Hello and welcome to my first Heart of the Storms fanfic. I hope you like it.

Set at the beginning of a normal match, and I know Arthas merged his Soul with the Lichking, and they are practically one being, but I have always believed that there remained something of the real Arthas, because at his Deathscene his last words seemed quite human.

Ner'zhuls Spirit somewho vanished when he changed worlds, or mabye he is suppressed by the power of the Nexus, we shall see.

Please read and Review!

Chapter 1

-A long awaited Apology-

The sound of battle could be heard from far away, beyond the protective walls of the nexus. A sound he was used to. He had heard it all his live. Or rather unlife now. His humanity was lost long ago, in the ruins of a burning citiy. Soon the gates would open and another glorius battle would commence.

This endless battle was beginnig to get on his nervers. He was the Lichking, the Leader of the Scourge, the Terror of Azeroth, and now he was reduced to the simple pawn of some idiotic god. He was a god himself, back then. This atrocious entitiy should not be able to keep him in this realm. But he would find a way to escape sooner or later. He was no-ones pawn. This so-called God would pay dearly for prolounig his plans.

Shifting his gace from the large iron gates torwards the odd collection of Heroes on his side, he lets out an low growl, his etheral eyes glowing, making the small Fairy-Dragon flinch away from him. Mostly he paid the other Champions no mind, they were of little to no concern to him, as long as they stood out of his way. Some of them he remembers from another life, that seems so distant now.

There were a few exceptions thought. Jaina Proudmore being one them. He had seen her a few times since he came to this light-forsaken Arena. Not on his Side thought. He had tried to talk to her a few times, but it's kind of hard when she's fllinging arcane fire at you.

Now she stood as far away as possible from him, her gaze turned trowards the ground. Uneasiness cleary in her eyes.

Something changed when he was brought to this dimension. He didn't know if it was the distance from Azeroth, or the influence of that "god" that brought him here. But the change had come slow at first, his thoughts steering to places they hadn't been in a long time. Feeling emotions he should no longer be capable of. Thought his masters voice had never completely vanished. Even as the Lichking, the whispers of Ner'zhul had always been present in the back of his mind. But now it was gone. Vanished.

And now he is left with what little of his mind that still remained, after all the Sins he had commited. After all the lifes he had taken in the name of the Lichking, even his own Fathers. And then, he had taken that acursed corwn for himself, merging with the dammned soul of Ner'zuhl, becoming the next Lichking. The countless souls he had mercilessly taken, and then forced to rise again...No...there would be no forgiveness for him. His Sins run to deep.

But things are different now, it's a different world. A different Life. Maybe...just maybe there was a chance left. Hearing the bell chime that signals for us to take our positions, I am surprised to find Jaina standing besides me. A deviant scowl on her beautiful face. My heart, that should be long dead and frozen starts pumping again. Feeling a surge of an long-forgotten-emotion willing up, I feel myself compelled to say something, anything to her. Just to make the sadness in her eyes go away, even if just for a second.

"Jaina...I..." I try, but my throat runs dry and refuses to say anymore as her piercing blue eyes turn to me. "I will never forgive you for what you have done! Do not speak to me! You may look like Arthas but you are nothing like him." Turning her gaze away with a huff Jaina starts to walk down the road, followed by a wave of weak Minions. Her words struck me like a physical blow, and i feel the sting of tears in my eyes. Huh. Tears.

I reach for my eyes in atonisment, and feel the wet trails running down my cheeks. How long has it been since I cried? And how many tears have been shed because of me? I find myself unabel to answer either question.

Standing there with thousand words on my dry lips and a sinking feeling in my stomach, I watch her walk away. Eyes that should have no right to cry, still feel wet with tears. "I know it doesn't bring you much, and it's probably to late...but for what it's worth, I'm so sorry Jaina" I mutter, more as a reassurance to myslef, then as an apology to her. He doubts that it would do him any good thought. Jainas words had been terribly clear. There's no forgiveness for him.

Shaking my head to clear it from those senseless thoughts, I see that Jaina is almost halfway down the road, and is approaching the enemy fortifications. Berating myself for my thoughtlessness I summon my horse up again, and start after her in a fast gallop. What I wouldn't give to still have Invincible with me...

I catch up with her just in time to see our minions clash with the opposition. The enemy heroes are nowhere in sight thought. Jaina's allready flinging fireballs and frost-bolts at the creeps. Un-mounting, I immediately charge into the frey, not to keen on standing around useless. But I'm still on guard. The enemy Heroes must be somewhere here, probably waiting for an opportunity to surprise us.

Charging unholy magic, and feeling it cackle at my fingertips I send a Deathcoil into the direction of the last remaining creep, reducing it to a pile of bones and dust.

Our steadly growing minion-wave starts to approach the first gate we have to take in order to win this senseless game. Still no sign of the other heroes. Jaina looks worried as well. Her delicate browns drawn together in an frown. I contemplate, just for a moment, to ask her for advice, to talk about the worrying absence of hostile Champions, but dismiss the thought immediately. She has more than enough reasons to hate me as of now, no need to add any more...

Suddenly there is a familiar war-cry behind us, and I can see a dark shadow sailing right over our heads and landing in front of the gate. The large form of Illidan Stormrage has just jumped in front of us, Warglaives of Azzinoth at ready and looking pissed as hell. Maybe because the last time we fought, it didn't go to well for him.

Pointing Frostmourne at him I yell "Have at thee, Betrayer! I've defeated you last time, and this is not going to be any different!"

"Don't mock me, Traitor-Prince! That was sheer luck, I am the superior warrior!" he yells back as we start charging at on another. Runeblade and Warglaives meeting with a mighty clash that could be felt across the hole battlefield.

Trading blow on blow, we are relatively equal, but I got the advantage in strength, he is faster thought. Evading another razor-fast slash, I back up a bit and start to harness the forzen Power of the mighty Runeblade. Creating a patch of Deep-frozen ground beneath the Demon-hunters feet, Illidan starts to loose his momentum, as his boots stick to the icy ground.

Realising my opportunity, I start to move in for the kill, Frostmourne raised ready to deliver the killing blow.

Just as my blade is about to come down, a fast barrage of black feathered arrows forces me to back up. I try to dodge them but there are just to many. Arrow on Arrow keeps embedding itself into my chest, penetrating his armor like it was nothing. The piercing pain in his abdome making him fall to his knees, but there were still more arrows heading for him...until they suddenly just stop in midair. Looking up in wonder, he can see Jaina standing in front of him, her arms raised, cackling with arcane power, and her face a mask of concentration.

My eyes widen as realisation struck me. Jaina had just safed me from certain a death, and of course, we get revived, death is only relativ in this realm. But that's just it, why would she throw herself into danger for him? When she could have just stood by and watched. He eyed her in total astonishment.

"Well, don't just sit there, I can't keep this spell up forever, you know" she tells me and glares at me from the corner of her eyes. This snaps me out of my trance, and I get to my feet again, just in time to see her spell-shield vanishing. As fast as we can we dive for cover, as the hail of arrows keeps coming.

"My, my, if it isen't the Traitor-Prince and his whore" an all to familiar female voice stated from somewhere in the treeline, and with a gracius leap the lean form of Sylvanas Windrunner lands next to Illidan.

Getting up from our crouched position behind our cover we face each other. A funny scene indeed. The Traitor of Lordaeron and his Ex. against the great Betrayer and the Banshee Queen.

I share a quick glance with Jaina, back in the old days, we used to understand each other without words, and in that one moment everything seems allright again. Because were together again. She seems to understand as well, and shifts her gaze torwards the Banshee Queen.

"This ought to be interesting" Sylvanas said with a slight grin, and starts to launch arrows towards Jaina, this time thought, she is prepared, and summons a frost shield up. Her arrows bouncing of the icy shield like pebbles. Murmuring a spell under her breath she starts building a large frost sphere in her palm, an launches it towards the former Ranger. She barley manages to dodge the attack.

With a battel-cry Illidan launches himself at me again. I manage to sidestep him in time, but still got to catch the end of his long pony-tail, giving it a sharp tug, throwing the Night-elf of balance, but not enough to make him fall. Not giving him a second to catch his breath, Arthas immediately strikes at the night-elf again, but he manages to evade the fast slashes. Damn Demon-hunters and there inhuman reflexes. Trading blow on blow, neither of them manages the get the advantage.

Charging a death-coil in my left hand, and blocking his Glaives with Frostmourne, I throw his stirke of and manage to catch him of guard enough to apply the death-coil directly to his chest, his lungs, and hearts to be precise. No-one ever survied that one. As I watch the etheral Skull pass through his body, he slacks to his knees, his hands at his throat. "You...Basterd!" the nigh-elf manages to rasp out before frostmourne goes clean though his abdome. "I am still your better, Night-elf scum!" he shouts at the corpse of his old enemy.

A rather high piched feminin scream snaps him out of it. His blood runs cold as he watches the sight before him. Jaina had been backed into an corner, the Banshee Queen switching from Bow and Arrow to her Daggers. And Jaina has nothing to counter her daggers at close range.

With a low growl Sylvanas lunches at Jaina, killing intent clearly in her eyes. Just like that, everything stops. And there is just on though on my mind 'JAINA!'. Moving faster then I thought myself abel to, I shift my body in front of her. Sylvanas eyes widen in suprise, as I appear in front of her. But she's just the more eager to kill me. Trying in vain to bring frostmourne up in an defensive stance, I fell her dagger shredding my intestines. Bringing her other dagger up again, she rams it right into my chest, penetrating my left lung.

I droop to the ground, limp but not dead yet. Trying to shift my head around and managing so with enormous effort, I see that Jaina has gotten to her feet again, an she seems to be fine...good, that's all that matters.

"So much for you Arthas" The Banshee Queen is laughing above me, as she spits on my dying body.

"That's enough, Sylvanas" I hear Jaina rasp out. And her voice is swimming with barley controlled rage. "Oh, so youre still alive, thinking about joning him soon?" Sylvanas mocks her.

Not bothering with a reply Jaina starts a magical Formula, she had sworn before the Archmage Antonidas of the Kirin Tor, to never use. For it was a spell only woven for killing in the most gruesome way possible. Made by none other than Kel'thuzad. But this is another World. And now that woman needs to die the most painfull way possible. She starts to slightly levitate of the ground and her eyes begin glowing in a strange purple light.

"Wh-What are you doing?" Sylvanas hisses with a bit worry in her tone. "Why? Why can't I move? What Sorcery is this!?"

Finishing the forbidden formula Jaina raises her hand in the Banshee Queens direction and mutter on simple word.

"Die"

With an sickening crunch every bend and joint in the Forsaken Queens body seems to break and bend in on itself. Blood pouring from every orifice. Organs and bones crushed. In the end there is just a bloody and broken mess left on the ground. Jaina dosen't even bat an eye at the horrifying sight before her and stept right through the blood and gore, leaning over the fallen body of the Lichking.

With his last strength Arthas half opend one eye and was meet with the tow most beautiful blue orbs staring back at him. Collecting his last bit of determination, he made an decision.

"Jaina...I...I'm...so...sorry."

Unbeknownst to them, a tall figure stood some distance away, well hidden behind the high weeds. He had watched the hole spectacel play out, and was quiet baffeld by that turn of Events.

Strocking his bearded chin, and resting his heavy war-hammer on his shoulder, he turns around to walk away, as he murmurs a few words under his breath. "That Boy never ceases to amaze me. Maybe there is some hope left after all. The light does move in mysterious ways."