I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this woman in front of me. To even hear her name had triggered a flashback of memories I thought I had forgotten.
"Alyssana."
I remember it all now. I once fell for her because I thought she would be a powerful ally for The Cult of the Damned, but it turned out I was wrong. So many things I've done to secure my future were all for naught when she killed me. Now that I look back on it, I really did mess up with this woman and now I know why that man said that she's become scary. I could feel from her piercing dark brown eyes that she's even more powerful from when I was still alive. I hopelessly forgot about my actions as I was about to try and hold her in my arms, but I was blasted away by her arcane magic...and not in a good place as I was trying to hold in my howls of pain!
"If you're a death knight, then why does it still hurt when I arcane blasted your rotten balls?" She scoffed, leaning down at my level.
"Even as a death knight, this twig and these rotten berries still work!" I grunted painfully on my knees. "Unless you want to give it a try later on when I come to."
"How about no?!" She screamed as she slapped me across the face. "I've already killed you once and I'll do it again if I bloody have to!"
"Alyssana, stop! That's enough!" Tirion shouted at Alyssana, grabbing her hand that was pulsating with what seemed like Arcane energy. "He may have been horrible in the past but he will make up for his misdeeds."
"How would you know?! Do you know what he has done? What he did to me?! No, he'll never make up for his wrongdoings!" She growled at Tirion, then she returned her attention to me. "Now you tell me this; where is my son?! Where is Marenus, Ludwig? Where is our son?!"
All the death knights, including me and Darion were almost speechless when she mentioned that we had a son. Even I didn't remember it but now that she mentioned it, another horrible memory became a flashback! I remember now;
I was talking to a woman who knew Alyssana during her studies and she too was a part of the Cult of the Damned. We got a little drunk that night when I told her that Alyssana was pregnant with my child and I don't know how but I found myself in a barn with her, getting undressed. When I realised what was happening, I was about to quickly get my clothes back on before Alyssana bursted into the barn and killed us both. I wasn't myself back then! I could swear that when I was being burnt alive, I heard someone laughing...
"She would've found out what you are a part of in the end. But what she doesn't need to know is that you are one of my puppets!"
That voice reverberated in my head for a time while I was under the Lich King's will and now, it's become silent.
Edua stood up and bravely walked over to Alyssana, even though I gestured her to stay away because I didn't want her to get hurt. "Come with me, I'll take you to your son." She spoke. "Ludwig, you're coming as well."
"What? Why me?!" I exclaimed.
"There is something you must know." She replied.
"What, the fact that I had a son and an ex-wife who killed me and obviously hates me?! Yeah I already know that!" I sassed at her but I earned a hard slap across the face from Alyssana for that last comment.
I heard Koltira, a blood elf death knight try to stifle a laugh and I death-stared him until he stopped, although his smile wouldn't go away.
"Just shut up and lead me to my son." Alyssana spat with the dirtiest look I've ever seen her make.
"Enough from the both of you!" Edua stressed as she opened a death gate to Archeus.
We all went through and once we got to the Archeus, we saw restless and ravenous undead running around the place!
"This is where you took my son? Can you even be more heartless than you already are?!" Alyssana scolded me.
"Ugh, can you not with your insults, woman?" I groaned out loud. "I didn't kidnap our son, Thassarian did! And I already know that I've done ya dirty in the past, but that doesn't mean you have to be a colossal bitch about it!"
"Cheating arrogant dick!" She roared at me, her hands glowing with Arcane magic. "Shall I fucking kill you again?!"
"Alright, that's it! Gods, you two are like children now that you've reunited!" Edua exclaimed in frustration. "Alyssana, step onto that small platform and it'll take you to your son. Ludwig and I will hold off the undead here!"
"Fine!" The mage scoffed and she went off to said platform while I went to charge at the undead.
Then I remembered that Edua wanted to talk to me. "Why didn't you tell me who I was?" I questioned Edua. "Why didn't anyone tell me about my true identity?"
"We were all strictly told by the Lich King himself to never tell you who you are. He feared that it would be too much for you, but that was all when we were listening to his whispers." The undead Draenei explained. "Besides, if we told you about your life with Alyssana, you would've gone running back to her."
After striking down another zombie, I heard a scream from down below! I quickly rushed to the small platform and it teleported me to the next level of the Archeus. A huge undead abomination held a boy in its grasp and Alyssana was casting spell after spell, trying to make it drop the boy!
"Mother!! Help!!!" The boy screamed at Alyssana and I felt something painful hit me in the stomach but there was no weapon.
'Wait, if she is his mother, then that means...that boy is my son!'
Ignoring the pain in the pit of my stomach, I started to rush towards the abomination, my sword ready to fight it!
"Hands off my son, you wretched amalgamation!!!" I shouted a war cry and then I leaped in the air to sever the abomination's hand from its arm!
As the severed hand was falling, the fingers began to loosen its grip of my son and he had a glowing purple hue around him and he was flown towards Alyssana.
"Mother!" he cried as he was being hugged by Alyssana.
Then she looked at me and this time, she didn't shoot a mean look. Instead she nodded and started walking towards me!
"Uh mommy? Why are we going towards the man who was mean to me earlier?" My son grumbled at Alyssana.
"We've come to thank your father for saving you, Marenus." She replied.
"Wait...he is my father?" He questioned the mage. "I thought he was dead."
"No, my son." I chuckled. "The Lich King brought me back...but due to some recent events, I'm no longer taking orders from him."
For the first time, I thought I saw a little smile forming on Alyssana's face. It didn't take a lot to hide a positive reaction but I was glad that she did seem a little happy.
"It seems I have a lot to make up for!" I spoke up, clearing my throat.
"And so do I." Alyssana simply said to our son who replied with a sad smile.
"What do you mean by that?" I asked her in confusion.
"I'll tell you later in private, Ludwig." She sighed and I sensed there was an underlying sad tone in her voice. "For now, let's just get back to the others."
Alyssana started casting a teleportation spell and gestured me to join alongside her. I noticed her hourglass figure was still the same but her belly looked a little bit bulged. Either it was from when she was pregnant with Marenus or...
'No that can't happen. She couldn't have moved on to someone else already!'
My thoughts were interrupted when we arrived back to Light's Hope Chapel and Darion, the death knights, Tirion and Jaina all turned their attention towards us! I silently gulped, knowing that they're all looking at me, Alyssana and our son and I realised that we looked as if we were a family. However, I had to remember that Alyssana is my ex-wife and she's the one who killed me! But alas, I hold no grudge against her, she had every reason to react the way she did. Yet I can't escape the knowledge that I wasn't myself that night, before she killed me. I don't how to describe it but I think I'm slowly getting the pieces together.
"...one of my puppets..."
I think that meant that what I said to her that night, it wasn't me! Again, nobody and not even she would understand. I walked over to Darion who was conversing with the death knights and he greeted me with a nod.
"So...that's your old lady?" he began with a question, looking back at Alyssana who was laughing as she was talking to Tirion and the other paladins.
"Yeah, more like my ex-wife!" I sarcastically replied, sighing through my nose.
"And that's your son there, too?" he asked again, cocking his head to the side.
"I thought you already knew that!" I scoffed, looking at him sternly as I assumed that if he knew who I was then he could've known about my son.
"I knew who you were, but I didn't know you had a son." He corrected, pointing his finger at me.
I growled at him, peeved off that everybody kept my true identity a secret from me. I didn't have time to worry about that as Tirion had called me over.
"Ludwig. Of all people that the Lich King could've brought back to life, he chose you." he scoffed, looking at me as if he was judging me. "After you left, we all agreed to take the battle to the Lich King in Northrend but we're going to need help from both the Alliance and the Horde in full force. The Argent Crusade and The Knights of the Ebon Blade will be joining the fight."
He then brought out a scroll with a symbol on a wax seal, which I assumed would be the symbol of The Argent Crusade and he handed it to me. "Deliver this letter to King Varian Wrynn in Stormwind. Jaina, your ex-wife and your son will accompany you." he directed me.
I nodded in agreement and Jaina had called down two gryphons to take me, Alyssana, Marenus and Jaina to Stormwind.
"We'll be going to Lakeshire first before we go to Stormwind. There's something that me and Jaina left there." Alyssana explained and I simply nodded, only because I was afraid of what I might say.
Marenus jumped on the gryphon with Jaina which meant I was stuck with my ex-wife of all people. We took off to the skies and we started making our way to Lakeshire. While we were in the air, I looked over to Marenus who was having the time of his life, laughing with joy. Then I turned my attention to Alyssana who seemed to be calm, but how could I tell? I'm sitting right behind her and she's more focused on flying the gryphon more than anything. I was about hold her from behind and she quickly looked behind at me with an upset look.
"Don't touch me like that ever again, Ludwig." she scolded me.
I quickly retracted my hands away from her waist. "Does a hug really hurt? Even though I'm your ex-husband?" I exclaimed, taken aback from her reaction.
"Don't make me land this bird, Luddy!" she boomed aggressively. "Like I said before, I've killed you once and I'll do it again if you annoy me or touch me without my consent!"
I stayed silent and leaned back a little and kept my attention towards our destination. Even Jaina gave me a disapproving shake of her head and Marenus couldn't even look at me.
'I always hated that nickname, Luddy. But whenever she said it, I didn't feel offended. But that was when she was mine, unlike now, it does offend me.'
"I'll even make it more painful than ever before." Alyssana added. "Someone gave me a lot of tips and taught me tons of tricks on how to torture and kill an opponent. I'm not afraid to use you as a guinea pig for demonstration!"
"Mommy, that's not very nice!" Marenus commented.
"It's okay, Marenus! Mommy just has a lot of issues." I blurted out to my son and Jaina started giggling. "What are you laughing at?"
"You're in big trouble as soon as we get to Stormwind, I can assure you that!" Jaina cackled. "Remind me to bring popcorn, too!"
"Alyssana, she's joking right?" I asked my ex-wife, but her silence made me gulp in nervousness. "Uhh...Alyssana?"
"Just. Don't. Piss. Me. Off." she pronounced in a monotone voice and once more, I stayed silent throughout the rest of the ride.
Yet again, I sensed that there was a certain sadness in her voice. I don't know if it's because she realised the Lich King brought me back to life or something happened that I know nothing about.
I cleared my throat to try and break the tension between me and Alyssana. "How long was I dead?" I asked her
"5 years!" Alyssana answered me with a simple tone. "We're here! When we get to Stormwind, keep your distance from me."
Once we landed in Lakeshire, as soon as I got off the gryphon, I offered my hand to Alyssana to get her down from the gryphon. She sighed, not taking my hand and got off the bird herself and walked with Jaina and Marenus to the stables. I would've asked why I should keep my distance from her, but I have to respect her wishes. I know she's my ex-wife, but I understand when someone has their boundaries, especially a woman like Alyssana.
'So it's been 5 years since I've been dead? I wonder what happened during that time...'
"Luddy!" I heard Alyssana say to me, making me snap out of my thoughts and my undead heart jump even though it's stopped beating. "Get on, we're going to Stormwind now."
I nodded and I waited for Alyssana to get on her horse and I mounted myself behind her and we rode off to Stormwind quickly. It wasn't long until we made it to the gates and suddenly Alyssana had casted a shield around me and her. It didn't take me long to realise why when I had rotten food thrown at me!
"My family's dead because of you!"
"Rotten Scourge scum!"
"If I have to deal with this every time I come to Stormwind, I'm moving house!" I thought aloud.
"Shut your trap and just keep your head down!" Alyssana scolded me again as we were nearing Stormwind Keep.
Once we got to the entrance, Stormwind guards were already blocking the way inside!
"We need to get through, it's urgent!" Alyssana commanded.
"You are in no place to give us orders, witch! Not even with that wretched Death Knight here!" shouted a guard.
I was about to bring out my blade, but Jaina stopped me from doing so. "You're going to want to watch this." she spoke quietly.
"Dad, what does she mean by that?" Marenus asked me in fear.
"I don't know, my boy. But just keep close to me." I replied in a calming tone.
I watched Alyssana as she raised her hands up in the air and suddenly two war glaives appeared in her hands and she put on a fierce and intimidating pose, frightening the guards and me!
'Where in the frozen throne did she get those? And when in Hellsheim did she get them?'
The guards split apart to let us through and the glaives Alyssana sported vanished into thin air! Even though I was afraid, Marenus seemed to like the fact that his mother is fearless and powerful.
"That was so cool!!!" Marenus marvelled, making Alyssana look back and smile at him. "Hey dad, did you see that? Mommy's got cool weapons!"
I chuckled in response as Marenus ran to Alyssana all excited and giddy about his mother's fearsome weapons. The thing is, I had an awful feeling when I saw those weapons! They were glowing blue, purple, red and then a fierce green which reminded me a lot of when Alyssana killed me with Fel Fire and it wasn't a pleasant feeling at all. Once we got to the throne in front of King Varian, we all knelt down in front of him in respect.
"Why is he here, Alyssana?" He growled at her, standing in front of her. "Why is the man who betrayed you a death knight of all people? Did the Lich King run out of good warriors to bring back to life?"
'Alright I've had enough. I have to address this, now!'
"With all due respect, High King..." I began, standing up with my hands in the air, showing that I meant no harm. "...not all death knights have a choice when the Lich King brings us back from the grave. How I'm here today standing in front of you is because we've been freed from the Lich King's will. Tirion Fordring had sent me here to lend you this." I grabbed the letter that Tirion had given me earlier and gave it to Varian who snatched it from my hand.
After reading it through, Varian handed it back to me and sat back down on his throne. "Very well, Death Knight. I assume you already know your way around here, you've only been dead for 5 years." he voiced. "Besides, you have a lot to make up for!"
"I understand, my king." I noted, then from the corner of my eye, I saw Alyssana magically shimmer away. "By the way, what happened to her?"
"Who?" Varian questioned me with an arched eyebrow.
"Alyssana." I began in frustration. "Before she killed me, I remembered when she was full of joy and how bubbly she was! Now, she gives me the cold shoulder and..."
"She's scary?" Varian finished my sentence with a sarcastic smile. "Yeah, there's a lot of things you should know about her. But I reckon you should ask her yourself."
"How?" I scoffed. "How can I ask her what's wrong without her aiming a fireball on my 'now dead but for some reason it still works crotch'? She already aimed arcane magic on it to humiliate me in front of my fellow knights, what could I do to make sure it doesn't happen again?"
"Just ask her anyway! Either way, you may get an answer that you probably don't want to hear. And maybe your genitals could get set on fire, not that you'll have use for them anyway. You're undead, they shouldn't work! But in all seriousness, prepare yourself anyway for when she tells you everything." Varian advised.
I wasn't sure what I should prepare for, but I had a feeling that I'm not going to like what I might hear. I started making my way out of Stormwind Keep and I went into my back pocket only to feel that there was some scrap of paper shoved into it!
'How did this get here?' I thought.
"Meet me where we came together."
Assuming it was Alyssana who wrote this note, I made my way to the place where me and her had mated for the first time. I saw her sitting in front of the fountain where we made love and I could tell she had been crying because her eyes looked red, her cheeks and nose flushed a rosy pink and her lips were formed into a slight pout. I hope Varian is right about asking her directly...