Icecrown Glacier (VII)
That coward didn't even dare to face him alone.
The Witherer moved swiftly through the corridors of the Hall of Reflection. It had taken some time to defeat Marvin and Farek, but annoyingly, some Undead creatures tried to stop him along the way. If this was an obstacle set up by the Lich King, then Nathanos would surely make Arthas know the consequences of underestimating him.
"Arthas!" he called out, but there was no answer. But the room he saw after climbing the stairs at the end of the corridor was very familiar.
The vaulted ceiling loomed high above, its edges shrouded in shadow. The entire room was circular, surrounded by arches and columns. Blue light streamed through the glass at the center of the vault, illuminating a pattern on the floor that resembled both a skull and a floral design. Several indoor balconies hung high on the walls, reserved for members of parliament during meetings.
The Lich King has no councilors! Nathanos reminded himself, his heart filled with conflict. The Scourge's king is a dictator.
His gaze fell from above, landing on a circular platform on the other side of the design. At the end of its concentric steps was a massive throne, seemingly cast from non-glossy stone. Its surface was smooth, and its edges exuded power and imposing presence.
This is clearly the throne room of Lordaeron's capital, almost identical except for the color scheme. No wonder it's called the Hall of Reflection. Everything here is a memory of the past.
Was Arthas using this method to record his "great achievements"?
Perhaps sensing that he had stopped, the Lich King deliberately released an energy so that the Witherer could find him.
Is this the way?
The Lich King stood on the highest platform of the Hall of Reflection. To get here, one had to traverse a long, frozen path. His subordinates bought him some time, and all that remained was to wait for those still chasing him.
He will definitely come. Arthas's lips curled slightly, for Frostmourne contained the soul of his mother, and had once absorbed his own soul, but now that soul had rebelled, it was time for Frostmourne to reclaim it.
Arthas walked to the edge of the platform, grabbed a spike of evil iron, and gazed at a valley in the distance. He could almost hear Tirion Fordring shouting to boost the morale of the Argent Crusade. If it weren't for his upcoming tasks, the view before him would have been breathtaking—a frozen wasteland shrouded in darkness, littered with corpses, wandering undead, and a menacing gray shadow swelling on the horizon.
"Your servants have all failed."
Arthas turned and saw a pair of eyes burning with intense hatred. Nathanos stopped and raised his sword at him.
"There was someone who provoked me like that the Lich Gate. You should have heard how it turned out."
"You dare mention the Lich Gate!" Nathanos glared at the fallen Prince, who was now King, though no one acknowledged it. "Your behavior is utterly despicable, Arthas! I've seen it many times before."
"The only way to win is by any means necessary. You are fixated on the means, which is why you came to the Hall of Reflection to find a way to defeat me. In fact, there are many ways to stop me, but you chose the most difficult one. The Frozen Throne is the holy land of the Scourge, where I am invincible."
"Then let's settle this here," Nathanos roared. The actual plan wasn't like that. Two weeks ago, at the Shadow Vault, the Witherer and the Death Knight leader discussed how to simultaneously obtain enough Saronite and the throne fragments most crucial for forging Shadowmourne.
The Knights of the Ebon Blade already knew about the Hall of Reflection within Icecrown Citadel, and that the area surrounding the Hall of Reflection was the mine for collecting Saronite for the Scourge. Once they seized control of the mine, they wouldn't have to wait long to collect enough iron ore. The Gnome Kaelen, whom they had rescued earlier, was now manipulating corpses to carry out his new master's orders—to collect Saronite. In addition, the Ranger Cynthia, who had left at the start of the raid on Saronite Mines, contacted the Death Knight, ordering them to transport the Saronite to Shadow Vault.
In order to successfully obtain the shards of the Frozen Throne, Nathanos accepted the dreadful task of luring the Lich King away. Once Arthas appeared, Darion could then seize the opportunity to steal the shards.
The plan was originally very successful. The only problem was how the Witherer could escape danger. He had a chance before. He thought that he could escape immediately after encountering the Lich King, but he encountered his mother's soul on the way.
He had personally murdered his loved one, yet now he chose to abandon her, allowing her to continue suffering within the Rune Sword. Nathanos's conscience wouldn't allow him to do it.
"I have always admired your courage, Nathanos. You should have been one of my confidants, like Kel'Thuzad, bringing chaos to this world."
"Your confidant?" The Witherer revealed a mocking look. "All I see is a child who will never grow up, pursuing power he can't control, claiming it's for the people, but actually it's for himself."
Arthas grinned menacingly, raising the Rune Sword high above his head. "For myself?" The runes of Frostmourne radiated a blinding light, emanating a chilling aura.
Suddenly, a biting wind seemed to seep into Nathanos's body, numbing his anger and desire to defeat the Lich King, and uncontrollably calming his mind. The energy was so immense that it made him dizzy... Nathanos had never encountered such powerful energy before. This made him begin to doubt his reason for coming here—to defeat the Lich King.
Fordring had previously shattered the Lich King's heart with Frostmourne, causing him immense pain. But now, Nathanos sensed that the Lich King's power had been fully restored and had become even stronger.
"What's wrong with doing it for yourself?" Arthas's voice held a hint of ambiguity. All that had just happened was a display of his power to Nathanos. "The people you protect, what can they do for you? Your sacrifice for them only earns you praise and remembrance. You can only be remembered in history. But I... want to be the creator of history. In the eternal realm of death, the past will be forgotten, and you and I will be worshipped by the world."
"You're absolutely insane!"
The voice was clear, pure, and filled with hatred. Arthas's eye sockets twitched.
"Your words are an attempt to absolve yourself of your sins. To prevent the world from knowing what you've done, to prevent living beings from remembering how many souls your sword has devoured, you intend to destroy everything, right?"
The Lich King stood there in silence for a long time. "When I awoke on my throne, I thought you were the one who understood me best."
"Of course I understand you..." Nathanos turned his sword sideways, aiming it at Arthas. On the blade, the Lich King could only see a strange figure wearing a helmet. "But that doesn't mean our Will are the same."
Arthas narrowed his eyes and growled, "Thank you for your suggestion."
A powerful killing intent surged forth, Nathanos assumed a fighting stance. But in that instant, Arthas pointed Frostmourne at him, the Rune Sword unleashing its power. The surrounding air and frost, like iron filings drawn to a magnet, were all drawn in, swirling around the blade like a death flower formed from ice. Arthas smiled, directing the ice blade toward his "friend."