443Chapter 18: The Truth
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Naxxramas, Above Nya'lotha XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
As Arthas and his assembly of Scourge leaders gathered within Naxxramas, he let his mind wander for the first time ever since N'zoth's defeat. Previously, he had been focused and adamant in his desire to slay the Old God, but for some reason he couldn't help but feel that something was wrong.
The Lich King walked behind Azshara, who had a large escort of his most powerful death knights watching her. The Highborne Queen seemed passive and complacent in her current position, but her constant looking back had him curious. Azshara's expression was a mixture of nervousness and disbelief. Though her constant looking back clearly indicated she wanted to tell him something.
'She's probably wondering what I have in mind for her…' Arthas thought to himself as he briefly met her gaze, before Razuvious pushed her forward again. The queen brushed the large death knight off with a look of condescension, but continued nonetheless.
Most of Arthas' minions were talking amongst themselves about some relevant topic or another. The necromancers seemed concerned about the lack of resources after the battle, but primarily everyone was debating on what they assumed was Arthas' next plan of action.
Finally, upon reaching Kel'thuzad's throne room, Arthas walked inside and took a seat upon the Lich's throne. The lich didn't seem to mind as he merely took his place next to it on Arthas' side. Many of the death knights, necromancers, and Val'kyr moved away from the door as more people filed in.
Kel'thuzad waved his arm and moments later, a large circle of miniature thrones manifested around the center of the room. "Take your seats, minions," The lich announced promptly causing most of them to do as commanded.
Several chose to stand, such as the Vrykul Kimg Ymiron, Lady Deathwhisper, and most of the high ranking Val'kyr. Olrun herself flew over and sat on the arm of Kel'thuzad's throne next to Arthas. She dangled one of her legs over the side as she set down her halberd and leaned back against the throne with her arms crossed.
Most of the important scourge leaders sat closer to Arthas, including Illidan, Lana'thel, Malygos, and the Four Horsemen. Razuvious, Faerlina, Noth, Heigan, and Gothik all found their respective seats further away. Falric and Marwyn sat directly across from Arthas on either side of Azshara who had quite a few eyes on her. Vyara and Hobb sat next to each other on Falric's side. The Blood Princes each sat together near the middle. This circular arrangement of seats was finally filled as everybody turned towards Arthas eagerly.
The Lich King took a deep breath and sighed, "Well…we've had quite the day haven't we? We have much to discuss about what happened and what's next on the horizon. As many of you have seen by now…I devoured N'zoth's soul with Frostmourne. I am not aware of the full effect this will have, but I am curious as to what your opinion is on the matter, Malygos."
The dragon sighed, "It is most troubling news, but I anticipated a scenario like this. Although it makes me wonder just how dangerous such a thing may be. Frostmourne itself appears darker…as do you, Arthas. You radiate an aura of shadows."
Azshara coughed loudly interrupting Malygos, "You're playing a dangerous game…the other Old Gods will not be as easy to slay now that they have seen the Nightmare fall. I'm still quite amazed you managed to kill this one. It is no small feat, but the aftermath of this victory will be far more severe then you might expect."
One of the blood princes, Keleseth, shook his head annoyed, "You have already experienced the might of the Lich King firsthand, yet it sounds as if you still doubt the power of the Scourge, Queen Azshara."
"It sounds as if you doubt the capabilities of the Old Gods. You got lucky defeating N'Zoth if I must be blunt here. Had you not taken him by surprise, I imagine you would still be fighting. He was one of the strongest ones, but not the most dangerous. His connection to the well and his underestimation of your power made him vulnerable…the others will not put themselves in a similar position," Azshara countered.
Arthas twirled Frostmourne between his hand as he stared at her, "Is that so?"
"Forgive my interruption, master, but I believe before we go any further, it would be best to explain what we are to do with her? She's making me nervous," Marwyn spoke up as he pointed towards the nearby restrained elf.
"She is growing rather annoying if you ask me…Exactly what are your plans for her master?" Deathwhisper asked Arthas curiously.
Azshara perked up at the topic and smiled at Arthas, "Yes, I would like to know what my role is…under you. Am I to be your prisoner, or would you have me perform personal duties?"
Arthas laughed at her remark, "You're already trying to seduce me?"
"Get in line," Lana'thel muttered under her breath as she traded a disapproving glance with Deathwhisper.
The Highborne Queen covered her mouth and looked away blushing, "Not exactly, but…I see no reason why we can't be on good terms. If I am to stay here, I would prefer a status deserving of me. Surely you must agree that I am worthy to be among your inner circle?"
"Smooth…" Illidan chuckled slightly amused by watching Azshara's attempt to smooth talk her way up the ladder.
Rivendare leaned in to Zeliek and whispered, "I wonder which inner circle she's talking about…"
Noth whispered, "The one with the women, probably…haha."
Heigan shook his head at their gossip, "The Lich King has more important things to worry about…you fools should be silent."
"All of you be silent…" Razuvious whispered threateningly as he looked over at the gossiping death knights and necromancers.
"You're taking this a lot better than I thought you would…" Arthas noted somewhat suspiciously.
Azshara smiled at him, "Is that a problem? I simply wish to learn my new place within this hierarchy."
Lady Blaumeux glared at the Highborne, "Do not think you can cozy up to the master so easily. I will not allow it."
"Right…because that's your job isn't it?" Arthas chuckled causing the female horseman to instantly look away embarrassed. Though nobody could see beneath her veil, it was clearly obvious she was blushing as much as an undead possibly could.
"M-master…surely you do not think me a-" Lady Blauemeux replied, but was quickly interrupted.
"A Bootlicker?" The blood prince Valanar interrupted amusedly.
The horseman huffed full of irritation, "Ahem, well excuse me for being devoted to our master. I am merely showing my respects…he did save us from the Afterlife didn't he?!"
Zeliek sighed, "She is right…I see nothing wrong with her devotion. Though, I believe Lord Arthas can speak for himself."
"I will decide what to do with you, Azshara, after I get the information you have. Is that understood?" Arthas spoke somewhat sternly.
"Of course…I am ready for my interrogation," she sassed back causing several of the Scourge leaders to trade surprised looks.
Illidan's face was etched with annoyance, "This will be a chore…I can already tell."
"She will be rather difficult to keep in line…one of her power likely has a strong will to resist," Kel'thuzad noted as he turned towards Arthas.
The Queen pursed her lips and looked away, "Hmph…what do you want to know exactly?"
"That Old God N'zoth…why did you really submit to it? Surely allowing your people to become Naga was not the ideal scenario? Illidan and I were under the impression it corrupted you?" Arthas questioned.
Illidan nodded at the man's question approvingly, "While you're at it, explain why you allowed Lady Vashj to join me…"
Azshara sighed as she looked between Arthas and Illidan, "Must I answer such annoying questions? I believe I already told both you before…N'Zoth was convenient and Lady Vashj fancied you Illidan. In fact she practically pestered me to let her help you."
"Don't play games with us, Azshara…you're already part of the Scourge. I expect you to be reasonable while you're here under my banner," Arthas replied darkly.
Many of his minions traded surprised looks at Arthas' sudden threatening tone. Rivendare leaned into Zeliek nearby and whispered, "Did you see the light in the room flicker for a moment, or am I just seeing things?"
The former paladin frowned but said nothing as he stared at Arthas' wings. Baron Rivendare glanced between Zeliek and Arthas for a moment before deciding to let the matter go.
"Don't make this difficult for me Azshara…" Arthas continued, "I need information."
Azshara bit her lip as she looked around nervously, "Must I answer that? It seems like a waste of time…"
"How is discovering your intentions a waste of time? Why do you shy away from this subject?" Illidan questioned curiously.
Kel'thuzad stared at the woman seriously, "Perhaps I should punish her disobedience personally…I can have her repurposed in the Construct Quarter."
"Do it, Lord Kel'thuzad! I'm growin a wee bit pissed at seein this dodgy wench waste the master's time," Thane cheered.
Razuvious quickly shot a death glare to Thane, "Do not interrupt without good cause!"
"Oh shut yer flytrap Razuvious…you've been whining since this meetin started!" Thane shot back.
The large death knight immediately jumped out of his seat and growled, "Watch it, Thane…I will discipline you if I must!"
"Oh, you think you can take me eh?!" Thane leapt from his seat with bloodlust.
Before either one could make a move, Arthas' threatening voice filled the room, "Sit down."
Dead silence followed his command as many of his minions looked down somewhat fearfully. Thane and Razuvious both returned without another word as Arthas focused intent stares at both.
"Back to the matter at hand…" Illidan said slowly as he looked between Arthas and Azshara.
The queen glanced around for a moment as if she were bored, "What were you saying before that rude interruption?"
"Don't make this difficult, Azshara…" Malygos cut in annoyed.
"Perhaps I should prepare a special tonic to loosen her tongue?" Faerlina asked as her eyes met Arthas' with a glimmering anticipation.
"Maybe Vyara has some blood thistle…" Hobb carefully spoke up before snickering to himself. The battlemage shot her a brother an angered look, "Hobb!"
"Sorry sorry…I just assumed maybe Lady Faerlina's tonic could use a bit of a kick to it," Hobb continued laughing.
The Necromancer glanced at the two elves amused, "I might consider it…if only to see the side effects. Azshara does seem a bit strung up does she not?"
"Enough small talk…" Malygos spoke up sternly, "you can all mingle after this matter is settled…understood?"
Hobb and Vyara both nodded accordingly, but Faerlina crossed her arms. The Necromancer sighed, "I don't take orders from dragons…just so we're clear."
Malygos was about to mouth a response, until Arthas beat him to it, "I consider Malygos higher ranking than you, Faerlina."
The Necromancer's eyes lit up shocked as she looked away embarrassed, "B-but master…h-he-"
"He is the Aspect of Magic. If nothing else…at least respect his power and his position," Arthas interrupted.
Faerlina nodded her head, "Of course, master…my apologies, dragon."
"It is of no concern…perhaps after this meeting we should reestablish the rankings within the Scourge," Malygos suggested to Arthas.
"I suppose the time for that is past due," Arthas nodded, "but first thing's first…"
The silver-haired Lich King removed his helmet and stabbed Frostmourne into the floor. He placed the crown beside him and looked over towards the highborne queen with an intimidating stare, "I believe you were about to answer our questions, Azshara…"
The queen huffed full of annoyance, "Must I continue to be harassed in this manner? How can you expect me to answer questions under this kind of treatment? I will not speak if I am to be mocked by your underlings. This rabble needs to remain silent…"
"For once I agree…this matter is very important and should not be taken lightly. Now quit stalling and tell us already," Illidan added.
"Fine…fine…I will tell you if it's such a great deal. I chose to align with N'zoth out of convenience as I've said. This is true, but it is not solely the catalyst behind my decision. The Nightmare told me many things…some of which I did not believe at first," Azshara explained.
Arthas leaned back, "I assume you and this old god have a history…am I right?"
Azshara briefly looked over at Illidan with a look of legitimate shame in her eyes, before turning towards Arthas again, "Y-yes…"
"I expect you to tell us every detail…" Illidan spoke up seriously with a look of concern on his face.
Azshara looked away, "This is shameful on my part…so you must understand my feelings on the matter, don't you?"
"You have feelings of regret? Shame? This is news to me…" Illidan said surprised.
"All the more reason for you to tell us…" Arthas responded with some empathy.
"I will tell you the story from the beginning. The Well of Eternity was the heart of our civilization. We fought many of the ancient races to seize control over it. When I was but a young maiden, I used to gaze upon it in awe wondering just what the source of its incredible power was. I spent many centuries studying the well…I suppose you could say it was an obsession really. I longed to know what it really was. I desired nothing more than knowledge for the reason of its existence."
"And you found it?" Illidan questioned intently.
"I discovered the source of its power was not of our world. The magic it drew upon was endless…and for some reason it would sometimes make the waters of pure magic swirl within the well," Azshara began.
"You discovered the Arcane Voidstream?" Malygos interrupted.
Kel'thuzad cracked his knuckles with a sickening enthusiasm, "How interesting…that might explain her overwhelming command of magic. She has had quite an extensive amount of time to study the arcane at its source."
Malygos shook his head, "I wish I had more time to study the nature of the Arcane Voidstream. I once believed the Arcanomicon was the control mechanism for the ley lines of Azeroth…but now I understand that it is more than that. It was a conduit that drew upon the Arcane Voidstream itself. It was responsible for the creation of the Eye of Eternity."
"Lord Aspect, if I may ask…what is the connection between the Eye of Eternity and the Well of Eternity if any?" Kel'thuzad questioned fascinated, "It seems as if they both draw upon the Arcane Voidstream's power. I find that curious…"
"Before my death, that very question had always hounded my thoughts. Norgannon never told me of the Eye of Eternity's true nature. I imagine he left me to discover it for myself. I knew its magic was endless, but I never discovered why until my death. I find it fascinating that the Well of Eternity was capable of tapping into this same power source…"
"So there is a connection between the Eye and the Well?" Kel'thuzad asked again.
Malygos shook his head, "I am not sure. Though the Well has existed almost as long as I can remember. It is entirely possible…"
"I should have known that you would be ignorant to the truth." Azshara said disappointedly.
The blue aspect ignored her as he thought deeply, "If both were to draw upon the same power…but the well was unprotected! This could possibly explain the arcane fluctuations within the ley lines that have existed for thousands of years."
"This subject is certainly over my head," Razuvious shook his head, "but it seems irrelevant. What are you implying dragon?"
The Spellweaver shook his head, "Things just don't add up…why would Norgannon allow two ?"
"Two what?" Kel'thuzad asked.
Malygos shook his head again, "Two ley line centers that both draw upon the Arcane Voidstream."
"Does that really surprise you, Malygos? I am amazed you did not know this already…" Azshara said disappointedly.
"You say you knew about the Arcane Voidstream thousands of years ago?! Tell us what you learned." Illidan questioned Azshara surprised.
Azshara sighed, "Well…as you know, Illidan, only a select few of the chosen were allowed to scry within the well. I was among the few granted such privilege due to my status."
"What status? I thought you said you used to be a maiden at the time?" Rivendare interrupted confused.
"It was her golden eyes, Rivendare…they are considered special among the ancient elves," Arthas clarified. The Death Knight gave Arthas a curt nod for explaining and returned to silence.
The Highborne Queen nodded approvingly, "Yes, he is correct…in fact Illidan's eyes were once gold as well."
"Back to the point…" Illidan deflected the curious looks, "what happened after you were granted access to scry the well?"
The elven queen looked away, "It's difficult to describe the things I've seen. The Well of Eternity was a spiritual doorway as you have no doubt discovered by now. Eventually I learned about its power source, its origins…and the places it could go. Does that not inspire awe? I was adamant in my desire to discover the secrets of the universe through it. Unfortunately…I discovered a bit too much. And eventually was discovered myself…the rest I'm sure you've heard in history books or legends."
"They do you no credit," Arthas noted.
Illidan shook his head, "That still doesn't answer the question does it…when did you learn of N'zoth and the other Old Gods? Why did you invite the Legion here?"
"I would often hear a voice in my dealings with the well…for a time it was pleasant and reassuring; it guided me to all the answers I sought. I did not know the source of this voice, nor did I care. It was there to satisfy my thirst for knowledge. Unfortunately, this did not go unnoticed by the ancients. I endured their complaints for a time, but eventually Elune approached me herself…"
"Elune approached you, personally?" Illidan asked surprised.
Azshara nodded, "Yes…she was among the few who knew of my insight into the well's true nature. She warned me not to dig too deep. She said that some things were not meant for our eyes. Her concern seemed justified, but truthfully she was afraid of me discovering the truth about everything."
"What truth?" Arthas asked hanging on her words more intently then before.
"The truth about the spirit world…about the old gods…about the mortal races. She seemed particularly adamant withholding knowledge about her own origin from me," Azshara replied.
"Mortal races? What are you referring to?" Malygos asked curiously.
The queen looked towards him with a downcast stare, "The origins of the races of Azeroth and the Curse of Flesh…"
Deathwhisper, who had been standing next to Kel'thuzad quickly walked into the room's center with an intense glare focused on the elf, "Why does the curse of flesh exist?!"
"Supposedly, It was created by the old gods…it caused physical and mechanical beings to partially connect with the spiritual plane. It indirectly bypassed the firmament created by the titans making the races of our world more susceptible to their influence," Azshara answered calmly.
Deathwhisper's jaw dropped, though nobody could tell beneath her veil. The former lich began to pace as she jerked her head around, "What?! I was under the impression the Curse of Flesh was a cruel joke by the titans. That sounds preposterous!"
"No…Don't you understand? Surely you do, right Arthas?" Azshara asked.
Malygos shook his head frustrated, "I feel as if things should make sense now…but the firmament is only more confusing than before. Ysera or Alextrasza might know more about this…if it proves true."
"Who could say…that is merely what N'zoth told me," Azshara said slowly. Arthas couldn't tell if she was lying or not, and gave her a doubtful look.
The Lich King's eyes focused upon her intently, "So this firmament separates our world and the spirit world? And you're saying the old gods created the Curse of Flesh to bypass it?! What did it do exactly?"
"I believe the name was literal…it actually turned most of the races of Azeroth into something else," Azshara explained.
"I have heard nothing of this Curse of Flesh…how did it affect the elves?" Illidan spoke up doubtfully.
The Highborne queen shrugged, "Even I don't know everything Illidan…I am not even certain it is true to be honest. Old God's aren't particularly known for honesty."
"Yet you tell us anyways…why should I believe any of this? You yourself believe it to be true, yet you dismiss it as a possible lie? I don't want speculation…I want the truth." Arthas countered with a stalwart tone.
"It's true, master…I did extensive research on this during a trip to the Storm Peaks," Deathwhisper cut in seriously, "the iron and stone-skinned inhabitants there were proof enough."
The Vrykul King Ymiron spoke up for the first time in a while, "Master, I have something I wish to tell you about this…"
Arthas glanced over at Ymiron surprised to see the Vrykul King speaking since he was usually silent. The Lich King gave him a questioning look, "Speak, Ymiron."
"I know the origin of the Curse of Flesh…" Ymiron spoke seriously.
Arthas' eyes widened, "You do?!"
The large warrior nodded his head, " Long have I sought to discover its reason for existing. The Curse of Flesh is beyond my full understanding, but I will tell you what I can. Long ago, I took a pilgrimage to Ulduar to see the Keeper Loken. The Curse of Flesh had already run its course through our lands and I demanded answers from him."
"So this Keeper Loken told you what the Curse of Flesh was?" Illidan asked interested.
King Ymiron grunted, "He did…but until now I never understood the implications. Loken told me that the Curse of Flesh was created by the Well of Eternity, and that those who ventured closer to it would become infected. Only then had I realized that it was too late to send our people north as the Curse had consumed all of the Southern Vrykul. Our skin had turned soft, but we remained strong. Our children were born weaker and smaller with each generation…and so we had to exile the weak to retain our purity and keep the curse from spreading."
Lady Deathwhisper looked as if a revelation had just struck her, "So then…those children…became humans?"
"Yes…" Ymiron replied slowly wondering how everyone was going to take it.
"I wonder how it affected elves…our civilization was closest to the well," Illidan thought aloud, "I wonder what Malfurion would make of this?"
The Lich King simply shrugged, "Well…that's a whole lot to take in at once. If what you say is true then that would mean the Curse of Flesh is the deliberate creation of morality. Though…if it came from the well, then the old gods or titans definitely created it."
"Now you understand…" Azshara spoke up sadly.
Malygos shook his head disbelievingly, "I must have been blind to have never seen this for what it was…the titans never could have created the well. The Eye of Eternity was meant to be the hub of Azeroth's magic ley lines. The Well of Eternity was put there by something else…"
"Was it?" Azshara shook her head doubtfully, "do you remember nothing, Malygos?"
The blue aspect shook his head, "I…can't remember."
"So does that mean the Old Gods created the Well of Eternity?" Lana'thel gasped as she literally jumped out of her seat.
Kel'thuzad quickly motioned her to sit back down and shook his head, "That's preposterous. Wasn't the Well of Eternity N'Zoth's prison? How could he have been involved in its creation?"
"It could have been created at a breach to keep him from physically entering Azeroth…or maybe he found a way to exert his power through it? We really have no way of knowing…" Arthas sighed annoyed.
"Something is bothering me about this…the Well of Eternity granted elvenkind immortality…how could it have created this Curse of Flesh?" Illidan questioned.
"Azshara shook her head, "It was connected to the spirit world. Our immortality was a form of undeath. The connection of our world and the spirit world. Those close to the well could draw upon its powers and maintain their longevity. The Vrykul, the trolls, dwarves, and other races…became mortal."
Illidan's burning green eyes widened, "I see…this is quite disturbing."
Arthas couldn't help but agree with Illidan as he brought a hand to his face frustrated by the overwhelming subject matter. The man briefly examined the ring on his finger and thought for a moment, 'I wonder what Elune's role in all of this was…maybe she knows how the Well of Eternity was created. But…if she didn't want Azshara to know about the Curse of Flesh, then is she even trustworthy? Or…maybe Azshara is lying. But why would she lie now? Damn…'
"Just out of curiosity, how were you and the other aspects born, Malygos? Did you see any of this? What role did you take in the battle between the titans and old gods?" Arthas asked.
The Blue Dragon shook his humanoid head, "I…we…were once Proto-Drakes. The Titans each shaped us into aspects to oversee their part of the world. We brought down Galakrond together…but it was so long ago. I cannot remember it clearly."
Arthas turned towards Ymiron, "What else do you know, Ymiron?"
"Not enough…but I do know that Galakrond was Yogg-Saron's pet," the Vrykul replied.
"So then N'zoth showed you these truths…" Arthas turned to Azshara trying to piece everything together.
"He did…and I will admit it terrified me. I searched desperately through the well to find any source of hope that there was a rival to the darkness that loomed over our world," Azshara replied.
"And you found Sargeras?" Illidan spat disgusted.
She sent him a disapproving scowl, "It is not as simple as you may think, Illidan…Sargeras found me."
"That's not how I remember it…I remember you summoning demons and playing goddess to your race." Malygos cut in with a heavy doubtful tone.
The queen huffed, "For a time I believed it was my destiny to be the ruler of Azeroth and save my people from the darkness. I'll admit I got a bit…carried away."
"That's the understatement of the century…" Illidan added, "but it does conveniently explain your motivations. Perhaps a bit too well…"
"I assure you my intentions were not so evil or as overly selfish as you may think. I chose the lesser of two evils. Sargeras made me an offer to destroy the Old Gods if I gave him Azeroth. I would rather serve a former titan than an abyssal abomination."
Arthas narrowed his brow, "You don't seem like you serve anyone but yourself…"
She sighed, "I eventually discovered that this was all set in motion by N'zoth to destroy the foundations of Azeroth. The Sundering was his plan to weaken all of the Old God prisons."
"And after all of that you chose to serve him why?" Malygos asked clearly not buying her convenient excuse.
Azshara looked down shamefully, "I was afraid…N'Zoth is terrible, but not the most evil of the Old Gods. C'thun and Yogg-Saron are far more malevolent and cunning. He made me an ultimatum. If I promised to serve him then my people would endure safe from the other Old Gods."
Malygos brought a hand to his chin, "Hmmm, that would be an understandable reason…assuming it's true."
"What do you make of this, Illidan? You know her better than anyone?" Arthas asked.
The former night elf sighed heavily, "Normally I wouldn't buy such a conveniently presented story, but I actually believe she's telling the truth. I got the feeling she was holding back on us during our fight. I believe she was waiting on the outcome."
"Always the observant one aren't you, Illidan?" she replied smiling proudly.
"I am curious about C'thun if you don't mind me asking…what do you know of him, Azshara?" Arthas asked as he watched her like a hawk.
"C'thun is very mysterious…he is one of the stronger Old Gods, but rarely makes himself known. I know that he dwells beneath Southern Kalimdor, and that he was once the God of the Silithid race. Some believe he lies imprisoned beneath their Temple of Ahn Qiraj," Azshara explained.
Right as she mentioned the name, Arthas immediately remembered the time he and Illidan nearly fell into the abyss. He remembered the voice of C'thun telling him to go to Ahn Qiraj. The man leaned back in his throne and thought deeply, 'I wonder why he wanted me to come? It's no doubt a trap…but why would he make it so obvious? I should talk to Elune again about this.'
"Are you alright, Arthas? You look pale…well paler," Malygos asked concerned.
The Lich King quickly regained his composure, "I'm fine…just slightly overwhelmed by all of this."
Illidan crossed his arms with a deep look of concern, "This is all a bit overwhelming…even for me."
After a brief silence, Arthas finally just sighed, "Alright, well that's enough on this topic for now…we could sit here all day and speculate, but in the end it really doesn't matter. I see a dead Old God. That's good enough for me. The fact that these things can be killed is all I really need to know. I'll leave it to you all to unravel the details."
"There are worse evils in the universe than simply Old Gods and Demons…" Azshara spoke up slowly, "and the more you poke at the foundations of the world, the sooner they will notice you. When did you ever get this foolhardy idea to fight primordial gods anyway? It's ridiculous if you ask me…just what are you after?"
"Who says I'm after anything?" Arthas replied casually.
"I mean what is your reason for all of this? What do you fight for? Surely nobody would ever take on an impossible quest unless they were fighting for something…" Azshara clarified.
"I don't even know anymore…but it's not like I have any reason to stop now," Arthas laughed.
The Highborne Queen gave him a disbelieving look before glancing over at Illidan, "You mean to tell me that none of you have any personal reason for doing this?"
"We all have our own personal or spiritual reasons for wanting to do this…Arthas, carries the weight of every one of them for all of us," Zeliek added.
The elf queen looked thoughtful for a moment as she looked down, 'He's doing this for them, and not himself?'
"Ragnarok draws closer, Lich King…we will stand with you until the end, no matter what," Ymiron said firmly as he crossed a fist across his chest. All of the Vrykul and Val'kyr present did the same. Many of the individuals in the room remembered Arthas' speech back in the mist, and felt a newfound motivation surging within them.
"Consider this your chance to be a part of something greater, Azshara…you sought a power to rival the Old Gods? Well here it is…" Arthas said calmly as he met the woman's gaze.
She looked around uncertainly, "You don't have to convince me…it's not like I have a choice now do I? I might as well be your slave at this point. Although I doubt I'll even live to regret it…"
"Which Old God are we attacking next?" Kel'thuzad asked full of excitement.
The Lich King thought for a moment, "I don't know yet. First we should find out where the rest of them are. In the meantime, I want all of you to make sure this city is in proper operation for our next battle."
"Yes master," most of the room replied in unison. Others simply nodded.
Arthas stood up shortly afterwards causing everyone to follow suit. As he started walking, Faerlina coughed, "Ahem, excuse me master, but didn't you say you were going to establish the new rankings within the Scourge?"
The silver haired man sighed, "Alright then. I'll make this simple for all of you. The rankings are the same minus the addition of Malygos and Illidan. I expect you to obey them as you would Kel'thuzad or myself. As for Azshara…she will answer directly to me. Nobody is to antagonize her…for now."
"What about those two?" Faerlina asked as she pointed at Hobb and Vyara who both felt extremely out of place amongst the Scourge leaders.
"They have been useful, but I believe their presence will only be a hindrance from this point on. Only the chosen may battle in Ragnarok. Their resolve seems lacking," Olrun spoke up.
Arthas looked back at her for a moment, "I suppose you're right, Olrun…"
Hobb and Vyara both paled at this topic as Arthas turned back to face them. Suddenly, under the stares of every Scourge leader, the two elves were greatly unnerved. Vyara was the first to speak, "We want to help you Arthas…why are you looking at us like that?"
"What are you saying exactly, Arthas?" Hobb questioned worried.
The Lich King gave Hobb a serious look, "You two have been a great help and I appreciate your assistance…but we've now hit a crossroad. Where we go next, I cannot guarantee your safety, and I would not ask you to die for me."
"A-Arthas…w-we-" Vyara began but couldn't find the words to continue.
"You helped me so that you could save your home…in Outland. I haven't forgotten it…or the Burning Legion invasion there. You two belong there fighting demons." he said stoically.
"We can't just leave you though…" Vyara said sadly.
Arthas walked towards the two of them as he ripped the imbedded Frostmourne out of the ground, "Go! Fight in Outland…you don't belong here."
"But what about the Old Gods? We want to help you." Vyara pestered.
"You'll be a bigger help there than here…plus, I don't want you two going insane fighting these aberrations with us. I can shield the undead, but not you two…staying here results in death one way or another." Arthas clarified.
"I understand…we will go, Arthas. Good Luck in your Crusade. Vyara and I will spread word of your victory," Hobb replied as he began tugging his sister away. She tried to protest, but was unable as he practically dragged her out of the room.
As they made it out and further down the hallway, Arthas flew in front of the duo and blocked them. He pulled both in closely and whispered, "You are not to tell anyone about what you heard here today. Some things are better left unknown to the masses."
Hobb bowed his head, "Of course…you have our word. We apologize for not being of better use to you, Arthas."
"There's no need to apologize…you two showed great courage choosing to come with me. I hope it doesn't get you in too much trouble. Just tell them I brainwashed you," Arthas said casually.
The elf frowned as he glanced between Arthas and his sister, "You can't expect us to actually do that?"
"Do whatever you want…just get as far away from me as you can. Everybody around me ends up dead," Arthas replied darkly.
Vyara's face was written with concern, "A-Arthas…I'm worried about you. Why are you trying to get rid of us? You're always trying to keep us out of things…"
"Go…" he said as he looked away not wanting to see their disappointed faces.
"Please be careful, Arthas…" Vyara said sadly as she stared at the man, "thanks for trying to protect us. We'll respect your wishes."
Arthas said nothing as he watched them walk down the hall likely to port somewhere. After they left, the man returned to Kel'thuzad's room. Everybody perked up anxiously as Arthas walked into the room. The man looked over them, "You're all free to do what you want for now…Malygos, I would like to speak to you in private."
The dragon immediately followed Arthas out of the room leaving everybody else standing around wondering what to do.
Kel'thuzad instantly took charge, "What are you all standing around for?! We have a Super Necropolis to build!"
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Outside of Naxxramas, overlooking the City XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"I assume this is about Nozdormu…" Malygos began as he followed Arthas to the former balcony of Azshara's sacked palace.
Arthas nodded his head, "Yes…after I landed, time froze and N'zoth's soul formed. It looked like a massive black pearl. Before I could touch it, Nozdormu intercepted me and tried to kill me. He was ranting about how this timeline was the worst possible outcome and that I had to die. He tried to freeze me when he saw I was victorious against N'Zoth…he might have succeeded had it not been for the dragon soul. What do you think of this? Why would he try to kill me now?"
Malygos looked down sadly, "I see…Nozdormu has always been too wise for his own good. When he became the Aspect of Time, he was given a great burden to uphold…the leader of the titans, Aman'thul entrusted him with the secrets of time and the power to weave it with the Hourglass of Time. With this Gift…or curse…Nozdormu could see the outcome of certain disasters and help prevent them from catastrophically affecting Azeroth. Ideally it should have been a perfect fail safe…but I do not think the titans accounted for the danger of our own corruption. Despite all of our power, we could never measure to the wisdom of the titans. The truths and powers they bestowed upon us were almost too great. By giving Nozdormu this power, they also placed a nearly-unbearable burden upon him. He would know his own fate…and would be powerless to change it."
"I can see how that would be difficult, but why would he be powerless to change it?" Arthas questioned confused.
"The hourglass prevents it…his fate is already woven," Malygos said sadly, "Changing one's predetermined fate is not much different than changing the past. I don't expect you to know this, but changing the past is not entirely possible. It creates something of a paradox. For if one were to go back in time to change an event, then its existence would never have been there to cause them to go in the first place. Nozdormu cannot alter predetermined things officially. I believe the true nature of his power revolves around weaving outcomes between alternate timelines, or creating and maintaining the most ideal one," Malygos tried to explain.
Arthas gave him a bewildered look, "Yet he is the Aspect of Time. He has some measure of control over the future does he not? Wouldn't having that kind of power make him the most powerful aspect?"
"Perhaps not the most powerful…but he is definitely the wisest and the most dangerous in his current state. You say he spoke of your demise at Icecrown to the Alliance and Horde…and again against N'zoth? I wonder why your survival is so detrimental to this timeline?" Malygos queried thoughtfully.
"I don't know…but I cannot imagine what would be happening in Azeroth if I were dead right now. What makes that timeline any better than this one? Which one is the real one?" Arthas questioned deep in thought.
Malygos' eyes were downcast as he thought of an appropriate response, "I believe they are both real…but for some reason Nozdormu wanted the other one to come true."
"So did he try to kill me in the present in order to keep something bad from happening? If what Azshara says is true, then there is no doubt that I will draw unwanted attention here," Arthas speculated.
The Spellweaver gave him a doubtful look, "It is entirely possible that he has already tried to kill you countless times and failed…but it disturbs me to think that you could be responsible for his insanity. I wish we had some way of knowing what happens in the other timeline with you dead."
"Is there no way of knowing? Surely somebody besides Nozdormu knows about these things?" The Lich King perked up seriously.
The dragon simply shrugged, "I don't know the full extent of Nozdormu's knowledge on the matter…let alone others. His flight might know more, but who could say if they're still sane either."
"Then can you explain how these timelines work to me? I am having difficulty understanding all of this. I want to know what I'm dealing with here," Arthas requested with a distraught look on his face.
"Of course…think of it like this, Arthas. Imagine the concept of time for a moment as a straight trail. Behind you is the past, in front of you the future. Now imagine looking left and right and seeing countless other parallel paths forking and branching away in all directions. Several lead towards your exact location from adjacent paths behind you, and countless more into the horizon beyond. Some are dead ends, and others appear endless. The road you walk upon appears linear as it has a clearly distinguishable path, but since it is connected to so many others, there is no one way to travel forward. That is the nature of time as I understand it. If that does not help, try to imagine it as a web with lose ends," Malygos explained thoroughly.
Arthas nodded understandingly, "I see…so then me being dead in another timeline would just be another one of these trails?"
"You are correct…as for your other questions, I honestly don't know. Time has a very bizarre nature, Arthas. I wish I could do more to explain it to you, but unfortunately I lack Nozdormu's comprehension on the matter." Malygos explained.
"But what is time? Magic? Science? Nature?" the man shook his head.
Malygos stared into the horizon deeply, "I believe it is all of those things…but judging by Nozdormu's fate, Perhaps we're better off not knowing."
"What is his fate? I think he mentioned something like this before…" Arthas asked, but before Malygos could answer, Arthas remembered the name Nozdormu told him, "Has he become Murozond?!"
"Yes…that is the most likely scenario. It would explain his sudden madness and why he attempted to kill you. Though who can say how many times he's tried. For all we know Murozond could have been trying to kill you since your birth," Malygos thought grimly.
Arthas glanced over at the dragon's humanoid form, "Nozdormu told me his future self tried to kill me in Stratholme…why do I have no recollection of this?"
"Do not fret too much over this matter, Arthas. Trying to unravel the mystery of time will make you even more insane than Murozond," Malygos replied.
"I just don't understand what it is about me that's responsible for his madness…does he think I'm going to bring about the end of the world?" Arthas shook his head annoyed.
"Perhaps it is something else entirely. Ysera had a theory that eventually Nozdormu discovered the nature of existence, but judging by what I've seen of the spirit world and of the abyss…I believe that perhaps he saw into a shadow out of time and perhaps it shattered his concept of reality. Of course…that's simply wild speculation," The aspect of magic responded.
"I wouldn't dismiss that idea so easily. N'zoth used those exact words when he was possessing Bolvar…Nozdormu froze time after I killed Bolvar as well. He said I was supposed to die at Icecrown against the Alliance and Horde. Perhaps Nozdormu feared me freeing Old Gods to kill them?" Arthas theorized.
"Yet many are coming free regardless. I'd wager your survival is possibly linked to some catastrophic disaster. If what Azshara said was true, then there is no doubt you will radiate as a beacon to the primordial elder gods…or worse. I will need to speak with the other aspects about this. Ysera and Alextrasza need to be informed of Nozdormu's condition. Perhaps they can help us come up with a solution," the Spell-Weaver suggested.
Arthas shook his head frustrated, "This is all giving me a headache…one thing after another it seems."
Malygos stared at him empathetically, "Do not let these matters weigh too heavily upon you…I will do everything in my power to aid you in your endeavors. Despite my initial doubts, I am truly pleased with the outcome of our allegiance. I believe that through you, we can finally maintain some degree of order amongst the superpowers of Azeroth."
"Well the titans certainly didn't do anything about it…for all their ingenuity, I'm starting to think they abandoned Azeroth to its fate," Arthas noted.
"I suppose there is truth in that," Malygos' eyes seemed saddened, "I once fancied myself the enforcer of Norgannon and the mighty Spell-Weaver. Nothing could be further from the truth. Sometimes the purpose we create for ourselves is far greater than the one we truly possess. It saddens me to think that despite everything that's happened, you and I are nothing to the titans but an anthill on a trail. We dragons are likely little more than titan experiments…"
"That's rather deep…are you alright, Malygos?" Arthas asked curiously. The dragon shrugged without even looking up, "The Spirit World…do you know what the titans told us about it? They told us it was the Emerald Dream. Ysera alone was entrusted to watch it. Imagine my surprise when I discovered all of the other places in the spirit world…on the spirit tree."
Arthas shook his head, "It seems like the titans aren't as great as they seem. Why would they tell you that?"
"Perhaps they thought it merciful to spare us the knowledge. There is a certain bliss in ignorance. Knowledge of such things certainly didn't help Azshara. I feel like a fool for never noticing all of this before. I was so preoccupied in controlling magic and enforcing order, that I failed to see simple truths directly in front of me," Malygos sighed.
"The titans will have a lot to answer for if we ever see them," Arthas replied.
The blue aspect merely looked away, "Perhaps one day we can…"
"I've been wondering something for a while, Malygos…when dragons die, where do they all go? Your brood went to the Arcane Voidstream, but where do you think the rest go?" Arthas asked.
"Ysera's brood likely go to the Emerald Dream…but I am not certain of the others," he replied.
Arthas thought for a moment, "What about that Asgard place? You mentioned there being proto drakes there didn't you?"
"Hmm…yes, the red and gold ones likely go somewhere to the higher branches. As for Neltharion's kind…I couldn't say. Possibly Deepholm or somewhere lower. In fact…I wonder if he has regained his sanity now that he's dead?" Malygos thought aloud.
"Right before he died…he gave me the dragon soul…I've been wondering why for a while now," the man said deep in thought.
Malygos' eyes lit up with surprise, "He did? So that is how you acquired the dragon soul's power…but why would he do that? Wasn't he under N'zoth's command?"
"Maybe he wanted me to kill N'Zoth with it…he seemed like a different being in his last moments. Maybe we should try to find him in the Spirit World." Arthas said hopefully.
The Aspect of Magic seemed deep in thought, "I wonder what Alextrasza and Ysera would say?"
"We can find out if you want. You and I should definitely go and see them. Maiev never did send Ysera to the Sunwell…maybe something is holding them up in Hyjal," Arthas speculated.
Malygos nodded, "Indeed…just tell me when you wish to go."
"You and I can fly there later, but first I want to talk to Azshara and see what's going through her head right now. I'll come find you when I'm done," Arthas said as he began to walk away.
The dragon smiled, "I always enjoy our conversations. I will be here until your return."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Back in Naxxramas with Azshara XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
The Highborne Queen was still sitting where she had been in the meeting prior. Most of the other Scourge leaders had been delegated by Kel'thuzad to go oversee the repurposing of Nya'lotha. Illidan himself had gone to explore it in its entirety.
Azshara remained alone in the Throne Room of Naxxramas obviously waiting on Arthas to come find her. Upon hearing footsteps behind her, she smiled, "You took longer than I expected."
"You were expecting me were you?" Arthas chuckled as he continued further inside. Azshara immediately stood up and turned to face him, "Obviously…there are things I wish to tell you in private."
"Couldn't wait to get me alone could you?" he laughed as walked up next to her. The woman gave him a sly grin, "The thought did intrigue me…"
"Do elaborate…" he continued.
"You first," she countered.
Arthas chuckled, "I don't know why, but for some reason, I like you. You have an entertaining personality."
"It is good to see you recognize my charms. I would prefer us to be on good terms," she replied smiling.
He rose a brow, "Was that some kind of confession?"
"Why? Did you want it to be?" she replied with a grin.
"Not as much as you apparently…" he laughed.
The woman placed a hand on her hip, "I see sophistication is not one of your strong points…"
"Who needs that when I already have you?" the Lich King replied casually.
Azshara looked away embarrassed, "How rude of you…Arthas. First you interrogate and bully me in front of all your little cohorts, and now you're trying to sweet talk me? You're a strange person…"
"Already calling me by name too…you waste no time. You remind me of somebody else I know…but she's not as eager as you," he laughed causing the woman to actually blush slightly.
Azshara examined him and smirked, "You think me eager? Ha…you're the one who won't let the topic pass. Do you enjoy my company? Perhaps you've already fallen for me…you wouldn't be the first."
"Don't push your luck…" Arthas' tone changed as he got serious, "you know why I'm here."
She immediately backed away as Arthas walked towards her with a dead serious look in his eyes. It didn't take long for her to back into a wall with Arthas directly in front of her.
"You're pretty evasive…you think I can't tell what you're doing?" the man asked sternly.
Azshara tried to soothe him as she brought a hand to his shoulder, but the man immediately grabbed her wrist and pinned it above her head on the wall. Arthas stared at her imposingly, "Do you think me blind?"
The woman seemed somewhat afraid as Arthas grinned malevolently. She bit her lip, "I-I don't thi-"
"Shut up!" he shouted, "I'm only going to tell you this once…so listen well, Azshara…"
Azshara hung on his words fearfully wondering what he was about to say. He stared at her maliciously as his face was a mere breath from hers. The woman blushed from the proximity and looked away, "W-what are you going to make me do?"
"You should see the look on your face right now," Arthas finally said in a light-hearted laugh causing Azshara to gawk at him. He released her wrist and backed away with an amused grin, "I had no idea you were into domination."
"I beg your pardon?! What did you just say?!" Azshara shrieked in disbelief as Arthas continued laughing at her.
"You know…you like getting roughed up a bit to make things more fun," Arthas snickered at her complete shock.
The elf instantly glared at him, "You think you're funny don't you? I refuse to be the victim of your brutish behavior."
"Of course you do…" Arthas nodded before winking at the end.
"This is extremely inappropriate-" Azshara protested, but was quickly interrupted.
"But the thought did intrigue you right?" Arthas used her own words against her.
Azshara simply covered her face in humiliation, "You're the worst…"
The man rolled his eyes as Azshara did her best to conceal the flustered look on her face. After a brief amusing moment, he finally got serious, "Alright, that's enough torture for now…you're enjoying this too much."
"I am not enjoying being a victim of your insensitive mind games…" Azshara countered quickly as she regained her composure.
"If you're done trying to seduce me, I actually have things I wanted to talk to you about," the man said with a serious tone.
She crossed her arms confrontationally, "You're the one who was trying to seduce me…rather poorly if I may add. Never mind that…there are things I actually wanted to tell you."
"I had this strange feeling that you were holding something back. I find it interesting that you were afraid of the knowledge you found. I assume there's more to it?" Arthas said curiously as he thought for a moment.
Upon hearing his question, Azshara reached down and grabbed his hand. She immediately began channeling a strange arcane orb around it. Azshara held her grip tightly as she kept him from pulling away, "You're more perceptive than I thought. I will tell you the truth, but I don't want Elune spying on us anymore. I must admit I was rather surprised to see you wearing one of these rings."
"I take it you and Elune have a bad history then? Is that why you failed to mention any details?" Arthas asked.
Azshara huffed, "Obviously…but that is beside the point. Why did she give you this ring?"
"She sent a woman named Maiev to fetch me…and gave me this long speech about helping her help the world," Arthas replied nonchalantly.
"So then Elune put you on this path?" Azshara cocked her head doubtfully.
Arthas looked away, "Not exactly…"
"Whatever the cause, and no matter the reason…you cannot continue to wear this ring. You need to get rid of it…" Azshara said seriously.
The Lich King stared into Azshara's golden eyes for a long moment, "Why? Are you implying that Elune cannot be trusted? She didn't appear to like you from what I gathered. How can I be sure you're not lying either?"
"There's something wrong about her…I know you know what I'm talking about!" Azshara replied adamantly.
The man fidgeted with Frostmourne as he started to glare at her, "Enough dancing around the issue. If you know something then tell me now!"
"Elune cannot be trusted! she's using you…and I know that she's hiding something. Take my word on this, Arthas…that ring will bring you nothing but trouble."
"I will just have a few words with her then…and find out," Arthas said sternly.
The elf shook her head frustrated, "No! Don't do it! Arthas Sto-"
Arthas ripped his hand from her grip and pointed the back of his hand outward causing a stream of moonlight to launch from the ring. From it came an ethereal, illuminated image of Elune herself. The Goddess glanced around somewhat surprised, "Arthas? This is quite the surprise…I did not actually expect you to call upon me so soon."
"Hello Elune…I simply wished to tell you that I have slain N'zoth. Of course I'm sure you already knew that didn't you?" Arthas asked darkly. The hostility in his voice was surprising to the moon goddess as she gave him a curious stare.
"Arthas…is something troubling you? I have not been able to see you ever since the battle started. You were successful?" Elune asked in her calm hopeful voice.
The Lich King's eyes widened seriously, "You lost sight of me? How!?"
Elune quickly noticed the fearful look on Azshara's face before shaking her head, "Oh…that explains it. The meddlesome liar, Azshara has been blocking me. I am rather surprised you kept her around. She is quite the elusive fraud. Has she returned to normal by your doing?"
Arthas jerked around and stared at Azshara angrily, "I thought you just started to ward her. You've been doing it this whole time?!"
"She's lying! I only just started to block her. She is not your ally! You idiot!" Azshara shouted.
The man slowly glanced back at Elune without even turning around. He examined Elune's reaction very carefully. The moon goddess seemed almost pleased by Azshara's predicament. This was something Arthas couldn't help but notice as he turned around fully.
"What are you so smug about, Elune?" the man asked slowly.
She shrugged, "She sought to use you to regain freedom from N'zoth. Although now that she appears to be under your command, it seems as if she seeks to manipulate you against me to further her own ambitions. She may no longer be a Naga, but she is no less a serpent. I can only imagine what kind of outlandish lies she has spun upon you. My 'smug' reaction as you put it is simply satisfaction in seeing that you decided to summon me and ask yourself. I admire the boldness behind your action. It shows a level of trust between us."
"I knew you were going to do this…you bitch!" Azshara spat uncharacteristically. Her outburst surprised Arthas as Elune and Azshara both directed intense stares at one another.
"Caught in your own web of lies…at long last it seems," Elune said shaking her head with disappointment.
Azshara's golden eyes darted towards Arthas, "You believe me…right Arthas? I have no reason to betray you…she's trying to silence me since I know she's a fraud!"
'Wait…how could Azshara have kept a spell up through death? I did kill her and resurrect her after all. Maybe it was some kind of enchantment during our battle? Azshara could easily have cast a spell on me before then. Although I feel as if there's something to her claim. Why would she be so terrified of Elune? Isn't Elune a benevolent goddess? Admittedly, I don't really feel comfortable around her. C'thun warned me about Elune as well. Something is definitely off about her, but how can I be sure who is lying and who's not?' Arthas thought to himself as he looked between the two.
It became increasingly clear to him that one or both of them were lying. He glanced over at Elune with a dead-serious expression, "I have a question, Elune. How was the curse of flesh created and by who?"
The goddess sighed at Arthas' question, "I see you believe many of the things Azshara has told you. How unfortunate. The curse of flesh is true yes…but knowledge of it is not what she sought. Azshara sought the secret of divinity through which she could become a true goddess herself. I tried to prevent her from doing so, seeing as how her personal ambition had been fueled by N'zoth himself. This lying girl before you is nothing more than a pretender. One who desired to mantle the ancients and indeed the very gods themselves. She wanted us dead so that she could rule Azeroth and likely other worlds as well. You and I both know she is lying…she's hiding behind you whispering foul poison in your ears."
"Arthas…Elune is afraid of us. She's afraid of the power you and I both wield!" Azshara pleaded.
"If that were true then why would I have sent Maiev to help you rebuild Frostmourne?" Elune countered. This immediately caused Azshara to go pale as her eyes widened.
"Take that ring off Arthas…I'll do anything you want…" the Highborne Queen said as she clutched onto Arthas' arm.
The Lich King couldn't help but wonder whether Azshara was genuine or if she was in fact the greatest actor he had ever seen. The man shook his head, "You summoned the Legion so that you could challenge her didn't you?"
The Highborne Queen's eyes widened, "N-no! I-it wasn't like that!"
Arthas looked over at Elune, "Thank you for clearing this matter up for me, Elune."
Elune nodded, "Of course…I appreciate your willingness to trust me. It will not go unrewarded, I promise you."
"Damn you! Damn both of you!" Azshara yelled angrily as Arthas pushed her off of him.
"Finally your motives make sense to me…" a raspy dark voice sounded from the entrance to the throne room. All three figures turned towards the source spotting Illidan, who had clearly been standing there for a short time.
"Illidan?!" Azshara gasped as her eyes darted between him and Arthas, "Please Illidan! Surely you believe me right? Elune can't be trusted! She's manipulating Arthas!"
The demon hunter snorted in disgust, "For a moment I almost believed that you had indeed been justified in your actions…but now I see you for what you've always been. I should have known this was simply another one of your extravagant lies."
All of a sudden, the Highborne Queen got angry as she hissed, "I will not subject myself to this again! Give me that ring Arthas!" Much to his surprise, the queen pounced on him desperately attempting to rip the ring off his finger.
Arthas quickly threw her off before Illidan flew over and restrained her. The Lich King shook his head and spit on the ground disgusted, "I've heard enough of this. You're clearly more trouble than you're worth, Azshara. I know you're lying. Perhaps you wish to rejoin your former master?"
The woman shook her head terrified, "No! Please!"
The Lich King mercilessly stabbed Frostmourne through Azshara lifting her off the ground. He brought her to his eye level looking at the disbelieving expression on her face, "Say hello to N'zoth for me."
Azshara reached down and grabbed his sword hand desperately ripping at the moonlight ring. Her body quickly began to grow unstable as a surge of arcane power erupted throughout the room. Afterward nothing remained but a glowing Frostmourne in Arthas' hand.
The Lich King turned around to face Elune, "Is there anything else you wish to say to me?"
The goddess nodded with a smile, "Yes there is…I recommend you destroy C'thun next. He is the second most powerful Old God and definitely the most dangerous to Azeroth at this current point."
"Dangerous how?" Arthas asked.
Elune sighed, "I have seen the earth shake numerous times beneath southern Kalimdor. C'thun is ready to make his move. It is likely he will assault the very heart of Hyjal itself."
"Why though? Isn't the world tree in Hyjal?" the man questioned as he sheathed Frostmourne and crossed his arms.
The Moon Goddess nodded, "Yes…he will try to draw you there. You will need my help to defeat him. C'thun will be different than N'zoth. He won't fight you with brute force, but through cowardly tactics meant to break your will."
"Why Hyjal though?" he thought aloud.
Illidan shook his head, "Perhaps he seeks to destroy Azeroth. If the world tree were to be destroyed, then Azeroth would quickly fall to ruin."
"Illidan is correct. C'thun is a being of dark chaos and destruction. He will destroy Azeroth if you ignore him." Elune added.
Arthas looked down at his Moonlight Ring for a moment staring at the visibly unscathed silver band. 'Do not trust the moon. It is only beautiful from afar…' He remembered the haunting warning C'thun uttered within the abyss.
"Do not let the shadows creep into your heart Arthas…NEVER remove that ring lest you fall into madness like Azshara and countless others before her," Elune spoke assuredly as she saw the look on Arthas' face.
He nodded his head, "Of course…but if you don't mind, I would prefer it if you didn't spy on me all the time."
Elune shook her head, "It is for your own good…I know you have your doubts about me, but I also have my doubts about you. Continue to trust me, and ignore the lingering doubt within your heart. I will be your guiding light through this darkness. Never forsake my charity. I would gladly protect you from holy and shadow alike. Your survival is guaranteed so long as you remain my ally."
The man felt somewhat reassured upon hearing her words, "Alright then…we will destroy C'thun next."
"Excellent…I will aid you in battle when C'thun reveals himself. Until then, perhaps you should help Kalimdor deal with its latest cultist uprising," Elune suggested.
'Why couldn't you help me fight N'zoth?' Arthas thought to himself.
"Wait…before you go, I just have one more question. Where are the rest of the Old Gods? Have you discovered anything new?" Arthas asked.
The Moon Goddess thought for a moment, "Y'shaarj is dead and his seven heads lay dormant and scattered beneath the southern continent. Hastur will be adorned in yellow and take the figure of a man. He is one of the weaker Old Gods, but commands the air elementals of Skywall. With N'zoth dead, he will likely take command of the water elementals as well. Yig the world serpent lies somewhere deep beneath Azeroth. I have no idea where either one of them are exactly. They do not involve themselves in the affairs of Azeroth nearly as often as the big three."
"What about Yogg-Saron…he is in Ulduar. Should I take him out next?" the lich king replied.
Elune shook her head, "He is imprisoned within Ulduar still. The titans feared him the most of all the Old Gods. I would save him for last. He is the most powerful…and you will need unimaginable power to challenge him."
'There's no doubt that Yogg-Saron has some kind of plan in the works to stop me. I'll have to come up with a plan of my own before then,' Arthas thought to himself.
"Elune…if I may ask, what created the Well of Eternity?" Illidan cut into the conversation with curiosity.
The goddess sighed, "It was an arcane prison created by the titans to bind N'zoth. The well was constructed over the tear in the firmament from which he first entered Azeroth."
"Where does deepholm lie in relevance to the abyss and the Well of Eternity? Because I saw N'zoth beneath the root of the emerald dream," Arthas stated.
"The nature of the spirit tree and the spiritual plane itself is far more complex than Malygos explained it to be. Deepholm is one of the elemental planes…However it is not one of the sub branches of the orange branch on the Spirit Tree as you likely believe. Deepholm is actually the part of the Emerald Dream closest to the Spiritual Convergence. It lies suspended above the abyss between the roots. The World Pillar was created by Khaz'goroth and Norgannon. It was used to draw upon the Arcane Voidstream's power from the purple branch above and create a suspending prison to prevent N'Zoth from full contact with Either the mortal or spiritual planes. The side effect was the Well of Eternity's creation as well as the Curse of Flesh." Elune explained.
Illidan shook his head dumbfounded, "So then the titans created it? Why didn't you tell us that before?"
"There are some things you are better off not knowing. Knowledge of such things can quickly drive one to madness…if all knew how fragile Azeroth's existence truly was, it would be impossible to live a peaceful life." Elune replied vaguely.
"So what about the other Old Gods then? How were they all imprisoned in the battle between the titans and Old Gods?" Arthas perked up.
"C'thun slew a titan, but was believed dead himself as his husk sunk beneath the sands of Kalimdor. Yogg-Saron was bound by Aman'thul, Eonar, and Golganneth. The others were brought down by Sargeras, Aggramar, and many of their loyal minions," the blue-skinned goddess continued.
"Why did the titans leave? Did they abandon Azeroth to its fate?" Arthas asked seriously.
"I have already answered enough of your questions. You will learn more with time…and only then will your destiny become clear," Elune responded before disappearing in a flash.
Moments after she left, Illidan and Arthas both traded doubtful looks. Neither one said a word until finally Illidan broke the silence, "It shames me to think that Azshara was deceiving us even still. I feel foolish for believing her earlier. Of course…Elune did not deny the facts behind Azshara's claim. What do you make of this? Could she have been telling the truth?"
"I get the feeling we'll find out soon enough. Nevertheless, I have a request Illidan…" the man sighed.
"Of course…what would you ask of me?" The demon night elf asked.
Arthas placed a hand on the demon hunter's shoulder and stared at him intently, "Go to Outland with the rest of the Scourge."
"What?!" Illidan sounded surprised.
The man stared at him intently, "Just do it…I want you and Kel'thuzad to take Nya'lotha out there and fight the legion. Malygos and I will remain behind."
"Why do you wish for us to venture there without you?" Illidan cocked his head confused.
The man stared Illidan down with a dead-serious expression, "Don't ask why…just do it."
It was clear to Illidan that Arthas has some kind of hidden agenda and was thinking two steps ahead. The former night elf thought for a moment, 'Arthas has been very careful in his dealings with people lately. He wanted Dalaran in Outland, and now Nya'lotha and the rest of the Scourge as well? What could he be planning. I cannot ask him…that look in his eyes says it all.'
The demon hunter nodded, "Of course…I will inform Kel'thuzad of your command. Though…why do you wish for Malygos to remain?"
"We're going to Hyjal…I want him there when I see Ysera and Alextrasza," Arthas answered vaguely as he started to walk away, "Malygos and I will be leaving soon."
"What are we to do in your absence? What is our mission in Outland?" Illidan wondered.
"Kill demons…and try to save a few for me," Arthas laughed as he made his way out the hall.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX High above a Flaming tower on Xerreth XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"Kanrethad! Kanrethad wake up!" an urgent female voice shouted.
At the peak of a demon tower overlooking the massive portal below, two individuals were chained excessively to the spiked spire. One was an undead woman adorned in dark clothes, and the other was a brunnette human with countless lashes on his back and many fel shards jabbed into his skin suppressing his power.
The man woke up and quickly felt the stinging heat of Xerreth in his eyes. He blinked several times before realizing that he was imprisoned. The man looked around desperately confused before a voice caught his attention.
"Over here you idiot!" the undead female shouted quickly catching his attention.
He looked at her surprised, "Jubeka?! What the- I thought you escaped."
The woman spat on the ground and huffed, "As if I could get away when our sigils are engraved. As always you're never prepared for the worst possible outcome. Your stupid arrogance got me captured too!"
"Shut up woman…you could very easily have removed it using a bit of blood magic. You still had a vial of my blood did you not? I thought you wore it around your neck like a treasured heirloom."
"I hate you, Kanrethad…ever since I got together with you and Shinfel, things have gone from terrible to disastrous. What were you thinking stealing an ember from Cthugha!? Even the Legion is afraid of that thing! Once again, you've proven your incompetence as not only our leader, but as a warlock. You are a frail, ignorant human. Not even Shinfel is that reckless. If she were here right now, she'd be insulting you," Jubeka ranted angrily.
He simply shook his head at her, "If I'm not mistaken, you were once human yourself. I never asked you to become part of my coven. I never asked you to be my partner either. Maybe I should have asked Shinfel to come with me…at least she's more competent and less annoying than you."
"Would you really have preferred her company over my own? Your useless, undisciplined tactics would have gotten you killed long before now if it hadn't been for me." the woman countered.
The man shrugged as he tested his chains, "Maybe…you do seem to care about my well being more than I remember."
"Don't flatter yourself idiot…I've always been a better warlock than you. I keep you around because I have to. The only reason the rest of us haven't killed you is because of Shinfel," the other warlock stated condescendingly.
"I'm glad that you're here with me Jubeka. There's no one else I'd rather drag to hell with me," the man laughed as a surge of fel energy crackled across his restrained body.
She snorted in disgust, "Hell is too merciful a place for you to fester."
"Give it a rest will you…ever since you became Forsaken, you've been nothing but a bitch to me," he shook his head in annoyance.
"I wonder why…" she huffed sarcastically.
The man eyed her up and down, "I never took you for the petty sort Jubeka…speak your mind."
A long awkward silence passed as Jubeka stared at him bitterly. He glanced over at her curiously, "Are you going to help me come up with an escape plan or just stare at me all day?"
"Do you ever regret the day you met Shinfel?" she asked as she looked away.
"What?" Kanrethad cocked his head surprised, "are you saying you do?"
Jubeka shook her head, "Yes and no…she taught me a lot about magic, but part of me wonders if I would have been better off not getting dragged into this cult."
"It's too late for regrets, Jubeka…we made our choices to get here," the man said distantly.
"True…but I can't help but wonder if we did the wrong thing. I mean, you know Shinfel better than anyone. How did you meet her? I know the two of you have been close friends for decades. You're probably the only person she trusts. Do you mind telling me the story?"
"Of course Jubeka…anything for you," he chuckled, "Shinfel and I met a long time ago when I was young. When I was a boy, my parents discovered I had an affinity for magic. They sent me to train with the Kirin Tor for the better part of my childhood and adolescent years. It was there I first met her…in Dalaran."
"Continue…" Jubeka spoke as Kanrethad briefly paused.
"She was a mage-priest…one of the few who returned alive from the Dark Portal. She was one of my teachers during my last two years of the Mage Academy. As you can imagine, Shinfel was not a popular teacher. She pushed the limits of our curriculum and would often delve into many banned teachings such as the nature of Fel and blood magic," Kanrethad spoke reminiscently.
The other warlock coughed, "Ahem…and this matters why?"
"Anyways…I was fascinated by the nature of felfire and shadow fire. So much that I ended up borrowing one of Shinfel's notebooks about it."
"You really are a thief aren't you? I'll bet she was furious," Jubeka said with a quick laugh.
Kanrethad shrugged, "Actually, she didn't seem to notice for the first week. I spent every waking hour of my free time trying to recreate the power she described. Well…I actually succeeded when I drew my first sigil on the ground. I summoned a fel imp."
"Interesting…so what happened next?" Jubeka asked curiously.
"I asked the imp questions about fel magic and how to create it. He didn't want to cooperate at first, but I persuaded him in due time," Kanrethad replied.
"Kanrethad the demon whisperer…so when did Shinfel find out you stole her notebook?" she laughed.
The man grinned, "I spent the next few weeks practicing fel magic in secret. Eventually, Shinfel noticed her notebook had gone missing I assume because one day she followed me out of the city. She actually tried to kill me."
"It's a wonder she didn't succeed…" the woman scoffed.
"She would have, but I caught her by surprise when I summoned a felguard to protect myself," the man said amusedly.
Jubeka's eyes widened, "How did you summon a felguard at that age?!"
"She asked me that very question after it nearly killed her. I told her that I used the imp to gain the felguard's name and sigil and used an arcane binding technique to enslave it. Surprisingly, she was actually impressed. I guess that was really when Shinfel and I came to an understanding. After that night, we created a group for people like us…and of course eventually found you. That's about it I suppose."
"How did she feel about your wife?" Jubeka laughed.
Kanrethad shook his head, "I don't want to talk about that…"
"Well I don't see either one of us breaking out of here any time soon, so you might as well…" the forsaken woman stated.
"Enough of this, Jubeka…what have you noticed going on around here since I've been unconscious? What is the legion up to?" Kanrethad changed the subject.
Jubeka sighed, "Well I haven't seen Cthugha yet if that's what you're asking. And as far as I know, the majority of the legion is attacking Outland."
"So that portal there…they found the Codex?" the man growled annoyed.
"They must have…" she said slowly.
The warlock shook his head frustrated, "Who restrained us? Was it Azachondrius or…"
"Tira? No…I haven't seen Sargeras anywhere here either," she said.
The Black Harvest leader stared into the distance, "Why would they just leave us here?"
"Why indeed," a third voice sounded causing both warlocks to jerk their heads toward the source.
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Okay there's another chapter for you people. Lots of dialogue this chapter…but some important stuff went down. I feel like there's almost too much for me to comment about so I'll just let your minds simmer this chapter. Sorry you had to wait so long for this boring chapter to be updated. I'll try to pump out another one soon.