The Pit of Saron rang with the sounds of metal on metal. Duskcoat scratched and clawed at the Lich King's armor, but to no avail. Trisen and Solanlan battled in close combat while Sairexanaris fired off arrow after arrow. The Lich King roared and swung his sword in a downward arch. Trisen and Solanlan were thrown back, landing a few feet away. That's when they heard a blood curdling scream of pain. The friends turned to see Sairexanaris on his knees, his hands to the right side of his face. Blood poured from in between his fingers.
"Sai!" Solanlan cried, scrambling to his feet and over to his friend.
"My eye," Sairexanaris groaned. "My eye."
"Bastard!" Trisen screeched as she threw herself at Arthas, axes posed to strike.
"I will have my vengeance," the Lich King declared. "One way or another. If I cannot have the mage, then I will have the hunter and paladin."
Trisen slammed her axes into Frostmourne's blade. The blast of energy meant for her friends was directed upward. Solanlan wrapped Sairexanaris's right eye in a thick, heavy bandage. With the cold, the blood was already beginning to clot.
"Can you still fight?" the paladin asked.
The hunter picked up his bow. "Until my last breath," he replied.
Solanlan smiled and nodded. He picked up his sword and rushed to help Trisen. The Lich King had her pinned to the ground, one foot on her chest. He had his sword raised about his head.
"No!" Solanlan roared, leaping into the air.
He swung his sword down at the same time Arthas moved his. Trisen closed her eyes as Frostmourne shattered. The fragments scattered to the four winds.
"Never again, Arthas," Solanlan said.
Trisen scrambled to her feet as Solanlan brought the Lich King to his knees. Arthas suddenly lashed out, going for Trisen. She brought her axes down against the back of his neck. The Lich King's body fell with a thud to the ground, his head rolled to one side, crown still attached.
"That's lucky," Sairexanaris commented.
"How so?" Solanlan asked.
"I was on my last arrow," the hunter replied.
Trisen laughed, despite the situation. She holstered her axes and bent down, taking a hold of the crown. When she lifted it up, Arthas's head fell out. Her stomach lurched. Well, she did vow to cleave his head from his shoulders. Sairexanaris stumbled his way over to them, using his bow as a walking stick. Duskcoat never left his side.
"Now what?" he asked.
"We give the crown back to its rightful owner," Trisen replied.
"And, what about him?" Solanlan asked, pointing towards the cave.
Trisen turned to see Raenus standing in the mouth of the cave. "He's no threat. Let him bury his master. Our business here is done."
The small group of three left the Pit and headed for the summit of the citadel. Solanlan and Sairexanaris waited down below as Trisen walked up the steps and placed the crown back on Bolvar Fordragon's head. The ice that had been shattered closed in when the crown was back where it belonged. Trisen headed back down to where her friends were waiting.
"You okay, Tris?" Sairexanaris asked.
Trisen nodded. "Yes, Sai. I am." She smiled. "The nightmare is finally over."
Traylon cried out in his sleep, tossing and turning in bed. Zorrion stood in the doorway of the room, watching his brother. They were in the Healer's Pavilion in Dalaran, and even though Traylon had been fully healed physically, his mental state had yet to recover. Yazzoo said that Traylon might never be the same again. Arthas had pushed him over the edge. All they could do was wait and see what happened.
Zorrion hoped Arthas was dead. He deserved nothing less for what he did to his brother. Traylon continued to whimper in his sleep, curling into a ball and shivering. Zorrion walked over to the bed and saw down in a chair next to it, taking Traylon's hand in his. The familiar touch seemed to calm the distressed mage down. Footsteps shuffled into the room. Zorrion looked up to see Yazzoo enter.
"Are they back?" the youngest asked.
Yazzoo nodded. "They got back not too long ago," he replied.
"Is he...?"
Trisen suddenly appeared in the doorway. She held Thallon in her arms. Trisen hurried over to the bed.
"Tray," she breathed in relief, kissing the top of his head. "How is he?"
"Fighting nightmares," Yazzoo told her. "Which is to be expected. He was captive for a month."
Thallon reached out towards Traylon. Trisen gently lowered him on to her husband's chest. Thallon cuddled into his father and Traylon put an arm around him protectively.
"How's Sai?" Yazzoo asked.
"The healers couldn't save his eye," Trisen explained solemnly. "They had to remove it."
Yazzoo nodded in understanding. At that moment, Rodonov, Tomparis, Solanlan and Sairexanaris walked into the room. Sairexanaris had a patch covering his empty right eye socket. Zorrion pointed to the patch.
"That's a good look for you, Sai," he commented. "Gives you that air of mystery. It'll certainly drive the girls crazy."
Sairexanaris rolled his remaining eye. "Yes, because that was my reason for getting my eye ripped out of the socket," he said.
Solanlan chuckled. "Leave him be, Zor. We all need some time to ourselves after this whole ordeal. Perhaps a relaxing trip to Thunder Bluff is in order."
"Moo cows," Thallon called out excitedly.
Traylon reached up and ruffled his son's hair. "Indeed, little one," he said. "A trip to Thunder Bluff sounds nice."
Trisen put a hand on her husband's arm. "When you're good and able, dear mage of mine," she said.
Traylon took her hand and kissed it. "I am good and able, now, little Death Knight," he assured her.
"Moo cows," Thallon declared again.
Trisen picked him up. "If that is your wish, dear husband."
"Been a while since someone said that to me," Traylon said. He smiled. "It's nice."
Trisen leaned down and kissed him on the lips. "Whatever you desire, Archmage. It shall be yours."
Traylon grinned slyly. "Whatever I desire?" he asked, pulling her closer. "I can think of a few things."
"Guys? Other people?" Zorrion said.
"I think we should leave them alone," Solanlan said with a smile.
The others left the room, leaving the family of three alone to have some time together. Trisen sat down on the bed, putting Thallon on the bed next to Traylon. She lay down and put her head on Traylon's chest. To be here with him, to hear his heart beating, to feel him breathing, it was nothing short of a miracle. And with Arthas finally dead and buried where he belonged, nothing could ruin this moment.
"I love you, Tray," Trisen whispered.
"I love you, too, Tris," Traylon answered.
"For now and always," they finished in unison.
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