Jaina approached Rhodes, her voice laced with curiosity. "Rhodes, who is this Maiev person?"
"A crazy bitch," Rhodes replied, offering a blunt but honest assessment of Maiev Shadowsong.
In the original timeline, Maiev's hatred for Illidan was so bone-deep she practically wanted to eat him alive. Yet, strangely, after capturing a stranded Illidan in Outland, she didn't kill him immediately.
The official lore explanation was that as a transformed demon, Illidan couldn't be permanently destroyed outside of the Twisting Nether. Thus, she spent years hunting him across Outland until players stormed the Black Temple.
Only then did she finally "kill" him, dragging his corpse and his Demon Hunters back to the Vault of the Wardens for eternal imprisonment.
Of course, later events saw Cordana Felsong betray the Wardens, helping Gul'dan steal Illidan's body to serve as a vessel for Sargeras's soul. In the official narrative, Illidan's physique was the perfect host for the Dark Titan—much like Hades using a human vessel in Saint Seiya.
A Sargeras-possessed Illidan would possess power capable of crushing all of Azeroth. Eventually, Maiev was forced to release the very Demon Hunters she had jailed, giving players a new class option.
"So, I'm supposed to team up with these deep-sea Naga to fight a Night Elf? Isn't that problematic?" Jaina asked, clearly conflicted. "We just allied with the Night Elves at Mount Hyjal less than a month ago! Now we're their enemies? We were even discussing them joining the Alliance. Are you sure about this?"
She couldn't fathom why Rhodes was collaborating with a demon-tainted elf and these oceanic monsters. As the Princess of Kul Tiras, she knew better than most how dangerous and cruel the Naga were. She even suspected Illidan was a pawn of the Legion, especially since Rhodes mentioned his current mission came from Kil'jaeden.
"I understand your doubts," Rhodes said reassuringly. "But rest assured, Illidan is merely using Kil'jaeden. His target is the Lich King. This is a golden opportunity to cripple the Scourge and double-cross Kil'jaeden in the process.
As for the Night Elves, the ones we allied with are the mainstream government. This specific group chasing us is more like a... private militia. They don't represent the official Night Elf military."
He smiled, thinking of the terminology. In the campaigns, Sentinels called Tyrande "High Priestess" and Malfurion "Archdruid." But the Wardens? They called Maiev "Mistress."
"Fine. I hope you're right. Just don't mess this up, Rhodes."
"Trust me. You stay here and support the Naga. But I need you to do something else: even if they are 'private' forces, they're still Night Elves. We can't let relations get too toxic. If things get dire, bring out the Phoenix to intimidate them. Try to stall them rather than destroy them. The longer you hold them back, the better."
Jaina nodded, catching his drift. Rhodes didn't like this particular faction of elves, but he wasn't looking to commit a massacre.
With the mage briefed, Rhodes turned back to Illidan.
"The plan is set," Illidan said. "Vashj will lead the Naga, supported by your mage, to stall Maiev and her Wardens. After a short delay, they'll draw them into the Tomb. I've prepared traps. I have a 'big gift' waiting for her."
Thanks to the Skull of Gul'dan, Illidan knew the Tomb's layout perfectly. He and Rhodes could slip in, bypass the worst demons, and seize the Eye of Sargeras.
Once he had the Eye, he planned to trigger a massive earthquake to bury the madwoman and her troops forever.
"That's cold, Illidan," Rhodes noted. "Maiev just wants to jail you, and you're planning to bury her whole army alive."
"A man who is not ruthless cannot stand tall—you taught me that. You said it fits the Pandaren culture well, though those peaceful furballs would never invent such a phrase. You called it a 'revised version,'" Illidan said, looking at Rhodes.
When Rhodes first said that to him, Illidan hadn't quite understood, but after seeing Rhodes in action, it clicked. To defeat the Legion, one had to be heartless.
"Don't pin that on me! I never said that...yet" Rhodes rolled his eyes. Dammit, I definitely said that, but I can't admit it now!
"Is that so? Then consider it my own quote. Be sure to tell my past self ten thousand years ago: never be soft-hearted with enemies. Maiev won't stop until I'm in a cage. She is a stone in my path to destroying the Legion. She has to go."
"No, no, no," Rhodes countered. "The plan is flawed. You might kill her Wardens, but you won't kill Maiev herself. I know what these special units can do. She has a 'Blink' ability—short-range teleportation.
She will escape the collapse. And once you've wiped out her sisters, imagine how much she'll hate you then. It'll only make her more obsessed. We need to tweak the plan."
"Typical Rhodes. You're right; a cave-in isn't a guarantee against her," Illidan conceded.
Rhodes nodded, satisfied. As long as Illidan didn't cross the point of no return with Maiev, things were negotiable. But then Illidan's tone shifted.
"I need a stronger killing blow then. Perhaps a Fel Bomb? Or something anti-magic? You should have anti-magic items now, right? We'll set a ultimate trap and finish her for good."
Rhodes realized he'd accidentally encouraged Illidan to be more lethal. Illidan thought the hole in the plan was the "method of execution," not the "intent to kill." He assumed Rhodes wanted a more foolproof murder.
"Look, my point is: can we just... not kill her? Just stall. Better yet, don't let her enter the Tomb at all," Rhodes sighed. He suspected his past self (or future self) must have used a Sphere of Prohibition or something similar to give Illidan these ideas about anti-magic traps. Currently, only his Magic Elements were immune, but they didn't have a "Silence" aura.
"Since when did you become so soft-hearted? Is there a reason?"
"I'm never soft with enemies, but Maiev is important for Azeroth's future. We can't kill her. And if I really wanted her dead, I wouldn't need a trap. Follow my lead on this one man."
"Can you guarantee she won't interfere with my mission? My burden is heavy, Rhodes," Illidan said. He was willing to do anything to stop the Legion—short of hurting Tyrande.
"I'm fighting the Legion too. Let's move fast. Have your people hold the line, and once we have the Eye, we'll figure out the rest."
"Fine. Have it your way."
Rhodes knew the Lich King was a problem, but Northrend couldn't be allowed to sink. Before heading in, Rhodes cast a powerful illusion on Jaina, making her appear as a Naga Siren. Since many Naga used frost and arcane magic, she blended in perfectly.
"Jaina, remember: do not reveal your true identity," Rhodes warned one last time.