Suramar City, atop the Central Mage Tower's platform.
Elisande and the mages of the High Council had gathered here, making another decision that would shape their fate.
"Latest reports: Pandaria has suddenly been shrouded in an impenetrable mist. All demon forces sent to attack lost their way within it, then somehow walked back out of Pandaria on their own. The Pandaren have completely sealed off their land."
"With a great enemy at our doorstep, everyone has the right to choose. They chose to flee, but we do not have that opportunity."
Elisande answered calmly.
"Everyone, a vast demon force has already gathered outside Suramar. They will soon attack our city, while the power of The Well of Eternity has now become a burden. The demons are using Fel Energy to corrupt that sacred place, and that evil portal has completely sealed off the holy well."
Seeing the silent mages around her, Elisande paused before continuing.
"Lord Dath'Remar entrusted me with the duty of defending Suramar. I will not let him down, nor will I let down the Highborne. Therefore, I have made this decision: activate the Nightwell within the city, sever our connection to The Well of Eternity, seal the entire city, and fight those damned demons to the very end in Suramar!"
The vote passed unanimously. The High Council's mages realized that this was the best response for now. If they maintained their connection to The Well of Eternity, no one could predict what consequences might arise.
The Central Core Mage Tower fired a straight purple Arcane Pillar into the sky. At the same time, mage towers scattered throughout the city activated as well, gathering streams of immensely concentrated Arcane energy and firing them toward the Central Mage Tower.
All the Arcane Pillars converged, then swiftly spread across the entire city.
A hemispherical shield of Arcane energy enveloped all of Suramar City. In that instant, the bright sunlight was shut out, and the city was cast in a dim violet glow.
All the Highborne immediately sensed the change within themselves. Their connection to The Well of Eternity's energy had been forcibly severed. They could no longer freely draw upon and wield its endless might as they had before.
In the central plaza of Suramar, a circular pool began to radiate with Arcane energy, reconnecting with every Highborne in the city.
This was the Nightwell, created by transforming water from The Well of Eternity. It was essentially an incredibly tiny, knockoff version of The Well of Eternity.
"Now... our war has only just begun."
Enduring the pain of losing their limitless magical cheat, Elisande spoke softly.
"Archmage, why... why don't we try to contact Sarodar, the God of Magic? The dark evil god of Capital Eldorei is about to descend, but we have our own god as well. We are his devout followers. He should answer us, shouldn't he?"
At that moment, an Archmage of the High Council spoke up. His words immediately received agreement and support from everyone present.
"That's right! Those demons have an evil god, and we have our own god too!"
"Let the Chosen Ones contact the God of Magic! His devout followers are suffering a great disaster and beg for his guidance and salvation!"
Elisande considered it for a moment, then ultimately nodded.
"Very well. Since that evil god seeks to exterminate us, we will summon our own god to destroy him. Begin preparations immediately. Gather all Chosen Ones. We will commune with our god!"
While Krasus and Rhonin desperately rushed toward Suramar, the Highborne also began preparing to contact the God of Magic.
Atop the Central Mage Tower's platform, all the Chosen Ones gathered together and called upon Sarodar, the God of Magic, hoping to draw his attention.
Their efforts bore fruit. The pale violet Arcane shield in the sky slowly began turning golden, as divine power carrying endless pressure temporarily assimilated the Arcane shield overhead.
The Highborne grew even more excited at the sight. As long as it worked, that was enough!
Golden Titan's divine power surged and churned, gradually converging into a golden eye of divine power, identical to the symbol of the Highborne's Eye of Truth.
A spark suddenly appeared in the divine eye's pupil, replacing its former dull emptiness. It then looked down, sweeping its gaze across all of Suramar City beneath the Arcane shield.
"Since the birth of the Highborne, this is the first time you have summoned me without permission. Speak, followers of the Eye of Truth. What has made you so bold?"
All right, Boss Hu was just showing off. The instant his will projected into the divine eye, he detected vast traces of Fel Energy.
Sargeras's demon army had arrived in this world.
He had not observed Azeroth for quite some time. Recently, he had been busy wrapping up the final matters concerning the two Old Gods on his own planet.
Now, those two fleshly creations were no longer threats to him. Instead, they had become excellent assets. His Void origin had successfully usurped the masters of their loyalty. Those two Old Gods now firmly believed that he was also one of the Void Lords—and the strongest among them.
"Your devout followers are being slaughtered by demons. The glory of the Night Elves is collapsing. At this very moment, the dark evil god plans to cross the portal of The Well of Eternity, descend upon our world, and destroy it. The followers of the Eye of Truth beg for your salvation!"
Elisande knelt on the ground and answered swiftly and concisely.
This was the method countless generations of Chosen Ones had developed for communicating with their god.
Sarodar, the God of Magic, liked things simple and direct and disliked complicated, cumbersome religious rituals. Empty formalities did not work on Sarodar. He was a pragmatist who demanded only devotion and loyalty.
"The Highborne's abuse of magic was the cause of all this, while Azshara's foolishness and greed lured it all into happening..."
Sarodar's voice rumbled through the air, creating echoes and an oppressive pressure.
The Highborne did not dare speak. They merely knelt on the ground with their heads lowered, obediently accepting the scolding. Their usual arrogant, nose-in-the-air attitude had long since been tossed into some ditch in the Endless Sea.
The Highborne knew that Sarodar was protective of his own. If they made mistakes, at worst he would curse them out thoroughly, perhaps zap them a few times with divine power. In the end, the God of Magic would still lend these little brothers a hand.
"Sargeras, the Dark Titan—my former brother, my fallen kin—is the shame of the Pantheon. He is a damned Betrayer. He must fall..."
Ah, this sounded promising. Divine Lord seemed ready to act.
"Very well. I will send down an incarnation of my will. I will lead you, guide you, and bring you out of this dark predicament. Prepare to welcome your master..."
The Highborne erupted in joy at those words. The enormous weight in their hearts finally lifted.
It was settled. Everything was settled now!
They had a god on their side too, so what was there to worry about? Soldier against soldier, king against king, cockroach against... ahem. In any case, victory was within sight!
Oh, and as for Suramar's leadership changing from council deliberation to one-man rule, that was no problem at all.
If it were anyone else, the proud Highborne would never accept it. Even Lord Dath'Remar had to submit any major decision to discussion and consensus within the High Council before it could be implemented.
But a Titan was naturally different! Others would kill for the chance to be directly ruled under a Titan's dictatorship, yet they did not even have that opportunity!
Just look at those Dragon Aspects. Every day, they were like children who had lost their mother, crying and begging for Titan guidance, yet Sarodar could not even be bothered to acknowledge them.
What was this? This was the difference, all right? You could never envy your way into it.
Having successfully convinced themselves, the Highborne became incredibly excited about the dictatorship they were about to accept. That was a first in itself.
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