"Look closely, Malfurion. It is I, your brother, Illidan. This is my true form now," the massive demon snorted coldly.
Illidan felt a pang of discomfort that Malfurion hadn't recognized him, but from this day forth, their brotherhood was severed. He was no longer a Night Elf; he was a demon through and through.
"This... this isn't right! Illidan, how could you become this? Rhodes, what did you do? Why didn't you stop him?" Tyrande was equally shocked. She had only been gone for a day, and the two men she left together had returned in such a state.
"Words are useless," Illidan said flatly. "The leader of these undead, the Legion's vanguard, the Dreadlord Tichondrius, is dead. Once you defeat the Burning Legion, you can send druids here to restore the forest. The scars on this land will heal eventually."
"Your soul has fallen completely, Illidan," Malfurion said, his gaze complex. "I thought there was a sliver of hope to save you, but I was wrong."
Malfurion had hoped to use this victory to redeem Illidan and free him from his eternal imprisonment, turning him into a hero of the Night Elves. But a true demon could never return to their society. The path was now irreversible.
"Illidan, you are my brother no longer. Leave this land, and never step foot in our home again. Do not let me see you more," Malfurion declared, delivering his final judgment: absolute banishment.
"So be it, Brother. No... Malfurion," Illidan took a deep breath, stole one last glance at Tyrande, nodded to Rhodes, and departed without looking back. He would watch from afar; if they failed, he would strike again.
"Rhodes, I asked you to watch him. What happened?" Tyrande asked after Illidan left.
"It was his own choice," Rhodes shrugged. "We found an artifact called the Skull of Gul'dan. Illidan absorbed its power to become a true demon, seeking the strength to exact revenge on the Legion."
"I never thought it would come to this," Malfurion sighed. "Let us return. The Legion and the Scourge have gathered at the foot of Mount Hyjal. The final assault will begin soon."
As they headed back, Rhodes reviewed the system notifications in his mind. The battle had been a "Glorious Victory."
Battle Report & Rewards:
Defeated: 2,000+ Demons, 10,000+ Undead, 1 Dreadlord.
Level Up: Rhodes reached Level 11.
Attribute Boost: +1 Power (Now Power 10).
Skill Choice: Rhodes chose Intermediate Fire Magic. This would boost his Fire Wall, Land Mines, and Blind spells by 50%—essential for the upcoming defense of Hyjal.
Resources Gained: 2,000 Gold, 30 Wood/Ore, and 10 of each rare resource (Crystal, Sulfur, Mercury, Gems).
New Structures Available: He can now build the Level 6 Creature Abodes (Magic Elements from Conflux and Black Knights from Necropolis).
Special Discovery:
Water Wheel: A weekly source of 500-1,000 Gold.
Arena: Rhodes visited the Arena and chose a +2 Defense bonus. He felt his physical constitution surge, realizing that HoMM attributes actually enhance his physical body.
Artifact Found - Orb of Silt: A fiery red sphere that increases Fire Magic damage by 50%. Combined with his Power attribute, his fire spells are now devastating.
Current Stats:
Attack: 1 | Defense: 2 | Power: 10 | Knowledge: 11
Equipment: Fire Eye, Orb of Silt, and two scrolls.
A day later, the group returned to Mount Hyjal. The mountain was bristling with defenders: Dryads, Druids, Keepers of the Grove, Sentinels, Treants, Mountain Giants, Faerie Dragons, Chimaeras, and Furbolgs.
Three days later, Malfurion gathered everyone. "We have no time to idle. A mysterious Prophet entered my dreams last night," he announced.