The sudden appearance of Kil'jaeden placed an immense weight upon the shoulders of the coalition. No one had expected this legendary lord of the Burning Legion to actually descend.
Kil'jaeden's fel projection was massive and terrifyingly solid. Even though it was not his true physical form, the horrific pressure—emanating from the lieutenant of the fallen Titan Sargeras and supreme commander of the Legion—caused the very air in the Black Temple's throne room to solidify.
The suffocating stench of sulfur and fel energy rippled outward from the specter, corroding the lingering remnants of Holy Light. Soldiers of lesser will felt their souls tremble, nearly collapsing to their knees. Everyone held their breath.
Highlord Mograine, Dathrohan, and a host of Paladins and Priests pooled their Light together. Rhonin, Kael'thas, and Jaina raised their staves in unison. Beside Rhodes, the two Archangels stood with swords drawn, while the massive Holy Fire Phoenix hovered above, locked in a silent standoff with the Deceiver's shadow.
Illidan's body was visibly shaking. He hadn't expected Kil'jaeden to track him down so quickly. His eyes darted to Rhodes—did this brat anticipate this all along?
"Puny Night Elf... why have you not executed my orders to strike the Frozen Throne? Answer me!" The terrifying fel pressure bore down on Illidan.
"Kil'jaeden! I never intended to be your pawn!" Illidan spat through gritted teeth. He knew he couldn't show weakness now; one slip, and he was finished.
The projection flared with green energy, forcing Illidan back a half-step. "I see you have been blinded by this pittance of power... even taking these laughable mortals as allies. You think gathering these ants will save you from my wrath?" The demon lord's gaze swept over the Alliance heroes, lingering with undisguised loathing on Rhodes and his celestial constructs. "The Light... such a nauseating stench. Illidan, you disappoint me. Have you brought these mortals here only to die?"
At those words, the Paladins, Draenei, and Blood Elves all turned cold glares toward Illidan.
"Dammit, he is a lapdog of the Legion! Lord Rhodes was deceived!"
"Brothers, prepare for battle! To the death!" Mograine roared, hoisting the Ashbringer.
"Kil'jaeden, you shameless traitor!" Akama, now restored to his Draenei form, bellowed in fury.
"Rhodes! If you don't do something now, we're all dead!" Illidan hissed, looking at Rhodes with desperation.
Rhodes actually let out a short laugh. He found it curious: in the original history, a resurrected Illidan—alongside Velen and Khadgar—would eventually take down Kil'jaeden for good.
Yet here, faced with a mere phantom, Illidan was terrified. Is it plot convenience, or does Kil'jaeden still hold a psychological leash on him? "Kil'jaeden the Deceiver... your reputation precedes you," Rhodes finally stepped in front of Illidan. If he didn't speak now, Illidan's credibility would be gone forever.
Kil'jaeden's gaze snapped to Rhodes. "A mortal... yet woven with such strange power. Are you the one who has repeatedly interfered with the Legion's plans? The one who dared to murder a commander of the Legion?"
"That would be me," Rhodes replied, facing the demon lord without a trace of fear. "I'm the one who sent Archimonde packing back at Mount Hyjal. No need to thank me. How is he doing these days? Recovering well?"
"Arrogance! You think defeating Archimonde gives you the right to be insolent? You have no concept of the Legion's true strength!"
"You mean the army of 'useful idiots' Sargeras gathered from the scraps he once defeated? Or should I call them the 'Army of Failures'? Two invasions of Azeroth, two defeats. I must say, the Legion's track record is truly... 'unbeatable,'" Rhodes mocked.
"So, you are Illidan's benefactor? His source of spine?" Kil'jaeden sneered. "Illidan, you pathetic traitor. Lord Sargeras offered you power beyond imagining. He expected you to be the Legion's third commander. You could have had eternal glory, yet you betrayed us for..."
"Hahaha! Sorry!" Rhodes interrupted with a burst of laughter. "I just never thought I'd hear someone describe being a 'good dog' with such grand, self-righteous dignity."
The room went stone-cold. Kil'jaeden's expression turned monstrous. "Where do you get the courage, mortal?"
"I've spoken with your old friend, Prophet Velen," Rhodes said calmly. "He told me that once, Kil'jaeden was a wise scholar. He saw exactly what would happen to the Eredar if they joined the Legion. But unfortunately, Kil'jaeden was a coward. He feared Sargeras too much to resist. And so, the 'wise leader' became a dog on Sargeras's leash."
"What do you know?! You are nothing!" Kil'jaeden roared.
"Am I lying? Who was it that offered up their own planet, Argus? Who handed over the World-Soul of Argus to be tortured? You cowards sold your own race to Sargeras so he could have a puppet Titan."
Kil'jaeden's projection flickered. The fate of Argus was a state secret within the Legion. "Kil'jaeden, I actually despise you," Rhodes pressed on. "You are just a pathetic coward. You don't hate Velen because he embraced the Light. You hate him because he embraced the Light and didn't take you with him. Am I right?"
Silence fell over the Black Temple. Kil'jaeden's eyes widened in sheer disbelief. Dammit! Velen told him even that?! Rhodes hit the mark.
Kil'jaeden's obsession with hunting the Draenei wasn't about "traitors"—it was about punishing Velen for leaving him behind. He had even kidnapped Velen's son to turn him into an Eredar lord, just to force a father to kill his child.
"Hahaha! Did I touch a nerve?" Rhodes put on an exaggeratedly pitiful face. "'Oh, big brother Velen, why didn't you take me? Why didn't you bring me to the Light? Why did you leave me to rot in the Fel?' Is that it?"
"SHUT UP! I will slaughter you! I will drag your soul into the depths of the Nether to be tortured for ten thousand—no, a hundred thousand years!" Kil'jaeden's fury was absolute. This mortal had stripped away his dignity in front of an entire army.
"Then come and do it," Rhodes said, holding up a middle finger. "I'm standing right here. Come down and see who cuts who into pieces. Anyone can talk big. If you've got the guts, come over here and bite me."
The coalition finally realized the truth: Kil'jaeden was just a projection. A paper tiger. The tension in the room broke.
"I promise you, mortal... you will pay for this," Kil'jaeden hissed. "You killed Archimonde, but his soul was not damaged by the World Tree. He will be resurrected soon. Next time, your luck will run out."
"I'll be waiting. Azeroth will take good care of both of you," Rhodes made a mock 'after you' gesture. "But for now, I'm sending this phantom home."
The two Archangels and the Holy Fire Phoenix erupted in a blaze of divine fire, charging the projection.