Akama and the newly restored Draenei stared at their hands in disbelief. The familiar blue-violet skin and the sight of strong, well-proportioned fingers were living proof that a miracle had occurred.
They reached up to touch their faces with trembling hands. The skin was smooth; the tusks and warped bone spurs were gone, though their signature facial tentacles remained. Every Draenei looked at their companions, and instead of seeing Broken brothers and sisters tormented by a curse, they saw tall, dignified Draenei once again.
Some embraced, weeping as they felt the warmth of normal flesh; others raised their palms to find the long-lost Holy Light coiling between their fingers in brilliant golden sparks. Everything had returned to how it used to be.
"The Light... the Light has returned!" a young warrior choked out, feeling a connection so vivid and real it surpassed any hazy dream he'd had since his transformation.
"Are we... truly back?" a female Draenei asked, watching tears slide down her now-delicate cheeks. For the women of their race, who were known for their grace and beauty, the restoration was a gift beyond words.
"Yes! We are back! The curse is broken!" ecstatic cries erupted. They were no longer the Broken; they were Draenei, the Children of the Light.
Akama felt the surge of Holy power within him, a bond he feared had been severed forever. He was no longer a leader of outcasts skulking in the shadows, fueled only by hatred. He was a whole Draenei again—an Exarch capable of channeling the Light.
"Lord Rhodes! No... Benefactor Rhodes!" Akama and his people gathered before Rhodes, bowing deeply. "You have not only purged the curse; you have helped us find our Light and our true selves. Your kindness to the Ashtongue... no, to all lost Draenei, is like the radiance of the Naaru. We shall never forget it!"
The Paladins and Priests nearby hoisted their weapons, chanting hymns and cheering for the restored Draenei.
"Lord Rhodes, you are a miracle of the Light, the Son of Light," Akama pleaded, leading his people to kneel. "I beg you, help the rest of our kin. All the Broken are waiting to return to the Light's embrace."
At this moment, Illidan was far from their minds; their only desire was to secure Rhodes's help for their entire race.
"The Light gave me a revelation, showing me how to use this magic and Holy power to restore you. I will not refuse," Rhodes nodded. "However, your Karabor Temple—the Black Temple—is the key to defeating the Burning Legion. For a long time to come, it must serve as Illidan's stronghold. I hope you can understand and help him."
"We will help," Akama stated. "Karabor belongs to the Draenei, but if it is to be used against the Legion, we are duty-bound to assist." To Akama, this wasn't just repayment; it was common sense. He wanted the temple out of the Legion's hands more than anything.
Rhodes nodded. He knew from history that even after Akama's eventual rift with Illidan, many stayed loyal. Akama's future "betrayal" was born of a misunderstanding—thinking Illidan had become a pawn of the Legion when, in fact, Illidan was striking the Legion from within.
"What I mean is," Rhodes continued, "some of Illidan's demon forces will remain at the temple. I hope you can coexist with them. Or, if you prefer, you can live elsewhere. When you were Broken, the environment mattered less, but as normal Draenei, living in a place saturated with Fel could cause you to mutate again."
Akama finally understood. Once they retook Karabor, it would be Illidan's base. For the Draenei to live there permanently alongside demons would risk re-triggering the very curse they had just escaped.
Akama felt a pang of reluctance to give up his ancestral home, but he couldn't refuse his benefactor, especially with thousands of his kin still waiting for restoration.
"I can promise you this: within twenty years, the Burning Legion will be defeated. At that time, the Black Temple will be returned to the Draenei," Rhodes offered, upping the ante. To take the temple, he needed the Draenei to give it up willingly, preventing future conflicts with Shattrath City.
"I understand, Lord Rhodes. I will speak to Prophet Velen personally. I promise you, I will convince him," Akama said, unaware that Rhodes had already met Velen.
"Tell the Prophet everything you saw today. Tell him it was a revelation from the Light. He will understand," Rhodes said.
"Now, can we get down to business?" Illidan interrupted impatiently. "Akama, lead your people to help us seize the temple. I need you to infiltrate it."
"There is a slight problem, Lord Rhodes," Akama said, looking embarrassed. "We can act as a frontline force now, charging with the Paladins, but... we can no longer infiltrate."
By becoming Draenei again, they had lost their connection to the Shadow. They could no longer enter the "stealth" state—a trait of the Broken's shadow-affinity, not the Light.
Illidan's head turned slowly toward Rhodes, his expression essentially saying, Are you fucking kidding me?
"Don't worry, Lord Rhodes! We can return to the clans and bring back Broken who haven't been transformed yet. It might take two hours..." Akama started.
"You'll attack from the front with the Paladins," Rhodes laughed, turning to Maiev Shadowsong. "As for infiltrating and disabling the mechanisms, we have an expert. Who is better at infiltration than a certain Warden?"
Illidan's eyes brightened. He knew Maiev's skills better than anyone; she was a master of the hunt and the shadows.
"Hmph! Fine. It is for the sake of fighting the Legion, not for Illidan," Maiev said coldly. "But Rhodes, I have one condition."
"Anything, Maiev. What is it?"
"Give me one of your special units. I want a battle partner," she said. Following Rhodes, she had become quite envious of the unique power his summons displayed. As a Warden, she was a master assassin, but she lacked heavy-hitting melee support or specialized magical utility.
"Is that all? What caught your eye?" Rhodes smiled.
"Those Magic Elementals—the ones immune to magic damage with the powerful mental attacks. I want those," Maiev decided.
"Haha, no problem. I'll give you two," Rhodes agreed. He could spare them; his Conflux city produced them weekly, and he held ultimate control regardless.
Rhodes immediately summoned two Magic Elementals—beings draped in red robes with interiors that shimmered like a starry galaxy. Satisfied, Maiev activated her stealth and vanished into the darkness of the Black Temple, her new companions trailing silently behind her.