"Mistress, following your instructions, we tracked Illidan and sailed east, arriving at a chain of small islands that has never appeared on any of our charts," said a Warden standing beside Maiev Shadowsong.
Calling her a Warden was slightly inaccurate; she was more akin to a Huntress, for this Warden rode a massive Nightsaber. Her name was Naisha, one of Maiev's most trusted lieutenants and a former member of the Sisterhood of Elune before joining the Wardens.
A woman clad in heavy black-and-gold armor, wielding a massive circular Umbra Crescent and draped in a green cloak, stepped forward. This was Maiev Shadowsong, the jailer of Illidan and a premier assassin among the Night Elves. Her combat prowess was said to be second only to Tyrande and Malfurion; once she closed the distance, her target's fate was usually to be dismembered. She was, in many ways, the progenitor of the Night Elven path of the assassin.
Maiev surveyed the surroundings, noting how the Broken Shore differed from the rest of the archipelago.
"This is strange. This island seems to have emerged only recently." She pointed to the rocks, which were still covered in patches of seaweed and dried marine life that hadn't escaped her sharp eyes. The architecture here gave her a haunting sense of familiarity—this was once territory of the ancient Night Elf Empire.
"Mistress, what do you mean?" Naisha asked.
"Look closely, Naisha. This was once our land. Look at the architectural style; these are buildings of the ancient empire, specifically the opulent structures belonging to the Highborne," Maiev explained.
Her younger subordinates had only lived for a few thousand years; they did not know the true glory of the empire at its zenith. The territory and power held by the Night Elves today were not even a tenth of what they had been ten thousand years ago, when they dominated the world. Unlike their current simple, nature-integrated style, the ancient Night Elves built extravagant palaces and temples. Amidst the massive ruins stood a statue of a female Night Elf in a dancer's attire.
"You mean... this is a ruin of our former civilization?" Naisha asked.
"Yes. This was once the outskirts of Suramar, the most brilliant jewel of the empire. It sank into the sea ten thousand years ago. It rose briefly several hundred years ago for specific reasons, and then appeared again just a decade or so ago," Maiev said. She felt only a distant yearning for that legendary city. It was rumored that a remnant of Suramar still stood in the center of the Broken Isles, though the Night Elves had no intention of visiting those "lost" kin.
"What do you intend to do, Mistress? What is Illidan's purpose here?"
"Whatever that demon's purpose is, it is evil. That is all you need to remember. We must capture him and imprison him again—or kill him. Remember, sisters: do not face him alone. Illidan is far too dangerous."
The Wardens nodded in unison. Under Maiev's command, they established a temporary outpost and began scouting the island. They cleared the beach of hostile marine life—giant crabs, Makrura, and the Murlocs summoned by the Naga. As a sentient deep-sea race, commanding these weak Murlocs was effortless for the Naga.
On the other side, Jaina and the Naga led by Vashj noticed the arrival. Their Murloc scouts were already being decimated.
"They follow closely. To think they tracked us even here," Lady Vashj said, looking at Jaina. "Lord Illidan was right; we must deal with them. Are you ready for battle, human sorceress?"
Rhodes, that mysterious being, had used some form of magic to transform Jaina into a Naga. The disguise was so perfect that even Vashj couldn't spot a flaw. Truly miraculous magic, she thought. Had he lived ten thousand years ago, he would have been a guest of honor for the Queen. The ancient empire worshipped magic, and Queen Azshara was the most powerful mage of all. Even after the Sundering, she hadn't submitted to the Old Gods, but rather formed an alliance of convenience with N'Zoth.
"I'm ready, Lady Vashj. But Rhodes instructed us to avoid killing these Night Elves if possible. I think we can lead them in circles to stall for time," Jaina said. She then summoned the Magic Element Rhodes had given her, as well as a giant Fire Phoenix.
The orange-red Phoenix spread its wings, causing the nearby Naga intense discomfort. Being deep-sea creatures, the intense heat of a fire elemental was unfriendly to them, making their scales feel dry. Most of the Naga today were of a new generation born under the sea; only about 20% of the population were original Highborne survivors.
"So, do you have a plan, Lady Jaina?" Vashj asked, frowning.
"I will send the Phoenix to harass their camp as a deterrent. Then, I'll use frost magic to slow their movement and draw them in the opposite direction. You and your Naga can stay within their sight, leading them on a chase around the island," Jaina suggested after a moment's thought.
Despite Rhodes' order to block them, Jaina remembered their recent alliance at Mount Hyjal. She decided to be as non-lethal as possible. Rhodes had mentioned that Tyrande didn't particularly like the Wardens, so their deaths wouldn't cause a diplomatic incident, but Jaina still preferred mercy.
"Understood. I'll have my Naga cast water-based spells. Once Lord Illidan secures the Eye, our mission is complete. Until then, they must not enter the tomb," Vashj agreed.
Jaina nodded and commanded her Phoenix to take to the skies. Thanks to the Mass Disguise, she looked like Vashj's sister—a Naga Siren—effectively hiding her human identity.
The Phoenix soared over the Broken Shore, its fiery wings cutting a vivid trail across the gloomy sky, immediately alerting the Warden outpost.
"Mistress! Look up!" Naisha shouted, pointing at the ominous firebird. The Phoenix was nearly fifteen meters long with a terrifying twenty-five-meter wingspan—a true behemoth of the air.
Simultaneously, the Naga forces under Vashj and Jaina appeared on the horizon. Jaina summoned a localized Blizzard, dropping it just ahead of the Night Elven lines. It looked like a show of force, but it was meant to prevent a sudden charge.
Maiev Shadowsong's sharp gaze instantly locked onto the target. She snorted, "Naga... and their flaming monsters. Just as I thought, Illidan is in league with these deep-sea vermin. Archers, bring it down!"
Several Wardens and Huntresses loosed enchanted arrows that trailed moonlight. However, the Phoenix was flying far beyond their effective range, and the arrows fell harmlessly back to the sand.
At that moment, "Naga" Jaina began her performance. Waving her staff, she rained down massive chunks of ice upon the Night Elves. The hailstorm successfully threw the Wardens' formation into disarray. Vashj's Naga didn't sit idle; they immediately turned and fled toward the other side of the island, acting as bait.
The Phoenix let out a piercing cry and dove, not toward the crowd, but toward a deserted rock formation at the edge of the beach.
BOOM!
A massive explosion of fire and stone erupted. It was a thunderous, terrifying display, yet it caused zero casualties—a pure "warning shot" that was high on spectacle but low on actual lethality.
"That magical creature is trying to mislead us!" Maiev's voice was icy. She saw through the ruse instantly—the Naga were trying to stall her and lead her away from the objective.
"Naisha, take a squad and cover me from the left; stay away from the water. The rest of you, with me! These parlor tricks will not stop the Wardens!" Maiev shouted.
Compared to the veteran Maiev, Jaina's tactics were somewhat naive. After just one exchange, Maiev had pierced the plan. She left a portion of her forces to handle the diversion while she personally led an elite squad of Wardens toward the Tomb of Sargeras.
That massive structure was visible from miles away. If the enemy wanted to lead her away from it, then Illidan was undoubtedly inside.
Lady Vashj shook her head at the sight. She immediately ordered the main Naga army to engage the Wardens, physically blocking the path to the tomb. Jaina, growing anxious, commanded the Phoenix to land directly in front of the Tomb's entrance to bar Maiev's way.
Facing the wall of fire that was the Phoenix, the Wardens displayed incredible discipline. They didn't panic; instead, they tightened their formation and prepared for a high-stakes confrontation.