Of Silence and Scars, Chapter 27

A short set up chapter. Thanks for anyone who is reading :)

XXVII Deep in the icy chill of the Frostguard’s fortress, a meeting occurred. Malzahar and Lissandra leaned over a crystal ball, swirling fog within. Malzahar looked up from it at the Ice Witch. “How much longer will this take? Our time grows short.” “Lissandra waved a hand dismissingly at him, “It will take maybe another day at most. These things take time, it took me nearly a month to open the Watcher’s seal last time and I was only about 70% done when the other tribes unified and stopped me.” “But that was using the frail old men of the Frostguard. These are League champions! The most powerful mages you could muster! What is taking so long? We have been gathering them for weeks now.” “I can only siphon their power so fast. They might be vastly more potent than my own mages, but mine obeyed without question and gave their power willingly. These ones fight it, fight my every incursion into their power wells. I can take their power still, but it is at a reduced rate as I fight their defenses. The portal is mostly open already, just needs a final push. Unfortunately Kog’maw failed, and the Noxians are still on their way here.’ “Not to mention Demacia has seemingly mobilized as well. Turning them against Noxus was working for a while, but I think they found out their team is here.” Malzahar mused. “Indeed” the Ice Witch responded bitterly. “It will all be for naught when the Watchers return however. Prepare any of your voidlings to defend the fortress. We need to buy time. This isn’t a battle we can win.” “And when your Watchers show up, our deal will be honored.” Lissandra sighed, “You are a broken record! Yes! I will plea to the Watchers to use their mighty power to rip a permanent rift to the void and you all can devour what you please. I am sure the Watchers won’t mind you doing some of their work for them.” “Good” Malzahar nodded and departed to make preparations. Lissandra watched him go, concern hidden away. She could not hope to control the Watchers and doubted they would actually honor her deal with the Void. All things in their time she supposed. She turned back to the crystal ball and assessed the approaching forces, eyes falling to the Winter’s Claw camp…

Draven stood on the other side of a low burning fire from the leader of the Winter’s Claw. Sejuani sat on a log, leaning forward while picking slowly away at some bread. She tore a large chunk from the loaf and leaned back, feeding it to the massive boar behind her. Bristle munched happily on it. Darius strode over and began to pat the boar’s head. 
Sejuani looked to the Noxian across the fire, “What brings you to my camp? Surely you are not dropping in for a visit.”
Draven shook his head, “We are here to stop Lissandra. What have you seen?”
“Recently? Nothing. Not a soul roams the wastes. Up until a few days ago we were attacked daily by creatures of all shapes. They have turned their attentions to the Avarosan city. I care not. Those fools deserve it, they are soft. Let the vermin fight each other!”
“Do you know what Lissandra intends to do? Why she took those teams?”
Sejuani froze, an icy gaze locking Draven’s eyes, “You mentioned her before. No one has heard from her since the incident so long ago. We defeated her, stopped the Watcher’s return and she slunk back into whatever hole she crawled out of. We have not seen her, how do you know she did this? Why must I care?”
“She showed herself to the institute, and we have an eye witness. It is her Sejuani. The time for talk is ending, and all for the better in my opinion. You and I are the same on that note. People of action, fighting rings true am I right? A Noxian army approaches, and we need to break the siege on Avarosa first, rally any troops we can. The force we face is greater than before. This isn’t some pack of worthless trolls. These are voidlings. Great in number and crazed beyond any reason.”
Sejuani stood and paced while weighing her options. Darius snuggled Bristle, rubbing foreheads together while scratching behind the war pig’s ears. The beast made a happy snorting and kicked one stout hind leg in the air. Draven gestured for him to stop it. Darius halted briefly and shrugged back. Sejuani turned to Draven as Darius resumed, speaking softly into Bristles ear. The leader of the Winter’s Claw declared, “We shall show the Avarosans what true strength looks like then! They are too weak to fend for themselves as always. We will march on the city now, Bristle!” The great, muscled form of the boar leapt to its master’s call, immediately by her side as she mounted effortlessly into the saddle. “We leave tonight.” She strode out into the darkness, turning to her guards, “Call all to prepare for a march. We leave in an hour, any not ready will be punished.” 
The guards dispersed with their messages while Draven approached her, “Tonight? But we will die out there? Surely we need what little the sun can give for heat! Are you insane?”
She merely laughed and looked down at the two brothers, “What is the matter Master Draven? Afraid of the cold’s bite? You need to learn to bite back prince of a faraway land. A little frost will do you good. We do not wait in the Freljord, where men are made, not born.” She rode into the night, army amassing around her. 
Draven shook his head, “That worked a little too well. Now I get to die frozen in the middle of nowhere. Yay” he twirled a sarcastic finger in the air.