Arthas hadn't lied; Apocalypse was indeed something the Dreadlords stole from the Shadowlands, and even the forge that the Nathrezim treasured was stolen from the Shadowlands and then modified in the real world using the power granted by the Dark Titan.
However, there was one thing he hadn't fully disclosed, though revealing it wouldn't have been very useful and would only raise more questions for Jaina and the others.
That was Apocalypse; it was indeed a Unholy sword, but it wasn't complete.
Unholy swords were forged to send slain souls into the lightless Maw, and fully completed Unholy swords possessed even more terrifying powers.
But if compared to that ultimate form of Unholy sword, Frostmourne wasn't complete either, because Arthas hadn't yet mastered that power.
Apocalypse was an even more rudimentary Unholy sword than Frostmourne; it didn't even have the ability to send slain souls into Maw. Those souls were seized by the sword itself, either consumed as reserve energy or extracted by its wielder and thrown into the Burning Legion's forge.
It's unknown how the Nathrezim managed to steal Apocalypse, but given their pervasive nature, stealing a Unholy sword wouldn't have been difficult.
An ordinary person wielding Apocalypse would only become a monster driven by the sword's malevolence. Even the elite mage hunters dispatched by Dalaran at the time couldn't resist Apocalypse's mental corruption.
Even when Arthas held it, he could feel its continuous attempts to spread waves that disturbed one's mind and consciousness. If Arthas couldn't suppress the sword's power, the wielder would instantly become a tireless apostle, spreading only plague and death.
"This sword looks even more dangerous than Frostmourne," Jaina said, examining Apocalypse. She always felt that the malevolence emanating from Apocalypse was more terrifying than that of Frostmourne. "Don't tell me you intend to use this weapon."
"Of course not... I already have light of dawn and Frostmourne, and no third hand to wield this demonic sword. However, if used properly, and if the wielder can control its power, it would be an unbreakable weapon."
Arthas had no intention of using Apocalypse; he had another reason for seeking this sword.
"Lady Aegwynn, please take Jaina to collect the items left here. I need some time to deal with this weapon."
Although Aegwynn had lost her Guardian power, her insight and experience gave her sufficient ability to handle the things in this vault, including that dangerous scythe. When it came to dealing with demons, Aegwynn was an undisputed expert.
It was only because of Apocalypse's unique origin that Aegwynn was at a loss. If Arthas hadn't arrived, she had planned to bury this weapon deep within the mountains forever, adding several strong runes to keep it from seeing the light of day for at least several hundred years.
She had also tried to destroy this weapon, but unfortunately, an unfinished Unholy sword only meant it hadn't achieved its original purpose. As a weapon alone, Apocalypse was definitely a divine artifact, and even Aegwynn couldn't easily damage it. Moreover, terrifying plagues and curses lurked within Apocalypse, and if the sword's form were destroyed, leading to the release of these powers, it would be another disaster.
Now that Arthas was helping to deal with it, Aegwynn had nothing to say. Anyway, she had already "made a move" to stop it. After some negotiation with Jaina, Jaina agreed to take her magic eye crystal ball to collect the dangerous items in the vault first.
Lothar watched Jaina walk away with Aegwynn's crystal ball, then walked over to Arthas's side, looked at Apocalypse, and said, "Do you need my help?"
"No, and you'd best keep your distance. Although the power within this sword is also a manifestation of the power of death, its inherent status dictates that it is also the bane of most undead," Arthas explained. "Sir, you should also go to the treasury, select the things that are not suitable for Dalaran, and store them in Icecrown Citadel."
"I understand," Lothar nodded. Indeed, there was no place more suitable than Icecrown Citadel, a gloomy and desolate location, for sealing things unsuitable for the mortal world. Moreover, if done properly, the Scourge would be the best recipients for them, as the undead could ignore many troublesome side effects.
After giving his instructions, Arthas's attention focused on Apocalypse. He first opened the light of dawn Codex, successively lit several Holy Light runes, and gathered their power to form a stable barrier.
Then he condensed an ice stand for Apocalypse with frost power and placed the greatsword horizontally on it.
Frostmourne automatically flew into Arthas's hand at his summons. The Prince pressed the tip of Frostmourne against the bottom of Apocalypse's rune, and a frosty blue chill spread from Frostmourne's tip along Apocalypse's blade until it covered the entire greatsword.
Arthas's expression became serious. He was trying to analyze Apocalypse's structure and origin. He needed the knowledge and power used to forge this sword to strengthen Frostmourne.
Although Frostmourne's power was already strong enough, and he and Odin had reforged it once, a certain entity's will was still imprinted on the sword, though Arthas had almost completely worn it away.
But even if Arthas completely extinguished this will, it would have no effect other than attracting the other party's attention. The other party was involved in the forging of the Unholy sword. If Frostmourne couldn't change, the sword wouldn't be able to target its original forger.
Therefore, Arthas had always been looking for ways to make Frostmourne change, and before entering the Shadowlands, Apocalypse became one of the few practical methods.
What Arthas was doing now was to completely erase The Jailer's will and transform Frostmourne into his own exclusive Unholy sword, a weapon that could even threaten the existence of the Eternals.
Apocalypse was the prototype of a Unholy sword, an unfinished Unholy sword, and this also meant that while it possessed the basic characteristics of a Unholy sword, it hadn't yet been branded with Maw's mark. Although Apocalypse was full of chaotic dark wills, as long as it didn't contain The Jailer's, it didn't matter to Arthas.
Frostmourne tasted the death essence within Apocalypse, a power similar yet not entirely the same as its own. The demonic sword immediately grew hungry, and The Jailer's will, which had been suppressed by Arthas and was almost fading away, gradually became active under the stimulation of this power.
"So... give me your power!"
Arthas was not afraid of the Commanding Power contained within The Jailer's will. He completely disregarded the dark chains shot from Frostmourne's blade. A purer, colder will of death surged from his body, breaking all these chains.
During this brief confrontation, a vague and angry voice sounded.
"Nai... Act..."
Unfortunately, Arthas didn't give him a chance to finish. Upon realizing the time was right, he unhesitatingly erased The Jailer's residual will. Frostmourne, which had seized some of Apocalypse's power, did not weaken due to the disappearance of The Jailer's imprint. Instead, it forcibly retained some of The Jailer's power within the sword forever.
The demonic sword suddenly flew away from Apocalypse, its tip still surrounded by a swirling blue and green aura. Arthas smiled as he re-gripped it, feeling its rebirth.
"Commanding Power... Just wait, Zovaal..." The smile on Arthas's lips widened. He had successfully torn a piece of flesh from The Jailer in reverse!
Arthas's side could be said to have reaped a full harvest, basically clearing out the treasure vault plundered by the Black Knight. Except for a few devices installed in the cellar that couldn't be moved, Jaina collected almost everything else that could be taken.
Aegwynn didn't say anything. This treasure vault was already built when she constructed Karazhan, but at that time, it only contained some ordinary magical trinkets. Most of the dangerous and rare items later were found by the Black Knight elsewhere.
Jaina put some items needed by Dalaran and suitable for display to ordinary people into her possession, preparing to place them in her mage tower. As for the very dangerous weapons or items that should not be entrusted to mortals, she handed them all over to Lothar.
The Deathlord directly opened a Dark Portal to Icecrown Glacier in the cellar, summoning a large number of undead minions and Necromancers to handle the transfer of the artifacts.
Since Jaina was an "insider" and Aegwynn had nothing to hide, they naturally chose the most convenient method.
Jaina watched the undead moving things while keeping an eye on Arthas, expending great effort to suppress her curiosity and focus on inventorying the items she had confiscated.
Aegwynn saw this and asked with a smile, "Why don't you ask your prince what he's doing?"
"The other side of the portal is Northrend…" The Deathlord's simple and crude teleportation technique couldn't fool Jaina; she easily pinpointed his destination. "I had a dream about that sword and that frozen land. I've already discussed these things with Arthas."
"Hmm, it seems you really trust him, but perhaps this isn't a good thing. Too much trust can sometimes—"
"But it's not a bad thing either, right?" Jaina interrupted Aegwynn. She was silent for a moment, placing her right hand over her left chest. "I don't know why, but I always feel like I would be sad if I didn't trust Arthas. But ever since we met, he has never let me down, and I have always trusted him, just like before."
"Who knows? You are already a powerful mage. Perhaps you can sense something in the unseen," Aegwynn suddenly said with a self-deprecating laugh. "I should have noticed too, but after defeating His incarnation, I got lost in my arrogance."
Jaina didn't want to continue this sad topic. She changed the subject and said, "Oh, by the way, you said you were going to find me a new teacher? You're not talking about yourself, are you?"
She thought that if Arthas himself told her to consider Aegwynn's suggestion, it meant this new "teacher" should be more powerful than Antonidas in some aspects. In that case, Aegwynn herself seemed to fit the criteria perfectly.
"No, no, no, of course not," to Jaina's surprise, Aegwynn had no such intention. She quickly adjusted her mood. "Although old Antonidas is a bit pedantic now, I have to admit, he's better at teaching students than I am. Compared to teaching, I prefer practical combat."
Jaina was stunned for a moment, realizing that what Aegwynn said seemed correct—she was the Guardian of Tirisfal, not a mentor of some school in Dalaran. Her power existed to defeat evil, and Aegwynn saying she was more passionate about practical combat was also very realistic.
But if it wasn't Aegwynn, who else could surpass Antonidas in magical attainment?
Many names flashed through Jaina's mind, but she dismissed them one by one. After repeated thought, Jaina felt a bit dizzy, still unable to think of a suitable candidate.
"I won't keep you in suspense," Aegwynn saw Jaina's confusion growing and explained, "Instead of finding you a new teacher, it's more about finding you a legacy worthy of you. You can continue to be Antonidas's student while inheriting this legacy."
"What legacy?" Jaina was a little curious.
"The Tirisfal Council."
"The… uh, how do you know?" Aegwynn was momentarily stunned, then returned to normal. Her magic crystal ball floated up as she looked at Arthas approaching from outside the passage. "How much more do you know?"
"Quite a lot, but it's troublesome to explain," Arthas said gently. "Do you want to be the successor of the Tirisfal Council, Jaina? This is a very rare opportunity, and it will also be a very heavy burden."
"Ah? The Tirisfal Council?! But… hasn't it been disbanded for hundreds of years? Right after… right after Lady Aegwynn left the Council." Jaina was bewildered. She had no idea that Aegwynn intended for her to take on the burden of the Tirisfal Council.
"It was disbanded, but as a council composed of the most elite mages of that time, what's truly valuable isn't the name 'Tirisfal Council,' but rather those powerful mages and the wealth they collected and preserved," Aegwynn said. "Moreover, the Tirisfal Council didn't only have human members; there were many High Elves in the Council. A mere few hundred years is not a long time for these elves."
Arthas nodded. Just as Aegwynn said, the name Tirisfal Council itself was not worth mentioning. What was truly precious was the power of the Guardian created by the Council, as well as the valuable knowledge and legacy.
Even if the Council existed in name only, didn't Medivh still accomplish so many incredible things with the power of the Guardian?
Although the Guardian's power completely dissipated after Medivh's death, some residual power might remain in Atiesh, the staff used by both Aegwynn and Medivh, but it was negligible compared to the full power of the Guardian.
However, even after the Guardian's power vanished and the Council disbanded, the idle sanctuary and the knowledge buried there were not completely destroyed. If Jaina could obtain this part of the Guardian's legacy, it would be enough to make her the most powerful mage in the world.
Jaina took a deep breath. In fact, she didn't need Arthas to explain; she understood what a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity this was. If she had been asked to find a new teacher before, she would most likely have refused, given her personality, as it would have meant disregarding Antonidas's many years of teaching and effort.
But now, Jaina had made her choice—walking alongside Arthas, she had realized that her ability to help him was gradually diminishing, and the whole of Azeroth was now facing a great threat. She realized that this Guardian's legacy would be a new chapter in changing destiny.
**********
"But…I am Makzhar…"
The tall body of the Eredar crashed down heavily, raising dust on the ground, and the fel light in his eyes slowly faded.
Jaina held her staff, exhaled a long breath, wiped her sweat-soaked forehead with her sleeve, and brushed away a strand of golden hair dampened by sweat. Only now did she feel a wave of weakness, her legs even feeling a bit soft.
She had expended a large amount of magic on the Eredar Demon in front of her, to the point of exhaustion. Although Arthas and Aegwynn had both emphasized beforehand that Makzhar was a formidable opponent, Jaina still felt immense pressure when truly facing such a high-ranking Demon.
During the Mount Hyjal battle, the Night Elves' elites were all dispatched, and many strong individuals from the Alliance also joined the fight, yet they were still forced to retreat repeatedly by Archimonde, completely unable to match that Invincible Eredar Warlock. Jaina's experience at the time was not yet sufficient, and others had borne a great deal of the pressure for her, so she realized the terror of high-ranking Demons then, but she hadn't expected that in a direct confrontation, an Eredar's dark magic would almost shatter her magical defenses.
"You did very well, little girl. I told you that you possess extraordinary potential," Aegwynn had now revealed her true form. She had also participated in the battle just now, but with her seasoned experience, she appeared much more at ease than Jaina. "When I was your age, a few Demon Guards and a few felhounds were enough to wear me out."
Jaina leaned on her staff and gave a somewhat disheveled smile, "I was almost swallowed by his dark magic. Those terrifying dark spells always destroyed the anti-magic system I had constructed at a speed beyond my imagination."
"You've dealt with Demons too few times, so it's normal that you haven't summarized a method that suits you. Trust me, after you receive that inheritance, you will be reborn." Aegwynn analyzed Jaina's weakness, but she still had full confidence in the girl in front of her.
However, this joy lasted for only a short time, because Aegwynn's attention was drawn to Lothar and Arthas nearby. She swore that she had rarely been surprised so many times in her life as she was today.
"Is your Prince really just a paladin? I've lived for so long and seen countless followers of the Holy Light, many of whom were exceptionally talented and devout Holy Light spokespersons—like Archbishop Faol. Although I don't particularly like the Holy Light Church, I have to admit he is a respectable saint. But this Prince's Holy Light…is somewhat beyond my imagination."
During the battle just now, Aegwynn and Jaina confronted Makzhar's dark magic, while Lothar and Arthas were responsible for blocking the spatial rift torn open by Makzhar, slaying the Demons attempting to enter.
Lothar was fine; he was already an undead body, immune to fatigue, pain, and fear. Even many emotions could be suppressed to an almost ruthless degree during combat. Aegwynn also had to admit that this was an extremely clever method of transformation, far superior to the Orc Warlocks' half-baked Death Knight transformation method.
But Arthas performed even more terrifyingly than Lothar. When he swung his warhammer, even the Demon Guards, far taller and stronger than him, were directly smashed into a pile of ashes—that's right, directly smashed into ash. The intense light of dawn on his hammer was simply the bane of these lower-ranking Demons. They didn't even need to be directly hit; just being grazed by the splashing light flames would instantly turn weaker Demons into Holy Light torches.
Aegwynn even wondered if Arthas could have incinerated Makzhar and all the lower-ranking Demons he summoned by himself, had it not been for letting Jaina practice.
Most importantly, Arthas remained completely at ease throughout, showing no fatigue or slackening from the high-intensity combat. On the contrary, as he continuously swung his warhammer, the Holy Light power contained within it became even purer, so pure that even Aegwynn, a human, found it somewhat dazzling.
She couldn't even imagine what it would feel like for a Demon to be struck by such Holy Light; perhaps it was not much different from a normal person coming into contact with high-concentration fel.
"I don't know," Jaina honestly answered Aegwynn's question. "Arthas and other Paladins don't seem to behave much differently in their daily lives. Perhaps he is more devout?"
"I always feel this can't be explained by just devoutness," Aegwynn muttered softly. Her intuition told her that Arthas must be hiding some astonishing secret, but after estimating her own strength against Arthas's, she decisively abandoned the idea of investigating further.
Arthas, having cleared the remaining Demons, returned to Jaina's side. Amidst the surging Holy Light, he cast several restorative and invigorating divine spells on Jaina. "It seems that Demon Prince gave you some trouble?"
"More than just trouble, I swear I've never directly confronted an enemy like that in my life. If it weren't for Lady Aegwynn assisting me, I very likely wouldn't have been his match. Perhaps in the end, I would have only been able to escape with a teleportation spell," Jaina caught her breath and slowly said, "You said he was a Demon Prince? Is his status in the Burning Legion very high?"
Aegwynn answered the question for Arthas, "Not necessarily. The Burning Legion's hierarchy isn't as strict as we imagine. Aside from a few beings that mortals look up to, those Demons like to give themselves all sorts of titles. It's quite chaotic, and even the title 'Demon Prince' might be a mistranslation. Demonic is a mess, who can understand it?"
That was indeed true. Even some Warlocks often made mistakes or even caused big troubles by mispronouncing Demonic, ultimately losing their lives.
"But he is indeed a powerful Demon; at least, a weakling couldn't enter Karazhan's Twisting Nether like that," Arthas said with a smile to Jaina. "You've already done very well. Defeating such a Demon, even in the former Tirisfal Council, few could achieve it."
"But…I wasn't fighting alone—"
"You're wrong to think that, little girl. Even for the Guardian, the power we once possessed was infused by countless mages of the Tirisfal Council. The original purpose of establishing this council was to unite our strength, which is much weaker compared to the Burning Legion. Only in this way can we defeat that terrifying army."
Aegwynn refuted Jaina's words, "I made a mistake, thinking I could destroy the Burning Legion's conspiracy by myself, but the result proved that I failed, and failed miserably. Until my child was swallowed by terrifying darkness, I still hadn't realized my failure. This is a lesson, and also a warning.
So we must unite all forces that can be united. A world where everyone fights separately, and even has internal conflicts, cannot defeat the Legion. The countless worlds that have perished have already demonstrated this."
Aegwynn's words made Arthas look at Apocalypse in Lothar's hand. This sword had just devoured many Demon souls and had recovered from its weakness, its power far exceeding what it had when sealed in the cellar. This demon sword, which once destroyed civilization and hope, had found a worthy master again today.
"Lady Aegwynn, the most dangerous fellow in the tower has been dealt with," Arthas glanced at Makzhar's corpse. This fellow died in the void between the Twisting Nether and reality. Although he wouldn't perish directly as he would in the Twisting Nether, he would likely suffer severe damage, making it worse than death. "Now, perhaps it's time to call your old friend. Karazhan is indeed the best place to help him."
Aegwynn nodded, "You're right. After killing this Demon, I can restore some of Karazhan's functions. But are you sure you don't want to clear the lower floors?"
"No need. Those are all pitiful people. I will have Sir Lothar take some of the undead who are willing to leave with us, and the rest will be left for those people in Dalaran to handle. Those mages should find something to do, otherwise, they will cause us great trouble sooner or later."
Arthas had no intention of helping Dalaran clear the rest of Karazhan. This tower had long been riddled with holes by Medivh's power. Aegwynn was only temporarily restoring some of Karazhan's functions to complete the upcoming work. After that, unless Aegwynn regained the Guardian's power, she wouldn't be able to repair the damaged Karazhan.
After all, this tower was not just outwardly dilapidated; even the spaces inside and outside the tower had been twisted beyond recognition. A broken tower is easy to repair, but a broken space cannot be easily reconnected. This is more difficult than trying to mend a shattered mirror without leaving cracks on its surface.