Undead across Northrend, no matter where they were, felt a single, unmistakable, and overwhelmingly powerful dominant will at that moment.
It shrouded the undead of Northrend, then swept across the Eastern Kingdoms, eventually reaching every undead creature on the face of Azeroth. Whether they were free-willed undead who had escaped the Lich King's grasp or mindless ghouls still loyal to the Scourge, they all felt an indescribable pressure.
Every undead creature understood one thing: a new Lich King had been born.
The old king is dead; the new king has risen.
Curiously, this surge of will came as quickly as it vanished. The Frozen Throne fell back into silence, leaving only the howling winds of the north. Arthas needed time to digest the power of the previous Lich King, Ner'zhul, and he drifted into a long slumber atop his icy seat.
In the city of Undercity, everyone except Straker, Sandro—who were protected by the System's power—and their specialized Necropolis troops was plunged into panic. The undead capital, recently dubbed Undercity, was now gripped by a silent terror.
"What... what was that just now?"
"It's the Lich King! A new Lich King!"
"Will he control us again? I don't want to lose myself again!"
"Where is Her Majesty? We need the Queen!"
"Find the Highlord! Find the Death Knight Highlord and Lord Sandro!"
The entire city was in chaos. That cold, domineering will, which seemed to dictate the fate of all the dead, had swept past. Though brief, it was enough to awaken the deepest fears within every Forsaken.
They had once been shambling corpses enslaved by the Scourge. Under the leadership of Sylvanas and Straker, they had struggled to break their chains and gain precious free will.
They had occupied Stratholme as their base, joined the Horde, and were finally beginning to live something resembling a life. Now, this sudden proclamation of a new Lich King made their souls tremble.
Whispers and suppressed gasps spread through the dark tunnels and plazas; panic spread like a plague.
Deep within the Royal Quarter, inside the core council chamber, the Death Knight Straker and the Lich Sandro locked eyes, both seeing confirmation in the other's gaze.
"The Master's judgment was correct," Straker said. "Arthas has ascended the Frozen Throne and fallen into a post-merger slumber. That burst of will just now was an unconscious proclamation as he took control of the power—proof that he needs time to digest Ner'zhul's legacy."
"That will is indeed powerful, enough to make any ordinary undead shudder. But it is useless against us and our legions; the Master's power transcends this so-called Lich King," Sandro noted. "However, the Banshee Queen must be terrified. I expect she will come looking for us shortly."
Having been in this world for several months, Sandro had figured out Sylvanas's temperament. Despite her constant talk of vengeance, she harbored a deep-seated fear of Arthas. She spoke of revenge daily, yet she never dared to gather all the undead forces for a true expedition to Northrend.
Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap!
A series of rapid footsteps rang out. Sylvanas Windrunner, the tall Banshee Queen, strode in. Her pale face, usually frozen in calm indifference, was marred by a flicker of shock and worry.
"Straker! Sandro! Did you feel it? That... that bastard! He succeeded! He has become the new Lich King!"
"Calm yourself, Banshee Queen. We felt it. Arthas... or rather, the new Lich King, has been born," Straker replied.
"How can I be calm? Arthas now wields the power of the Lich King! You must have felt that terrifying will. He might be able to control us again—turn us back into mindless puppets!" Sylvanas was visibly anxious.
"We are still free. We haven't been shackled yet," Sandro said, waving a hand dismissively. "That power was terrifying, but it was fleeting. I don't believe that was purely Arthas' strength."
Based on information provided by their Master, the true creator of the Lich King was the Jailer in the Shadowlands. That terrifying consciousness just now might very well have been the Jailer peering across Azeroth.
If a Lich King were truly that powerful, he wouldn't be a mere demigod trapped on a throne; he would be a true god. Even with a body to walk the earth, he was at most a demigod. Furthermore, since Arthas was now asleep, he posed no immediate threat.
"Archmage Sandro, what are your thoughts?" The Banshee Queen composed herself and looked at him. This powerful necromancer's mastery of death magic was no less than Kel'Thuzad's. Moreover, he had remained free even during the Lich King's peak. Perhaps he knew a way to resist the domination.
"Arthas may have merged successfully, but mastering that power takes time. He is likely in a deep sleep to process Ner'zhul's memories and power. This gives us time to breathe and prepare," Sandro explained. "And as I have said, Death is a power—a primal force we control, one of the six fundamental forces, opposite to Life."
"The Highlord of the Silver Hand, Alexandros Mograine, realized that the opposite of Light is Shadow, and the extreme of Shadow is Light. Why can it not be the reverse? Look at the extreme of Death... look at us. Since we began mastering the true Power of Death, our bodies have stopped rotting. We are not like the ordinary Forsaken."
The Power of Death in this world was a miraculous thing. Touching this primal force strengthened the physical form. Though they were still undead with soul-fire burning in their eyes, Sandro felt alive in an alternative way. Sylvanas, Straker, and other powerful Forsaken were evolving into a new form of life. A mere helmet could not easily reclaim them.
Sylvanas took a deep breath, calming her heart. She looked at her two powerful allies who seemed largely unaffected. Straker was the first Death Knight she had fought alongside after breaking free, and Sandro's vast knowledge of necromancy had bolstered Undercity's strength immensely. Their composure steadied her.
"There is nothing we can do right now, Banshee Queen, except continue to strengthen ourselves to face the Lich King's threat," Straker said. "Now, we should gather all the Forsaken for a brief meeting to reassure our people and tell them there is no need to fear."
"I understand. I will call a meeting in the Undercity Town Hall immediately," Sylvanas nodded and departed.
"Straker, go with her and comfort the Forsaken. I need to carry out the task the Master assigned me," Sandro said, standing up.
Master Rhodes had previously instructed them to find a way to turn Kel'Thuzad or even seize Naxxramas. Sandro had been tracking this, but until the Lich King fell into his slumber, the task was impossible. All Scourge undead were bound to the Lich King's will. But now, with Ner'zhul and Arthas busy fighting for control of a single body, they were distracted. This was the perfect time.
"Go on then. I'll handle things here. If Sylvanas asks, I'll say you're in seclusion researching new death spells," Straker said as he donned his armor and headed for the town hall.
Once his partner left, Sandro focused his mind on the Hero Interface to contact Rhodes. Moments later, Rhodes's voice echoed in the mental link.
"What is it, Sandro?" Rhodes was currently at the Stormwind training grounds, teaching Anduin and "training" Onyxia. The surge of Death Power had gone unnoticed by him; he wasn't undead, and Stormwind was far from Northrend.
"Great Master, Arthas has successfully put on the Helm of Domination. A powerful undead will just swept across Azeroth. Every undead felt it. The Forsaken are terrified of being controlled again, but I have calmed Sylvanas for now. I plan to go see Kel'Thuzad immediately," Sandro reported.