Faced with Rhodes's blatant provocation and dismissal, Kil'jaeden's fel projection twisted and swelled violently in extreme rage, as if it were about to swallow the entire Black Temple whole. The terrifying fel pressure became almost tangible, making it difficult for many coalition warriors to breathe, and even causing some demons to tremble in fear.
Even if it was just a phantom, the power Kil'jaeden displayed was enough to shock everyone. Rhodes frowned, wondering: How did those three guys eventually take him down in the future?
Based on the strength shown by this phantom, if Rhodes hadn't come—if he hadn't brought the Archangels of Light, the Holy Fire Phoenix, and a host of Paladins—Illidan alone would have been no match for him.
"Mortal! You will pay for your hubris!" Kil'jaeden's roar was deafening, with green fel flames lashing out wildly around his projection.
At this moment, Kil'jaeden was beyond furious. There are things one sees but does not speak of, but Rhodes had left him no dignity whatsoever. Fortunately, there were no other Burning Legion soldiers around—or more importantly, other Eredar. If today's events reached the ears of Sargeras or others, it would be disastrous.
On paper, he was the commander of the Burning Legion; every demon was supposed to obey his commands. Because Archimonde was often away at war, Kil'jaeden was the actual administrator of the Legion. But that was a fallacy. The true master of the Burning Legion was always Sargeras, the one upon the Burning Throne. Kil'jaeden was merely a puppet.
Though Rhodes's words were biting, Kil'jaeden had to admit he was right. He was indeed a dog—Sargeras's dog. What a bitter irony; a high-ranking commander of the Burning Legion was worth less than a hound in the eyes of Sargeras.
"So much useless talk," Rhodes said, curling his lip in disdain. Today, he was intent on breaking the Deceiver's composure.
"Kil'jaeden, when Sargeras recruited you, he told you that you would complete a great feat—a grand crusade reaching the very end of creation. For this, you sacrificed your entire race and your world, Argus. But was what he said true? Do you really believe you can complete this 'crusade,' remove the threat of the Void, and save the physical universe? I have my doubts."
"I have never doubted Lord Sargeras. He will keep his promise. Mortal, what else did Velen tell you?" Kil'jaeden asked, narrowing his eyes.
Sargeras' promise was known only to the three leaders. Archimonde and himself certainly wouldn't have told Rhodes. It had to be Velen. That man tells this human everything? The Light within this boy was so intense—could it be that Velen had chosen him as a successor? Why an outsider over his own kin? What was so special about this boy?
"What do I know? I know why Sargeras went mad. To put it simply, he saw the end of the universe. He saw the Void corrupting everything, even Titans, until the whole universe sank into shadow. As the pinnacle lifeforms of the physical universe, Titans thought they were invincible gods, the creators. But in truth, there are levels above the Titans. They are the true origins of the universe, the First Ones."
Rhodes dropped a bombshell: the concept of the First Ones (Progenitors), a truth from the latest cosmological secrets.
Kil'jaeden's jaw dropped. He stared at Rhodes in disbelief. The First Ones! Logically, a mortal on a planet shaped by Titans, inhabited by Titan-forged beings, shouldn't know that word. The Titan Watchers deliberately erased such knowledge so mortals would believe Titans were the ultimate creators. Yet this mortal knew of the First Ones and knew Sargeras's true goal was to combat the Void.
"It seems you know more than the average puny mortal. You've seen through the hypocritical lies woven by the Titans. You're right; the Titans are not the creators—the First Ones are. Since you know this, you should realize Sargeras' greatness and his sacrifice. Joining the Burning Legion is the only path. Together, we will defeat the Shadow. The Burning Legion are the true saviors," Kil'jaeden countered.
Below the dais, the coalition was utterly bewildered. What? The Titans aren't the creators? What are the First Ones? And why is the Burning Legion claiming to be the savior of the universe? Even Illidan looked at Rhodes with wide eyes. Rhodes knew things that even he, a ten-thousand-year-old scholar, had never heard of.
"So you really believe Sargeras's plan? Burning the entire universe to cinders so the Void has nothing left to corrupt? How absurd!" Rhodes sneered.
"Since you understand some truths, I will tell you the Great Master's plan. Time is destined to corrupt the physical universe; it is an unchangeable fact. Therefore, Lord Sargeras devised a solution: wipe out all intelligent life in the universe while preserving the universe itself. Without life to feed upon, the Shadow will wither and die. Then, a new dawn will come. Lord Sargeras will act as the new creator, bringing life back to the cosmos. It is a necessary sacrifice," Kil'jaeden explained.
Rhodes suddenly clutched his stomach and burst into laughter, looking at Kil'jaeden as if he were an idiot. "Hahaha! Sorry, Kil'jaeden, let me laugh for a second. That is the funniest joke I've ever heard. I can't breathe!"
"Is there something funny? Is this great journey of salvation not worth praising?"
"Praising? Are you joking? This plan is riddled with holes. Did Sargeras leave his brain in his backside when he thought this up? Or did he think it through with his feet?"
Facing the mockery, Kil'jaeden didn't get angry this time. Instead, he was curious to hear what Rhodes would say next. To be honest, the first time he heard the plan, he thought it was idiotic too, but he never dared say so to Sargeras.
"Sargeras thinks that after burning the universe, the Shadow will die out, and then life will be born a second time to save the cosmos. Well, if life can be born a second time, why can't the Shadow? Does he plan to start another Burning Crusade then? An endless, mindless loop?
And since when is Sargeras a creator? Titans are just shapers. If he could create life, he wouldn't need your demons; he'd just create an army himself. The Titan Watchers' iron-bound constructs are much more reliable than demons."
Rhodes went straight for the jugular of the plan's logic. How do you guarantee that a universe capable of birthing life again won't birth the Void again?
Kil'jaeden fell silent. He had thought of this question himself, but never dared to ask.
"And here's another thing: what happens to the Burning Legion? Once the universe is burned, will Sargeras keep you around? You're just pawns. If the world is purged of all life, that includes you, because you are life-forms that can be corrupted by Shadow. To Sargeras, all life is the enemy," Rhodes sneered.
Sargeras was essentially a fragile idealist who had never faced real failure until he saw the Void. He had a god's body but a mortal's brittle spirit. He saw the Void's power and his first thought wasn't to defeat it, but to prevent it from growing—typical "scorched earth" theory.
"Why the silence, Kil'jaeden? Answer me! Or perhaps you thought of these things long ago? As a 'wise' scholar, you couldn't have missed these flaws. Or are you just a coward who didn't have the guts to ask? You didn't even dare to question him." Rhodes's words pierced through Kil'jaeden's inner defenses like a spear.
"Enough, mortal! You cannot shake me. I believe Lord Sargeras is right. We shall see." Without waiting for a response, Kil'jaeden's massive projection dissolved into nothingness.
Deep down, he was shaken. He began to overthink—could Rhodes be backed by a Titan Watcher? No, impossible. This boy must be backed by the First Ones! Kil'jaeden reached a terrifying conclusion of his own making. Sometimes, the smartest people overthink things into the most unlikely corners.