The nightmare corruption had actually ended. Malfurion stared in astonishment at the distant crimson sky as azure light replaced it.
The renewed breath of nature drove out and purified the nightmare-corrupted roots. The crimson forest regained its vibrant life.
Thinking back to the earlier tremors in the nightmare, Malfurion was certain that the outsiders who had entered Shaladrassil's core were not enemies of the dream.
Light flickered in the Dream Portal outside the Rift Temple, where Malfurion waited quietly.
The glow of nourishing power spread outward, and two familiar figures slowly emerged from the Dream Portal.
"Queen Ysera, Lord Rowan?" After his initial surprise, the questions in Malfurion's heart slowly resolved themselves.
He should have realized sooner. With the Emerald Dream isolated and helpless, if the Night Elves and the Wild Gods refused to step forward, Queen Ysera's only remaining allies were the Kul Tiran humans Rowan represented.
Rowan surveyed the temple grove, distorted by mist, and nodded slightly. Stepping forward, he told Malfurion, "We can save the pleasantries for later. Right now, we need to finish Xavius as quickly as possible."
Malfurion waved away a little of the murky mist and glanced at Queen Ysera, his expression heavy and conflicted.
"Lord Rowan, Queen Ysera, the depths of the Eileen Rift have already been transformed into Xavius's nightmare mindscape. Unless we forcibly restore it, the dream's power alone can no longer heal it."
Hearing the Archdruid's concerns, Rowan had his answer.
If Xavius alone held the corrupted Eileen Rift, Rowan could simply follow the game's storyline: lead a small party deep into the rift and take him down.
But reality was not that simple.
"At a time like this, we have to make a choice. We'd best not let too many concerns hold us back," Rowan suggested.
Of course, Rowan