Karthus held Achlys away from himself & found that the look of contentment on her face annoyed him almost as much as Elise had. But, Achlys was a baby and therefore didn't know to care about the rudeness of spewing all over a person, so she continued to smile and goo happily as the spew slid down her chin and Karthus's robe.

Karthus carries her down to the ocean at once, not even bothering to take the time to command a host of spirits to follow him. He set her down in the grey sand and began to remove the vestments he had kept immaculately for years before. He decided to clean her first though, and removed her swaddling with care. As he did, he found himself grateful for his inability to smell.

"Don't squirm now, little one," he said, picking her up, "and we will have you clean again."

Karthus hovered low to the ground & Achlys was lowered into the water. As soon as her tiny toes touched the water her eyes went wide with shock. She kicked at the waves & whined at Karthus in protest.

"It must be cold for a living thing like you, Achlys," Karthus explained, "everything on the Isles is cold. There is not much I can do about it. You must grow accustomed to this."

Having said his part, Karthus finished plunking her into the surf & began to bathe her with the clean edge of his soiled vestments.

She continued to fidget in the water.

"They are only waves," Karthus said in a reassuring tone, "and I will not let them harm you."

Though still unsure, Achlys settled down. Another minute and she was enjoying herself. She made a pleased hissing noise as she splashed her arms about, soaking the lich further. Karthus put down his cloth & splashed her back. Instantly, Achlys stopped. She looked at him with the intensity as though he had broken a sacred vow.

"Do not look at me that way," he said with a smirk, "you should not splash unless you accept the fact that you may be splashed back."

The shifting sound of sand under hooves heralded troubles far graver than damp sleeves. "You have decided to drown it," the phantom's voice rumbled, "good, but I will do it for you. Let me cleave it in two so that we will be rid of its presence."

"You know I will not do that, Hecarim," Karthus replied as he pulled Achlys close, "unless your memory has failed you within a day."

"I have not failed within a day, Karthus, you have!"

Hecarim's booming voice left Achlys whimpering.

"You've lost your pride," the centaur continued, "you kneel in the sand, soil your robes, and let that thing cover you in vomit."

"And I am willing to pay this price for my charge," Karthus replied calmly as he rose to meet the Shadow of War.

"You surrender your dignity," Hecarim said, unintimidated by Karthus in the least, "but do not shame the Isles by harboring the living."

"You long for bloodshed, my friend," Karthus's hollow eyes starred unflinchingly into Hecarim's as he spoke, "to bring the sweet moment of death to others. I understand. The Harrowing is still moons away and you grow restless. So," his calm voice gained a sharp edge, "why don't you go skewer some fish?"

"Don't speak to me as if I was a whining child," Hecarim roared, "I will have my bloodshed now!"

Before Karthus had a moment to react, Hecarim had reared up and kicked him in the chest. The force of the kick left the lich's bones clattering as he was tossed backwards like a ragdoll into the surf. Hecarim tore the crying child from Karthus's arm and held her aloft.

Before Karthus had even righted himself, he was on the counterattack. His knobby fingers were outstretched, directing the magic that flowed through the wastes of the Isles and commanding it to explode at Hecarim's hooves. The great specter reeled as he struggled to maintain his balance. Again, Karthus struck. The magic burst with a shrieking boom and knocked the glaive from Hecarim's grasp. A third burst had bought Karthus enough time to rise back up.

Hecarim was furious. He stamped his hooves. Sparks flew from where they struck against stone and the bale-fire that enshrouded him blazed like wildfire. From his clenched fist a spell was cast, sending a wave of dreadful energy over the shore. The seaweed was set ablaze in a cold blue fire despite its dampness. Achlys's cries of terror became a shriek of pain.

A rage filled Karthus in that moment the likes of which the lich had never experienced before. Had any gods been looking upon that forsaken beach, they would have seen Karthus's fury to be ten times that of his opponent. Karthus summoned a wall of chilling magic that could slow the movements of even undead creatures, and wrapped it about Hecarim. The brute could feel the dark magic seeping into his being and he saw that Karthus was preparing another salvo of attacks. He knew he wouldn't be able to cleave the child in two, but his mind was set on his goal of destruction.

In one motion, he focused his willpower to overcome Karthus's magic and throw Achlys to the ground. Karthus cursed like a demon as desperation caused him to lunge at the child and Hecarim's raised iron hooves. But he was not fast enough, and he watched in slow motion as his ambitions tumbled towards the black, hard, uncaring rocks of that blighted beach.

Suddenly, it ended. The Mist swirled in from every direction. It rushed past the lich and through the centaur's legs. It poured downwards from the sky and emerged from the waves like black tentacles. And it all converged at the infant and she was saved. The eerily glowing tendrils of vapor cradled her delicately, suspending her inches from the ground. There it cradled her until she was again in Kathus's hands. It washed over her face a final time, soothing her wailing to a whimper, and before dissipating as quickly as it had come.

All Hecarim could do now was trembled at the will of the force that animated him. He was speechless.

"You understand now," Karthus said, "that she is not to be harmed. It is the will of the Isles that she is to be its daughter."

Hecarim lowered his head in humility.

"I acknowledge," he said.

"Then proclaim it," Karthus demanded, "run and let every wraith, phantom, and spirit know that she is to be accepted as one of us. Go."

Hecarim was off like a bolt and left Karthus with Achlys and peace again. Alone, Karthus hugged the infant close to him until her whimpering had stopped and the waves upon the shore were the only sound. Then, Karthus looked down at Achlys and smiled. She smiled back.