"Please...Please, let me see Sapphire now. Your Majesty, I am loyal to you!"
The Lich King was in his study. Nicci had never been in the study, and felt awkward to be alone in the room with her Master. Books lined shelves around the room, and Nicci saw most of them were staring at the old book that sat in front of him. Its pages were thin, and yellowed. The ink was faded, but still readable.
He did not reply to Nicci's begging. He stared at the name. "I never knew. How are they possibly related?"
Nicci said nothing, obediently silent. The Lich King looked up at questionably, and she realized the question was for her. She quickly replied.
"I don't know, Master."
His mother's side I knew. I did not think to look at the father's...He told me it his father was a rich merchant."
Nicci bit her lip, and hugged herself. It was colder than she remembered, and had not yet gotten readjusted. She did not know what to say to her Master.
He seemed to think for a while, and there was a knock on the door. Nicci took it upon herself to open it.
A woman came in, and Nicci just assumed it was another cultist. But the Lich King stood up, and held a hand out.
"Sapphire."
Nicci blinked, and looked at the woman.
Sapphire did not look the same, but it had been years since the necromancer had seen the girl. She was taller and had put on more weight, looking healthier. Her eyes were the same, and her skin was just as pale. Sapphire was wearing cultist's robes, but Nicci doubted she was a cultist. The striking feature that shocked Nicci was her hair. Sapphire's hair was white like freshly fallen snow.
The Lich King put a hand on his daughter's shoulder. "Sapphire, do you remember Nicci? Your old caretaker?"
The young woman turned to the necromancer and gasped. Nicci was pulled into a tight hug.
"Nicci!"
She did not know what to say and did not return the hug. Sapphire leaned away, and frowned.
"Nicci?"
"Sapphire...Is that really you?"
The young woman nodded.
"You have changed. What happened to your hair, sweetheart?"
Sapphire smiled. "Uh, long story. Where have you been? Oh, I don't care. I've missed you so much!"
The young woman laid her head on Nicci's shoulder. She was taller than Nicci now.
"I...I have missed you too, Sapphire," Nicci said. She meant it. The girl had been her only joy in life. The Master had given Nicci the charge of taking care of Sapphire. At first, Nicci had resented it, but Sapphire was hard not to love. The child had been so sweet, and innocent. Even now, she still seemed innocent.
Tears filled her eyes, and when Sapphire let her go, she saw them.
"Nicci, you are crying!"
"I really have missed you. Oh, could you ever forgive me?"
Sapphire scowled. "Whatever for?"
"Because I left...I was a coward. I left after the Master died. I didn't even look for you. I had left you for dead."
The Lich King responded. "It was not your fault, Nicci. Do not blame yourself. Sapphire, why don't you take Nicci to see Angelica."
Nicci wiped her tears. "Who...Who is Angelica?"
"She's my new sister, Nicci. You will love her."
The necromancer's eyes widened in surprise, and she was not sure she had heard right. "Sister? But how...With who?"
"My mother...Oh, you have not met my mother! I think you will like each other."
Nicci was taken by the hand, and taken out of the room. She scowled. If this was the woman who had abandoned Sapphire in the first place, Nicci doubted she would like her at all.
Ethan scratched Ni'kua's belly. The plaguehound panted, tongue hanging from his mouth. They was sitting outside of the main entrance of the Citadel. The storm roared as it moved around the citadel.
Ni'kua woofed. Ethan smiled.
"Hey, Buddy. You missed me, didn't you? See what I am now? A worgen...Never expected that to happen."
Ni'kua flipped back over to lay on his stomach, and he barked.
"I...I suppose I am like a dog now. What do you think?"
The plaguehound sniffed the worgen. He barked, something of a scowl on his face.
"Guess you are right."
A bone clattered in front of them. Both plaguehound and worgen looked at it. Ethan snarled.
"Falric, you idiot! Stop throwing bones at me!"
The deathknight laughed darkly.
The doors of the Citadel opened, and Arthas came striding out. Ethan stood up, and pretended he had been diligently watching the storm.
"Ethan. Come with me."
The worgen's ears pressed against his skull, and his shoulders hunched. "Am I in trouble?"
"No. But you need to come with me anyway."
Ethan patted Ni'kua on the head, and told him to stay. As the worgen passed Falric, the deathknight muttered, "You're fucked."
Arthas and Ethan walked back into the Citadel.
"What's wrong? I swear, I didn't do whatever you think I did."
"You are not in trouble. But can I ask you some questions?"
"Sure," Ethan said, shrugging.
"Your father...What was his name?" Arthas demanded.
"Randall Calwood. Why?" Ethan tilted his head.
"And your grandfather? What was his name?"
The worgen shrugged. "Don't know. Never met him. Father told me he and his father had a fight a long time ago, and he ran away."
"Do you know what your grandfather was like?" Arthas asked, barely containing the concern in his voice.
"Not really. He was a jerk, based on what my father said. He was a mage I think, but I am not sure. Oh! I remember Father said that Grandfather liked cats. I don't know anything else...My father did not pay attention to me much."
Ethan saw Arthas stop, and the boy stopped too. He looked back. "Arthas...Something wrong?"
The man had his hand to his Helm. He groaned.
"Oh, Light...How did this happen?" Arthas said to himself. He sounded highly upset.
Ethan did not like the sound of that.
"What?"
Arthas looked up, and walked off. "Come on. We are going to do some magic and summon a lich."
Ethan was not sure what he was doing here. He knew almost nothing about magic.
There was a circle drawn in the Shadow Throne room, runes drawn over the crest in the floor. He stood near the throne, nervous. He was back into his human form, as a request from Arthas. He was even colder in his furless body and fur clothes were all he could do. Ethan wanted to go back to Sapphire.
He watched the necromancers work. Arthas stood overseeing it. He seemed very edgy. Ethan hoped he was all right.
Arthas looked over to Ethan.
"I am sorry to do this to you. But I think you need to know."
"Know what?" Ethan asked, a little angry at being kept in the dark.
A cultist came over to Arthas. "The circle is done, Master."
Before Ethan could ask what they were doing, Arthas left him again. He went over to the circle.
Glowing dark purple mist appeared, tracing the ritual circle. Arthas touched the mist. He then pulled out his runeblade. It was not Frostmourne, and Ethan knew Arthas had a hard time with it.
Arthas touched the runes with his sword, and they all glowed blue. Ethan heard the man speak words of dark intent. Ethan growled, but did not move. He said he was summoning a lich. Ke'lthuzad? Ethan would kill him then.
After the speaking of the spell, Arthas grabbed powder from a cultist, and tossed it onto the floor.
"I now summon you, Kel'thuzad Armon...Calwood!" Ethan heard the anger in Arthas's voice.
No way.
Ethan watched mists and streaks of magic explode in the room. He however, did not see what happened afterwards. Ethan stumbled, overwhelmed. He passed out with the knowledge that he was related to a lich. And not just a lich, but the archlich Kel'thuzad.