"Sejuani!"
Ashe called out, a trace of confusion in her eyes as she looked at Sejuani.
What was going on?
Sejuani was actually throwing out threats for the sake of an outsider?
Even though the Winter's Claw and the Avarosans had always been hostile toward each other, the truth was that the Winter's Claw had never launched a true large-scale invasion of Avarosan lands. Most of the time, they only came south to scrape together supplies.
Before winter arrived, they would raid the allies of the Avarosans for resources within Avarosan territory, but the two sides had never once fought a full war against each other. In a way, that had always been an unspoken understanding between Ashe and Sejuani.
The Winter's Claw stretched across the northern reaches of the Freljord, acting as a barrier that kept the Frostguard from pushing south. Put another way, Ashe's actions could almost be seen as paying tribute to the Winter's Claw.
The Winter's Claw blocked the Frostguard for the Avarosans, and in return, the Avarosans offered up a portion of their food every winter.
But how had things between her and Sejuani developed into what they were now?
Ashe no longer remembered, because in truth, it wasn't important.
What she did firmly believe was this: just as Sejuani would always have a place in her heart, she believed that she still had a place in Sejuani's heart too. Sejuani just refused to admit it.
Things between them had turned out like this not because of any personal hatred. More likely, it was because of their conflicting ideals. Sejuani believed sacrifice was a necessary part of survival, that only force could separate the truly weak from the strong, and that compromise would only weaken the Freljord's ability to endure.
As for Ashe, she had inherited Avarosa's legacy of peace. She believed the tribes should unite in alliance, that diplomacy and shared resources were what would truly make the Freljord strong, and that unity held more power than division.
Because of that, Sejuani had mocked Ashe, saying her ideas were naive, and that using legend—claiming herself to be Avarosa reborn—to gather power was not the right path.
But this was all ideological conflict, a collision between idealistic unity and realistic conquest. It was not a personal grudge between Ashe and Sejuani.
There was one thing Ashe remembered clearly. Perfectly clearly.
She had once drifted upon the icy sea for years, and when she finally returned to Ornnkaal Mountain, she saw Sejuani again.
By then, Ashe had become Iceborn. Her golden hair had turned white. And after five years apart, she had failed to recognize Sejuani at first.
But Sejuani had recognized her immediately.
Recognized her, even with her white hair.
Sejuani had embraced her and said with worry, "For five summers, what I feared most was never seeing you again."
Because of that, even though the Winter's Claw and the Avarosans stood on opposite sides, Ashe had never truly seen Sejuani as an enemy.
She had always been her sister.
And what had just happened proved that belief, didn't it?
Sejuani still cared about her. She had just backed down, hadn't she?
But now… Sejuani's attitude had suddenly changed again, and Ashe couldn't make sense of it.
Shaking off Ashe's hand from her arm, Sejuani lowered her own hand and stared at the Avarosan man whose face had gone pale. In a cold voice, she said, "This isn't Avarosan land. Remember where you are at all times. Understand?"
"Don't make me say it again. I doubt your skull is harder than my flail. Or do you want to test that?" Sejuani said without even looking at Ashe.
"You—" Snapped at like that, the short, muscular woman flared up in anger and raised a hand to point at Sejuani, but before she could get past that single word, a voice cut her off harshly.
"That's enough!" Ashe growled.
Then she looked up at Sejuani and asked seriously, "Who is he?"
Logan had originally planned to stand up for himself.
Come on now… he did like playing the good guy, but that didn't mean he had no temper.
He was not the kind of person who let others push him around just because he seemed nice.
The Avarosans were indeed an important part of his plans. If he could perfectly unite the Freljord and then bring it into the Twin Cities Federation, that would naturally be the best outcome.
But if the Avarosans refused to join, then at worst, Logan could simply back Sejuani instead and help her swallow up the Avarosans.
After all, Lissandra was already faintly leaning in Logan's direction. She had handed the matter of dealing with the Watchers over to him, which meant she had expectations for him. When it came to major matters, someone like Lissandra would never care about whether her "sisters" lived or died.
She was just that selfish and cold.
But… Sejuani had stepped in to help him save face.
"Didn't I just tell you? He's my guest. An ally of the Winter's Claw." Sejuani turned around and looked down at Ashe, who was slightly shorter than her.
Her expression became calm, but a trace of something complicated flashed through her eyes. After taking a deep breath, she said, "And you—what exactly did you come here for?"
"If you came to talk about feelings, then you can leave right now, Ashe. There's nothing between us worth talking about."
Ashe froze for a moment after hearing that.
Then she stopped hesitating. Her expression shifted, and the bearing of a leader settled over her. Looking at Sejuani with quiet authority, Ashe said, "Put aside your hatred. Let the Avarosans and the Winter's Claw unite. We have to face the dark god in the north together."
"The dark god in the north? Unite? You and me?" Sejuani let out a mocking laugh. She glanced at Tryndamere standing behind Ashe, then said with amusement, "You mean the dark god he keeps talking about?"
"I'm not joking with you," Ashe said. Then she continued, "Tryndamere's tribe used to be very strong. They were poor and backward, but every man and woman in that tribe was a powerful warrior. They were called the Mountain Clan. You know that name."
Sejuani's brow twitched in surprise when she heard it.
Just as Ashe had said, the Mountain Clan's reputation was well known. Their tribe had never been large, and they were poor and primitive, but their fighting strength was nothing to scoff at. Tough, warlike, and stubborn, they were famous in the north for being hard to break.
And yet not long ago, that tribe had vanished overnight.
And now, Ashe was saying that this filthy-looking man was a survivor of the Mountain Clan…
"So what does that have to do with me?"
"I've gathered information. Not long ago, two more tribes were destroyed near here. That demon is moving south." Ashe took a deep breath. Sejuani's stubborn indifference was beginning to irritate her, but she still kept her patience and explained, "That dark god is unbelievably powerful. It isn't human at all. The Winter's Claw alone can't fight it. Neither can the Avarosans."
"I've already told my allies to make preparations and search for its trail. We have to kill it before the winter rites."
"To hell with 'can't fight it,'" Sejuani said, lifting her chin proudly. "The Winter's Claw fears no challenge. Ashe, you can take your people and get the hell out—"
"Um, can I say something?"
Just as Sejuani was laying down her threat, an out-of-place voice suddenly interrupted.
It was a pleasant male voice.
Ashe frowned, unsure what this southerner was trying to do.
More importantly… a man was actually daring to cut Sejuani off while she was speaking?
Was he suicidal?
But what happened next left Ashe utterly stunned.
Sejuani rolled her eyes and looked toward the outsider.
"What do you want to say?"
"I think you should hear her out. And Sejuani, did you forget what you agreed to with me?" Logan said, looking at her.
The alliance agreement between the Twin Cities and the Winter's Claw included one specific condition: Sejuani would act as the bridge between Logan and Ashe.
And now Ashe had come in person, yet Sejuani kept trying to drive her away.
"Tch." Sejuani clicked her tongue and looked away.
That simple action made Ashe blink.
Sejuani… had actually backed down again?!
And this time, to a man from the south!
Good lord!
Ashe stared with her mouth slightly open, unable to believe what she was seeing.
But if Sejuani knew what Ashe was thinking right now, she would probably say this—
If the Avarosans could also bring the Winter's Claw tens of thousands of pounds of food, then maybe the Winter's Claw could get along with them too.
After all… after being beaten down by winter after winter, Sejuani had changed a little.
Food mattered more than anything.
Sejuani turned and sat down.
And at last, Ashe's gaze shifted away from Sejuani and settled on Logan. She looked him over, and after a moment, a thought surfaced in her mind.
This guy… was really handsome.
He had the same impression most southern men gave—thin, not especially sturdy—but he was still very easy on the eyes.
Could it be… Sejuani had fallen for him because of his face?
No way, right?!
"Let me introduce myself, Ashe. My name is Logan. I'm from Zaun, and right now I'm Sejuani's ally. Tell me more about this dark god you mentioned," Logan said with a smile.
Ashe paused.
Seeing that, Logan added, "Rather than telling Sejuani, you should tell me. She'll listen to me."
"…"
Ashe secretly turned her head to glance at Sejuani, only to see Sejuani's shoulders twitch at those words, though she said nothing.
That made Ashe draw in a sharp breath.
No way… was this real?
Sejuani had actually gone down the same road as Kalkia!
Aunt Kalkia had once fallen in love with a man. After giving birth to Sejuani, she—despite being a Warmother—had abandoned her tribe and gone off to find the man who had stolen her heart.
And now… Sejuani was doing the same thing!
Was it really true that mother and daughter were exactly alike?
"Ashe?"
"Oh—right!"
Ashe snapped back to herself, looked at Logan, and said apologetically, "Sorry. I was thinking about something."
"First, according to my information, that ev—"
"Call him Aatrox," Logan suddenly said.
Tryndamere instantly lifted his head. His crimson eyes locked onto Logan as he stepped forward and said, "You know him?"
"I wouldn't say I know him, but I do know of him," Logan answered.
Tryndamere immediately reached out for Logan.
Ashe inwardly cursed and hurried forward to stop him.
Tryndamere was a powerful warrior. He might look like a drifter now, but among the Avarosans, his strength was easily top three. A thin southerner like Logan would be no harder for him to grab than a chicken.
But Ashe slowly lowered her outstretched hand, staring in shock at Logan and Tryndamere.
"A handshake?" Logan clasped Tryndamere's hand and exerted a little force.
In an instant, Tryndamere's face turned red, his expression twisting in pain.
"Let… go!" he roared. His filthy, tangled hair flared upward as dark red energy erupted around his body.
"Calm down, Tryndamere." Logan tightened his grip again. When it came to brute strength, Logan had never lost before. Smiling, he clamped down on Tryndamere's hand.
As the two of them tested each other, the wool rugs on the floor ripped apart, and cracks spread across the boards beneath them.
"If you're going to fight, do it outside," Sejuani said irritably.
Logan gave an awkward little laugh and let go.
Tryndamere stumbled back several steps. When he looked up at Logan again, there was battle intent in his eyes.
Logan flexed his fingers lightly and said to him, "I really do know what the dark god you're talking about is. But don't be so hostile toward me, Tryndamere. I'm not with him."
Then Logan added, "If nothing unexpected happened, the dark god you're talking about is a darkin. His name is Aatrox. The Avarosans and the Winter's Claw together still wouldn't be—"
As he spoke, Logan suddenly turned to look at Udyr.
Udyr was already watching him. When Logan's gaze met his, Udyr calmly gave a slight nod.
"In any case, Sejuani, I support an alliance between the Winter's Claw and the Avarosans."
Hearing that, Ashe brightened immediately and said, "That would be best. If possible, after we defeat that da—Aatrox, I hope the Winter's Claw and the Avarosans can remain allies for a while longer."
"For a while? No, Ashe. I want the Avarosans and the Winter's Claw to remain allies," Logan said, shaking his head.
Those words made Ashe shudder.
"The Freljord is too small. You've been trapped in it for so long that you have no idea what the outside world has become. You think each other are enemies, but in truth, whether it's you, or me, none of us are each other's real enemy."
"Our real enemies… lie in the future."
"So the Winter's Claw and the Avarosans will remain allies, and the Freljord will enter an age of unification," Logan said seriously.
"Impossible."
That voice didn't belong to Sejuani.
It was Hildhur.
The warrior stepped out from behind Ashe and looked at Logan with a grave expression. "If the Winter's Claw and the Avarosans form an alliance, then yes—the second-largest tribe and the largest tribe joining hands would bring unity to the Freljord. But complete unification?"
Hildhur took a deep breath.
"The Frostguard would never agree to it. Every few centuries, their icebound guardians appear and slaughter all followers of Avarosa and Serylda. No one knows how strong they truly are."
"Ah, that's fine." Logan smiled slightly.
"I forgot to mention—this won't just be the Avarosans and the Winter's Claw. The Frostguard will join the Twin Cities Federation too."
"What?"
"You're serious?"
The first voice was Sejuani's.
The second was Ashe's.
The two Warmothers stared at Logan, each with their own thoughts, and Logan simply nodded with a smile.
"You probably haven't met her yet, right? I'll introduce her to you."
"So, if nobody has any objections…"
"Let's party up and go raid the boss together."
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