Into the Light

26 | ACCUSATIONS

Back in his office, Khadgar hastened to remove the seals and wards enclosing his office. He opened the door. Outside, the other Archmages of the Council waited, talking quietly amongst themselves. He nodded in greeting, stepping back so they could enter. They filed in, looking around his office, suspicious. Modera caught his eye, hers full of accusation. He almost rolled his eyes. What now? He waited until they had settled on the sofas.

He smiled. "I apologise for keeping you waiting."

Modera brushed an invisible speck of dust from her robe and fired the opening salvo. "There is no need to apologise, it was only a matter of minutes. But I think I speak for all of us when I ask, where is the apprentice?"

Khadgar cleared his throat, uneasy. The others watched him, their faces veiled, judging him. Even Kalec's expression betrayed his disapproval. Khadgar stalled for time. "Apprentice?"

Modera stood and walked up to him, answering in a low voice. "Do not make this worse for yourself. You warded yourself in here, and the young woman who was in here earlier--the one who fled when we arrived--was caught with your ring at the library, claiming you gave it to her. She fled, and ran back here, where she walked straight through your door--a door which none of us, alone or together could open."

Khadgar sighed. He hadn't counted on the guards raising the alarm to the other Archmages, but then why would they not?

"Alright. I have hidden her away, somewhere safe. She cannot remain in Dalaran, for reasons I assume you have intuited."

Modera scoffed and crossed her arms. Kalec spoke up, his tone heavy with recrimination. "You know it is forbidden to take an apprentice as a companion. What you are doing is wrong, Khadgar, and unless you can convince us this is not what it looks like, we are prepared to remove you from the Council."

Khadgar moved back to the door, and began casting the same wards he had used before. The others came to their feet, defensive. "How do you think she got through the wards?" he asked, over his shoulder.

Karlain answered, in his deep, quiet voice. "Your ring, we presumed."

Khadgar pulled the ring from his pouch and held it out to Karlain. "Please. Take it. Pass through my wards."

Karlain took the ring, and examined it, to ensure it was the ring in question. Satisfied, he nodded at the others. The ring enclosed in his fist, he went to the door, and pulled on the door handle. The handle didn't move. He pulled harder. The door remained warded.

Modera held out her hand to Karlain. "Let me try."

She put the ring on, and tried the door. Nothing. She turned and looked at Kalec, perplexed. Kalec came next and tried, as did Ansirem, and finally Vargoth. Khadgar took the ring back from Vargoth.

"I was as astonished as the guards must have been when she just walked through my wards. In fact, I was so startled, I almost killed her."

The others shifted, embarrassed, none of them meeting his eyes. Kalec had the decency to look ashamed. Modera, however, pressed on, angry. She pointed at the door. "Then how do you explain what she did, if not the ring, what powers could she have used?"

Khadgar shook his head. "I haven't been able to explain it yet. She doesn't even know what she did. What I can tell you is this, Idira carries power not seen since the age of the Guardians. I do not intend to let her abilities go to waste. She will be key in our fight against the Legion."

Karlain shook his head. "Someone with so much power could be a danger to us, as well."

Khadgar felt himself stiffen as the others nodded, concurring. Modera said what he knew the others were thinking. "You cannot keep her isolated from us, we need to test her. If we deem her controllable, we can all take a hand in her training, and--"

"There is no time," Khadgar interrupted, becoming angry. This was not what he wanted to be talking about, far greater issues needed the Council's attention. Modera glared at him, seething. What was wrong with her? Her cheeks had become flushed, and her eyes glistened with unshed tears. Kalec touched her shoulder, but she shook him off. Khadgar's thoughts scudded to a halt as she approached him, her emotions plain to see. Through her anger, jealousy flashed in her eyes. He caught Kalec and Karlain watching her, pitying her. They knew. Khadgar shook his head. How could he have been so blind?

"Where is she, Khadgar?" Modera snapped, fractious.

"Somewhere safe," Khadgar answered, equally sharp. "Enough of this. While I was away, I have learned what Gul'dan is doing with Tyrande, and also, more importantly, I have discovered a backdoor into the Chamber of the Eye from Hope's End--or would you rather we continued to argue some more about the apprentice?"

Modera drew a sharp breath and went to the balcony, quivering, her hands on her hips. Khadgar let her be. The others looked away, uncomfortable at having witnessed Modera's humiliation. Khadgar took a seat behind the desk and rubbed his forehead, trying to soothe the pain growing behind his eyes. One by one the Council members moved back to their seats. After a long, tense silence, Modera returned and sat beside Kalec, impassive.

Kalec broke the silence. "How did you discover these things, then?"

"I followed Gul'dan through the portal the day he took Illidan's body from the Vault."

"You stepped outside of time?" Karlain asked. "To involve Chromie without our knowledge is a breach--"

"Chromie was not involved," Khadgar said, irritable. "You might recall I trained under a Guardian."

The Council members shifted, uneasy. Any mention of Medivh always made them so. He ignored them. He wasn't proud of having used the font, but desperate times . . .

Vargoth cleared his throat. "I think, perhaps we have judged Khadgar enough for one day. I for one, would like to hear him out."

"As would I," Ansirem muttered, shooting a meaningful look at Modera.

Kalec and Karlain nodded in agreement. Khadgar glanced at Modera. She returned his look, implacable, hostile. He shook his head and stood up. "Very well."

He cast a spell, filling the room with the images he had seen while travelling within the font. He said nothing, letting the others draw their own conclusions. They watched, horrified by the things he had only recently witnessed for himself. When the child was struck down, Khadgar caught Modera blinking back tears.

When they saw Tirion, there was a collective gasp of disbelief, followed by murmurs of regret and sorrow. But their true horror was evidenced when he let them see what was being done to Tyrande, held captive in the tendrils of the thing that was to become Sargeras's avatar. He waited until they watched Illidan's transformation, then ended the projection. A heavy silence permeated his office.