"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Hilde raged, stalking behind the knot of Crusade-tabarded warriors. "I've already told you we had a deal with this death knight. Turn him loose immediately!"
Lightbane chuckled and shook his head, staring at the floor. They'd barely materialized in the transporter pad when they'd both been grabbed by Crusade forces. He'd been shocked to find them so far penetrated into the Master's domain so quickly. They'd even set up a small base camp on the ledge outside directly over the bloodstains left by Saurfang's demise. His first inclination had been to grab his sword, which unfortunately led to his being hastily shackled to the floor. His sword had been taken away, and now lay propped against the far wall. After a few moments consultation Hilde had been recognized and released by the captain in charge. He could see her legs striding back and forth across the corners of his vision as she loudly demanded his release.
"Was this your plan, paladin?" he asked drily, glancing around at the cracked walls of the inner spire. The three arching platforms to the Master's transporter remained intact, though the guardians all lay dead around them. Occasional booms shook the floor, as the squads continued their work inside the halls. He noticed that the frozen coffins of the other marked Crusade women were lying propped against the main spire's walls, seemingly neglected in the fray.
Of course not. I am a man of my word.
"Your word doesn't appear to mean much to these people."
You would have had an easier time if you'd have been found by the fifth legion and not the first, Christof said glumly. The fifth is loyal to Hilde. The first was Alessandra Markova's company. She and its captain came up with the idea of using the sacred marks of the Light as a weapon against the Scourge. Lightbane felt a surge of suspicion from the ghost. I don't trust him, or her motives. If you'd seen the way Alessandra died, you'd have thought it was intentional.
"Captain Valentine, damn it, listen to me!" Hilde snapped, coming to a halt in front of Lightbane.
The Captain waved away his aides and turned towards her with a sigh, folding his arms with a metallic creak. His brown eyes behind the massive golden helm were cold. "Lady Hilde, we are in the middle of a full scale operation here. While we are grateful you managed to somehow," he laced the words with scorn, "escape your own idiocy in being captured, you are not in charge here. Highlord Fordring has tasked us with clearing the way to the Lich King, and we shall do it."
"The Highlord would agree with me that we need to keep our word to this soldier," Hilde argued, flipping her tangled hair back. Her eyes blazed an angry green.
"You should be thankful you aren't shackled next to this aberration, my lady," Valentine answered. "It certainly would have been easier if you'd have just died honorably. But, it will be dealt with once the operation is over; both your death knight friend here, and the fact that you deserted your duty and got captured." He smiled thinly and grabbed her arm, throwing her down next to Lightbane. "Now sit down and shut your mouth until we have need of you."
"Ass," Hilde hissed, clenching her fists. Valentine gave her a mock salute, and moved off to his waiting men. A knot of soldiers surrounded them; faces staring stonily out into the spire.
"Your Crusade has a lot in common with the Scourge," Lightbane said drily. "Neither seems to trust someone taken by the other side."
Hilde sighed and leaned back, eyeing the weapons in their guard's hands. "I'm sorry it may take a bit longer then we thought. Valentine is difficult on the best days. Once Tirion hears, I am certain he'll release you."
"Naïve hope," Lightbane muttered. "So, desertion of duty? Did you try to run, little Light girl?"
Hilde fixed him with an angry glare. "I was fulfilling my obligations. Highlord Fordring assigned me and Alessandra to the detail guarding Lady Proudmoore's expedition into the citadel. That left the fifth unprotected while they began their feint against the Scourge. Stupid, crying, blubbering woman," Hilde snapped. "Her answers were not worth Alessandra's life. On the Skybreaker I heard the fifth was coming under heavy attack, and so I commandeered one of the flyers and went to their aide." She shrugged lightly. "Once the Scourge knew I was there, the fifth were able to escape. I didn't plan on getting captured."
An image flashed into Lightbane's mind, of Hilde standing on the rocky plain of Icecrown glacier. She was bloody; her clothes torn and her minions dead with Scourge closing in. In one hand burned an impossibly bright light; it was painful even in memory. He noticed a soft flicker around her body, even as she raised the brilliant weapon and charged forward.
Yes, that was my hammer she had. It was her blood that created a bond with the weapon, and the power of the Light flowing through her allowed me to act. He sensed an outflow of pride at the memory. I made it so none of your weapons could touch her. My ultimate act of revenge against the Lich King, for all that he took.
"Sounds very touching. Glad you've convinced yourself of such a noble intent."
"What?" Hilde gasped.
Hahahaha!
Lightbane felt Christof snort inside his mind. "Nothing, not you. Your ghost friend."
Hilde stared at him, eyes narrowed sharply. "What's wrong, death knight, can't understand simple things like duty and honor anymore? I've spent my life exterminating the Scourge. I've lost nearly everyone close to me. I've had to put down my friends because of your "Master". I've watched them be tortured and slain only to rise up as mindless things!" She tossed her head at the row of iced coffins. "How dare you question my intentions?"
So easy to direct. That must be why you were chosen for this unlife.
"You are no paladin!" Lightbane snapped.
That makes two of us. It sickens me to feel you begging for the oblivion the Lich King gives. Be a man and remember what you were!
Hilde sighed. "Christof, leave him alone. He fulfilled his part of the bargain, now we need to uphold ours. You needling him is not going to help."
A massive boom shook the spire. Flakes of ice speared downwards, crashing into the grating. On all sides the Crusade's forces swayed, vainly trying to keep to their feet. Hilde fell against Lightbane, unconsciously grabbing onto him as an ear-splitting roar cracked through the air. The cries rent the air with a murderous fury, punctuated by even more ferocious booms. A last hideous shriek tore through the air, shattering the walls around the frost halls before falling eerily silent.
"What was that?" Hilde gasped, pushing herself up. Lightbane raised his head, staring off towards the shattered ice.
"Sindragosa," he murmured.
"The dragon has fallen!" A crier came running from behind the debris, followed closely by a knot of grim-faced warriors. A great cheer went up from around the ring. The crier stopped momentarily, sucking in great lungfuls of air. He waved an ancient-looking ribbed horn in celebration several times before vanishing into the transporter. More Crusade forces began pouring out of the other halls. Lightbane noted Putricide's bloodied smock in the hands of one group, and the Blood Queen's tiara in another.
"They've all fallen," he said slowly, shocking tingeing his words. He noted that the Master's transporter was now glowing brightly, almost invitingly in the center of the spire.
It seems too easy, the setup too elaborate. What is your Master planning?
"He…he doesn't…"
"Tirion!" Hilde yelled, bolting to her feet. The transporter in front of them had burst into frenzied life, revealing the glowing paladin. Ashbringer in hand, Fordring strode off the platform straight towards the center of the spire. The pad flashed into life again, coalescing into the foreboding figure of Darion Morgraine. From all sides knots of the Crusade and Ebon Blade's fighters fell in behind them, resolutely marching towards the glittering pad. Hilde rushed past their guards towards the group. Fordring turned, dropping Ashbringer slightly as if to attack before recognizing the warlock.
"Hilde! Thank the Light you're safe."
"Highlord, please, before you go up…"
Fordring shook his head. "No, Hilde. This is not your fight. I swore to put an end to Arthas, and it shall be done, Light willing. You are the last of the Maidens of the Crusade. I won't risk your life any further."
Morgraine rolled his eyes, tapping his axe against his palm. "Are we going to do some fighting any time soon, Tirion? A throat is begging to be slit somewhere above us."
"Captain Valentine, please ensure the safety of Lady Hilde."
"Always, Highlord," Valentine said with a smile, bowing slightly. He came up behind the warlock, securely grabbing her arm.
Hilde was shoved aside by the massed warriors. She stared bloodlessly at the paladin, her lips twisting. They gained the pad and the glittering runes flashed; sending them upwards. Valentine dragged her backwards, tossing her down next to Lightbane. Glancing at her stunned face, Lightbane felt a gnawing sense of pity stir inside his heart.
"I don't understand. I won't even get to see…All I've dreamed of was to see him die."
Lightbane tried to pat her comfortingly, only to snap up against the rigid chains. "It'll be better not to see what the Master does to them. Everything they've killed he'll only raise once he has the time."
"Have you thought of what would happen if they win?" Hilde managed finally, her fingers twisting together. "I don't understand, what has it all been for if I can't see this final battle?"
"The Lich King is beyond all understanding. He is power beyond even the Light," Lightbane said, sadness dredging up from somewhere deep inside.
Sadness from you?
"Maybe I don't like seeing a woman upset," Lightbane muttered. A memory floated on the edge of his consciousness; a woman with frizzy brown hair, weeping copiously at his feet. The image churned his stomach. He turned away from Hilde's bloodless face, fixing his gaze on the center spire.
Something is wrong. Christof's urgent thought shot through his mind.
The second wave of soldiers was approaching the glittering transporter pad when ribbons of necrotic energy shot down from high above. The tendrils slid along the floor, hissing and spitting at the fighters. Valentine ran forward, calling for the soldiers to retreat. A boom rattled the floor, knocking them off their feet. Thick showers of ice hurtled down from above, smashing into the screaming soldiers and knocking them into the surrounding abyss.
"Get back, damn it!" Valentine bellowed, pulling the armored men off the catwalks. "Stay back against the walls! The Highlord has engaged our enemy!"
The indigo tendrils reared back, and speared down into the frozen coffins piled negligently against the inner spire. They burned with violet fire; hideous blackness amassing behind the icy lids. Lightbane heard Hilde gasp beside him.
"No, Monster!" she screamed, leaping to her feet.
The coffins exploded with an ear-splitting retort. Shards of ice hurtled through the air, burying themselves into the flesh of the massed soldiers. Armor shredded like paper as paladins and warriors fell; their blood fountaining a brilliant crimson over the catwalks. Spell casters screamed, their cloth providing even less protection against the deadly projectiles. Hilde moved her hands quickly, summoning fire in a protective arc around them.
"Arise, slaves, and serve your master's will!" The cold voice boomed, walls rippling from the force. Like marionettes, the four slain Maidens of the Crusade stepped forward. Their bodies burned with frigid light; their eyes glittering with icy wrath. Hilde moaned softly as she squeezed her hands tight. Lightbane jerked hard at his chains, vainly seeking to rise.
Morag, the huge orc, swung her massive axe up to her shoulder. The crude stitching rejoining her head to her body flashed with power. She grunted viciously, licking her blackened lips. The thin silver rings decorating her tusks flashed as she laughed.
"Dogs! My axe hungers for your blood!"
"The Master hungers for you," Rue S'eryne, the small sindor'ei called. She licked her twin blades slowly. The marks of her torture still oozed from underneath her stained leather armor.
Ja'anna Whisperleaf, the dark night elf, stepped forward. "Our Master calls, and we obey." She tossed her dark hair, a bitter necrotic aura springing up around her.
Alessandra Markova joined the line, although her bloodless face showed marks of a fierce internal struggle. She grabbed at her head, nails gouging into flesh deeply. Her eyes marked the grouped soldiers, swiveling among their forms to pick out one in particular.
"Tobias," she called, panting with the effort. Her hand stretched out towards Valentine longingly. The paladin appeared to be swearing silently, his hand reaching out towards her. The glowing orbs of her eyes burned as she chuckled desperately.
"Tobias, it's time."
"Lessa, it's not complete!"
"Do it, Tobias!" Alessandra screamed, tearing at her face. Valentine leaped forward, waving his hammer. The other three maidens pulled back, hissing from the spearing brightness. A brilliant glow surrounded the Captain, driving back the shadowy tendrils.
"The Light commands your service, women of the Crusade!" he yelled. Fire erupted from their backs. The four women screamed, three in fury, one in relief as the light burned across their bodies. Valentine took another step forward, brandishing his hammer.
"You who took the ultimate oath, you who are instruments of the Light, must answer the call! The Light burns inside you! One who serves needs your power!"
The four women spun as one body until they face the inner spire. Their eyes began glowing with a vibrant golden light, completely driving out the sickening necrotic gleam. Fire shot through the remnants of their armor, burning through along the lines of their sacred marks. Warm gold surrounded their bodies, lifting them up into the air. Valentine let out a hoarse shout as the Light poured through their forms, spearing upwards into the darkness of the citadel.
Hilde!
Lightbane jerked his eyes away from the scene with effort, to find the warlock collapsed against the floor. She was muffling her screams against her arm and rocking back and forth. Lightbane tried to sidle a bit closer, only to be driven back by the furious sting of the hidden mark of the Light.
All around them, the surviving fighters were lifting their voices in praise and song. The overwhelming fire of the Light tore away the shadows of the inner spire, billowing up in a massive thread. Valentine was whooping in joy, waving his hammer. The women at the center continued their screams; changing in tone from pain to overwhelming joy.
A hollow boom shook the citadel, and huge chunks of ice and stone hurtled downwards. Valentine had to throw himself down to escape one of the larger pieces. The soldiers around the ring broke off their song, mutters and screams once again filling the air.
"It's not enough!" Valentine cried. He cast his eyes around, finally landing on the prone warlock. He shoved aside the soldiers in his way, finally grabbing onto Hilde and pulling her upright. She was retching uncontrollably, her eyes screwed tightly shut in pain.
"Your sisters are waiting, Lady Hilde," he snapped. Hilde pulled weakly against him as he dragged her across the catwalk. Lightbane lunged against the restraints, the screams inside his head nearly driving him insane. Valentine spun her around, gripping the nape of her robe firmly before shoving her forward. Hilde stumbled out of the robe, nearly collapsing before the brilliance of the Light wrapped around her body. Even from this distance Lightbane could see the fury of the Light writhing over her tattooed back. Hilde screamed wildly, her cries subsumed by the joyous shouts of the floating women around her. Fire billowed as a massive column of light shot forward and up, joining the others in the abyss above.
Do something, help her! Christof screamed. That much will kill her!
"Shut up, I can't think!" Lightbane snapped. His arms moved of their own accord, slamming against the length of the restraints. "It's what she wanted, right? She said she knew the burden."
Lightbane could feel the ghost's frantic thoughts skittering through his mind. Part of him relished his pain, while a second, small core wanted to scream along with him.
Please, Christof said brokenly, don't let her die this way.
"How does anyone mean this much to you?"
Abruptly Lightbane was flooded with images; emotions and sensations that overwhelmed him. A thousand small moments of happiness and love, pain, and fear. It felt as if the paladin was squeezing his soul and pouring the entirety of his life into his mind.
I lost my wife and children when the Scourge came to Darkshire. I had nothing but the Light. Everything was darkness around me. I wanted to forget, and so I went north eagerly, hoping to die.
Another image swam into Lightbane's mind, of a small girl with bright ivory hair, standing next to a stream. She looked ragged and afraid, but firm. She was holding a small wand and a spell book, standing resolute against a rushing undead.
She was just another survivor we rescued from what was left of Lordaeron. Imagine my surprise when she wormed her way into my heart so quickly. She made me want to live again. Christof stopped, and the memories vanished. My memories are all I have. I'm not going to parade them for your amusement. Damn you if you won't help us!
Lightbane looked back at the spire. The light was blinding around the five figures; their screams merging into a violent song of hope. Many of the surviving soldiers were on their knees, praying. He cast an eye quickly around. Several of the fallen were close by. Lightbane smiled coldly, focusing on the downed corpse of a large warrior.
"I never said I wouldn't help, paladin. I was just curious."
He reached out with his mind, feeling the runes carved into his armor burn into cold life. Vague tendrils of mist flowed forth from the shivering runes, wrapping around the closest slumped body. The tendrils pooled around the nose and mouth of the corpse before wicking out of sight.
Lightbane twitched his fingers, and the corpse began its reluctant movement. Its head lolled brokenly to one side as it rose; blood still dripping from the massive chest wound. Its eyes burned dimly, mouth agape bonelessly, as it turned to face him. Lightbane smiled again, pointing towards his sword.
The corpse hissed and moved sluggishly over to the wall. Lightbane concentrated hard, willing the corpse to pick it up. After an endless moment the corpse's hand moved; fingers wrapping around the hilt. Its head swiveled, vague hisses echoing from its hanging mouth as it began its slow walk back to the bound death knight.
Faster! Christof urged.
"How fast do you think dead bodies can move?" Lightbane grunted. He held his hands apart as the corpse approached, nodding as it raised the sword. The sword glittered brightly, all its runes flaring into life.
A vast rumble shook the spire; an echoing, inhuman groan that shuddered to the very foundations of the citadel. The massive ball of light illuminating the inner citadel abruptly winked out. Lightbane felt his concentration snap, and the corpse collapsed. His sword slashed down, neatly severing the chain. Lightbane grabbed the weapon in relief, quickly shattering his remaining bonds.
It was the cries inside his head, punctuated by five distinct thuds that pulled his eyes to the center spire. Without the power of the Light to sustain them, the five maidens of the crusade were falling back against the harsh saronite grating of the catwalks. They hit with enough force to shake the rigid metal; bodies rolling and remaining still in the half-light. He could just see Captain Valentine venturing out onto the catwalk to poke at the supine forms with the tip of his hammer.
Too late, by the Light, it's all over!
Lightbane shoved his way through the mass of Crusade forces, most of which were staring upwards into the darkness. A few steps took him out onto the catwalk amidst the fallen women. Hilde had fallen nearly in the center. He knelt and gently turned her face upwards. Her empty eyes spoke volumes. Lightbane felt the paladin wail inside his mind. He reached out and smoothed her hair back.
Boots stalking into his eyesight made him glance upwards. Captain Valentine stood over them, his hammer resting lightly on his shoulder. He shook his head.
"It would have been easier if she'd have just died like the others."
"What the hell do you mean?" Lightbane felt Christof shove him aside to bark out at the other man. He felt an echo of the paladin's anger spring up inside him, causing his hand to clench tightly around his sword hilt.
Valentine shrugged. "Lessa and I knew, when the time came Highlord Fordring would need all the power of the Light to face the Lich King. He is too good a man to consider methods lacking in a certain amount of honor, so we did it for him." He turned and smiled at the still corpse of Alessandra lying just a few feet away. The woman looked at peace; a stark contrast to her countenance at her unholy rebirth. "Lessa found the way to harness and channel the Light's power. But the catch was full strength would kill anyone who bore the mark. No one, not even the Highlord, should be so close to the Light."
"So you deceived these women into taking the mark, for this?" Lightbane growled.
"We did what needed to be done to ensure the best chance for destroying the Lich King. And these women accepted the marks willingly."
"Without knowing what you planned for them!"
Valentine snorted. "You, of all people, shouldn't be so naïve. They should be grateful. They all got what they wanted. The Lich King will die because of their sacrifice, and that is all that matters." He sighed and tapped his hammer against his palm. "The one who truly suffered was my poor Lessa. The time for the final assault came, and she and this charmed witch were still breathing. She had to kill herself-she had to throw herself onto Frostmourne itself! That is true bravery!"
Lightbane stared at him as the paladin moved away to kneel next to Alessandra's body. He could barely choke back the combined rage of the ghost and himself. He glanced back down at Hilde's body. His hand moved automatically to close her empty eyes.
I want him dead!
"I can arrange that," Lightbane chuckled coldly. "A freebie, for being as much of a monster as I am." He took a firmer grip on his sword, shifting slightly to bring the paladin's back into full focus. He eyed the exposed hollows in the golden breastplate, steeling himself to charge.
It was the slight glitter that distracted him. Lightbane pushed past the ghost's frothing bloodlust to focus in more closely on the warlock's body. She'd landed with her left hand cupped around something that still glowed warmly. He reached down and forced open her hand. Buried against her palm were slivers of a shattered purple orb.
"Clever girl," Lightbane grinned.
Why isn't he dead yet? Lightbane's hand flexed against the sword.
"Your woman took a page from you," Lightbane chuckled. "Look…those purple slivers."
A soulstone! Christof whooped. We can still save her!
"They don't last forever. I can kill our friend over there, or I can save her. You choose, paladin."
Save her. Get her back to the Argent Base camp. I'll deal with Valentine myself.
"You are a crazy ghost." Lightbane sheathed his sword and slid his arms underneath Hilde's still body. His hands slipped in the mess of blood dripping from her back. With a grunt he stood up. For a brief moment he felt the paladin once again take control; long enough to place a light kiss on her forehead.
Take care of her, death knight. On your word.
"For what it's worth."
Icy tendrils slid throughout his body. A translucent mist poured out from his armor, billowing rapidly upwards. The mist solidified into Christof's glowing form. He saluted the death knight and flowed towards Valentine. Lightbane gave him a brief nod before turning down the catwalk. He broke into a run as shouts erupted behind him. He grinned in vicious pleasure at Valentine's screams. The warriors rushing to Valentine's aide paid him little notice as he shoved through their midst. The moment his foot hit the transporter he willed them down, far, far down to the base of the citadel.
His vision cleared to reveal a full-scale Crusade encampment guarded by soldiers from both the Ebon Blade and the Crusade. All were focused up above. He briefly noted the other death knights holding their fists to their chests. His own heart throbbed dully, but he pushed the sensation away. It took only a moment to locate the mages huddled against the far wall. Lightbane slid to a stop before them, kicking the closest firmly.
"I need a portal to the base camp, now!"
"Allright, allright, no need to shout," the gnome grumped. He waved his arms importantly. The air hummed around his fingers. A bright blue portal resolved into being, shimmering with the image of the far-away camp.
"There you are, my lord. Wait a minute, is that the Lady Hilde?"
Lightbane snorted and jumped through. One moment the fetid stench of Icecrown surrounded him, and the next he was standing on the bright glacier. Tents and small lean-to's stretched out on all sides. The shouts of guards rang out as his presence was noticed. He stood stock still, watching the heavily armed guards converge.
He noticed with some relief that etched into the shoulderpads of the two guards rushing towards him was a large V. So this was the fifth legion that was so loyal to the warlock. They drew to a stop a few yards away, gasping at the bundle in his arms.
"The Lady Hilde needs medical attention."
"This way, my lord," the guards bowed, pointing towards the largest tent in the distance. Lightbane took a firmer grip on her body before following the soldiers across the snow. His eyes slid of their own accord to the west, to the vague haze of Icecrown Citadel far across the glacier.
I did what I promised, you crazy paladin, in spite of myself. Damn you, what have you done to me?