Plank's execution took place as scheduled, without the twists and turns of the original timeline.
Driven by the hatred of her parents' murder, Sarah personally pulled the trigger. She used the pistol that her parents had crafted for Plank—a weapon he had tried to steal and, in frustration, shattered when he failed. With it, she ended the life of her enemy.
After ten long years, her vengeance was complete, but all Sarah felt was an overwhelming emptiness. Restless and discontent, she couldn't even bring herself to enjoy the joy of hosting a celebratory feast.
That entire night, she sat by the windowsill in her room, a glass of wine cradled in her hand, staring absentmindedly at the crescent moon in the sky, her thoughts a mystery even to herself.
Li Lin, who declined Sarah's invitation to the feast, had already returned to Piltover.
The next day, without pause, he set out for the Freljord—his final destination on this journey.
With only a week remaining before the League's conference at the Institute of War, he couldn't afford any delays. Were it not for the need to consider the limitations of ordinary humans, he would have traveled through the northern wilderness overnight.
Li Lin's teleportation brought him to the central region of the Freljord, near the icy lake of Rakelstake. This area, home to the Avarosan Tribe, was now their new capital—a place where the brutal cold was more tolerable compared to Ornnkaal Rock, their previous northern stronghold.
Rakelstake is centered around the largest freshwater glacial lake in the Freljord. Though the climate in this northern heartland remains harsh, the Avarosan people have adapted. Many have abandoned raiding and embraced agriculture, cultivating crops hardy enough to survive the frigid conditions.
Under the leadership of War Mother Ashe, the Avarosan Tribe united with several southern valley tribes, advocating for peace. However, this ideology directly conflicted with that of the Winter's Claw, led by War Mother Sejuani.
Though Ashe and Sejuani were once inseparable childhood friends, they now stand as sworn enemies locked in a struggle for survival—at least from Sejuani's perspective.
By November, the Freljord's climate had grown severe. The harvest season had passed, and snow blanketed the fields. Herds of docile enuk oxen and curly-horned mountain goats—the favorites of the Freljord's people—had already been moved back to their enclosures, sheltered from the unforgiving cold.
As long as they weren't attacked by the Winter's Claw or other marauding tribes, the Avarosan people and those under their protection could endure the winter with relative ease.
From the western hill, Li Lin gazed down upon the distant towns and settlements, their tiny forms resembling black dots on the icy plains. Dominating the view was a massive statue of Avarosa herself, carved from ice and stone, standing tall with her radiant True Ice weapon raised against the backdrop of a glacial mountain.
The Avarosan had constructed several-meter-high walls around Rakelstake using ice and stone, higher than those of any other tribe, primarily to guard against potential attacks from the Winter's Claw.
Activating his anti-gravity device, Li Lin hovered into the air, his battlesuit's pulse thrusters igniting in fiery bursts that carried him swiftly to the gates of Rakelstake.
"Stop right there!"
A warrior atop the walls immediately drew his bow taut at the sight of the sudden arrival below.
Before Li Lin could introduce himself, however, an older and more seasoned man beside the warrior quickly intervened.
"Hold your fire. He's not an enemy," the man said before turning his attention to Li Lin. "You must be the guest the War Mother mentioned—Li Lin?"
"Indeed," Li Lin responded in the Freljordian tongue.
In this wild and unforgiving land, strength was paramount. To avoid unnecessary hostility, Li Lin had deliberately changed into clothing styled from animal pelts, revealing his muscular arms and chest.
The two men on the wall were dumbfounded, entirely unprepared for what they saw.
"You… You don't feel the cold? Are you a shaman? Or Iceborn?" the younger warrior stammered in disbelief.
"He's from Piltover!" the older man replied, clearly more knowledgeable and familiar with the name.
"Hurry and inform the War Mother that Li Lin has arrived!"
After sending the younger warrior off, the older man turned back to Li Lin with an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, but I don't have the authority to open the gates for you."
Li Lin offered him a kind smile. "You're just doing your duty to protect your tribe. I understand."
The older man visibly relaxed, and the two began chatting casually. Most of the questions revolved around the world beyond the icy plains, and Li Lin could sense the man's longing for life outside the Freljord.
Roughly ten minutes later, the sound of a deep horn resonated from within the walls, signaling the opening of the massive gates.
A crowd of Avarosan stepped out, their attire varied but dominated by heavy fur armor that wrapped them tightly against the cold. A few men and women stood out, however, their scant clothing leaving much of their skin exposed to the elements.
These were the Iceborn—individuals bearing the ancient magical bloodline that connected them to the Freljord's wild magic. Some among them possessed exceptional talents, able to wield True Ice, a magical substance created by the demi-god Anivia, which was lethal to ordinary people.
However, Li Lin knew the truth: the Iceborn were all a result of Void interference in this world.
At the forefront of the group stood a man and a woman.
The woman, with her flowing white hair, wore a deep blue hooded gown embroidered with golden patterns and secured at the waist with a white cloth sash. Most strikingly, she carried a luminous True Ice bow slung over her back, its radiant blue glow impossible to ignore.
This was Ashe, the War Mother of the Avarosan Tribe.
Beside her stood a man with ash-gray hair, wearing a spiked helmet. His upper body was bare, save for a single shoulder guard on his left arm and a matching bracer on his forearm. He was Tryndamere, Ashe's only bloodbound ally from the Highland Clan.
"Welcome, Li Lin of Piltover!" Ashe greeted warmly, her smile radiant.
To a foreigner offering vital supplies and cold-resistant crops without asking for anything in return—save for participation in his so-called "League of Legends"—Ashe was more than willing to extend her hospitality.
Tryndamere remained silent. Though he held authority over the tribe as Ashe's bloodbound partner, the Freljord's matriarchal society left all significant decisions in her hands while she was present.
"May the Three Sisters of Frost protect you, War Mother Ashe," Li Lin responded without bowing. The Freljord knew no such gesture, and attempting it would only make the interaction awkward.
"And may they protect you as well."
At Ashe's signal, the tribespeople behind her parted in unison, creating a path.
Years of following Ashe to the southern valleys had proven fruitful; most people now survived the harsh winters without hunger. Their trust in her leadership was absolute, and many destitute tribes had chosen to join her.
"Please, come in. Let's discuss everything further in the hall," Ashe said, her voice brimming with warmth.
(End of Chapter)