Author's Note: Greetings again, dearest readers! Once again, NaNoWriMo has reminded me just how much I love writing, because this has been a very productive two days for me. Thank you again for your continued interest in this fic, it's extremely comforting to know that people are able to enjoy something that I almost feel like I'm rushing out.

I have changed the format from last chapter, if you are following along. This will be how it goes from here on out.

"Five"

I choked on my tongue at the fantastic display of power that was coursing through his veins as I felt the coolness of the steel against my own armor, and the slight heat of his breath directly in front of my own.

"You fought with a ferocity worthy of even Olaf. That was...terrifying." I pushed him off of me and flopped back down onto the ice, allowing the bitter chill to calm my frantic senses. "Fight with that type of animosity, and you will have no troubles in the final two challenges that await you."

Bristle stood back up, sheathing his sword before helping me to my feet. "I did not intend to allow that to slip through, however, I was not about to let it subside either. I apologize if my impact caused you harm."

I looked him in the eye, letting a chuckle slip through my lips. "With a bout as passionate as that, I do not mind being the one to walk away injured." I could see that my words did not calm the troubled look on his face, and so I added further. "You did well, and I hope that this exercise has shown you the worth of a well-timed swing of your sword. And I do mean a swing." I punctuated the final line with a slight smile, in a successful attempt to lighten the mood.

"Indeed, your knowledge on human combat has proved necessary yet again. Thank you." He walked back to his greatsword and hefted it over his shoulder, not even bothering to sheath it as he walked back to camp. I followed behind, grabbing my flail along the way, before slipping back into my tent, finding...Olaf.

"Chief, you're spending a lot of time around him. I'm not sure that's a good idea for both of you." He was sitting on the table, twirling the dagger about in the air.

"I understand where you're coming from, Olaf, however, I am getting him ready for the trial he will face today. His swordsmanship is still quite messy, and that has to be fixed before it gets him killed."

Olaf grabbed the knife and thrust it into the table, the sheer force of the impact sending a wide crack down its length. "Sejuani, we both know that that brute will be able to trample any challenger that he faces. Now, would you mind explaining why you've checked on him every night since he's changed? I'm not deaf, I hear you getting out."

I paused, tempering my boiling rage before finally speaking up. Olaf was acting extremely out of line, even for my head officer, and I would not allow such actions to remain unrectified. "My choices are my own, and they are not yours to question. Had you been any other member of this army, you would be on half rations for a majority of the next season."

He picked up the dagger, sticking it again in the table, causing another crack to form along the crumbling wood. "Would you give Bristle that punishment? I'm not trying to tell you to stop, I'm telling you that the attention you're giving him is noticeable, and if people didn't realize that he's the same Bristle you've lived and died with for the past several years then they're going to think that you're playing favorites, and we both know that you don't want that hanging over you."

"First off, yes, Bristle would and has received the punishment I would give any other member of this army. Secondly...thank you. I did not realize my actions were so clear. I care about him, Olaf. I cannot stop myself, though I know that the path I walk on is a dangerous one. Now please, leave me. I need more rest."

Olaf nodded, walking back towards the exit of the tent. "Chief, I know there's something going on here, something that I know you aren't ready to tell me yet. That is all." He walked out of the tent, shutting the flap behind him.

Olaf's words still rung in my mind, the absolute truthiness that he spoke boring into me. It was true, I was giving Bristle for more attention than he deserved, however, the dreams only served to complicate the situation further. Olaf needed to know...he was my lead officer, and yet I was spending more time informing Bristle of my situation that I was him.

I rushed out my tent, finding him still walking away. "Olaf, you're right. Come back in, and I'll explain further."

"Good. I'm not leaving until you tell me what's really going on this time, Chief." I guided him back inside, closing the flap behind us.

"Bristle and I have been having dreams, nightmares...I do not know which is more fitting. What is important, however, is that they're the same for both of us, each night. I am in the middle of the war with two Bristles, one as a man and one as a boar. Far off in the distance is Ashe, easily fifty feet high, poised to take a shot with an arrow large enough to penetrate my heart. At the last moment, Bristle saved me, but it is not the Bristle that you would recognize. He is somewhere in between his two forms, with the features of a boar but the shape of a human. Every night for the past four days he takes this shot, and says 'don't go' as he draws his dying breath."

"It gets worse, however. This past night it was Uskar that slew him, instead of Ashe. He said that he was loyal to that evil Lissandra, and then she appeared behind me, stabbing me in the back with an ice spike. This is the first time that I have been slain in these dreams."

Olaf sighed to himself, rapping his fingers across the splintered table. "That explains your actions, Chief. I would have recommended you ignore them, but if you say Bristle has had the same dreams every night, then these are not a coincidence. We must be wary of Lissandra's influence, if she had control of Uskar. I will make something up to tell the troops, should they start questioning you. You and Bristle seem to be involved with something big, that much seems clear even to me."

I nodded. "I apologize for hiding information from you, it was never my intention. I have just been troubled these past few moons, that is all." Though I wasn't happy with it, I had no choice now but to let Olaf see a side of me that I did not want displayed to the rest of my army. My image was my strongest aspect as a leader, and it was quickly crumbling around me.

Thankfully, Olaf just slapped me on the shoulder, grinning. "We all have our rough patches, Chief. Once you figure out who is behind this, I have no doubt that you'll put a hole in his head worthy of the damage he's caused you. Now as you were saying, you need rest, and so do I. I'll meet you again for breakfast."

I climbed back into my bedroll, catching a few quick hours of sleep before finally waking up as the sun peered through the tears in the well-worn tent. I grabbed my flail and walked outside, finding the camp unusually active for the time of day.

People's heads turned and backs straightened as I marched towards Anbrakalt's storeroom, finding it still packed to the seams with meats and grains, just as the report had told me. I ripped a hearty chunk off for myself and bit into it, the taste of red meat pleasing my senses.

"Eat as much as you want. The resources here are excess, and we will take any remaining here back with us when we return to Winter's Claw. The less we have to carry, the easier the journey will be."

That was all I needed to say as people swarmed towards the storeroom in a craze I had not expected, and I stepped out of the way to let them get their fill. It had been longer than I could remember since we were dining on excess, and I was more than willing to let them eat until they were sated.

"That was a bold move, issuing that order. We better have enough for tomorrow, Chief." I spun around to see Olaf, ripping into the leg bone. "I cannot say that I am complaining, however," he added between bites.

"I cannot allow them to be starved should Kuldvlieg prove as treacherous as this place. Once they are done eating we will begin our march. The journey will not take too long."

The two of us finished our meal as warriors ran around, grabbing all the necessary equipment for the march ahead of them. In the middle of them all I caught several glimpses of Bristle, gathering his weapons and armor. I...I couldn't stop myself from watching him, no matter how hard I tried. I still felt a strong bond with him from when he was my mount, and no matter how hard I tried to sever that and bring him down to the reality he belonged on, it prived futile.

Finally, the forces were ready, and our march began, in the same loose formation as it was on our journey to Anbrakalt.

"Bristle, be wary of Kuldvlieg's champion. That witch Lissandra is crafty, and she knows that this will be our next destination after Anbrakalt. If she has planted another one of her spies in our lands, it would certainly be your opponent today. I will watch the chieftain as well, and make sure that you are not against an unfair fight as you were previously. If any hint of magic begins to take place, I will draw my weapon on the spot."

Olaf turned to Bristle and added on "There may be a chance that you will be fighting inside the caves. If that is the case, your enemy will most certainly use the terrain to their advantage. I expect you have had little to no training fighting in an enclosed space, but it provides a very unique set of challenges to overcome."

Bristle turned towards both of us nodding. "Thank you for your wisdom, leaders. They will serve me well today. Sejuani has shown me how to deal with a crafty opponent, and it sounds like there is a chance I will need that knowledge today. I will not disappoint you."

The army continued marching, and we finally could see the glacier that housed Kuldvlieg. The tribe that lived there now was responsible for slaying the previous resident, an ancient ice drake that had plagued the northern tribes for decades. I had not seen anything that affirmed the validity of this myth, but if it is true, then Bristle would face a challenge far different than Uskar today. No drake is able to be felled easily, and a drake as ancient as the one in the legend. If the people of Kuldvlieg were nimble enough to avoid a drake's ice breath, then the training that I gave him this morning would be child's play compared to their champion.

We marched up to the entrance of the camp, being halted right at the entrance to the cavern. I stepped forward and explained our presence to the guards. "I am here to challenge your champion. I have brought my own, to my right. Please bring out your chief and champion." The guard nodded and walked inside, leaving a lone one to stand out front.

"I hope that your people did not have ties to Anbrakalt. We engaged them in a duel the day prior, and I caught their chief healing the wounds of his champion during combat. I hope for your sake that your chief does not decide to act so foolishly."

The guard nodded. "We have no relations with anyone, and we are more than willing to join the Winter's Claw should you prove your might in combat against us. You have my word, Sejuani, on behalf of the people of Kuldvlieg. We will not dishonor the rules of engagement."

"No we will not, and it appalls me that Anbrakalt would drop to such low levels to avoid you." The chief walked out, beside him being a lithe woman, armed to the tooth with daggers strapped across her body. "This is my champion, Merthel. And yours?"

"Merthel, this will be your opponent, Bristle. Your guard speaks highly of your tribe, Chief, and I offer you this. Should we appear to be victorious, we will not take her life. Warriors of her apparent fighting style are few and far between, and it would be a shame to claim the life of such a warrior."

The chief nodded. "Then I will order the same for your Bristle. The life of such a strong and proud warrior should not be claimed solely for the sake of violence. Now come, I have prepared an arena inside, if you would."

I turned around, signaling the army to remain outside, and I led Olaf and Bristle into the confines of Kuldvlieg. All across the roof of the caves was a thick layer of smoke, well above anyone's head, coalescing there due to the multitude of fires burning all throughout the cave system. There was a central hallway that penetrated all the way through the glacier, causing a terrible wind to rush through it at all hours, and several offshoots existed all along this hallway, and the chief led us into one of them.

As soon as we rounded the corner the temperature warmed up, almost bordering on bearable, as the heat of the fires wasn't immediately rushed away by the wind. The chief led us even further, taking another corner, until we finally came to a dead end.

"This used to be the treasure horde of the drake that previously inhabited these caves. When my ancestors slew the beast, this became the training grounds, so that they could remember the extraordinary deed they had already accomplished. Over the years we have dedicated it to solving disputes, as every great warrior from our tribe is watching over us. May they watch over this fight, too."

I took a look around the arena. It easily thirty feet tall and double that around, meaning that Bristle would have no worries about his height giving him a disadvantage. The ground was littered with icicles sticking upwards, meaning that his footing would be tested. It was not a skill that I had even thought to help him hone, and I was hoping such an oversight would not prove his downfall. By the chief's description, it sounded like Merthel would have seen her fair share of battles in this ring, and likely knew any and all strategies that lined these ancient battlegrounds.

"It is impressive chief, and the history behind it is a story for us all. Now, let us resolve this, so that my army may return to Anbrakalt for the night."

He nodded, and we took our place at the entrance of the arena, allowing our champions to take position at each of the two noticeable corners. Bristle drew his two lower weapons as Merthel took out two daggers, likely still a dozen more strapped across her legs and back at various places.

The two champions nodded at each other, and Merthel immediately began running forward, deftly avoiding icicle after icicle as she skirted around the battlefield. Bristle brought his weapons up, watching his opponent's movements, but standing still himself. Merthel dashed to the right at the last second, taking a leap and planting her foot on the wall. The champion pushed off of it, hurting straight towards Bristle, twin daggers pointed forward and ready to strike.

Bristle couldn't react fast enough, and the two collided, as Merthel let go of her weapons, leaving them implanted in Bristle's armor. She reached behind her back and withdrew two more before beginning another charge, and another, each time cleanly able to outmaneuver her opponent. Bristle was starting to look like a pincushion for daggers, easily ten sticking out of him, and Merthel reached down to her boots, withdrawing another pair.

"These are my last ones, Bristle. I have to say, most people don't survive this long. I'm impressed." I honed in on the final set of daggers, finding them slightly different. There were runes on the sides of them and a faint orange glow emanated from them. Clearly magical.

I leaned over towards the Chief, whispering. "What enchantment is placed on her weapons?"

"They are able to pass through armor as if it doesn't exist, allowing her to strike the flesh more easily. I have only ever seen her draw these twice, and it has not ended well for her opponents."

I was about to reply but I heard the sounds of Merthel charging forward again, her daggers poised and ready to strike. Just as she closed in Bristle lined up for a kick but she spun to the left, taking a leap and stepping on one of the multitude of daggers she had planted. After another several steps on more of her daggers, it was clear that she had been planning this since the start, allowing her to use her opponent to climb, giving her a very unique advantage.

She took one final step on a dagger lodged in Bristle's shoulder and leaped into the air, pulling into a tight spin, sending her daggers directly for Bristle's back. He ducked, allowing the slice to arc directly over his head. He brought his foot up and send it backward, directly hitting Merthel, sending her crashing against the outer wall.

"You are a clever opponent, Merthel. It is an honor fighting against you." As he spoke he plucked the daggers from his armor and threw them at various points around the room, rendering Merthel's advantage null. She finally stood up after recovering from the impact, charging again.

This time, however, Bristle was prepared for her. As soon as she had closed the distance he brought a knee up, faking her out into spinning towards the left, sending his other knee crashing into her. He dropped his weapons and gripped her with both hands, lifting her up before sending her back down on his knee. He let go and her body dropped to the ground, and he withdrew the sword from his back, positioning it directly over her bosom.

The chieftain stood up, signaling the end of the dual. "Bristle, you have won. Please honor the rules of our duel, and let her live."

Bristle nodded and sheathed his weapon, walking back towards the entrance. Behind him, Merthel stood up and began charging for him, daggers poised and ready to strike. Before either of us could react she leaped onto his back and plunged the daggers into his shoulders, the enchanted metal of the blade cutting through his armor as if it wasn't even there.

"My chief may want my life, but I woke up today expecting a battle to the death, and that is what will happen." She withdrew her dagger and plunged it back down again, eliciting a howl of pain from Bristle.

He responded by grabbing her arms and throwing himself down to the ground, plummeting down right on top of an icicle. I could hear the sound of the ice puncturing straight through Merthel as the pair collided with the ground. Bristle stood back up and withdrew his greatsword, but quickly realized that the icicle had gone straight through her heart, and there was no need for more bloodshed.

"Chief, I apologize for breaking the rules of engagement, but as you can see I had no choice. Your champion is dishonorable, and I would like to think that this problem is contained to only her."

I turned towards the chief, anticipating his words. "Merthel is troublesome, but I did not expect that she would go to those extremes. You have my word, Sejuani, that my warriors are yours whenever you need them. Let me take Bristle to our shamans, and heal the wounds that should not have been inflicted."

I nodded, motioning for Bristle to follow him. "You speak well, chief. I will have need of your men within the next few moons, as I will march on the Ice Witch and claim the Frostguard people as my own. While Merthel's actions were detestable, her fighting spirit was impressive, and your people will be of great use to me while we march on the Citadel. Now go, do what must be done, and we will leave your lands once Bristle has been sufficiently healed." I left the arena and walked back outside alone, finding my army just as I'd left them.

Olaf turned to me with a slight fear in his eyes. "You return alone, Chief. Does this mean Bristle was unsuccessful?"

I shook my head, pointing back into the cave. "No, we have gained the allegiance of the chief of Kuldvlieg, but his champion was treacherous, and Bristle had to slay her to protect his own life. Their shamans are now healing him to show his loyalty to us, and we will depart as soon as he returns."

I stood in silence and waited, before Bristle finally returned with Kuldvlieg's chief. "He is back into fighting condition for your final journey to Nordvaldst. The people there are much like Bristle here in their resilience and durability. The duel you face there will be far different than anything you have faced."

"Thank you for your insight, chief, and we will return soon when we are ready for you. Farewell." I turned around and led our army back to Anbrakalt, the hours of the journey washing away in monotony.

Back at Anbrakalt we celebrated our victory by tearing open the storeroom, engaging in another hearty feast. I pulled Bristle and Olaf over to the side once the celebration was drawing to a close, discussing our plans for tomorrow.

"Nordvaldst is more than half a day's journey if we take everyone, however, if Bristle and I go alone, we should be able to return by nightfall. I do not enjoy the thought of leaving the army behind should Nordvaldst prove to be as treacherous as the previous inhabitants here, however, it will save us a day. If we were to take this plan, Olaf, you would be in charge of the operations for the day. I am still open to suggestions, however."

Both of them sat silently, neither one bothering to speak up if they had something to say. "Very well then, we will do that. Bristle, you and I will leave before dawn tomorrow. Likely...we will be awoken early again."

He nodded, looking off into the distance. "I do not regret slaying Merthel, however I have a feeling that we will see her again tonight. Lissandra's influence seems to be wide, and I cannot help but think that she is monitoring us at all times."

The thought unsettled me but I let it hang in the air, as I turned towards Olaf. "Your plan sounds fine, Chief. I will send several to gather the Ursine, but the rest will train here. You two focus on what needs to be done."

"Then this meeting is over. I will see you in the morning, Bristle." I stood and walked towards my tent, slipping into the bedroll that was waiting for me.

I looked around the battlefield, finding both Bristles slaying foe after foe, littering the body with his victims. I, too, reached for my flail and lodged it in a nearby enemy's skull and then another, sending the both of them crumbling to the ground.

I searched around the battlefield, looking for the massive enemy that I knew would be waiting for me. Sure enough, Uskar had his chains drawn and was swinging them towards me, and I fell to my knees, dropping my weapon.

"Take my life, and end this unending slaughter! I will put up no resistance."

From in front of me, the two Bristles merged into one, staring at me furiously. "Then I will resist for you, my Queen. They must get through me before they may reach - "

A dagger had flown threw his chest before his sentence could finish, and I immediately recognized the glowing runes that adorned the blade. "Merthel, you coward! Take me, damnit!"

The sly girl walked over and in front of me, sidling up next to Uskar. "I have no desire to take your life, Sejuani. My queen Lissandra will do that instead. I am just here to prepare your demise." She withdrew two daggers and launched them at me, each one severing my arms at the elbow. I cried out in pain as my blood began rapidly pooling on the ground, until I heard the sound of chains dragging against the ground.

I gasped for air as Uskar's weapon slammed down, crushing my legs under its immense weight as I fell forward on the ground, unable to move anything but my neck. Far off in the distance I could hear a maniacal cackle and I turned my head all around, failing to find the source of the noise.

"Oh, Sejuani, so powerful...so stupid. You will die here, again, until that pathetic runt of a champion dies for good. Good riddance, bleak image of my sister."

I could tell by the sound that it was Lissandra speaking to me, but I could barely move under the intolerable pain I was in. I could feel her black ice tearing through the ground as it charged for me, until eventually I could feel the impact.

However...I hadn't died. The icicle had punctured my torso, and I was bleeding profusely...but she hadn't killed me just yet. I felt a hand reach down and wrap around me lifting me up.

I was turned around and facing Lissandra, smiling maniacally as I struggled to free myself from this torture. Far in the distance behind her I could see a Citadel, barely recognizable by the blackness that clouded the battlefield.

"I see you recognize my home. Come find me, and I will end your pestilent existence, forever." With that, she threw me to the ground, finally ending my life.

The dreams were getting worse...more violent. I hadn't had a good night's rest in nearly a week now. However, Lissandra had revealed her location to me, and that was where she would fall. As soon as Nordvaldst was taken care of, we would march straight there, and end her life. Maybe then I would be able to find a night's rest again.

I walked out of my tent and out into the night, finding Bristle standing near where we had trained yesterday. "I presume we experienced the same thing again, Sejuani? If so, then let us hurry. I do not want to suffer from these dreams any longer than I must."

"Agreed. It looks like you are prepared, so let us go. Nordvaldst awaits, and we must answer."

The two of us began our journey long before the sun ever graced the presence of the Freljordian tundra, finally peeking out over the horizon as we approached the halfway point in our journey.

"Nordvaldst may be resilient, however, they prefer traditional combat, and you should expect such an opponent. He will likely come at you with a sword, maybe a shield, but nothing else. Focus on your target and evade his swings, and you will succeed, that much I do not doubt."

"Then tell me, Sejuani. What do you doubt, if it is not my fighting ability?"

"I think it is a safe assumption that your opponent today will be under Lissandra's reach. You will have to kill him to gain Nordvaldst's allegiance, however, I can almost assure you there will be some form of trickery involved in this duel. The sooner you spot it, the less injuries you will suffer."

He nodded, and we continued walking until the first tents of Nordvaldst started appearing on the horizon. They were far more durable than anything I'd seen, by the looks of it, and I soon realized why: they were wrought of ice. The entire camp was constructed from the ground, which made it extremely resistant to the elements, and thus far more durable than leather tenting, like Winter's Claw used. It was not long after that we finally reached the entrance.

"What business do you have in Nordvaldst, Sejuani?" As previous, two guards were waiting outside, our arrival having been seen from far away.

"I am here to challenge your champion. Please, bring out your chief, so that we may be started as soon as possible."

The guard nodded and walked off, and the rest of us stood in silence until two men came walking out, nearly indistinguishable from each other. They both were of average height, with weathered gray hair.

"Sejuani, this is Reimbjar. He will be your champion's opponent today. I expected your army to join you on this inevitable expedition. Why do you come alone?" The chief stared up at me, then turned towards Bristle. "Your champion looks honorable, fit for your people's name. I will enjoy watching the duel today."

"It was faster if the two of us traveled alone than to bring the rest of my people. I hope I have no need for them, as I expect an honorable duel. We have not had that yet during our time in the northern lands." I glared at Reimbjar, attempting to purge any thoughts he had about following whatever order Lissandra would have him follow today, but his face remained ice-cold.

"You have my word, Sejuani, my people are far more honorable than either Kuldvlieg or Anbrakalt. Should my champions attempt such trickery, I will slay him myself."

Satisfied, I pointed out towards the ice. "Let us get this started then, so that we...or I, may return. Should I prove victorious, I will have need of your people immediately. Lissandra's roots are dug deep even in these lands, and I intend to extinguish her life as soon as we are done here." I glared at Reimbjar as I spoke, still unable to elicit any sort of reaction. Perhaps he was as honest as the rest of his people.

The four of us walked out towards a flat patch in the ice, and I stood across from the chieftain, our champions directly between us. Reimbjar wielded a sword and shield just as I had predicted and drew them both, taking a very defensive stance. On the other side, Bristle took out his greatsword, gripping the weathered hilt in both hands.

"Begin!"

The two of them began charging forward, Reimbjar hiding behind his shield with his sword ready for a quick strike. The two collided in a fury of sparks as the weight of Bristle's sword was blocked by the other's shield, causing a deep wedge to form along its length. Reimbjar took a quick jab, the strike getting deflected off of Bristle's armor.

Bristle followed up the engagement by dropping his sword and ripping Reimbjar's shield from his hands, immediately lobbing it far off into the distance. In a fit of rage, Reimbjar took a swing at Bristle, his sword getting lodged deep in the latter's forearm.

"I will not hide behind another shield!" Reimbjar took yet another swing, this time landing the blade on Bristle's knee. Bristle threw a kick forward, gaining enough time to reach down and lift up his sword before looking back up, narrowly dodging another strike from Reimbjar.

Bristle took to the offensive, taking several jabs, but each time Reimbjar sidestepped out of the way, remaining unscathed. I wanted to yell at Bristle to remember his training, but I knew that such actions were not allowed. If Bristle were to win, it would have to be because he is the superior fighter, without my assistance.

Finally, my cries were answered. Bristle began his slow, methodical technique he had used to box me in during our training, swiping just on the edge of Reimbjar, forcing him to dodge directly into Bristle's next swing. He landed blow after blow, causing Reimbjar's thin armor to be laced with gash wounds, and blood began trickling down onto the ice below.

However, Reimbjar still had tricks up his sleeve. Soon, the fighting began to swing back in his favor, as he predicted Bristle's swings, dodging unusually and landing a successful strike or jab on my champion. Both champions were dripping blood onto the ground at multiple points, showing just how even the two warriors were.

Reimbjar began advancing once more, a flurry of swings and jabs erupting in front of him, and for the first time since I'd seen him, Bristle faltered. It was scare tactics, nothing more, but he just clutched his greatsword, unsure as to how to land a hit with Reimbjar's sword always in the way. Out of nowhere, the myriad of swings became a jab, directed right towards Bristle's midsection, and a well-timed block from his greatsword spared him from likely losing the battle.

Bristle followed up with a swing, the strike going cleanly at Reimbjar's collarbone, with no intention of stopping. This was the killing blow, for sure, and we would finally have the support of all the remaining northern tribes.

However...Reimbjar froze...literally. As soon as the blade made contact the ground erupted upwards and encased him, causing the sword to bounce off of him. I looked up and glared at the opposing chieftain, who stared at his champion wide-eyed, and immediately began rushing forward, sword drawn and at the ready. I, too, withdrew my flail and began running towards the fight.

We all gathered around Reimbjar, still encased in ice, and the chieftain turned to me. "You have won, Sejuani, make no mistake. Now, if he becomes unfrozen, allow me to do the honor of slaying this coward.

"It is yours." Even still, I kept my flail drawn and at the ready, still unwilling to let another surprise catch us off guard. Bristle, too, kept his greatsword poised for an overhead strike.

Slowly, the ice began receding, the outer layers beginning to slip back into the ground where they were drawn from. Reimbjar's body became more and more distinct as less ice obscured him, a dark and malicious smile plastered across his face from within his icy tomb.

All at once, however, the rest of the ice vanished, and Reimbjar immediately lunged forward, plunging his sword straight into Bristle.

"You will perish for your deceit, Reimbjar!" The chief brought his weapon down on his own champion, lopping his head off cleanly before there was any hope of reacting.

Seeing that the deed was done rushed over towards Bristle, finding him barely holding onto his life as blood gushed from the wound. I looked up toward the chief, a pleading in my eyes. "Do you have healers in your tribe? He needs his wounds healed promptly."

The chief shook his head, a solemn look on his face. "We do not, I am afraid. I will find cloth to wrap it in in hopes that it will stop the bleeding, but there is nothing more my people can offer you." He rushed off towards the camp, leaving the two of us to ourselves.

"Don't you dare die, do you understand me! I can't lose you now, not when we are so close to ruling the Freljord!" His eyes were losing their fiery blue tint as the life slipped from his body. There were shamans in Anbrakalt, but we would not get there until sundown, and that was under the assumption that Bristle would be able to walk. Under the current conditions, it would take several days for me to bring him back.

The chief rushed back with a spool of fabric, wrapping it around his midsection as it immediately was stained red. "I apologize Sejuani, there is nothing more that my people are able to do to help him."

I held back the urge to curse at him, knowing that none of this was his fault, and that he was doing everything he could. Even still, his champion had directly led to these wounds, and even if he had slew Reimbjar, he was indirectly responsible for this. "I understand. I will carry him back to Anbrakalt, where my people will save him if he is still savable. This is something that I must do alone. Send your people tomorrow, and I will return them to you once Lissandra and Ashe have both fallen to my weapon.'

"Understood, Queen Sejuani. I wish you success on your return." I nodded and knelt down, slinging Bristle over my back with every ounce of strength I could muster.

I began taking each heavy step across the ice, the sheer weight of the man on my back making the journey five times more challenging. Before me stood unending tundra, but somewhere at the end of that endless expanse was Anbrakalt, and Bristle's survival.

I looked over my shoulder, Bristle's eyes barely retaining any coloration at all. "You have carried me on your back all these years...now it is time for me to return the favor. Don't you give up on me now, damn you."

Word Count: 25396 (6241 this chapter)

Author's Note: That's a wrap! Sorry I uploaded this later than I had intended to, my night got busier than I anticipated. I intend to have the next chapter uploaded in about 2 - 3 days, so stay tuned, folks! As always, reviews help me improve my writing and incorporate the ideas that you all suggest, so anything and everything is welcome down there, even criticisms.