This Thing Don't Look So Tough

[Illidan Stormrage]

Illidan had kept silent since the other group had appeared on the other side of the crater. Most people didn’t react well to his presence, considering his nefarious appearance while winged, and his reputation had only plummeted with the general population since his failed assault on Darkshire. Yet it appeared these people may have been visiting the rent in the earth for a similar reason to Stormrage. Having seen the monster's handiwork before him and having felt the terrible thud of its heartbeat, perhaps allying himself with these others would be the intelligent choice. Whatever this beast was, there was a solid chance the night elf demon couldn’t handle it on his own.
 
Regardless of the group’s gut feeling about Illidan, fighting off the cultists and abominations that burst from the ether would help his case.
 
The night elf demon flared his wings and launched himself into the sky. The apex of a curved wave of smoke passed through Illidan’s clenched fist and dissipated, leaving behind one of his warglaives in its place. Channelling his fel energy, the demon forged steel ignited with emerald flames. Stormrage drifted above the violent scene below and hurled his warglaive at the earth. It spun like a shuriken, one of its pointed tips burrowing into the soil on impact. Heads and eyes craned upwards but they quickly returned to Illidan’s weapon as the flames expanded.
 
Clawed hands and muscular arms reached out from the green fire. They flailed around, searching for purchase. Grasping hold of the very steel they exuded from, the elemental limbs hauled out their owners that landed with a heated crash on the ground. A pair of four-feet tall demons composed entirely of light green fire solidified. Their torsos were thick and bulging with muscle, their legs and feet a tangle of licking flames, and their twisted countenances alive with malice.
 
Illidan dropped from the sky and reached out, ripping the warglaive from the earth with his telekinesis and returning it to his awaiting hand. His hooves collided with the torn earth. The others in the group didn’t know which way to look; to the winged visitor or the new flaming demons.
 
The night elf demon took a moment to analyse the motley group assembled before him. One was a human, clutching a spear and frowning. Another human wore a robe with his black hair pulled back in a ponytail, while another had a shock of white hair. The final member of the group had violet skin and horns like Illidan, but they were not as long nor as gnarled as his.
 
“Who the fuck is this?” the horned one blurted out.
 
“I sense we are chasing the same prey,” Illidan said. “Let us see to these... obstacles in our way first. Then we can talk.”
 
The Flames of Azzinoth raced at the wilderness abominations with a roar that sounded like the crackle of flame. Illidan hurdled over the group with a flourish of his wings and charged behind his summoned demons, warglaives thirsty for blood.