Acts of Sacrifice

By: DJ Quicksilver

Fanfic-wide Disclaimer – I do not own Warcraft OR World of Warcraft. These games and the lore that connects and expands on these games all belong to Blizzard Entertainment. I make no money off of this (the other way around actually, I loose 15 bucks a month to play the game!) and as such there is no reason to sue me!

Pre-Notes: Here we go again! Another plot bunny that won't leave me well enough alone! While I am currently stumped as to how to start the next chapter of Identity Crisis, I just had to get this down on Word and let it out, so please, read and let me know. Pairing for this story (if I decide to continue it) will be Arthas/Jaina.

Summary: When Arthas attains Frostmourne, he disappeared into the frozen wastelands of Northrend. What if he didn't succumb to the Lich King's voice? What if he followed it and ascended to the throne early, for a much more noble reason?

Prologue – Only Darkness Before Me

I had lost count of time. The maddening voice compelled me to turn back. That it was not yet time for me to be here. I needed to go back to Lordaeron, to kill my father, to commence the invasion of the Scourge. To rouse the Cult of the Damned back into action. To follow, obey. I tried and tried and eventually managed to push the voice to the back of my head. Light above, it was getting harder and harder to even think anymore. No longer was it thoughts that drove me onwards, but pure determination to end this menace. I could feel the Holy Light wane within me with each step I took towards what I now knew to be the Frozen Throne. The glacier itself looked almost like a tower rather than the fortified fortress he once believed it to be. There was only one entrance. The entrance was also teeming with undead. Ghouls and abominations lined up by the thousands, waiting for the orders to march.

I should have known better, really. When I abandoned Light's Vengeance for Frostmourne, I knew that I had made a mistake. This was unlike any curse that I had ever experienced. The voice in my head was maddening. It took all of my willpower… STILL takes up all of my willpower to not just give into the voice and break the world in two… I once said that I would bear any curse for the sake of my people… but THIS… this wasn't merely me bearing a curse for the sake of my kingdom. No… this was me sacrificing every bit of my being for them. This Lich King was a threat to my father… to my love… to my people… it must NOT be allowed to leave the shores of Northrend.

I forced myself to move. I marched onto the tower before me. The undead monstrosities hissed at me in warning, but left me be otherwise. They can tell that I was kindred to them… the runeblade's aura was palpable to them. Perhaps it was a wise precaution that I left Falric and Marwyn behind… their presence would only slow me down…

I felt the chill of the place most deeply now. The warmth of the Light was receding, leaving me to my fate apparently. It did not approve of my actions. I was about to face off against the undead, to oppose the forces that would otherwise destroy this world so that the threat would never leave these shores, and in my hour of need, the Light abandons me. Are my actions really that horrendous?

I shake my head. 'Now is not the time to be having second thoughts, Arthas! You must press on!'

I started my ascent to the top of the throne now. I could no longer feel the glow of the Light. It has left me completely at last. I knew right then and there that I would no longer be able to call upon it for protection. My service to the world as a Paladin seems to have come to an end. I found it ironic that at that particular moment, in the hour of my greatest service to the Light and to my people would be accomplished not as a Paladin, but as a knight of darkness. I now knew what I was, and why the Light had left me. By embracing the runeblade, I had accepted a new calling. One which would damn me for eternity…

'Arthas…' whispered a voice in my head. This one was different to the Lich King's voice. This one sounded almost like… 'Arthas… you have betrayed the Order… abandoned you people… turn back Arthas…'

'Sorry, Uther,' I thought, 'but these actions are necessary. If my betrayal keeps my people safe, then I shall gladly do so.'

The voice changed now. 'Arthas… why have you forsaken me… why do you go against my wisdom… death is never the answer, my son…'

'Father… this… I do for you… so that you might lead the survivors against what is coming for them…'

I continued the ascent. I was almost there. I was almost upon the Frozen Throne, I can feel it.

'Arthas…' the voice nearly made me stop. Jaina was always my one weakness. She and she alone was able to tame me. It was now, in my hour of darkness that I miss her most. I close my eyes and feel tears start to well up. 'Arthas… why did you abandon me… come back to me… please?'

'Oh, Jaina…' I thought, as I began to ascend the final steps. 'I am so sorry… I can only hope you move on with your life… my love…'

As I reached the top of the throne the coalescing voices recede. Before me was a throne, completely encased in ice. Armor was frozen in place, positioned just right so that it looked like there was an invisible being seated on top of the throne. The eye slits of the helmet where glowing an eerie blue.

'You have arrived… Death Knight…' wrung the voice of the Lich King within my head. Death Knight… what an appropriate title now. 'You have ascended early… now is not the time for the sword to be returned… why have you not heeded my voice, my young servant?'

I knelt down before the throne, whispers and thoughts ringing through my head. This time, the voices where too much to bear. I closed my eyes and prayed to the Light for strength. As expected, the Light did not answer. 'This is the course I must take… this is the path I must follow if Lordaeron is to stand a chance against what is to come…'

Steeling myself, I get up off my knee and march right up to the throne. I prepare to strike.

'Wait! Wh-what are you doing?' rang the voice, not just through my head, but this time, through the entire chamber.

"Succeeding you… Master…" I whispered in response, hoping to stir fear within him. Letting out a vicious war cry, I drove Frostmourne deep within the Frozen Throne, right through the gap in the helmet where a face would actually be, were one to wear it. A white light flashed before me as the runeblade let out a grievous wave of power. I could hear the wail of the Lich King as Frostmourne consumed him. The crashing of ice surrounded me. A vicious pain shot up through my body and I screamed in agony as it threatened to rip me apart…

Finally, the light receded. The pain, however, did not. I looked at the throne before me. The ice surrounding it had shattered. The armor that was within it was scattered everywhere. The helm was at my feet. I looked downwards. A large piece of ice had pierced my abdomen. I stared in horror as the ice became red with my blood. I slumped down onto my knees, starting to feel weak from the blood loss. In desperation, I try to summon the Light to heal my wounds. Nothing. The Light has abandoned its champion completely. 'I truly am a being of darkness now…' I though. My journey is complete now. I slump down and lie before the Frozen Throne. At least I can die with the knowledge that I have prevented one of the greatest wars from ever taking place…

As my vision begins to blur, I hear grunts and moans. Scrapes and scratches. I lift my head slightly to gaze at what was happening around me. The ghouls and abominations where going wild! They where destroying everything! If they kept it up, they would render the Frozen Throne to pieces of ice cubes! I glance around, trying to muster every last bit of strength to find something to try and stop these monstrosities. My vision first falls to Frostmourne, the cursed runeblade. It was glowing an eerie shade of blue and white now. The spirit of the Lich King was no doubt feeding it now. My glance then went to the helm beside it.

"Wait! Wh-what are you doing!"

"Succeeding you… Master…"

Horror dawned upon me as the weight of what I had to do settled in. In a flash of inspiration, there, lying in a pool of my own blood, alone, facing my death in what had to be my darkest hour, I finally learned the truth – the Lich King was control. Without the Lich King, the undead would run around unchecked. They would now pose an even greater threat to his father's kingdom, and eventually, the world.

I steeled myself and struggled upwards. Ignoring the shooting pain, I crawled towards the helm, my purpose defining my ravaged body. What were probably mere moments felt like an eternity as I finally reached the helm.

"This… final act… of sacrifice… is mine…" I gasped out as I grasped the helm and pulled it to me. I stared at it for a moment before turning it and positioning it over my head. The voices had returned again, this time yelling at me to just let the helm go, to not take up the burden which I was about to place upon myself.

"There… must always… be… a Lich King…" I let out as I placed the helm above my head, sealing my fate, the voices reaching a crescendo. For a moment, the voices went still. At first I felt nothing. Then, I started to feel a stirring within me. Power, raw and unbreakable, started to course through me. I grunted as I felt the shard of ice that was impaling me shoot out. I clawed my way back up to my knees and wrapped my right hand around Frostmourne as my vision took on a slightly blue hue. I could feel the Frozen Throne tremble as the aura of power that was surrounding me started to take effect. I forced myself to my feet and stumbled into the throne itself, seating myself upon it. Immediately, I felt ice begin to form. I knew then that eventually, I would heal. I would not stay here forever. I would be back, and when I was, I would make the Burning Legion regret ever crossing my path. The new Lich King would wage a campaign against them the likes of which will shake the very foundations of this world…

To Be Continued…

Post-Notes: Grrrrrr I did it again! I let the plot bunny in and I couldn't get it out until I wrote this little prologue. Now I'm going to have a second baby to look after! It was enough with Identity Crisis, but now I have Acts of Sacrifice to expand on! Oh well, what's done is done I guess. I will do my utter best to juggle the two fanfics and hopefully make them grand masterpieces. Please leave feedback, even if it's just to critique my work. I love hearing what readers think of my stuff, as it helps me grow as a writer for when I work on future chapters/stories. So keep reading, keep reviewing, and until next time, I'll be watching you…