Alright everyone. Break is done and my god it is SO hot here in the UK and I think I might die. Anyway, let's get on with this shall we? Enjoy.
"The weight that has been lifted is unlike any before" Sir Zeliek said as he stumbled to his feet, the Lasso being lifted from him his neck. Both of the large Orcs that held him in place let him go. He turned to look at them and gave them both a nod "thank you my friends"
Both the Orcs remained still for a moment before they nodded awkwardly at him, the Orcs weren't the touchiest feely of races Kal's seen and he doubted it got any better when they turned into undead.
Freeing the rest of the Horseman after Mograine took longer than he would like and time was running out. Even now he could hear the army of undead swarming around the necropolis. Though whether they were defending it or trying to dig others out of the rubble, Kal couldn't tell. Either way he didn't want to risk the enemy getting reinforcements.
The prisoners where all still being taken to safety. It would take time before the drones could come back and help cull the enemy "We need to move" Kal said as others all looked towards him, he moved forward without a word and reached the dark weapon he freed from Mograines grip. Reaching down, he felt sick touching the weapon. The great swords magic was not the most present effect.
He didn't doubt that it would be a lot worse where it not for the ring on his finger. He turned back to Morgraine who was stood still and hadn't said a word since he told the others that they would be free. He stood off to the side and seemed to be looking down at the helmet he threw off himself as he was freed from the control of their master. Walking over to the former leader of all those present, he offered the sword to him "the work is not done yet" he said to him.
The promise of attacking Kel-thuzad seemed to be enough for him to swallow his reservations. His lips pursed and he took a deep breath before gripping the handle of the weapon and holding it tight "Aye" Thane Korth'azz spoke earning the gaze of the others "I'm gonna blow so much flame up'is arse, he'll fly away" the mental image of the violence against the leader of this place seemed to be enough to get all those present eager for a fight.
Kal could see many different smirking, pounding of fists and a couple of growls from others "that's the plan" Kal spoke up earning the attention of the others, all of which turned to face him "Kel'Thuzad is the target, but I need him alive"
"What?" came the voice of Blaumeux, despite her flirtatious attitude earlier, she was now anything but. Not that he could blame her of course, being forced into an undead slave would ruin anyone's attitude. She stood with a hand on her hip and one tightly gripping her staff "you plan not to kill him?" she snarled that last part.
While he didn't doubt that those around him would follow his orders as they felt they owed him a debt for freeing them, he also knew that their desire for vengeance was a strong one and there was a chance they could turn on him if he tried to deny them it. Thankfully he had been prepped on Kel-Thuzad beforehand and had a basic idea of how he worked exactly "first" he said in a firm voice, knowing full well that given the current circumstance, they wouldn't listen to anything other than a voice that held complete authority "killing him right here at this moment is an impossibility. Unless of course you think his Phylactery is here as well. Which is a really stupid thing to consider because the whole point is to keep it for safe keeping, why would he keep it right next to himself where it can easily be..."
"But it is?" the lady said to him, the suddenness of the statement caused Kal's soon to be militarist speech to stop and for him to stop moving closer to her.
He did a double take after a moment "...What?" he asked.
Lady Blaumeux gave him a small shrug "he's keeps his Phylactery on him, like on his person, in his robes" she explained to him.
Kal opened his mouth to retort but stopped himself, he turned and looked over his shoulder towards Mograine who looked back at him, only giving him a small shrug in return. Turning back to the lady, Kal was forced to use his super speed to think of the best argument he could "Ok, if that is the case then that means his chances of escape from me would be even more unlikely" he started to explain, loud enough for all the here "I know what this... monster has done. But I need him alive, I can't interrogate him if he's dead. I need the information he has" he stopped walking just in front of her "he is the second in command, the knowledge he could give might just in the deciding factor in the war to come"
The argument was a fair one, he knew that and based on the on the looks on unease from those around him, they knew it as well. He just hoped that their anger towards the Lich wouldn't be enough to outweigh their desire to end the whole of the Scourge. Thankful it would seem those present still had some self-control as Lady Blaumeux let out an angry sigh before stepping aside and allowed him a clear path towards the entrance they came from, still a very blocked path that would need to be cleared, thankfully he didn't need to worry about being quite now "All of you! With me!" he shouted before his eyes glowed red and to powerful beams shot out and towards the rubble.
Their where very few things Kal was thankful for when it came to the Apokolips war. Like very few. Like he could count them on one hand with fingers to spare, one of them was the numbness to horror. The things he saw the Parademons of Apokolips do, the lieutenants do and of course Darkseid himself do. The horrors that they inflicted and tried to inflict on others. He used to shudder upon thinking about them, when he saw them for the first time he froze.
And when he was in those states of shock, the enemy took advantage of that and did even more damage. Over time he became numb to it all, he just didn't feel the same level of horror that he used too, he still felt terrible, even sick in some places. But he never froze in shock, not for a long time.
Something he was grateful for, now more than ever. He led this force through the ruined necropolis at a fast pace. Not running but not walking either, he knew that there would be a chance that Kel'thuzad would escape but at the same time he didn't think he would try. From what he's been told that lich is one cocky son of a bitch, he wouldn't try and leave unless he had no other choice.
But as they moved, they came across all manner of creatures, the undead, mages, more Death Knights but it wasn't until they entered the ruins of a large hall, there was a huge section of rubble that looked like it fell from the ceiling and landed against the wall that seemed to be enough for the others to climb and take them up to the next level. Though that wasn't what caused Kal to stop moving. No, that belonged to what was stuck underneath the rubble half dead.
He could hear a dozen or so voices calling out in pained whispered "Please... make it stop" the voice of a woman echoed. Kal came to a stop in front of the large abomination that looked very much dead.
"Thaddius" Mograine said as he stopped right next to Kal who stood still as he looked at the creature.
"Mama, Papa... help me" another voice called, this one seemed much younger.
Kal steeled himself and continued to move forward towards the hulking monster. When he did, his stomach dropped even more than it already had. He could just about make out dozens and dozens of different faces, frozen in horror as they tried to free themselves. Each one looked like they were just beneath the skin, desperately try to get out of the large body.
Kal did everything in his power to control himself and remember why he couldn't kill the lich, though every single part of him wanted too, he had to remember the bigger picture. He needed to lich alive, but he was ever going to let this work stand. Without another word, Kal's eyes lit up and the closest Death Knights to him flinched at the heat that escaped from him "aaaaahhhhh!" he gritted his teeth as he heard the final screams come from this monster before going silent.
Nothing was left except for a smouldering hunk of flesh. Using all of his experience, Kal quickly looked over his shoulder towards the others and without a word started to move forward. Stepping on the burning corpse in front of him, he floated into the air and started to make his way up into the air and through the hole in the ceiling. He would have thought that the Death Knights would have needed a minute to climb up after them since they couldn't fly.
Though when he turned around to ask if they wanted a lift, he found himself surprised by the speed of which the Death Knights moved, they ran, jumped, crawled up the rubble with incredibly speed. For a moment it remained him a little of insects, he was just so amazed that they could do this despite the heavy armour they all wore, even the larger Orcs had no trouble with such an act.
He knew that the odds of those who spoke of Death Knights and what they could do were exaggerations, apparently not. He could understand now how they could be called some of the deadliest fighters on the planet, this type of mobility, along with the heavy armour and weapons, the magic, the near unending stamina and no need for food or rest 'these guys would have been useful before' he couldn't help but think to himself as the first of them made it up.
He turned back around and started to walk forward into a large chamber, one that looked familiar to Kal, along with the large dead skeleton in the middle of it "you already killed Sapphiron" Sir Zeliek commented as the rest of the forces started to move forward "that is good, she would have been a powerful enemy"
"You really are full of surprises" Blaumeux added as Kal led the group around the broken body of the dragon but he stopped moving when she asked "have you grabbed the artefact?"
Looking over his shoulder, he turned to look at the woman "what artefact?" he asked her.
Upon hearing the question, the former servant of the Lich King turned and made her way towards the body. The skull more specifically "this dragon has an artifact of the Blue Dragonflight within it. The focusing Iris" her voice became distorted and distance as she crouched and started to crawl inside the back of the skull.
"What does it do?" he asked after her. Not even a moment later she came back out holding something. At first glance it looked like a blue crystal ball, when he looked closer Kal frowned slightly when he made out what looked like an almost ghostly silhouette of a blue dragon flying around inside of it.
"It greatly boosts magical prowess" she explained as she made her way back to him "one small gust of wind could become a hurricane, a pull of the ocean becomes a tsunami" after giving him the basic idea of what it was, Kal had to admit, he didn't feel the best taking it considering his past and even current history with magic.
Though he trusted the reason she was giving it to him was a good one, taking the ball that fit in the palm of his hand, he looked closer, and the cloudy, ghostly visage of the dragon roared mutely before continuing to fly around the inside of it. Making a mental note to look into it and give it back to the dragons later, for now he brough it behind him and too the small of his back. The suit opened briefly and wrapped itself around the artifact, keeping it in place.
He gave the woman a nod before turning and making his way forward. At the far end of the hall, he could make out a blur stream of magical energy that remained him of an elevator. He narrowed his eyes briefly before looking up and through the ceiling, just as he suspected. The Lich was still present in his chamber. What he was doing? Well... Kal didn't know the answer to that one but he would take the fact that he hadn't tried to leave yet as a sign that he wasn't going too. The hole that he made upon his arrival seemed to have been covered by thick ice that he suspected was a lot stronger than cold water.
"All of you, take the lift upwards to his chamber. I'll hold him off until you arrive. Don't take long and remember, I need him alive" he ordered them all and they started moving before he finished.
His legs bent slightly before he shot upwards into the air and through the ceiling.
It wasn't uncommon for Kel'Thuzad to spend most of his time within his own inner sanctum within the top level of Naxxramas. The place he turned into his own personal chamber from which he could continue his great work in the service to the master while at the same time, testing those works against a heavily supply of both the living, who came in the form of those idiotic crusaders and dead in the form of those foolish enough to leave the Lich Kings shadow.
Though he did have a handful of side projects, such as his attempts to reassemble Atiesh, the greatstaff of the guardian.
In a place like this, he was cut off from the rest of the necropolis, it was all the better as it allowed him not to be bothered by his minions. After all, now that he had one of the most capable forces in the world under him, he wasn't needed as much as he used to be. Not to mention that he didn't even want them up here, last time that happened he had to listen to Sir Zeliek's incessant whining.
He would only admit it to himself but it truly was seeing to become an impossibility to shut that damned paladin up. Trying had consumed much of his time.
To be truthful, his time in the Pluagelands was proving to be a very profitable endeavour. His new weapons where being tested and proven to be effective, the Death Knights where getting the training that they lacked and he got to experiment with his own power and create new glorious bodies of the Scourge.
Though things took a turn not even an hour ago, he didn't so much see it as hear it. First it was the alarm telling him and everyone else that someone had managed to infiltrate his home. A feat that was not easily done, when he found that it came from the construct quarter, he was able to use his magic to see into the quarter and the one responsible for it.
He was easy to see, that outfit of his really was something that drew the eye. The weapons as well where nothing to scoff at. Upon seeing him, his interest was immediately peaked. Of course, he was well aware of Azeroth's newest arrival. This Kal-El, a being of what was said to be god like power. The Lich king was very interested in the individual and he himself was as well, he had many questions for the alien and if they were able to kill and raise such a being... he let out a small shudder of excitement at the thought.
The Lich was quick to order most of his forces to the quarter, knowing that this one must be taken at all costs. However, when he did so, he found himself incredibly surprised by something he didn't notice before, but his skeletal jaw dropped slightly when he saw it. His Death Knights were helping him kill the others.
That was when the anger came to him, this interlope was able to free his minions from the control of the master? What manner of magic was this? It should be impossible, but he was looking at it, he could see the Death Knights fighting against their own and following another's orders. For a moment he wondered about what this alien was planning, that was when he saw machines fly in through a hole in the wall and take away the test subjects. The Lich had to resist the urge to role his eyes, of course this one would have the pitiful heroic tendencies.
He was about to go and teleport in there to deal with this alien himself, after all only a master such as himself could be trusted to bring a being of such power back, no doubt it would require a powerful ritual. Though before he had the chance he could see that the alien was gone, the fallen knights seemed to be trying to hold the line against his own forces. He looked away and made for the teleporter, though before he could make it across the chamber the roof blew in right in front of him and all he could do was make out a blur before the floor was shattered by whatever came through from above.
He was so shocked by the sudden attack that he almost missed the shaking of his fortress. He thought that it was another attack, a type of magical artillery. It didn't even occur to him for a moment that someone could even attempt to bring this down. Then he looked out of his balcony view and saw the land getting bigger, he barely had time to use his magic to steady himself before the ground felt like it caved in and he was forced onto the ground, his skeletal face smashing against the ground.
Not even a minute after it happened, just as he picked himself up off the ground. He felt the magical call within his communication orb. Knowing that the only one person had access to such a deceive, he quickly floated over towards it and answered the call. Immediately after he did so, a magical project came to life and he quickly bowed his head at the image that was towering over him "My lord" he said with his raspy voice.
The blue eyes of the Lich King looked down at him "Kel-Thuzad" the master started with his deep, ghostly voice "your control over the forces is slipping. Explain yourself" he ordered quickly.
While he did immediately have a large surge of anger at his skills being questioned but he was quick to put emotions in check. He expected that the masters control of his own forces was a powerful one, so powerful that he would be able to sense if he lost his binding hold over them "Naxxramas has been infiltrated my Lord. The new interloper, the alien. Kal-El has led an assault. The necropolis has been brought down, I do not yet know the scope of the damage. By methods beyond my current understanding, he is able to free those from your control" he said.
The Lich King did nothing but stare at him for a moment "the loss of Naxxramas will be felt but the opportunity cannot be missed. The alien must be given the gift of undeath, with his strength and knowledge. This world shall be mine. I will not accept failure Kel'Thuzard" he ordered him.
Bringing up his bony hand to his chest, he bowed his head again "I shall not fail you my king" was what he said last before the communication cut and the lich had a moment to collect himself and try and figure out what the best plan going forward will be.
Knowing that he couldn't allow something like ego to get in the way of this mission. He waved his hand and made the spell that would give his commands to the horseman, they would meet the alien here and ambush him. Though much to his shock and growing anger, he found that they refused his call. It would seem that they have betrayed him as well.
The anger at the insult was only growing and the lich found his desire to kill this alien only grow. He turned in his place and made to move towards to the level just below him, if the horsemen failed him then Sapphiron would crush them.
Though the lich only made it halfway across his chamber before the floor he sealed blew open yet again, though unlike before the cause stayed present and allowed himself to be seen. The alien came through the floor with both fists out in front of him, he came to a stop at the halfway point between the floor and the ceiling.
It was the first time Kel'Thuzad has been able to see the alien with his own vision, it was in this moment he could understand why this Kal-El would attract such a reaction from other. He made an imposing figure, at first it remained the lich of a young Arthas, he hovered in the air looking down at him with narrowed eyes.
His body was well built, even if he was in the air under a power he did not know. His chest was out and his arms were positioned like he was about to attempt to blow out a campfire, he could see a striking blue colour to his eyes as they were narrowed at him. On his wrists he could see two golden pieces of armour that seemed to be engraved with patterns and words he could not understand, on his waist he could see a golden robe that almost pulsed with magical power. It's only felt one item like that before and it was the helm of domination, that was currently on the head of the master. On the back of the alien, he could see the famous golden trident that was said to match that of Frostmourne itself.
At first Kel'Thuzad thought it nothing more than a superstition, as if any other weapon could match that of the master. The blade that brought back the dead and bound them to the will of the wielder, how could another possibly match it. Seeing it now however, he could believe it, he wouldn't say it does match the power of the Lich Kings blade but he would be willing to test the theory, the power that weapon gave off was incredible.
But the most impressive fact about the being in front of him was the aura of power he gave off. He has only felt such a thing once before, when he was in the presence of Kil'jaeden and Archimonde. That was an impressive feat on its own, now he must do as the master ordered him too "ah, you must be Azeroth's newest arrival. Kal-El, the hero of the shifting sands" he gave the alien a dramatic bow "it is a true honour"
However, the expression on the alien's face did not change. The look of perpetual but controlled anger didn't leave him "you are going to pay for what you have done here lich" he said with a strong voice.
He couldn't help but let out a mental sigh "oh good, another hero here to stop the big bad mage" he said dramatically "as if my death will make any difference" he added.
Kal tilted his head slightly when he heard that "who said anything about killing you?" he asked.
Taking the point easily enough, the Lich lifted his flat hand and a blur swirl of magic came around it, making the call for those around him. He activated the defences he placed in his chamber, not being a fool enough to risk being able to defeat this enemy on his own.
It seemed the alien could hear them coming and he looked around them to the sides of the walls and a dark smirk came on his face, all around him. His minions reanimated themselves and started to move towards the target.
Alright everyone, the delay is now over and I'm back to normal updates. The holiday was nice but we have a heatwave going on at the moment and I hate the heat so I hate it. Either way, I hope to see you all in the next chapter and I'll see you all there.
Next story update: A New Guardian