The shaman seemed to consider this for an instant, then shook his head, folding in on himself almost vis­ibly. "What good would that do us? The Alliance is too great a foe. The Horde will never win. Our people are as good as dead already. All we have left now is the manner of that death." Again his fingers touched the painted image on his face, almost of their own volition. His weakness disgusted Gorefiend. It was hard to believe that this wreck, obsessed with death, his own and that of others, had once been so revered.

And unfortunately still so necessary.

'Death is not the only option, not if we rebuild and use the portal," Gorefiend countered, forcing patience. "We don't have to win — we don't even need to battle the Alliance again. I have quite another plan for the Horde. If I can get ahold of certain artifacts — there are things I learned about from Gul'dan that—"

"Gul'dan and his twisted schemes — they reach out and destroy lives even from beyond the grave!" He scowled at Gorefiend. 'You and your plans! And how much power would you gain from success? Power is all you Shadow Council bastards care about!"

Gorefiend's patience, never great, had evaporated. He seized the old shaman's arms and shook him an­grily. "Two years since the portal collapsed, and you have been hiding in your village while the clans slaugh­ter each other. All they need is guidance and then they will be powerful again! Between your supporters and my death knights, we can force the clans to obey you. With Doomhammer dead or imprisoned on Azeroth, you are the only one left who can lead them. I have been examining the portal, assessing the damage, and I told you I have a solution. I've assigned several death knights to the site already. Even as I speak to you, they are working spells, preparing it for its reopening. I am sure it can succeed."

'And what is this solution?" Ner'zhul spat bitterly. "Did you discover a way for us to return to Azeroth and win the war we lost two years ago? I think not. We are doomed. We will never win." He turned away, and took a step back toward his hut.