Arthas stood in the ruin of Jaina's room, flabbergasted.
Books were scattered around the room, pages torn and spines bent. Glass bottles were shattered. Sapphire and Jaina had knocked over a lamp, and the bed had caught fire. The two women were sitting on the floor, bloodied, battered, and bruised. Sapphire had bitten Jaina on the arm. Jaina had cut Sapphire's cheek. Blood was running down the girl's neck. Both looked ashamed.
"Sorry, Dad..." Sapphire muttered.
Arthas was not in the mood. He snarled. "Sorry? It's bad enough that Jaina is damn crazy. I thought you were smarter than that!"
The girl looked down. Jaina stood up.
"Don't be a bastard to your daughter. She was coming here to try and resolve our problems!"
"Our problems? We don't have a problem. You have the problem!"
Jaina glared at him, folding her arms. Sapphire worriedly watched them. Her father had on his Helm, so she couldn't see his expression, but he sounded angry.
"Get out," He said. Jaina looked confused.
"Leave my Citadel, and never come back. If I see you again, I will kill you."
The woman narrowed her eyes. Sapphire gasped, and opened her mouth to protest. Arthas turned to her.
"No, Sapphire. I am done. I have been done for a long time."
Jaina just left without a word. Arthas did not watch her. Tryg peeked his head in, and cringed when Jaina passed by him. Sapphire stared at her father. She got up to her feet, silent.
"Here. Let me look at that cut," Arthas sighed. His daughter reluctantly went over to him, and let him examine the line of blood on her cheek.
Sapphire gave him a hard look. "Promise me something."
"What?"
"That you will not go down the wrong path again."
Arthas leaned back. "Now, why would I do that?"
"Your voice...It felt like the bad you was back."
That made her father hesitate. Then, he pulled her into a gentle hug. "I promise, I will not go that way again."
His daughter laid her head against his chest. "You better not."
Tryg came over to them, and spread out his arms. He smiled. "Hugs?"
Arthas groaned. "Fine."
The ghoul hugged both of them, growling contently. There was a thump sound.
"Hey!" Sapphire looked up, and reached to the back of her neck. She held out some snow. They looked to the door.
Angelica stood there, snow ball in hand. Terenas and Calia were with her. Their arms were full of the white, icy balls. Marwyn came into view. His armor was covered in snow, and he was carrying some snowballs too. He was shaking.
"I made Uncle Mar go out into the storm! So fun!" Angelica said.
"Yeah...Fun. Gale force winds, snow blowing into your eyes." The deathknight muttered. Angelica ignored him.
"Sissy and Daddy want to play? Winner gets to be Lich King!"
Marwyn tossed a snowball to Sapphire. She caught it.
"I've always wanted to be Lich King," She said, and backed away from her father. She raised the snowball.
"You know, I am not in a good mood. We can play another-"
Terenas threw a snowball, and hit Arthas in the face. The Helm protected him from most of it. Arthas stood there, then held a hand out. Marwyn obliged him.
"I'm going to murder all of you with snow."
The children screamed, and fled. Arthas ran after them. Sapphire followed, stopping to ask Marwyn one question.
"Has Ethan come home yet?"
"No...I am sure he is fine though. Nicci went to go see him."
"Child! Wake up."
Arty opened his eyes, and a furry face appeared. The mouth opened, tongue rolling out.
"Alfie!" Arty sat up, and hugged the dog, burying his face into the soft fur of the animal. Alfie woofed. Arty was in the guest room that Sapphire always has. He had curled up into the bed, and taken a nap.
Kel'thuzad looked at the young boy. Arty looked up.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you, Great-Grandpa! You are the bestest."
"The proper term is best. Best is a superlative adjective and there is no superlative form of a superlative," Kel'thuzad said matter-of-factually.
Arty stared at the lich. He tilted his head. "Huh?"
Kel'thuzad made a sound of disgust. "Never mind..."
"I love you, Great-Grandpa."
The lich left without a word, floating out the door. Arty frowned, but Alfie licked him in the face. The dog's tail wagged, and he hopped up onto the boy. Arty smiled, and hugged the dog.
"I love you, Alfie. Bestest dog in the world."
Ni'kua, curled up in the corner, lifted his head.
Angelica screamed. A snowball hit her stomach, and she grabbed another. She threw it at Terenas. Calia threw one at him as well. Marwyn got hit by Sapphire, and Sapphire was attacked by Arthas. She used her magic, freezing the ground beneath him. Arthas fell with a crash.
"Foul! You can't use magic," Arthas snarled.
Sapphire laughed darkly. "Yes I can. Angelica?"
"She can use magic. You can't!" The girl shouted, and threw snow at her father.
"Bullshit..."
Marwyn tossed Arthas a snowball. "Language!"
Arthas got to his feet and was about to attack Calia, but froze. He stood there, arm held up. The snowball fell from his hand, exploding into a pile on the ground.
"No..."
Sapphire laughed. "What's wrong? Getting tired, old man?"
Her father turned to her. "New Alterac..."
The girl frowned, and looked at the kids. They were all looking at the adults. Marwyn and Arthas had a silent conversation. Sapphire could see it in their postures. The servant turned to the children.
"Okay, Kids! How about I take you guys to see Glacier? You like the Dragon Momma, don't you?"
Terenas stared at his grandfather. "What's happened?"
"Go with Marwyn, Terry," Sapphire said, her voice turning serious.
"But-"
"Now!"
The boy sighed, and left. He gave the two one last look. Arthas was staying something to Sapphire.
"What about Ethan?" She demanded. Arthas shook his head.
Adalger lurked in the shadows. He watched the snowball fight with his elven companion. They were hidden well, not even the Lich King noticed them. Too busy entertaining with a bunch of brats. Adalger hated children. But they were like puppies. He could break their spines easily.
They watched Arthas freeze. Quickly, Adalger fled. No, it would not do to get caught now. His partner, as soon as they were far enough, hissed.
"So close...Oh, the smell of her blood is intoxicating."
Adalger growled. "Shut up. It was I who brought you back into this world. If anything, I get to bleed her first."
"You can have your brother. I want Sapphire," The elf growled. Adalger knew this was going to be a problem. But he felt like he could get all the help he could. The elf bitch wasn't going to help him.
The two heard voices, and watched as the deathknight servant took the children down the hall. A white haired boy, looking stern like Adalger's father always had. The black haired girl was looking around boredly. Adalger looked at the blonde girl. She was holding the deathknight's hand, smiling. He waited until they left.
"...I see a compromise. Do you like children, Zyperias?"
Ethan saw the smoke rising. It wasn't like the smoke from chimneys, thin light grey wisps rising up into the sky. No, this was a billowing cloud of nearly black smoke. He could smell it.
Nicci stood next to him, along with his group of worgen. They had taken out the other ships, with Nicci's added magic. It had been relatively easy. They had not expected anymore trouble.
Ethan got down on all fours, and loped off toward the smoke. He ran through trees, startling a herd of shoveltusk. Birds cried out above. Ethan ignored them. His paws ripped up grass and dirt from the ground in his haste. When he got to a nice outcropping of rocks, where he could overlook the city, Ethan stopped. He and Sapphire had came up here on a picnic once, because the view was so nice.
It was not now. The city of New Alterac was on fire. Ethan could hear screams. People were fleeing from the city. A frostwyrm roared from above, attacking a flying zeppelin. Explosions wracked the buildings. Ethan saw green haze. He stared in horror.
Just in time, he heard a large blast from the park. He whipped his head in that direction, and saw the statue of Arthas cracking. It crumbled, breaking in half. The top half of Arthas's body went crashing down the cliff, taking a large percentage of the rocky ledge with it, no doubt tumbling down to crush the buildings of the harbor below.
Ethan threw his head back, and howled. Howls rang through the city, over the sounds of the explosions. Distant howls could be heard from the Keep. Hopefully, someone will be able to free the dogs from the kennels. If Ni'kua had stayed, he could have done it. The plaguehound knew how to unlock doors and gate latches.
Nicci came up to him, followed by his raiding group.
"We have been betrayed," The woman said.
Randall raised his head when he heard footsteps. Sapphire was walking down the hall, hugging her cloak tightly around herself. She sighed.
He approached her, and Sapphire froze. She looked at him warily.
"Dear Lady Calwood-" He started, but Sapphire scowled.
"Menethil. I kept my last name."
"Forgive me. Lady Menethil. I heard about New Alterac, and I wanted to see if you are all right."
"I am fine, Deathknight. Is that an Alterac accent I hear? What's your name."
Randall nodded. "Randall, and I do indeed have an Alterac accent. Very observant."
"I'm married to the heir of Alterac's kingdom. I think I would know an Alterac accent when I hear one," Sapphire snapped.
He looked at the girl in concern. "I...I am sorry. I didn't mean to offend."
Sapphire sighed, and covered her face. She sniffled.
"I am sorry...I am worried for my husband."
Randall gave her a sad look. He went over to her, and held a hand up.
"Your father has given me the task of guarding you. I protested, but I am afraid he insisted. Will you allow me to do my duty?"
Sapphire gave him a suspicious look. She did not look like she would trust him. Understandable. Randall would tell her who he was, but Arthas had told him not to tell the truth to Sapphire. It was a secret, one that Randall hated to keep.
"I will see if that is the case," Sapphire said, holding up her head proudly.
Randall followed her. He had a limp, from his days when he was living. The limp had been caused by a hunting expedition gone bad. The man never complained. It never hurt much, but it did cause him to walk with a cane for the rest of his life. Arthas had offered to get him a cane, but Randall had refused. He would suffer for the bad things he had done while alive. Even though he felt no pain, the limping was harder on him.
The two went to the private quarters of the Lich King.
Flames leaped up around Ethan. The heat and smoke caused tears to form in his eyes. Screams and battle cries rang out around them. Next to him, Nicci coughed. She held up a scarf over her face, the hood of her robes covering her head. Ethan had ordered her to stay away, but the necromancer had refused.
"All of this? To save a bloody crown?" The woman demanded, anger in her voice.
Said crown was nestled in Ethan's arms. The blue jewel was glowing red from the flames around them.
"Hey, Arthas gave it over to me for safe-keeping. I am not just going to let it fall into the wrong hands, and be melted down. And we are also looking for survivors."
A wooden beam from a house fell across the way in front of them. Ethan winced as embers flew into his fur.
"Two more, over there!"
Ethan looked back, and saw a group of undead. A dark ranger shot at him, but he ducked. Ethan snarled, baring his teeth at them. Nicci summoned up a wall of fire, between them.
Ethan clambered over the wooden debris, hurting his hands and feet. He reached out to Nicci, and picked her up. He hopped down, and the two fled down a street. Ethan knew where they were. He pointed to a street.
"We need to go there. It'll eventually lead us out."
The woman nodded weakly. She wasn't the best necromancer and mage, so the spells she had been doing had taken its toll on her. Ethan took her gently by the arm.
"I told you not to come."
"You needed help."
He was grateful for it, but Nicci was definitely not feeling well. Running through the streets, the smoke was becoming thinner and thinner. There were no survivors that Ethan could see, and he could not smell because of the smoke. They make it through the city, into the outskirts near the farms.
Ethan shook himself, and sniffed the fresher air. He sneezed.
Everyone would be all right, he said to himself. He was more concerned right now about what to do. He needed to get to Icecrown. Nicci was too exhausted to make a portal. The only way to get there would either walk all the way, or walk to Calwood Lodge and get a horse. Gryphons were disgusted with undead. Skeletal Gryphons were rare, because to get one would mean killing a living one. And there were no gryphons in Northrend. The proto-drakes are all with Tanomoan. And there were not that many frostwyrms either.
Ethan looked to the north, and started walking. Nicci followed.
Before they got far, Ethan heard something like the twang of a bowstring. Pain exploded in his shoulder, and he roared in anger. He looked at it. An arrow was imbedded in his shoulder. Nicci gasped, and reached for it. Wincing, he looked back.
Another arrow went for Nicci, but Ethan pushed her away. The arrow hit him in the back, and he yelped.
"Nicci! Go!"
The mage looked at him, then obeyed. She ran as fast as she could. Ethan turned to look at the enemy, but he couldn't feel his paws.
"Stupid mutt."
Ethan looked up at Sylvanas Windrunner. He tried to hide his fear. "Stupid bitch. Do you know who I am?"
"The son-in-law of the bastard Arthas Menethil," The Banshee Queen said. She grabbed the arrow from his shoulder, and ripped it out. Blood sprayed up. Ethan growled.
Arthas's arm fell limply to the side of the sofa. A loud snore woke up Rot and Terra, who were curled up in another chair. A bottle dropped from the man's fingers, rolling along the metal floor. Two other bottles, bone-dry, were laying on the floor.
Sapphire sighed. Not enough to get the Lich King drunk, but enough to dull the emotional pain.
Chains hung from the ceiling, informing Sapphire that the room used to be a torture chamber. The tools of causing suffering had been removed, and the blood cleaned up. A drain in the middle of the floor had been ripped out, replaced with a fire pit. There were no windows, so to make it more homely, sofas, and chairs had been put in. Tasteful paintings made the harsh metal walls warmer.
Arthas was curled up on a sofa. His armor had been shoved in a corner, and his snoring reminded Sapphire of a big bear growling in its sleep. Angelica, sweet and caring, had dragged a pillow and a blanket for her father, draping the blanket on his body. The pillow was placed on top of his head, slightly dulling the sound of the snores. Three penguins were nestled in the crook of Arthas's other arm, calmly sleeping with the cruel and deadly Lich King.
Sapphire planted her hands on her hips.
"Dad...Dad! Wake up, you drunkard!"
She picked up the pillow, and smacked the Lich King in the head with it. He groaned.
"What do you want?"
"This deathknight says he's to guard me...Who is he?"
Arthas looked up at Randall.
"He's fine, Sapphire. I doubt anyone else would guard you so well."
"That doesn't answer my question."
"And nothing will. Just trust me...Now give me that," Arthas snatched the pillow from Sapphire, and placed it over his head. The penguins didn't like their nest moving, and hopped off him. Arthas did not notice.
"But-"
"Sapphire...Go away."
The girl scowled. "Rude."
She walked off, slamming the doors behind her. Randall turned to follow her, but Arthas spoke up.
"Good luck," Arthas said, smiling darkly.
Angelica sighed. Marwyn and Falric were playing a game. She watched them for a while, but got bored. They were being annoying, claiming the other cheated. Angelica looked around. Calia was with them, equally bored.
"Hey, Cousin! You want to see something cool?" The girl asked.
Calia raised an eyebrow. "What's cool here?"
Angelica stood up. "Come on!"
The two left. Neither deathknight noticed.
Angelica took Calia down to the depths of the Citadel, avoiding undead and guards. The two were small, making it simple. It grew colder as they went deeper. Calia grew more curious. Surely only cool stuff would be this deep down.
The walls were covered with ice. Torches burned low, giving off little light. At the end of one hall, there was a pair of double doors.
"Come on," Angelica said, walking forward. She went right up to the doors, and opened it. Calia frowned.
"That easy?"
"Yeah. Daddy said once only he can enter this room, but once I tried when he was gone. I can open it too!"
Calia smiled. "Cool."
The two girls entered the room. Nothing but a table sat in the room. Calia sighed. "Boring."
"No, no! There's metal on the table. It's so weird."
Calia climbed up onto the table. Angelica was tall enough to see it. Cali frowned, looking at all of the broken shards. She was confused.
"What's this doing here?"
"I dunno. Cool, huh?"
There was a broken sword hilt. Calia looked interested.
"Hey, that looks like that thing on Granddad's statue. It's the broken sword thing."
The girls looked at it curiously. One shard out of all of them was glowing brightly, blue sparks coming off of it. Calia reached out to touch it. As soon as her finger made contact with the smooth metal, she screamed.