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The consequences of activating the magic barrier went without saying. Naturally, it would mean that this attempt to transform the Black Crystal had failed.
Once activated, the magic barrier set up around the Black Crystal would light up immediately, separating everything around it. The world containing the Black Crystal and the world containing Rex and the others would become two entirely separate worlds. The Holy Light pouring continuously into the Black Crystal would lose its source and vanish, spelling failure for the transformation.
Could Rex accept failing to transform the Black Crystal? He could answer without a moment's hesitation: of course not. He had put enormous effort into obtaining it, traveling all the way to Lordaeron specifically to seek out Highlord Alexandros Mograine and finally securing it from him with great difficulty. The thought of abandoning it made his heart bleed.
The Black Crystal was an exceedingly rare, divine-grade material, one in ten thousand. If this transformation failed, Rex would not get another chance. It would mean losing the artifact Ashbringer forever. The cracks appearing across the Black Crystal filled him with anguish. If it exploded here and he lost Ashbringer, how would he stand against Arthas?
In Azeroth, personal strength mattered, but an artifact mattered even more. With an artifact, an early hero powerhouse could defeat a mid-hero powerhouse. That was not impossible; on the contrary, it was perfectly normal. In Rex's estimation, Arthas had now firmly entered the Hero Rank. With the demonic sword Frostmourne, even a mid-hero powerhouse might