The towering Orc warrior was assumed to have partial Ogre blood, much like Rexxar. With his immense physical power and specialized abilities, he quickly earned the trust of the Horde.
The undercover agent sent by Rhodes—Krellion—was beginning to distinguish himself. The Orcs are a race that reveres strength; the more powerful a combatant, especially in melee, the more respect they command.
Krellion, a Barbarian hero, fit the Orcish cultural mold almost perfectly. Through a series of carefully orchestrated coincidences, he crossed paths with Rexxar and joined his small team to investigate the movements of Cho'gall.
In the battles that followed, Krellion demonstrated his unique gift. The Orc warriors and Ogres fighting alongside him noticed their prowess increasing—both their striking power and their defensive resilience seemed bolstered by his presence.
Within the Horde, this was hailed as a "Blessing of the Ancestors." To avoid unnecessary suspicion, although Krellion had purchased a spellbook and learned basic Level 1 and 2 magic, he refrained from using it without Rhodes's direct command. Such spells were also in Rhodes's repertoire, and using them could easily lead to an unwanted association.
Rhodes considered eventually framing Krellion as another "Titan Messenger," but for now, he decided to let the Barbarian hero roam free within the Horde, letting his influence grow naturally.
Upon returning to the Kingdom of Lordaeron, Rhodes and Jaina immediately met with Princess Calia to brief her on the events in Theramore.
"I never imagined a shadowy, evil force would be actively provoking a war between the Alliance and the Horde," Calia said, her voice trembling with lingering fear. "Thank goodness you intervened in time. If you had followed the advice of Uther and myself instead of trusting your vision, the consequences would have been unthinkable."
She shuddered at the thought. Had the Lord of Kul Tiras fallen, his people would have demanded total war for vengeance. The Alliance, still reeling and fragmented, could not have sustained such a conflict. The Night Elves and Draenei might not have joined, the Blood Elves were focused on rebuilding the Sunwell, and Dalaran was preoccupied with its own reconstruction.
Lordaeron would have been forced into a pyrrhic struggle that would have shattered its newfound stability and cost it its position as the preeminent human kingdom.
"Rest assured, Princess. I have informed the Horde leaders, and they are pursuing the Twilight's Hammer. However, we must investigate our own ranks. I suspect several humans have already turned to the shadow and the Old Gods," Rhodes explained.
The trip to Stormwind was now a priority. The leaders of the Alliance needed to be gathered for Calia's coronation. Malfurion Stormrage was already present, and Archbishop Akama could represent the Draenei in Varian's stead. Kael'thas Sunstrider was already en route to Quel'Thalas with the waters of the Well of Eternity Rhodes had obtained from Illidan.
Rhodes pondered the fate of the Sunwell. The well's concentrated essence had already manifested as a human girl named Anveena. He wondered if, with two vials of the Well's water, Anveena's sacrifice could be avoided, or if a new source of magic could be created for humanity using the second vial.
Kael'thas was currently purging the shadow energy around the Sunwell and would summon Rhodes via teleportation to Silvermoon when the reconstruction began.
"Rhodes, do you mean this shadow group is hidden within Lordaeron?" Calia asked, frowning.
"The humans who attacked the Orcs likely came from the Eastern Kingdoms, not Kalimdor," Rhodes replied. "But do not worry, I will investigate this quietly."
"Should we not warn the other kingdoms—Kul Tiras, Gilneas, Stormwind?" Calia suggested.
"No, that would alert the traitors. I already have a lead; let me handle it discreetly," Rhodes said. He knew the culprit was Archbishop Benedictus in Stormwind. The core of the Twilight's Hammer was there, and the upcoming trip to the southern kingdom would be busy indeed.
Calia agreed. Alerting the other nations now might compromise the investigation.
After a moment, Jaina spoke up. "Princess, could you ask Lord Uther to check if there is a half-elven Paladin named Finnall Goldensword in the Order of the Silver Hand?"
Uther, standing nearby, furrowed his brow. "Finnall Goldensword? There is indeed such a woman in the Order. Half-elven Paladins are rare; she is one of the few alongside Turalyon's descendant."
"I have some private matters to discuss with her," Jaina said, keeping her sister's identity a secret. She needed to gauge Finnall's feelings toward their father before deciding whether to tell her mother.
"Very well. Follow me, Jaina," Uther said, leading her toward the Silver Hand headquarters.
"Princess, if there is nothing else, I shall take my leave as well," Rhodes said.
"Wait, Rhodes," Calia stopped him. "The favor I asked of you... it is time to fulfill your promise. We have a moment now."
Rhodes rubbed his nose. "You mean... now?" He wasn't exactly opposed, but the timing felt abrupt.
"Please. You wouldn't want this kingdom to be without an heir, would you? And wouldn't you want your own bloodline to rule this land?" Calia said softly. "We must hurry while Jaina is away."
She took Rhodes' hand and led him to a secluded, long-abandoned basement beneath the throne room. It was damp and dark, smelling faintly of salt and musk.
Rhodes' "task" involved clearing out the long-neglected "pipes" of the royal line. He delved into the complex, labyrinthine "terrain" of the mud-slicked depths, nearly losing his way in the intricate twists and turns.
Calia's vocal guidance kept him focused, ensuring he didn't lose his direction. After a few hours of intense effort, the "maintenance work" was complete.
"Thank you for your help, Rhodes," Calia said, smoothing her dress and wiping the sweat from her brow, her face full of gratitude.
"You're welcome, Princess. If the pipes ever get blocked again, just let me know. I'll be happy to perform regular maintenance," Rhodes replied.
"It's a deal, then. I suspect I'll be needing quite a lot of... maintenance. You must continue to contribute to me," she said.