Chapter 1147: The Lich King, Ten Years (Part One)
The Lich King Arthas sat upon the Frozen Throne, while on the platform below, Old Man Fordring, clad in golden armor and wielding the Ashbringer, stood with unwavering resolve. In the eyes of all the players, his image had never been so towering.
"I have waited a long time for this day, to play music for me. Are you and your allies ready to strike down the Lich King? At your command, we will charge forth, ending the Scourge and the nightmare of all Azeroth!"
Zou Zhuo, clad in heavy plate armor, stood before Fordring: "We are ready, Highlord! Let us fight for the fate of Azeroth! For the Light of Dawn!"
Fordring gripped the Ashbringer and strode step by step toward the Lich King on the Frozen Throne.
Every member of the 25-player raid felt their hearts pounding fiercely. This legendary battle was about to begin. After so long, they had finally come face to face with the Lich King.
Strangely enough, whether in real life or in the game, these players had never experienced such a thrilling sensation before.
It was worth noting that Chen Mo had previously created many grand, breathtaking masterpieces, with epic scenes as common as everyday meals, diverse and eye-catching.
But this time, it was different from anything before.
Because for this battle, Chen Mo had laid the groundwork for far too long, and the players had waited far too long.
Ten years ago, Warcraft burst onto the scene, and the world of Azeroth appeared before players for the first time.
At the end of that game, Illidan and Arthas clashed at the Frozen Throne, and ultimately Arthas ascended to it, merging with the Lich King into one.
Three years ago, World of Warcraft swept the globe with unstoppable momentum, setting a miracle in gaming history.
This genre, which many believed had been rendered obsolete by the times, was reborn in sleep mode and regarded by many as another way of life.
By day, they worked and entertained themselves in the real world; by night, they entered the world of Azeroth, experiencing one thrilling adventure after another.
For a full ten years, the players' love for Azeroth had never waned; instead, it had grown deeper and deeper.
In the three years since World of Warcraft officially launched, players had left countless beautiful memories in the world of Azeroth.
They had once delved into the Molten Core, where warriors went mad for Thunderfury, Blessed Blade of the Windseeker.
They had once entered Blackwing Lair, fighting to the death against Nefarian, and some lost their brothers over a single Sword of the Brotherhood.
The Alliance and Horde had once joined hands to open the Gates of Ahn'Qiraj, experiencing the most unforgettable world event in Warcraft history, then ventured into the Temple of Ahn'Qiraj, feeling the terror of the Old God C'Thun wiping out the entire raid with a single glance.
After that, the Scourge invaded, and all of Azeroth was shrouded in the shadow of Naxxramas. Players struggled to complete one nearly impossible task after another, defeating the Four Horsemen, defeating the Frost Wyrm, and defeating Kel'Thuzad.
Every hunter remembered the epic quest for their class back then—a nearly impossible task that drove many hunters to frustration, but also forged every hunter of that era into a master of kiting.
For priests, their class epic quest was equally unforgettable, requiring countless moments of self-doubt and encouragement throughout the process. In the quest, priests had to fulfill their duty to heal the wounded, a major test of their healing skills.
And the epic staff obtained at the end could freely switch between the holy "Benediction" and the shadow "Anathema" forms, a topic that, along with the book "Light Doesn't Tell You Things" written by the shadow priest Orestes, became a favorite subject of discussion among priests.
The Burning Crusade began, and players crossed the Dark Portal for the first time, entering a world beyond Azeroth.
When they first set foot on Hellfire Peninsula and entered Hellfire Citadel, they experienced a novel sensation like never before.
The addition of two new races, the Draenei and the Blood Elves, changed the population structure of the Alliance and Horde, but the players' adventures never changed.
They came to the picturesque Nagrand, the homeland of the orcs; they also set foot in Blade's Edge Mountains and the Shadowmoon Valley, where Illidan awaited them in the Black Temple.
For many players, Karazhan was an unforgettable experience. This 10-player raid allowed the vast majority of players to participate. The warhorse dropped by Attumen the Huntsman, the unique boss fights at the Opera House and the Chess Event, were topics of endless discussion.
In the Serpentshrine Cavern, players crossed that invisible bridge to face Lady Vashj, and another hero from Warcraft fell to the swords of the adventurers.
Players defeated Kael'thas, defeated the demonic Illidan, and conquered the Tempest Keep and the Black Temple.
Kael'thas's Phoenix and Illidan's Warglaives of Azzinoth became the reasons players fought day after day in the game.
With the Wrath of the Lich King, the story of World of Warcraft finally reached its peak.
Why were the players so excited the moment they set foot on the Frozen Throne?
Probably because they had truly waited far too long for this day.
From the moment they set foot on Northrend, the blood that had simmered in the players' hearts for ten years was reawakened. Every inconspicuous corner of this place could remind players of those unforgettable pasts.
At the start of the story, the combined forces of the Alliance and Horde suffered a heavy blow at the Wrathgate. Two leaders—the Horde's Saurfang the Younger and the Alliance's Bolvar Fordragon—one fell in battle, the other was captured. The Alliance and Horde grew suspicious of each other, and before the mighty Lich King, defeat seemed certain.
However, everything reversed when the Knights of the Ebon Blade, trained by the Lich King, attempted to attack the Chapel of Light's Hope.
The Lich King. Frostmourne.
Fordring. Ashbringer.
These names, so familiar to the players, came together to form an immortal legend.
It was at this moment that the players finally understood the meaning of the stories that had been built up over several years.
In the Caverns of Time, in the Old Hillsbrad Foothills, players witnessed the entire process of the Ashbringer's creation.
Players knew that the original Ashbringer was betrayed by his own son, becoming a death knight, and Fairbanks, who witnessed the truth, was imprisoned in the Scarlet Monastery, suffering torment.
After defeating the Four Horsemen and obtaining the corrupted Ashbringer, players could enter the Scarlet Monastery and see the efforts of Darion Mograine to save his father's soul.