(Untitled)

[beyondxtime]

Who: Nicki and Arthas
Where: Empty cabin, 6th floor
When: Right after that
Warnings: Violence/Death

Comments

[darknessb4me]

In 620, Arthas was waiting. He'd just broadcast the entry he'd recorded - Fordring would be chasing ghosts for at least half an hour.

He was crouched near the door, and stood slowly as Nicki entered with the box.

"You have it."

His eyes were oddly glassy. He could see it being moved all the way up the floors, as if through the walls. Frostmourne reached out, calming, bringing confidence. They spoke:

"You were not followed."

[beyondxtime]

"No, I'd have smelled them, darling" he watched him, very interested in it all. His own eyes were dancing, he'd heard good things about Arthas' outbreaks.

"And Tony" He added, probably the only person not nervous in this situation, maybe because he wasn’t worried about being safe or not-dead "He stays safe. You have your sword"

[darknessb4me]

Something about the boy's warden, as if from a distance. He waved in what he hoped was taken as agreement and glided over to the chest. He felt magnetized, aligned, as if every point in the earth was being pulled towards what was within the silly, insignificant wooden box and all he could do was go along with it.

Still locked. He frowned lightly, then brought a steel boot down on the latch hard. No. Oh, wait, the san'layn was still here.

"Can you help me with this?"

[beyondxtime]

Nicki had been standing watching with crossed arms. Good lord, he had to do everything. Man he was going to get stabbed.

"Do you have anything heavy? Metal? Didn't you have a nail at some point?" he held his hand out, he'd be able to crack that easily with a few good blows and something strong

[darknessb4me]

Arthas reached into a pocket and retrieved a long furniture nail, which he placidly held out.

"I forgot about the lock."

He hadn't realized he'd said it out loud until he heard how stupid it was. Oh well....

[beyondxtime]

Nicki took the nail, and paused for a few, dead silent seconds to look it over “What great irony, my dear Evil ape” his first horror on the ship had come from the exact thing sticking out of Tony’s head.

Nicki shoved it in the lock until it stuck, and then brought his foot down on it a few times until it leveraged the lock to break

[darknessb4me]

He immediately fell to his knees in front of the chest, brushing hands over the edges, prying fingernails into the seam where the halves met, and lifting the top.

It glowed.

"Frostmourne..."

[beyondxtime]

Nicki just stood there awkwardly. He had to admit, it was a gorgeous sword. Though he decided saying that might get him killed out of possessive-jealousy.

"So...You seem settled here. Perhaps I should leave you two alone"

[darknessb4me]

"Us two?"

They were only one, of course, and always should have been. He wrapped his hand around the black hilt and drew the sword up as he stood himself. It felt like he'd been missing a sense and had suddenly regained it. Frostmourne's memories of the past year flowed into color in his mind - the heaviness of its presence settled on him like a mantle.

They regarded the vampire, and smiled benevolently. White-blue fire shone through the thin screen of Arthas' eyes.

"I am finished here. You shall be rewarded for bringing it to me."

[beyondxtime]

"No" he corrected "Tony will be. I want him safe, that’s all. Do whatever else you’d like to the ship" he turned to leave, but stopped with his hand on the door handle. There was one big hole in his story at this point.

He groaned to himself, and turned back, gathering himself “Alright, love, I’ll give you one better. You get one free kill. Can you do it without turning me into some bizarre death knight?”

[darknessb4me]

"If that is what you want, it would be my pleasure."

Frostmourne and its wielder moved in the same fluid arc across the room, almost too fast to see - then stopped short, the blade hovering over Nicki's shoulder like a knighting. Arthas smirked, and cocked his head.

"Are you sure? You would be wonderful as my Rider of Blood."

[beyondxtime]

“As lovely as that does sound, honestly, I’m going to have to go with the death, merci. Perhaps next time?" he offered with a small smile, he did appreciate the offer, it was unfortunate to turn down. "Oh and do a favor, and set me on fire when you're done?” He pulled out a lighter and tossed it to him. He'd have to get Arya a new one.

[darknessb4me]

He stared cautiously at whatever this new thing was - he'd caught it thinking it was matches, but it was too heavy.

"How?"

[beyondxtime]

"Oh! Its so very interesting" he stepped over to him and held the lighter a bit while it was still in Arthas' hand, and lit it for him “Its fire you can carry around with you. It stays inside until you let it out, you see?”

[darknessb4me]

He tried not to recoil a little at being guided - he heard the click and spark and a cheery little candleflame bloomed.

"There's a little flint in there," he marveled. Well, that was just clever as hell, he-

Let's get a move on, shall we?

Oh. Right.

They smiled coldly and Arthas drew the broken blade up to guard.

"Nicholas."

[beyondxtime]

"Arthas...and Sword" he addressed them with a polite little nod of his head, and waited