//------------------------------// // Aftermath Conversations // Story: The Crystal Vizier // by Lich-Lord Krosis //------------------------------// "Well... That escalated quickly." Lal'theron sighed, watching the still twitching form of Celestia grow still as he weaved the soothing lights of the Sunwell over her wounded chest. The wound had shrunken and healed to the point of a small scar, but even the powers of the Naaru can only do so much. She would carry the scar for the rest of her eternal life. Cadence nodded grimly at the High Elf's assessment , her eyes scanning her husband's... editions. She was quite obviously shaken up, seeing as her beloved had had a third of his flesh rotted away to save her foster mother, who had almost died. Again. "Lal'theron, w-what happened to Shining?" Cadence stuttered, her breathing irregular, sadness mixed with concern lacing her voice. Lal'theron looked to his king, watching the stallion's still form intently. "I... I am unsure of what EXACTLY happened to him..." In all honesty, he was telling the truth. He knew that the plagues and diseases that Frostmourne could deliver were unmatched by any other, but even the plague that assaulted his... 'marefriend' took him off guard. He had heard reports from the higher ups of the Cult of the Damned that their master had kept a 'trump card' for himself, but the rate at which it ate away flesh and sinew... it was horrifying to think this was used upon the innumerable amount of casualties that were inflicted during the Fall of Icecrown Citadel... "Likely a plague of some kind, brought upon by Frostmourne after I attempted to heal the wound." Lal'theron shuddered. Cadence nodded, nuzzling her husbands form as he slumbered peacefully. The curse of undeath could be seen as a blessing in this case. The amount of flesh the necrosis had devoured would have killed a living being, regardless of the region. Even his master... BROTHER. Even his brother was overcome by the act of just MOVING the disease. "How could Frostmourne... know that..." Lal'theron stopped her politely, a wave of his hoof sending a message of calm. The revenant trotted up to a tea set that was adorning a table by the fire. He calmly conjured up some water, and poured it from the leather flask into the pot to boil, before gently placing it above the fire, which was stoked once by him to reawaken it. "Lady Cadence... Frostmourne is not just a sword. The blade feels what the master feels, just as any other runeblade does... but Frostmourne... Frostmourne is special." Lal'theron folded his legs inwards, gesturing for the alicorn to sit beside him, next to the collapsed form of her husband and Celestia. "It was crafted by demons, to start. But Frostmourne was meant to be... for lack of a better word, 'vessel' for the Lich King, not just a weapon." Cadence nodded, gently stroking Shining's unkempt mane with a few feathers from her right wing. "The blade, along with the Helm of Domination, was meant to contain the Lich Kings power. To channel it." the revenant hesitated, looking for his queen's permission to continue, his glowing blue eyes questioning the alicorn silently. "Lal'theron, I am more than ready to discover the truth behind these... happenings, however dark or twisted they are... Shiny is uncomfortable talking with me about it, and Kel'Thuzad is hesitant, but you know some information, don't you?" Cadence's face was one of concern, not anger, letting the High Elf's fears rest. He nodded sagely, looking back to the fire. "Yes." "Do you mind telling me?" Cadence asked, not commanded. The revenant was used to the cold unfeeling leadership aboard Naxxramas, not the caring, loving friendship of is current rulers. He definitely liked the latter more, but he was still hesitant to speak out of line. ......... "No." ......... "Begin were you want to, I'm not going anywhere until I have my answers." Cadence declared smugly, a grin adorning her face. The revenant chuckled. He DEFINITELY liked this form of leadership more. "Well... from what I have heard my brother and Shining discussing, there may be more than two phylacteries binding your husband to the realm of the living. That, combined with the blood of an alicorn, is what gives him his... vitality. Undead cannot normally sleep, eat, drink, or breathe." Lal'theron interrupted his own sentence to take the pot off of the fire, the small receptacle squealing it's preparedness. He gently poured the steaming liquid into a cup, and moved it slowly towards Cadence. "So, there may be more than the Crystal Heart and me?" Cadence asked, nodding in thanks for the cup, before sipping it lightly, shivering as the warmth flowed through her, heating her stressed body. Lal'theron nodded. "They believe that the Helm of Domination, which is what gives the Lich King his command over his undead legions, may be one as well, which may attribute to your husbands... strange outbursts. The last two Lich Kings were driven mad by the power of the Helm. Kel'Thuzad believes there may still be fragments of their souls corrupting the Helm." Cadence nodded. "So, Shiny is being mind controlled?" Cadence asked, uncertainty plaguing her voice. Lal'theron shook his head. "It's unlikely that they could take full control of Shining, but they may definitely be influencing him. In times of stress or endangerment, your mind opens up to avenues of assistance subconsciously. ALL ASSISTANCE." Lal'theron cleared his metaphorical throat, and continued. "When Shining is angry, for instance, the souls may attempt to influence his actions. This may have been the cause of your husband's and Kel'Thuzad's deaths when Frostmourne reforged itself using the Lich King's power." "So... does that mean... Nightmare may have taken over Auntie Celestia's body when she..." ......... "Yes... that... wait." Lal'theron thought back to the events in the throne room. he was in the back, near the throne, but he saw Celestia's attempts to keep his brother from Luna. She had seemed... distressed, yes. But Nightmare was bound to Luna. And Celestia never touched Luna... Wait. Yes... Yes she did! Nightmare had established a link to her when she nuzzled Luna! It all made sense... But... why stop there? What stopped her from body jumping across the room? "She needed a soul to latch unto." Lal'theron spoke, startling Cadence, who had been deep in thought herself. She sipped from the teacup, and spoke. "So Nightmare body hopped to Auntie Celestia from Auntie Luna, and took over her mind because she was angry?" Lal'theron nodded. He was no master mage like his brother, but he knew enough about magic to know that the idea seemed plausible. It would seem Nightmare was quite the necromancer herself, then. Being able to control ones own soul... WHILE dead... That was SERIOUS power... "So Auntie is safe?" Cadence asked. Lal'theron looked to his queen, and smiled to the best of his ability. "Yes, milady. Celestia is safe." Though she may still be hiding more than she is telling...