Arthas gazed down at the small child held tightly in Raenus's arms. The mage had been placed up against a wall. He was still unconscious from whatever spell Raenus had cast on him. However, he would get to the mage in a minute. It was the presence of the child that had Arthas confused, and by the way Raenus was holding him, it seemed the Death Knight had grown a soft side.
"What is this?" the Lich King asked, demanding an explanation, pointing at the child.
"You instructed me to bring you those Stormrider holds most dear," Raenus explained. "These are the ones. There are no others."
Though as heartless as he was, Arthas was not in the business of harming children. The boy was of no threat to him, so why did Raenus bring him? Unless the Death Knight had another reason. Arthas studied his soldier closely.
"What is your wish, Raenus?" he asked.
Raenus frowned in confusion. "My lord?"
"I cannot do anything with a fragile soul such as this," the Lich King said. "What is your wish?"
Raenus felt his dead heart stir. Was his master asking him what he wanted to do with the child?
"I thought...perhaps...he would be a servant to you, my lord," Raenus explained. "With your blessing I would like to train him, mold him to be a powerful weapon to serve you. And...perhaps...serve better as one of your own Death Knights."
And there it was. However, Arthas couldn't deny the lure of the idea. It would hit Stormrider even harder to have her own son turned against her, as well as her mate. He nodded.
"Very well. You may train him," the Lich King said. "And, when the time is right, he shall join us in undeath."
Raenus bowed. "Yes, my lord. Thank you, master."
"Go, now. We have preparations to attend to," the Lich King said.
Raenus bowed deeply and hurried off with the boy still in his arms. Arthas turned to look at the mage. He smiled darkly as Frostmourne began to pulse with dark energy. He was going to have fun breaking this Blood Elf.
Traylon stumbled back as he was struck by a damaging blow. He toppled to the ground, staff rolling off to one side. He groaned as he pushed himself up, panting for breath. The mage looked up to see Raenus stalk up towards him.
"Get up, mage," Raenus snapped, spitting out the title like it was poison.
Traylon struggled to his feet, his legs shaking and refusing to bear his weight. His body shook violently from the cold. His fingers were numb, he couldn't feel his hands anymore. His tattered robes did little to keep the frigid cold out. Raenus spun his sword and swung it in an arch. Traylon barely managed to dodge, his movements impeded by the cold. He winced as he felt the kiss of cold steel against his back as the blade sliced through what remained of his robes.
He didn't know where Thallon was, or if he was even still alive. He turned to look at Arthas, who was watching from a makeshift throne atop a plateau.
"Where's my son, you bastard?" Traylon yelled as loud as his hoarse voice would allow.
The Lich King smiled in amusement. "He is safe. For now. However, your main concern would be to avoid getting impaled by my knight's blade."
Raenus slammed the butt of his sword's hilt in Traylon's temple. The mage, caught off guard, lost his balance and crumpled to the ground again. The snow burned the lacerations on his body. The wounds that had drawn blood had already begun to freeze over. Traylon gasped in pain, from both the wounds and the cold.
"You stole Trisen from me," Raenus snarled, his voice so low only Traylon could hear. He walked over and kicked the mage in the stomach, sending him flying. "That boy was supposed to be my child. She was supposed to wear my ring. Not the ring of some...mage," he spat venomously. "You don't deserve her. She's an instrument of power. You deal with enemies from a distance. You're no warrior, you're a coward; leaving the danger to others."
Traylon yelled in rage and fired off an arcane blast. Raenus easily deflected the weak attack with his sword. The blast hit a wall off to the side. Energy spent, Traylon collapsed to the ground. His breath was raspy and laboured. He was losing the fight, in more ways than one. Was anyone looking for him? Surely Trisen knew he was gone, by now. He closed his eyes, clenching his hands into fists. She would be looking. She wouldn't rest until he and Thallon were found.
Traylon looked up, eyes watering and burning as the tears began to freeze. "She'll find me," he whispered. "She'll come, and mercy will be the last thing on her mind."
Raenus grabbed the back of his hair and yanked Traylon's head up. "I'm counting on it," he snarled.
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