"No! This shouldn't be my fate!" the Dreadlord wailed. This was Mephistroth, the Burning Legion's number three Nathrezim, second only to Tichondrius and Anetheron.
His mission was to punish Gul'dan for his betrayal and guard the Tomb of Sargeras. Their Legion master's divided body altered the area's fel energy, facilitating a future Legion portal.
Mephistroth hadn't expected to find powerful humans instead of Gul'dan.
The ice and fire attacks caused Mephistroth intense pain. Breaking free, he released a swarm of putrid bats.
Aragorn used Holy Light. The bats were scorched, fell, and quickly turned to ash.
"Damn Holy Light!"
Mephistroth took out a purple skull and began to chant. His power surged, connecting to the Twisting Nether. A dozen large demon portals appeared, surrounding Galen's group. Powerful demons poured out: Dreadlords, Doomguards, Felhounds...
Over a thousand demons surrounded Galen and his group.
"Hmm? Skull of the Man'ari?" Galen recognized the warlock artifact. Mephistroth was using it to enhance his summoning.
This must be Mephistroth, the Dreadlord's perennial number three!
You think you're the only one who can open portals? I'll show you what it means to bring shame upon yourself!
'Mephistroth, today I will show you what it means to teach fish how to swim and bring disgrace upon yourself!' Galen drew Trol'kalar. "Crusaders, charge!"
White light erupted around Galen and his group.
Three hundred paladin guards and three thousand high-level knights filled the Tomb of Sargeras. Some knights were even outside, in the Temple of the Moon's ruins.
"Brothers of the Crusade, fuck them up!" Galen ordered.
The demons clashed with the crusaders.
The hall filled with battle cries, the clang of weapons, and demonic screams.
The crusaders' numbers overwhelmed the demons. A paladin-led trio of knights crushed mid-level demons like Doomguards. The sheer volume of combatants hindered the demons with larger weapons.
Mephistroth was forced back into the black stone gate as the Royal Guard advanced. His portals began to close.
Galen and the others entered the gate, and ten Royal Guards sealed it shut.
"Are you convinced?" Galen asked the embarrassed Dreadlord.
"The Legion is invincible!" Mephistroth snarled. More bats appeared. Gandalf froze them with an Ice Cone.
Mephistroth, looking defeated, tried to resist. Mephistroth pointed at him.
"Enslave!"
Galen enslaved Mephistroth, using a spell he'd recently acquired from Gul'dan.
"Mephistroth obeys" the Dreadlord said, his defiance replaced by subservience.
"Give me the Skull of the Man'ari!" Galen ordered, wary of demonic treachery.
Mephistroth presented the skull. A violent aura emanated from it.
"Submit to your new master, mortal! Everything will submit to me!" A mental wave assaulted Galen.
Galen cast Holy Light on the skull. White smoke rose from its eye sockets.
"The Skull of the Man'ari obeys its new master."
Typical. You only understand after a beating. Galen tossed the skull into his pack.
Then, a large green gem in the hall caught his eye. It pulsed with light and bore an eye-shaped rune. "Is this the Eye of Sargeras?"
"Yes, and the Staff of Sargeras is nearby," Aegwynn said.
Garrosh took the Eye of Sargeras. A powerful energy surge surprised him.
This is immense power... Sargeras probably used this to replenish his energy during battle.
Only a few treasures in Azeroth rivaled the Eye of Sargeras, such as the World Tree, the Sunwell, and perhaps the Nightwell.
"Galen, the Eye of Sargeras would be an excellent power source for Skyhold!"
"Huh?" Galen was taken aback. "Isn't it full of fel energy? Wouldn't that make my Scarlet Crusade fortress look like a demon's lair?"
Aegwynn turned to Gandalf. "Gandalf, is this your student?"
Gandalf, Galen's nominal magic tutor, looked away, feigning painful memories.
Aegwynn explained, "The Tomb of Sargeras has active fel energy because the fel energy within Sargeras's avatar's corpse has altered the surrounding magic. But the Eye of Sargeras was created by the Titan Aman'Thul. Its energy is pure, high-level arcane, and directly absorbable."
Galen understood and was overjoyed. He had planned to have his mages take turns powering Skyhold. With enough mages, he wouldn't lack energy, and it would be a clean, green source.
Galen put the Eye of Sargeras in his bag and eyed the unique staff nearby. "The Scepter of Sargeras!"
Sargeras created this staff after his failed invasion ten thousand years ago. Its main function is to tear through space and open portals.
Eight hundred years ago, Sargeras used it to open a portal to Azeroth. But Azeroth's Titan-made spatial barrier prevented his full passage. He could only send an avatar.
The Scepter's most unique feature is the gem at its top, said to be a captured glimpse of Azeroth's world-soul during the Well of Eternity's explosion. Sargeras made the scepter in the shape of that eye to remind himself of his failure and his goal to destroy Azeroth.
Galen picked up the staff. Aegwynn was about to warn him of its evil power, but Galen was unaffected.
"Alright, my army will clear the Tomb to ensure no demons survive," Galen declared.
Mephistroth trembled. Demons return to the Twisting Nether upon death, but it's a long, tedious wait.
Worse, demons who fail missions face punishment upon resurrection.
Mephistroth was almost grateful to be enslaved. He didn't know that all demons who died here were intercepted by the Heart of Creation's Altar of Kings.
Aegwynn, guarded by the Royal Guard, descended to the Tomb's lowest level to reinforce the seal on Sargeras' avatar and retrieve the Maiden of Valor for Galen.
Galen's trip to the Broken Isles was a success. He acquired the Eye and Scepter of Sargeras. He wasn't interested in Sargeras' body, which still affected the surroundings despite multiple seals.
He also gained the two Maiden statues, the Dreadlord Mephistroth, and the Skull of the Man'ari.
Perfect.
As the battle ended, a foul stench of demon blood wafted from the hall.
Outside, the dark clouds had lifted, and the sun was high. Galen took a deep breath on the beach, the salty sea air mixing with the sulfurous fel stench.
Paladins were burning demon corpses nearby. The smoke disgusted Galen.
Soon, Aegwynn emerged with the Royal Guards.
"Is it over, Lady Aegwynn?" Galen asked.
"Yes, I've reinforced the seal and slowed the fel energy leakage."
Aegwynn was resigned. With Azeroth's current energy levels, Sargeras's avatar couldn't be completely destroyed. It was a carefully crafted avatar, more ancient than even the Vrykul.
That's why Aegwynn agreed to let Galen take the Eye and Scepter. If Gul'dan could find this place, others would too. It was safer to keep them at the heavily guarded Crusader Fortress.
"The matter here is concluded. Let's return to the Crusader Fortress, Madam."
Aegwynn nodded and handed Galen a black orb.
"What's this?" he asked.
"The Orb of Shadows, formed from centuries of condensed shadow energy. It has useful abilities but is better suited for melee fighters than mages."
She then chanted a spell, and the Tomb's gate slowly closed. A colorful barrier reappeared over the Temple of Elune's ruins. The island trembled and began to sink.
Galen and the others teleported away from the Broken Shore before the island was completely submerged.
Galen had already sent the Bloodsail Buccaneers to establish a port in a hidden location in northwestern Stormheim. After the war in the Eastern Kingdoms ended, he planned to develop the Broken Isles for Stromgarde.