"Anduin! You... this... this..." Varian cried out, his voice failing him. His face was a map of complex emotions; his son's choice was beyond his expectations, yet looking at the result, it almost seemed inevitable.
Rhodes's Holy Light was indeed... extraordinary. It was far more potent than that of his own Archbishop, but Varian was still extremely loath to give in.
Benedictus' expression had turned thoroughly grim. He had lost this contest, but as a man of deep calculation, he composed himself in an instant. Rhodes's strength far exceeded his imagination; the man's manipulation of Holy Light was levels above his own. It seemed the rumors weren't lies—he truly was the Son of the Holy Light.
Deep down, Benedictus felt a twinge of dread; he suspected Rhodes had glimpsed his secret. But he told himself it was no big deal. Many priests delved into the path of Shadow—after all, Shadow is the flip side of Light.
Even if Rhodes discovered his Shadow training, there wasn't much to be said. Mograine had used a Shadow Crystal to create the Ashbringer, and word had it that Rhodes' own "Verdict of Light" was forged similarly. Rhodes was in no position to lecture him.
"It seems... the Prince and Lord Rhodes share a profound destiny. The guidance of the Light moves in mysterious ways," Benedictus said, bowing slightly toward Rhodes.
Rhodes let out a hearty laugh, leaning down to scoop little Anduin up and seat him in the crook of his arm. The little fellow seemed a bit shy but did not resist.
"It seems the Archbishop now knows whose Light shines brighter. See that, Brother Varian? The Light, and your own son, have made their choice," Rhodes said smugly, looking at the stone-faced King of Stormwind. "This is the will of the Light! This child is fated to be my disciple, and no one can change that."
Varian watched his son in Rhodes's arms. Instead of being afraid, the boy looked at Rhodes with curiosity and a hint of hero-worship. Varian's heart was a whirlpool of conflicting feelings. He took a deep breath, knowing that in the face of "The Choice of the Light," if he continued to refuse, he would not only be unreasonable but might also break his son's heart and trigger a bigger backlash from Rhodes.
"...Fine!" Varian forced the word out through clenched teeth. "I agree to let Anduin accept your tutelage."
"Don't worry, Varian. I'm not going to just snatch your kid away. I'm not that cold-blooded," Rhodes said, offering a "carrot" after the "stick." "Anduin will stay in Stormwind most of the time! I'll come to teach him periodically, or I'll pick him up for a month or two a year—never more than three. Or, I'll station a trusted mentor right here in Stormwind. He is still the Prince of Stormwind, the future King! That will never change."
Since Rhodes had mastered and improved teleportation magic, he could pop up anywhere in Azeroth. Now that he had marked Stormwind, he could just open a portal whenever he liked. In a way, Azeroth's teleportation was even more convenient than the Town Portal from Heroes of Might and Magic.
Varian's expression softened considerably at this. Leaving for a couple of months a year was acceptable, as long as his son wasn't being taken away to be brainwashed into a Lordaeron puppet. Could it be, Varian wondered, that this Rhodes fellow really just wants a disciple and doesn't have a hidden agenda?
"That is for the best, Lord Rhodes. I hope you guide him well and make him a true practitioner of the Light."
"Deal!" Rhodes agreed readily, pinching Anduin's cheek. "It's settled then. From now on, I'm your teacher, little Prince."
Anduin looked at Rhodes and finally gave a shy but sincere childhood smile: "Yes, Teacher."
The tension in the banquet hall finally dissipated. Under Varian's lead, the feast resumed. The Stormwind nobles began to cheer, celebrating the fact that the Prince had found a master without having to leave home indefinitely. Musicians resumed their playing, and the atmosphere returned to its festive peak.
Rhodes held his new little apprentice, feeling quite satisfied with himself as he greeted the guests. He glanced at the sour-faced Benedictus and sneered inwardly. Keep dancing for a while, you old fox. Don't worry, we'll peel back your mask slowly.
For today, I'll just let you back off. Your reckoning will come. The Hour of Twilight? Hmph. With me here, the doomsday plans of you and your masters are doomed to fail. And Onyxia... the taming of this dragoness has only just begun!
Varian shook his head and pulled Anduin back into his own arms, giving his son a tender, fatherly smile. "Follow Lord Rhodes, work hard in the Light, and do not bring shame to Stormwind."
"Don't worry, Father. I'll only be gone two or three months a year. The rest of the time, Teacher Rhodes will come here or send someone to teach me," Anduin said, patting his father's hand.
Varian stroked his son's head, his heart a mess of complex feelings. He was relieved his son would receive such powerful guidance, but also felt the sting of a sovereign whose pride had been nicked.
He looked at the disgruntled Benedictus and then at the spirited Rhodes, sighing inwardly. Stormwind—and the entire Alliance—was going to change drastically because of this man.
"Varian, since I've taken Anduin as my disciple, I can't come empty-handed. I have a gift for him!" Rhodes said, taking a sip of wine.
"What gift?"
"Haha, it's a bit too big for this room. Let's head outside," Rhodes said mysteriously, gesturing for the crowd to follow.
Surprised, Varian carried his son and followed Rhodes. The other nobles exchanged looks and rose to follow them to the massive plaza of Stormwind Keep.
"Anduin, as your teacher, I'm giving you a special pet. It's a creature of immense power, capable of crushing a dragon—even two or three at once would be no problem."
"Crushing a dragon? Teacher, you..." Anduin was wide-eyed.
Varian was equally shocked. What kind of pet could crush a dragon? Was it one of those Archangels?
Rhodes gave a knowing smile and summoned a Holy Fire Phoenix from his system space. The massive firebird appeared above Stormwind, its wings spanning wide. It was only slightly smaller than a standard black dragon, but it radiated a divine brilliance, showering the plaza in Holy Light. In terms of sheer visual majesty, it rivaled the Archangels.
Since bringing Anveena into the fold, Rhodes could transform one phoenix into a Holy Fire Phoenix every day using the Sunwell's essence. His town produced four regular phoenixes a week, meaning within a year, his entire flock would be upgraded. A Holy Fire Phoenix was as strong as an Archangel, and since he'd soon have plenty, giving one away was no big deal.
More importantly, the phoenix would act as Rhodes's eyes, allowing him to monitor everything in Stormwind. The ultimate command over the creature would always remain with him.
"Light preserve us... is this a miracle?" an old priest whispered, trembling.
"Beautiful... and so powerful!" Duke Bolvar remarked. He didn't doubt Rhodes—this holy creature looked like it could indeed wreck a dragon.
Even Onyxia was stunned. The aura of this phoenix was terrifying; even in her true form, she wasn't 100% sure she could beat it. Just how rich is this guy to give this away as a pet? she wondered. If my father and brother show up, are they just going to be delivered as gifts too?
"This... this gift is far too precious, Lord Rhodes," Varian said, recovering from his shock and shaking his head.
"It's not just a combat partner, Varian. With it by Anduin's side, it will protect him and emit a Holy aura that helps him communicate with the Light. Oh, and I shouldn't be biased. I can only give one phoenix, but I'll give you two Holy Light Elements!"
Rhodes leaned in and whispered to Varian, "These elements can adjust their size—you can even make them human-sized. They're female, very beautiful, and they have these super holy wings."
"Ahem... I am not that kind of man, Rhodes," Varian said, somewhat speechless.
"I'm saying they can heal you when you're hurt! They can even disguise themselves as maids. What were you thinking, Varian?" Rhodes said with a mischievous glint in his eye while moving his eyebrows.
"........" Varian really wanted to hit him.