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Trials and Tribulations Chapter 8

Weeks later, Kelnas and Illyrian stumbled up a snow-covered glacier. Their horses' manes laden with snow. The two looked at one another, and dropped from their mounts, snow crunching beneath their boots. Kelnas, for his part, bundled his cloack up around his shoulders, trying to keep it out of the knee-deep snow drifts.

"I'm starting to mislike the continent." He said, miserably as he drew his hood back from around his face. "Everything about it reeks of struggle and pain. But that...that is the key to Northrend and its power, I think, my brother." He looked at the elf whos eyes stood out, even amongst the snow and ice of Icecrown.

Illyrian grunted, as he took in the view. A great expanse was visible from atop this drift. The sun shone down on the snow, blinding anyone foolish enough to look directly at it, but a purple miasma wound its way across the fjord like so much reeking mist. Below, the two friends could see the Scourge milling about. Nerubians, Ghouls, Necrolytes. Even a few Necromancers and Banshees to even things out.

And there, floating above the scene was a massive citidel, a Black Citidel. A voice boomed out over the clearing. "Take Naxxramas to Lordaeron. There, it shall be of use to the one my servent left behind. Let it be known to all who serve, that Kel'Thuzhad reigns from on high in his Black Citidel." The voice was a rasping whisper.

Kelnas puzzled. "That was the Lich King. He sends the Citidel to Lordaeron for the traitor, Kel'Thuzhad. But he speaks of him being left behind. What does it mean?"

Illyrian looked at his friend. "It means Arthas returns to Northrend."

Kelnas shivered, but not from the cold. "I pray you are wrong. But if you are not...we must hurry. The powers for Frost, and Unholy will be mine. As will the power of the Death Knight be yours but we must hurry on our way."

Illyrian's ears wiggled. "Hold. I hear something." His eyes widened, and he grabbed Kelnas, forcing him down off the peak of the snowdrift.

"What in the name of the Light..?" But when Kelnas sat up, he saw. Two graceful creatures flying through the air. Red and gold, but scaled. With beaks. Atop were two elves. "Dragonhawk Riders." He breathed. "What are the Elves doing here?"

Sunsword blinked. Then pointed. Kelnas looked in the direction. Back over the ridge stood three people. One of whom...was Kael'Thas. "Prince Kael...." Kelnas tried to stand, but Illyrian held him back.

"No. Leave him. Kael has his own designs, and, while we could help them, we cannot. Infact, we must do the opposite. We must ignorre them, and even hinder them when the opportunity presents itself."

The human warlock blinked. "Why is that?"

Illyrian nodded. "Think. If they are here to kill the Lich King, then we cannot find the power we need to retake Lordaeron and Quel'Thalas. The Alliance has abandoned those places, and, even without the Lich King, all it takes is one powerful Necromancer to control the Undead. "

And so they waited. And they talked. One day, during their vigil over Icecrown, a rushing sound approached them. A great blue orb hovered infront of them. "INTERLOPERS!" It cried. The ground rumbled. Up from the deapths came a claws and arms. Ghouls, Nerubians...gargoyles.

A soft chuckle filled the air, and a massive nerubian made his way forward. His carapace was massive, and his claws were sharp. Great spikes extruded from his body. "Live ones....I...Am Anub'Arak, Majordomo of the Lich King, ruler of this world. Why are you here, and why should you stay among the living?"

Illyrian drew his blade, and Kelnas dark aura poured from him. "We will stay among the living," the elf said. "Because we will it." With that, he lashed out, cutting down several ghouls before the could react. Kelnas threw his hands forward, green beams errupted from his foes, their life force draining into him, empouring him.

Drawing on his inner energy, Kelnas braced himself, and launched it outwards, fire spilling across the planes, melting the snow. Be breathed heavily, as his wounds gushed plasma. Illyrian, unharmed stepped infront of Kelnas, blocking a blow meant for his brother, and lashed out at the Nerubian who had struck, removing the offending spider-creature's head.

There was another rumble. Great arms of bone reached out from the ground and grabbed the elf and human. Anub'Arak stared for a moment, and then tilted his head, as if listening to some unheard voice. "Yes...master." he whispered.

"The Lich King has sense you. Both of you. Seen your battle against his forces. Seen you want power...and now he finds you here. And he offeres you what you seek. You only need serve him."

"Why would we serve the Lich King, destroyer of our world?" Kelnas asked.

The Nerubian lord answered. "Because, warlock, you crave power above all else. You always have. You always will. And my lord will go one step further for you than any else. He will make you a Lich. But not just any Lich. An Arch-Lich. You will keep your body and need not be bound to the ungainly skeleton that Kel'Thuzhad calls home."

He turned to Illyrian. "And to you...he offers this." A sword burst through the ice. A twohanded weapon hun in mid-air. It's edges keen, sharp and smooth. Carved into the weapon were 2 red, 2 blue and 2 purple runes. The hilt was shaped like a drop of blood, and the blade was black. "This...is The Darkner. A Runeblade, brother of Frostmourne. He offers you the chance to be what you wish. A Death Knight."

TBC