Author's Notes: Well, wow. 3 reviews was more than I expected ;) Thanks a
bunch all for reviewing. I'm sorry the dialogue really has been a bit dull
(and stolen --) for the intro section, as someone kindly pointed out :P.
I'll try to fancy it up a bit in this next bit of the story. This is
probably where the biggest difference in story line is.
The lich's skeletal fingers coiled tightly around Varimathras' throat. Lifting the dread lord off the ground, he cackles demonically. "Pathetic. To think that Archimonde left you worthless dread lords to manage the Scourge in place of the Lich King."
The dread lord forcefully struggles. He had no need to breathe, but his assaulter's grip was turning ice cold. "You fool, Kel'Thuzad! The Lich King's power is fading, his rule will soon come to an end, and so will that worthless human's. When the shades reach my brothers they-"
"No need for empty threats Varimathras," the lich interrupted. He called over several lumbering ghouls over to him. Throwing a satchel at them, he turns back to the dread lord. "I'm afraid I have some rather disturbing news. Your brothers have, how should I say... passed away." The crimson dread lord struggles desperately at the sight of his brother's heads being feasted upon by the ravenous ghouls. "Kel'Thuzad, we can make a deal! I can help you overthrow Arthas and you could rule the Scourge!" the dread lord pleads. Tightening his gripping the writhing demon, the lich growls quietly, "I need not hear the call of the Lich King day and night, dusk until dawn, and my every moment in death to know I serve him. It is known as loyalty, dread lord. In your next life, I hope you learn its true meaning."
Varimathras wails as his throat begins to freeze, until he can cry in pain no longer. Channeling more mana into his body, Kel'Thuzad encases the dread lords horned skull in a thick layer of ice. Backing away, he swings his rusted chains and shatters it. As the flying bits of frozen flesh scatter and fall to the earth, the dread lord's body explodes into a horde of screeching bats. The lich bursts into a sinister laugh as an azure haze seeps from his jaws and gleaming eye sockets. For the first time since his revival, he felt...free. He originally set out only to track the dread lords and report back to Arthas. Instead, he took care of the problem himself. Something wasn't right.
Thin branches and dead leaves scratched at Arthas' disgruntled face as he rode on his mount, still following closely behind Sylvanas. "Months, Ranger, months. Months of absence and you couldn't at least clear a damned dirt path?" he grumbled. Sylvanas continued to run, ignoring him. "I want paved roads between every encampment in the next month," he continued. She couldn't help but roll her eyes in annoyance.
'King of the Scourge, but still nothing more than a royal pain in the ass.'
For once, she didn't loathe having her mouth forced shut. Even as an elf, Sylvanas was never the best at keeping her thoughts to her self. Her only restraint from taunting him was Arthas' waning power to manipulate her, and she had the feeling it wouldn't last. Though, she did not wholly comprehend his sudden lack of control over his minions, she would use it to her advantage soon. 'Holding back isn't going to be easy, but I mustn't let him know something's wrong,' she grudgingly thought to herself. Even now she was trying her best to ward off his lecture about the importance of steady transportation.
"My mount could ride twice this speed, Ranger. Make haste before I trample you!" Arthas shouted ahead to his guide, laughing menacingly. Sylvanas barred her teeth and growled as she quickened her pace and lengthened her strides.
"Have you grown frail you wretched witch?" Sylvanas heard him taunt from a distance, but she could hear his mount rapidly gaining on her. As hard as she tried, she could not outrun the tireless horse.
'He's going to run me down for simple pleasure,' She thought despondently, as she felt the cold breath of the mount tossing her hair. The trampling hooves on her back never came, however. She heard the galloping move to her left and shrieked as she was lifted off her tiring feet. He set her down in front of him and forced the reins into her hands. "My pride stings to be riding on the same horse with something so beastly as you. Just direct the horse in the right direction, Ranger." Arthas continued grumbling about being slow and useless. Though glad she didn't have to sprint non-stop all the way to Lordaeron, she fumed inside and barely managed to suppress an insult rolling off her tongue. Fighting urges to simply ram a poison dagger into his throat, she continued steering the horse towards her destination.
'Soon. My revenge will be sweeter than the ripest fruit in all of Azeroth. I'll make sure you suffer.'
The lich's skeletal fingers coiled tightly around Varimathras' throat. Lifting the dread lord off the ground, he cackles demonically. "Pathetic. To think that Archimonde left you worthless dread lords to manage the Scourge in place of the Lich King."
The dread lord forcefully struggles. He had no need to breathe, but his assaulter's grip was turning ice cold. "You fool, Kel'Thuzad! The Lich King's power is fading, his rule will soon come to an end, and so will that worthless human's. When the shades reach my brothers they-"
"No need for empty threats Varimathras," the lich interrupted. He called over several lumbering ghouls over to him. Throwing a satchel at them, he turns back to the dread lord. "I'm afraid I have some rather disturbing news. Your brothers have, how should I say... passed away." The crimson dread lord struggles desperately at the sight of his brother's heads being feasted upon by the ravenous ghouls. "Kel'Thuzad, we can make a deal! I can help you overthrow Arthas and you could rule the Scourge!" the dread lord pleads. Tightening his gripping the writhing demon, the lich growls quietly, "I need not hear the call of the Lich King day and night, dusk until dawn, and my every moment in death to know I serve him. It is known as loyalty, dread lord. In your next life, I hope you learn its true meaning."
Varimathras wails as his throat begins to freeze, until he can cry in pain no longer. Channeling more mana into his body, Kel'Thuzad encases the dread lords horned skull in a thick layer of ice. Backing away, he swings his rusted chains and shatters it. As the flying bits of frozen flesh scatter and fall to the earth, the dread lord's body explodes into a horde of screeching bats. The lich bursts into a sinister laugh as an azure haze seeps from his jaws and gleaming eye sockets. For the first time since his revival, he felt...free. He originally set out only to track the dread lords and report back to Arthas. Instead, he took care of the problem himself. Something wasn't right.
Thin branches and dead leaves scratched at Arthas' disgruntled face as he rode on his mount, still following closely behind Sylvanas. "Months, Ranger, months. Months of absence and you couldn't at least clear a damned dirt path?" he grumbled. Sylvanas continued to run, ignoring him. "I want paved roads between every encampment in the next month," he continued. She couldn't help but roll her eyes in annoyance.
'King of the Scourge, but still nothing more than a royal pain in the ass.'
For once, she didn't loathe having her mouth forced shut. Even as an elf, Sylvanas was never the best at keeping her thoughts to her self. Her only restraint from taunting him was Arthas' waning power to manipulate her, and she had the feeling it wouldn't last. Though, she did not wholly comprehend his sudden lack of control over his minions, she would use it to her advantage soon. 'Holding back isn't going to be easy, but I mustn't let him know something's wrong,' she grudgingly thought to herself. Even now she was trying her best to ward off his lecture about the importance of steady transportation.
"My mount could ride twice this speed, Ranger. Make haste before I trample you!" Arthas shouted ahead to his guide, laughing menacingly. Sylvanas barred her teeth and growled as she quickened her pace and lengthened her strides.
"Have you grown frail you wretched witch?" Sylvanas heard him taunt from a distance, but she could hear his mount rapidly gaining on her. As hard as she tried, she could not outrun the tireless horse.
'He's going to run me down for simple pleasure,' She thought despondently, as she felt the cold breath of the mount tossing her hair. The trampling hooves on her back never came, however. She heard the galloping move to her left and shrieked as she was lifted off her tiring feet. He set her down in front of him and forced the reins into her hands. "My pride stings to be riding on the same horse with something so beastly as you. Just direct the horse in the right direction, Ranger." Arthas continued grumbling about being slow and useless. Though glad she didn't have to sprint non-stop all the way to Lordaeron, she fumed inside and barely managed to suppress an insult rolling off her tongue. Fighting urges to simply ram a poison dagger into his throat, she continued steering the horse towards her destination.
'Soon. My revenge will be sweeter than the ripest fruit in all of Azeroth. I'll make sure you suffer.'