Quick Overview
The Lich King's power began to fail while Illidan Stormrage attacked the Frozen Throne. Arthas, ruling through the Scourge in Lordaeron, felt the loss as his own strength diminished. The Lich King called his champion back to Northrend, forcing Arthas to abandon the struggle for the ruined human kingdom. The journey north began a race to save the throne before Illidan could destroy it.
Full History
After the Burning Legion's defeat on Mount Hyjal, Arthas Menethil returned to Lordaeron to assert control over the realm he had helped destroy. His place within the Scourge seemed secure, but the source of his power lay far away in the ice of Northrend. The Lich King remained imprisoned within the Frozen Throne, and the undead armies depended upon his command.
Illidan Stormrage's attack on the throne changed that balance. As the ice prison weakened, Arthas felt his own strength fail. Commands that once seemed absolute became harder to enforce, and enemies who had waited for an opening saw their chance. Sylvanas Windrunner used the weakening of the Lich King's control to pursue her own rebellion against the Scourge.
The Lich King summoned Arthas north. The death knight could no longer remain in Lordaeron fighting for a kingdom that might soon be lost to his master's enemies. He left the struggle behind and turned toward Northrend, where Illidan and his allies were seeking the destruction of the throne itself.
His departure helped create the disorder from which the Forsaken would emerge. It also set Arthas on the last stage of his journey: not another campaign to seize territory, but a race to preserve the power that had claimed his life and soul.
The Living Archive · Subject Chronicle
Through History
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