Rhodes' mind raced. He knew this was a make-or-break moment. He couldn't afford to show weakness. As far as the universe is concerned, he thought, the only one who actually knows Illidan is the Child of Light and Shadow is Xe'ra, the Mother of Light.
If the three Naaru here knew the truth, they wouldn't have let Illidan's forces imprison them in Outland later on, only to contact the Alliance and Horde to come and blow up the Black Temple. Right now, his goal was to make these three "tangrams" believe he was the real deal. As for Xe'ra? She wouldn't arrive at Azeroth for another ten years. By the time the Legion's third invasion rolled around, Rhodes would have cemented his status so deeply that no one would dare object.
He took a deep breath, unleashing the Holy Light from his system without reservation. He also subtly channeled the "Solar" quality he'd refined with Anveena—a blend of Arcane Order and Light—to create a unique, magnificent halo around him.
"Great M'uru, the Light has guided me," Rhodes said, his voice steady and respectful. He looked directly into the warm radiance. "It is an honor to meet you. Whether it was thwarting the Legion, seeing Lordaeron reborn, or uniting our allies, I have merely followed the light within my heart and... the paths shown to me by the visions."
Rhodes masterfully dodged confirming or denying the specific "Child of Light and Shadow" prophecy. He focused on "the light within" and "visions"—terms that fit his persona perfectly while leaving him plenty of wiggle room. I never said I was the Child of Light and Shadow, he thought. I said I'm the Son of the Light and I see the future. If you guys fill in the blanks with your own fan theories, that's on you.
"I understand much, Son of the Light," M'uru's voice echoed in Rhodes' mind. Only the two of them could hear this conversation. "Perhaps you do not yet grasp your full destiny, but you are fated to achieve something peerless. However, I must ask one thing, child: I sense that the Light within you is not... pure. Besides the Light, you wield other forces, do you not?"
Rhodes' heart skipped a beat. He knew his Light wasn't "pure" in the traditional sense because, technically, he had never truly "prayed" for it. He had started by stealing Flash of Light from Arthas, then copied Paladin spells from Uther, and finally used system mana to simulate the "Light" emitted by his elemental summons. It was a simulation—perfectly mimicked, but fundamentally different from a Naaru's essence.
"Noble Naaru, I am not entirely sure what you mean," Rhodes replied, feigning humility. "Perhaps my devotion is not yet perfect, or my gifts are incomplete. But I believe the Light can defeat the Legion and banish the Shadows."
"I know your deeds, child. I know you humiliated Kil'jaeden and slew Archimonde. But you use systems outside of the Light. You possess the power of Life, a spark of Arcane Order, and... a trace of Fel. Am I correct? You can cast formidable Fel magic."
M'uru could feel it. Ordinarily, someone channeling this much Light would have been "Lightforged" into a semi-divine, eternal being by now. But Rhodes remained stubbornly mortal. The reason was the "clutter" of other forces: Life, Shadow (the Light's polar opposite), Arcane, and—most concerningly—a faint signature of Fel.
Rhodes realized that M'uru didn't think his Light was "fake," just "crowded." Rhodes had indeed learned Fel magic from an orc warlock and picked up some Demon Hunter techniques from Illidan at the Black Temple. He hadn't used them, but they were recorded in his spellbook.
"Great M'uru, I have no wish to deceive you," Rhodes replied, channeling his inner philosopher. "A great presence once told me that power itself has no moral alignment. I prefer the Light, but I have studied other systems—including the Shadow. But as the saying goes, the most extreme Light is the most terrifying Shadow, and the deepest Shadow can become the holiest Light." He shamelessly quoted Alexandros Mograine.
"It heartens me that you have grasped such wisdom without our teaching," M'uru replied. He didn't deny the Light-Shadow connection; Naaru themselves turn into Void Gods when their Light is spent. "The weapon held by the Paladin beside you—the Ashbringer—contains a terrifying Shadow that was purified into the holiest Light. I do not begrudge you the Shadow."
However, M'uru found the Fel unacceptable. "I do not ask you to abandon Life, Shadow, or Order. But the Fel is different. You must renounce it, child. It is the most wicked force in the cosmos. It will lead you to corruption. Even Sargeras, the greatest warrior of the Pantheon, could not escape it. Why do you think you can?"
"You are wise, Great M'uru," Rhodes replied, playing along smoothly. "I have studied the Fel solely to find its weaknesses—to understand the enemy so I might better purify the world. Prophet Velen can testify to the horrors we saw in Outland. I study it only to ensure we are never defeated by it again."
It was a perfect logical defense: the "know thy enemy" excuse.
"Knowledge is not a sin, but you are young and do not know the terror of the Fel's whisper," M'uru said, his tone shifting to a motherly, pitying resonance. "I will not expose your past studies to the others. I only wish to persuade you to let it go—for your own sake."
"You are right, Great M'uru," Rhodes said, bowing his head as if humbled. "Every time I touched that power, I felt it trying to erode my will. It only made my faith in the Light stronger. My research was limited and cautious, and I shall redouble my devotion to wash away any taint."
If you're giving me a way out, I'm taking it, Rhodes thought. I'll just pretend to stop. The system keeps the spells anyway.