NOVEL NEXT Chapter 54: The Frozen Throne
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Kael’thas could admit when he was wrong. Especially in the privacy of his own thoughts. And he HAD been wrong where the High Priestess of Elune was concerned. Doubting Tyrande Whisperwind’s courage had been a grave mistake on his part. Now? Now…
“Abominations, one and all! Your threat to this world ends TODAY, monsters!”
As the Aspect of Dreams transforms into her full draconic glory and takes to the air, a dozen of her fellow green dragons do the same, prompting Kael’thas to kick in on the sides of his dragonhawk and call out to his fellow riders.
“Everyone! Enforce the green dragons! This time we shall carry the day!”
A cheer rises up from his people, both the ground forces and the dragonhawk riders lifting into the air on all sides of him. Perhaps they aren’t the main aerial strength of the expeditionary force anymore, but Kael’thas can’t honestly bring himself to care all that much. No, after what he’s seen, he’s just happy that the massive fuck-off green dragon is on THEIR side, instead of against them.
Fighting even a shadow of Ysera’s strength had been taxing in the extreme, though the Sunstrider Prince still didn’t know for sure if that had actually been her, or someone else. Truth be told, it was all a little bit confusing to him. He was confident he was missing some serious context there, and while he’d been able to put some of it together by just staying quiet and listening in, he was still not entirely sure what had been going on between Tyrande Whisperwind and the male Night Elf who had ultimately vanished without a trace after saving their lives.
One thing was for sure, however… this time around, they were the ones with the secret weapon. As they all fly forward, Kael’thas is treated to the sight of Ysera opening her massive draconic maw and breathing out emerald flames all over the ridge that they’d first been stymied at. The Nerubians just starting to pour over said ridge shriek and squeal as they burn, and the smell of burning insects along with the sound of popping carapaces fills the air.
There are still plenty of the larger, hulking Nerubian creatures, their ‘Spider Lords’, but the one called ‘King’ is nowhere to be seen, having been killed in the last battle and apparently not re-risen again since. Not that Kael’thas knew how that worked. Perhaps bringing ‘Anub’arak’ back was simply beyond their capabilities at this point in time.
Either way, there’s no denying that the battle is incredibly one-sided in their favor. As Kael’thas directs his dragonhawk riders to reinforce and support Ysera and her dragons wherever possible, throwing around his own magic and casting spell after spell on the enemy spellcasters down below… he feels a surge of confidence welling up inside of him. Today was the day they won. Their victory was all but assured.
Heh, even that orc was giving it his all. Kael’thas had not failed to notice Rognak’s weakness after their first battle at this ridge. How blocking the Bone Wyrm’s Fel-Infused frost breath had apparently left him utterly debilitated and weak in the days that followed as they’d retreated. And yet… that weakness has left the orc druid now. More than that, if anything he seems stronger than before.
One moment, the orc is a massive Snow Leopard with glowing blue eyes and glowing blue claws. The next he’s a huge woolly Rhino with red eyes and a red glow about his horn. After that he takes on the form of the wind serpent he used in their first battle here, and then the mammoth he used to block the Bone Wyrm’s breath attack. Then, a truly titanic snake that winds its way across the battlefield, and finally a huge polar bear that shreds through Nerubians like the bugs they are.
He switches from form to form like it’s nothing, alternating between them one after the other in the blink of an eye. Whatever weakness he’d been suffering from before has been healed and to Kael’thas’ surprise, he finds himself pleased by that fact. As much as the Sunstrider Prince’s hatred for the Orcish Horde and the atrocities they committed against his people persists… Kael’thas can admit, at least in the privacy of his own mind, that Rognak might just be one of the good ones.
Even in the Emerald Dragonshrine, while he was still weakened, the orc had sought to help them in their fight. He had an honor to him that Kael’thas could acknowledge… to himself, anyways.
The battle is a one-sided slaughter this time around to be sure, but Kael’thas keeps his head on a swivel all the same. And when it finally comes, he’s as ready as he’s going to be.
The unholy, unnatural draconic cry of the Bone Wyrm fills the battlefield from end to end as it finally shows its skull-like face once more. Taking to the sky on wings that shouldn’t have been capable of supporting it, the skeletal creature’s eyes glow with the sickly green of fel magic, its mouth and claws also giving off that disgusting green tone.
Malevolence can be seen in every inch of the creature’s visage as it flies towards them, and Kael’thas readies his magic, even as he calls for his fellow dragonhawk riders to prepare themselves. But while power begins collecting in its maw… it is not the largest creature in the sky anymore. Not even remotely.
“BEGONE, FOUL ABOMINATION! THE PERVERSION OF MY BROTHER’S AGENT ENDS NOW!”
Before the Bone Wyrm can unleash its devastating breath attack, Ysera comes down on it from above, the massive Dragon Aspect’s claws sliding right into those glowing eye sockets and under the skeletal undead’s neck. She yanks the Fel-Infused Bone Wyrm’s head back, letting its breath attack expel harmlessly into the sky right past her face. Her waiting face, Kael’thas realizes, because as soon as the Bone Wyrm is through unleashing ITS breath, Ysera yanks its jaws apart and returns the favor.
Emerald Flames straight from the Aspect’s maw pour down into the Bone Wyrm’s skeletal form, coursing through every last inch of the titanic creature. Kael’thas can only gape at the sight, watching in amazement as Ysera proceeds to take the Bone Wyrm to the ground, driving it into the ice and snow with her far greater weight and power.
“FORWARD! Assist the Aspect! FOR QUEL’THALAS!”
“For Silvermoon!”
“For the Sunwell!”
Kael’thas and his people rush forward, as do their allies among the Night Elves and the orcs. Pushing up onto the ridge at long last, they work together, magics of all kinds alongside forged weapons and bestial claws and fangs lashing out at the thrashing, writhing Bone Wyrm. Together… together they do it. Together, they end this thing once and for all.
A feeling of pride wells up inside of Kael’thas as the Bone Wyrm is reduced to so few bone shards that it will likely never be used for such nefarious purposes again. That… signals the end of the battle. Oh sure, the threat is not completely vanquished with the Bone Wyrm’s death, there are still dozens if not hundreds of human necromancers and Nerubian spellcasters, alongside hundreds if not thousands of Nerubian Warriors.
But with the Green Dragonflight on their side, with Ysera herself on the field, the battle is a foregone conclusion. Their enemies do not retreat, however. What would be the point? There is nowhere else to run through now. When their Master dies, they’ll die with them or so Kael’thas assumes. Either way, their victory is assured, and within the hour, it’s done.
That said… Kael’thas takes one last look across the battlefield from his aerial view before descending to join the others on the ground for an impromptu war council. Before he’s even dismounted his dragonhawk, he speaks up with a snarl.
“The Lich and the Demon Lord weren’t here. Kel’thuzad and Balnazzar… did they flee? Did anyone see them?”
Frowning, there are a chorus of negative replies, with Tyrande shaking her head.
“They were never here to begin with, I think. I do not know why… but I suspect they have one last trick up their sleeves, perhaps just before the Frozen Throne. We must proceed… but we should do so cautiously.”
Kael’thas nods… and then to show his support and to give his tacit apology for his previous words, he gives Tyrande a salute and a nod of his head.
“By your command, High Priestess.”
The Priestess of Elune looks startled for a moment, and doubly so when his people follow suit, saluting Tyrande one after the other. She actually blushes when everyone else also follows Kael’thas lead, though some of them are grinning like they’re doing it to tease her more than show her the respect she deserves. Even still… after a moment, Tyrande lets out an explosive breath and nods, her determination and resolve etched into every inch of her beautiful features.
“… Very well. Let it be done.”
With the way clear, they turn their attention North and begin the final leg of the journey to the Frozen Throne. Kael’thas won’t lie… he’s positively vibrating with excitement as he and his fellow dragonhawk riders scout ahead. They make good time, even those who are down on the ground moving at speed towards their ultimate destination. What would have normally been a few more hours turns out to be half of that, despite the High Priestess’ words about caution.
Even still, Kael’thas keeps those words in mind… and when he sees their missing adversaries waiting for them at the base of a massive citadel of dark metal, he does the wise thing and turns back, rather than trying to take the handful of scouts he has with him to attack alone.
As such, it’s all of them who approach Kel’thuzad and Balnazzar, standing at the foot of a massive staircase. Kael’thas stands alongside Night Elves, Orcs, and Dragons as well as one Forest Demigod… and finds himself feeling surprising at home with these as his allies. Whatever trick Kel’thuzad has up his sleeve, whatever gambit the scheming demon lord Balnazzar is planning to pull here… he’s not afraid. Because he knows that he and his allies will be able to handle it.
Of course, it helps that Kel’thuzad has been reduced to a ranting, raving madman by his success. If the Lich were still capable of spittle, Kael’thas is sure it would be flying everywhere as the floating undead howls in fury at them.
“FOOLS, all of you! Do you think you have WON?! Do you think yourselves VICTORIOUS?! This is not the end, but merely the BEGINNING! The Scourge will not fail here! The Lich King will not fall! You have walked right into our final trap! While you all spent your strength fighting my Bone Wyrm, preparations were finished! Now… now the Deceiver himself stands ready to descend upon this world with the full strength of his demonic legions!”
For a moment, Kel’thuzad’s glowing eye sockets meet Kael’thas’ gaze and the Lich points a boney finger in his direction, cackling at him in particular.
“Foolish elf! You should have taken our offer while you had the chance! Now you and your people will die right alongside all of the others! Yes! YES! LORD KIL’JAEDEN COMES! THE LORD OF FLAME-urk!”
Kael’thas blinks, as demonic claws suddenly cut Kel’thuzad off… literally. Balnazzar’s clawed hand suddenly sticks out the front of the Lich’s skull, forcibly stopping his teeth from clacking together any further. And then, with a blast of Fel Magic… he burns the Lich to a crisp, incinerating his skeleton in sickly green flames right there on the spot.
Kel’thuzad’s dying scream takes Kael’thas aback, even as he finds himself reaching for his own magic, tensing up as his allies do the same. Why? Why would the Demon Lord suddenly betray Kel’thuzad like that? What game was Balnazzar playing here?
Cenarius is the first to speak, his tone incredulous as he peers at Balnazzar in confusion.
“Surely you must not think you can change sides, demon. What is the meaning of this?”
Brushing bone fragments off of his hand, Balnazzar just laughs.
“The meaning? Just a little bit of clean-up before the end, Forest Lord. Kel’thuzad’s service to the Burning Legion has not yet come to a close, you see. The Lich’s phylactery has already been procured for my Master and sent on to the Twisting Nether. Alas, Kel’thuzad would never have abandoned the Lich King willingly.”
Here, Balnazzar shrugs and smiles guilelessly.
“Fanatics, right? What can you do?”
As everyone blinks at that, the Demon Lord rolls his shoulders.
“Convincing him that Kil’Jaeden intended to expend enough effort to come to this miserable world where Archimonde had already so spectacularly failed was a good lie though, don’t you think? Ah… but the loss of the Lich King truly is regrettable. Still, perhaps it was impossible to salvage the situation, once Frostmourne was shattered. Perhaps this was always going to be the end.”
Balnazzar pauses at that, and then tilts his head to the side, sweeping his gaze back and forth across the nonplussed army standing before him. He seems supremely unconcerned to be facing down so much firepower. In fact… he even smiles as his gaze seems to linger on Kael’thas in particular for a brief moment. Or was Kael just imagining things?
“I do wonder though, how you intend to deal with the aftermath of the Lich King’s demise. Destroying their Master will not destroy the Scourge. Rather… the tide of undead that will wash over Azeroth once the Lich King is killed once and for all… ahh, it will be rather glorious. I only wish I could be here to see it. You’ll all be dealing with quite the catastrophe, once you succeed in what you’ve come here to do.”
Kael’thas’ eyes widen at that. He’d been operating under the assumption that the Scourge would be destroyed along with their Master. That the Lich King was the key to wiping them out. But Balnazzar’s claims were the exact opposite.
Before he can fully wrap his head around that, Ysera steps forward, the massive green dragon snarling as she claws at the snow.
“You are correct, demon. You will not be here to see anything more. You die, here and now.”
But before Ysera can make good on her promise… the air suddenly shudders and shakes. Kael’thas’ eyes widen as Cenarius lets out a pained grunt. He hadn’t even realized the Demigod was doing something until now, as an emerald shimmer appears all around them… and then shatters. Eyes widen as a large, malevolent red portal opens up right behind Balnazzar. The Demon Lord giggles to himself as Ysera lunges forward.
But she’s not fast enough. Balnazzar’s giggle graduates into a full-blown cackle as a red, clawed hand twice the size of Balnazzar himself reaches through the portal and closes around the Demon Lord. A moment later, he’s yanked back through… and the portal closes.
That… that was the Deceiver, wasn’t it? He hadn’t expended enough power to come through and lay waste to their world as Kel’thuzad had promised, but he had expended enough power to retrieve his servant. Kael’thas’ eyes narrow as everyone else reacts in their own ways to what just took place in front of them.
But truth be told, the Sunstrider Prince barely pays them any mind. Instead, he finds himself turning over Balnazzar’s words in his head again and again, pondering them as he follows the others up the steps of the massive dark citadel, towards a spire of ice that sits atop it… where the Frozen Throne awaits.
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