Ok all, Enjoy
"AAAAAAHHHHHH!" Clark took no pleasure as he watched the woman scream under him. The being that he knew was called the Valkyr thrashed under him as she did everything they could to try and free herself from his grip but nothing she could do would help her. If he were a cruel man, he would have pulled harder and ripped the wings from her back, he would have caved his head in with his boot. But despite it all, he wasn't evil.
As Clark stood on the woman's back with a wing in each other his hands, his legs spread as one rested in between her shoulder blades and the other just on top of her tailbone. His eyes lit up and a quick beam was fired and went through her head and brain. Her body stopped moving and went still in his grip. He didn't know the exact science and biology of this creature and the others like it but they didn't seem to be undead.
Something he could think about later, stepping off the dead woman he turned towards the large chamber and the centrepiece of it. He moved forward towards Mograine as he was dispatching some undead who tried to swarm around the large green dragon as it lay there helpless, they tried to help it.
That help comes in the form of multiple sentinels flying around the dragon and doing their best to heal the wounds that kept it down. The ground all around them was littered with bodies in different stages of decay, while he dealt with many of them and the Valkry. Mograine was doing everything he could to keep them off of the dragon, in truth, Clark had no idea this dragon was there. They left the crimson hall and moved to the third and final chamber to bring down the undead dragon called Sindragosa.
The fact this green dragon was here was just a coincidence, but they weren't going to leave this one on her own. It looked like it was nearly all done anyway. Kal moved closer to the dragon, more specifically the spot where a large gash used to be on its side but now thanks to the white beams being fired from the sentinel's eye and towards the wound. Unlike other times when it was a powerful violent beam of destruction. This time around it was a calm and gentle light that gave off a comforting warmth and Kal watched as the open wound started to slowly stitch itself back together and undoing the damage that was caused.
As soon as the dragon was healed the once half-lidded eyes opened wide and strong legs lifted the green-scaled dragon up off the ground "I AM RENEWED" she yelled as she spread her wings wide and let out a loud roar "Yesra grant me the favour to lay these foul creatures to rest!" a green cloud started to appear above her head and as she spread her wings the cloud spread throughout the entire chamber.
Kal didn't know what to expect but he assumed that it was not going to affect him, thankfully he was right. As the cloud washed over him nothing happened, he didn't know what the thing was for until he looked down and the dead bodies started to fade away into nothingness. Kal found himself impressed by the display, nothing was left at all, not even ash "You have my eternal thanks, my friends" she bowed her head to them as Mograine moved over towards Kal "I can sense the battle happening outside, I must join my brethren in battle and with the path now open. The dark master is exposed" she said to them as the ground underneath them started to turn from the dark stone and into a peaceful grass field.
He didn't know what she was doing though he had an idea that it was some type of teleport or portal that she was making "Wait" Mograine was quick to say before the dragon could leave "What do you mean the way is open?" he asked.
The large head turned to look at him "I can sense the death all around us" she started to explain "not just for you mortals but my own kind as well, the battle taking place near is large, brutal and bloody. I can sense the death of my Kin. Sindragosa is gone, and with her end…"
"The path is open" the former Death Knight spoke aloud, finishing the sentence for the dragon.
Said dragon nodding her head back to him "Indeed, you now have your chance to end this madness. I wish you both the best of luck" The magic grass started to grow larger and flowers started to sprout all around them. Then with a burst of pleasant-smelling wind, the large dragon faded from being until there was nothing there, not the worst way to teleport oneself.
But Kal didn't really take a moment to think about how a dragon would go about teleportation, they had a more important thing to concern themselves with. With one of the most powerful followers of the Lich King now dead along with all the others, the way up the central spire has now been unlocked and the path the Frozen Throne freed up for them to use.
Based on the way Mograine turned to look at him, he was thinking the same thing. It was time to stop this madness and bring this evil to an end before it could get any more powerful "Are you ready for this?" Kal asked the man who started to walk back the way they came and back to the central spire.
"I don't know" he answered honestly "But what I do know is that we have a chance to end this now, we need to take it before it's too late" and that was all that needed to be said on the matter as Kal nodded his head and started to walk beside him.
The teleport flashes around them without much pomp and ceremony, one minute they were inside the inner spire of the Citadel and the next the two were now standing at the very peak of the dark fortress. For Kal, it took only a single second to take everything in and see the world around him. He noticed the solid ice ground that made up the peak of the spire and the dark metal spikes that went up all around them making it almost seem like they were in a cage. There looked to be intricate metal plates placed on the ground all around them that looked to go into the shape of runes of some kind.
Then there was the fighting, Kal didn't want to focus on that when he had to worry about all the traps and enemies while they were in the citadel but now that they were once again outside, he could take in what he was missing. He could hear it all nearby, the attacking army, the shouting, screaming, the death, all of it. When he looked into the corner of his eye, he could make out a red dragon battling with an undead one, the two large bodies clawing at each other as they fell from the sky. A sky that was once again starting to darken, what he did earlier to push the dark clouds away and shine the sundown on this was only now being stopped. It didn't help the fact that the sun was now setting and with that an even more oppressive atmosphere.
He let out a mental sigh as he thought about it 'Why couldn't they have agreed beforehand?' he asked himself. Now his plan to save all the Death Knights was out the window and so many more innocents were going to die as a result. But that was something he could feel sorry over later, right now they had something else to deal with.
Turning his attention forward, he made out what he realised must have been the frozen throne itself. A large frozen peak within the spire that one could access through a staircase of ice led to a literally frozen throne, a large chair made of the same ice as the ground they were standing on.
Then there was the man himself, the large figure in dark armour was sitting on his throne seemingly in a trance, for a moment Kal thought that this was needed in order for him to control and command the Scourge but that idea was put to bed quickly the glowing blue lights that made up his eyes turned down to focus on the two of them. Kal had to admit though, it was fast. He was still moving at his own fast speed and the fact this man's eyes turned to look at him at all in this time showed he had some speed of his own. But that wouldn't help him, Kal took a moment to look at the man himself, trying to look into his body but to his annoyance found that he couldn't. It wasn't a complete surprise when one considered the amount of magic involved in all of this. Since he couldn't look into his body he did the next best thing and looked at the armour. While it too was protected from his sight he could still see enough to tell him that whatever it was, it wasn't metal but something else.
Then there was the blade that started all this. The fabled Frostmourne was imbedded in the ground next to his right armrest and just looking at it made Kal feel uneasy. Kal wouldn't deny that the blade was beautifully crafted in its own completely evil way. When he looked at it, Kal felt that it was staring back at him. When he listened, it was like he could hear the screams of the souls that were trapped within it.
This ended right here right now. Time returned to its normal speed and both Kal and Mograine stepped forward off the platform and towards the centre of the spire's peak. Kal's golden trident tapped against the ground as he held it to his side while his partner put his rifle away and now gripped his weapon in both hands, the plasma field activating immediately.
"So, the lights vaunted justice has finally arrived?" the man on the throne spoke as he slowly came to his feet his arms waving back and forth as he started to move down the stairs, the blade simply moving into his hand without him even picking it up "shall I lay down Frostmourne and throw myself at your feet while begging for mercy alien?" he said to them as he reached the base of the stares and now stood at the same level as them.
"You don't need to beg" Kal spoke as he took a single step forward and tightened the grip on his weapon "You're getting mercy one way or the other" his voice was calm and collected, yes he had every right to be nervous or on edge but Kal has stood in front of Darkseid, this man was tiny in the face of that evil "I have been told your story Arthas, I don't know how I'm going to save you, but I promise to whatever humanity is left in that body that I will. You will be free from the pain you're in" he stated.
The Lich king immediately began to laugh at his words "Oh truly? How one with such power can be so naïve. This world will freeze under the cold winds of the Scourge, and it begins with you" he raised up Frostmourne and pointed it outwards at Kal "with you as my slave this world shall for quickly and with your technology all others who come here will meet the same fate. You're coming here has only hastened my plans"
"So be it" Kal said as he accepted that his offer was going to be denied, it always was.
There was a single moment of silence before the dark lord gripped his sword in both hands and charged forward towards them. Kal had to admit that whatever magic in this man was strong, he moved at a fast speed, nearly the speed of sound. But it was little in the face of him. Kal brought up his trident and flipped it in his hand. The golden metal met the dark silver and Kal was surprised that the blade didn't shatter immediately.
There was a small shock wave from their weapons meeting and he was ready to deliver a solid kick to the man's chest, the plan of knocking him back to the stairs and bringing him down. But there was something that he didn't expect. Before he could move for the attack, there was a flash and before he could do anything, his eyes locked onto the cold stare of the weapons hilt and he found himself frozen in place. A type of fear seemed to paralyze him in place, something that shouldn't be possible considering all that he had seen before.
But it happened and he was powerless as the Lich King parried his weapon that he was able to keep a grip on but he couldn't bring it back in time to stop the strike that was coming to pierce his chest. But thankfully, he wasn't alone.
Mograines great sword slashed upwards and forced Frostmourne to miss his chest and skim just past his ear as he found himself unable to move. Kal watched as Mograine shoulder barged the Lich King back a couple of feet and twisted in place, bringing his weapon around and the two swords clanged into each other. Their heads came close together as their weapons created an X in between them "You will pay for what you did!" the former Death Knight shouted before head putting Arthas which would normally be a bad idea. He had his helmet that was made of some strong stuff and the lord of the Scourge stumbled slightly.
Mograine didn't doubt that the man would have taken a moment to gloat or monologue or both. But he didn't give him the chance and charged back in, Kal must have been affected by a power fear spell. A very powerful one if it was able to get through to him, he would break out of it, there was no doubt there. He just needed to buy him time to snap out of it.
The two large swordsmen battled each other with Arthas being pushed onto the back foot thanks to a combination of ferocity and tech. His armour was blocking out whatever spells that the man would throw at him and his blade was able to hold its own against the legendary dark blade.
Kal watched with wide eyes as he couldn't break himself free from whatever spell was placed on him. He could see the two men fighting in front of him but it was more than that, he could hear the sounds of tanks and fighter jets, and he could hear the screams of the Parademons. The war against Darkseid was echoing in his mind and he couldn't shake it, this spell was giving him his worst fears while at the same time amplifying the emotions that came with it.
He hated this, he hated not being able to help his partner, he hated being forced to watch as his partner fought on his own against the one they were here to stop. He needed to think of a way to free himself, the ring on his finger should have protected him but didn't, another piece of proof that this was either really strong or sneaky, he needed something else.
That was when he realized that he did have a way to free himself. The lasso was still on his belt and there was no doubt that would work. He could do that, all he had to do was touch it and he was sure that would be enough.
"Ah" a pained yell caught his attention, and he looked back up to see Mograine to a slash to his arm that went deep into the plate he wore. He scowled as he moved his will towards his left hand, his fingers to be specific. He just needed to extend them inwards slightly.
Mograine grunted as he blocked another blow from Frostmourne he found himself once again on the back foot. He was well aware that Arthas was supposed to be an incredible warrior, but he never saw it for himself. It started to show now, he moved back and he both blocked and parried the blows from the deadly blade that would no doubt turn him back into the slave if it caught him. But he wouldn't let that happen, never again.
"I shall freeze you from within" the monster called to him as he turned in place and slashed with a powerful force that he should not have. Even though Mograine blocked with his own blade, the blow knocked him from his feet and he flew backwards and landed on his stomach "until all that remains is an icy husk!" as he picked himself up he was able to see Arthas grip Frostmourne in both hands and stab it into the ground. As soon as he did, large cracks spread out from the point of impact and moved all the way to the edges of the spire, the necromantic blue light shined up from them and he picked himself up as quickly as he could.
The ground started to rumble all around him and before he was even back on his feet again, he was forced to dive forward just as the ground under him gave way and fell towards the ground. But he didn't make it all the way to safety. Mograine was halfway safe before the ice fell and he was left hanging on the edge. He was able to throw his sword a couple of feet further so it didn't fall to the ground, he wasn't a weak man but at the moment he found himself unable to pull himself back up to the top.
Through his helmet, he looked up to see the figure of the Lich King move to stand over him. Those glowing blue eyes staring down at him with a blank expression. He gritted his teeth as he tried to pull himself up but he was quick to realize the more pressure he put on his hands the more he started to slip off "Once again, you find yourself at my feet. The great Paladin brought so low, first by your son and now because of your so-called only hope" he didn't look but nodded his head in Kal direction. Arthas lifted Frostmourne and pointed it at his hand "Do not fret, the darkness of death will only be a moment of time before I bring you back into my service" he added. He tried to think of a way out of this, he could let go. Fall the ground while he tried to fire a shot with his rifle, it might be the best choice.
There was a flash of movement and Mograine watched with no small amount of relief as Kal came out from behind Arthas and twisted his trident before slamming it into the Lich King's chest. The black armoured figure flew back through the air and landed at the stairs of the throne, cracking them as he did so. Kal quickly reached down and grabbed Mograines wrist, pulling him up and even throwing him a couple of feet towards his weapon, he landed on his feet and bent down as he grabbed his sword and gripped it tightly as Arthas started to pick himself up off the ground.
"That was a dirty trick your highness" Kal spoke as he walked towards his partner, who noticed that while he held his trident in his right hand, the lasso that was once on his waist was now wrapped around his left wrist and gripped in his hand, it's golden light shining brightly "But it won't work again" he added as his trident span in his hands before he pointed it at him.
There was a small grunt coming from the Lich King before he stood up and quickly slammed the blade into the ground and the two attackers stood on guard as a wave of thick blizzard wind came from the hilt before rapidly spreading over the entire upper spire.
It was immediately clear to Kal that this was magical in some way based on how the cold was affecting him and he couldn't see through it. If he wasn't wearing the ring, he doubted he would be able to move at all based on the frost build-up on Mograines armour "Move" he said quickly and the two found themselves back-to-back as they started to slowly walk sideways, the two spinning in place as they looked in both directions.
They both held their weapons tightly as they stood ready for whatever Arthas was going to try "Frostmourne hungers for your soul" There was a flash of silver in the corner of Kal's eye and he quickly raised the shaft just in time to block the evil blade as the enemy struck. Just as he parried the attack, he turned his weapon and slashed against the Lich King's chest but just before he could, the enemy's body seemed to turn into snow and blew away with the wind. Another point to this whole thing being on a large spell.
As the body disappeared, he hopped back to Mograine and the two continued their watch.
The pattern repeated itself five more times, Arthas would appear and attempt to strike them, but he would be blocked and countered though he would always escape "We can't do this forever" Mograine said after the fifth attempt.
"We don't need to" Kal said back as he braced for another attack that didn't come but he could hear the sounds of large rocks being moved and broken up "We just need to outlast him" Then the spell was broken, he saw it immediately. A large black object is thrown towards them through the snow and wind. It was coming quickly but it was far too slow for Kal to not be ready for it, he took a step away from Mograine and raised his left hand into the air. The point of the large rock shard collided with the middle of his left bracelet and the result was the large black rock shattering before him.
As the chunks of rock fell to the ground the wind started to die down and the snow stopped falling "Valkyr!" they heard him shout as his body started to form back into something solid. Kal immediately charged him with the intent of ending this right here, but he couldn't.
The cold around him was biting into his bones, it was slowing him down. By the time he brought his trident down on the man, he was able to bring up Frostmourne and block it. His attack definitely had more strength than what Arthas was used to based on the way the ground under him cracked as his legs strained to keep him upright but the Lich king wasn't just some undead human and they were literally at his seat of power. Here was where he was strongest. But that didn't matter, he wasn't going to let himself get paralysed again and he wasn't going to stop until this ended.
Mograine was ready to charge as well and end this quickly but stopped himself as he saw the many bodies of the Valkyr teleport into view around them and charge. One thing he was quick to notice however was how they all came towards him and seemed to leave Kal and Arthas alone for the time being. That was fine, he would deal with these flying monsters while Kal did what he did best.
The Lich King and Kal met in a flurry of stabs, slashes, magic and displays of power that no other could match. They would blade lock and Kal would fire a quick blast of heat vision that would do little damage to the black armour but would push the king back. Arthas would miss a swipe with the blade but with his free hand would wash a wave of frost over him that slowed him down enough for a counter.
All the while Mograine was getting swarmed by the Valkyr, he wasn't doing so well as there were a lot of them but every couple of blind swings he made would connect and due to the powerful weapon, he would be able to either snap their own weapons or just kill them outright. Though they would help each other, every now and again Kal would catch one of the flying women in his own attack and Mograine would move over and take a swing at Arthas while his back was turned.
However, as the Valkyr started to drop one by one. Something was becoming clear for all the combatants.
The Lich King was starting to lose.
Kal's attacks were slowly becoming stronger, faster, more accurate and Arthas found himself unable to catch up to him. His own attacks were quickly blocked or dodged and perhaps the most damaging, the legendary blade Frostmourne was starting to chip away. Proving that it was able to match the power of the golden trident of Atlan. At the same time, Mograine was running out of enemies to fight, one by one the Valkry was falling and not getting back up.
Until there was only one left. The former Death Knight watched as it flew high into the air with its weapon raised before dive-bombing his position. Mograine watched with his weapon gripped tightly, waiting for the right moment, he bent his legs slightly before he pounced.
Just before the woman reached him, using the power of his armour Mograine jumped into the air and flipped forward. His weapon extended, and the Valkyr didn't have a moment to widen her eyes before the plasma blade sliced, starting in between her legs and going all through her until her entire body was ripped in half.
The second his boots touched the ground he was ready to turn charge at Arthas but something even better happened "MOGRAINE!" he heard Kal shout. He quickly turned around in time to see Kal strike Arthas chest with the shaft of his weapon and the hit had a force to it that only Kal could have.
The Lich king flew across the top of the frozen throne right towards him. His eyes widened as he saw his chance, he ran a couple of steps forward with his weapon lowered ready for an upward strike. He could do it. he could kill him right now, but before he made the swing his eyes looked to Kal and knew that he couldn't, because deep down Kal was right. Arthas was very likely just a slave like him and all of his brothers and sisters despite every single nerve and cell in his body screaming at him, telling him to kill this monster. He owed Kal too much not to go against him now.
He moved his aim just slightly to his left and swung upwards. He enjoyed the sound of the grunt of pain from Arthas as his plasma blade cut through his arm just past the shoulder plate, as the appendage was sliced clean through. All three watched as Frostmourne flew through the air and Kal acted.
The alien jumped into the air, dropping his trident that embedded itself in the ground and flew towards the dark blade. The two met and Kal closed both his fists which landed on either end of the weapon, one by the tip of the blade and another by the hilt, then he pushed himself towards the ground.
Both Arthas and Mograine watched with wide eyes he moved quickly with a bent leg, and as he collided with the ground, the flat of the blade was pushed up against his bent knee. Though as his knee stopped due to meeting the ground, both of his arms that held the power to move planets kept on moving and Kal gritted his teeth as he pushed his strength further until a small crack started to form on the blade, then another and another.
There was a flash of blue necromantic magic before a large shock wave pushed Mograine back a couple of feet and caused Arthas to roll further than he would have normally, almost off the edge but that didn't stop them from watching as the broken pieces of the blade fell to the ground.
Frostmourne was shattered.
"IMPOSSIBLE!" Arthas shouted as swirls of lights started to escape the blade, a few couples, then several and then what seemed over a hundred were flying around the area. Kal was on edge for a moment until the ghostly figure of an old man came into view in front of him.
"Free at last" the man gasped as he looked down to Arthas who was slowly being pushed up into the air by the force of the magic involved "It is over, my son. This is the moment of your reckoning" the swirls of magic didn't stop and as the man turned to look at Kal he realized, every single one of these little blue wisps was a soul that he had taken "Now! Enemy of the Scourge! End this madness!" the old man said as he looked to Kal.
Seeing as Arthas was helpless to stop him as he was being swarmed from all sides by the souls of the dead. Kal with the skill that would make Diana proud, unfurled the lass from his wrist, fired it through the air and wrapped it around Arthas multiple times until his arms were clasped firmly around his torso and pulling him to the ground.
The man was still screaming as he tried to fight against it but found himself unable to break the lasso of Hestia. As he struggled Mograine quickly ran up behind him and with both hands grabbed both sides of the crown of the Scourge and started to pull. It was slower than he would have expected as if the helm was fighting against the force, as if it was trying to stay on his head.
But with Arthas confined to the lasso and unable to move, it had no choice but to submit and with one final pull.
The Helm of Domination was lifted.
I was going to add some more here but this seemed like such a good place to end it I think I'll just do it here and get a head start on the next chapter. I finished this on Friday by the way, so the next chapter should be a little longer than normal.
Anyway, let me know what you all think, and I'll see you in the next chapter.
Next story update: A New Guardian