Your eyes do not deceive you. This is an update. And the story will be finished, soon actually. I'm going back to regular updates until this story is finished, and then I'm switching to Naruto writing for a while. I'm not going to post anything for the new story until I have more of the actual story worked out.

So what the fuck happened to me? I'm not dead. I think the writing style will attest to the fact that this isn't a ghost writer. (And who the fuck would ghost-write fanfiction anyway?) I had some rather trying times in my work life, and that spilled over big time to my personal life. I took a bad morale hit and spent some very stressed out months. And my muse took off and didn't leave a forwarding address.

I started writing again recently – other stories. I've got nearly 400 pages of stuff I've written since the start of March, some of which will never be posted because I'm not sure I can inflict it on you guys. It's all Naruto, too. Maybe there's some Naruto fans in the readers of Frozen Sun – it won't be a total loss for you then :P. I'd been stuck on a particular fight scene in Frozen Sun that I had to figure out in my head before I could write it out. Well, I finally figured that out.

So here is Chapter 25. Chapter 26 will follow in 2-3 days, and so on, until this story is finished. It has an end.

If anyone's spotted my beta, Shinryu-Twilight Dragon, please let him know I have chapters for him. :) Don't worry, he's been through this chapter already, and the next one, so hopefully he won't delay the posting schedule ;)

Enough Author Note. Time for FUN!

Chapter 25

They'd cut it a little close to the wire. Grimmjow and Vellena both knew this. There were over 90,000 people in and around Shadow Vault now, and the next few days would likely bring the last 10,000 Aizen and Arthas needed. They had to move now, even though it still felt like they weren't ready.

Nighttimes, spent in Laric's tower after she had used garganta to slip out of quarters that the mage had kindly warded against tampering and intrusion, were the only time she'd had with Grimmjow over the last month. That was when they did their planning, where she relayed the progress of the strike team. The time for planning was over now. Now was the time for action. Vellena took a deep breath, calming the sudden surge of anticipation that rushed through her.

She had managed to obtain replacements for Grimmjow's destroyed equipment, and had smuggled them to him, despite Laric's huffing about the robes he'd made being superior. The arrancar now stood before the assembled strike team, looking immaculate and deadly in the new armour. The uproar of voices that had begun at his appearance quelled suddenly as he silently gave off a blast of reiatsu. Beside him, Laric smirked at the sudden silence.

"I'll bet you're all wondering what I'm doing here, and why your normal training session hasn't kicked off as usual." Grimmjow said. "The answer is quite simple. We're going to go kill Arthas. Right now."

Uproar. Amid the noise, Thassarian entered the room, standing near the back and watching the proceedings.

Grimmjow smiled and lifted a quelling hand. The room stilled. "I'm afraid it won't be a sky strike, like you've been told. But then, I'm sure some of you have noticed that although you were told sky strike, you were drilling in ground tactics." Several heads nodded. "We're taking a back door straight into the Lich King's fortress and messing up his shit. Sounds like fun, huh?"

"Wait a second, I just realized I've got my second-best wand with me; I'm just going to pop to the bank and get my best wand—," A gnome warlock said, rising. Vellena grinned, standing. There was a tearing sound as she used sonído to appear right beside the gnome. A gauntleted fist rested on his shoulder.

"Then use the second-best wand. There'll be no leaving now, except to Icecrown Citadel." The Death Knight said. Everyone who was privy to what was really going on knew there were information leaks. Vellena suspected she had her hands on one of them. She forced the gnome to sit, taking a seat beside him. The small creature blanched and tried to avoid looking at her, or anything other than his feet. Vellena could smell his fear.

"Scout Nightwind is right," Thassarian began, causing heads to whip to the back where he was standing. The Ebon Blade walked to the front of the room to join Grimmjow and Laric. "At this point, we do not have time to waste in trips to Dalaran. The main part of the assembled forces are marching on Icecrown as we speak – Commander Koltira and the Highlord have joined with Tirion Fordring and the other factions and have started their move. If we do not act fast, that whole army is going to be obliterated."

This time, there was dead silence until one brave soul finally managed a weak "…what?"

"Arthas is not without his own allies. Some of you know I'm… not from Azeroth…" Grimmjow began, "and another man from my world has thrown in his lot with the Lich King. He has a technique that can kill every man and woman in the Shadow Vault legions in an instant, and make himself more powerful in the meantime. We're going to kill him too, because if he's left alive, Arthas will destroy our army, and then there won't be anything in your world powerful enough left to stop him."

"Jaegerjaquez is right. Which is why you have been assembled today. We will be splitting into two teams – one larger group will accompany me in an assault on Arthas directly. A smaller group, lead by Jaegerjaquez, will destroy Aizen, this ally of the Lich King's who threatens us all." Thassarian said.

"Wait a moment, how the fel are we going to get into Icecrown Citadel? Last I checked it wasn't a matter of just walking up to the gates and asking the Lich King to kindly open up the doors for us." The snarky rogue from before drawled.

"Leave that to me." Grinned the blue-haired ex-Espada.

"You have a way in?" Brosh asked.

In answer, Grimmjow tapped the air beside him. A garganta peeled open, forming a doorway into the darkness. Vellena noted it was much taller and wider than usual – that was good. "You could say that." The arrancar said.

"Since Jaegerjaquez has kindly opened the way into the Citadel, we should be off." Thassarian stated. The gathered strike force began to rise and move towards the garganta in a more or less orderly fashion. They filed through the portal, some of them glancing about nervously as they stepped onto the wide silver path. Once everyone was through, Grimmjow stepped in himself and closed the doorway.

"Stay on the path or you'll fall forever. Start running." The arrancar said. The strike force began to run. Vellena maneuvered until she was close enough to Grimmjow to speak with him.

"Gorric, Kenna and Orfeo will accompany us to kill Aizen." She said. Grimmjow nodded, this had been decided long ago.

"Ilya and I would like to join you, if we may." Brosh's voice said from nearby. Grimmjow and Vellena realized the tauren had closed and was running just a few yards away from them.

Grimmjow grinned. "We'd be happy to have you." He replied.

"It's going to be a treat to fight with you." Brosh said.

"No shit," replied Grimmjow.

"If you don't mind," a draenei paladin said, accent thick, "I would like to join you. I am afraid I have mizjudged you, Sir Jaegerjaquez." Grimmjow recognized him as the paladin that had been the second person to defeat him in the pit.

"Me too, if you'll have me." It was the troll hunter, his raptor pet at his heels as he kept pace with them.

"Haroldus and Orzul, you are both welcome to join us." Grimmjow said. "But I think we should stop there. The team taking down Arthas is going to need some star players too." The draenei and troll both chuckled at that.

The warriors, Azeroth's elite, ran down the silvery path. Grimmjow was glad that Laric had offered to help maintain the walkway – keeping it as wide and solid as it was would have been something of a strain after a while. The mage truly had incredible endurance and concentration. After about 15 minutes of running, Grimmjow gestured to Thassarian to start the halt.

"Alright, this is your stop, those of you who are going to kill the Lich King. My team will continue on, when and if we succeed in destroying Aizen, we will make our way back to you to offer our support as reinforcements." Grimmjow said. "I'm going to open the portal in a moment. It's going to let you out at the frozen throne itself, at the top of the spire. I can almost guarantee that Arthas will be there – it's his favourite place to be. If not, you can bet he'll show up as soon as he finds out you've infiltrated. Make the best of this chance. Go." He gestured, and the garganta gaped open, the cold blue Icecrown sky visible beyond.

"Charge!" Thassarian roared, and the massed strike force poured through the gate, leaving Grimmjow and his team of nine behind. The doorway snapped shut after the last warrior passed through.

"All right kids, it's our turn. I'm taking us to Aizen's room – if he's not there I can locate him by reia—uh by magic and find him. I know my way around the citadel pretty well. Let's go." They began running. It was a far shorter run this time, only a minute or two. Then they were through the garganta and into a large, dark room, spells and weapons at the ready.

The would-be assassins halted their attacks as they realized that the room was indeed empty. "He's not here." Vellena said.

"I see that." Grimmjow stated.

"Are you able to find him?" Laric asked.

"Give me a moment." The arrancar said. He closed his eyes, concentrating on pesquisa. "Next floor up." He attempted to open another garganta, eyes widening briefly in consternation when it didn't happen.

"What is it?" Vellena asked.

"Vellena, try garganta…" Grimmjow said. The night elf complied, with the same results. Her brows furrowed.

"Blocked." She stated.

"Yeah." Either someone had sensed the garganta he'd already used and blocked them, or Arthas had set something up preventing Aizen from using it to leave, but had neglected to put up one blocking anything from coming in. Either one was likely, and which it truly was didn't matter. "Well, we'll have to do it the slow way I guess. Fortunately, I know the way. Follow me."

Grimmjow slammed the door to the chamber open and started running. The assembled group trailed after him, springing into movement after only a moment's hesitation. Together, they dashed down the poorly lit, black stone hallway. Vellena increased her pace until she was beside him.

"Where are we going?" She asked as they ran.

"There's a staircase up to the next level down one of these halls. This way," Grimmjow said suddenly as they approached a place where two corridors crossed. He took sharp left, and the party followed. They ran on.

Vellena spared her lover a sideways glance, noting his furrowed brow. "What's wrong?" She asked.

"There's no resistance. I know we're trying for the element of surprise here, but there should be undead in these halls. Ghouls running tasks, abominations patrolling, shit like that. There's nothing." He replied.

No resistance. Grimmjow was right. Vellena could smell the miasma of rot that hung in the air wherever the Scourge was concentrated. But there had been no sign of undead, just… empty halls. If this were a bard's tale, she reflected, this would be about the point where the surprise ambush occurred.

"Undead ahead!" Orzul, the troll hunter, shouted.

… Of course.

"At the stairs, too. It's a choke point and they're above us. Fuck." Grimmjow said. "At least we detected the ambush before we rounded that blind corner ahead. Be ready!" he called back to the group. "It wouldn't surprise me if they tried to teleport something in behind us to keep us on our toes."

"Orfeo, Gorric, watch the rear!" Vellena shouted.

"Alright, but I dinnae ken wot lookin' atcher rear—Ow! Kenna!"

"Watch for enemies, Orfeo!" Kenna's voice came.

"Oh." Orfeo's slightly disappointed exclamation was audible to Vellena's acute hearing.

"We're on it, Vellena." Gorric's voice carried to her.

"He'd better not be looking at your ass or I'm going to have to rearrange his face when we're done here." Grimmjow muttered. Vellena stifled a grin. "Here goes," he pulled Pantera from its sheath, where he had placed it while they ran. Vellena heard the sound of the party preparing arms as she herself reached for the axe strapped across her back.

They rounded the corner. The wide corridor narrowed, tapering into a staircase going up into the dimly lit fortress. At the top of the stairs stood a huge vyrkul skeleton with an enormous two-handed sword. Near its feet were large numbers of many different undead.

"We have intruders. Destroy them!" The oversized skeleton bellowed, raising its sword. The howling mob of undead began to swarm down the stairs.

"Show them no quarter!" Another voice, similar in timbre, bellowed from the corridor behind them.

"We got company on this end!" Gorric yelled.

"They wasn't there a moment ago, don't blame me!" Orzul declaimed. "I only knew about the ones on the stairs."

"They probably used the teleporter; there's one back down one of the branches of the last crossroads," Grimmjow shouted as he and Vellena braced for the first wave of undead coming down the stairs. "Let's take care of this."