Heyo Ladies and Gents x3 I hope you've all had a brilliant Christmas. My one was spent in solitude, with no fancy dinners or gifts or anything xD But that's just me. Besides, I have had the company of my dearest, and that was gift enough for me 3

Enough mushy mushy from me xD Anyways, here's the next chapter of IHIE.
Before I start, lemme just point out that I'm doing a Collab Story with the awesome writer and friend, Alsodef! It's a Sword-Art Online and League of Legends Crossover. Do drop by and give it a read, I'm sure you'll like it xD And leave a review there as well, we all love to read reviews ^^

Link to the story:

s/10859406/1/A-New-Reality
Not sure if the link will show up in the story, but if it doesn't, simply go to the Sword-Art Online/League of Legends Crossover section. We're the only story there hahaha. Or just get to the story from my profile.

Anyway, without further ado, here's the next chapter. I purposely left a seeming-plot hole in the last chapter, as many of you have asked about in the reviews, because that hole is filled in this chapter with the answer to that question xD

Enjoy.

~ Wings

ALSO, BEFORE I BEGIN, THERE'S A POLL UP ON MY PROFILE xD Go vote now to help me decide which one-shot lemon idea I should do~!

In her Icy Embrace

Chapter 14

After so long, the relief in him was almost palpable. The storm around him had quieted as snow no longer fell on him, each of his steps bringing him closer to the temple until he stepped off of snow and placed his foot on black stone. The entire temple seemed to be made of some kind of smooth material which was black, such as black marble. It also had golden designs along the massive pillars that stood sentinel on both sides of the massive doorway. He climbed the small flight of stairs, coming onto the edge of a large circle of black stone. All that stood between him and the entrance to the temple was this large circle of black stone.

And the knight standing in the middle.

He stood vigilant in armor so white, it seemed to have it's own glow about it. The armor was unlike any he had ever seen before, sleek and sharp looking, fitting to the slender knight's figure like it was a part of him. A ragged, torn cloak of white fluttered in the wind behind him, worn from many battles past. In his hands, he held…

Alan's eyes widened as Frig Ascutis pulsed at his side. The man was holding what was unmistakably the third weapon. He held a pure white pole, about 3 feet tall. Ice as blue as Alan's eyes jutted out from both ends. From the lower end, it jutted out into a sharpened point, adding 2 feet to it's bottom. And from the upper end, another 2 feet of ice extended, and a wicked curved blade of ice looking more deadly than any metal he could ever have seen. The third and last shard of the legendary weapon was a deadly Scythe.

"Champion of the Frostguard, what do you seek within the Temple of the Seeker?" The knight asked solemnly as Alan narrowed his eyes at the man, trying to discern if he was friend or foe.

"I seek the Seeker's armor." Alan said. The Knight did not move nor react, aside from more fluttering of his cape. Alan's own cape, blue in color, was fluttering in the same wind behind him.

"To enter the temple, you must best me in battle, to prove you are worthy. I cannot let anyone but the White Phantom enter these halls, for I am the Sentinel and that is my job." The man, the Sentinel, said.

"The White Phantom, Kassadin, is the one who guided me here." Alan said.

"So, might you be his prodigy?" The Sentinel asked. He raised his scythe off a few inches before striking it's pointed bottom down onto the ground again, making a sharp sound that echoed around them. Frig Ascutis pulsed at his waist again, seemingly reacting to the sound.

"Draw Frig Ascutis then, Champion. And let it meet my Frig Secerator." The Sentinel said.

…

Both of their peaceful sleep abruptly ended when a burning agony invaded both of their bodies. With cries of pain, they both shoved themselves apart, untangling their limbs which had been entwined together from last night's passion, now nothing more than more fuel for the fire that burned their bodies.

As soon as they pulled themselves free from each other, the pain flared for a few more seconds all over their bodies before fading. It left both of them breathless.

"That's a nice… way to wake up." Reinhart muttered, wincing as he looked at Analia's naked form. For her sake, he had been the one to push himself out of the bed, so she could keep herself covered with the sheet if she wished. She did not have that intention, however, as she didn't bother covering her nudity to him. Rather, she looked confused.

"Strange… Why did we burn each other now, although we did not burn each other last night?" Analia asked as Reinhart shrugged. "I recall you mentioning you can touch iceborn without burns in the heat of battle… Did our little session last night count as a battle?" Reinhart asked, a small smirk playing on his lips as Analia grinned as well, a small pink tinge making itself visible on her cheeks.

"Oh, bugger off." She muttered, before her eyes widened with realization. "I think I understand!"

"Understand what?" Reinhart asked, blinking lazily at her, his face still holding traces of drowsiness on it.

"Emotions. Adrenaline! I think that's what triggers my immunity to your touch… Last night, I was really scared! I was almost shaking with restlessness, just like in battle! Adrenaline!" She said as Reinhart raised an eyebrow, impressed.

"So whenever your emotions get high, your body immunizes itself against the touch of an Iceborn?" He speculated as Analia shrugged. "Seems to be that way."

"Well, the only way to test that theory is by putting it to the test." Reinhart said as he stood up. Analia didn't bother her appreciative stare of his built body as he picked up his clothes from the folded pile in the corner and began dressing.

"Get dressed, Ana. We're gonna have a little spar." He said as Analia raised an eyebrow. "You sure you're feeling alright for a spar?" She asked as Reinhart looked back at her over his shoulder and offered her an easy grin.

"After last night's activities with no ill effect, I'd say I'm perfectly fine." He drawled as Analia rolled her eyes at his stubbornness. Conceding, she climbed out of the bed, and this time it was Reinhart who stared appreciatively at her as she walked past him and to her clothes.

"Y'know, it's rude to stare." Analia stated as Reinhart raised and eyebrow. "You know us Iceborn. We're so cold, our eyes tend to… get frozen on certain things." He mused.

Analia couldn't help but groan at that.

Author's Note: Reinhart [Achievement Unlocked: Banged Analia] Sorry, I just had to. xD

…

Note to self. Fuck Scythes.

Alan was panting hard as he fell to one knee, using his sword to hold himself upright. He was bleeding from multiple wounds. The scythe had been as deadly as it had seemed and cut through his armor with ease. It's curved edge made it's cutting arc hard to predict or deflect, and it had a massive range advantage. The pointed bottom of the scythe also proved a deadly spear-like weapon as evidenced by the deep crack on the dark ice crystal of his breastplate where the point had struck him as it was thrusted at him.

The Sentinel, however, stood as he had before, solemnly and unmoving like a statue as he watched Alan. He had no wounds to speak of and had not taken even the tiniest hit from Alan.

"You are skilled in fighting, Alan. As you are also skilled in the art of Cryomancy. However, to defeat the watchers, you must use both of them." The Sentinel said.

Alan gritted his teeth, tasting the coppery taste of blood in his mouth as he forced himself up onto his feet again. He let out a harsh cry as he charged the Sentinel, slashing upwards with his Sword. The Sentinel brought up his Scythe, using the handle to deflect Alan's slash away as Alan spun around, his free hand shooting out as an Ice shard exploded out, almost guaranteed to hit the Sentinel at this point blank range. Yet, the Sentinel simply spun his scythe around faster than believable, catching the ice-shard in mid flight and smacking it aside.

And with that same speed, the scythe came slicing down as it was all Alan to spin away from the slash. His cape was sliced off as he spun his body out of the way, the scythe severing through it. He took a few steps back, looking down under his arm at the remainder of his cape. It was sliced in a diagonal way due to his slash, the lowest point being only a few inches. That was how close he had come to being slashed apart.

"You are not using them together, Champion." The Sentinel said as Alan frowned, gritting his teeth in anger. "Ofcourse I am, I just did right then!"

"You used them together. But you didn't use them together. Iceborn blood flows through your veins, but you do not see the power in them." The Sentinel said as Alan's frown became more pronounced, trying to decipher what the man meant. Frig Ascutis pulsed in his hands as he looked down at it's dark ice blade….

Dark Ice Blade.

It was as if a whole new door had made it's presence known inside of Alan's mind. Suddenly, he visualized himself standing infront of a wall in his mind. Where there had been naught but white wall infront of him, now there was a door. He reached to it with his mind, reached out for it and opened it. It was scary… His foot was hesitating. He was hesitating. And then… He stepped through the door.

Alan almost staggered from the amount of power that invaded his body. It felt as though he were discovering his entire body anew for the first time. Iceborn blood. He could control ice. He Was Ice.

He felt the trickling warmth spreading through each and every vein in his body. Frig Ascutis was vibrating in his hands, as if it was doing it's utmost best in shaking itself off of him yet he knew it wouldn't fall from his grasp.

And then, the warmth in his veins turned into burning cold.

Never before had Alan felt such cold. Never before had he felt such pain. Alan screamed, his back arching as his face raised up to the heavens as he felt his body writhing in pain. He felt something happening, something out of his grasp. The power he had unleashed had spiralled out of control, exploding out of him in shockwaves that left crystals of dark ice exploding out of the ground. The Sentinel jumped back to avoid these icicles as the shockwaves emanated out of him after intervals of a few seconds, rapidly increasing in repetition in tune with his heartbeat.

Some how, the raging winds of the blizzard had found it's way into this protected zone, swirling around Alan as he screamed in pain again, feeling his entire world go white in agony. The Sentinel widened his eyes as Alan suddenly stopped screaming, the shockwaves of cold stopping as well. Alan lurched forward, standing in a very awkward way, his head hung as his arms hung limp infront of him, holding his blade barely with his fingertips.

And then, Alan slowly raised his face. His eyes glowed a vivid silver where they had once been icy blue, the whites of his eye now completely black, giving him a demonic appearance. His Blue markings had extended, rising up his neck and upto his face, two blue stripes jutting out from beneath his hair from the sides of his head onto his cheekbones, right under his eyes. His armor had changed, some parts of the armor covered with dark ice. Each finger of his hand was tipped with dark ice, changing them into talons. He had dark ice spikes jutting out of the back of his elbows. More ice jutted up the sides of his thighs.

And then, Alan moved.

It was nothing like his previous motion. He moved like he was the storm winds themselves, not even running forward as much as flying forward, the blizzard winds following his motion. The Sentinel had to throw aside all pretenses and move as fast as he could to catch Alan's next sword strike with his scythe. This brought Alan close to his face.

That is when he saw Alan's eyes turning purple.

And then the onslaught began. Slash after slash, Alan began to attack the Sentinel in frenzy, each strike faster than the last, all of it with an eerie lack of emotion on his face or sound from his mouth. He wasn't even breathing hard… It was like he wasn't breathing at all.

The Sentinel was being pressed back, and now it was all the Sentinel could do to make sure he was not completely sliced up into bloody ribbons. Alan was fighting like a demon possessed. He probably was a demon possessed. The power had been too much for him and he had succumbed to it.

…

Alan was screaming as he fell. He had no idea how he was falling or where, but it was in the middle of what seemed to be a hurricane of cold. The winds were buffeting him from all directions, pushing him and pulling him in different directions as he fell and screamed. The wind was overloading his senses as he fell this way and that, spinning and flipping around in the air, unable to tell up from down.

"Alan Frost."

The voice echoed in the storm yet Alan could not see anyone. He couldn't see anything, actually, as the storming whipping him around like a ragdoll prevented that.

"You need to focus, Alan. You need to take hold of your power."

Alan couldn't do that. This was… Too great. It was throwing him around like he was nothing but an ant. A piece of paper caught in the wind.

"Alan, quickly. You are falling too fast. You are falling to the void."

Kassadin's voice began fading as Alan kept falling, the storm slowly getting more intense as the air around him darkened. And then, he heard a voice that silenced his screams and froze him in his struggles.

"Alan… Frost…"

The voice was deep… Refined… And nothing from this world. And then, Alan was standing in the middle of the battlefield again. The sound of metal on metal clashed all around him as he stood in the center, frozen and unmoving.

"ALAN, WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" Someone screamed at him as they shook his arm. Alan turned around numbly to look at Ashe. Ashe seemed to be panicked from the battle around her, but that was nothing compared to the look she got when he had turned around to face her. The color drained from her face as fear invaded her eyes.

"No… Not you… Alan… Oh Avarosa n-Uck!" Ashe's voice was cut off as a hand grabbed her by the throat, clutching tightly and raising her off the ground.

His hand.

Alan didn't know what was happening. He couldn't control his body. He couldn't say anything. He only felt numb as he watched in horror as Ashe struggled in his hold, his hand slowly squeezing more and more as he choked the life from her while she struggled. Her hands tried to pry his fingers apart, yet his fingers were cold and dead, an iron grip. She tried to reach to his face to do some kind of damage to make him let go, yet her hands were too short. Her legs were kicking out under her at him, yet the armor on his body took her blows like it was nothing. And then, Alan stopped increasing the pressure on her throat.

For a second, relief flashed in Ashe's eyes as she felt the pressure on her throat slowly laxing, looking at Alan to see if he had become normal again.

He tightened his grip suddenly and only a whimper escaped Ashe as her throat was crushed, blood erupting out of her lips as her eyes went blank.

No… Ashe… Why...

Alan dropped Ashe to the ground, where she lay unmoving as he slowly turned around. He did not know when, but Frig Ascutis had appeared in his hand. The dark ice looked more black than dark blue.

He walked forward, slashing any soldier unlucky enough to come infront of him as he cut his way through, blood coating his once pristine white and blue Congelate armor.

He happened upon Sejuani on top of her great war boar as she swung her flail, knocking aside any soldier tainted by the Watcher than tried assaulting her. She saw him for a split second before her face turned into one of grim acceptance and she swung her flail at him with a loud cry.

Alan dashed forward, storm winds exploding around him as it filled the hall, taking him forward faster than Sejuani could do anything. His sword cut the boar's legs off without resistance and with a squeal of agony, the boar fell to his side, Sejuani falling as well, screaming.

"BRISTLE! NO!" She screamed, quickly standing back up as she looked at her dying mount in panic. Alan stood silently and still until she looked at him again. She had tears in her eyes for her fallen mount, yet they were replaced by an anger that flooded into her face.

"YOU WILL DIE FOR THAT ALAN- …. Frost?" Sejuani couldn't even comprehend what had happened until she looked down Frig Ascutis's dark ice blade embedded into her chest, coming out of her back.

Alan stood with his arm raised, Frig Ascutis in his hand minus it's dark ice blade, which had shot out like a bullet from a gun and struck Sejuani. Even now, a new dark ice blade was forming. Sejuani looked back up at Alan before she fell backwards into the crowd of watcher drones, who began killing her with their weapons even though she was assured to be dead.

Why… Why am I doing this… Why can't I….

Alan turned around, his eyes scanning the chaos until he spotted the two knights fighting side by side, refusing to give ground. Alan jumped, winds of ice and storm carrying him up like he had wings. And then he flew forward, crashing into their midst like an angel of death. He managed to see surprise register on both of their faces as he landed before he sliced upwards at Reinhart. Reinhart had not been expecting it, yet managed to stumble back, avoiding the worst of the slash. Yet, the sword parted his armor like it was wet slush, slicing a crimson line up his torso that sent him sprawling to the ground.

"REINHART!" Analia screamed, slashing at Alan with her Frig Dinte. Alan simply stood as the curved ice blade sliced through the air towards him. And then the blade stopped, an inch away from his neck. Analia looked shocked through her grief and fear over the incapacitated Reinhart.

"Alan… No… Don't…" Reinhart gasped from behind him, yet Alan stepped forward, turning Frig Ascutis around as a small blade of dark ice, akin to a dagger, formed. He held Analia in a half embrace with one hand as he sheathed the ice dagger into her stomach. Again and Again and again.

By the time he let go, Analia's entire stomach area was naught but red as she fell down to the ground, while he could hear Reinhart struggling to get upto his feet. Reinhart charged Alan with a cry of rage, but Alan simply stepped back towards Reinhart, Frig Ascutis already being held in his hands in a reverse grip, so all he had to do was jump backwards. Frig Ascutis went through Reinhart's chest as the knight uttered a sound of pain. Alan whipped around, Taking Reinhart along with his blade as he threw Reinhart to the ground next to Analia.

Reinhart… Analia… Why… No… I don't… Why am I doing this…?

And then, he spotted her. She stood at the forefront, standing up in defiance against whatever seemed to be rising from the grounds infront of her. Everything blurred into unimportance except for her. He walked and within a short time, he was walking upto her.

No…

Lissandra turned around, glancing at Alan for a second before turning around in surprise, taking a step back.

No…

"Alan!? What… Your eyes… Alan?" Lissandra said, horror evident in her voice as Alan continued walking towards her, red painting his entire armored for.

Not her…

"Alan, what are you doing. ALAN, STOP!" Lissandra screamed, raising a wall of ice infront of her to separate her from Alan. But Alan's power was much stronger and the wall simply disintegrated into snow flakes that blasted themselves at Lissandra, who raised an arm to shield herself.

"ALAN, STOP!" She screamed again as Alan lunged forward, slashing at her face.

NO NOT LISSANDRA!

Alan's slash was hesitant, as if he was holding back. It barely skimmed her face, cutting her mask in half as the helmet fell to the floor, revealing Lissandra's face. Alan looked up at her face, seeing the fear, seing himself reflected in her eyes, seeing the purple glow emanating from his eyes.

"Alan… Please… Don't lose yourself to it… You must fight it."

Alan straighted up, his hand falling slack as he dropped Frig Ascutis to the ground. Lissandra blinked at Alan, relief coming onto her face.

A purple flash of light that lit up the entire world.

Lissandra fell down, a large circular hole right through her chest, her blood splattering onto the floor as she fell. She fell ontop of Alan, given their proximity, as she clutched at his shoulders to keep herself up. She was crying, tears falling from her eyes as she looked up at Alan.

"Alan…" She whispered, her voice choked with sadness and pain as she leaned up and kissed him.

He didn't kiss her back.

The kiss ended at the same time Lissandra's strength did as she fell to the ground, while Alan turned around to face the immense shadow rising from the Void. And then, the a huge purple glow began radiating with power before there was a sound of electricity, everything turning into a bright purple effulgence.

…

Alan froze, stopping all movement as he looked down at the Sentinel in front of him. The Sentinel was on his knees in front of him, looking up at him through his helmet, Alan's Frig Ascutis an inch away from his neck. Alan was leaning over him, about to deliver the last blow. Alan blinked once before straightening up and stumbling back, exhaustion suddenly turning his body into lead as he lost the ability to stand, his wounds burning on his body. He fell back onto his back, his metal armor making a metallic sound as it collided with the marble floor as the Sentinel looked on in shock.

"Champion? Have you returned?" The Sentinel asked. Alan looked to his side, seeing the Sentinel slowly climb back on his feet, bleeding from numerous wounds which had cut through his armor. His scythe lay a few feet away.

"Returned…? I… What happened?" Alan asked, his head throbbing as flashes of images from his dream crossed his mind again, as well as a large, purple eye… He recalled the deep voice who had said his name, the very voice resonating with power. It made him shudder, although he was too weak to even do that as he lay on the ground.

"You unlocked your hidden potential… But it proved to be too much for you and you were overwhelmed by the watcher's taint." The Sentinel said as Alan's eyes widened slightly, staring up at the sky.

"I… Am I a watcher's drone now?" He asked weakly as the Sentinel shook his head, walking over to Alan, his Scythe in hand.

"You know the three weapons are fragments of the weapon the White Phantom used to defeat Vel'koz, correct?" The Sentinel asked as his scythe melted away into snowflakes that drifted off in the wind, leaving him holding a silver-white pole, which he stored over his shoulder onto his back. "Well… Vel'koz's power was also what shattered the weapon. It is because of him the taint exists. It will corrupt us until it completely takes over our mind. Vel'koz is not the one controlling you. Rather, it is your weapon itself. It is both your best friend and your worst enemy. And you had lost control of it." The Sentinel said, taking off his knight's helm as he unhooked it from his gorget and pulled it off.

Alan couldn't help but widen his eyes at the Sentinel's face. He was, in every way, beautiful. His hair was snow white and long, drifting off to one side in the wind as he stared down at Alan with eyes of gold that contrasted with his pale, marble-like skin. His face looked like it was chiselled by a master sculptor. He had a beautiful melancholy around him, and even Alan, who was another man, could not deny that this man was probably the most handsome man he had looked upon. He didn't even look human.

Yet, like the aura of melancholy he exuded, his face also had a sorrowful sort of beauty to it and he looked down at Alan with an unfathomable expression. "My name is Raziel. And you, Alan Frost, need a lot of help if you are to face the watchers."

Alan's vision was fading and blurring, although he did not know if it was due to blood loss or due to his exhaustion. As Raziel stood over him, Alan though he saw something white spreading out from behind Raziel, unfurling and then opening up like great wings… And that was the last thing he saw before everything faded to black.

Some of you might be all "Wingsu Senpai you should really separate reality from flashbacks by making the flashbacks italic or something"

Well, my dear readers, I like to keep them all similar because It connects You, The Readers,To the Characters. The Characters do not know if they're having a flash back or if it's reality. That's whats so confusing about Flashbacks and visions and dreams. And when I'm writing normally just like any other segment of the story, while also bringing it out of the blue, the reader won't know either. They'll be put in the same shoe of confusion as the character and as it's revealed later to the character, it is also revealed to the readers and they all go "Ohhh so it WAS a flash back!" . This is a subtle, simple yet effective trick I like to use as it unconsciously relates the readers to the characters and gives a sense of connection.

I only write some parts in italics when I emphasize them OR when the character is consciously recalling something from their past or when they reminiscence.

That's all folks. Stay awesome.

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... What? Expecting an Ice joke? Pfft, you won't find any here today, guis, so tough luck. I ran out of them loooong back and so I gave up and just... If I make too many ice jokes, this story's gonna become nothing but a FROZEN PUNDRA.

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAH.

~ Wings