Equestria Wars Episode XII: Return of the Scourge

Charming Thunder along with the other Alliance Royals followed Danny as they arrived to a wall. Danny turned to them and said, "Before we go to my Library; I do have rules. Rule 1#: Do not take any books without my permission, otherwise I will be alerted and I would know who took the book and trust me when I say that I’ll banish you from the Library for eternity.” Twilight gave out a sad sigh, Danny knew she was planning to take some books without permission. Charming Thunder patted her on the back as everyone else nodded. "Rule 2#: Do not take any pictures or anything of the Library and show no one of the knowledge that leaves the Library unless I say you can. The knowledge of the library is sacred and I don’t care if you are my relative; it must remain a secret. And finally; Rule 3#: Do not use my knowledge for military purpose unless I say you can. Are we in an understand?" Everyone nodded and Danny smiled. "Excellent. Also, only I can open the gateway to the Chronicler’s Lair, even if you knew the password." Danny then pointed his hoof to the wall. "Open Sesame!!" Suddenly, a door opened on the wall. Danny smirked walked to it, opening it up, revealing a whole new room. He then gestured everyone to follow him as they began to enter. Behind them, the door closes and disappears from the real world. They arrived at a giant library where a million books was stored and an hourglass stood in the center of the room, and books flying around. Everyone gasped with amazement even Twilight who tried to restrain herself from taking books from the library. "Follow me."

"So this...is where you knew everything?" Charming Thunder asked who was still awestruck. "You knew so much and now I know why."

"Of course. Speaking of which; I know the family tree in our family, everything about Equestria’s history. Speaking of history..." Danny clapped his hooves and suddenly, a book that had a golden and black cover on it with a skull and a sun on it came. The title on it said; The Book of Arthas Solar. He opened it to reveal a family tree that was inside it. Princess Celestia and a male Unicorn King was there. The picture had words underneath it that said “King Terenas”.

"Even Terenas was recorded," Celestia said, shedding a few tears of happiness.

"Everypony in the world was recorded, even the great kings and queens, they (everypony) are all recorded from their birth to the day they disappear completely." The book proceeded and revealed that both him and Charming Thunder are Arthas' cousins. As the book continues, it was reported that Arthas was taught by Uther the Lightbringer, who was status as deceased. The book also reported that he had a girlfriend named Jaina Proudmoore, who is also status as deceased. Then, they came up to a certain point when it stopped.

"What is that?" Luna asked.

"When he claimed Frostmourne and started the process."

"Frostmourne?" Twilight asked.

"The blade that Arthas uses that was created by the Lich King," Celestia said.

"Let’s see it, shall we?" The book began to glow and suddenly; the environment changed to what looked like a cold winter place. The group heard hoof steps and they looked to see one pony and one griffin approaching. Celestia began to cry with tears of happiness.

"Celestia; this is an illusion, not real," Danny said so that Celestia doesn't become too overemotional. The griffin looked somewhat old. He had white feathers, old eyes that looked tiresome. He carried an axe and hammer with him. The pony was an earth pony; he had a golden coat and brown mane and tail. On his back was a giant Warhammer.

"Behold, Muradin, our salvation, Frostmourne," Past Arthas said to the griffin. They stopped a few feet away from it. Muradin noticed something on the shrine and began to approach it. He kneeled down to the text of it.

"Hold, lad," Past Maradin interrupted. "There’s an inscription on the dais. It’s a warning. It says; Whomsoever takes up this blade shall wield eternal power. Just as the blade rends flesh, so must power scar the spirit." His eyes narrowed at the inscription and began to back up in fear. "Oh, I should've known. The blade is cursed! Let’s get the Tartarus out of here!"Muradin turned to walk away towards the exit. However, Arthas has other plans. He began to approach the shrine.

"I would gladly bear any curse to save my homeland." Muradin stopped dead in his tracks and turned to Arthas, who was already very close to the crystal holding the blade within.

"Leave it be, Arthas. Forget this business and lead your men home." The Past Arthas had a look of anger in his face and he didn’t turn to Muradin.

"Damn to men! Nothing shall prevent me from having my revenge, old friend. Not even you." Past Arthas grabbed his Warhammer and pulled out a book. He lifted the hammer high in the sky and it began to shine brightly while he never lost eye contact with the blade. "Now, I call out to the spirits of this place. I will give anything or pay any price, if only you help me save my people." The sword began to shake inside before the crystal exploded. Large chunks of it shot at Muradin, killing him in the process. Arthas looked at his dead old friend before the sword came to his side. He dropped his Warhammer behind him but kept the book before he picked up the sword with his other hoof. The environment then changed back to normal.

"I...never knew," Celestia said in complete shock.

"He became a Death Knight in order to save his homeland, only to destroy it," Danny explained.

"Whatever happened to the land?" Charming Thunder asked.

"It became the newly named Badlands." Chrysalis and Meta gasped as they never knew that they conquered a land that was once a home to ancient ponies.

"Wow," Chrysalis said in awe.

"What happened after that?" Charming Thunder asked.

"Arthas killed the Dread Lord Mal’Ganis and then continue to live in the north, slowly but surely becoming a pawn to the Lich King’s plan," Danny continued. "He even left his men to the hands of the dead. Eventually, he became the lich king and you know the first. He murdered his father, mentor, and the people he tried to save. Jaina died of old age, Arthas was only friends with Kel’Thuzad; A Lich who was once a Necromancer, and Anub’arak; a Crypt Lord and the ancient king of Azjol-Nerub. I still remember when the Vamponies, Snakeponies, and Equestrians marched to the Frozen Throne."

"I was there, leading the battle," Celestia added. "I was with Prince Kael’thas of the Vamponies and Lady Vashj of the Snakeponies. When I began to take over the very key to getting into the Frozen Throne. The only thing I wasn’t expecting was-"

"Arthas and his Undead Legion." Celeste nodded.

"When Kael’thas told me that Arthas had arrived in Northrend, I knew he would be too late to save the Lich King. But when my assault force told me that Arthas had arrived recently to the Icecrown to stop my forces from taking over; we met on the battlefield and he managed to defeat me with his powers, but didn’t kill me. He used me as being weak at the moment and went into the Frozen Throne. I had no choice and I seal him with the Lich King, hoping that he would never wake up. But alas; he has returned."

"But, wait," Charming Thunder said. "If he was way behind the invasion force, how did he manage to catch up?"

"I can answer that," Danny replied. "He went through the Shatter City Ruins of Azjol-Nerub and went through remnants of Muradin’s followers. He made it in time to defend the Frozen Throne. However; that invasion was the end of the Snakeponies race and the loss of a major force in the Vampony Empire. The Equestrian Empire took little losses."

"Now we have no way in stopping him from taking over Equestria."

"Actually… there is a way to defeat and free Arthas from the Lich King’s control."

"Really?" Celestia asked.

"Yes. Frostmourne."

"What does the blade have to do with anything?" Luna asked, not understanding what Danny said.

"Think about it. Arthas heeds the call of the Lich King through Frostmourne. If the blade is either separated or destroyed."

"Arthas won’t be able to listen to the Lich King and can be freed from his control," Charming Thunder added.

"Correct!"

"So we need to either destroy the cursed blade or get it away from him," Celestia said.

"I would guess. We need to take the fight to Arthas if we are ever going to beat him."

"But how?" Charming Thunder asked. "Arthas has an army of dead and our ponies can’t take the cold well."

"That may be true but we need to make the attack! If you don’t, Arthas will keep hitting you until the defenses are gone! So take courage and take the fight to him! Show Arthas that his plans to hold you back won’t work and he will need to take the defensive, a role the Scourge doesn’t normally take." Charming Thunder thought about the idea and nodded. Danny looked at the hourglass and realized that it was almost time to lower the sun. The group began to leave the library as Danny smiled.