However, what the Titans didn't expect was that Aggramar's silence wasn't because he missed the chance to face Sargeras, but because he was thinking about how to tell them a terrifying truth.
"Sargeras took Aman'thul because he wanted to use his power to project Argus onto Azeroth, directly destroying that planet."
Aggramar was still somewhat weak, and his voice revealed despair, "In the time I spent stopping you... I'm afraid he has already succeeded. He hasn't returned yet, most likely because he no longer cares about what happens on Argus."
"Impossible!"
Before the other Titans could react, Jaina was the first to step forward. She stubbornly denied this possibility, "Arthas won't let Sargeras succeed, and we still have a large number of living forces left on Azeroth. Our world can't possibly fall like this!"
The Titans were speechless. Finally, Eonar, who was more familiar with the Allied Forces, stepped forward to explain, "I'm sorry, Jaina, this conjecture might be too terrifying for you to accept, but... what I want to say is, we'd better truly prepare for this."
Jaina wanted to say something more, but a hand rested on her shoulder from behind and patted it gently twice. She turned to look and found it was Xal'atath.
Xal'atath, of course, didn't believe Arthas would be defeated by Sargeras so easily. She knew how Arthas had dealt with Dimensius, but she was going to see what these Titans would do.
"So what preparations do we need to make?"
Eonar exchanged glances with her compatriots, then said, "We plan to transform the Burning Throne into a temporary stronghold, but too many dark and evil secrets are buried here. In our current state, it will probably take some time, and during this time, we hope you can help us defend against the possible return of the demon army."
Xal'atath narrowed her eyes, a hint of scrutiny in her gaze towards the Titans, "Didn't you say Sargeras wouldn't care about this place anymore? Why do you need us to help you resist the demon army again?"
There were indeed quite a few demons still active on Argus, but after their complete destruction of the Legion's command center, it was almost impossible for the demon warlords scattered across Argus to single-mindedly confront the Allied Forces again. After all, their opponents, since the fall of Antorus, were no longer just the Azeroth Allied Forces.
Internecine warfare between demon warlords was commonplace. Without the suppression and command of Sargeras and the high-ranking members of the Burning Legion, these creatures, inherently fond of chaos and destruction, could split into dozens of uncompromising factions in a very short time.
Eonar explained, "This is also helping yourselves. If Sargeras truly succeeded in using Argus to destroy your world, you warriors remaining on Argus shouldn't be trapped here forever. Once we restart the Burning Throne's control system, we can take you to find a new home."
"So we can just abandon our world like that?!"
Jaina suddenly found it somewhat amusing. They had gone through countless sacrifices to get here, and now, after these Titans were freed by them, the first thing they thought about was how to just pack up and leave?
She found it utterly incomprehensible, but Xal'atath stopped her from saying anything more extreme, and Jaina calmed down slightly.
The Titans saw Jaina's anger and dissatisfaction, but they had no intention of blaming or reprimanding Jaina—if it weren't for these brave mortals, the lofty gods would still be prisoners in the hands of demons.
Although they were proud, they were not ungrateful ingrates, nor did they want to fall out with the heroes of Azeroth. Norgannon also soothed at this moment, "Children of Azeroth, it is not that we do not want to save your world. Azeroth is no different from a compatriot to us, and we do not wish to see her fall... But the true power of the Titans is far from as simple as you perceive. While you were dealing with Aggramar's avatar, Sargeras would have had enough time to destroy a planet ten times over."
"We are not saying that Azeroth cannot survive, it's just... based on the existing information and intelligence, rationally analyzed, the possibility of Azeroth's demise is quite high."
Jaina bit her lip, wanting to say something to refute their point of view, but their battle with Aggramar had already explained everything. Even an avatar with a fraction of a Titan's power had left them in such a sorry state. If they wanted to intervene in the Titans' disputes, they could only do so by borrowing the Titans' power.
It was then that Xal'atath, who had been silently synthesizing everything, suddenly spoke, "No matter what, it's still too early for us to discuss whether Azeroth is destroyed or not. At least, we should wait until we leave this signal-shielded area of the Throne and try to contact our home planet before drawing a conclusion."
"I also agree with this method. If all you need is our help to resist demon harassment, then setting up a defensive line on the outskirts of Argus might be better."
Prophet Velen also stepped forward at this moment. He had a premonition that the Titans' conjecture might be wrong, but it had to be verified first. Velen didn't want these heroes, after enduring so many hardships, to become exiles in the universe again.
What, then, would be the point of their fight against the Burning Legion?
The Titans did not return to the Azeroth with the Allied Forces. They all believed that time was precious and that the transformation of the Burning Throne had to be completed as quickly as possible, and Aggramar's avatar also had to be put to use.
Although this avatar still contained a large amount of chaotic energy, it was a tangible body that could carry a Titan's soul. In their current situation, where several Titans couldn't even assemble one body, it was the most formidable weapon they could get their hands on.
After returning to the spaceship, Jaina, disregarding her still unhealed injuries, immediately ordered the ship to move away from the high-energy shielded area within the planet and repeatedly tried to contact Azeroth. However, the result almost drove everyone to despair.
"No... no communication facilities can reach anyone on Azeroth..."
The communications officer operated the instrument in front of him with a bewildered expression. He didn't know why this expensive long-range communicator couldn't receive any signals from Azeroth. Compared to the worst outcome, he even preferred to believe that the instrument had malfunctioned.
Unfortunately, the communicator could receive messages from various Allied Forces strongholds on Argus without any hindrance. Those heroes holding out in the temporary strongholds didn't know that Azeroth might be facing annihilation, or perhaps had already been annihilated.
Jaina could barely listen to the communications officer anymore. Her body and mind, already overdrawn, felt a sudden darkness, and she almost couldn't stand.
Fortunately, Xal'atath supported Jaina, but Xal'atath was no longer as calm as she once was. Her slender eyebrows furrowed, and a look of urgency was evident in her expression, "How is this possible? It shouldn't be like this..."
Jaina also caught her breath from the dizziness. Supported by Xal'atath, she was still trying to think with her brain, which was quickly turning into mush, "No... that's not right. Even if Azeroth collapsed like Draenor, several cities and regions with large magic sources would be enough to withstand the first wave of collapse, and they would definitely send us intelligence!"
Indeed, even Draenor, torn apart by portals scattered across the planet, managed to retain some land. Given Azeroth's situation, it was impossible for it to go completely silent in such a short time without even a single message getting out.
"Then there's only one possibility... Something has shielded Azeroth, preventing them from transmitting information, and preventing us from contacting them."
Jaina's reminder made Xal'atath realize. It was unlikely that Azeroth would be destroyed without any commotion. And if some kind of field or barrier was shielding Azeroth's information, that might be good news... After all, if Sargeras had already destroyed Azeroth, there would be no need to bother shielding the entire planet's communication.
Azeroth is very likely not yet destroyed, but it has certainly suffered some trouble, as the Titans said!
Jaina's guess was not wrong, but the one who severed communications with Azeroth was none other than Arthas.
The encapsulation of The Maw indeed stopped Argus, but it also isolated Azeroth beneath that dark red mist realm. Ordinary communication spells and technology simply could not penetrate the barrier of The Maw
—in other words, Azeroth had become a planet located inside The Maw yet not in direct contact with The Maw.
They naturally couldn't receive signals from Azeroth, especially since this measure was something Arthas decided on impulsively as a last resort to save Azeroth. Arthas also had no way to inform them beforehand that this situation would occur.
Following the descent from the skies above Azeroth all the way into the depths of The Maw, the entire Shadowlands reacted violently to this change.
Argus was not a native creature of The Maw, and the mass of the Titan was enormous. Under the violent impact, even the other realms of the Shadowlands felt intense tremors.
Oribos, the Eternal City, was naturally affected by the shockwave. The three Eternals, who were still cleaning up the mess left behind by The Jailer, simultaneously looked toward the in-between zone of the Shadowlands. The eldest daughter, Griseida, sensed the changes in the Shadowlands and hesitated to speak.
"Say whatever you want to say, Griseida."
Primus glanced at Griseida, knowing she had something she needed to get off her chest.
With Primus breaking the ice, Griseida naturally poured out her thoughts, "You said it yourself... Are we really just going to sit back and watch that new... the newly appointed 'The Arbiter' act recklessly? This violates our principles!"
"Does he know he is the new The Arbiter?"
Primus replied calmly, cutting off Griseida's attempt to continue speaking.
Winter Queen did not want to participate in this debate. She was only concerned about whether the Shadowlands would be affected by Arthas's recklessness. "Let's not talk about that for now. What caused this tremor? It won't bring us new trouble, will it? Although your new friend helped us deal with Zovaal's ambition, he also left us with a huge mess."
"It's nothing major. He threw a Titan into The Maw."
"Nothing major?!"
Griseida felt her expression was nearly contorted
—throwing a Titan into The Maw was an act that completely violated the laws of the universe!
"Don't worry, the vastness of The Maw far exceeds that of ordinary realms, and with our help, this new guest
—"
Primus was interrupted before he could finish by Griseida. The Intendant, who oversaw all the Ascended, asked in surprise, "What do you mean 'with our help'? Do you intend to help him clean up his mess?"
Just as Griseida was expressing her shock, Winter Queen walked over to her and patted her shoulder, "At this point, do we have a choice? It would be fine if that Titan who fell into The Maw stayed quietly within The Maw, but if it breaks The Maw's confinement, it could cause significant damage to all realms."
Griseida was speechless. She certainly understood this point. Although The Maw had the "rule" that those who entered could not escape, truthfully, the three Eternals no longer fully trusted this so-called rule, especially since quite a few individuals had already escaped from The Maw, including Zovaal, whom they thought they had strictly guarded.
Regardless, they could not stand by and watch the balance of the Shadowlands be disrupted by an external Titan. Beings like Titans were never meant to enter the Shadowlands in the first place, and who knew what kind of effects such an abrupt entrance would have on this domain?
The three Eternals tacitly stopped discussing the topic. Even though they knew they had likely fallen into a part of Arthas's plan, they harbored no complaints or resentment, offering only a few words of caution to Griseida, whose adherence to principles was almost second nature.
The moment Argus plummeted into The Maw, they already understood that some things were destined to happen; even if the process differed, the outcome would be nearly the same.
Currently in Oribos, with The Arbiter offline and Zovaal dead, they were desperately struggling to decide the fate of souls without the power of The Arbiter. Fortunately, due to Arthas's intervention, the Shadowlands had at least avoided greater upheaval.
Most of their realms were safe and sound, and the worst-case scenario had been averted, which was a blessing in disguise. As for other issues, the three Eternals decided to turn a blind eye.
"So how are we going to 'help' him? Should we directly attack that mad Titan?"
Griseida frowned, asking Primus. Although they were not afraid of a mere Titan left half-crippled by Sargeras, that did not mean they didn't want to solve this trouble with the minimal possible losses.
"It won't be that much trouble. We just need to do our own jobs."
The shrewd Primus seemed to have anticipated all of this. He stated that they did not need to pay excessive attention to the situation in The Maw; it was not a realm they were meant to oversee. Since that chaotic place now had someone willing to maintain order, they were happy to reap the benefits.
"But necessary precautions must still be taken. The Maw has been unstable lately, and it is reasonable for us to dedicate some effort to suppress the 'boiling' of The Maw."
Winter Queen said abruptly. Griseida looked coldly at her colleague. She knew very well that while her old friend appeared gentle and kind, when it came to playing tricks and maneuvering, Winter Queen was probably no less skilled than the cunning Primus and Sire Denathrius.
In that instant, Griseida suddenly felt exhausted, as if she were the only one among all the Eternals who was truly devoted to duty and responsibility, while the others were either walking the edge of the line or were outright rebels like Zovaal and Sire Denathrius.
But since matters had reached this point, Griseida had no choice but to contribute, even if it was just to maintain the stability of the Shadowlands. She snorted, "I hope that fellow doesn't disappoint us."
Primus smiled, raising his hand to part the clouds of the in-between zone below Oribos, revealing The Maw glowing with black and red light.
Like tossing a coin into a well, he cast a portion of his power into the world below. Winter Queen and Griseida followed suit, using their own power and authority to stabilize The Maw and prevent anything from escaping.
At the same time, the three Eternals united to ensure that all creatures not belonging to the Shadowlands suffered "sanction." The stronger the creature, the more it would be repelled by the Shadowlands, making it difficult to use its full power within this realm.
Argus was clearly their target. This creature, infused with the power of two Titans and nearly half-mad, suddenly saw the chaos it had caused in The Maw diminish. The formerly active energy within it became stiff and difficult to mobilize, as if a lock had been placed upon it.
If it had been a normal Titan, it would have immediately understood that someone had interfered, but given Argus's half-mad state, with only instinct remaining, it was unable to shake off this effect.
At this moment, Kel'Thuzad, who was guiding the direction of The Maw, suddenly bowed toward the gloomy sky
—he had certainly noticed that Argus's aura was weakening, and the only ones capable of achieving this, besides his master far away at the Seat of the Pantheon, were the three Eternals of the Shadowlands.
"Regardless, I thank you for your assistance on behalf of my master. Rest assured, Argus's fate is already sealed."
Countless chains shot out from the spire of Torghast, heading toward Argus, who was surging up and down in The Maw. The sky-high chains formed an impenetrable net, aiming to envelop Argus.
These chains were entirely formed by Commanding Power, just like the chains that bound Sargeras. If they managed to restrain him, even a Titan would be unable to break free quickly.
Arthas considered that relying solely on Kel'Thuzad and the others might be insufficient to completely kill Argus, so he provided them with an alternative plan: completely suppressing Argus within The Maw, which would at least strip him of the means to threaten Azeroth.
The most difficult step of this plan had already been accomplished; Argus had now fallen into The Maw and no longer had the chance to destroy Azeroth.
But the half-mad Titan understood that he had fallen into a strange world. The chaotic energy conflicts within him, coupled with the frustration of being obstructed, caused rage to gradually fill his mind. Primeval, wild astral energy surged on his hands, and in his extreme fury, Argus began attacking everything around him indiscriminately.
As the Titan's power erupted without regard for consequences, it began mercilessly annihilating everything in the vicinity. Large amounts of floating islands and landmasses in The Maw were torn apart and destroyed by the red destructive energy, and the shattered earth was then absorbed into Argus's body, becoming part of him.
The already sparse rocky surface of The Maw disintegrated under Argus's pull. Numerous beasts and remnant souls in The Maw were crushed and swallowed whole by Argus, and the chaotic energies caused ominous black markings to appear on his red body.
"This fellow is truly insane, devouring the energy of The Maw so indiscriminately."
Kel'Thuzad continued to command the spires to attack Argus. As Argus continuously dodged and wore down the chains, Kel'Thuzad changed his approach, shifting the chains —originally meant to restrain Argus —to instead crash directly into Argus's body.
The heavy metal chains slammed against Argus's skin, striking out massive sparks. Each chain seemed to possess a mind of its own, impacting the Titan's massive body everywhere. Argus roared in pain, and his red body rippled under the impact of the chains.
Soon, Argus, who had been high in the skies of The Maw, was pressed down onto the ground by the overwhelming chains. The dense chains intertwined and snaked like a swarm of serpents, grinding together with a sickening sound.
The Archlich twisted his hands, causing countless chains to wrap together, forming a pitch-black iron pillar that plummeted from the sky and stabbed into Argus's body.
Argus spread his hands, attempting to embrace the falling iron pillar, letting out an incoherent roar. He intended to use his terrifying power as a Star God to forcibly halt the impact of the Commanding Power chain, but just as he activated the energy within him, the joints of his shoulders, arms, and legs exploded like fireworks.
Black and red Necromantic energy burst out of him, turning Argus's tough body practically into a sieve!
That was the energy transformed from the matter of The Maw he had swallowed whole —these energies, combined with the already chaotic state inside his body, resulted in an uncontrollable chain reaction explosion, nearly blasting Argus's body into several pieces.
Seizing this opportunity, Kel'Thuzad unleashed all the Commanding Power chains onto Argus's body. A massive amount of Commanding Power poured into Argus's body, wrestling control of his physical form.
This appeared to be a simple and brute-force task, but Kel'Thuzad was actually giving it his utmost attention. His pale white Lich body trembled slightly due to the overwhelming complexity of the information he had to process instantly. Some small bones even began to crack, unable to bear the strain as Kel'Thuzad violently pushed his consciousness and magic.
Kel'Thuzad focused entirely on resisting Argus's will, but he also noticed the changes in his own body. No expression could be seen on the Archlich's skull, but after a brief stalemate, as the cracks on his body increased, he could only sigh helplessly, "It seems that even after tempering this body with the magic of the River of Souls, it still cannot withstand this level of confrontation... Haha, the gap between mortals and gods is truly immense."
For a moment, he recalled Arthas's experience of transforming from a mortal into an existence that rivaled the gods. The Archlich's heart, which had been like stagnant water, suddenly swelled with intense curiosity: How exactly did his master accomplish this?
Unfortunately, there was no time for Kel'Thuzad to ponder these matters now. Upon realizing that his body might collapse before Argus was defeated, Kel'Thuzad said with some reluctance, "In the end, was it still just short?"
However, the time he had bought was enough... Thinking this, Kel'Thuzad suddenly increased his magical output, which caused his already strained Lich body to collapse completely. The Archlich's hands were instantly melted by the high concentration of Necromantic energy, turning into dark green specks of light that dissipated into the air.
Having lost his hands, Kel'Thuzad's ability to control the Commanding Power magic instantly plummeted, yet he showed no panic, as this was the outcome he had anticipated.
The Commanding Power chains, strengthened by the sacrifice of Kel'Thuzad's hands, surged in size once more, completely slamming Argus out of the sky and into intimate contact with one side of The Maw's ground, causing a dull tremor throughout half of The Maw. Countless chains collided with Argus and dissipated, only to transform into magical energy that bombarded Argus's body.
For a time, Argus was completely suppressed by Kel'Thuzad.
A Titan was suppressed by the full power of a Lich, who had once been a mortal mage. This seemed unimaginable, but Kel'Thuzad had indeed accomplished it, signifying that his mission was complete.
"Your spell is quite good, Lich, though still a bit crude." Frivolous words echoed through the top floor of the Sanctum, and a seductive figure slowly materialized in the mist.
Beside the energy wellspring forged from the River of Souls, Azshara elegantly raised her arm, drawing out the energy from the well. With her other hand, she leisurely covered her face with a folding fan and quipped, "Now, the real star is about to make her entrance!"
"Watch closely. Such a magnificent source of energy, one that can rival or even surpass the Well of Eternity, is truly mesmerizing... Here, even a god will bow before me!"
When it came to invoking the power of an infinite magical source, perhaps no one on Azeroth could compare to her over the last ten thousand years. The tumultuous power of the River of Souls became as docile and obedient as a babbling brook in Azshara's hands. The river, which flowed across the cosmos and was powerful enough to scour and erode all soul entities, transformed into a sharp sword in the Queen's grip.
Azshara's eyes flickered with an indescribable excitement and infatuation. Ten thousand years ago, she had been captivated by the power wielded by Sargeras, and now, she had the chance to use power of this magnitude to personally sever the head of Sargeras's kin!
This pleasure of vengeance made the Queen unable to restrain herself. The Sword of the River of Souls, as if sensing its controller's desire, instantly shot up, pierced Argus's neck, and severed the head of the half-mad Titan!