-Inside Shadowmourne-
The val'kyr appeared, looking strained. Her ethereal glow appeared faded as she hovered near the form of the paladin.
'You are on your own for this...it is all I can do to keep you soul from being consumed by the blade.'
Valk barely spared her an ear twitch. Her gaze traveled over the shadowed forms of what she assumed where other souls before fixing on a little boy. The blonde elfling meandered around looking despondent. He looked so familiar...
"Kaliek?.."
The boy looked up at the redhead blinking large green eyes filled with tears.
"V...Valk? W...where am I...? It's so dark...I'm scared..."
Valk sank to her knees in front of the little boy, she seemed shocked yet also saddened to see the frightened child. She wrapped the small child in her arms for a comforting hug, rubbing his back.
"It will be ok Kal, don't be scared."
The boy's gaze dropped from her face to something behind her causing him to gasp.
The decayed, filthy creature emerged from the darkness. Part of its face had rotted away exposing jagged teeth. Its hair once golden was a sickly greenish brown, looking as if it been buried in mire of mud. The dark armor usually so well kept was rusted and caked in gore; hands lacking the greaves to exposed bone claws. The unholy madness of Kaliek was a terrifying sight to behold.
"BLADE! Why have you brought me here?! I am your master now, let me go!" The Death Knight screamed. As it spoke ichor dripped from the gaping hole in its face.
"You are wrong, Knight." Shadow responded. "My master is the one whom is strongest. And right now, I do not believe that to be you. If you wish to keep my power for yourself...prove your worth"
"So it becomes clear now. Shadow! Are you really going to let that pathetic excuse for a rune blade Frostmourne control you through Kal's body?" The redhead taunted.
The monster looked around...he could see ghostly images of the souls he had taken in the past. Both souls of the scourge vanquished in the forging of Shadowmourne, and those more recently acquired...
But there was one that stood out, a small Blood Elf child. The monster did not recall stealing a child's soul.
And beside the child was Valkyrae...
"Pathetic. That is all that is left of my weakness...and once he is gone I shall be able to fight you unabated!" The creature laughed. In his hands he held the ethereal version of Shadowmourne as he stalked slowly to the boy; who scrambled to Valkyrae and hid behind her, clinging to her leg and whimpering.
"Look at you..." it mocked, "You are pathetic...How could I let something as weak as YOU hold me back?!"
She tensed as the corruption moved toward them. No way in the Nether was she going to let that monster have her Master. Her usual cocksure grin spread across her face, the one that usually meant she was about to break someone's neck.
"And now I can fight you without holding back. Once you are gone, Kal will be free."
She stood pushing the child Kal behind her a bit, and out of the way. She didn't have a weapon but the stubborn paladin still stood her ground bringing her fists up, her form was outlined in the soft glow of the light
"I've been waiting for this girl. In here...I am not held back by that weakling over there..." Hissed the creature as it stopped just in front of her. "Step aside, and let me have the boy...and I will make your death swift. I promise to even let you stay dead..."
The boy continued to cower in a corner. "Stay away from me." he sobbed...
"Be quiet you sniveling little brat!" It snapped at him, "Now, where were we? Oh yes, we were at the part where I kill you..." It cackled raising Shadowmourne.
Valk waited until she saw an opening the feigned to the right. The blade came down where she had been giving her a momentary window to strike out with a glowing fist. The judgment was released as soon as they connected, burning the abomination.
She was throwing out Kal's teaching and reverting back to her street brawling days. She managed to dance out of the way of some of the hits but others were only narrowly escaped leaving shallow cuts to decorate the ground with her blood. It was obvious the paladin was tiring as she lost more blood, her movements becoming slower. All the while she was trying desperately to keep herself in front of the child.
Suddenly the redhead misread the intent of her opponent giving him the opening he needed. He spun as she rolled to the side, bringing the fabled axe across her back in a swift arc.
"Ha! I'm impressed how well you are holding up using such a..primative..fighting technique, however this fight is over!" The Death Knight yelled as his axe sank into the girls back.
"You really are a failure, Valkyrae. I'm ashamed to call you my pupil..." he said as he pulled the axe back out of her flesh.
"NOOOOOOOO!" The boy screamed as he ran to Valkyrae. He shook her trying to get some response, anything. "Wake up. Open your eyes Valk! H...how dare you hurt her..."
"Come now, boy. You should be more concerned with yourself. What I did to her is nothing compared to what I am going to do to you." The corpse said, grinning.
The boys crying stopped as he swiped a an arm over his eyes.
"Y...you are a monster.." he said, standing up, the anger in his voice quite visible..."You are everything I stand against." The boy got to his feet and stood before the decaying thing, looking up with growing determination.
"You are nothing...you are a shell of what I once was...My foolishness brought you here, and it has caused me to loose my Valkyrae..."
The Death Knight laughed, "And what do YOU expect to do to me, boy?! Do you really think you stand a chance?"
"More than a chance..." the boy clenched his fist, which began to glow, not with the unholy powers of a Death Knight, but with the Holy Light.
"You are a blight, and you must be removed!" The glow began to spread engulfing his entire body.
"W...what are you doing?!" The creature growled, covering his eyes to block out the blinding light..."This is not possible..."
"I AM KALIEK TEL'MASSIAN, AND I WILL PASS JUDGEMENT!" Kal yelled, as the glow intensified; then it faded back to a feint aura, around a now adult Kaliek. He was clad in golden armor, and held in his hands a hammer much like that of a Paladin of the Silver Hand would have wielded.
Kaliek knelt before Valkyrae who still lay on the ground. "I'm so sorry, Valkyrae..." he said as he picked her up in his arms...
Valk's eyes fluttered open as the now grown Paladin gathered her in his arms. She looked tired, the challenges she had face through this ordeal had caught up to her.
"Kal...I knew it couldn't be you…to do those terrible things. I never lost faith..."
She flinched, whimpering as the pain raced up her spine. This may not be the realm of the physical but it hurt just as bad.
Kaliek set Valkyrae down, as gently as possible. "Stay here and rest, Valkyrae. Leave the rest to me...you have done enough." he assured her.
"Touching..." The Death Knight responded with a mocking clap of its claws.
"She will die. As will you, why bother postponing the inevitable?"
Kaliek glared at the monster.
"You are the one who shall pay this day, monster. You who have tried to twist me from my rightful path..." He said, drawing his hammer..."Enough idle chatter...face judgment!" He yelled as he ran in hammer raised.
"Good! I was hoping for a challenge!" It replied, drawing Shadowmourne to meet Kal's hammer.
Valk laid there for a few moments trying to catch her breath. This wasn't the physical realm so why could she swear to feel the blood pooling underneath her?
'Stupid sister! A soul damaged will die, now you will never keep your promise. I should just let the blade consume you and be done with it!'
Well wasn't that great she got to die twice today. Without a soul to put back into the body there was no hope for a resurrection either. She turned her head looking as the combatants face each other, metal sparking against metal as they dueled.
'I told you...as long as he is safe.' She pushed herself up slowly, trying her best to get on her feet. All she needed was an opening. It was too late for the red head but her master could still be saved. The two Kaliek's met each other, swing for swing. They were quite obviously evenly matched.
"I shall not give up, until you are vanquished!", Kaliek yelled at his opponent.
"Nor will I!" The corpse responded as he once again met blade with hammer.
Kaliek thrust the creature back from the parry and hit him with a Judgment. It responded in turn by hitting Kaliek with an Icy Touch. Both took the full force of the attacks. Recovering, the two Kaliek's dashed at each other. The Death Knight tried a Heart Strike; however Kaliek dodged the attack and countered with a Crusader Strike, which it managed partially to dodge, as the hammer grazed his leg.
"AHH! You will pay for that!" It growled responding to the blow. He lunged, hitting Kaliek with a Death Strike, stealing some of his essence to heal his own.
At this rate, the two would end up killing each other before either one was a victor...
Teal eyes watched the exchange with a clear determination. She needed just the right moment to give Kaliek an opening.
'There.' She dashed between the two as Kaliek stumbled back, giving her more room. Ducking under the corruption's defense she grabbed the arm holding Shadowmourne and wrapped her other around its waist.
"Now Kal!" She yelled. She was using the last bit of strength left to channel the light threw her body. Everywhere she and the corruption touched started to burn.
It did give the paladin a clear opening but he would have to go through the woman to do it...
Kaliek stopped..."Valkyrae...Let him go! I cannot loose you! If I strike, you will die as well!"
"Insolent slut...Listen to your master! Let me go!" The Death Knight growled at the girl, struggling to free himself. The Light from Valk was beginning to melt parts of his decaying flesh.
"Kal stop being an idiot! I'm already dead! Save those that can be from this monster and forget about me!"
She tried her best to hold onto the dark creature, not that it made it easy. She could feel her essence start to dissipate.
'Just a little bit longer..'
"Kaliek! I can't hold him forever. You have to stop him from continuing Arthas' work!"
Kaliek looked Valk in the eyes. He knew the girl well enough to know she was too stubborn to let go...
"I'm sorry Valk...This is all my fault. If only I hadn't picked up that shard from Frostmourne...this would have never happened; please...forgive me..." He concentrated all his will into his fist; this was going to be one hell of an Exorcism...
"No! You cannot do this! You need me!" The corpse pleaded, as it continued to struggle.
Kaliek didn't even give him a response...he simply held out his hand and unleashed the holy energy. Valk met the paladin's eyes in the brief last moment, cracking her usual cheeky grin. He would stop the monster from ruining anymore lives and would in turn be safe. She had completed what she set out to do.
The moment the exorcism hit the red head's corporeal form shattered, disappearing into the dark of Shadowmourne. The Val'kyr wailed, probably grieving for the loss of its deal, then it too faded.
-Outside-
The body of the red haired paladin lay in a frozen pool of blood. Once sun kissed skin was unnaturally pale, lips tinged with blue. The frozen throne would become the final resting place of one more this day.
Kal awoke suddenly, icy eyes opening with a start as he jerked himself up. He was back on the top of the Citadel.
"I'm...free..." He whispered looking down at his hands as he flexed them.
"I can still hear the voice, though..." He muttered, looking down at his chest where the shard of Frostmourne lay imbedded in his flesh...
He grabbed the shard and yanked it from his body. For the first time since his rising he felt indescribable pain. It was as if it was tugging not only at his flesh, but his very soul. He tossed the shard to the ground, the shard sliding over the platform into the snow, finally the voice faded.
That's when he saw her or rather yet what was left of her. With a grimace he pulled himself up, making his way over to where Valk lay, next to the shattered Shaarde.
He knelt next to her gathering her cold body in his arms.
"I'm so sorry Valkyrae..." he whispered, voice cracking with grief. To add insult to injury he couldn't even shed tears for the loss that now gripped him; his undead state preventing such things.
He glanced to the side, noticing that the remnants of Shaarde were glowing...
The glowing shards rattled, some scrapping along the ground toward the two. Finally the pieces slowly started to rise, broken shards forming the intricate shape of a naaru. It was a tiny one compared to the others, it looked weakened as floating pieces occasionally fell out of sync.
It moved closer to stop over the paladin's body in front of the death knight. A very faint chiming could be heard as it tried to communicate to the male.
He would see images flash threw his mind of what the naaru was trying to get him to do.
Valk wielding the naaru blade, using the light she channeled to keep the tiny being alive.
Her facing off against the Death Knight, trying to hold back as to not destroy her master.
The moment the corrupted the Knight struck her down paused, then the Paladin's image shattered. The naaru reformed it as if playing the image backward but the image had cracks like shattered glass. It wasn't whole.
It then showed himself surrounded by the Light. Did the tiny creature actually want to use a Death Knight to channel through? Kal stared in awe at the small Naaru floating before him.
"Y...you think you can help her? But..how?" He said to it. Images again flooded into his head, and he believed he got the idea.
"It...maybe..." He muttered...
He grabbed the hilt of the broken Shaarde and held it close to his chest. The hilt began to glow with the power of the Light causing him to flinch but he kept his hold on it.
"This won't be enough Shaarde. There needs to be more...I...I think I have an idea..."
Suddenly the glow around the blade shifted from the bright yellow-gold of the Light to a color both Gold...and Blue. He was mixing his own unholy energies with those of the Light itself. The two swirled around each other like oil and water.
"Valkyrae...I have no reason to continue living without you. I need you...I..I love you." He said, looking at the girl's body in his arms.
Shaarde's hilt shattered, both energies seeping into his chest. It was a strange feeling of agony and elation as his body coped with the warring mixture.
"I..can feel her. I can feel her very soul...but it is faint..." Kal said looking into oblivion.
"I am Kaliek Te'lmasian. Former Paladin of the Silver Hand, and now Death Knight master. I AM A MASTER OF DEATH ITSELF! Her soul belongs to me, and no one else!" He yelled. "As mine belongs to her..." he murmured more softly.
The naaru dropped, the pieces falling to the floor dull like shards of glass. Channeling all his will into his hand, he was going to attempt what most would think impossible...he was a Death Knight and he was going to grant this girl life...not undeath.
"Her soul is weak...it may not be enough..." he said despairingly... "Valkyrae...take some of my essence...may it help you find your way back..." He said brushing the red strands of hair from her face.
"COME BACK TO ME!" He yelled one last time, as he channeled piece of his very own soul into the remnants of the girl's.
"Come back to me..." he whispered, hunching over her body, sounding utterly broken.
The broken body slowly started to repair itself. Her skin darkened back to its natural glow, lips losing their blue tint. Suddenly the body jerked taking in a breath but she didn't open her eyes. Had it not worked? Was this just now an empty shell?
"Kal..." The whisper was faint, if not for his senses granted in death he might have missed it. Valk opened her eyes slowly as if incredibly tired and for one startling moment...her eyes were the same icy blue as his. She blinked, the blue tint fading into her fel green.
"Did we stop it?"
"Valkyrae!? You're back!" He hugged her tight against him. "Yes, we stopped him. And I couldn't have done it without your help. I'm so sorry Valk...it was all my fault. I wanted a trophy from our victory over the Lich King. I took a shard of the shattered Frostmourne. It was supposed to be inert. Somehow...that Lich we fought awakened it."
He looked down, sorrowfully, "I nearly lost you forever...and it was all my fault."
"It wasn't your fault..you didn't know..." She flinched, stiffening in his arms. While the naaru had healed the most grievous wound she still was not out of the water yet.
"Kal...it's so cold.." The blood loss combined with the frigid air was still sapping the little strength she had.
"Ah t'ink I may be of service." came a voice from behind them.
Kal turned to see a ragged, bloody and very...happy Dwarf. "Them scourge made it tough fer me...but I made it up all the same."
Ramic scurried over to Valk. "Ye have seen better days, haven't ye lass?" he chuckled as he threw his cloak over her. "This should help ye. Just rest now lassie, yer earned it." Kneeling next to the pair the dwarf Paladin began to channel the power of the Holy Light into the girl's body.
"Master Ramick..." Kal snapped out of his stupor..."I...it's been a long time! Why are you here?!"
"Ah...I came wit the Lass here. She said ye were in trouble...I just had ta come and bail ye out!"
Kaliek smiled at the dwarf. "Shame out reunion couldn't be under better circumstances..."
"Ramick...glad to see you are safe too..." She looked tired, barely able to keep her eyes open. She weakly tried to ward off the dwarf claiming he should heal himself first but it was no use. Valk probably couldn't fight off a kitten at the moment. She just lay back in Kal's arms looking up at him as if afraid he would disappear again. Her eyes fluttered, fighting to stay open until her body just went limp. Too exhausted from the ordeal the paladin just fainted.
((Author's note: Kal's creator and I decided to write one more chapter to give you the lovey resolution we know everyone is wanting. ~.^ Please be patient while we complete it as I have to wait for his days off.))