The Plan Begins

Above the Well of Eternity, the winds raged and the dark lake waters churned, with towering waves, higher than a royal palace, crashing violently against the shore. A fierce wind swept through the air, whipping up pebbles that could be fatally powerful.

Lightning flashed across the sky, illuminating the path ahead of the procession emerging from the towering tower. The Queen was also in the procession, but she was attended by maids and protected by Doomguard. This tower was Azshara's favorite building, for it offered a panoramic view of the Well of Eternity.

Mannoroth stood in the forest below the tower, near the shore of the Well of Eternity. Though called a forest, it was already ablaze, crawling with towering Felguard and Hellfire. The Destroyer stretched out his hideous arms, brazenly absorbing the power of the chaotic lake in the distance.

To ensure the portal functioned properly, Azshara summoned six High Elf mages, her trusted confidants and the most powerful magic users, each of whom had mastered a particular element of magic to its fullest extent.

"To be honest, the immense power of the Well of Eternity that we've utilized is just the tip of the iceberg," Captain Varos of the Royal Guard muttered to Azshara.

The Queen gazed at the magnificent sight before her, stretched out a hand, and then clenched it upwards, as if to claim the power of the Well of Eternity for herself. "Now it can be used to bring my master Sargeras to my side."

Azshara turned and walked toward the cushioned seat that had been prepared beforehand, her voice alluring. "It's time!"

Varos's face lit up with greed, then he regained his composure and shouted sternly at the mages, "Take your positions!"

The path was littered with the ruins of collapsed houses and fragments of bones. Most of the palace grounds had been the site of inhuman slaughter, and the shores of the Well of Eternity were no exception. Some daring Night Elf had once made their home here, hoping to take full advantage of the Well of Eternity's power. That hope was ultimately shattered; the demons cruelly tore them to pieces.

Illidan had seen countless ways to control the Well of Eternity, and he understood more clearly than ever what the leader of the Burning Legion truly intended. He wondered if the Queen genuinely believed she would become a trusted ally of the demon lord. He suspected Sargeras might not have even considered this a part of his plans.

"See? They've already started."

"I must say your plan is very audacious, Illidan. After all... it's just the two of us."

The blind Night Elf turned to Nathanos, "Are you afraid?"

"No, I prefer a plan with fewer people," the Undead replied.

Illidan smiled. "Looks like I didn't choose the wrong person."

"There's still time, shouldn't you tell me why you want my help?"

"It's simple, because you're the only person I could find. Azshara banished all the Elf from the palace not long ago. To make room for the demons, no Elf, except her confidants, was allowed to stay. Even some of the High Elf left. And I..." Illidan paused when he spoke of himself. Nathanos looked into his eyes, knowing the price he had paid to gain the queen's favor. "I sacrificed my talents to get close to Azshara. She seems to still be thinking about you... and I need help."

Nathanos stared into Illidan's eyes, the latter knowing what he was thinking. "I'm not lying! I've been brewing this plan for a long time!" His voice was filled with rage, disgust for the High Elf and Azshara. "The High Elf have gone mad. The Queen has abandoned her people for an evil, corrupt, bloodthirsty wretch! Sargeras promised a perfect world ruled by the High Elf, but the truth is, this world is headed for destruction!"

"You want to be a savior?"

"No, I wanted to save them..."

"No need to say anything more." The Undead knew the Elf meant that the only person he wanted to save was Tyrande. With a great battle imminent, Nathanos didn't want to hear such words. His eyes were fixed on the situation outside the room, where many demons had already emerged from the portal. "No wonder those demons didn't stop us when we entered the palace. Azshara sent you to capture me, and then you used a trick to bring me into the palace to help you fight her."

"What I'm dealing with is the Burning Legion, Sargeras," Illidan corrected, then added, "Capturing you was a task Azshara gave me, and right now she clearly doesn't have the spare attention to study what kind of creature you are. This is a great opportunity; I can bring you in, and then set you free so you can work with me."

"Have you ever considered that all you've done might not bring you any reward?"

"I ask for nothing in return, nor do I care to ask for anything in return. No one but me can give me what I want." Illidan pulled two weapons from a crevice in the corner of the room. They were a pair of blades, but not the Warglaives of Azzinoth that he would wield ten thousand years later.

Nathanos nodded after hearing his words; he admired Illidan's determination.

"Then first we need to understand the situation in Tower Plaza. You should know how to deal with demons, right?"

Illidan gave a wicked smile and said, "Look at those demons. They come out of one portal and leave through another. Do you know where they go?"

You know?

"We're not the only two who want to stop Azshara. Outside Sintalari, the resistance forces of Azeroth have already assembled and are trying to break through the demons' defensive lines."

Nathanos understood. He walked to the window and gazed at the endless stream of demon soldiers, with Felguard flying overhead to keep watch. Besides the Felguard, other demons were pouring in to reinforce the front lines; they seemed inexhaustible, even surprising Nathanos.

"Those portals must be shut down."

"Excellent, this is the first step in my plan."

"But how do we get closer to the portal?"

"It's time to show you the Fel power I wield!"

The tide surged in with overwhelming force, its destructive power sweeping away everything in its path. In the blink of an eye, the entire lakeshore was submerged beneath its relentless flow. The water that rushed towards the shore didn't return to the lake's center but continued its relentless outward rush. The ruins on the shore were instantly swept away, completely cleansed. Horrifying waves relentlessly pounded the land, sweeping away everything in their path. Stone tablets were snapped in half by the waves, scattered everywhere.

Suddenly, a massive whirlpool appeared in the lake. Extending outwards from the shore in all directions, its sheer size was evident. For the first time, Azshara witnessed the Well of Eternity's raging energy churning in a perfectly synchronized manner... all the energy being drawn towards the center of the lake.

Mannoroth, standing beside the Well of Eternity, was engulfed by this power, and he burst into laughter. The raging waves did nothing to harm Mannoroth. The Abyssal Lord, reveling in the glory of receiving his master's power, roared at Sargeras to accelerate. Mannoroth believed this vortex would devour the entire Well of Eternity, and his suspicions proved entirely correct. Although he could only see a small portion of the vortex, he knew in his heart that the entire Well of Eternity must have been sucked in.

Suddenly, a faint light in the sky caught his attention. The light grew brighter, and there were "birds" flapping their wings. Upon closer inspection, Mannoroth realized that they were not birds at all, but dragons—many, many dragons. Behind one of the dragons was a figure holding a golden disc.

"I think I hear the voice of a dragon. It seems there are people who are even more anxious than we are," Nathanos said.

"Fantastic!" Illidan exclaimed excitedly. "Their attention must be focused on the Well of Eternity now. It's time for us to make our move!"

Compared to the Night Elf, Nathanos seemed less confident. He finally asked, "Do you know who the commander in charge of Tower Square is?"

"He's a Sargeras lackey named Perotharn. Like his master, he's become a Satyr."

"One? Very well, let me take him down."

Illidan was quite surprised by Nathanos's request. He looked at Nathanos with some distrust. "We only have this one chance," Stormrage said solemnly. "Azshara's minions are going to the shore of the Well of Eternity to cast spells. They will stay there for a while, but not for long. Before they can react, we must end the battle here."