"You have actually decided to cooperate with that traitor Illidan! Are you certain he won't deceive you? I'm telling you, that man is not good."
"He betrayed his own race and even joined the Burning Legion. Are you sure he hasn't sworn fealty to Kil'jaeden just to lure us into a trap?" After leaving the cavern where Illidan was hiding, Maiev immediately caught up to Rhodes and questioned him. To be honest, she still didn't trust the traitor.
"Lady Maiev, you've missed a very important point: the reason Illidan joined the Burning Legion, and even sought out Sargeras, was to understand the Legion from within," Rhodes said, turning to look at her.
"In the end, if Illidan hadn't reversed the Legion's portal, the Burning Legion would have successfully occupied Azeroth. There wouldn't even be an Azeroth today."
"That's just how the histories record it. Who knows if he only did those things hypocritically because he saw the Legion was about to lose?" Maiev countered. "Besides, the only witnesses to his 'heroics' were his brother Malfurion's Druids and Tyrande's Priestesses of the Moon. Those two could easily commit perjury for him. It's their indulgence and protection that have kept Illidan alive this long. By rights of his crimes, he should have been executed."
"Lady Maiev, I know you harbor resentment toward Illidan, but do not let that bitterness cloud your judgment to the point of speaking nonsense," Rhodes said meaningfully.
If Illidan hadn't been "redeemed" in later lore, her words might be excusable. But in the Legion era, Illidan proved his singular focus was the destruction of the Burning Legion. Conversely, Maiev's obsession was merely to imprison or kill him—ironically, in the original history, she was the one who struck him down at the Black Temple.
"Hmph! If Illidan betrays you, don't expect me to save you," Maiev snorted.
"Rhodes, if you choose to trust this Illidan, then I am willing to follow your lead," Kael'thas added. "I will select a group of elite Blood Elf warriors to accompany you to Outland. There are many High Elves within the Expeditionary Force; it is time we brought those heroes home."
"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing," Rhodes nodded.
The three boarded the Manticore King and quickly returned to the Alliance camp. From departure to return, the trip had taken less than a day. By the time night fell, Rhodes was back.
Upon his return, Rhodes immediately convened a meeting with the Alliance officers and Jaina. He tactfully explained that he had formed an alliance with a powerful Night Elf mage and intended to open a portal to Outland to bring back the "Sons of Lothar"—the Alliance Expeditionary Force.
"Lord Regent, you aren't joking? Are those veterans actually still alive?" a 40-year-old veteran asked in shock.
"Yes, I am certain they live and are still holding their posts. That is why I propose we bring them home. Even if the kingdom they remember has changed, and even if their loved ones are gone, we must bring them back," Rhodes declared.
If he didn't intervene, the Sons of Lothar wouldn't return for another five years.
"This is truly the blessing of the Holy Light. I agree, we must bring them back," the officers said in unison.
"It is indeed a blessing. I plan to lead an elite strike team, but I need several veterans of the Order of the Silver Hand to come along. As the Regent of Lordaeron, the Sons of Lothar don't know me yet; I need recognizable figures to bridge the gap."
Rhodes knew their survival was largely due to the "Army of the Light" and their own faith. Without the power of the Light, a group of mortals could never have survived on a world crawling with demons, let alone solved the problem of food and water near the Hellfire Citadel.
"Lord Rhodes, we recently sent word to Southshore," an adjutant reported. "Highlord Alexandros Mograine—the Ashbringer—and Saidan Dathrohan have responded to your call. They are leading a contingent of the Silver Hand and should arrive within a few days."
Since taking command, Rhodes had reached out to various organizations. Fortunately, they weren't far from Southshore.
"Good. Over the next few days, we will strike out and clear the surrounding area of undead. I want the camp clean when the Silver Hand arrives. We shall bake bread and light the fires to welcome them," Rhodes ordered.
"By your command, Great Regent!"
After the meeting, the Alliance war machine began to turn with high efficiency. Humans, Dwarves, Blood Elves, and Gnomes radiated out from the ruins of Dalaran to purge the remaining Scourge pockets. Low-level undead, lacking unified command, were easily dispatched. Rhodes occasionally joined the fray, his Chain Lightning or Magic Arrow purifying entire areas instantly.
Within a week, the threats around the camp were neutralized, and the road to Southshore was secured. The camp was renovated with new fortifications and supplies, humming with anticipation.
During this time, Rhodes received more system rewards: two special attribute-boosting buildings—a Mercenary Camp (+1 Attack) and a Marletto Tower (+1 Defense). Furthermore, he gathered enough resources to nearly max out the structures in his Conflux city and began preparing for the high-level "God's Awakening" units.
He had also been developing his initial Necropolis city. Aside from the useless Cover of Darkness, he had completed almost everything, including the Dragon Vault. He had finally produced the Bone Dragon.
While a Tier 7 underdog in the game, the Bone Dragon was visually terrifying: 16 meters long with a 24-meter wingspan, slightly larger than a Phoenix.
Bone Dragon Stats:
Attack: 17 | Defense: 15 | Damage: 25–50 | Health: 150 | Speed: 9
Special: -1 to Enemy Morale.
Upon upgrading to a Ghost Dragon, it gained a ghostly, ethereal glow. Its stats jumped to Attack 19, Defense 17, Health 200, and Speed 14. Its special ability was Aging.
In the game, Aging was rare and often useless. In Azeroth, however, it was devastating. It literally aged the target—a 20-year-old soldier could instantly become a 40-year-old man. While long-lived races like Demons or Elves were somewhat resistant, it was lethal against humans and orcs. Rhodes discovered that the effect was not permanent; it could be removed by Dispel, Cure, or—as a surprise discovery—Holy Light.
Rhodes decided to keep most as Bone Dragons, upgrading only one to a Ghost Dragon. Ghost Dragons lack physical bodies, existing in a spectral state. Bone Dragons, however, have physical remains that could be modified into Frost Wyrms using the techniques found in Naxxramas. He had already tasked his subordinate with this research.
That night, Rhodes slipped out of camp alone to a nearby hillside. A figure clad in heavy Saronite plate, wielding a massive frost-runed blade, approached him.
"Great Master," the figure said, kneeling. It was Straker—the mole Rhodes had been "free-ranging" for months.