Артас: Возвышение короля-лича

           Hewouldendtheplague,endthethreattohispeople.Thenthedestructionofthevesselswouldbenothingmorethananinconvenience—comparativelyminorwhenmeasuredagainstthesurvivalofthecitizensofLordaeron.

           "Iknowitsoundsdrastic,butithastobethisway.Ithasto."

           Afewhourslater,ArthasstoodontheForgottenShoreandwatchedhisentirefleetburn.

           Theanswerhadbeensimple.Themencouldnottaketheshipshome—couldnotabandonhim—iftherewerenoshipstotake.AndsoArthashadburnedthemall.

           Hehadcutthroughthewoods,hiringmercenariesfirsttohelpthemslaughtertheundeadandthentodousethewoodenvesselsliberallywithoilandsetthemaflame.Inthislandofconstantcoldandfeeblelight,theheatcomingoffthefieryvesselswasdisconcertinglywelcome.Arthasliftedhishandtoshieldhiseyesfromthebrightness.

           Besidehim,Muradinsighedandshookhishead.Heandtheotherdwarves,whomutteredundertheirbreathsastheywatchedtheconflagration,werestillnotcertainthiswastherightpath.Arthasfoldedhisarms,hisbackcold,hisfaceandfrontalmostscorchedwiththeheat,solemnlywatchingtheflamingskeletonofoneoftheshipscrackapartwithawhumph.

           "DamnUtherformakingmedothis!"hemurmured.

           Hewouldshowthepaladin—theformerpaladin.HewouldshowUther,andJaina,andhisfather.Hehadnotshirkedhisduty,nomatterhowawfulorbrutalitwas.