One Sword To Rule Them All

[Music: youtu.be/iceS6BvhuQ8]

Walked he on the path to Rivendell, the elven valley, with his hand tightly clenched on his sword. The breathtaking masterpiece of the elven structure visible in front of his path. A great turmoil was happening within him as he took slow steps; Arthas was at war with himself, His thoughts were long, his head in chaos.

'Who am I? Am I Arthas son of King Terenas Menethil II and Queen Lianne Menethil or am I the man from earth? Or am I Arthas of Middle-earth, abandoning both of those?! Or is it all fake? memories placed by the void lord? But that can't be...

I remember the smallest details... I... I remember growing up and dreaming of becoming a hero and a great king. I remember the death of my dear horse invincible as I had to end its suffering. I remember the harsh days of training and the sweet days of love... I remember the cult of the Damned and the scourge as I battled them, I was so willing to sacrifice everything and do all I can to save people from that calamity. My intentions were so pure...

I remember the black plague as it threatened to doom everyone and how I stopped it by making the hardest of choices, purging the city of Stratholme. A choice that I was unsure of making but I knew it had to be made, due to my unsure heart I lost the light and all my power...

How no one understood the true terror of the plague and I was blamed for being wrong and a monster for doing what was necessary, how it hurt me, and how everyone left me at my darkest hour; How I fell to the whispers of power that came from the north... All to put an end to the scourge, I knew all my efforts and battles would be meaningless if I didn't solve the problem from the roots and thus I journeyed there... No one knew that the scourge would win if they weren't stopped from the roots, no one understood the true severity of the situation.

I remember taking the Runeblade and losing my soul and humanity, all I held dear became meaningless. I became the puppet of the Lich King and in the end fused with him and committed so many atrocities and yet despite all that, I held on to a part of my humanity; I could have ended life on Azeroth so easily simply by having the undead spread plagues and attack everything and yet I never did it. The thought never even crossing my mind. I helped the nightmare to end in my own way, if I had not become the lich king, Ner'zul wouldn't have been stopped by my defeat and thus the scourge wouldn't have been stopped at all and Azeroth would have been doomed.

All these I also remember from Earth as fiction, as a mere story told for the amus.e.m.e.nt of the masses but that doesn't surprise me if there are to be other worlds then the possibility of one where other worlds are fiction in it must exist. What surprises me is that from the 3rd point of view, whether I fell or not wouldn't have mattered. Someone would have taken the Runeblade and all things I did would have been done. All the atrocities and the lich king's actions were the price of his defeat and the end of the scourge; I was the one to bear that darkness and no one else so I saved one person there at least! It seems destiny might truly exist after all...

I feel guilty but I won't humiliate my honor by having regret; I did everything in my power to save everyone and in the end. Whether it was by my hand or not, the scourge was defeated. The road to hell is truly paved with good intentions... The only regret I have is my father and Jaina...

I lived a normal life on earth with a loving mother and brother after all those years spent in Darkness. All that came to an end with the arrival of the Void Lord.

It rescued me from unending misery but it also put a seed in my soul, binding me to its will. If I were to disobey it, it will annihilate my soul and destroy my existence... The mere thought terrifies me.

Now before me lies a choice... Do I sacrifice my very existence or do I destroy the ring and doom this world... No one can help me and no one can understand me. I am alone and I face the hardest choice of my life since Stratholme; What terrible fate I have... Oh father, is this fate the price of being the lich king, or is this fate the result of my mistakes before that? What I wouldn't give to hear your voice and seek your advice, Father...'

He crouched near the edge of a nearby cliff. He took a fistful of dirt in his palm as he gazed at the world around him.

'The beauty of nature... Life and Death, I have experienced both and yet I know so little. The more one knows the less he realizes he knows.'

He let go of the dirt and he watched it fall off to the depth, the wind blew his hair back as his eyes grew determined.

'I will not let myself be a pawn of another anymore, I will take control of my destiny. It doesn't matter who I am; My name is Arthas Menethil and I am a King. Living with freedom for one day is better than living as a slave for a thousand years... I will defeat Sauron and I will defeat the Void Lord. I swear upon my honor and if I fail, then let me be destroyed for I regret nothing. I am FREE! A man with Courage is one conquers their fear, I shall not live with fears from now on.'

He brandished Frostmourne and he held it in front of him, he gazed at it with unwavering determination, 'You are not Frostmourne as I still have my soul and humanity, You are an entirely different sword made in its image by the Void Lord. You are the Anchor that the Void Lord has sent, The Ring is a mere source of power. I wield the power of a light born of my tormented soul that shines with the unstoppable force of my will. You shall not corrupt me! I choose...'.

He made his choice as his bearings changed, his confusion was gone and an extraordinary light shone in his eyes. He walked with the confidence of a king as he entered the gates of Rivendell. The elves seemingly recognizing him and parting, letting him pass.

'Sauron, you are not prepared...'