A Nerubian's Journey

Within one of the highborne buildings requisitioned by the Alliance for its operations, Krivax waited for Malygos to say something while he and the dragon locked gazes. While the Aspect of Magic was currently much smaller than him since he was wearing his mortal form, that didn’t stop him from being incredibly menacing.

Krivax had just finished recounting his confrontation with Detheroc to the ornery old dragon. Malygos had simply appeared within his chambers the moment that Krivax was alone, effortlessly bypassing every one of the highborne wards set up around the building.

He would normally be a bit more nervous during a conversation like this, but Krivax doubted that it could be any worse than what’d he gone through earlier after briefing the kaldorei about what happened in Eldre’thalas.

“So, allow me to understand this correctly,” Malygos finally said, breaking the silence with a cold, analytical tone that sent shivers down Krivax’s carapace. “You were ambushed by a Dreadlord, had your mind read by the demon, engaged him in battle, and somehow forced him to retreat. You then chased after him after deciding that you needed to capture him, and then failed to do so after having even more of your secrets stolen. Is that correct?”

Krivax grimaced at the Aspect’s blunt summary of events. “Yes. That about sums it up. Detheroc was nearly captured, but Illidan was too surprised to prevent Detheroc from impaling himself on his warglaive.”

“Did you ever consider that it may have been smarter to simply retreat, rather than impulsively follow the demon and risk further secrets?” Malygos asked, his gaze unrelenting as he looked up at Krivax. “From what you’ve told me, it’s clear that whatever he knew, before you followed him, was only enough for him to grow curious. If he’d discovered the truth of your reincarnation and knowledge of the Burning Legion’s plans, then he would have immediately fled the city to deliver that information to the rest of his kin.”

“I did. For a few moments,” Krivax admitted, his tone defensive. “But I decided that he was too dangerous to let go. If I hadn’t gone after him, Detheroc would have slaughtered far more civilians and simply come after me at a later time. I don’t want to spend the rest of this conflict wondering that every person I meet is a shapeshifting demon.”

Krivax wasn’t afraid to admit to himself that he also might have… underestimated Detheroc after their first confrontation. Although he’d had Masruk’s assistance, Krivax had still managed to force the Detheroc to retreat without suffering any serious injuries. As a result, he’d figured that even if he wasn’t powerful enough to capture Detheroc, he could at least force the demon to retreat or outright kill him if the opportunity presented itself.

Unfortunately, Detheroc was cunning enough to isolate him away from his golem before their second fight began, and he’d been able to freely make use of spatial magic to avoid attacks, unlike during their initial skirmish in the magical prison. Those factors, along with the demon having learned his strengths and weaknesses, had tipped the scales in Detheroc’s favor.

“The secrets within your mind are far more valuable than the lives of a few magic-addicted elves,” Malygos said with a derisive sneer. “As for the Dreadlord, there are plenty of ways that could have been handled. Archaedas and I could have easily created an artifact similar to the one we provided to Krasus which allows him to detect demons.”

Krivax took a deep breath so he wouldn’t get angry and say something he shouldn’t to the moderately sane dragon with godlike powers.

“I don’t mean any disrespect, Lord Malygos” Krivax lied, doing his best to keep his voice neutral. “But you haven’t exactly made yourself easy for me to contact. I don’t make decisions with the assumption that you’ll be available to assist me whenever I need it. Besides, there would be plenty of ways for Detheroc to circumvent an artifact like that.”

In a world with magic, it was extremely difficult to defend yourself against a powerful spellcaster, who possessed even the slightest amount of creativity. Mind control, shapeshifters, curses, and so much more; The list of possible threats was extensive.

Even now, there was a part of Krivax that was relieved that Detheroc was no longer on Azeroth and wouldn’t be free to terrorize him from the shadows.

After a long and increasingly tense silence, Malygos finally just released an annoyed sigh and sat down on an elegant comfortably padded chair that he conjured with a wave of his hand. “Fine. I suppose something like this happening was inevitable. We’re fortunate that it will likely take the demon quite some time to reform within the Twisting Nether.”

Krivax tilted his head in confusion. “You’re not angry? I was expecting your reaction to involve a few more… threats of violence.”

“I’m furious, but I’ve already proposed to my siblings that we place you in stasis until we’ve defeated the Burning Legion. Obviously, I was overruled,” Malygos said with a dismissive gesture. “You should be truly grateful that I still value Nozdormu’s council and accepted this as a potential outcome. The only question now is how we move forward.”

Forcing himself to ignore the frankly terrifying scenario of being placed into magical stasis, Krivax focused on the more immediate point. “So… what is our next move then?”

Krivax lowered himself onto a pile of extravagant cushions that had been conveniently left behind in the highborne building. It looked like this conversation was going to go on longer than he’d expected

A contemplative expression came over Malygos’ face. “I’m not certain. It will depend on what exactly the demon was able to learn from your mind. My first instinct is that I should focus on the ritual to allow us access to Pandaria. It is nearing completion, and it would be best if we could attack the Burning Legion’s pet necromancer before Detheroc reforms and shares what he knows.”

Krivax was glad to hear that the ritual was almost ready. It’d been several months since they had first learned about the Lich King’s attack on the Wandering Isle without being able to do anything in response. The Primals were a significant threat, but they were almost certainly a mere distraction compared to whatever the Lich King was getting up to.

“Would it be possible for us to summon Detheroc and interrogate him?” Krivax asked curiously. He’d been considering solutions to the issue ever since the Dreadlord had been killed, and this was the first thing that came to mind. “If the highborne were able to trap a demon for millennia, and I don’t see why you wouldn’t be able to do the same thing.”

Malygos’ mouth twisted into a frown as he stared at Krivax with clear exasperation. “Had I not already known your origins, it would suspect you of being a warlock for making such a suggestion. You should understand by now that summoning a demon is no small matter, mortal.”

Krivax couldn’t help but keep going back over the events of the past few days. Even if not for the events in Eldre’thalas, the kaldorei reaction afterward would have been enough to drill that point home.

Still, desperate times called for desperate measures.

“Would it work?” Krivax persisted, intent on getting an answer to his question. “Would it be possible for us to summon Detheroc back from the Twisting Nether ourselves and trap him?”

“Containing the creature would be unnecessary once I had him in my claws. I would simply tear its soul asunder after retrieving the necessary information,” Malygos replied with typical arrogance before continuing with a more thoughtful tone. “However, the summoning would be far more troublesome. Detheroc’s essence is, for the moment, scattered within the Twisting Nether. Summoning a specific demon, especially a Dreadlord as powerful as the one you describe, is already a difficult proposition… continue your briefing while I consider it. How did the kaldorei react to what happened?”

Krivax winced as he recalled the memory.

Immediately after his pyrrhic victory in Eldre’thalas, Krivax had given a briefing to the Alliance and kaldorei leadership over everything that had happened. Given that the meeting had included a broody Illidan, who had glared at him suspiciously after trying to stop him from killing a demon, it hadn’t exactly been a fun experience. Nearly everything that happened in Eldre’thalas could accurately be described as less than ideal, especially the Dreadlord managing to escape with sensitive information.

Almost everyone thought that information was limited to what Krivax might know as a high-ranking diplomat, but even that was bad news.

Still, the reaction to that news absolutely was nothing compared to when the kaldorei learned that the highborne had been secretly subsiding on demon magic for millennia.

If not for the threat of the Primals and the intervention of the high elves, Krivax felt like there was a good chance the kaldorei would have completely wiped Eldre’thalas off the map. Once the first calls came in for the highborne to be put to the sword, Krivax began to truly understand just how severely kaldorei society had been affected by the War of the Ancients.

At its peak, the Kaldorei Empire had been the most powerful civilization to walk the face of Azeroth. Thanks to the empire’s vast resources and extraordinary magic, the majority of its citizens enjoyed a standard of living that would make even most people on Earth envious. Even to this day, there wasn’t a single nation on Azeroth that could compare to the level of prosperity that the kaldorei had once enjoyed.

And yet, all that prosperity and power had come crumbling down due to the greedy actions of their empire’s ruling class.

There wasn’t a single kaldorei alive who had experienced the War of the Ancients and hadn’t lost loved ones. Friends, family, homes, and even entire cities had been destroyed during the cataclysmic conflict, and all because of their ruler’s relentless thirst for power. It had been a time of unimaginable loss, of devastation that continued to shape every facet of kaldorei society even to this day.

The unfortunate situation of a highborne city being ravaged by demons was already enough to remind the kaldorei of the War of the Ancients, but it only got worse from there. When they had heard that the leader of Eldre'thalas had summoned a demon with the intention of feeding off its magic, it was like someone walked up to them and spat in their faces.

The utter loathing and hatred that had erupted from many among the kaldorei delegation, especially those who had been alive during the War of the Ancients, had actually been frightening in its intensity.

Fortunately, the high elves were sympathetic toward the highborne’s addiction to magic, and had stepped in to prevent the worst from happening. As a result, Krivax had spent the past week doing everything he could to ease diplomatic tensions. The highborne eventually agreed to allow the kaldorei and the Alliance to make use of Eldre’Thalas in exchange for access to the Sunwell, but there were still many night elves who were out for blood.

After all, if the highborne repeated their actions and brought about a second War of the Ancients, then all of Azeroth would be at risk.

“The kaldorei are not wrong believe that we would all be safer without those fool highborne dabbling in magics they lack the ability to use responsibly,” Malygos commented, his tone carrying a note of disdain. “But I suppose it matters little. In my present state, I would immediately sense a disturbance in the leylines if anyone attempted to create a demonic portal as large as the one used back then.”

“If only you could go talk to the kaldorei and give them that reassurance. It’d certainly make my life much easier,” said Krivax, not at all bitter.

“Hmph. I have far more important things to attend to than elvish politics,” Malygos said with a scoff. “As for your proposal to summon the Dreadlord, I’ve determined that it would be impossible prior to the creature regaining its form. Doing so afterward is more plausible, but the ritual would require the aid of a powerful individual who can also wield Fel magic. Most such people are insane, so it would be a difficult task.”

Krivax let out a disappointed sigh before suddenly remembering that he knew someone who might be capable and, with luck, willing to help.

But before he brought that up, there was something else that Krivax needed to know.

“How close are you to finishing the ritual?” Krivax asked curiously.

“Very close. Your suggestion that we focus on contacting the spirit of the mortal responsible for creating the concealment magic had merit,” Malygos begrudgingly admitted, nodding toward Krivax. “Such an approach would normally be impossible, but Medivh’s experience as a spirit himself has been of some assistance. This is much simpler than dispelling magic that we can hardly even detect due to its very nature.”

Malygos’ tone was more than a little disgruntled, obviously displeased that he needed help at all to deal with something related to magic.

Krivax didn’t know the exact details of the matter, but he’d heard from Krasus that Malygos had been having difficulty getting into Pandaria for quite some time. Recently, Krivax had begun to worry that he’d become complacent ever since dumping his metaknowledge on the Aspects, subconsciously expecting them to handle the most difficult problems.

After all, they were all far more experienced and powerful than he was, so it was easy to fall into the trap of overly relying on them.

However, Krivax was intent on breaking out of that mindset, so he’d taken the initiative to brainstorm as many suggestions he could as offer to Krasus.

It was good to hear that one of them had actually been helpful.

Since that attempt to be proactive had been a success, Krivax felt emboldened to continue. “Lord Malygos, who is going to go to Pandaria once the ritual is ready? You said that you intend to attack the Lich King before Detheroc reformed. However, it would likely take many months before the Alliance can establish a significant force on Pandaria.”

Given how many aquatic undead must be surrounding Pandaria, attempting to sail there by ship was suicide. Malygos was fully capable of creating a portal large and sturdy enough to transport significant materials and personnel, but it would still take some time before the Alliance could actually make itself useful.

If the Alliance wasn’t properly prepared, then they’d only make the situation worse by feeding the Lich King fresh bodies to add to his growing army.

Malygos’ expression immediately grew suspicious, likely because Krivax only ever called him ‘Lord’ when he was trying to placate the dragon or persuade him to agree to something. “Myself, Medivh, Archaedas, and many of the strongest members of the Dragonflights. Why do you ask, mortal?”

Just as Krivax expected, it was a rather small group of exceptionally powerful individuals.

He wasn’t particularly surprised to hear that their initial group didn’t include any of the other Aspects. Nozdormu was almost always busy with the Infinite Dragonflight, while Ysera and Alexstrasza were both busy handling the Primals. It was only thanks to the two of them that the hivemind still hadn’t spread beyond Feralas.

Krivax had no doubt that the other Aspects would find a few hours to leave their current duties once it actually came time to confront the Lich King. However, that time needed to be kept as short as possible.

There were many other forces that would gleefully exploit the opportunity to advance their own agendas while the most powerful individuals on Azeroth were thoroughly distracted.

“Because… I would like to join you,” Krivax said hesitantly, gauging Malygos’ reaction. “I think I could offer a lot to help.”

The illusionary Aspect blinked at him, his expression one of surprise. “You? What use do I have for a whelp you barely survived an encounter with a single Dreadlord? I have no interest in allowing the Burning Legion to learn everything you know after they’re done reanimating your corpse. Besides, aren’t you needed here? Fighting back a bunch of corrupted plants and keeping the haughty elves from killing each other?”

“I’m relatively strong compared to most, but my personal strength isn’t exactly enough to affect the actual outcome of this campaign. Especially since Life-infused flames aren’t all that effective against plants” Krivax admitted, trying to keep his frustration in check. “I would be far more effective against the undead than I am against the Primals. As for the elves, I’ve spent most of the last week negotiating between different factions, and I’m fairly confident the situation is stable.”

Krivax had been a diplomat long enough to become competent at it, but he’d never actually been trained professionally. The only reason he was still the best person to be Azjol-Nerub’s lead diplomat was because most other nerubians were far too arrogant and xenophobic to do the job well. The various diplomats sent by the Alliance were more than skilled enough to make sure that the delicate political situation didn’t blow up in everyone's faces.

“That may be so, but what help could you bring?” Malygos asked skeptically.

“I don’t think I explained myself properly. I should have said that I want to help organize a team that can assist you and the others in Pandaria,” Krivax quickly clarified.

After thinking about the best way for him to make himself useful, Krivax had eventually concluded that organizing a strike team of skilled individuals from various factions was likely his best bet. In the original timeline, all of the most significant threats had been dealt with by the so-called ‘Adventurers,’ who were unique individuals coming together and dealing with a threat.

Krivax’s experiences over the past few months traveling with his delegation had made it clear to him that on Azeroth, a small group of talented people could accomplish a lot.

His experience with Detheroc and Eldre’thalas had made it exceedingly clear to him that he couldn’t afford to sit back and continue to be complacent. The Burning Legion was capable of doing things he never expected, and adapting to the changes he’d made to this world. If things were allowed to continue as they were, then the advantage that had been gained by the defenders of Azeroth might one day go up in smoke.

Krivax did not consider himself to be the greatest diplomat in the world, but felt like he was pretty decent at handling people. He had all the right connections to make something like this happen. He was confident that he could convince the High King that this project was something worth sponsoring with some of Azjol-Nerub’s vast reserves of wealth.

If the kingdom was willing to provide equipment, logistical support, and access to its multiple continent spanning portal network, then Krivax’s hypothetical team could help respond to any situation on Azeroth.

When Krivax finished sharing his perspective with Malygos, he was surprised to see the Aspect of Magic was seriously considering his proposal.

“While I might not see the need for your personal involvement on the battlefield, I can’t deny that your plan has merit,” Malygos finally admitted, much to his relief. “I’m not blind to the fact that the Dragonflights have a… complicated reputation amongst the mortals. You are in a very unique position to organize a diverse group of these… ‘Adventurers,’ but there’s something else that you’re not telling me. What is it?”

Here we go…

“I want your help in convincing Illidan Stormrage to work with us,” said Krivax, holding back a flinch at the flare of anger in Malygos’ eyes. The Aspect of Magic hated demons even more than most kaldorei, and naturally wouldn’t be well disposed to a Fel corrupted individual like Illidan. “Before you immediately refuse, please hear me out! As we established earlier, in order to summon and interrogate Detheroc, we need the help of someone who is not only powerful but can also wield Fel magic. I can’t think of anyone else but Illidan who fits this requirement and isn’t a part of the Burning Legion.”

Malygos stared at Krivax in silence, his eyes narrowed in displeasure. It was clear that he didn’t like the idea, but he also didn’t immediately dismiss it, and Krivax took that as a good sign.

Suddenly, the Aspect of Magic glanced toward the building’s exit before turning back to Krivax with a single raised brow. “And were you aware that the corrupted elf you wish to work with is currently surveilling this place as we speak? Are you truly so eager to seek the aid of such an untrustworthy individual with unknown intentions? It’s only due to my personally created wards that he isn’t listening in on everything we’re saying.”

Krivax couldn’t help but wince. He’d hoped that Malygos might have dismissed the surveilling attempt by Illidan, but it seemed like he wasn’t so lucky.

“It’s not that bad. I’ve noticed him stalking me for days, so I doubt he’s suddenly going to attack me,” said Krivax, before suddenly realizing how that must have sounded. “Wait! What I meant to say is that I’ve got it under control. I’m pretty sure that he’s just suspicious of me because… I’m pretty suspicious? I didn’t exactly give him the best first impression. I intend to confront him after our conversation, depending on your answer.”

Krivax didn’t enjoy being looked at by Malygos, an individual who was objectively less than completely sane, like he was the crazy one.

It wasn’t a nice feeling.

“And why exactly would you need my assistance?” asked Malygos after a moment of awkward silence. “I don’t particularly care if you intend to commit suicide by insane elf, but I see no reason why I should be involved.”

There were a few different reasons why Krivax needed Malygos’ assistance. Firstly, he simply didn’t have the influence to convince the kaldorei to allow Illidan to travel far beyond their influence. From what he’d observed, the night elves were content to use Illidan as a living weapon against the Primals, but they had no intention of ever truly trusting him.

Malygos was more than capable of handling Illidan, if he attempted to go down a self-destructive path like he did in the original timeline. Not only that, but he could convince Ysera to speak with the kaldorei about Illidan, which would carry far more weight than anything Krivax could possibly say.

After Krivax finished explaining his reasoning, Malygos mulled it over silently for a moment before sighing and rubbing his forehead in exasperation. “Very well, whelp. I understand the need for… flexibility given these circumstances. You’re not entirely wrong in stating that Illidan is the best candidate to assist us in summoning Detheroc and discovering what he has learned.”

Krivax let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.

“If there’s nothing else, then let’s hurry up and go speak with this elf,” said Malygos, instantly casting what Krivax recognized to be an invisibility spell and heading toward the exit. “I have more important things to do than waste any more time with this nonsense than necessary.”

Krivax thanked the dragon as he hurried to follow after him, sincerely hoping that he hadn’t made a mistake by arranging for a meeting between two people who were as volatile as they were powerful.

Illidan Stormrage scowled as he once again failed to bypass the anti-scrying wards surrounding the temporary lodging of Azjol-Nerub’s head diplomat.

These wards should be trivially simple for him to bypass, but every attempt he made seemed to be utterly useless. They had obviously been crafted by someone superior in magical ability than even Illidan, a list of individuals which should be very small.

He’d already been suspicious of the nerubian, but this stoked the flames of his doubts even further. Unfortunately, it seemed like there was nothing that could be done until the nerubian left his residence.

Accepting his defeat, Illidan prepared himself for a long wait and returned to the abandoned highborne veranda that he was hiding in. Illidan used his omni-directional eyes to look over this section of Eldre’thalas for any Sentinels who may be attempting to locate him.

Admittedly, the Sentinels were not attempting to find Illidian as desperately as they were the first time after he had proved his ability to escape their custody. It had always been implicitly understood that once Illidan was freed from his prison, that he would be fully capable of coming and going as he pleased. Only Maiev Shadowsong and her most skilled wardens would have any hope of tracking Illidan down when he didn’t wish to be found.

However, his ability to escape meant nothing when he had no intention of truly doing so. His feelings toward Tyrande were as effective a shackle as even the most heavily guarded prisons.

Still, the Sentinels insisted on carrying out their perfunctory searches. Illidan often snuck away just for the simple pleasure of watching them flounder about, but today, he had escaped his guards for an actual purpose.

Until just a week ago, he’d never personally seen any beings quite like the nerubians. While Azjol-Nerub had existed ten thousand years ago, the nerubians had never really left their territory and Illidan had never felt a need to go searching for them.

Despite this, he recalled reading about the nerubians in one the libraries belonging to the Moon Guard, an elite group of kaldorei sorcerers of which he’d been a member. The nerubians had once been well-known to be worshippers of the Old Gods, which was unsurprising given that their ancestors had been created by those same gods.

Ten thousand years later, Azjol-Nerub had apparently abandoned the Old Gods and were now one of the most powerful nations on Azeroths. Their influence had spread far and wide across Azeroth, and was gradually eclipsing what even the kaldorei could muster.

Naturally, his people were far from willing to admit to the reality of the situation. The kaldorei were just as complacent and arrogant as they had always been. The only difference being that they now pretended otherwise.

That left it up to Illidan to verify that these nerubians were truly as they presented themselves.

Illidan stared at his current target of interest.

The head diplomat of Azjol-Nerub, a giant of a creature by the name of Krivax, had not left Illidan with a good first impression. Anyone who attempted to prevent him from slaying a demon was immediately suspect in his eyes. The nerubian had given him an acceptable explanation, which was obvious given the fact that the creature still lived, but there were still other inconsistencies that drew Illidan’s suspicion.

He had never known a Dreadlord, arrogant as they were, to willingly kill themselves with the intention of avoiding capture. For the demon to do something so extraordinary, then the information he acquired from the nerubian would have had to be very important. What could the nerubian have possibly know to warrant such a reaction?

Illidan had brought his concerns to Tyrande, only for a strange expression to grow on her face and for her to insist he leave the matter alone. Even after all these years, Illidan knew perfectly well when Tyrande was keeping something from him.

The momentary flicker in her eyes, the subtle stiffening of her posture, and the pursing of her lips, all signs he’d come to recognize after centuries of knowing her. She knew something about the nerubian, and was unwilling to tell him.

Frustrated and confused, Illidan had decided to take matters into his own hands.

Just as Illidan was nearly finished searching his surroundings for Sentinels, he suddenly noticed a vague anomaly in the ambient mana approaching the building he was nestled in. Almost immediately, Illidan felt his body flood with adrenaline as images of Maiev hunting him down and dragging him back to his prison rushed through his mind.

Somebody was approaching him under the cover of an invisibility spell that even his eyes were unable to penetrate. There was no possibility of this being the work of a simple Sentinel, and he sincerely doubted that they were sneaking toward him with benign intentions.

After assessing the situation, Illidan tightened his grip on his warglaives and darted back into the room directly connected to the veranda he’d been hiding on. Shrouding his presence as much as possible, Illidan lept on top of a broken pillar near the doorway and waited for the intruder to arrive.

Illidan had noticed the political tension between Tyrande and the Wardens, and knew that she wouldn’t complain too much if one of them were to inexplicably disappear. Illidan didn’t feel guilty about this, as there was no limit to the blood he would spill before he allowed himself to be dragged back to his cell and forgotten once again.

Time passed by as slowly as Illidan tracked the disturbance as it made its way up the many floors of the highborne mansion and toward the room he was hidden in.

The moment that the door opened and he sensed them walking inside, Illidan launched himself toward the intruders as swiftly as a hawk swooping down on its prey. He swung his warglaives in an arc that would decapitate any unwelcome guest, only to be launched across the room by a telekinetic blow that knocked the breath out of him.

Reaction time faster than expected. Enemy reacted with magic instead of with a blade. Magic looks arcane in nature. Not likely to be a Warden. Attack was intentionally non-lethal.

Several thoughts instantly flashed through Illidan’s mind as assessed the situation as he righted himself mid-air to land on his feet. When he turned to look back at the intruder, Illidan was surprised to see the figure of the nerubian he’d been stalking along with a vaguely familiar elf who he didn’t recognize.

It took a moment for his mind to sort through the memories of the time before his imprisonment. The powerful magic and the elf’s unnatural blue hair soon led him to realize that he was looking at Malygos, the Aspect of Magic.

Illidan had only met the dragon a few times during the War of the Ancients, but he was a person who was nearly impossible to forget. He’d known that the nerubian had been empowered by the Dragon Queen, but he hadn’t expected to discover such an unlikely combination of people sneaking up on him.

“Did you… really just try to kill us the moment we walked through the door?” the nerubian asked incredulously, his strangely accented words pulling Illidan from his thoughts.

“I have no idea why you’re surprised, whelp. Impulsivity and lack of rational decision making should be expected from those foolish enough to consort with demons,” Malygos interjected, staring at Illidan with a disdain that he had long grown accustomed to.

“Impulsive?” Illidan repeated, gritting his teeth and scowling as he rose to his feet, attention never leaving the pair. “Perhaps if you hadn’t approached me like a pair of assassins, I wouldn’t have felt the need to defend myself.”

“Perhaps if you hadn’t been stalking this fool for the past few days, your opinion might have held some weight,” Malygos retorted, matching Illidan's scowl with equal displeasure. “As it is, you hardly have the moral high ground to stand on.”

Before Illidan could respond, his argument with the Aspect was interrupted by the nerubian.

“Can we all just calm down?” asked Krivax, raising two hands out of his four as he stepped forward. “Illidan, we’re sorry for startling you, but we didn’t want to alert any of the guards as we made our way over here. It wasn’t our intention to do you any harm.”

Pleasant words, but not ones that Illidan trusted.

“If you know that I’ve been following you, then you’re aware that I do not trust you, nerubian,” Illidan said bluntly, feeling no need to hide his feelings given that his actions had already been revealed. “For what reason have the two of you chosen to confront me?”

If Malygos is anything like he remembered, then he doubted that the dragon would be willing to go out of his way to approach Illidan unless there was a good reason for it.

Illidan turned his attention to the more powerful of the two, only for Malygos to sneer and gesture toward the nerubian. “The whelp has a proposition for you. I’d suggest you listen well, because it’s an opportunity for you to be more than just a convenient weapon that foolish kaldorei point at whatever threat they see fit.”

Malygos’ condescending tone rankled, but Illidan didn’t rise to the bait. Instead, he turned his attention back to the nerubian and waited for this so-called proposition.

Krivax let out a resigned sigh, seemingly exasperated by Malygos’ remark before beginning to explain himself. “Illidan Stormrage, what if I told you that I have an idea that would allow you to fight back against the Burning Legion more directly, while working alongside people who don’t completely despise you?”