I thought the contest ended at midnightFollow

Well since the contest closed, not at 11:59 PM PST on Sunday, April 27, 2009, but instead at another time, I've decided to go ahead and post a story since I apparently wasted my time in writing it so at least let it get appreciated or hated either way. Enjoy.


The Advent Exodus of Ministrel

It took many years since he was drafted into the Stormwind army and then released to SI:7 to this point. The point where he stands upon the tallest and iciest peak in Ice Crown. His cloak flapping madly in the wind was the only sound other than the vicious cold snapping wind that bit at every part of his exposed body. His breath was slow and controlled in a perfect zen from the dark beauty he looked down upon. The dark metal structure known as The Icecrown Citadel. He could see the vast undead army that surround the citadel in every facet and pore of it's menacing and malevolent structure.

Ministrel, the legendary rogue stood upon that mountain, the blasting snowflakes around him whipping around him and through him as if he were part of the mountain itself. There, he waited. And waited for his chance to move inside the Citadel. Was his story about to end here? What use would he now have by ending the life of the Lich King. Prince Arthas. Ministrel, a pirate, and captain of the legendary ship "The Lorewynd" would end his chapter here, he lamented. The riches, the fame, and the women would mean nothing once his chapter had ended. Ministrel found himself, not entirely sure he wanted to do the right thing after all. Would he be just a drawn picture in an old history book?

Then suddenly, as the sun and the moon were about to cross paths in the sky over Ice Crown, blasting through the black skies aurora, came the sounds of war. The mountain upon which Ministrel stood shook as the alliance and horde finally penetrated the Citadel's last wall and entered into a slaughter.

The mountain shook once more when the scourge, the undead, battled back. Shields bashing against bleached skulls, and swords and axes clanging against claw and bones. Piles of living and undead flesh piled up against each other at that wall. Ministrel, from his view point could see and endless number of undead pouring out of the citadel, replacing two if not three their fallen numbers.

The army of the Alliance. The army of the Horde. The army of flesh were doomed.

The cries of the living were beginning to fill the air, even upon this large mountain. Catapults bombarded both sides sending piles of flesh and bone on both armies flying into the sky after every explosion.

Could he make a difference down there? Ministrel thought to himself. He was sure he could but in the end what would be the point. His long pony tail flapped madly in the wind as a blizzard began to intensify upon the mountain peak.

A large hand grabbed Ministrel on his shoulder. "It's almost time, my friend." the deep exotic voice of his Draeni' friend Xaevius spoke to him. Ministrel turned, almost forgetting that his friends were up here with him. The Shaman Xaevius, the night elf druid, Allean. Another fellow human and his first officer aboard the Lorewynd Morfeus. And a priest, Argius. All of them released that Ministrel was indeed not alone in this conflict upon good and evil.

All equal in legend and stories in their own regard. Yet only did Ministrel reach Northrend, did he find his best friends. His travels have been lonely and all the friend he dared have, died to either an orcish axe or a skeleton's claws.

"Soon, the frostwyrms will be coming." mentioned Morfeus as he placed on his iron helmet and readied his shield and sword.

"Ministrel has that under control." said Allean as she held her staff tightly to her, the orb on the end beginning to glow with a enigmatic aura of that of the moon.

"I'm glad it will be over soon." said Argius, a pale glow emanating from his body signifying that he was ready to go.

Xaevius was about to say something of reassurance but was interrupted as the snow from the mountain blasted up and the party's clothing rapped violently in the wind as the Alliance and Horde's airships entered the battle blasting cannons down upon Ice Crown Citadel and into the army of the undead, leaving huge patches of fire and dirt in their ranks.

Ministrel's friends gave a loud cheer as the airships moved into the fray. Though Ministrel knew those aboard those ships would soon be giving their lives. For beyond the Citadel, dropping from the highest clouds were an entire contingeant of frost wyrms of enourmous size!

"It would seem, Arthas has the trump card." Ministrel said pointing with only but a stare into the horizon. The mountain side lit up in blue light as bolts of ice fire streaked across the sky and blasting into the air ships.

"Oh my god." said Allean.

"They will survive a few volley's." said Morfeus. "Ministrel and I helped design those ships. But nothing can repel that kinda fire power repeatedly."

Xaevius spoke up, "There doing their job. Now it's time to do ours." he placed his helmet on and looked to Ministrel giving the nod.

"Time to do ours." he sighed, he knew now that he didn't want this to end. But it is the right thing to do. Everyone was counting on them bring this war to an end.

Ministrel unsheathed one of his sword and took a few steps to where he was practically balancing on the very peak of the mountain. He had tied a line to the hilt of his blade and began to swing it like a lasso over his head, the blade whizzing through the air as it swung in circles timing.

As the frostwyrms made their flyby the horde ship began to drop from the sky, ablaze and out of control. The alliance air ship shook and rocked and creaked but withstood the first volley. When the frostwryms circled around to make their second pass, Ministrel let loose his sword with a type of zen concentration that only few could master.

The blade flew through the sky and a few second later it collided into the ribcage of one of the frostwyms, the sword clanking around it's chest cavity trapping itself unknowing between the bones of the undead dragon.

Ministrel was thrown off the mountain and into the air as he held onto his line.

"By Elune, I knew he was mad." Allean said concerned unable to watch Ministrel climb his line while dodging cannon blasts, catapults fireballs, and frostwyrm streaks of death.

Argius laughed, "Don't worry Allean, I'm sure he is enjoying every moment of this."

Morfeus let out a laugh, "Believe me, he is!" then laughed again pointing as each blast was barely missing the pirate lord.

Despite being whipped around by an undead dragon and being blasted at by both sides of the ground and air assault he made pretty good pace up the line. One blast however came to close and the concussion from the mid-air explosion caused Ministrel to loose his grip.

"Ah, damn." he calmly said as he fell through the sky his ears ringing. Below him he could see the horde air ship crashing into the undead army and erupting into a giant plume of fire and unused rockets sending chaotic bolts of death into the armies.

Ministrel was able to grab the very end of his line just moments before the plume of atomic fire rose up and engulfed him and whizzing away into the air again. "Whew." A new sense of resolve sharped his gaze upon his sword inside the ribcage of that dragon. Gritting his teeth he climbed more feverently up the line.

"Something tells me he did that on purpose." Argius said seeing Ministrel's near death.

"Most likely, wanted to give us a scare." Xaevius said with a sigh.

Ministrel was nearly knocked from his line a few more times but his resolve kept him in check and moved at a quick steady pace up the whipping line. Finally after a few labourus minutes and near deaths he reached the rib cage of the Frostwyrm.

Like a cat he was able to scale the bone structure of the undead monstrosity with relative ease now that the hard part was over. Climbing up to the Frostwyrms neck and wrapping his legs. Ministrel unsheathes his other sword and holds it high as lightning bolts and thunderclaps fill the sky crying out in protest just seconds before Ministrel plunges the blade into the skull of the dragon!

The dragon roars out in pain and twirls in the air trying to dislodge the sword and loose Ministrel. Ministrel looses his grip around the dragon's neck but holds onto the hilt of the sword, hoping his rogue's luck would give out on him now as he was being flung to the sides and upside in a serious of barrel rolls and dives.

Finally able to reaffirm his grip around the dragon's neck he was able to plunge the sword deeper into the dragon's skull and drive the dragon into the mountain side where his friends were, an avalanche buried the dragon and Ministrel as well.

Xaevius, Morfeus, Allean, and Argius ran to where Ministrel was buried with the dragon. "Was that part of the plan?" asked Argius

"I don't think so." said Morfeus, a worried look crossing his face, unable to help himself wonder if Ministrel had just died before his eyes.

The sounds of battle disappeared when from the snow, like ashes, the dragon blasted out of the snow with a tremendous roar. It's wings brandished wide in retaliation. The party jerked back, their weapons drawn.

The dragon came to an ease when it landed it's front paws back onto the ground and looked down upon them hungrily. And up from behind the dragons skull was a black leather glove griping a sword. Pulling his snow soaked body up once again he yells as he uses the entire weight of his body to plunge his sword into the dragon's skull.

The frostwyrm yelled out one last time and fell to the snow once again in defeat. The magic that reanimated the dragon began to fade and loose it's glow.

Allean took this as her sign to move. Allean walked up to the dragon and started wording a prayer to Elune just as the unholy magic was fading from the dragon. Allean's prayer soon became the only sound that could be heard, the sound of the wind and the battle below were almost nonexistent and ancient night elf magic began to surround and infuse the unholy dragon.

A mighty lightning bolt parted the dark skies of Ice Crown, as if it were a bolt from the moon itself. The bolt crashed down from the heavens oscillating around the sword and driving holy magic into dragon, the failing unholy magic had now became a holy avatar of hope as it rose up from the ground roaring. The dragon was no longer a skeletal monstrosity but a faded, ethereal body surrounded the dragon's limbs, a glimmer of it's once former glory.

Ministrel removed his blade from the dragon and everyone took that as their cue to jump on. First Allean, then Argius, Xaevius, and Morfeus. And with a it's powerful wings the dragon rose up from snow and slowly began to pick up altitude before gliding down the mountain, it's final destination Ice Crown Citadel itself.

The dragon, with a life of it's own flew through the countless fly by assaults of frostwyrms and deadly balls of fire. The dragon roared as a fireball erupted in front of it. Everyone held on tight as the dragon shielded itself with it's wings and rocketed through the fiery explosion and spinning through the air then majestically spread it's wings unscathed from the explosion and shrapnel.

The dragon flew straight for the gates of Ice Crown Citadel, where the undead were flowing out of the dreaded keep. The dragon belched out a blue holy fire as it flew through the gates and into the Citadel, burning a swath of incinerated undead as it flew through the building's large rooms, flying circles around pillars and gargoyle statues.

And finally, at the throne room of the Lich King himself. The door blasted open from the charge of the mighty dragon, flinging guards and other undead minions away as if they were but mere insects.

The dragon landed on all fours and roared at the Lich King. Ministrel and his party leaped off the dragon just seconds before the dragon charged the Lich King on his throne!

Arthas, the Lich King, sat upon his throne, unworried and most frighteningly unimpressed as the behemoth of the dragon charged at him. The Lich King lazily rose to his feet and pointed the tip of his dreaded sword, Frostmourn at the oncoming beast!

And moments before the mighty jaws could come down crashing on the Lich King he laughs as a blue misty blast erupts from the glowing runs on Frostmourn, engulfing the reborn dragon.

"Pitiful." the deep echoing voice of the Lich King filled the throne room as the dragon's essence dissipated reverting back to a skeletal fossil and simply fell apart, bones cascading like rain drops across the black stone floor.

The Lich King laughed as he looked down upon the rouge, shaman, warrior, druid, and priest. Each step he took was slow and deliberate from his throne. Erupting with a clang of malice and desecration none had felt before. When he reached the bottom of the stairs ascending to his throne he rose his gauntlet, "Come then, puny mortals." he taunted.

"Leroy Jenkins!" Morfeus cries out, letting the other know that he was charging in. With a whizz of blinding speed Morfeus was gone and with a powerful blow his sword clashes against that of the Lich King, a squall if wind erupting from each of their blows, going blade to blade.

Ministrel leaped and his body seemed to dissappear in the shadows and reappear in the shadows behind the throne of the Lich King where he climbed upon waiting for the right moment to strike.

Xaevius was hurtling lightning bolts from each of his hands, tossing them like fast balls blasting into the Lich King's massive form. Banshees's cried and drums erupted and filled the room signifying that this was indeed the last epic battle the five friends were every going to see.

Morfeus was brought to his knees as his shield cracks under the might of Frostmourn. On the second hit Morfeus's sheild was torn asunder and then Morfeus was on his back. A shadow overcame Morfeus and Frostmourn was coming down on the fallen warrior for the cou de grace.

However just before the Lich King was going to end Morfeus's life, Allean in cat form leaped from the shadows morfing into a bear in mid air and using her mighty jaws to grab the Lich King by the gauntlet that had held Frostmourn.

Morfeus was able to move out of the way from the near miss thanks to Allean however the Lich King grabed Allean by her throat and held her high in the air for the others to see as he picked up the mighty bear.

"It is over for you all." the Lich King's booming voice said.

Beads of sweat were on Argius face as he was working ferverantly casting out prayers on his friends to keep them in the fight. Just as quickly as they were falling to the Lich King's blows he was raising them and keeping their battered bodies in the fight.

The Lich King was using Allean as a club, he clanged swords a couple times with Ministrel before smashing him with Allean and sending him flying into a pillar that cracked under the force of the blow. Morfeus also was knocked aside once again. When Allean was just a unconscious mass he tossed her into Xaevious knock him to the ground interrupting his spell casting.

Allean reverted back to her nightelf from due to unconsciousness. The Lich King seemed victorious. Was it over already? Argius seemed alone, out of mana and out of friends. He watched with wide eyes as the Lich King slowly approached the priest.

"Come here, little man. I'll end it quickly for you." the Lich King said stepping over the broken form of Xaevius and Allean.

Argius stood there watching the oncoming Lich King. Though, something in the shadows caught his attention. As the banshees wailing song and chorus reached their peak a figure from the blackness dropped from the shadows holding a large sword.

Argius had just enough mana to throw out one last healing spell casted it on the figure flying out of the shadows. Argius knew that taking the time to heal the figure would mean his demise. And as the Lich King promised, it was swift.

Frostmourn came down upon Argius how did not move, facing his end with brave contempt for the Lich King. From the shadows was Ministrel, weilding Morfeus sword. Being a master of deadly strikes Ministrel plunged Morfeus sword into the back of Prince Artha's neck.

Argius used the split second he had to run underneath the Lich King's legs just before Frostmourn sundered the ground into a thousand splinters before him. Minstrel climbed up onto the hilt of Morfeus's blade and balanced himself perfectly as he drew his own swords. Ministrel leaped off the Lich King's helmet and as if reality had come to slow down to a halt the mystical rogue, and pirate lord dropped down in front of the Lich King, head first.

Ministrel slammed one of his blades expertly between the eye sockets of the Lich Kings helmet then used his free hand to grab the end of Morfeus's blade that was sticking out of his throat to flip around the Lich King's armored form to slide in between his left torso and under his arm. Ministrel's other sword stabbed brutally into the plated armor's segment and into the Lich King's legs severing his hamstring.

The Lich King fell to one knee, and stabbed Frostmourn into the ground using it as support. The Lich King did not call out in pain, nor did he cry out in defeat. In silence he grabbed Frostmourn with both of his mighty gauntlets and poured his essence and willpower into it.

"This is not the end!" the Lich King cried as the glowing runes of Frostmourn erupted into a blazing effigies upon the blade. A wind stirred inside the throne room as a swirling black vortex opens in the middle of the room.

Argius helping Allean and Xaevious to consciousness looks to Ministrel who was closest to the Lich King and the vortex. "Min, what is happening?!"

Ministrel could feel his body being pulled towards the vortex, he fells to the ground and slide across it being pulled closer to the ravenous vortex, wailing sounds tearing the very fabric of reality apart could be heard.

The Lich King speaks, "It is over for all of us now, mortals. For I have brought your doom and my own! I have brought you SET!" The Lich King stands and let's himself disintegrate into the black hole like vortex, leaving Frostmourn behind, pulsating like a beacon of the unholiest of artifacts.

In the very eye of the vortex a set of glowing red eyes peered through as if through another dimension looking upon the party. The eyes sharpened upon them, especially the rogue that had defeated his summoner.

And just before Ministrel was going to be ensnared by the vortex Morfeus grabs Ministrel by his cloak, using Frostmourn's hilt as an achor for the two. "I got you lil' buddy!"

Allean, Argius, and Xaevius also managed to climb over to Frostmourn. "It's the blade!" Allean said. "We have to dislodge it or Set will devour everything!"

Argius was the first to start pulling on the blade, not caring if his hands were being cut from the sharp unholy blade. Allean and Xaevious also used all of their might to help dislodge the blade from the ground.

It was getting harder for Morfeus to hold onto Ministrel and Frostmourn at the same time. "Hold on Min, I got you!"

Ministrel kept looking into the welcoming eyes of the dark god in the vortex, though hypnotic in nature, Ministrel was beyond hypnotism. He turn and saw what his friends were trying to do.
Ministrel then turned his attention back to the vortex and watched as chunks of earth and ceiling and pillars were being warped and pulled into the black hole. He looks back to his old friend "Morfeus! They need your strength!"

Morfeus grits his teeth, "No way! Just shut up! I've got you!"

Ministrel looked to Morfeus, "Take care of my ship! I'll be back for it!" he said as he slowly began to untie his cloak.

"NOOO DON'T YOU DARE!"

"It's okay, my story doesn't end here! I know it doesn't!" and with those final words Minsitrel untied his cloak and let the vortex take him. Ministrel let his body be taken by for the vortex and into the blackness.

Morfeus fell to his knees while the others were still trying to pull on Frostmourn. Then out of more anger than anything he pulled on the hilt of Frostmourn with all his strength!

At first Frostmourn did not budge but with a second more focused effort mainly by Morfeus the blade slowly inched up from the ground. Then on the third and last pull, using every bit of all their strength, Frostmourn, the blade of the unholy Lich King, the heart of all this evil finally gives up.

Frostmourn screams as it is released from it's stone and is held high by Morfeus, who is held up by Allean, Argius, and Xaevius. And with all their combined spirit and strength, and ultimately through their vast will and sense of friendship alone they were able to cast Frostmourn into the void.

Frostmourn exploded inside the vortex sealing it forever. Entire islands of earth and citadel fell to the ground. The undead also fell into their own tracks and the army of flesh just outside the citadel was able overtake the army of the dead.

All that remained in the ruins were the friends of Ministrel, looking at the vortex that is no longer there. Allean in tears fell to her knees while Xaevious confronted her. Argius stood there, still thinking that the nimble rogue of legend was going to pry open the vortex and climb through.

Morfeus feel to his knees, exhausted panting. His friend since they were children gone forever. Possibly dead. Argius placed a hand on Morfeus shoulder, "He wanted it to end like this."

Morfeus looked up to Argius, the priest. "What do you mean?"

Argius looked back to the faded vortex. "Ministrel was a legend of the old world. And now, he has a new world. I know. I can feel it."

Morfeus nodded, "He'll be back."



The chorus of the banshees dissipates and we come across a torn and sundered mass of flesh lying on a beach. Pristine waters and sirens singing to hail the arrival of yet a new legend to a plane of existence.

Broken and burned, the tide rolls in on the half naked man on the beach as he slowly regains consciousness. A shadow stands over him, blinded by the sun. "Ah, a traveler." The shadow kneels down out of the bright burning sun and helps the man up.

"I am Kalanthes of Ibis." he old man introduces himself.

The man grunted as he stood up with the help of Kalanthes. "I am Ministrel. How did I...? Where am I?" he rubs his head.

Kalanthes steadies Ministrel. "There was a malestrom and you fell from it as a ball of flame. Ships collided with each other and many drowned and fell. I sense you come from farther than Stygia."

"Stygia, that name is not known to me."

"I doubt many things here are not known to you my friend." Kalanthes smiles. "This is Hyboria."

Ministrel looked to the beautiful coastline and the foliage. "Hyboria eh?" a wry smirk crosses his lips,

And standing their on the beach, Ministrel realises that the legend that was his namesake had not ended.

But only just begun.