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Varian was surprised when Tiffin jumped from his lap as Alastor and Taria teleported back into Realspace, specifically into their bedroom.
From the looks of things, the King of Stormwind had been a bit "busy" with his Queen.
Taria had an amused look on her face as she looked at her eldest son and her daughter-in-law's surprised and flustered expressions. Suffice it to say, she was quickly finding her new powers to be quite fun indeed.
Alastor, on the other hand, had far more tact. He gave a fake cough while offering Varian and Tiffin a sheepish and apologetic look.
He knew for a fact that if it were him, unless it was important, he would be very put off if his "private" time with his lovers was interrupted.
"Mother, your timing is impeccable," Varian said a bit sarcastically to his mother, not blaming his little brother. He knew well that Alastor was too nice to pull such a prank, especially with everything that had happened recently.
"I haven't lost my edge yet." Taria's smile only widened as Varian's eyebrow twitched while Tiffin gained a wry smile.
"Brother, I hope your talk went well." Varian promptly ignored her and asked Alastor.
"It went well, as I had hoped... Oh, and I also met gods."
"...What?" Varian asked with a deadpan look.
Wasn't he just having a long-overdue heart-to-heart talk with their mother? Where the heck had this come from!?
"Haha, yeah, funny story. Okay, long story short, Mom teleported me back into the Warp—it's a bit different in our region now—and introduced me to her new friend, who happens to be the planet itself. Apparently, our world, as we know it, is actually the equivalent of an incubation chamber for her nascent spirit."
"She's called a Titan, and technically, all of us are her kids. I also met Lileath, or, as the Night Elves call their Patron Goddess, Elune; Isha, whom you already met; the Maker, who, funnily enough, is the Elven Smith God Vaul, though I have a feeling he prefers the Dwarves."
"Oh, and finally, Cegorach. Apparently, the Elven Clown God is real and more eccentric than I thought he would be."
Alastor finished and tried to give Varian what he hoped was a reassuring look while knowing full well just how utterly ridiculous the things he just spouted were.
"Alastor... brother, you know I love you, right? So can you please tell me WHY YOU'RE ALWAYS FINDING YOURSELF IN SUCH SITUATIONS!?"
Varian started calmly, but by the end, he was giving Alastor a profoundly annoyed look!
Varian knew his little brother's tendency to do the impossible, as well as his even greater tendency to make any situation spiral out of control, whether he wanted it to or simply by existing!
It had been obvious since they were young, and Varian had thought he would eventually grow used to it.
What was the worst that could happen?
(He shouldn't have challenged Almighty Murphy.)
So much had already happened, from the war's end to Malak's trial and Alastor's ascension as King of Azeroth, just to name a few.
Varian knew there were still things to be done, especially preparations for the eventual exodus into the Great Dark Beyond—space—but he had at least thought that, for now, there wouldn't be any more surprises and they could take it easy for a while.
But apparently, his mother had other plans and had dumped another bombshell on him that involved his brother—and King—once again.
"I swear, in the name of our house, I'm not doing this on purpose!" Alastor quickly defended himself while raising his hands in surrender.
"Just... give me the context tomorrow. No, instead, give me the details next week! I would rather spend this week relaxing my mind and body before we talk about business."
Alastor nodded, completely understanding, before remembering why Taria had teleported them here. Aside from being a prank, there was a serious reason too.
"I understand, brother. There's just one thing I would rather you address. It's not work-related and... I feel you'll like it."
Varian sighed but nodded.
"Alright. What is it?"
Alastor placed a hand over his chest and concentrated on his connection to his Soulscape. A white glow covered him, especially on his hand, which he pushed forward.
A white orb flew out and took a very familiar form.
The spectral form of Llane Wrynn.
Varian froze, and Tiffin gasped as she covered her mouth with both hands.
Llane wasn't that surprised, as if he had suspected this. He simply nodded to Alastor and Taria, who gave him smiles in return.
Taria gently took Tiffin's hand and led her, along with Alastor, outside the room.
During the meeting with the gods and Azeroth, aside from securing their allegiance and finding out what each of them was currently planning and how they intended to help, Azeroth had helpfully taken the souls of the people Alastor had been safeguarding since the beginning of the Black Dawn War.
She had promised to give them the rest they deserved, along with the souls she already had in her possession.
But Alastor had requested that she give him some time to retrieve his father's soul so that, just like him, Varian could have one final meeting with Llane as well.
It wouldn't be fair if Varian didn't get that final meeting with Llane before his departure, considering that Alastor had received one himself and had even been saved by their father at his lowest point during his time in the Realms of Chaos.
Before the door to the chamber closed behind them, they heard the sounds of sobs coming from Varian.
Yet no one thought any less of Varian for crying.
Aside from feeling immense pressure due to his sudden kingship, as well as his position as the Vice-Commander of the Alliance, Varian also carried great guilt over not being able to stop Llane's death in the first place.
"Alastor... thank you so much."
Tiffin's eyes were misty. She knew very well the weight that had always seemed to bear down on Varian since the Siege of Stormwind.
But this was good.
Hopefully, after this, Varian would finally get some much-needed closure from the father he thought he had failed, allowing him to finally let go of his guilt and forgive himself so he could continue to grow into the splendid man his brother and parents knew he would become.
"He's my brother, sister."
Alastor only gave her a reassuring smile.
"He would have done the same for me."
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Varian felt much lighter when he returned to the chamber where Alastor, Taria, and Tiffin were waiting.
He honestly hadn't realized how much he needed to have that particular talk with his father.
When it was over, Llane gave him a firm hug before disappearing in a flash of blue light, returning to where the other souls had surely gone.
As soon as Varian entered the chamber, however, he paused when he saw the condition Alastor was in.
The newly crowned King of Azeroth looked extremely agitated and embarrassed, courtesy of his mother and sister-in-law.
"I always knew there was something going on with Sylvanas and Vereesa. Just friends, my arse! And what about that Night Elf? Tyrande was it? Don't even think about saying there was nothing there. My intuition is never wrong about these things."
Taria had a wide smile as she interrogat—cough—enquired about her youngest son's love life.
"Oh, by the Light, that is so romantic! I'm so proud of you for supporting and acting as Calia's pillar, Alastor, and then you even went as far as to rescue an imprisoned Goddess!?"
Tiffin, on the other hand, was even more excited as she pried into what had happened with Calia and Isha respectively. Her eyes shone as she listened to the tales, no different from someone hearing a romantic epic.
Kill me...
Alastor thought in abject hopelessness and despair as his mother and sister-in-law (who was practically like a sister to him) badgered him over his love life.
Alastor even went so far as to mentally reach out to Azeroth.
Surely she would help—
Strange. They didn't mention Alexstrasza. I couldn't help but feel she—
Alastor quickly cut the connection.
His situation was already complicated enough. He didn't need to open another bag of worms!
Wait.
There was the Phoenix!
Alastor focused on his connection to the Phoenix.
Surely she would—
No. And besides, if I have learned anything from my hosts and the company they keep, relationships like this build character! ...Or was it endurance?
Okay.
Apparently, even the Phoenix Force was useless in his current predicament!
Only then did Alastor catch sight of Varian standing at the door, looking immensely amused.
Alastor quickly abandoned all pretenses of pride and and self-respect gavong his brother a pleading look, silently begging him to save him.
Varian, taking pity on him, went ahead and rescued his brother from their overenthusiastic mother and his dear wife.
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For the next few weeks, Alastor spent his time in Stormwind.
Aside from helping Varian coordinate the kingdom's reconstruction in the areas affected by the war and handling some matters that required his attention, Alastor generally took it easy and enjoyed a long-overdue break.
Kul Tiras, Gilneas, Stromgarde, and Dalaran were in a similar state to Stormwind.
Lordaeron City's reconstruction was underway as well, along with the rest of the kingdom's. The people were already beginning to move back into their old homes.
Calia, until the city's reconstruction was complete, was residing in Stratholme under the patronage of the Church.
Aside from her duties as Queen, Calia also used this time to further her studies and training in the Holy Light under the tutelage of Alonsus.
Alterac was also undergoing heavy reconstruction, and refugees were beginning to return to the territory. Brann had been right on what he told Mario as Alastor hadn't even hesitated to pool resources into getting Alterac back on its feet.
Speaking of Alterac, Alastor had heard how, during the fighting in Silvermoon, Mario and his brother Giovanni had ended up facing Aiden, who had been transformed into a monstrous Daemon Spawn.
Suffice it to say, the brothers had taken great pleasure in killing him.
Served the bastard right for what he had done to his kingdom and for betraying his world.
And speaking of the Auditores, Alastor was very impressed by them due to their service and very much appreciated their skills and commitment.
He had half a mind to elevate them to royal status and make Mario Auditore the new ruler of Alterac.
But Mario and Giovanni respectfully declined. While they considered it an honor that King Alastor wanted to reward them in such a way, they had no interest in ruling. Instead, they would much rather keep to their preferred roles as Rogues and Assassins.
In the end, Alastor respected their choice but kept in mind that he could give them a role in which they could make use of their talents while also having command of it.
And let's just say Alastor already had an idea of what he could do.
Although the capital of Alterac—or rather, where the capital used to be—was currently left as it was until it could be decided what to do with that specific area.
The red dragons were still seen around the north of the continent, but Alexstrasza had left to return to the Emerald Dream to have a talk with her sister, the Green Aspect, Ysera the Dreamer.
That reminded Alastor that he might eventually need to have a meeting with Ysera and Malygos, the Spell-Weaver, as well.
Tyrande had also returned to Darnassus to make preparations for the Night Elves, the same as Kael'thas when it came to the newly named Blood Elves.
Apparently, Kael'thas and much of the current Elven leadership were very upset over his father's and his sycophants' previous leadership.
It had therefore been decided that the Elves of Quel'thalas could no longer continue as they once had.
To show their determination to change their ways and face the future with conviction and pride, they renamed themselves the Blood Elves.
The name was meant to signify the blood spilled by the brave Elves in the defense of Quel'thalas before the Alliance's arrival.
It also represented the blood they were willing to shed themselves in the future for their home and allies, as well as the blood they were willing to spill from the enemies who threatened that same future.
Kael'thas knew very well that the only reason his people had been able to be brought back into the fold so smoothly was because they had Alastor's backing and support, as well as that of the Windrunner family.
The Windrunner family was already renowned, but their actions during the war and the defense of Quel'thalas had made their influence over the Elven population and the Alliance very significant.
Lireesa and Sylvanas had acted as military leaders. Vereesa had quickly risen through the ranks and become renowned as a frontline commander of the Farstriders. Alleria had fought alongside Alastor and the Alliance from the very beginning. And Verath had proven himself to be a wise and pragmatic member of the Silvermoon Council of Magisters.
And then there was Alastor.
By the war's end, Alastor's influence and renown had surpassed every hero and figure of significance in their world's history.
A vast majority of the people, regardless of race, either saw him as a symbol of hope and wisdom, a literal incarnation of a god, or both—and this was before his coronation as King.
The fact that he was willing to "forgive" the Elves of Quel'thalas, take them back into the fold, and provide them with support was enough to make the opposers and those who weren't particularly happy about the decision keep their mouths shut.
An example being a certain General of Lordaeron.
Cough Garithos cough.
Kael'thas elevated the Windrunner family to a position second only to the Sunstrider family and decreed that, from henceforth, they would hold an esteemed place within Quel'thalas.
He also granted them emergency powers to take command of Quel'thalas's military if a situation called for it, without needing to report to him or any future Sunstrider King.
Kael'thas also publicly reaffirmed his vows to Alastor, granting him full command over the Blood Elves and all that they possessed.
Speaking of the Elves, they also began calling Alastor by another title, since King of Azeroth was a bit of a mouthful. More importantly, the title reflected what they had felt after witnessing that colossal Phoenix Avatar.
The title was such that it not only quickly gained popularity among the Blood and Night Elves, but also among the other races.
Phoenix King.
A very apt name, considering Alastor's connection with the Phoenix Force.
But enough about that.
After enough time had passed, Alastor and a team of people made their way to the frozen continent of Northrend, with BE-C35 acting as their guide.
The time had come to ascend the World Ring.
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