Icecrown Citadel (XI)

Shadow Vault was the second place Nathanos went after escaping Icecrown Citadel. Darion acted quickly, having begun forging weapons even before Nathanos arrived; now all that was left was to wait patiently.

From a distance, Nathanos saw Darion standing with his most elite blacksmiths, the Scourge Forge before them burning with brightly colored flames, sometimes deep blue, sometimes blood red.

After countless explosions and crackles from the furnace, Darion Mograine began the first step. He tossed in the rudimentary axe blade, and two burly Death Knight carried two cauldrons to the Highlord's side. Without hesitation, Darion raised his weapon, unleashing dark purple beams of light towards each cauldron. The two vessels, neither large nor small, immediately began to churn.

"It's time!" Darion roared, his voice echoing throughout the Shadow Vault, as the other Death Knight stood ready. The moment the Death Knight' voices faded, hundreds of swirling ghosts burst forth from the cauldron. Nathanos was stunned. There weren't just hundreds, there were thousands, each emitting mournful cries that filled the hall with a plaintive, piercing melody.

Perhaps unable to bear the sound, Darion suddenly pointed his sword at the furnace, and the souls, as if given a command, rushed into the flames.

In addition to these souls, Darion threw Arthas's former weapon, "Light's Vengeance," into the furnace and proclaimed, "Behold! The union of the holy and the corrupted, this is Shadowmourne, a weapon of limitless potential."

Nathanos watched from afar. Collecting so many souls was no easy feat; it would take a very long time. Moreover, these souls weren't from some random cat or dog; their mournful howls testified to the power of their former hosts. It seemed Mograine had been preparing for a long time.

After the situation inside the forge eased slightly, the Death Knight slowly channeled his power to unleash what he called "Shadowmourne." The instant the weapon flew, Nathanos's brain rapidly processed the information from his senses.

1. This weapon is extremely unstable because it contains thousands of powerful souls.

2. Both the name of this weapon and the fact that Darion did not use materials such as Fragments of the Frozen Throne during the main process prove that Shadowmourne has not yet been truly forged.

3. Anyone who takes up this weapon must possess the ability to make it submit to their power, or they will be enslaved by it.

After a short wait, Darion quickly began the rest of the work. He examined the Shadowmourne in his hand, unable to hide his smile.

"It's over!" the Death Knight Lord shouted, tossing Shadowmourne back into the furnace, along with a fragment of the Frozen Throne, and beginning to cast a spell with all the surrounding Death Knight blacksmiths. "The fragment of the Frozen Throne will control the restless souls!"

Suddenly, a ball of energy composed of red, green, and blue appeared in Darion's hand.

"What is that?" Nathanos asked.

He knew Darion couldn't hear what he was saying, but the Death Knight immediately explained, "The three terrifying powers revered by the Lich King — the Vampyr Blood, the plague that lingers the Lich Gate, and the breath of the Frost Queen that remains in the Sindragosa's Fall —will allow Shadowmourne to be reborn."

The Vampyr Blood? Nathanos might recall his experience in Naxxramas. Could it be that Saurfang collected it from Valanar back then?

Plague the Lich Gate? The Death Knight actually found remnants of poison in the Red Dragon's flames?

No! Nathanos shook his head. The plague power in Darion's hands was undoubtedly strong; the plague left behind by the Lich Gate was simply not enough, unless Darion had the source of the plague. This reminded the Witherer of the news that had recently come from Dalaran. Prysto, the executor of the Lich Gate incident, was dead. Nathanos assumed it was the Alliance or the Horde, but he couldn't find out who carried out the execution. Now, Nathanos's gaze settled on Mograine.

There was also the aura of the Frost Queen. Having witnessed Sindragosa's power at the entrance to the Hall of Reflection, Nathanos had no doubt that he would incorporate it into Shadowmourne.

The furnace suddenly emitted a deafening roar, accompanied by a chilling cold that caused the Death Knight in the hall to take a step back.

A burst of excited laughter erupted from Darion's mouth, "It's a success!" His shout drew cheers from those around him. The secret weapon that the Death Knight had kept hidden for so long had finally moved from conception to reality.

The moment Shadowmourne was forged, no one failed to marvel at its immense power. Like Frostmourne, its serrated axe blade was inlaid with blue runes, its design appearing light and agile. Those who felt it experienced a surge of blood, a dizzying sensation, and then a bone-chilling cold that flooded all their senses.

This is the power of blood, plague, and frost perfectly fused together. Darion once said that this weapon was comparable to the Lich King's Frostmourne, and he was right; Nathanos firmly believed this. Furthermore, the first two of the three questions he initially posed about this weapon were resolved, but the third remained unresolved.

Who will ultimately wield this weapon?

"Rejoice, Death Knight, the Lich King's era is coming to an end!" Darion Mograine grasped the handle of Shadowmourne's axe under the watchful eyes of the crowd. He didn't seem uncomfortable with the overwhelming power he was receiving; on the contrary, he calmly and slowly walked towards the Witherer.

Nathanos witnessed the entire event and couldn't help but applaud the Death Knight's achievement. Darion also deserved his respect. "Congratulations, Highlord. You have not disappointed."

Darion scoffed. "My task is complete, the Witherer. Now, it's your turn." He handed over Shadowmourne.

Nathanos looked at him with utter astonishment.

"Why? This is the masterpiece of the Death Knight, and its power should be inherited by your people."

"Shadowmourne exists for only one purpose: to destroy the Lich King. But to achieve this, this artifact alone is insufficient; it needs a sufficiently powerful master." Mograine stared at the Witherer. "I've heard about the Hall of Reflection. You not only faced the Lich King directly but also survived. You withstood the power of Frostmourne, proving you have the ability to defeat the Dark Prince. Shadowmourne will aid you. Now, it is yours!"