Upon entering the Blackheart Thicket, Malfurion was immediately enveloped by the corrosive Nightmare power. He paused briefly to allow himself to adjust to the force before continuing his flight.
Dreams and Nightmares are like life and death, opposing yet interdependent.
The Emerald Dream brings Druids a sweet dreamland, while the Emerald Nightmare is a paradise for Satyr revelry.
Malfurion strictly forbids Druids from using the Nightmare power, but he himself is not so opposed to it.
Occasionally, Malfurion would also study Nightmares, just as Xavius was a skilled Druid.
Xavius, corrupted by Nightmares, never succumbed to madness, Malfurion similarly possessed the ability to remain lucid even under the influence of Nightmares.
In the Blackheart Thicket, a Juxiong with bloodshot eyes raised its head and roared furiously. The decaying ancient trees trembled, resisting the arrival of this uninvited guest.
Fortunately, the Shade of Xavius deep in the woods soothed the creatures' emotions, and a voice echoed in Malfurion's ears:
"Look who's here, Archdruid Malfurion Stormrage. While you slept, I kept my promise and secretly watched Tyrande. She did nothing to wrong you, especially since she has nothing to do with your brother. I've discovered that Tyrande dislikes him."
Malfurion blushed. This was an agreement with Xavius; the Shade of Xavius possessed some Druid power and could use the forces of nature to monitor Tyrande.
"That's not my brother," Malfurion emphasized. "I've known something was wrong with him for a long time. My poor brother Illidan Stormrage is nowhere to be found."
"If you're not here for Tyrande, let me guess your purpose."
After a long Anjing, the Shade of Xavius suddenly said, "Prophet Velen is spreading the benefits of the Holy Light everywhere, claiming that Jaina was reborn with the help of the Holy Light. Perhaps you have other ideas."
"Shut up, I hate that woman."
Malfurion, filled with hatred, had now reached the deepest part of the woods, where the Shade of Xavius resided.
Landing steadily on the ground, Malfurion whispered, "Take me to Cenarius. That's easy for you, my old friend."
"No, no, we're not friends, and I'm certainly not your subordinate. Aside from our shared hatred of Jaina, we have nothing in common."
Malfurion shrugged and said, "I see. Your Satyr Legion is short-handed. How about I send some Night Elves I don't like, under the pretext of attacking the Emerald Nightmare?"
The Shade of Xavius shook his head. "My condition is simple: you must enter the depths of the Nightmare with me. The Age of Holy Light has arrived, and my heart is also filled with doubts, requiring guidance."
Malfurion guessed something and asked, "You're going to activate Il'gynoth?"
Il'gynoth is the terrifying embodiment of the Nightmare's Heart, dwelling within a decaying giant tree. He is said to be a creation of the Old Gods N'Zoth, or perhaps a part of N'Zoth.
It represents the superior wisdom of the Old Gods, collects the dreams of all beings in Azeroth, and often gives amazing prophecies.
Xavius and Malfurion once studied Il'gynoth together. Il'gynoth's prophecies were always metaphorical, requiring interpretation and conjecture.
The more information given, the easier it is to understand Il'gynoth's prophecies.
The Shade of Xavius solemnly stated, "Many have already shared their memories, including your mentor Cenarius, but I have even greater expectations for you."
Malfurion was, after all, one of the most powerful Druids of his time, and the leader of the Night Elves. He was at the very center of power and could be said to be a man who could influence history.
The more Malfurion shared his observations, the clearer and more accurate Il'gynoth' prophecies became.
"That suits me perfectly. I'd also like to know what the arrival of the Army of the Light means."
The branches, imbued with the Nightmare power, bound Malfurion. He did not resist; instead, he slowly closed his eyes.
Just like countless times when he entered the Emerald Dream, after his physical body fell asleep, his spirit and memories entered the Emerald Nightmare.
Before him stood the towering Xavius. In the Emerald Nightmare, Xavius was a twisted, bloated monster with enormous demonic horns on its head and its entire body covered in red Nightmare power, making it even taller than a typical Ancient of War.
Malfurion looked straight at Xavius, avoiding eye contact so as not to see himself reflected in his pupils.
Distortion and deformation are inevitable, and it must be quite ugly; he never looks at what he looks like in his Nightmares.
Xavius led the way, muttering grumbling as he went:
"This is my world, I control everything, I am the god of Nightmares, but now some guys are sharing my power, Malfurion. It's a good thing you're not interested in Nightmares. Look at your bloated body, it's disgusting. I miss the Emerald Dream; I was much more handsome there."
It seems that Xavius is somewhat dissatisfied with the Wild God who have come to seek refuge, and is using this opportunity to politely decline Malfurion.
Two enormous creatures traversed the Nightmare and arrived before a decaying giant tree.
The rotting branch trembled slightly and rested on Malfurion's shoulder. Xavius whispered:
"Relax, Malfurion, open your heart. You can mark those private things you don't want others to know and hide them deep in your memory. Il'gynoth will only scan the shallowest layers of memory. Your privacy is of no help to the prophecy."
Malfurion, like Xavius, knew Il'gynoth well and was already very familiar with it.
The memory scan was quick, Malfurion felt a cool sensation in his head as the branch left his shoulder.
The giant tree trembled incessantly, emitting hoarse, unpleasant creaking sounds. Xavius remarked in surprise:
"Il'gynoth has made a great discovery; your memory has been of great help. I have a premonition that the greatest prophecy in history has come to pass."
All living things are prone to forgetting. Many trivial things in life, and some conversations that we don't find interesting, can be forgotten in the blink of an eye.
Those seemingly insignificant details, those images that are not valued by the human brain, if collected and analyzed, may be able to predict future trends.
Xavius and Malfurion both perked up their ears; Il'gynoth's elusive voice echoed in their ears:
"Lofty mountains revolve around the planet, and the wanderer is no longer lost."
"The twins are hostile to each other; they are merely pawns."
"The empire has been reborn; they are buying and selling flesh and blood, and someone has refused him."
"From the throne, the gods looked down upon the earth, and from that time on, there was no more hunger."
"The stars drowned in the night sky, and a white shadow was mistaken for a hero."
"The pain of flesh and blood will fade, but the true torment is endless. Who is fueling this torment, and who is secretly laughing behind the scenes?"
"A path paved with light, the Queen returns home to inherit the throne; she will clear all obstacles."
"The mountain of magic crashes against the sea of stars, all for that one brilliant moment."
"The Savior has returned, devouring the flesh and blood of the immortals."
Your light has been extinguished.
Xavius stroked his chin and whispered, "This is truly an unexpected prophecy, Malfurion. How much of it have you understood?"
Malfurion scratched his head, looking troubled. "Compared to my mentor Cenarius, I am inferior in knowledge."
Xavius nodded. "Alright, let's go see your mentor."