Taric's eyes narrowed when he reached the tundra. Frozen waste, where nothing could live, except the Freljordians and the ursine. But, after the fall of the Institute, war shook the lands of the tundra. Traitors killed their own, while the tribes battled for leadership. The ursine had declinced the war at first, but when the camps around their lands started growing, and the others asked for allegiance, Volibear, being the leader of the bear-like tribes, had to make a decision. But he didn't. He led his people away from Freljord, in an attempt to save them from the harm of war. They almost would succeed. But sadly, The Winter's Claw ambushed them. Slaughtering the ursine. Volibear was the last one standing. Seeing that the fate of his people was sealed, he charged against enemy lines, and men fell, not by tenths, but by hundreds, thousands. At last, the great ursine felt his power leaving him. His body, the mortal shell which nestled a great soul and will, was broken. He fell, and never rose again.
The gem knight sighed, walking down the Iron Spike mountains, looking at the frozen abyss below him. His blue eyes were staring deep into the horizon. After the battle near Colrdirn's pass, Volibear's body was taken by the Avarosans and berried as a war hero. Those responsible of his dead were crushed by the angered peace makers, and so Tryndamere won the war. Although he had a deep wound in his heart, caused by the loss of his beloved queen, he still ruled rightfully. Then they marched against the so called Watchers, whose force was all centered in one thing. Trundle's tribe of trolls. When Trundle fell by the king's hand, Freljord was now Avarosan. They have won.
And just when they were about to leave for their homes, hell poured over them. Noxus, Zaun and Piltover arrived, decapitating them mercilessly. Now, all that remained from the Freljord were the white blankets of snow, which covered the land for eternity. Taric walked down the road, which led to the gates of the lands. They were abandoned and destroyed, burned, covered with blood. The Gem Knight calmly walked through them, expecting to see tracks of war and destruction. But, he was something different. There was a giant graveyard on the inner side of the gate. The stones where thousands.
Taric's eyes started darting from grave to grave, hardly being able to belive that someone would spend so much time in digging graves, except if it was...
"Yorick?" Asked Taric. His voice echoed through the tundra. No one answered it. His eyes narrowed and the Gem Knight walked on the way, a little path between the stones. It led to a small shack, unburned, still standing and probably inhabited. Just then, behind it, was situated a big stone gate. It was the entrance to a stairway, which soon disappeared under the snow. A slim smile appeared on his face, when he understanded that this is the place he needed to go in.
Slowly he walked towards the wooden shack, a bit curious about it. His steps led him to the door, and he knocked. Waiting a few seconds for an answer, he started looking at the furnishings around the door. Nothing unnatural. When no answer came, he knocked a second time, but louder. A muffled groan echoed from the insides of the shack, then footsteps were heard by the gem knihgt. The door slowly creaked open, and a burly man with black hide and long beard appeared in the crack. His eyes were different, for the left was missing, and the right still remained.
Taric felt some kind of recognition in that person, but it didn't seem so, as the brute who stood on the door was fully unknown to the Gem Knight. The man's garments were grew, chain armor, hiding only his legs, while it revealed chiseled abs and scars from many battles. The color of his only eye was really light brown, almost white. A strange thing occured in the following seconds.
The stranger grabbed Taric in a hug and started whimpering about something, although Taric couldn't quite well understand it. A few moments passed like that and finally the man left Taric, but led him into his house. Inside it was cozy, a fire burned in the center, meat hung from a few planks on the ceiling, a bed covered with fur was placed next to the left wall, while the right one had a small table, covered with a large sack. The container was full, as it was understandable from the bulge that occupied it.
The stranger pulled a small chair from under the bed and placed it in front of it, then offered Taric to sit in it. The Gem Knight sat, looking at the man with pure interest. He used his time to look at the little bed like thing next to the big one, where a small bulge curved the cloth which served as a cover for something. The stranger sat on the bed and looked at Taric with happiness the Gem Knight has seen only in people who had accomplished a goal of their life.
"It is you, Taric! I can't belive!" The voice was familiar to the Gem Knight, but he couldn't remember. The man's eyes were shimmering with excitement.
"Sorry, but I don't think I know you..." Started Taric but was interrupted by his laugh. When he stopped, a smile lit his face.
"It is me, Tryndamere!"