Shocking!
As it turned out, the worst was still ahead, as the final quarter held the most abhorrent of the Lich's minions. Skeletons, ghouls, undead scientists and abominations of undeath filled the large hallway they walked into, with a colossal patchwork creature patrolling the corridor.
"So this is what the Lich did for the past few months, while his forces amassed in Azol-Nerub." Vereesa said disgustedly.
"We should end everyone in this place, and put an end to these atrocities against nature," Thrall added in the same tone.
"Invaders!" One of the scientists yelled when they noticed the heroes. "Patchwerk, play time! Deal with our uninvited guests!"
"Patchwerk want to play!" The large abomination roared, before charging towards them.
"Go! I'll take this patchwork creation apart!" Gromm said boldly, stepping forward to face the oncoming giant. "Save some bloodshed for me!"
The others skirted around Patchwerk, moving to cease the undead scientists from furthering their unholy experiments. They made quick work of the nameless, numerous minions of the Lich, before they entered a large room with inanimate abominations around the edge of the room, and a lone, armoured figure in the centre.
"Where be your dragons 'heroes of da Light'?" The enhanced Troll laughed, his black armour seeming to absorb the light around him.
"They're fighting outside, destroying your meagre army!" Alleria laughed.
"And where be my traitorous kin?" the Troll asked.
"Leading an army of Titan constructs," Thrall replied. "Who are you to stand in our way?"
"I be Drakkuru, once a meagre champion of the Drakkari Empire, now I be da first of da Lich King's Death Knights!" Drakkuru boasted. "Tis a shame I must wait to get my revenge on da dragon who killed me, but I stop you..."
"Wait... Onyxia killed you? How the hell are you here?" Vereesa exclaimed, interrupting the Troll's speech.
"Da Nerubians recovered my body before it could be burned," Drakkuru smiled. "Revenge be mine!"
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Alexstrasza came crashing to the ground, completely exhausted after hours of fighting the reanimated Galakrond. Despite every army they had on their side, the reanimated Galakrond tipped the scales in the Lich's favour; even when the undead were wiped out, and the Nerubians retreated underground.
"My Queen!" Ysondre cried, landing beside Alexstrasza and quickly casting healing spells on her ruby kin. "We cannot hold out much longer!"
"I know," Alexstrasza admitted, watching as Galakrond snapped at a passing proto-drake, biting it in half. "But we must buy time for the heroes to defeat the Lich."
"But my queen..." Ysondre began, but Alexstrasza cut her off as she got to her feet.
"We must do anything to defeat the Lich," Alexstrasza stated. "I pray that by defeating its master, this abomination will cease to 'live'."
"And if that is not enough?" Ysondre asked, transforming back into her natural form.
"We must not lose hope young one," Alexstrasza said softly. "When we abandon hope, the enemy wins."
With that the two dragons took off again, prepared to do anything for the greater good.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"I was da first..." Drakkuru gasped, as he collapsed dead before the heroes. "He promised immortality..."
"Troll scum!" Vereesa spat.
"We should keep moving, the battle will be over by the time we're done here." Falstad noted.
They hurried on, surprisingly finding no opposition as they were forced to traverse pipes stained with sickly green ooze. When they reached the end of a long, fetid pipe they found another unfortunate surprise waiting for them at the other end. What they first thought to be a discarded pile of Nerubian and Dragonkin limbs, began to move and unfurl as they watched.
"Behold the once mighty king of Azol Nerub, made stronger in undeath!" The Lich's voice boomed, the pipe they were standing in reverberating slightly.
The Nerubian had clearly rotted slightly in the years since his defeat atop Icecrown, and where Anub'arak once had insect wings, he now had dragon wings made from numerous dragon scales sewn together.
"I live to serve the Lich King once more," Anub'arak groaned as it slowly got to its feet. "You will not reach the master's sanctum."
"What is that?" Alleria asked, sounding clearly disgusted.
"Anub'arak, King of the Nerubians," Sylvanas said quickly. "We killed it when we first defeated the Lich, but it seems that just like its master, he's back with a vengeance."
"Less talk! Let's behead this abomination!" Gromm roared as he charged past them, leaping from the pipe with Gorehowl raised.
Anub'arak smacked Gromm away with his grafted Dragon wings, as if the enraged Orc was a pesky fly.
"Move!" Alleria yelled, as Anub'arak suddenly spat a fireball at them, causing them to leap from the pipe to avoid being incinerated.
Anub'arak charged them, breathing fire at them and flailing his pincers. The Nerubian King forced them to scatter, swatting his wings and slashing at them with his pincers, whilst spitting fireballs at the casters.
"Seems he's learnt a few new tricks," Arthas cursed, avoiding Anub'arak's pincer before trying to smash it with his mace.
"He's delaying us!" Alleria snarled, moving to stand beside Vereesa. "None of his attacks are to kill."
"Then let's force his hand!" Vereesa suggested. "Jaina! We need to slow him down!"
Jaina immediately understood, and the two magi quickly began hurling ice at the swinging pincers. Two of the ice spells collided against the same pincer as it came close to the ground, and succeeded in freezing it in place. Sylvanas slashed both swords down, and severed the pincer in one clean swing, making Anub'arak below in rage.
"Insignificant whelps! You will not stop the master!" Anub'arak roared, as Arthas broke the Nerubian's other pincer when it swung at him.
Falstad and Thrall moved in unison, calling upon the air to buffet Anub'arak until he backed into the centre of the room.
"Move!" Thrall roared, as both he and Falstad raised their hands above their heads.
The heroes hurried into the next room, and before Anub'arak could follow, Thrall and Falstad brought the roof down on the Nerubian abomination, escaping before they were entombed with him.
"What other surprises does the Lich have for us?" Muradin breathed.
"You really shouldn't have said that," Vereesa berated the dwarf.
"Heroes, are you there?" Kalecgos' voice said suddenly from the radio in Vereesa's pocket. "Are you still alive?"
"Yes, we're alive," Vereesa said, pulling the radio from her pocket as they moved through the last few groups of Scourge supporters that stood in their way. "How goes the battle outside? Is your plan feasible?"
"I do not know how the battle is going, but I have sent every one of my kin who can fight to aid our cause," Kalecgos reported. "As for my plan, I believe it will work, but we will only get one chance."
"Care to elaborate about what your plan entails?" Alleria asked.
"Where would be the fun in that?" Kalecgos chuckled. "Besides, I thought mortals enjoyed surprises."
"Well, you may need to take two chances," Sylvanas stated. "While we're fighting through the Lich's worst abominations, Alexstrasza and our allies are battling the Nerubians, Scourge, and a resurrected Galakrond."
"The Lich brought him back?" Kalecgos asked, all humour gone from his voice.
"Yes, and we've no idea how Alexstrasza and the others are coping against him," Sylvanas replied. "Your 'plan' might be needed to defeat it as well... Is that a possibility?"
"I shall endeavour to find out," Kalecgos said quickly. "Fight on brave heroes!"
With that he terminated the call, just as they reached the final room in the abomination quarter of Naxxramas. The room crackled with electricity, and on either side of the room were large electrodes, but it was the centrepiece of the room that drew their attention. A large skeletal construction, held together with patches of different creatures, with two skulls resting atop the abominable construct.
"What the hell is that thing?" Arthas exclaimed.
"Behold my greatest creation, a true wonder of my unholy power and the strength of the Scourge." The Lich's voice boomed. "Rise! Rise and serve your king!"
Electricity shot from the electrodes and hit the construct, and they watched as it began to stir with unnatural life.
"What..." One of the heads said groggily.
"We live, we died, we live again!" The other head cheered, and Sylvanas instantly recognised who was standing before them.
"Cho'gall?" she breathed.
"Who dares..." the first head, Cho, snarled. He then spotted the heroes standing in the entrance of the room, but before he attacked, he became aware of his new form. "What happened to us?"
"You service to the Old Gods ended with your death," The Lich's voice boomed. "Now you serve me in undeath! I have raised you from the death, stronger than ever, to serve my immortal will!"
"We do not serve you!" The second head, Gall, snapped.
"We serve C'thun, not you!" Cho added.
"You failed the Legion..." Gall began.
"I still serve the Legion!" The Lich roared. "I have brought the Wyrmrest Temple crashing down, raised an empire of undeath in the land once ruled by the dragonkin."
"And we've destroyed everything you've thrown at us, and as we speak your 'empire' is being defeated by the united strength of Northrend." Sylvanas yelled.
"Cho'gall, kill them!" The Lich commanded, shocking the abomination with electricity to get it to comply. "Get your revenge on the heroes that defeated you!"
"Fine" Cho snarled, raising its axe, made from dragon bones, with one hand.
"For the masters!"
The skeletal construct raised its axe and charged, and the heroes quickly charged to meet it. The Ogre abomination swung its axe low, forcing the heroes to either dodge it or dive out of its path, which spread them out around the towering foe.
'This is all that stands between us and the Lich,' Sylvanas thought, channelling the Light into her blades. 'I pray that we do not fail in stopping him.'