The Curse of Undeath

The Shen'dralar druid makes her way over to the station platform, looking to see if anyone is on the machine resting on the rails. Not seeing anyone on it, she proceeds to check for any loose boards she can pry up. She finds a couple of boards she is able to move and sets the heart down to transform into her bear form. After she changes forms, she claws at the frozen ground below with her front two paws, trying to make a large enough hole to hold the heart.

When she finishes the hole, she switches back and picks up the bag with her hand. She then shakes her head at what Arthas has done and sets the heart in the ground to return for it later, and finally covers it up with dirt then returns the planks to where they were. With the planks back in place, she uses a rock to ensure the nails don't stick out and then tosses it aside when she's finished. With the heart hidden, she switches to her bear form and uses one of her claws to make two small scratches on the bottom end of the board. As she returns to her normal form, she turns around and switches to her flight form. She then quickly takes off to find where her friend is and inform her of the situation, as well as tell her that she needs to rush back through the gate to inform the leaders of what has happened.

Two Days Later, at the Crystal Empire

Twilight smiles at her foal sitter and says, "I wish we could stay longer and help with the cleanup Cadance, but we need to get back to Ponyville, and I need to go report to Princess Celestia about what happened here."

Shining Armor looks down at his younger sister with a smile on his face, trying to cheer her up and says, "You've really got to stop saving my rump like this, it's beginning to get embarrassing."

She sighs and hangs her head, feeling bad that she wasn't responsible for saving the day saying, "But it wasn't me who saved you all in the end, it was Spike."

Her brother grins and chuckles saying, "It's just a test Twilight, maybe she will let you retake it."

Cadence frowns at her husband's teasing of her new sister inlaw and nudges him with her wing to get him to stop it as they make their way to the station, seeing how Twilight's mood is not improving at all.

Twilight continues to gaze down at the ground as she continues walking, not watching where she is going and sighs saying, "I don't think that she's going to give me another test after failing this one." She hears someone shriek in alarm as she bumps into someone, forcing her to look up and see who it was. Noticing that it is her friend Rarity she says, "Sorry for bumping into you Rarity, why did you stop so suddenly?"

Rarity trembles and points at the ramp as her friends all huddle around her, except for Pinkie who is standing near the ramp staring at some small, two-legged creature with a body that you can see through. Watching as Pinkie then screams, "AHHH, A GHOST!" and disappears in a puff of smoke and appears right next to her and says, "Did you just figure that out NOW darling?!"

She looks at the small creature, having pale skin, blonde hair combed and slicked backward, and green eyes. It is wearing a white button-up shirt, an open blue vest with both having gold buttons on them, and a pair of short brown trousers with a black belt and a gold buckle. The creature looks vaguely familiar to her for some reason, but can't quite think where she has seen them before and walks around the group of huddling ponies as Cadance accompanies her asking, "I think that you look familiar to me, but I can't quite figure out where though. Who are you, what are you, and why are you out here?"

The young boy sighs and looks up at the purple pony with a horn that just spoke and says, "I am a human boy, my name is Matthias Lehner. I am what your friend called me, a ghost. This makes it twice now that I watched him throw it away, but another trembled as she watched it happen with her own two eyes then found it and hid it away."

Cadance looks at the young child and asks, "Who threw what away, where did they hide it?"

Matthias looks at the other pony, being taller, having a pink coat, with wings and a horn then smiles and shakes his head saying, "I can't tell you any of that, nuh-uh... He wouldn't like it...at all."

Twilight then cocks her head curiously and asks, "Okay then, what can you tell us, Matthias?"

He smiles and chuckles saying, "Hmmm... Well, I can tell you that it is something small and very clearly does not belong out here in this cold. You will know you found it once you set eyes upon it."

The foal sitter looks to Twilight and says, "I wonder if you should continue on and board the train to inform Princess Celestia about what happened here, that way we could conduct the search for the item."

Matthias sighs and says, "The sooner you find this object and keep it safe from his loyal subjects', the better chances you will have of defeating him when help comes."

She sighs and then looks at the others saying, "Let's all spread out and see if we can locate this thing and return home, I actually find paying a visit to the spa quite intriguing after reporting to Princess Celestia."

The boy watches with a smile on his face as they start looking around in various places for the hidden heart, waiting to see the reactions on their faces when they find it. He then remembers one important detail and shouts to all of them saying, "One thing you should know about the object, make sure to not touch it with your hands...or it will cause you intense pain and put your life in peril as he will hunt you down."

Twilight then turns her gaze away from the forest as something in her head suggests that the one the boy is speaking about might possibly be Arthas, then looks at the boy more closely as the idea in her head gains a little more strength. She walks a little closer to get a better look at him to confirm the possibility when her attention is suddenly interrupted when she hears a deep, slow-sounding heartbeat, causing her to freeze in place and look at the area around her for the noise in hopes she is just hearing things.

Matthias watches the curious pony as they seem to be attempting to figure something out and asks, "What's the matter, do you need something?"

She hears it again and thinks it sounds close to her, drawing her attention to the only place the others haven't checked yet...under the train. As she walks around the ramp, she walks up to the train and carefully leans her head under the cars as she hears it again, sounding farther away. Turning around and checking under the car closest to the ramp, she doesn't see anything and moves to the next car down, hearing it once more and sounding far away again. As she starts to get a little frustrated, she looks back at the boy when she notices some large prints in the snow that are different from a ponies. Making her way back to where she was, she looks at the tracks a little closer and calls out, "Hey Fluttershy, could you come here and tell me what kind of animal made this track?"

Fluttershy heads away from a hollow spot in a nearby tree, then stops next to Twilight and looks down at the track saying, "I would have to say that a bear made this track Twilight, but I don't know any bears around here that could have made that large of a paw print."

Twilight then sees another set of smaller, narrower prints and says, "Do you know what made those other prints Fluttershy?"

She looks at them and quickly shakes her head no saying, "Unfortunately, no I don't. Sorry I'm not very helpful, Twilight."

She smiles at her friend and says, "Don't be sorry Fluttershy, because I think that the object is somewhere on the train." She then looks to the others that are by the forest and calls out to them saying, "Try scouring the train for the object while I continue to check the area around it." She watches as they all head onto the train to look at it when she hears the beat one more time, this time the sound seems to come from the ground near her. Shifting her attention for any changes in the snow, she notices a couple of claw marks on the end of a board and takes a closer look at it. As she looks at the board from a few different angles, she notices that the end of it has a few scrapes on it as well as some indentations around the nail heads.

The young boy sits at the top corner of the ramp and watches as the pony proves to be smart, wondering if she will prove to be smarter than the last adventurer that touched Arthas's heart with their bare hand. He then grins and says, "Are you eager for this game of hide and seek to end?"

Twilight grabs the board with her magic and tugs on it a few times before it comes free, then sets it to the side and says, "Yes I am, though I really am not looking forward to telling the princess that I failed the task she has given me."

Matthias watches as she stares ahead, lost in thought and says, "Why, did any important people die that you needed to keep safe?"

She looks up at him quickly and says, "No, nopony died. There were a few injuries, but we made it through and protected the Empire from dark forces."

The boy then smiles widely and says, "Then be happy about it because you most likely completed the task she gave you, If you fail a task, bad things and regrets are the results you are left with. No matter how hard you try, there is no undoing them once it is too late."

Twilight looks down at where the board was and sees a pile of torn-up dirt, grass, and snow. She begins to push the dirt to the side with her hand when she hears the sound again and the soil rise up and fall slowly, making her curiosity and nervousness rise quickly. As a nervous sweat appears around her forehead, she works slowly and carefully on moving the dirt out of the big hole until her finger brushes against something soft. She gulps audibly and stares down into the hole, using her hand to move the remaining dirt in the hole bit by bit. As she finally gets done removing the dirt, she finds a ball seeming to be only fabric that seems to have a shimmer all its own with a few faintly glowing light blue lines that seem to almost move if you look away from them. She reaches out with her hand to pick up the ball, carefully lifting it up and out of the hole before setting it on the ground in front of her beside the ramp and wonders out loud, "What is this?"

Matthias then stands up and wanders closer to her, sitting on the ground and saying, "That is just frostweave cloth on the outside, be very careful not to brush your fingers against the item inside or you will feel an excruciating pain throughout your entire hand. There aren't any faceless ones around, so be extremely cautious when unwrapping it."

She looks at him as her brain thinks about the name, taking a minute before her brain figures out that the boys name is an anagram for Arthas Menethil then says, "You're Arthas Menethil, aren't you?"

He smiles and claps his hands saying, "You really are smart, though I thought that you would have figured that out a while ago. Yes, I am Arthas Menethil but just what remains of his humanity after he cast me...or rather...it away." He then watches as an unusual emotion briefly enters her eyes that he saw only once before and asks, "What is the king to you, pony?"

Twilight carefully unwraps the object with her hands and gasps as she sees a partly blackened, still-beating heart. Nearly dropping it from her surprise as the others start to gather around to look at what Twilight has found, asking the boy, "H-How can he still survive after cutting his own heart out, I don't understand how this is possible?!"

Rarity makes her way to an open spot to look at what Twilight is holding and wishes she never saw it as she gasps shouting, "EWW!! A bloody heart that still...beats..." trailing off as she faints and collapses onto the ramp from shock, fright, and disgust.

Matthias lightly chuckles and shakes his head at the one pony fainting and answers her saying, "Well it is quite simple, he is master of the undead. That means that normally, he is undead himself. Since he threw his heart away that was keeping him in check, he went back to being a true monster. I am sorry to tell you this but your world is in for a lot of pain, misery, and new horrors you never experienced the like before. You never answered my question, pony. What is the king to you?"

She sighs and blushes at his question and says, "W-well I...I have...feelings for him."

Cadence sees the irritation building on her husband's face and bumps him with her wing first, then pulls his face to look at hers as she shakes her head and looks at Twilight saying, "I would normally encourage you to pursue what your heart desires, but first, I think that you should search for a way to save him from the darkness that is eating away at his heart. You need to understand Twilight, this is going to take time."

He looks at the pony and nods his head saying, "Even though you found his biggest weakness, it certainly will not be an easy fix. So keep the heart with you always so it remains safe, but to save him you will first need a big army to push through his forces. Second, you have to fight your way through each floor of the fortress, and make it to the very top. Finally, you will have to face him at the very peak of Icecrown, remove the crown from his head and destroy his sword as well as create an opening so the heart can be put back into his chest. Only then will he have a chance to be saved, it will not be an easy fight. I assure you that there will be many losses, you saw the graves outside his citadel doors. Those were all warriors who fought together to bring an end to his rule the first time, the cost was great but they prevailed."

Twilight sighs and hangs her head a little, wrapping the heart back up in the cloth saying, "I guess that we really should get going girls." She sets the heart into her bag carefully then puts the board back down and says, "Applejack could you secure this board and make sure that nopony's hooves will catch on the nail heads?"

Applejack nods her head, forcing herself to look past the disturbing sight and says, "Sure thing Twi, ah'll git on it after ah take Rarity inside."

Rainbow grins and puffs up her chest saying, "With four alicorns to fight his army, the solar guard, the night guard, and the Elements of harmony to face him and his goon squad, he has no chance of winning."

Matthias sighs and shakes his head saying, "You would have a very challenging time if it was just him to deal with, but with the reinforcements he received from Azeroth after a gate was built? You need to go through his army to get close to him, and there are two and a half million soldiers in all at his command. Not including the two Dragon Queens Sindragosa of the Frostbrood and Ashara of this world's dragons."

She is shocked at hearing such a vast number as her chest falls when she understands just how strong he is and says in alarm, "That's crazy! How are we going to have any hope of surviving when he sends those monsters to attack Equestria!?"

Cadence speaks up and says, "We will do what we can to endure the coming trials, and I know that friendship will help us to get through it." She then looks at the boy and asks, "I know nothing of a new portal in Equestria, where is it?"

He says, "Well it was built and activated seven months and about two weeks ago, but I wont tell you where it is because the land of Azeroth is in turmoil and you would not last one day over there. You have enjoyed a peaceful existence without any serious wars, the nations in Azeroth have been hardened by it because there is always conflict between the two major factions...the Horde side and the Alliance side." Matthias then stands up and says, "Well it was fun talking to you all, I need to rest for a while but I will be back. One more thing before I go, you will have some time before he launches his assault on the living in your world. That relic that drove him out dealt some damage to him, I don't know why, but it did. So maybe that could somehow help you out, farewell for now." his form fades away as he starts to recover his strength for later.

Twilight looks at her sister-in-law and gives her a big hug saying, "I'll come visit again someday when I can, goodbye for now." and then heads onto the train as Applejack starts to pound the nail heads back into the ramp support beams, as her head starts to fill with questions of why would Arthas cast his own heart away.

A day later, in Canterlot at the castle with Princess Celestia and Twilight

Twilight looks up at her mentor who watches the colorful streams of light dance through the sky and lets out a defeated sigh saying, "I wish I was the one who ultimately made it so and saved the day, but it wasn't..." then looks down at the ground, expecting to be scolded or punished.

Celestia smiles proudly at her student and says, "Twilight, as I understand it, Spike brought the Crystal Heart to Princess Cadence because you weren't sure of how quickly you could find a way of escaping the tower. You weren't willing to risk the future of the citizens of the Crystal Empire in an effort to guarantee your own. It is far better that I have a student who understands the meaning of self-sacrifice, than one who only looks out for her own best interests."

She looks up hopefully at her mentor and says, "So does this mean that...?"

The princess looks down at her student with pride and says, "Yes it does my faithful student, you have passed the test I gave you. On another note, it concerns me greatly that Arthas showed up and took Sombra's soul. It saddens me to hear that Sombra met an end like that, I would not wish anyone to suffer a fate such as that. Is there anything else that may have happened while you were there?"

Twilight then remembers the heart she found and says, "Actually...there is one very troubling thing I found when I was returning to Canterlot to tell you what happened. It...involves your father Princess Celestia."

Celestia smiles curiously, hoping that something great happened between Arthas and Twilight and asks, "Does it involve wedding bells in the future?"

She blushes and is stunned to hear her mentor say that and stammers, "Wha...Wha...I...I...N-No, no it doesn't. Wouldn't that be way too awkward for you...if Arthas and I were to marry...then you and Princess Luna would be my stepdaughters and I am far younger than you."

The princess giggles at her student's embarrassment and says, "It would be different, but Lulu and I can deal with it." She watches as Twilight's face becomes troubled once more and her own cheerful mood darkens a bit asking, "If that isn't it, what could it be that you learned?"

Twilight looks down at the floor and says, "When my friends and I were walking back to the train with my brother and Princess Cadence, we were just about to head up the ramp to board the train when we saw something transparent..."

Celestia cocks her head curiously and says, "Okay, please continue Twilight and tell me more."

She looks at her mentor with a troubled look on her face saying, "I asked who it was, what it was, and why it was there. It then told me that it was a human boy, and he was a ghost named Matthias Lehner. He then began saying how it is twice now that he watched him throw it away, but another trembled as she watched it happen and then found it then hid it away. Cadence then asked him who threw what away and hid it where, but he refused to answer it clearly and said that he wouldn't like it at all. After trying again, he gave us a clue that it was something small and did not belong out in the cold. We would know when we found it because of its appearance. So after Cadence offered to look for it while we returned to Canterlot, he said the sooner we find it, the better chances we would have of defeating him when help comes." She then asks, "Could you please cast a complete secrecy bubble please to hear this next part?"

The princess becomes worried as she tries to figure out why the name Matthias Lehner bugs her so much and nods her head, then casts a solid bubble to keep all sound and images from the outside and asks, "It is done, something about this seems very important to have you requesting complete secrecy about some matter. Let's have the rest of this tale, my faithful student. That name bugs me for some reason, but I know not why."

Twilight then takes her backpack off and sets it on the floor in front of her then continues saying, "As we started searching for it, I heard a strange sound. After spending a few minutes looking for it, I located it hidden in a hole underneath the ramp at the Crystal Empire's station..." She then pulls out the object wrapped in frostweave cloth and keeps it hidden from view saying, "I found this buried in the hole, Princess Celestia..." pulling out the heart wrapped in cloth before her mentor's eyes, then begins to carefully unwrap it saying, "Whatever you do, do not touch this with your bare hand." She then looks at the heart in the cloth and asks, "Matthias, could you please come out and greet my mentor?"

Matthias Lehner then appears as a mist from the heart, taking his human form and yawning while looking at Twilight asking, "That was a pleasant nap, what do you wish to know Twilight?"

Celestia gasps and takes a closer look at the boy before her as the last clues fall into place and asks, "F-Father...is...is that you?"

Matthias Lehner looks at her and smiles saying, "Hi Celestine, I am you and Lunetha's father but only the remnants of his humanity."

She starts to back up in fear stammering, "Wh-Wh-What di-did he do, how are we seeing you now?"

He watches Twilight continue to unwrap the heart and sighs saying, "It started after he fed Sombra's soul to his sword, he was hurt by the Crystal Heart when he was forced out and I began to argue with him over his actions. As you can see now, he didn't like that very well. I am sorry but you and your subjects only have a brief time to prepare for when he attacks, he has returned to being a true monster."

Celestia stands up tall and proudly says, "We have faced many foes, we can stand against him and beat him once more."

Matthias shakes his head saying, "You have never faced the true monster that I was keeping in check, you aren't able to withstand the wickedness he will bring to bear against you and any others that breathe."

She then looks down at the object Twilight holds in her hands and says, "What is that...thing you are holding Twilight?" As Twilight finishes uncovering it, she watches as it beats slowly. Causing her to back up against the barrier, feeling disgust rise at seeing it and asks, "What is that thing, it is disgusting."

Twilight then looks up to her mentor with sadness in her eyes and says, "This...is Arthas's Heart...He threw this away like it was a hindrance to him. We must withstand his attacks and find a way to save Arthas by removing the darkness from his heart, we will need to wait for strong allies to show up to help us defeat Arthas at the top of Icecrown. In order to save him, we need to cleanse his heart, destroy his sword and get the helm off his head then return this to being inside his chest."

Matthias nods his head solemnly and says, "I am sorry I could not continue to keep his evil at bay, you shall experience firsthand what kind of monster he has became. So find your resolve and do what is necessary to protect your people from the Lich King, fight against him as long as you can. I assure you that help will come from those that beat him before, just keep them occupied for as long as you can while searching for a possible way to save him from his evil. If you are lucky, you will not have to kill him."

At the newly constructed portal in the Badlands with the Shen'dralar druid

Kalysse uses her travel form to race towards the active portal, seeing two alliance guards at the gate and shifts into her humanoid form shouting, "Scout coming through with an urgent report for the Alliance leaders in Azeroth, let me pass!"

The dwarf and human guards both nod their head as the dwarf says, "Head on through lass, what's goin' on?"

She stops for a moment and looks to both of them saying, "The Lich King Arthas Menethil has returned to being a monster, and will most likely begin attacking Azeroth once more in earnest." She then continues to sprint toward the portal as the guard's faces fill with shock and fear.

The dwarf gulps nervously and says, "Ah hope that he don't come here anytime soon, we stand no chance against him. Do ya have any family Bolen?"

Bolen nods his head as his hand trembles slightly and says, "Yes I do, a wife and son in Stormwind. How about you?"

The Dwarf nods and says, "Aye, a wife in Coldridge Valley. If that monster Arthas shows up, we'll both give him a bloody nose at least before we die."

Kalysse passes through the portal to see a fortress starting to take shape around the large portal, hearing a passing soldier calling out to her saying 'Halt!' and skids to a stop, then looks at the guard and shouts back, "I have an urgent report for Priestess Tyrande and the Alliance leaders of Azeroth, let me pass!"

The captain stops and asks, "What is your report elf?"

She sighs in annoyance and says, "The Lich King Arthas Menethil has returned to being a monster, so he may begin attacking Azeroth and come here. I must go now, for every living creature is in danger from that monster! Now let me pass!"

He quickly nods his head fearfully and says, "Very well, you may continue on your way elf." He then looks for a courier to send to request reinforcements and shouts to a young soldier, "You there, come here!"

The young female nods rushes over, then stands at attention and salutes saying, "Yes sir!"

The captain returns the salute and says, "Fly to Valiance Keep and tell them that reinforcements are requested at the Frozen Keep in Icecrown, the Lich King may come after Azeroth again. Now go! if there are no reinforcements available there, sail for Stormwind and ask King Varian for soldiers."

She nods and takes off for Valiance Keep thinking, 'I pray that the Lich King does not attack the portal, for we are all doomed if he does...'

The druid shifts to her flight form and flies quickly to Dalaran in hopes of using the portal there to return to Darnassus. Having to flap her wings for a long while to get up to the city, she reaches the city feeling exhausted already from flying from the Crystal Empire and having to use the portal in Dalaran to return to Darnassus.

After flying through the portal, she hurries towards the Temple of the Moon to find the priestess. She passes by the guards that give her curious looks, in too much of a hurry to inform what she just saw. She arrives at the Temple of the moon and runs towards the ramp as the guards block her path.

The first guard asks, "What brings you here, Shen'dralar?" eyeing the elf suspiciously while blocking her path with her glaive.

Kalysse breathes hard for a moment and answers, "Urgent report from Northrend, I have dire news that Priestess Tyrande needs to hear."

The guard studies the tired Shen'dralar and clicks her tongue saying, "Tch, go on ahead but do not expect any respect from the other guards."

She waits for the guard to move out of the way and continues running up the path to where the priestess is at, passing by the guards as they either scowl at her or glare at her. She reaches the top at last, breathing hard for a few seconds as she looks around the room for the priestess, finding her speaking to another night elf and jogs towards her. She stops a distance away and kneels saying, "Priestess Tyrande, I bring important news from Northrend regarding the Lich King!"

Tyrande's eyes widen with surprise at how out of breath the druid is and addresses everyone in the area around her waving her arm in a wide gesture saying, "Everyone clear the room, I must hear what this report is" She watches as they all head down the ramp and then looks back to the Shen'dralar druid and says, "Lift up your head and tell me what is going on that has you in such a state."

Kalysse takes a breath and says, "I followed Arthas Menethil around to keep an eye on what he was doing over there, the most disturbing thing that has me racing here to bring you a report is that I watched him cut out his own heart and cast it away. I waited for him to leave before I started to search for it, I then found it and carefully wrapped it in frostweave cloth, then hid it away. I fear what he may do now that he has so many soldiers at his command, what are we to do about this development Priestess Tyrande?"

She gasps and takes a step back in shock saying, "You actually saw him cut out his heart and throw it away? You didn't touch it with your bare hand did you?!"

The scout nods her head saying, "I did see him do it, right after he was forced out of an empire of crystal that showed up out of nowhere. I was scared to even look at it, even though it lay there in the trunk of a hollow tree...it continued to beat. I used frostweave cloth to pick it up, I then looked for a good place to hide it where none would find it. What do you wish for me to do priestess?"

Tyrande looks away in thought and says, "We must get to it before any others can, it is crucial in ending the Lich King's reign forever. Come with me, I will need you to take me to where you have hidden it." She then takes off running for the ramp as the scout follows after her. As they arrive outside of the temple, she whistles for her companion Ash'alah and looks to a nearby sentinel and says, "Find my handmaiden and have her come here immediately, then find a mage to create a portal for four of us to get to Dalaran. We search for something to use against the Lich King, if all goes well we will have something to use against him and end his reign for good."