Into the Light

46 | DECEPTION

The light carried Illidan's spirit to Illidan's body, and merged them together, Xe'ra flared again, and three more beams of light shot out, wreathing around Illidan's body, cleansing him, burning the fel tethers away from his arms and wrists.

Gul'dan chuckled, amused. "A Na'aru. How desperate you are," he said, his malevolent voice grating against Malfurion's ears. "But you are too late. Sargeras comes. Even your Na'aru's light will not stop him."

Freed from his bonds, Illidan rose up, half demon hunter, half dread lord. He towered over Gul'dan. "No. I will not succumb. I will destroy you first."

Gul'dan lifted his hand, and Illidan slammed back against the wall.

"Not you, fool. Your will has been . . . troublesome. You have, however, brought me another whose will has been more easily broken." He chuckled once more, pleased, and waved his staff. Malfurion watched, his flesh crawling, as the images of Illidan's transformation into Sargeras's avatar played.

"A small spell," Gul'dan continued. "A token really, but enough of her spirit had been broken for her to believe the illusion I played for her. She sees what I tell her to see. In her eyes, you are already his. When she saw your transformation, she lost all hope and became--" he turned his hand palm upward and closed his fingers into a fist. He looked at Illidan, and sneered, "Mine."

Horrified, Malfurion turned to look at Tyrande. She watched them, expressionless, her eyes burning, cold. "No," he whispered.

Safe within his powerful shield, Gul'dan turned and faced her. He lifted his staff, roaring, triumphant. "And now, Illidan, prepare to fulfill your new purpose. Between your fel-enhanced spirit and hers, there is more than enough to grant Sargeras his avatar." A bolt of fel energy streamed out of his staff linking Tyrande and Illidan together, they rose up into the air, each encased within a fel sphere.

Malfurion rushed forward, reckless, leaving the protection of the frost shield. "No!" he shrieked, casting spells, wild, desperate, trying to break through Gul'dan's barrier. Nothing worked. Every spell he had slid off the hateful barrier. He attacked it with his claws, tearing at it, beating at it with his wings, the force of all nature rose up within him. He would not lose her again.

"Tyrande!" he screamed. "I am here, it is not real, Gul'dan lies!"

Behind him, he heard Khadgar bellowing orders. The mages focussed their energy on breaking the link between Gul'dan's staff and Illidan. Xe'ra fired her light, weakening the tether, but as soon as it snapped, another snaked up to replace it.

A voice, crystal clear, rose up above the chaos. A spell resonated into the air, sharp, and the temperature in the room plummeted. A bolt of ice slammed into Gul'dan's barrier, freezing it. Under Malfurion's claws the ice chipped, he dug, frantic, sensing the barrier was weakening. Another bolt of ice, and the barrier turned brittle under his claws, a small crack appeared. He threw his weight against it, slamming his bear's paws onto it with all the force of Ursoc. The crack lengthened under his assault, he bellowed, frustrated and pulled back, thinking only to ram it. He ran at it, screaming. The crack gave way, and the barrier shattered. He slammed through the jagged shards of ice and into Gul'dan, the force of his blow knocking Gul'dan's staff out of his hands. It skittered across the floor, clattering, useless. Malfurion swept Gul'dan into the opposite wall, smashing him against it. There was no time to cast a spell, Malfurion's instincts took over, his rage and fear driving him. He pummelled the orc, whose body was as tough as the ancient trees of Ashenvale. He tore at the orc's face and torso with his bear claws, his wings beating back Gul'dan's arms preventing him from calling his staff back.

Gul'dan roared a spell, and Malfurion felt himself fly across the air and out of the Chamber into the corridor. He hit the far wall, the bones in his rib cage snapping like twigs. He felt nothing. He tasted blood. He spit it out and picked himself up, rushing back in. Somewhere in the heat of his rage he sensed the link between Tyrande and Illidan remained intact, and the mages and Xe'ra were giving their all to break it. Let that be their problem. The plan to save Illidan and Tyrande and make their escape to Dalaran was long gone. All the days he had spent confined in Dalaran pacing his apartment, waiting, not knowing, and fearing for Tyrande hit him like a tidal wave, his emotions filling him with hate for the thing in front of him. He would tear Gul'dan's head off with his bare paws. He rushed at him again, his claws extended.

Gul'dan still didn't have his staff. Idira had frozen it to the ground, burying it in solid ice. Ice rimed Gul'dan's face and hands, Malfurion realised she was trying to freeze the orc, slowing his movements. Gul'dan fought her spells, fel energy crackling around his body. Malfurion reached him, his claws drove into Gul'dan's neck, tearing him, mauling him, blood splattered Malfurion's face. He bellowed, hungering for more, his animal instincts overcoming him. A flicker of fear showed in Gul'dan's eyes. Malfurion pulled back and slammed the orc onto the floor, landing on top of him on all fours. His cat claws dug deep into Gul'dan's torso, the orc squirmed, shrieking with pain. Malfurion dug his claws in deeper, relishing the slippery feel of the orc's entrails on his claws. He reared up and smashed his bear paws into the creature's twisted face, crushing bone, and breaking teeth. His claw hooked into one of Gul'dan eyes. He yanked it out, revelling in Gul'dan's agonised screams. He was winning. He could taste Gul'dan's fear as death stalked him. Gul'dan would not have his way, he would not bring Sargeras to Azeroth. Malfurion looked up at Tyrande, a savage smile on his lips, he had saved her, he was not too late--

The eyes of Sargeras glared at him, filled with hate. Tyrande raised her hand, and a thick stream of fel fire burst out of it, driving deep into his torso. Pain, beyond his worst injuries sliced through him, as a thousand condemned souls ate into him, gnawing at him. He screamed, clawing at his torso, trying to get the foul corruption out of him. It spread like the Scourge, relentless, until his whole body quivered, trembling on the brink of its annihilation. He felt the light of Xe'ra washing over him, trying to cleanse away the evil, but there was too much, even she could not overcome the power of Sargeras.

He lifted his eyes to Tyrande, no matter what she would be the last one his eyes would see. "Tyrande, forgive me."

The pain took him, and he succumbed, falling into the darkness. It was over. He had failed.