Maiev Shadowsong's figure blurred into the air like water merging into shadows, vanishing instantly before the group's eyes.
The two Magic Elementals followed suit. Their bodies seemed to be affected by the stealth aura, becoming translucent and shimmering as they trailed their new mistress, silently gliding toward the massive base of the Black Temple.
Maiev's stealth techniques were arguably the pinnacle of Azeroth. While some might say Valeera Sanguinar represents the rogues, the true paragon of the art is the Warden, Maiev.
In terms of assassination, infiltration, blinking, and the use of poison daggers, no one in the world could outplay her. Over ten thousand years, Maiev had single-handedly built the Warden system; ten millennia of training had made her so powerful that, in the original timeline, she was the one to finally strike down Illidan within these very walls.
"Maiev's strength remains as reliable as ever," Illidan remarked with a hint of admiration. "Her stealth is the only presence in all of Azeroth that even I struggle to detect."
Though Maiev treated him with nothing but vitriol—and indeed wanted him dead—Illidan respected her craft. She was the only person who could move soundlessly enough to get within striking distance of his throat.
Rhodes let out a quiet snort. Oh, bro... Illidan, if it weren't for me, you'd be back in a cage right now. "Let's get ready. I trust Maiev won't let us down."
"I must say, I'm surprised you managed to tame that woman," Illidan said, glancing at Rhodes.
"Heh, call it personal charm. I basically beat her until she listened."
Under the command of Rhodes and Illidan, the coalition held its position, waiting for Maiev's signal. Every eye was fixed on the towering, grim temple; the air was thick with the pre-battle tension that precedes a storm.
Meanwhile, Maiev moved like a true phantom through the ruins and shadows of the temple's perimeter. Her heightened senses allowed her to bypass demon patrols and hidden Fel-traps with ease. No demon caught even a glimpse of the master infiltrator.
She soon found a discarded drainage pipe leading into the interior—one of the secondary entrances Akama had mentioned. The entrance was thick with Fel energy, and several invisible Eye of Kilrogg wards floated near the passage. Any unauthorized entry would trigger a temple-wide alarm.
Maiev prepared to dismantle them, but a thought struck her: Rhodes said these creatures are immune to magic. Let's see if that applies to magical traps. According to Rhodes's theory, the energy of a Fel-trap was still magical in nature and should be ignored by the elementals.
She signaled one of the Magic Elementals to float forward. As it passed through the warded area, the Mana Eyes detected it and immediately fired searing Fel rays. However, the beams—hot enough to melt steel—simply vanished into the elemental's starry, void-like robes. Like raindrops falling into the ocean, the magic was "absorbed" without leaving a ripple.
The Magic Elemental's trait of total magic immunity was on full display. It was a walking magical black hole, silently drawing all detection and fire while remaining completely unscathed.
A flash of surprise and satisfaction crossed Maiev's eyes. Not bad. Rhodes's top-tier units are indeed formidable. These two would be incredibly useful if things ever went south with Illidan, or when hunting high-ranking demonic casters in the future.
While the traps were occupied with the elemental, Maiev struck from a different angle. Her crescent umbra-crescent blade flew in a silent Fan of Knives, precisely severing the core energy lines of the Mana Eyes, causing them to dim and go cold. The process was clean and quiet.
"Well done, my servants," Maiev thought, leading the elementals into the cold, damp sewer system of the Black Temple.
The interior was a labyrinth of demonic architecture and flowing green Fel-magma. Relying on her centuries of experience hunting criminals and Akama's map, she navigated the maze toward the Lower Precincts. Her target: the Defense Core Control Room, which managed the Fel-cannons and the external barrier.
Along the way, they encountered patrols of Felguards and Felhunters. For these, Maiev used the most direct method: Shadow Strike. She would erupt from the darkness, her blade a whirlwind of death.
When the Felhunters lunged with their maws open, the Magic Elementals met them. Immune to the hounds' Fel-breath, the elementals' physical strikes—infused with psychic shock—tore through the demons' flesh and seared their very souls.
Finally, after dispatching a team of Mo'arg engineers near a series of massive gears, Maiev found the control room. Several Eredar sorcerers were maintaining a massive, glowing Fel-crystal core surrounded by complex levers and runic circles.
Maiev didn't hesitate. She shot out like an arrow. A Shadow Prison instantly rooted the nearest warlock, while her blade transformed into a spiraling dance of steel—a Blade Whirlwind. The Eredar sorcerers were caught completely off guard; their throats were slit before they could even utter a syllable.
Two remaining Eredar warlocks reacted, raising their staves to blast her. The Magic Elementals lunged forward, ignoring the incoming Chaos Bolts and Shadow Burns. They closed the distance, pulled back their red robes to reveal their star-filled bodies, and released a terrifying burst of magical energy that vaporized the remaining enemies.
Maiev frowned slightly at the display. Not exactly elegant... and why do they have to flash their 'insides' like that? A bit lewd.
The battle was over in seconds. Maiev stepped to the Fel-crystal and smashed her blade into the key energy nodes. She then heaved the massive levers into the "off" position.
VROOOOM—!
A low, resonant hum echoed through the temple. Outside, the rows of Fel-cannons that had been glowing with a lethal green light suddenly dimmed, their barrels drooping uselessly. The hidden floor-spikes and flame-vents along the main path ceased to function. The magical barrier was down.
The falling of the shield was the ultimate signal. Outside, Rhodes and Illidan saw the defense system go dark.
"Maiev did it!" Rhodes's eyes sharpened. "Beautifully done."
Illidan let out a roar of command: "The portals are closed! The defenses are broken! All forces—target the Black Temple! ADVANCE! CRUSH MAGTHERIDON!"
"FOR AZEROTH!" The war cry shook the heavens. A golden tide of Paladins, Humans, and Draenei surged forward. Blood Elf and Dalaran mages unleashed a storm of fire and arcane support. The Naga tidal forces and Akama's reborn Draenei Avengers charged like a flood through the open gates.
The coalition stormed the temple, catching the interior demons completely by surprise. Countless monsters were torn to pieces by Light and Magic, sent screaming back to the Twisting Nether.
Inside, Maiev cleaned her blade and looked at her silent, reliable companions. A cold smile touched her lips. "Task complete. Now, let's see the 'show' Rhodes and Illidan put on. I personally hope Illidan gets punched in the face."
She looked deeper into the temple, toward their final objective: the lair of the Pit Lord, Magtheridon.
At that moment, the "Master of Outland" finally realized something was wrong. But as the coalition invaded, a certain Shivarra—Mother Shahraz—was already gathering her female demon subordinates. They were about to put their own plan into motion: betraying the foolish Magtheridon.