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No longer bothering with her attempt to arrive subtly； she cast a wind spell that slammed into the gate； gale forces
shattering the wood into a thousand pieces。
Her son stood on the other side。 He had inherited Aegwynn s great height and her eyes； from Nielas Aran came his
broad shoulders and elegant nose。 His grayflecked hair was tied back in a respectable ponytail； and he kept his salt
andpepper beard well trimmed。 His maroon cloak flowed behind him in the breeze。
Yet the being that stood before her was unrecognizable as her son。 For； though her eyes saw Medivh； her entire
wizardly being saw only Sargeras。
How is this possible？ I killed you。
Medivh laughed a demonic laugh。 Mother； are you truly that much of a fool？ Did you really think that a mere girl
could destroy the greatness that is Sargeras？ He used you。 Used you to make me。 He hid within you； then when
you so ably seduced my father transferred his essence to my fetus。 He has been my constant panion my
mentor； the parent you never let me have。
Aegwynn couldn t believe it。 How could she have been so blind？ You killed the council。
Did you not always say that they were fools？
That s not the point！ They didn t deserve to die！
Of course they did。 You didn t teach me very much； Mother。 You were always far too busy with your duties as
Guardian to actually raise the son you brought into the world to succeed you。 But one lesson you did impart on one
of the rare occasions when you bothered to acknowledge my existence was that the council were fools。 It was
Sargeras who taught me what the final fate of all fools must be。 You see； Mother； I learned all my lessons well。
Stop pretending； Sargeras； she said。 Stop speaking in my son s voice。
Medivh threw his head back and laughed。 Don t you understand； little girl？ I am your son！ He raised his hands。
And I am your end。
What happened next happened far more quickly than Aegwynn would have imagined。 She remembered very little
of the details； which was probably a mercy。 All she knew for sure was that she had a harder and harder time
countering Medivh s or； rather； Sargeras s spells and that he had an easier and easier time countering hers。
Weakened； battered； bleeding； Aegwynn collapsed to the stone floor of Medivh s keep； barely able to lift her head。
Her son stood over her； laughing。 Why do you look so sad； Mother？ I am exactly as you made me。 After all； you
sired me in order to circumvent the council and carry on your heritage。 You did that。 From the moment you
destroyed Sargeras s physical form； thus freeing him to reside within you； your heritage was to facilitate Sargeras s
will。 Now you have fulfilled your purpose。 He grinned。 One final poke in the eye to the council； eh？
Aegwynn s blood turned to ice。 Those were her thoughts upon Medivh s conception。 She had never used that
phrase aloud； certainly never to Medivh。 She had indeed been a minor presence in his life at first； mostly for his
own protection she couldn t afford to let it be known that her son was in Stormwind； for fear that her enemies
would use him against her。 Indeed； she only revealed that she was his mother when he had passed puberty。
At that moment； she ceased all resistance。 She no longer wished to live in a world that she had betrayed so
thoroughly。 In her eagerness to do her job right； to prove the council wrong in their dismissal of her； she had led to
the victory of demonkind。
Not since she finished her apprenticeship had Aegwynn cried。 The birth of her child； the death of her parents； the
losses against demons none of it had made her weep。 She had always been stronger than that。 Now； though； tears
flowed freely down her cheeks as she looked up at her son； who laughed at her anguish。
Kill me。
And let you off the hook？ Don t be a fool； Mother。 I said I was your end； not your death。 Allowing you to expire
would not begin to atone for what you have done to me。 Then he muttered an incantation。
Eight centuries ago； the council had given her the power of the Guardian； and it had been the most wonderful
experience of her life。 It was what it might have been like for a blind person to see for the first time。 When she
passed that power on to Medivh； it had been less wonderful； but still she had a feeling of satisfaction in creating her
legacy； and the departure of the power had been smooth and pleasant； like drifting slowly to sleep。
Now； though； her power was being ripped from her by Medivh； and it felt like being struck blind； deaf； and dumb。
Her entire body felt deadened it was less like falling asleep and more like falling into a a。
But she remained awake and aware of all that was happening。 And she realized that if she stayed here； Medivh or；
rather； Sargeras would keep her here。 She would reside in the keep s dungeon； no doubt； able to see and hear all
that went on； be made aware of every foul deed that her son performed in Sargeras s name。
She also realized something else she was still young。 Which meant that Medivh had not taken the deaging magic
from her。
That was her salvation； she realized。 She gathered up the remaining tatters of her concentration and unleashed the
magic of the deaging spells； grabbing it； harnessing it； and reforming it into a teleport spell that would take her
away from here。
Moments later； her hair having gone white； her skin having wrinkled； her bones having grown weaker； she found
herself on Kalimdor； in a grassy region in the mountains of the continent s eastern coast。
Proudmoore s voice was quiet when she said； That must have been terrible for you。
It was。 Aegwynn shuddered。 In fact； it was worse than that； but she had simply hit the high points for
Proudmoore s benefit。 She had actually tried to reason with Medivh； and tried to get an explanation from him as to
why he did what he did as if Sargeras needed a reason。 But she saw no need to burden Proudmoore with that
much the point of the story was to show the depths of her own stupidity。 She continued： When I came here； I
was able to use what little magic I had left to determine that there was no one around。 I built my hut； planted my
garden； dug my well。 The wards didn t go up until Thrall and his people settled nearby。
I m not surprised。 There was an odd tone to Proudmoore s voice when she said that as if she knew something
Aegwynn didn t。
What s that supposed to mean？
Before Proudmoore could answer； Aegwynn heard something。 Proudmoore heard it too； as they both turned to face
south。 It sounded familiar； but it was a noise Aegwynn hadn t heard in years。
Moments later； her suspicion was confirmed： the noise was made by the displacement of air by a massive dirigible；
which was now ing around one of the Bladescar peaks。 It stopped right in front of the wards and hovered。
Aegwynn assumed a mage or at the very least； a sensitive was on board。
A rope ladder fell from the undercarriage； and a figure in plate armor started to climb down。 As the figure came
closer； Aegwynn recognized the insignia on the armor as that of a colonel。
To her shock； the figure was a human female。 She turned and gave Proudmoore a questioning glance。
The girl smiled。 If a woman can be a Guardian of Tirisfal； why can t a woman be a colonel？
Aegwynn had no choice but to concede the point。
Milady； the woman said as she came down off the bottom rung of the rope； I m afraid I bring bad news。 She
then looked askance at Aegwynn。
Colonel Lorena； this is Magna Aegwynn。 You may speak as freely to her as you would to me。
The colonel nodded and started to speak。 Apparently the word of Jaina Proudmoore was enough for this colonel。
Aegwynn grudgingly admitted to being impressed。 A woman didn t rise to such a position without a great deal of
hard work she suspected that Lorena was twice as good as any male colonel； simply because she would have to be
to succeed。 If someone that talented trusted Proudmoore so implicitly； then Proudmoore may have been a more
impressive specimen than Aegwynn had been willing to credit。
Perhaps there was something to the girl s hero worship after all。
Lorena said； Ma am； it is my firm belief that Chamberlain Kristoff is a member of the Burning Blade that he has
conspired to increase our forces at Northwatch and provoke the orcs into a conflict。
Proudmoore s face fell。 Kristoff？ I don t believe that。
But the colonel spent the next several minutes explaining what had happened in Proudmoore s absence from
Theramore。
When she was done； Aegwynn asked； When did this Burning Blade start？
We re not sure； Proudmoore said。 We think it s related to a former orc clan。 Why？
Because Zmodlor started a cult called the Burning Blade。 In fact； the sword he was going to use to sacrifice the
children he d imprisoned was covered in oil and was to be set alight when the sacrifice menced。 Since Zmodlor
is around； it s possible he was involved with those orcs as well。
Lorena spoke up before Proudmoore could respond to that。 Milady； why are you behind these wards？ I brought
Booraven with us to track you down； and she said there were wards up so we could