306 -300- Ashe
In the south of Freljord, in Rakelstake—
The awe-inspiring statue of Avarosa was erected here—
The Ice Queen's icy head adorned with a frosty crown, her left leg raised as she steps on a frozen froststone, her left hand holding a piece of extremely cold ice, a delicately carved beautiful long dress adorning her body, and in her right hand, she wields an immensely large ice bow.
She is known as Avarosa— the legendary hero who led people in rebellion against the True Gods thousands of years ago, and now, she is no longer just a legend, no longer a topic of discussion after meals, and Avarosa is no longer just a mere talk.
Because the people of the Avarosan tribe have found the real Avarosa.
Those with the power of true ice can withstand the harsh winter of Freljord, but ordinary people cannot bear this piercing cold. However, in the autumn of Rakelstake, it is relatively warm for the Iceborn and Hearthbloods who cannot control true ice.
Unlike the far north, where even the Iceborn cannot adapt.
Therefore, in Freljord, where most of the land is icy tundra and barren cold, Rakelstake is one of the few warm places suitable for farming and animal husbandry.
And Rakelstake is probably the only tribe in Freljord with a stable place like a city.
"Hurry up!"
In the snowy forest on the way to Rakelstake, two giant black wolves were growling their teeth at a woman facing them. And on the black wolves, wearing helmets and having a resolute face, Kastioya was sternly reprimanding. In his hand, he held a long rope, and at the other end of the rope was the woman in front of him, wearing a fur coat, strong-bodied.
The brown dry hair was stained with dirt, and there were several terrifying scars on her face. She raised her head, revealing a gray-white eye. This was a woman who had lost one eye. At the moment, blood was flowing from the corner of her mouth, and with a light spit, she smiled at Kastioya:
"You gentle Elnuks, even hitting people is painless. I really feel sorry for Ashe. You're all weak little animals."
"Shut up! You should be grateful that the War Mother of Avarosa is a kind and generous person. It is she who does not allow us to kill at will, otherwise you would not be able to use your mouth now."
Kastioya frowned, feeling like something was wrong there.
The captured person in front of him was a powerful warrior, as can be seen from the scars on her face. This woman is definitely a powerful warrior who has been through many battles, and looking at her, Kastioya always feels inexplicably familiar, as if he knows this woman from his memories.
But Kastioya was sure he had never seen her.
And what's even stranger is that when Kastioya and the people of the tribe found her, she was standing next to a tree on the border of Avarosa, patting a giant Drüvask boar, apparently her mount.
Seeing the crowd of Avarosan people, this huge Drüvask boar became irritable in an instant, hooves raised ice and soil, roaring angrily.
This woman just kicked it in the foot, then leaned against its ear as if saying something.
Then the Drüvask boar quieted down.
She looked as if she had deliberately allowed herself to be caught.
"So I think you three should also be grateful that Sejuani only ordered me deliver this stupid thing to your War Mother."
She laughed heartily, her tone calm and powerful, "Otherwise, you would be dead now."
"But now the one who is captured is you, and the one who can decide your life and death is us."
Kastioya said coldly, pulling the reins hard, but failed to pull them.
The other party just raised her hand slightly, and Kastioya was almost pulled away.
Fortunately, he tightened his legs in time, and the ice-wolf under him helped him share the force.
"Oh, good reaction."
The woman laughed again, laughing extremely cruelly.
"Are you really not afraid of death?"
"Death? That will be the will of the gods!"
"Foolish!" Beside Kastioya, the woman riding the brown Frostwolf became furious. "The will of the gods? Will the gods provide you with food? Will the gods give you warmth? Will the gods protect you?"
"The gods of Freljord are all false stories!"
"Ignorant girl," she laughed, mocking the stupidity and ignorance of this Avarosa girl.
She had seen the Ursine tribe with her own eyes, witnessed the wrath of that War God under the thunderstorm.
"Thud!"
Responding to this woman was a stick.
The stick struck towards her head, but she blocked it with her arm.
"Oh, are the little Elnuks angry? Isn't this against your hospitality? I'm not an enemy, have you ever seen an enemy surrender without a fight? I am a guest, isn't your Avarosa tribe supposed to be inclusive and kind? Is this how you treat me, a guest?"
"Kind? What right do you have to say that word?"
"We work hard to cultivate the land, plant crops, only to have them turned to ashes under your fires repeatedly, you freely destroy our pastures, burn our fishing boats. You guys do whatever you want, commit so many atrocities, and now, you're talking about manners to me? The people of the Winter's Claw doesn't deserve our manners!"
Avarosa could defeat the Winter's Claw, but the War Mother wouldn't allow it.
But they wouldn't think their War Mother harbored foolish kindness.
Their War Mother was great, destined to unify Freljord.
Kastioya grabbed the still angry woman and picked up his own hatchet. He looked at the woman in front of him and said coldly, "Shut it, if you say another word, even if it violates the will of the War Mother, I will kill you here."
"And you, your arrogance will ruin the task entrusted to you by Sejuani!"
"Tch."
Hearing Kastioya's words, she lowered her head and quieted down, seemingly pondering the situation.
After a while, she shrugged her shoulders, raised her head expressionlessly, and said, "You win."
"Let's go, take her to see the War Mother!"
Kastioya said loudly.
----------------
Vrynna looked at the "city" in front of her. Along the way, she attracted the attention of many Avarosan tribe members.
She didn't care.
She was now only shocked by the magnitude of Avarosa.
Unconsciously, had Avarosa developed into this appearance?
Being led by Kastioya, Vrynna quietly surveyed her surroundings.
Until they arrived at a large, slanted, oversized house.
Freljordian architectural style was like this, with low rooms and steeply sloped roofs, because it snowed year-round, so to avoid snow accumulation on the roof, this type of building was the most convenient.
"Who is she?"
At the entrance, a row of warriors blocked Kastioya.
"She's from the Winter's Claw, she wants to see the Warmother," Kastioya said.
"Winter's Claw?" Froststone's beard bristled as he loudly objected, "Have you lost your mind? How can you let someone from the Winter's Claw see the Warmother?"
"She... her situation is somewhat special," Kastioya began to explain, opening his mouth.
Then a voice sounded in the hall.
It was a gentle, young voice.
"Let her in."
"Yes, Warmother."
Vrynna lifted her head and entered the house.
In the hall, she saw the Warmother of Avarosa.
Having successfully activated her iceborn lineage, the woman with white hair stood at the strategic table, her hands spread out on the table, her head bowed as if contemplating something.
"Speak, Scar Mother of the Winter's Claw, what business does Sejuani have with me?"
"What? She's Scar Mother Vrynna?!" Kastioya was instantly stunned.
And the soldiers standing guard around had already drawn their weapons, long knives, short axes, longbows, all aimed at Vrynna.
"Put down your weapons, let her come over."
Ashe raised her head, brushing back the cluster of white hair by her ear, and calmly said.
