Light's Dawn of Azeroth

Chapter 368, Section 58. Such glory, is it because you received the solar-powered battle axe personally bestowed by the Vigilant?
A desolate horn echoed, and the runes engraved in the World Tree lit up one by one, like some kind of device being activated. The energy surged like the pulse of blood vessels, boiling together with the energy of the "miniature well of eternity" rooted beneath the World Tree.

That was the Night Elves' greatest secret.

That's why Illidan Stormrage was banished to the Starsea; after the War of the Ancients, Illidan used stolen Eternal Water to create a small lake there.

It was a powerful energy source modeled after the Well of Eternity, and it was also the Star Soul Lord's greatest dissatisfaction with the Kaldorei.

The World Tree was planted here to conceal the existence of this pool, and the Kaldorei's immortality was a blessing derived from the blood of the world through the blessing of the Red Dragon Queen.

Cenarius had already joined the Burning Legion by then, so it was impossible for him to know this secret, which was known to no more than ten people in Kaldorei society.

Therefore, the polluters now have to endure not only the energy explosion of the World Tree, but also the energy scouring from the complete explosion of the miniature Eternal Well.

The moment the light shone, the entire Mount Hyjal began to tremble.

It was the pulse of energy surging from the earth's veins, bursting outward in a destructive manner. Cenarius, who was drawing energy from the World Tree, was clearly the first "victim," bearing the brunt of the explosion's impact.

Amidst the wails of the polluters and the surging of fel energy, an even larger-scale surface pulverization spread outwards from the World Tree Highlands like a shockwave.

The World Tree Temple, where Malfurion resides, was the first to be affected.

It seems that Daedalus never intended to survive this wave. As he told Staghelm, the end of the Kaldorei's immortality is a disaster for the race. Although King Raven and Lady Maiev both agreed to do so and regarded it as proof of repentance to Mother World, he, who knows people's hearts well, knew that the impact and aftermath of this event among the people would definitely become a landmark historical event.

Someone must be held accountable for this!

Furthermore, the relationship between Malfurion and Cenarius is complex.

He regarded him as a father who taught him and guided him. The fall of the Forest King was an indelible pain in the Archdruid's heart. If the anti-demon alliance had acted faster back then, if he had stayed in Zin-Azsari, perhaps Cenarius would not have made such a terrible choice.

If the polluter is destined to die here today, the archdruid, as a student, also wants to see him off on his final journey.

The third reason is rather personal.

After Tyrande was sealed away, Malfurion and Illidan supported each other through ten thousand years. For Tyrande's awakening, his younger brother traveled to the stars for ten thousand years. He must have searched every corner of the stars to find the relics of the three Night Gods for Tyrande. Even if Illidan did not speak of the pain he endured, how could his older brother not be aware of the weariness in Illidan's heart?

He knew that his brother and he both deeply loved the same woman, and compared to Illidan's devotion to Tyrande, he had done far too little for her in the past ten thousand years.

If Tyrande is destined to choose between the two, then perhaps her dignified "withdrawal" at this point can prevent the story of the three from heading into another dead end.

Therefore, amidst a multitude of thoughts, Malfurion, holding his horn, faced the surging destructive power with a weak, weary, yet serene demeanor.

He will die today, becoming the first night elf to enter the "great cycle of life and death," but his soul will bless his people, his brother, and his lover in the world of the dead.

The energy was so intense that Malfurion felt the excruciating pain of being burned alive, and he might be reduced to ashes in the next second.
"I won't allow it!!!"

A familiar voice sounded from behind, causing Malfurion, who had his eyes closed, to suddenly look up. He saw Illidan Stormrage, who had been banished to the Twisting Nether by the Corruptors, return to the material world in a ferocious demonic form, brimming with fighting spirit.

He "saw" his brother doing something foolish, and without hesitation, he unleashed his demonic wings, which crashed into the stream of destruction like a green meteorite.

The mighty Warblades of Azzinoth plunged into the earth on either side, forming a connection with Illidan and causing the powerful inner demons' energy to erupt and surge, transforming into a dark green wall of fel energy that stood before the two brothers.

He has to save Malfurion, that idiot!

If the older brother could understand what the younger brother was thinking, how could Illidan, the younger brother, not be aware of Malfurion's feelings? He had originally planned to make a "gentleman's agreement" with Malfurion after this incident, but this guy actually chose to commit suicide to fulfill his own wishes?

How could my Nufeng family produce such a coward as you!
"I will not allow you to die, nor will I allow Tyrande to spend her future, which is no longer immortal, with a guilty conscience. Time will not be kind to us. Three thousand years, four thousand years, or even longer, we will eventually face death."
How could you bear to let your two closest loved ones live a lonely life burdened with guilt towards you?

Illidan, braving the terrifying energy surge, roared hoarsely:
"Coward! Come forward and help me!"

"younger brother."

The Archdruid was as if he had been slapped in the face by Illidan's rebuke. The "personality correction" brought him back to his senses, and he stepped forward to unleash his own natural power, joining Illidan in resisting the onslaught of the destructive torrent.

He could see Cenarius's body almost "melting" in the flow of destruction.

This means that the energy destruction caused by this wave of World Tree eruption far exceeded their previous expectations, and even the intervention of two demigods could not allow them to escape unscathed from this energy flow.

The divine weapons that had followed Illidan for ten thousand years wailed. The Warblades of Azzinoth, which had transformed into energy nodes on the ground, trembled and hummed incessantly. Finally, when they reached a certain limit under pressure, they made a crisp cracking sound and broke apart, shattering Illidan's fel shield and forcing the two brothers to hold hands and face the onslaught of destruction.

"Ah"

Illidan said, with pain and helplessness:

"It seems Tyrande is destined to be alone for life."

"Useless man, step back!"

Before he could finish speaking, a beam of black moonlight flashed into the ruins.

The two brothers, Nufeng and his brother, were carried like chicks, one on each side, and were slapped twice as if to punish their "selfish actions."

Before the two, the floating of the Black Moon Crown allowed the Night Oath to unleash the wrath of the moon goddess, and the black moonlight sculpted a solid barrier to disperse the destructive flow from before this "reef".

Tyrande stretched out her arms and embraced the Stormrage brothers, whispering:

“Me too. I’ve changed a lot too. The Tyrande you remember has disappeared, but her last wish was that you two brothers wouldn’t turn against each other because of her. Perhaps I should fulfill that wish for her.”

"Live on," was Tyrande's last wish.

"But you"

"I am a Night Oath! The moment I entered the Black Moon Ritual, I bid farewell to the loves and hates of mortals. To me, you are just two familiar strangers, so you and the others had better not mess with me!"

The brilliance of the black moonlight caused the stream of destruction to bend, resulting in some of the energy deflecting and crashing towards the outer edge of the high ground, which should have been safe. Amidst the earth-shaking collapse, the warriors of the Kourei Alliance gathered there stared wide-eyed.

The Lightforged cried out to the Holy Light for protection, but the others could only fend for themselves.

Archbishop Nelly drove away her war beast and threw the Arkenite energy shield device in front of her, creating a shield wall, but the shield wall shattered the moment it came into contact with the explosive energy.

Nellie only had time to cross her arms in front of her, knowing she might not survive the day.

But the imagined intense heat didn't come; instead, there was a chilling cold that penetrated to the bone.

Nelly opened her eyes.

Before him stood a familiar figure, but his beloved Diakum was no longer the majestic figure in the light. Entangled in the void, he resembled a god of destruction amidst the convergence of entropy energy, his void butterfly wings gently fluttering in the flow of destruction.

The wailing sound, like a giant beast swallowing water, signifies that the Devourers of All Realms are feasting.

This destructive shockwave was the most delicious food in his eyes. As he absorbed energy, the light veins on the wings of the Devourer of All Realms quickly took shape and turned into golden radiance, just like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon.

His light will be rekindled!

The Void Eye on its shoulder swung back and forth, and as the eyeball swayed, it saw Neli. It seemed like a not-so-funny, wicked joke, but Neli clearly sensed a mocking smile in it.

how?

Did the imposing archbishop think of me when he faced death just now?
"asshole!"

Nelly cursed and lunged forward, falling into Diakum's arms the instant the stream of destruction dissipated.

The entropy energy cloak that echoed in the void also transformed from light to darkness at this moment, turning into an exaggerated corona once again, allowing the golden cherubs to sing again. The crown of darkness illuminated the golden light of the cross star in its brilliance, bringing the vigilant back into the light.

The devastating explosion triggered by the World Tree came to an end, witnessing many life-and-death separations in just a few seconds.

The entire ferocious battlefield fell silent as a result. All the survivors stared blankly at the former location of the World Tree, but the highlands filled with temples and altars were gone, replaced by a flat, leveled rift valley.

The place where the World Tree stood has turned into a deep pit, and Nordrassil and the miniature Well of Eternity beneath its roots have been completely evaporated.

The polluter is dead, without a doubt.

Its remains stood half-melted at the bottom of the pit, most of its flesh washed away, its grotesque body resembling a sculpture, still in the defensive posture of its arms crossed as it withstood the impact. However, Diakum frowned.

"No! There's something wrong!"

The vigilant shouted:
"Don't go over there. The polluter used some kind of secret method to make it 'molt and be reborn'."

"click"

Just like an eggshell breaking.

Within the corpse of the dead Great Demon Lord, a bloody, mangled creature tore through the skeletal shell and crawled out.

A small Cenarius.

Its body seemed to have returned to the size of the former king of the forest, and its aura was no longer as invincible and arrogant as that of the Great Demon Lord. Moreover, it was no longer tainted by any evil energy, but instead exuded a chilling aura.

The "newborn" Cenarius didn't even have a complete body; he was like a strange object formed by randomly piecing together flesh and bones.

After bursting out of its dead body, it screamed in agony, like a mindless beast. However, strange pale runes soon lit up around it, attaching to the creature and transforming into pieces of ferocious iron armor.

Covered in black abyssal cast steel carvings, and exaggeratedly adorned with ram horns and skulls, the iron armor was embedded in its flesh and rooted to grow alongside it, extending as if it were alive. Black, highly aggressive spikes grew from its body, and sinister iron chains encircled it.

A ghostly green psychic power surged and enveloped it, placing it in a state of flux between physical and spiritual forms.

The humanoid's upper body was even more exaggerated, sealed and imprisoned by a complete set of Abyss-forged battle armor. Then, the dominion runes originating from the Abyss lit up on it, like the shackles of a prisoner being tightly fastened.

The most outrageous thing is Cenarius's head.

A helmet remarkably similar to the Helm of Domination was sculpted on its head. Inside the helmet were spikes used to secure the spirit body. The moment it closed, a ghostly green spirit fire would ignite. Three decorative ornaments, like feathers on the helmet, extended outwards. The burning spirit fire formed Cenarius's "beard" and "hair".

This thing instantly transformed from the image of the Great Demon Lord into a completely different style.

Cold, ferocious, brutal, and indifferent.

It's like the most magnificent creation in the world of death, making it look like a heavily armored knight riding a steed when it wears the Abyss Iron Armor.

It must have been in great pain, for Diakum, who had rushed forward, clearly saw Cenarius's remnant spirit "crying for help" to him, as if the great demon was begging the Watcher to grant it a quick death so that it would no longer suffer such tragic domination and sorrow.

But the dominance of the Death Force is instantaneous.

The moment the last piece of armor of Cenarius, the "Warlord of the Abyss," closed, he was completely captured by the Force of Death.

Cenarius reached out with his left hand, which was covered in spiked armor, and a jet-black halberd covered in domination runes appeared in his hand amidst the flickering black psychic light. As Cenarius swung it, a layer of eerie green "death blade" covered the halberd's blade.

That was the cold, hard manifestation of the Force of Death.

Those who get hit by this thing are on their own. If they're lucky, they'll probably die on the spot and be turned into undead. If they're unlucky, they'll probably be sent to the Maw to suffer endless torment.

"You are also a great demon who was corrupted by the Sculptors themselves. You also have that terrible 'little switch' in your body, the conversion between the three forces of life, fel energy and death. Your life has been quite 'wonderful'."

The vigilant who rushed forward drew the broken Ashbringer. As the shattered blade spun, golden lightning pulsed and shaped a "blade of light" that existed between reality and illusion. Diakum, now back in the holy light, dragged the sword forward amidst the shimmering golden wings.

The newly born "King of the Abyss" hates that holy light.

Although the power bestowed upon it by death is difficult to exert perfectly in the world of the living, it carries the cold will of all things dying. As the halberd of dominion is raised, the ghosts that died here are awakened. Green spirits gather around it, forming an entire army that follows it to launch a surprise attack on the holy light before it.

"boom"

The chilling blade of death clashed with the scorching blade of light, and death and holy light, these two old enemies, fought once again in this desolate land of life.

But the process shouldn't be like this.

The "small switch" that Sachar placed inside Cenarius was supposed to take his soul into the Maw after his death, where it would reshape the body of the undead commander. The explosion of the World Tree interfered with this process, causing the conspiracy of the Death Force to be exposed in the material world by chance.

The Force of Death was naturally unwilling to give up such a promising psychic warrior, so the balance between life and death was deliberately broken today. Space was shattering, and above the sky of Mount Hyjal, the reflection of another world was gradually emerging.

It will only crack open a little to let its general in.

The devastating war is far from over; it is not yet time for death to be waged.

They are very patient; they will continue to wait.

------

"Garrosh! Wake up!"

Gaiara's screams echoed on the other side of the highlands, where Garrosh was coughing up blood in her arms.

The Lightforged's body wasn't that fragile, but this guy was just too unlucky. When the previous Destruction Stream swept over, he was holding a shield and trying to block it to protect Gaiara. However, a fragment of the shattered shield unfortunately pierced Garrosh's heart.

Even for the Lightforged, this was a fatal blow.

He wasn't a paladin, so there was no such thing as invincibility. All he could do now was reach out and grasp Gaiara's hand in anguish, his bloodshot eyes filled with resentment and regret.

Blood gushed from Garrosh's mouth, marking the day that this promising Lightforged would meet his end.

Xiao Hou could feel a force pulling at his mind, like a hallucination before death. A door was opening in the sky, and a voice was calling him to embrace the power of death.

His immense potential will surely be fully unleashed in the cold abyss of death.

"Save him! Someone please save him!"

Gaiara's screams grew increasingly frantic. She knew that Roar had ended up in this state to save her. She desperately called for the healing power of the elements, but in this place that had just been washed by energy, the elements were finding it difficult to gather quickly.

"Why are you crying! Shut up, he's not dead yet."

Griselda rushed over and slapped Gaiara across the face, telling her to shut up.

Chieftain Mag'har knelt beside her, took out Garrosh's magic pouch and emptied its contents. She searched through it and finally found the irregular, blood-red crystal.

"This! The 'Heart of Wrath' given to him by the Draenei, this thing is the remains of the Naaru."

You've heard the story of the Vigilantes. Twenty thousand years ago, Saint Diakum faced certain death, and at that time, another Naaru relic, 'Radiant Star,' transformed into his heart, bringing him back into the Holy Light.

Griseda drew his heart-splitting dagger and said to Gaiara:
"Hold him down! I'll replace Garrosh's shattered heart with the Heart of Wrath, and let the elementals keep him alive!"

"Is this okay?"

Gaiara, having calmed down after being slapped, called for elemental healing while whispering:

"Only the Saint Diakum, a chosen one of the Holy Light, can contain the fragments of the Naaru, but Garrosh..."

"He is the Lightforger."

Griselda was also in a hurry.

But this female orc was a woman of action; she calmly plunged the dagger into Garrosh's chest, gritting her teeth as she said:

“There’s no other way now, Garrosh, listen to me! Your father is right here, he’s going to kill that monster Cenarius, but he can’t do it alone.”

He needs your help. Your father must pass on the Bloodhowl to you personally before he can die in peace. Listen to me! You must survive. You must challenge death and defeat it today.

You mustn't die!
"Our ideals haven't been realized yet, and you haven't reclaimed the orcs' glory."

Ps:

Cenarius Phase 2 - This is something everyone is familiar with, so there's no need to introduce it, right?

(End of this chapter)