I don't own Blizz stuff. Arthas makes me mad. I really did like him at one point, too. Sadness...

It seemed like the icicles were melting from her form, dripping from her body and soaking her clothes. The whisper of a dark voice quieted suddenly, leaving her in complete silence. Stiffly, she lifted her head, peering at the nothingness around herself.

She was dead. She had to be. The last thing she remembered was holding off the army, sacrificing herself. Though she had seen something, right before everything went black…

Now she saw nothing.

A voice had come to her, whispered nothings in her ear. No, that wasn't right. Her bones nearly creaked as she shook her head slowly. The voice was in her head. How could-

Pain struck her 'body' like a bolt of lightening. She screamed, once, before everything went away quietly.

"Rouse that one. I sense something… yes! Something stirs, something powerful… Bring her before me!"

She was hauled up from the heap by her arms and tossed none too gently to the feet of a large man. Blearily, she lifted herself to hands and knees. The voice was speaking to her in actual words.

"Rise, Ariki... Become my chosen… my champion. Become what you are meant to be… become death itself…"

"Well? Is she alive?"

Hands pressed against her neck, making her choke. "Do you hear me, scum? I asked if you were alive!" Large hands.

"I will give you power, the likes of which you have never even dreamed of!"

The world darkened. She gasped, gagged, spluttered out words.

"Perhaps I was wrong." She was dropped. The ground slapped against her face, but she was too busy gulping air to move. "Exterminate her. She would make a pitiful ghoul anyway."

"My… my liege…"

"Yes…" he crooned. It was almost… loving. "Yes, my warrior… my fighter. I will give you all you could ever want. Glory, infamy. Awaken… rise… become…"

"Hold. What did she say?"

"I believe she uttered, "My liege," sir."

"My… my king…" She moved slowly to a kneeling position, holding her head with one hand. "Sire… my master…"

"Rise… come to me…"

"Don't kill her just yet. I might have been hasty. Bring her to her feet."

They did that, landing a punch on her side when she nearly slipped. When she did not raise her head to him, he backhanded her. "Nah, she's useless." He lifted her again, by a wrist this time, and reared back as if he was going to smash her against the wall like a cloth doll-

"NO!"

The large man froze, dropping her. She hit the merciless ground again, and saw the man and his attendants cower.

"My… my lord?"

Silence met him, but for the wailings around them. She lolled her head, trying to return to the darkness…

"Do not harm her. Bring her to me. She is one of us. Arm her. Give her to me."

"As my lord wills."

They pulled her aside, cleaning a few of her wounds and dressing her in plate. She was too weak to lift it, however, and slumped against the wall.

"Come, Ariki. Come to me."

The voice filled her, gave her strength. She pushed off from the wall, startling the attendants. They pointed her towards a weapons rack, and she angrily yanked a blade from it. Scowling, the large man touched her forehead. Power filled her, and she thrust the old blade into a forge.

The blade, glowing and dripping, at her side, she turned. Across the room was an opening in the wall, leading to the outside. She strode towards it, power growing within her at every step, and yet a hunger for something more consuming her the closer she came.

"Come to me, and become more than a Night Elf. Become more than the Scourge."

She came to the opening and started up the slope. Others dressed in similar armor stopped what they were doing and watched her.

"Become more at my side, Ariki. Come to me… and achieve… immortality!"

She lifted her head when she stopped before him, and stared into the Lich King's eyes.

"My liege."

He reached out and put his hand on her shoulder. "Ariki. Welcome to the Scourge," he said, and turned to show her his view.

She stood dutifully at his side, gazing at the chaos and death he wrought on the land.

"What would you have me do, my lord?"

Blllllrrrrrghhh... I can't stop playing WotLK long enough to actually write stuff out. This... is challenging. And I am TRYING to not spoil stuff. Really. And I'm not bragging about being on Beta... really...uhm... yea...