Rebirth of the Damned

by Borsuq

6. News from home

Matthias soon finished eating and went to sleep. While his head has healed, it still hurt a bit, and all the weird things he had to deal with since he came to this world were only adding to his migraine. The bed Twilight prepared for him looked comfortable, and surprisingly, normal. He half expected that ponies slept in a piles of hay or something.

It didn't take long for him to fall asleep. However, as soon as he did that, he opened his eyes and found himself again in Bolvar Fordragon's consciousness.

"This Equestria is really weird." the current Lich King commented.

"Tell me about it." replied Arthas, shaking his head. "I can't figure out why was I brought there."

Both Bolvar and Ner'zhul looked as confused as he.

"Logic would dictate that however it had happen, it was for a reason." said Ner'zhul. "Perhaps there is something to be done in this world that only you can do."

"But what could that be?" asked Arthas, no longer caring to be angry at the old orc. "This world appears to be more peaceful than Azeroth would ever be. What could possibly somepony like me do?"

"I see you're adapting to you new life well, despite not knowing what is it that you have to do there." said Bolvar, noticing his choice of words.

"Guess those ponies are rubbing off on me." Arthas replied, facehoofing himself. Suddenly, a thought came to him: "Hey, how long was I dead, anyway? I lost track of time in that... darkness. For a moment I even thought I sensed Sylvanas there."

"Ah yes, Sylvanas. She came before the Frozen Throne few days ago. She didn't seem to be very happy to see me sitting on it, though."

"I imagine she would be even less happy about me living again." muttered Arthas, regret piercing his heart. "What did she do after noticing you?"

"She jumped."

"She what?"

"Jumped. It appeared that with you dead she didn't have any reason to live."

"I'm touched." Arthas said sarcastically, despite how heavy his heart felt at the moment.

"So she was there. I thought it was just a different part of my torment..." he thought, feeling guilty of her death this time as much as of her first.

"However, she appeared to change her mind, if my informations that she's currently planning an attack on Gilneas on behalf of the Horde is true."

Arthas stared at Bolvar, not understanding a word he just heard.

"You said she jumped." he finally said. "While the fall itself probably would not have killed her, there are plenty of saronite spikes at the base of the Citadel. She couldn't have survived! I sensed her in wherever the hell I've been, for Light's sake!"

"Val'kyr." said Bolvar, one word enough for Arthas.

"Dammit." Arthas cursed, understanding at once. The Val'kyr were bound to him; after his death and Bolvar's 'succession', they became bounded to him. Apparently, they weren't happy that they had to lay dormant atop Icecrown Citadel, so they made pact with someone so familiar to them, bringing her back to life. "How many are with her?" he asked, not remembering at the moment how many Val'kyr were left at the time of his death.

"Eight. One of them took her place in that realm."

Arthas shook his head. The thing Sylvanas could do with Val'kyr serving her...

"Why is she attacking Gilneas?" he asked, still not understanding that. "Why is the Horde attacking them? They sit behind their Wall, not integrating with the rest of the Azeroth. The Horde has no reason to attack them."

"They still have no reason." answered Bolvar, his brow furrowing. "However, the Horde is under new management, and this management is convinced that they need a save port in Lordaeron."

"'New management'? Seriously, how long was I dead?"

"About... two or three months."

"Could you tell me what happened during that time?" Arthas pleaded. He needed to know, even if he couldn't do anything for Azeroth.

"Soon after the end of what everyone calls 'War against the Lich King', the world of Azeroth came under attack from the Emerald Nightmare. It has been stopped, however, by Malfurion Stormrage, archdruid of the kaldorei, and few others."

Arthas glanced at Nar'zhul. He has seen it happen, in one of the old orc's visions.

"Since then, both Alliance and Horde agreed to hold a temporary truce so their armies could return from Northrend without unnecessary problems. Problems they still had, however; this world is in great pain, Arthas, and all the elements are acting violently, for some reason. I'm sure that you remember that the Warchief of the Horde, Thrall, is a shaman. He went to the Outland, to seek counsel from shamans who know about violent elements, so that he could figure out what ails Azeroth."

Arthas once again glanced on Ner'zhul, the one responsible for the state that Outland is now. If he had any regrets, he didn't show them.

"Do you know what ails Azeroth?" he asked, not expecting him to answer.

"No." he said, surprising Arthas. "But I can feel the earth's pain, despite not being shaman for many years. And whenever I try to concentrate, I see a vision that you've seen through me once; a huge mass of swirling water, and laughter."

"Helpful." the comment, surprisingly came from Bolvar. "Let's hope Thrall is more successful. Anyway, during his absence, he appointed Garrosh Hellscream as acting warchief."

"Garrosh?" he knew of him, of course. Garrosh Hellscream had been an Overlord of Warsong Offensive, the Horde's army sent to fight the Lich King. From what he know, he hasn't been part of the Horde for long; why did Thrall appointed him...

"Apparently, he earned a great popularity within Horde for his victories in Northrend." said Bolvar.

"Victories? What victories?" asked Arthas, slightly offended. "Hadn't those who slain me told everyone that the whole point of this war was for me to resurrect the most powerful champions of Azeroth as my servants?"

"In case you forgot, there were only Alliance heroes in that group." said Bolvar, amused. "As for Tirion, his Argent Crusade is neutral in Alliance-Horde conflict."

"Oh, whatever."

"However, it might have been better if Thrall knew and chose somebody else, for there appeared to be some disagreement between Garrosh and tauren high chieftain, Cairne Bloodhoof. I don't know all the details, but he challanged Garrosh to a duel, which he lost, because Magatha of the Grimtotem poisoned Garrosh's weapon, and she and her tribe currently occupies Thunder Bluff."

"It might have been better, indeed."

"There are also some tragedies for Alliance, as well. King Magni Bronzebeard also tried to understand what ails Azeroth, using an old ritual that dwarves found out about while exploring Ulduar. It allows whoever performs it to be one with earth. Unfortunately, nobody expected it to be literal, and Magni ended up transformed into stone. To make things even more hectic, his daughter, Moira, returned with her half Dark Iron son and half of Dark Iron dwarves and took the throne of Ironforge."

"Thats... saddening." Arthas said, not happy that even without him Azeroth is still plagued by such disasters.

"Indeed."

All three of them were silent for a long time after that, each of them thinking of what would became of Azeroth. Being practically one being, each knew what visions visited Ner'zhul, but even he, who understood them better, could not explain or predict every thing.

"How do you know all of this, anyway?" Arthas eventually.

Bolvar smiled sadly.

"While you controled the Scourge through more intelligent and powerful servants, leaving them to control the weaker ones, I cannot do that. Those more intelligent and powerful are mostly beyond my control, Val'kyr being prime example of that. So I keep the Scourge in check by controlling those mindless ones. Their are my eyes and ears, whatever they see or hear, I see or hear."

Arthas nodded. This made sense.

"I'm sorry you have to bear such burden." he said, truly meaning it.

"It was taken up by me voluntarily," answered Bolvar. "but I appreciate your words."

Arthas bowed his head and said: "I'd better go back to Equestria, I really need some rest. See you two later."

And with that, he closed his eyes and welcomed the sweet embrace of sleep.

Comments

[Borsuq]

I hope I haven't offended any Horde players, but thats how I explain to myself how come everybody in the Horde is impressed by Garrosh victories in Northrend, which weren't even his, but Saurfang's. Pity he didn't took the credit.

[Jack Kellar]

I have a question, though if it'll spoil anything you don't have to answer it:
Is Arthas purified enough to regain his status as a paladin? Because I'm wondering if he can cast Holy Light without being a unicorn.

[Borsuq]

1431831
Hmm, how should I answer without spoiling to much... Lets just say that there is a reason why in his present state Arthas cannot ask the Light to aid him in any form. As for that part about him not being unicorn, paladins abilities aren't magical, they come from their connection to the Light, so no horn would be needed.

[Jack Kellar]

1432188 I kinda figured you'd say something like that, considering how things went on in Reign Of Chaos. Firstly, if the Light magic was inherent to Arthas, Frostmourne wouldn't have allowed him to cast his paladin spells in the last part of the human campaign. When the Lich King starts losing power in The Frozen Throne, Arthas gets weaker, too, which leads to the conclusion that he is borrowing Ner'zhul's power without having any of his own (going by how Kel'Thuzad is unaffected). I just asked about the unicorn aspect to be on the safe side, seeing the mana mechanics and all that jazz.

[Malefic Scholar]

i cant help but feel the you use of modern English is out of place with arthas, with the ponys perhaps but arthas....

[Kenyis]

1429182 I hate Hellscream Thrall was awesome Also note I was a Horde player until I stopped playing

[Rokas]

1429182
Speaking as a Horde player, I hated Garrosh every time I had to deal with him, the pompous ass. I played Tauren and bought into their "c'mon, let's not fight each other" approach, but nooooo, Garrosh had some serious Daddy Issues and kept jumping at the Alliance instead of doing his gorram job against the Lich King.

Tauren should've totally switched sides and gone Alliance. Humans and Tauren are awesome together.

[Cellin]

"In case you forgot, there were only Alliance heroes in that group."

A shame you cant have both sides in that instance at once. would have been awsome.

[TheDemiGod]

NEIN, you spelled "intellegent" among other things wrong!

[Dracon_Pyrothayan]

"You controlled the horde threw..."
This is honestly the first time i have ever seen someone use a wrong "through". Please fix :D

[werewolf435]

1638741 Blegh. I'm undead and I don't like Garrosh any more than you, but switching to the alliance? Really?

static.zerochan.net/Sylvanas.Windrunner.full.810139.jpg

Sylvanis is dissapoint

[The Shade]

1429182 I'm a horde player, and I mean a hardcore horde player, I still hate Garrosh's gut, not to mention "Spoilers" that he backstabbed all of the horde's leaders.
He even backstabbed you, as a honored hero of the horde.
This may be harsh, but I almost wish for the undead to join the Allience now, I mean after all, the only thing that tell's us apart is that we're corpses (Undead, Forsaken or Damned.) and they're not.
I think the Undead needs to join the Allience since our leader is practically as close as one can come to being the next Lich king.
(Not to mention the Forsaken's never ending forces would grant them a huge bonus in battles.)

[the other sans]

While he's head has healed
and all weird things he had to deal with since
She came before Frozen Throne few days ago
I thought it was just different part of my torment
She couldn't have survive
Why is Horde attacking them?
Horde had no reason to attack them
Soon after the end of what everyone call
Arthas glanced at Nar'zhul
He went to Outland
Horde's army sent to fight the Lich King
What vitories
his Argent Crusade in neutral in Alliance-Horde conflict
"but I appreciate your words.
I'll better go back to Equestria

1. His.
2. And all the weird things he had to deal with since.
3. She came before the Frozen Throne a few days ago.
4. I thought it was just a different part of my torment.
5. Survived.
6. Why is the Horde attacking them?
7. The Horde had no reason to attack them.
8. Soon after the end of what everyone would call.
9. Ner'Zhul.
10. He went to the Outlands.
11. The Horde's army sent to fight the Lich King.
12. Victories.
13. Is.
14. Forgot your closing quotation mark.
15. I'd (I had because I'll is I will).

[Femto]

He deserved to know about Muradin.

[Paladin Redflare]

I didn't even know about why the King of Ironforge was turned to stone!

[TexPony]

Alliance has always been my favorite. But both factions have done some horrible things.

[Servant Phoenix]

prepared for him look

looked

He neaded to know

needed

the earths pain

earth's

Lets hope Thrall

Let's

Those more intelligant

intelligent

[Litiluwe]

So, Bolvar is literally strapped down to a chair and forced to watch MLP:FIM for the rest of his (un)living days?

...I suppose there are worse fates.

[josue]

6230378 like needing to piss and not being able too

[crossed]

6230378
i’m certain there are many who would pay money to experience such a thing

[HeartfireFirebrand]

8215614
Wow that's certainly interesting.