Previously, Jaina was unable to teach him teleportation magic, but now, with Medivh's assistance, Rhodes has mastered the teleportation arts of the Council of Tirisfal. Together, they can teleport to the Eastern Kingdoms with 100% accuracy; besides, even if they followed Maiev Shadowsong or Illidan, they would likely run into Kael'thas along the way.
"What kind of mission did the Titan Watchers give you? The Tomb of Sargeras is said to be where the Guardian Aegwynn buried Sargeras's remains—it's not a place for the faint of heart," Capurnia remarked. These young humans might not know how world-shaking those events were, but as an elf who had lived for a millennium, she had personally experienced the Great War of centuries ago.
Back then, the shadow of Sargeras loomed over all of Azeroth. Even though it was only an Avatar of Sargeras, its power was beyond mortal imagination. In that dire hour, Aegwynn took up the mantle of Guardian and faced Sargeras in a final showdown in Northrend. Nearly every mage at the time funneled their mana into her, creating the most powerful Guardian in history. Aegwynn did not disappoint; she successfully defeated the Fallen Titan and brought his remains to an ancient Night Elf temple in the Broken Isles. There, she wove a net of magical wards to seal the body away.
However, even in death, Sargeras's husk radiated endless fel energy. It tore open a rift that drew countless demons from the Twisting Nether. The Tomb of Sargeras became, arguably, the most dangerous place on Azeroth.
"Don't worry, I know exactly what I'm doing. I understand the danger, but trust me—trust my strength," Rhodes said, giving the elf a confident smile.
Eventually, Capurnia was convinced. The group boarded the Goblin magical airship. Before departing, Rhodes shared a final farewell with Princess Calia and then resolutely stepped aboard.
"Fasten your seatbelts, everyone! Steamwheedle Cartel Airlines is ready for takeoff!" With a long whistle, the airship ascended, slowly leaving Dustwallow Marsh behind. The flight was largely uneventful, leaving Rhodes somewhat bored. Occasionally he would sleep in the elf's room, other times in the sorceress's, but whenever the elf suggested the three of them sleep together, Jaina always refused—much to Rhodes' disappointment.
A "threesome" is every man's dream. Seeing Rhodes looking so dejected, the elf suggested a compromise: finding an elven priestess to join them. Rhodes wanted to agree with "both hands and both feet," but after a moment's thought, he decided against it—he wasn't that desperate. The rest of the trip proceeded without a hitch.
After 15 days of sailing, the airship detoured to a spot about a dozen kilometers from the Broken Isles.
"This is as far as we go, Mr. Rhodes. I'm sorry, but it's too dangerous to take you any closer. Our ship would likely be attacked by Storm Dragons or even the Nightborne," the lead Goblin said. Normally, reaching the Eastern Kingdoms would take 16 or 17 days, but because of this detour, it would take them another 3 or 4 days to reach their final destination.
"Thank you. Ensure they reach the Eastern Kingdoms safely. When I return to Kalimdor, I'll have a massive business deal to discuss with your Trade Prince," Rhodes nodded to the manager. He then summoned the Wyvern Monarch, took Jaina with him, and soared into the sky.
"Be careful, Rhodes! Stay safe! If the Tomb of Sargeras is too dangerous, escape immediately!" Capurnia shouted as they flew away. Rhodes turned back, nodded, and waved before steering his mount toward the Isles. Only after his figure had shrunk to a tiny black dot did Capurnia look away.
"See you in Quel'Thalas, my little lover."
Jaina and Rhodes flew for about ten minutes before reaching the coast of the Broken Isles—a territory where humans had never set foot. It was home to creatures of ancient Kalimdor; various sea monsters lurked within the dense jungles.
"Rhodes, where exactly are we headed?" Jaina asked.
"The Tomb of Sargeras on the Broken Shore. It was once a temple to the Night Elves' moon goddess. After Aegwynn chose it to seal the Avatar, she used her immense power to sink it to the seabed. But over a decade ago, the Orc warlock Gul'dan betrayed Orgrim Doomhammer and brought his warlocks here, using fel magic to raise the temple from the depths. We're looking for a newly risen beach with sparse vegetation," Rhodes explained.
While in the air, Rhodes cast View Earth—an adventure spell from Heroes of Might and Magic III. In the original game, it located resources, special buildings, or artifacts. In Azeroth, after learning it from the Level 2 Mage Guild, the spell projected the surrounding geography directly into his mind as a 3D map. Powerful entities and high-energy zones were highlighted, as were system resources like high-yield ores or timber.
Scanning his mental map, Rhodes quickly locked onto a specific beach. Unlike the dense jungles elsewhere, this area had only thin, scraggly plants and was marred by obvious traces of fel magic. Though faded, they glowed brightly under the effects of View Earth.
As they approached the Broken Shore, Rhodes spotted a small, solitary boat carrying about a dozen Night Elves. (Note: Some Night Elves did follow Illidan, leading to the Demon Hunter class; while the original game campaign showed only Naga, later lore clarified this).
One Night Elf stood out: tall, with demonic hooves and a massive pair of bat wings. As he stepped onto the sand, green soul-fire ignited beneath his feet. After the elves landed, a massive number of strange creatures emerged from the sea—humanoid fish-like beings wielding polearms.
These were the Naga. Ten thousand years ago, Queen Azshara's Highborne were dragged into the sea during the Sundering. They should have perished, but Azshara struck a deal with the Old God N'Zoth. Shadow magic warped their flesh, turning them into deep-sea monstrosities.
Several thousand Naga followed Illidan, their serpentine tails churning the water. At their head was a uniquely featured female Naga: Lady Vashj, former handmaiden to Queen Azshara.
"Lord Illidan, we have reached the Broken Isles. Is the artifact you spoke of truly here?" Vashj asked.
"Indeed. According to the memories I gleaned from that skull, it is so. However... it seems we have company." Illidan looked up, spotting Rhodes flying above.
He hadn't expected to run into Rhodes here. After escaping the barrows under Mount Hyjal, the two had fought side-by-side to eliminate the Dreadlord Tichondrius.
Afterward, Illidan had been exiled by his brother Malfurion and pursued by his nemesis, Maiev Shadowsong. Even though the order to release him had come from the demigod Cenarius, that didn't matter to the "mad woman" chasing him; all that mattered was locking him back in her barrow.
Having no choice, Illidan led a group of like-minded Night Elves—those who had suffered under the Legion and sought revenge—to the coast. There, he felt a magical power in the deep that defied description. He called out to that power, summoning ancient allies. The Naga. They were once the proud Highborne, and though they were monsters now, they were monsters who could help him.
Leaving a portion of his Naga forces to delay Maiev, Illidan had come to this shore to fulfill a task for the Demon Lord Kil'jaeden: kill the traitorous Lich King. During his time with Rhodes, Illidan had learned of the Scourge and held no love for an army of undead; destroying them was a way to protect Azeroth, so he had accepted the task.
He simply hadn't expected Rhodes to show up. Truthfully, he hadn't wanted to have much more to do with him.