Chapter 2: The Lich King

Arthas sat in his throne room of ice brewing in his anger. He had changed significantly over the past five centuries; his face was old and icy white with many scars from ice, sleet, and snow. His hair was a bland white, colorless and dead. Although it had been 500 years, Arthas's body was strong and hardened from trudging through snow, and building his fortress of ice. On his head was the helmet of the Lich King and on his body he wore the Cursed Armor. It was black and extremely detailed with ancient symbols etched into the adamantium plates. The thick ice handles of Arthas's throne cracked as clenched black-armored fists tightened about them. "Nexall…" Arthas rasped. An acolyte trembled in fear before the merciless Lich King.

"I'm s-s-orry, o Kind of darkness and ice, but Nexall and his nerubians were just to fast I—" The acolyte ducked away in fear as the ice throne handles shattered into millions of pieces.

"It does not please me…when my subjects…..rebel…" Arthas replied. His voice was hoarse from age and ice. Arthas relaxed a little and slumped back into his chair. "But I ….am in a good mood……today. Bring me Broxyl….or I shall make due with your head…."

"Y-y-es!! O gracious, gracious dark one!! Thank you my lord, o gracious, gracious king of all that is dead!! King-"

"Go."

That was all the acolyte needed to hear. In a flash, the acolyte had already begun descending the steps to the base of the great ice throne. Arthas let out a deep, troubled sigh. He did not like deserters. He did not like acolytes. Arthas raised his hand and said harshly, "Potuї." Instantly, a black orb the size of a basket ball appeared in front of the dark king's eyes. "Show me…….Nexall…." Arthas commanded as he swept his hand over it. The black, lifeless orb shimmered into life. In the orb, Arthas could see a mountain, covered in trees and ice. The orb zoomed to the top of the mountain to show a portal three Nerubian Warlocks on top chanting around a circle of stones. "A portal….of teleportation…..No doubt those are sacrificial Warlocks….a spell that great…" Suddenly, a beam of light shot out of the ring and blasted into the sky. Hungry white flames licked the air and ground, searching. Nexall come in to view. The great spider-like creature towered a head's length at least above the other Nerubians. "Kzacks!" he ordered in his Nerubian tongue. The three Warlocks bowed and simultaneously stepped into the burning light. Their cries echoed throughout the icy wasteland as their bodies burned into ash. The light stopped, revealing in the ring of stones a door. Nexall opened the door and looked in to see scorched hills and a ruined city on the other side. "Zryll! Kuzks rєҝnazdan!" Many Nerubians came forth, piling through the door. Arthas waved his hand over the sphere and once again, it turned to blackness. Arthas growled with rage. Those cursed Trackers! Why had they not defeated Nexall? Something was wrong. Arthas had supplied the tracker's force with undead necromancers and a squad of Death Knight Elites……more betrayal perhaps? Arthas rose from his frozen throne and snapped his fingers as he walked to the icy stair case that spiraled down his throne platform. In a flash of light, Arthas's blade of death appeared in his right, clenched fist. Frostbourne, the blade that had caused so much death; Frostbourne, the blade that caused Arthas's insanity; Frostbourne, the prison of Arthas's soul. The deadly black blade gleamed in the light that shone dimly through the cavern of ice. Arthas's black, cold eyes fumed with anger.

The acolyte had quickly begun ascending the steps. He didn't like his dangerous and unpredictable master; no, it wasn't that he dislike him, he feared the merciless lord of ice and darkness. As the acolyte turned to rush up the next part of the staircase, he looked up to see Arthas blocking his path. "M-m-m-mas-t-ter!" the acolyte pleaded.

"Where…is…Broxyl?" Arthas inquired darkly.

"B-broxyl? Oh, yes o dark one! Broxyl, he h-hasn't returned y-yet…"

Arthas stared deep into the eyes of the terrified acolyte. The acolyte tried to release himself from the gaze of the dark lord, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't. The acolyte trembled with fear as he saw the side of Arthas's old, cracked mouth twitch up in to what seemed to be a smirk. The servant shrieked in pain clawing and scratching at his head, as if trying to satisfy and intensifying itch—inside his brain.

"At any moment…I could…crush your brain….with the flick…of my hand…" Arthas stated with some amusement as he watched the creature writhe about on the ground ever clawing at his head. "Now…I want you….to find Broxyl….and kill him…shade…" The acolyte stopped clawing at his head and whimpered, "Sh-sh-shade? But for that, I m-must sacrifice my m-m-mortal b-body! I---AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!" The icy cavern echoed with the screams of pain and death as Arthas transformed the pitiful creature, into a silent assassin.

Therenas still had no word from Korr. He paced nervously in his tent. Hadn't he told Korr to send a messenger as soon as he arrived in Grimore? It only took two days ride from his current position. Perhaps Korr had run into difficulties along the way? Therenas shuddered at the thought of Korr falling in battle. Therenas finally sat down on his bed of furs, dwelling in his thoughts.

A loud cry echoed through the camp that startled Therenas. He must of dozed off being so worried about Korr. "Undead! They come from the east!" the voice yelled. Therenas came to full alert. He quickly got up, buckled his hilt and sword around his waist, and put on his golden helm to match his golden armor. Therenas rushed outside giving out orders left and right as he made his way to the temporary watch tower. "Brutus! Prepare the knights! Leon! Get your archers in position! Formation C! Go!" Therenas made it to the base of the tower and began to scale the ladder with great agility. "Where?" Therenas ordered to the watch man as he climbed through the opening in the floor.

"There milord!" the archer responded, pointing towards the hills about a mile to the east.

"I see…"Therenas stated calmly. "Gerrant! Take a scouting party out. I want to know how many troops are coming on the double!" Therenas shouted down to