Illidan Stormrage

The War of the Ancients

Ravencrest organized the night elves into an army to fight the invading demons. When the highest-ranking member of the Moon Guard, Latosius, was slain in combat, Illidan jumped at the opportunity. He took charge of the surviving sorcerers and directed their combined power to noticeable effect, killing many of the Legion's minions. Even so, the war looked increasingly hopeless as further reinforcements arrived from the Twisting Nether.

He thought his people would hail him as a hero. He was wrong.

At a critical point in the war, Malfurion disobeyed Ravencrest's orders and left the night elf army. He had embarked upon a perilous journey: he planned to seek out the dragonflights and appeal to them for help. Impulsively Illidan confronted Tyrande and told her he could no longer remain silent. He confessed his love for her and said that Malfurion had clearly gone mad in his pursuit of druidism

 

Worrying about Malfurion, Tyrande rebuked Illidan, who saw that　wow gold he had spoken too late. She had already chosen her intended, and it was not Illidan. Once again Malfurion had effortlessly achieved a goal that Illidan could not. This time Malfurion's victory was particularly bitter, for Malfurion had yet to recognize his own love for Tyrande.

The pain of Illidan's unrequited feelings haunted him, and he found himself dwelling on dark thoughts. He had no way of knowing that he was being influenced by Lord Xavius, a satyr with the power to spread corruption. At last Illidan, too, left the night elf army, but he embarked on quite a different mission. He sought out Sargeras, creator of the Burning Legion.

 

Illidan swore allegiance to the dark titan, who granted Illidan great power in return. Sargeras burned Illidan's eyes to ash and endowed the scorched eye sockets with magically enhanced sight. As further reward, Sargeras marked much of Illidan's body with an intricate pattern of tattoos that filled the night elf with powerful arcane energy.

For this apparent shift of loyalties, Illidan would later come to be called the Betrayer. Yet although he did aid the Burning Legion to some extent, he ultimately sided with Malfurion and the other night elves. He and Malfurion closed the portal that the Highborne living in the royal palace had opened in the Well of Eternity, thus preventing Sargeras himself from entering Azeroth, an outcome that would have spelled doom for the world. Not long before the portal was closed, a group of Highborne rebelled against the Legion and, led by Dath'Remar Sunstrider, rejoined the main night elf army.

The planet of Azeroth was saved, but the Well's magics had been too badly abused, and so the Well imploded, shattering ancient Kalimdor into several landmasses. A new ocean was born, and the night elf defenders fled before its rushing waves.

Reaching Mount Hyjal, the night elves were finally able to rest: the ocean waters had reached their limit.The planet of Azeroth was saved, but the Well's magics had been too badly abused, and so the Well imploded, shattering ancient Kalimdor into several landmasses. A new ocean was born, and the night elf defenders fled before its rushing waves. Reaching Mount Hyjal, the night elves were finally able to rest: the ocean waters had reached their limit.

 

Just before the Well imploded, Illidan had filled several vials of its powerful waters. He was certain that despite the night elves' victory, the Legion would one day return. Despite the grueling war that had just ended, he believed that arcane magic alone could save the night elves from a second invasion. Thus, he sought out a secluded lake atop Mount Hyjal and poured three of the vials into its waters, irreversibly changing the lake into a second Well of Eternity.