Frost Ritual

"Whom have you brought to my tribe?"

As soon as the ship docked, the tall woman wearing a horned helmet spoke coldly, her voice booming and carrying an oppressive aura.

Sejuani had already explained on the ship that this was the "bitch" she was talking about, her biological mother, the Warmother of the Winter's Claw, Gorgia.

Her tone was cold and distant, as if she were facing not her own daughter, but an enemy.

"They helped me hunt down a griffin and brought back fish and seals."

Sejuani was the first to come ashore to confront them, pointing to Heron on the ship.

"His name is Herren, and he claims to be from the village of furnaces, a furnace worker."

Sejuani cleverly steered the conversation toward Harren and emphasized his identity as a Hearthstone Builder, thus providing cover for Ashe.

Unfortunately, Ashe's long, snow-white hair couldn't be hidden no matter what she did—it was a characteristic of someone with a fully awakened Frostblood lineage.

Even Kojiya immediately recalled some unpleasant memories...

More than a decade ago, a robust woman with the same head of white hair easily defeated her in public...

Sejuani's little thoughts naturally did not escape the notice of the mature Qogia, but she only glanced at Ashe indifferently and followed Sejuani's lead, talking about Harren.

"A hearthman? Our tribe doesn't need people who freeload."

"But he was very strong, and he did a great job hunting down Grufin."

Upon hearing Sejuani's words, the people following behind Gorgia couldn't help but whisper among themselves.

"Is there food?"

"A furnace dweller? They can even hunt Grubin?"

This time, Kuojiya glanced at Helen more than usual, somewhat unexpectedly.

Ordinary fire-breastmen whom Kuojiya usually saw would shrink back and avoid her gaze under her watchful eye.

But Herren was different. Not only did he stand up straight, but he also looked at Kojiya from the opposite direction with great interest.

In particular, more attention was drawn to the horned helmet on her head.

In this freezing weather, he's shirtless... he's definitely a strong man.

Unfortunately, as Sejuani said, Winter's Claw lacks everything except men, and strong men at that.

With that in mind, Kujiya stopped paying too much attention to Heron and instead pointed her longsword at the somewhat bewildered Aisha.

"I only offer shelter to honest people. Tell me, who are you?"

"I……"

The incident happened suddenly, and the somewhat naive Ash wasn't prepared to lie, so she stammered a bit.

"My name is Herren, and I'm from Luxiang."

At this moment, Herren stepped forward and said with a smile.

Kujiya frowned immediately and glared fiercely at Helen.

"I didn't ask you, stranger!"

However, Herren was not intimidated.

"Please, don't discriminate. You can't just ask her and not me, can you?"

Just then, a hoarse shout came from behind Kojiya.

"Kogiya, I think we shouldn't trust... outsiders."

The person who spoke seemed to be of high status. As soon as he spoke, everyone made way for him, and several people who looked like priests slowly walked over.

They wore peculiar headdresses, some carved from a single piece of bull horn, others simply with an asymmetrical mammoth tusk placed horizontally on their heads.

The more Herren looked at it, the more familiar it seemed, and it took him a few more glances to realize what it was.

This is probably a copy of Lissandra's headdress... So, this is what is known as the Frost Priestess?

"Answer me, girl, where did you get this prey from?"

The leading frost priestess had already approached Ashe, her tone polite but carrying an unquestionable tone.

"..."

Ashe glanced at Sejuani with a confused look, and Sejuani responded with an encouraging look. Ashe immediately calmed down and, unusually, told a lie with a straight face.

"We met Gruffin at sea, and Sejuani saved my life."

"That's right! That Gruffin almost capsized my boat!"

Ashe is clearly uncomfortable lying, but Sejuani is very good at using her loud voice to cover up her guilty conscience.

Of course, this is actually of no use.

The Frost Priest immediately spoke coldly.

She's lying.

"Dracón! You!"

Sejuani gritted her teeth, but the Frost Priestess known as Draklon remained unmoved.

Seeing that things were not going well, Herren once again jumped out to stir things up.

"I mean, can you please pay a little attention to me? Can you at least treat me like a human being?"

"Shut up, outsider."

Delacron gave Herren a cold glance, but in that one glance, his attention was indeed drawn to Herren.

What is this... strange aura?

"Who are you?"

"Helen, a native of Furnace Village, came from Furnace Village."

"A person from Luxiang?"

As a Frost Priest, Draklon was clearly much more knowledgeable, knowing about the Hearthlanders, a group that had long since become a historical term.

but……

"truth……"

Delacron was somewhat puzzled; was what Herren was saying actually true?

How many years have the people of Luxiang disappeared, yet their bloodline still exists?

"So... you believe in the Spirit of the Ram?"

"Yeah, pretty much. I'm quite familiar with old Orn."

Herren said casually, but Delacron was somewhat bewildered.

"That's the truth..."

Being very familiar with God? Is that something a human could say?

For a moment, Draklon doubted whether his senses were malfunctioning...

But at this moment, he dared not take this furnace maker lightly.

As a high priest among the Frost Guardians, he knew far more than the average person.

He knew that the Bearmen were expanding rapidly, and the Bear Spirit Volibear was gradually recovering his strength, which posed a great threat to the Frost Guardians.

That's at least a demigod.

Fortunately, Volibear is not the only demigod in Freljord... If possible, the Frostguard needs a new ally.

Meanwhile, Sejuani was still arguing with Gorgia.

"She's brave; she deserves half of this food!"

"I am the war mother, and you have no right to interfere with food distribution, daughter!"

Gorgia glanced at the crowd and the Frost Priests around her, then whispered to Sejuani.

"Come on, let's talk in the main hall... and you too, you furnace maker."

"I?"

Herren was a little surprised. Why did you specifically call me along?

He gave instructions to Ash beside him.

"Alright, you're in the way, go. Now hurry up and divide the food on the ship, just like Sejuani said..."

He patted Ashe on the shoulder to reassure her, then, carrying his pack and with the Bloodthirst sword hanging from his waist, Heron followed the mother and daughter.

Ashe was stunned for a moment, then noticed the crowd that had gathered around her.

They looked at the meat on the truck with longing in their eyes.

"I think... we should unload these foods?"

Aisha said with a smile.

"Consider it my contribution as a new member."

Her words immediately livened up the atmosphere.

Although everyone had been eyeing the food for a long time, Ashe had the white hair that was a hallmark of her Iceblood lineage, so no one dared to take it without permission. Once they received approval, they naturally became excited.

Many of the older people even remembered what Aisha looked like and chatted with her.

"You're from Avarossa, aren't you? I remember Avarossa's War Mother also had white hair."

"We shouldn't reject her... The two tribes have been long-time allies, and she even brought food..."

Watching all this, the Frost Priestess Draklon remained silent, only giving instructions to the people behind him.

"We need to report the matter of the people from Luxiang to Frostguard Fortress."