illidan, be careful!" Rhodes warned. "Gul'dan's soul fragments might still be inside!"
"I know the risks, Rhodes," Illidan said without pausing. "But for power... no price is too high."
The moment his fingers touched the skull, the entire altar shuddered. The Skull of Gul'dan exploded with a blinding emerald light, bathing the forest in a sickly green glow. A massive torrent of Fel energy flooded into Illidan's body.
"ARRRGHHHHH—!!!"
Illidan let out a roar of mingled agony and ecstasy. His body contorted under the pressure of the influx. Suddenly, his back tore open as two massive, twisted demon wings erupted through his skin. His body expanded, his skin turning a dark, volcanic red, and sharp bone spurs grew from his joints.
The horns on his brow grew thicker and more curved, and his feet transformed into cloven hooves. Fel runes naturally manifested and burned across his new demonic hide.
Knowledge and memory fragments from the warlock—secrets of Fel, the Tomb of Sargeras, and the Twisting Nether—poured into his mind. These were the forbidden insights Kil'jaeden had gifted Gul'dan, and now they belonged to Illidan.
Rhodes held up a magic shield to withstand the violent shockwaves of energy. This was a moment of history: Illidan was no longer a half-formed hunter; he had become a true demon.
As the light faded, Illidan stood nearly twice his former size, radiating a suffocating pressure. He was now a creature of the Twisting Nether. He flexed his new limbs, his wings creating a foul wind, and looked at his runed claws.
"Do you feel it, Rhodes? This power... so... strong! Enough to crush all our enemies. Now, Tichondrius... and every piece of filth in the Legion will pay for their intrusion!"
"It was your choice, Illidan. You are now a demon in every sense of the word," Rhodes sighed. He knew this path was a point of no return.
Illidan gave a predatory grin. "I don't care. I only know that I finally have the strength to defeat the Legion. Come, Rhodes! Let's give that Dreadlord a surprise!"
"As you wish," Rhodes said. "We go to hunt Tichondrius. But... you have to leave the final blow to me."
Rhodes knew Illidan's transformation was necessary. Without this version of Illidan, there would be no one to find the Sargerite Keystone or eventually summon Argus to the sky.
"Haha, no problem. I always leave the last strike for you," Illidan laughed.
With a shared nod, the two legends set off toward the source of the corruption, intent on ending Tichondrius once and for all.