Chapter 24

           ArthasdidnotknowhowlongtheyspentbeneaththefrozensurfaceofNorthrend,intheancientanddeadlynerubiankingdom.Heonlyknewtwothingsashetrudgedoutintothelight,blinkinglikeabatforcedoutintothesun.OnewasthathehopedhewasintimetodefendtheLichKing.Theotherwasthathewasgrateful,bone-deep,tobeoutofthatplace.

           Ithadbeenclearthatthenerubiankingdomhadoncebeenbeautiful.Arthaswasnotsurewhathehadexpected,butithadnotbeenthehaunting,vividcolorsofblueandpurple,northeintricategeometricshapesthatdenoteddifferentroomsandcorridors.Thesestillretainedtheirbeauty,butwerelikeapreservedrose;somethingthatwhilestilllovely,wasnonethelessdead.Astrangesmellwaftedthroughtheplaceastheywalked.Arthascouldnotplaceit,norevencategorizeit.Itwasacridandstaleatonce,butnotunpleasant,nottooneusedtothecompanyofthedecayingdead.

           Itwaslikelyintheendashorterroute,asAnub’arakhadpromised,buteverystephadbeenboughtwithblood.Soonaftertheyhadentered,theyhadcomeunderattack.

           Theyscuttledoutfromthedarkness,adozenormorespider-beingschitteringangrilyastheydescended.Anub’arakandhissoldiersmetthemhead-on.Arthashadhesitatedforafractionofasecond,thenjoinedin,orderinghistroopstodothesame.