Chapter 22 Chapter Twenty Two

Arthas rubbed his temples, thinking over and over what he had seen.Previously, all communication with the Lich King came through Frostmourne.But when the unbearable pain struck, Arthas saw for the first time the man he served. In the center of a vast cavern, the Lich King is imprisoned alone in an unnatural block of ice, much like Frostmourne before him.The difference is that the surface of his body does not reflect any light.The ice outside had cracked, as if someone had knocked a piece of it apart, leaving jagged cracks.The blurry ice made the Lich King's image difficult to see, but his voice pierced the death knight's mind so sharply that he cried out in pain.

"Danger is approaching the Frozen Throne! Power is draining... Time is running out... You must return to Northrend immediately!" Then, his voice was like a spear piercing Arthas' guts. "Obey!" Whenever this happened, Alsace felt dizzy and nauseated.The feeling of power being drained from him, like the adrenaline rush he'd felt when he was human, took far more than was given in the first place.He was debilitated... When he first picked up Frostmourne, he never thought he would be like this, which made him start to loathe everything he believed in before.Finally, he strenuously mounted Invincible, his face shiny with sweat, and went to visit Kel'Thuzad.

The lich was waiting for him.Kel'Thuzad was suspended in mid-air, his robe fluttered uncomfortably, as if worry was written all over his face. "So the seizures are getting worse?" he asked. Arthas hesitated.Can he trust this lich?Would Kel'Thuzad try to take his power?No, he decided to himself.The former necromancer never led him astray.As loyal to the Lich King as he is to Arthas himself. The king nodded, and the gesture made him feel like his head was about to fall off. "Yes, my strength is gradually draining, and now it is difficult to control the soldiers under me.

The Lich King warned that if I don't make it to Northrend immediately, it's all over.We must set off quickly. " If the hollow eye sockets were to glow, they must have expressed sadness, and Kel'Thuzad did. "Of course, Your Majesty. You have not been abandoned, and you will not be. We will set off at once, if you feel—" "Plans can't keep up with the changes, King Arthas. You're not going anywhere." This proves that his strength is indeed constantly fading, and he can't even feel their presence.Arthas was shocked to see three dreadlords surrounding him.

"Assassin!" Kel'Thuzad yelled. "This is a trap! Protect the king—" However, a door slammed shut, drowning out the sound of the Lich calling for escorts.Arthas pulls out Frostmourne.For the first time since he picked up the sword and formed a bond with it, it felt heavy and lifeless in his hand.The runes on the blade no longer shine, and the beautifully balanced weapon seems to be just a piece of heavy metal at this moment. The undead rushed towards him, and Arthas seemed to have returned to the moment when he first encountered the walking corpse.He stood outside the small farmhouse again, the stench of rotting, the people who should have died rushing forward to attack him, and he was almost numb with fear.Now he no longer fears or loathes their existence.Yes, he was beginning to have feelings for them.They were his subjects; he had cleansed them of sin, and made them fit to serve the great glory of the Lich King.Now instead of moving or fighting, they were fighting him.They are completely under the control of the dreadlords.Facing this harsh fact, Arthas fought back with all his strength, feeling a strange sense of disgust in his heart.It never occurred to him that they would turn against him.

Balnazar's triumphant voice drowned out the din of battle. "You shouldn't have come back at all, human. Your strength has weakened, so we can control most of your soldiers. Your dynasty seems to be short-lived, King Arthas." Arthas clenched his teeth, more strength and fighting will burst out from deep within.He can't die here. But there were too many of them—many soldiers he had been able to guide and command without difficulty, but now they turned against each other.He knew they had no minds of their own, but obeyed only the strongest.But somehow...it hurts.He made them... He grew weaker and weaker, and for a moment he couldn't even parry the enemy's attack, and was hit in the stomach, and the blunt sword clanged on the armor.

He didn't think he was hurt much, but being breached by a ghoul alerted him. "There are too many of them, my lord!" Kel'Thuzad said grimly, his loyal voice causing tears to suddenly well up in Arthas' eyes. "Run—get out of the city! I'll find my way and meet you in the wild. This is your only chance, my lord." He knew the lich was right.With a cry, Arthas jumped off his mount awkwardly.With a wave of his hand, Invincible changed from a skeleton horse to a disembodied ghost steed, and disappeared.Arthas will wait to call it when the situation is safe.He rushed forward, clasping the powerless Frostmourne with both hands.There are really too many opponents, now he no longer intends to kill or even injure them, he just wants to be able to break out of the encirclement.

The gate of the palace was locked, but this was the place where he grew up, and Alsace was very familiar with this palace, knowing every door, every wall, and every secret passage here.He couldn't open those gates by himself, so he kept running towards the depths of the palace, and the undead were chasing after him.Arthas rushed through the former royal residences, stumbling and running through those back porches where he had held Jaina's hand tightly, his mind racing. How did he get into such a situation.Fleeing in an empty palace, pursued by his own creations and subjects, whom he had sworn to protect.But... no, he killed them, betraying his subjects for the power the Lich King promised.Now the power was flowing from him like blood from a wound that never healed.

Father...Jaina...he put aside the memories in his mind.Distraction was useless at this point, only speed and cunning could save him. The narrow passage limited the number of undead, and he bolted the door behind him as he ran to delay the pursuit.Finally, he rushed into his residence and came to the secret escape route.He, the Queen Mother, and Kalia all have such a secret passage... Only they, Uther and the bishop know about it.Now they were all dead except him.Arthas pulled back the tapestry on the wall, revealing a small door behind, he got in and bolted the door tightly. Arthas stumbled and ran weakly, rushing down the narrow winding stairs, heading straight for freedom.The secret door of the secret passage has been carefully concealed and disguised by magic, so that it looks the same as the palace wall from the outside.Panting heavily, Arthas fumbled to open the latch, and plunged into the dim Tirisfal Glades.Then he heard the sound of fighting, and he held his breath and raised his head.The scene in front of him made him blink in bewilderment.The undead are... fighting each other.

Yes - some of them are still under his command, still his subjects... No, they are his tools, his weapons, but not his subjects. He leaned against the cold stone and watched for a while.An enemy-controlled abomination chopped off a head with long ears.Seeing the appearance of these two undead creatures, he couldn't help shivering in disgust.These rotten, maggot-like, lifeless things are equally filthy no matter who controls them. Arthas suddenly noticed a glimmer of light: a lone ghost hovered timidly there.She used to be a living young girl, but she also died at his hands, no matter directly or indirectly.his subjects.It seems she still has a connection to the afterlife and remembers what it means to be human.He could use that; use her.It was his lust for power that had created this floating phantom, and now he reached out to her.

"Little ghost, I need your ability," he said in as kind a voice as possible, "Will you help me?" A gleam of joy flashed across her face, and she floated towards him. "I was only born to serve you, King Arthas." Her voice was still sweet, though with a somewhat hollow echo.He forcefully smiled back. Yes, it would be easier if they were just a pile of rotten meat, but that has its advantages.Relying on his strong will, he summoned more and more undead until he was so tired that he gasped for breath.They come at their command, and they serve only the strongest.Arthas slashed at those who dared to block his path of destiny, knowing how expensive he paid for it.However, while his men gradually increased, so did the number of enemies.Weak, he was too weak, only a few pieces of rotten flesh could protect him.Arthas trembled, holding Frostmourne and slashing around, feeling more and more tired.The ground shook, and Arthas spun around to see at least three abominations lumbering towards him. He held up Frostmourne coldly.He, Arthas Menethil, King of Lordaeron, will not stand still. There was a sudden confusion, accompanied by cries of pain. The fuzzy shadow fluttered up and down like a bird, harassing the monsters, forcing them to stop chasing Alsace, and instead swung and roared at the ghosts. Suddenly, the ghosts seemed to plunge headlong into the bodies of these abominations. The slimy, pale, maggot-ridden things stopped for a moment, then turned their attention suddenly to the shambling ghouls that were attacking Arthas.A sneer appeared on the death knight's pale face.It's the banshees.He also thought that Sylvanas would be obsessed with hatred and refuse to come to aid, or worse, like most of his warriors, would become the enemy's pawn instead.But it looks like the ex-Ranger General's hatred for him has dissipated. With the help of these banshee-possessed abominations, the tide of battle quickly turned.Moments later, Arthas stood among the dead bodies, suddenly feeling tired.The abominations turned on each other until they were all chopped into a heap of pieces.Arthas couldn't help but wonder if even the people who made them could stitch the wreckage back together.As they crashed down, the ghosts that had occupied them flew out. "I thank you, ladies. I'm glad you and your mistress are still on my side." They float in the air, making soft, haunting sounds. "Yes, Your Majesty. She sent us to find you. We've come to escort you across the river and then take refuge in the wild. " Out in the wild—so did Kel'Thuzad.Alsace felt more relieved, it seemed that his right-hand man and his right-hand man had reached an agreement.He raised one hand, then concentrated. "Invincible, come to me!" he yelled. A moment later, a small cloud of mist appeared, spinning and consolidating into the shape of a skeleton warhorse.In an instant, Invincible had actually appeared beside him.Arthas was pleased to note that the movement was almost effortless; Invincible loved him.It was one thing he did absolutely right.This necromancer will never be his enemy, as loyal as it was in life.He mounted the horse carefully, trying to hide his weakness from the banshee and other undead. "Lead the way to your mistress and Kel'Thuzad, and I will follow you," he said. They obeyed gladly, and floated away from the palace deep into the Glades of Tirisfal.As they headed all the way in the direction of Barnier's farm, Alsace suddenly felt a wave of uneasiness.Fortunately, the banshees changed direction and reached an open land through a rugged mountain road. "Here we are, sisters. We will rest here, my lord." Arthas took the reins of Invincible and looked around.Sylvanas didn't show up, and neither did Kel'Thuzad.He felt a sudden pang of anxiety. "Why here?" he asked. "Where is your mistress?" The pain hit again, and he grabbed his chest and cried out. Invincible danced anxiously beneath him, and Arthas desperately held on to get through.The dark green woodland disappeared before his eyes, replaced by a piece of blue and white, which was the broken Frozen Throne.The Lich King's voice pierced his head, and Arthas fought back to keep from screaming. "You have been lied to! Come to me immediately! Take orders!" "This...what's going on?" Alsace gritted his teeth and recovered.He blinked hard to clear the scene, then looked up with a grunt. She walked out step by step from behind the tree with a bow on her shoulders.For a split second, he thought he was back in Quel'Thalas, facing the living elf.But her hair was no longer blond, but black as midnight, streaked with white.Her skin was pale with a hint of blue, and her eyes were silvery.This is Cirvanas, but it is no longer her.This Sylvanas is neither a living person nor an incorporeal ghost.Arthas had ordered her body to be locked safely in an iron coffin as another form of torture - yet somehow she got her body back.Now it's her turn. He was still trying to figure out what the pain was, but Cirvanas raised her black and translucent bow to aim, with a smile on her lips. "You're throwing yourself into a trap, Arthas." She shot with an arrow. The sharp arrow hit his left shoulder, piercing through the armor like a bark, adding another wound to his pain.For a moment he was a little puzzled - Cirvanas is a master of archery, it is impossible for her to miss from this distance. Why shot in the shoulder?Arthas instinctively raised his right hand, but found that he couldn't bend his fingers to hold the arrow shaft. They gradually became numb—like his feet, his legs... He fell on Invincible's neck, and his limbs quickly lost feeling, and it took all his strength to stay on the horse.He turned his head to look at her with difficulty, and shouted in a rough voice: "Traitor! What did you do to me?" She smiled happily and walked slowly towards him.Her attire was exactly the same as when he killed her that day, covering most of her pale and bluish skin.The strange thing is that she had many scars from the battle that day, but now she can't see a single scar. "This is a poisonous arrow I specially made for you." She said as she walked towards him, hung the bow behind her back, then pulled out the dagger, and stroked it gently with her fingers. "The numbness you're feeling right now is nothing compared to the pain you've brought me." Arthas swallowed, feeling his mouth was dry and sandy. "Then kill me." She threw back her head and laughed, her voice hollow and terrifying. "A quick death... like you did to me?" Her smile came and went quickly, the light in her eyes turned blood red.She continued to close until she was within arm's length.Invincible was jumping uneasily, Alsace's heart sank, and he almost slipped off his horse. "Oh no, Arthas Menethil, you taught me a good lesson. You taught me how foolish it is to be kind to one's enemies, and how joyful it is to torment them. Therefore, my teacher , I will show you how well I have learned. You will experience the pain I endured. Thanks to my poisoned arrows, you will not be able to escape if you want to." Arthas seemed to be able to move only his eyes, and he watched helplessly as she raised the dagger. "Say hello to me, you son of a bitch." No, it's not like this - it shouldn't be so paralyzed... Jaina... Sylvanas suddenly staggered back, his pale arms twisted, and the dagger he held tightly loosened. The look on her face was complete shock.In the blink of an eye, the little ghost who had come to serve Alsace earlier appeared in reality, smiling happily for being able to save his king.Happy to serve him. "Back off, you fools! You will be fine today, my lord!" Kel'Thuzad!He came at last, as he had promised.The renegade banshees had tricked him here, and Kel'Thuzad had come all the way. Not only that, but he also brought more than a dozen undead soldiers, and now they are rushing towards Sylvanas and her banshees.Arthas regained hope, but he was still paralyzed and unable to move, and could only watch the fierce battle around him.Not long after, it was obvious that Cirvanas had no choice but to retreat. She cast a glance at Alsace, and the red light flashed again in her eyes. "It's not over yet, Arthas! I'll never let you go!" Arthas stared blankly at her disappearing into the shadows, leaving only the flashing red eyes.The remaining banshees also disappeared with their mistress Sylvanas.Kel'Thuzad hurried towards Alsace. "Did she hurt you, my lord?" Arthas could only look at him, unable even to move his lips.Kel'Thuzad's bone hand grasped the shaft with surprising gentleness and pulled it out with force.Arthas screamed in pain, bright red blood mixed with some frothy black substance flowed out, Kel'Thuzad carefully inspected it. "The effects of poison arrows wear off over time, and it looks like the poison is just there to immobilize you." Of course, Arthas thought; otherwise she wouldn't have used the dagger.He suddenly felt a sense of relief, and became more and more tired and weak.He was only a stone's throw away from death, and if it weren't for the loyalty of the lich, the elves would have succeeded.He tried to speak, and finally succeeded this time. "I—you saved me." Kel'Thuzad's slightly horned head. "I am grateful to be able to help you, my lord. But you must leave here and go to Northrend. I have prepared everything you need for your journey. What do you want from me?" Kel'Thuzad was right.Even now, Arthas was beginning to feel a little life coming back to his limbs, though he was still unable to move his body. "I must go to the Lich King as soon as possible. The time is much longer than... I don't know what the future holds, or even if I will ever come back, but I want you to oversee this land for me. I leave it to You, take care of it." He trusted the lich, not out of affection or loyalty, but simply because of hard reality.Kel'Thuzad is an undead, bound by the master they both serve.Arthas glanced at the laughing little ghost hanging a few steps away, and the rotting corpses with expressionless faces.If he ordered them to jump off a cliff, they would gladly do so. They are just dead bodies and broken souls.Not subjects.They never were.Whatever that little ghost's smile meant. "You do me great honor, my lord. I will do as you bid, my lord Arthas. I will." She has a body now, although that body has changed, and she is no longer herself.Cirvanas walked with the same easy steps and wore the same armor as before, but this was different after all.She has changed forever, irrevocably. "You look troubled, Matron." Cirvanas woke up from the fantasy and turned her head away.The banshees floated beside her, she could have been like them, but Cirvanas preferred this body she stole for herself, and liked the calm and reliable feeling. "Aren't you bothered, my sister?" she replied curtly. "A few days ago we were slaves to the Lich King, whose only purpose in existence was to kill in his name. Now we are... free. " "I don't understand, Mistress." The banshee's voice was hollow and confused. "Our will is our own now. Isn't that what you fought for? I thought you'd be ecstatic." Cirvanas laughed almost hysterically, and she was aware of it. "What's there to drink under this curse? We're still undead, sisters—still monsters." She held out a hand, looked at the blue-gray flesh, and noticed the chill gathering around her, as in the first Like a second skin. "If we are no longer slaves to this torment, what are we?" Alsace did a lot of evil.Even if she could cause him to die slowly, for days...even weeks...the pain would never be enough for Arthas to get enough of it.His death could not bring the dead back to life, cleanse the Sunwell, nor bring her back to life as the elven woman with silky blonde hair and peachy skin.But that feeling would be... awesome. In that head-to-head confrontation a few days ago, he escaped.His faithful servant lich came at a bad time.Arthas was far out of her grasp, resting and healing.She also knew he left Kel'Thuzad to rule the Plaguelands.But that's all right, she's dead, and there's plenty of time to orchestrate her revenge. She caught a glimpse of movement out of the corner of her eye, so she stood up gracefully and drew her full bow neatly.The portal swung open, and Varimathras stood proudly, sneering down at her. "Hello, Ms. Cirvanas." The demon really bowed to her, and Cirvanas couldn't help raising his eyebrows. She never thought that the demon would do this sincerely. "My brothers and I are grateful for your role in the overthrow of Alsace." The role she plays.It's like you're acting. "Overthrow? It's right to call it that. He fled in a hurry, that's all." The mighty demon shrugged, and his wings spread slightly with the movement. "Anyway, he won't bother us anymore. I'm here to formally invite you to join our new order." A "new order."Nothing new at all, she thought, just a different master.She has no interest in it. "Varimathras," she said coldly, without bowing to him. "I'm only interested in seeing Arthas die with my own eyes. Since I failed the first time, I just want to go all out to finish the next time. I don't have time to participate in your dirty political tricks and power transactions." The demon refrained from losing his temper. "Be careful, my lady. It is not wise to provoke us. We, the future of this... Plaguelands. You must join our rule or be thrown aside." "You? The future? Kel'Thuzad didn't leave with his darling Arthas. He was ordered to stay here. But maybe for a guy as powerful as you, a lich resurrected with the essence of the great Sunwell is not enough." Say." There was contempt in her voice, and the Dreadlord frowned hard. "I've lived long enough as a slave, Dreadlord." Funny how a dead man could use the word "alive."It seems that old habits are always difficult to change. "I fought so hard to make myself more than just a plaything made by that bastard. Now I have a will of my own, and my path is my own. The Legion has been defeated, and you are but poor hopeless survivors, Dying race. I'm not going to lock myself up and give my freedom to fools like you. " "So be it," Varimathras snorted furiously. "We'll have an answer soon." With a distorted look on his face, he teleported away. Her needle-like words worked, and he literally shook with rage.She noticed it calmly.He was violent and irritable; they sent him to her, thinking she was nothing to fear. To fight against Alsace, just a few banshees will not do.She needs an army, a city of the dead... she needs Lordaeron.The Forsaken, as she would call these lost souls, like herself, breathless but with a will of their own.And what's more urgent is that she can't just rely on her ghost sisters to fight the three demon brothers.Or, maybe there are only two she needs to fight against. Sylvanas Windrunner thought of Varimathras, how easy he was to be controlled. Maybe this one will come in handy... yes, she and the Forsaken will find their own way in this world... and all who stand in their way will be killed.