Ch 14 – The Ashen Verdict
Icecrown was a cold barren wasteland at the best of times.
The land was mostly made of the great glacier. Highlord Fordring looked out over the Northern Sea from the Argent Tournament Grounds. The Grounds still served to find people who would devote themselves to the cause, but as winter was fast approaching, Tirion had a decision to make. The Ebon Blade and the Argent Crusaders had pushed and made a forward camp near the Citadel of Icecrown and very home of the Lich King himself. Located within the Court of Bones is located between the zones Malykriss: The Vile Hold, Corp'rethar: The Horror Gate, Cathedral of Darkness, and Icecrown Citadel, the crusaders who bravely held their ground there were under nearly constant attack from the scourge.
He looked at the table before him as he drew his cloak about him. The winds were already turning icy already and the days were becoming shorter. Soon the there would only be two hours of daylight, two hours of the half light that was common to Icecrown, and the rest, darkness, consuming darkness.
Fordring then nodded to his squire as he mounted his horse Mirador. He sighed as he shifted in his armor. The autumn was bleak, but they needed to find shelter before the icy winds of the north moved in and froze the army. The mark of winter would be when the first man fell to frost bite.
Many had lost fingers, toes, limbs, and even their very lives. Highlord Jamiy Ambrose-Wrynn had lost a finger proving even officers were not immune. Jamiy had lost several good men and women the day he lost his appendage, and had to send a good friend home because he lost a limb rendering him useless on the battlefront. Theo had lived. So many had not.
He moved with the great group, the combined might of the Ebon Blade and Argent Crusade could still not much the might of the Scourge that Arthas, the Lich King, could send to meet them. Still. The greater numbers offered a better chance for survival.
With him, he noted, were Highlord Darion Mograine and two of his most trusted underlings, Thassarian and Abyssion. All three were on death chargers. Behind them was most of the host of the two factions.
They arrived at the Shadowvault after a few hours of riding. They would spend the night in the sanctum of the Ebon Blade before progressing to the Forward camp. From there the push to enter the Lich King's Citadel would begin. Trion was certain they would be able to, with the two forces, be able to enter the halls and have a base indoors for the winter. Darion was more skeptical, but even he had to admit the odds were much higher together as a joined group.
Once at the Forward camp they found men constantly watching the inky blackness for any sign of the Scourge that gathered within in waves. The men and women of the forward camp were constantly on high alert.
ZZ
It was hard to believe that it had been more than five years since King Varian Wrynn had died. Highlords Tirion Fordring and Darion Mograine were looking out at the Scourge that attacked in endless waves against the camp.
Arthas had been forced to retreat into the great Citadel and there he was cornered. The only problem was, cornered he was far more dangerous. Darion Mograine stood with several of his Death Knights. The had all taken their turn at the watch repelling the forces back. The Scourge had an endless supply of bodies to rise as twisted forms that only served the Lich King. Ever Crusader who died on the field was quickly burned and their belongings home with personal notes from Highlord Tirion Fordring. The Knights of Ebon Blade were immune to being raised as Scourge for at one time they were. Besides repelling the forces under the new banner of the Ashen Verdict, the title given to the group under the co-leadership of Highlords Mograine and Fordring, the two groups were building weapons for an assault on the great Citadel of Icecrown.
Mere feet away, though in the fathomless inky abyss of the dark of Icecrown, it was hard to pick up the details of stone from the blackness itself. Many of the Scourge looked like shadows given life as they barreled forward trying to break the resolve of the camp.
They were very much mistaken. Tirion had relocated much of his forces from the Tournament Grounds to the Northeast and Mograine had brought many of his brethren from the Shadow Vault to the forward camp. With a thick wall at the back of the forward camp it made for a side that did not need defense since even geists had issues scaling the slick walls of the great Gates of Icecrown.
Tirion, Jamiy, and Darion all sat around the table that had maps of the area. Darion sighed and looked at the map of the Cathedral of the Damned and then at the Citadel. "We need more exact maps. I do not recall all the passage ways."
"One step at a time Darion, my old friend." Tirion said gently. "The entry is all we need to worry about for now."
Jamiy rose to his feet, his heavy mail and plate armor creaking as he did so. He looked at the map that Mograine had drawn from memory. "So once past the hallway there is a large room?"
"Yes. It was called the Court of the Damned and the Damned keep it guarding Lord Marrowgar." Darion said. "He is the only Bone Wraith known. He is powerful and floats using his large boned wings. His four heads keep watch from his chamber ready to slice apart any who failed the Lich King with his great Ax called, Bryntroll, the Bone Arbiter. He is the Lich King's executioner, when the Lich King does not wish to kill the person himself."
Tirion Fordring rubbed the gray beard on his chin. "The entry we can take by force and sheer force of will. It is from there that we will need courage."
"I agree." Mograine said. He looked up at the pair of Argent Crusaders. "But take heart, a foothold will be more than the Lich King has ad at his doorstep. Plus it will shelter for the winter. Though it is cold within the citadel, we can manage out of the wind."
ZzZ
It was a cold day with driving rain that had made everyone miserable. The thought of somewhere out of the wind was inspiring to most and so as Tirion Fordring mounted and looked across the gray ilk that was the Court of Bones, he smiled and patted the flank of the armored mount.
"Rise up Argent Crusaders, the hour for Justice has come!"
Those about him cheered.
It was a bold make or break maneuver to take the lowest level of the Citadel.
The Agent Crusaders joined with their undead brethren in the Knights of Ebon Blade. Before them all rode the two Highlords. As they rode up the breach along the stairs Darion decapitated a great gargoyle watcher as it banked and tried to grab at Tirion.
Tirion nodded to Mograine and wiped the dark blood from his cheek.
He then lifted his hand and the great battering ram, christened Light's Keeper, was pulled to the top of the stairs by great land beasts. Once after hours of pulling the great battering ram was at the gates.
Tirion lifted his sword and his men formed up to pull the great cords to pull it back. Others were fighting the undead horrors that were trying to stop them including giants made of bone and flesh as the barreled forward.
Tirion's sword dropped and Light's Keeper moved forward and hit the door with a crash. The sound of metal against metal reverberated through the still air of Icecrown as well as the halls of the Citadel herself.
Tirion lifted his hand again and again Light's Keeper was pulled back.
ZzZ
Crash!
The great clang of metal on metal caused the Lich King to stand from his throne. He looked about and another clang followed the first. He blinked. The undead Scourge about him looked up unsure, but he walked down the stairs confidant and angry. He growled commands to those about him and they scurried to obey. They had to make ready for their "Guests".
It was time for these who apposed to learn their lessons, permanently
He quickly made his way within that Citadel's great spire, within the Halls of Reflection where the Scourge blade called Frostmourne hung, came a voice as the Lich King took a step forward to clasp the hilt. Suddenly the Lich King noticed he was not alone in the room as he had been. There were ghosts standing about. Before him stood one that made him cringe slightly. It was his great father Terenas Menethil II, the last King of the great northern nation of Lordaeron.
The specter smiled in almost a happy way and then it spoke. "Can you feel it, my son, closing in all around you? The Light's justice has been awakened. The sins of the past have finally caught up to you. You will be called to account for all the atrocities you've committed, the unspeakable horrors you've let loose upon this world, and the dark, ancient powers you've enslaved. Though my soul was one of the first to be devoured by your evil, there are thousands more bound within this blade, and they cry out for release. Look now to your defenses, my son, for the champions of justice gather at your gates!"
The Lich King regarded his father a moment before he lifted Frostmourne. The souls returned to their master, the great runeblade whose force kept forced the souls to bend to the will of the possessor of Frostmourne.
He laughed as Terenas was the last to disappear. "Let them come." He hissed. "Frostmourne hungers."
ZzZ
Confidant as always to the point of Arrogance, the Lich King allowed the Ashen Verdict, as the pact called themselves to gain their foothold. He watched from a scryer's orb at his throne. He knew they would come forward from the base, but for now they were making the great cavern their own.
Light's Hammer they had named the great hall and the two sides formed up and made tents for their people as well as fires. Smithies were made to forge the new material found on the corpses of the Damned called Primordial Saronite. This hard metal required extreme heat to forge, but the runeforges of the Death Knights were perfectly suited.
The first creation was Shadowmourne, a great runeblade ax, the twin of Frostmourne, whose bearer would stand a chance at defeating the Lich King himself. The Primordial Saronite was in easy supply because the Lich King sent the Damned always to harass the lines of the hall. Outside the assault continued as well and the Lich King hoped that fighting on two fronts would discourage the Ashen Verdict.
Darion Mograine himself forged the ax, but it was not for him to bear. When it was finished he lifted it testing the balance before turning to Jamiy who had been watching him forge the great weapon through the many hours.
"This is the finest weapon I have crafted. May it bring an end to the Lich King and all his minions who serve him here." He said.
Jamiy took the glowing weapon and looked at his brother-in-law. "This is the weapon for a death knight surely, not a paladin."
"It holds the dark secrets and the first blade has fed upon the souls of the Damned, but it will serve you well." Darion said. He nodded to the armor pieces. "I am forging armor for you, myself, Highlord Fordring, and my wife." He said looking past Jamiy.
Jamiy turned and saw his sister talking to Highlord Fordring and their adopted brother, King Anduin Wrynn. Jamiy walked to Anduin and blinked. "How did you come here, your highness. It is dangerous."
"I had to bring our sister here at her insistence. You do not think I would let her go alone do you?" Anduin asked.
Jamiy chuckled. "No." He looked about. "How did you come here? The siege had lasted four days before we were able to claim the hall."
"The Skybreaker came and picked the Bronzbeard dwarf, Anduin, and myself up in Dalaran. Our sister was kind enough to save us the journey and ported us there. Then we traveled here. The Skybreaker is still outside. It is rumored Ogrim's Hammer is also near."
Jamiy nodded and looked to Darion. "I do not have to ask you to make my sister's armor the best."
"That goes without saying. She is my wife." Darion said watching Helene retreat to take to the camp healers and give them the supplies she had brought.
Tirion followed the gazes. "She is tough and you will need her, Jamiy, where you are going."
"Oh?"
"Yes. Naxxramas is dark and full of unmentionable terrors." Tirion said. "We must kill Kel'Thuzad and destroy his phylactery. This will render him unable to return as a lich once more. As the Lich King's Lieutenant he will not be easy to kill. It is said there is a great frost wyrm guarding him as well as horror beyond reckoning within the halls."
Jamiy lifted Shadowmourne and looked at Tirion. "We are ready to face any challenge."
"I know. Take only those you need and Light be with you." Tirion said in dismissal.
Jamiy nodded and went to round up those he trusted most including his beloved sister. He found her with Darion. The Death Knight was holding her to him. He say Jamiy and nodded. "It is time, my wife." He bent and kissed her softly. "I love you, Light keep you safe."
"And you also." She said.
He nodded and looked at Jamiy. A nod was shared. Jamiy would protect his sister above all others and Mograine knew it. She would return to him, but Naxxramas was a fearsome place. He remembered it when he was part of the Argent Dawn following the voice of his father and he had gone there several times as a Highlord of the Scourge. Now he would remain here and keep the foothold while he waited for the elite group to return.