Chapter (10):the stormraptor
In a certain place in Freljord, in a certain forest...
Ashe was leading her people through the forest... but she wasn't alone. Dago and Ugar were near Ashe, accompanied by four warriors moving forward.
They walked with confidence because the War Mother herself was with them. Yet the atmosphere around them was as silent as ghosts in the forest. There was no sound of birds, no flowing water - as if the land itself was cursed.
As they moved forward, Ashe sensed the awkward and silent air surrounding them. She felt they were still weighed down by the pain of loss. Even though they had won, they had lived in fear and dread for a long time. Had Ashe not come with the nomads, they may not have survived at all.
Ashe: "So, Dago? Can you tell me what your lives were like before the Ursine came to you?"
Dago: "Well, our lives weren't anything special, War Mother. We just hunted, tended livestock, ate, and then slept and start my day again."
Ashe: "Didn't you have any stories?"
Dago: "I feel a bit embarrassed, but I don't have any stories to tell you. Nothing ever happened worth mentioning."
Ugar: "Oh wait, Dago! What about that time we saw the beast?"
Dago: "Ah, you mean the big poro?"
Ashe: the big poro?"
Dago: "Just something strange, not worth mentioning."
Ashe:Actually, I'd love to hear that story."
Ugar:Come on, tell her, Dago. No need to be shy."
Dago: "Since you're insisting, I'll tell you, Avarosan."
Dago:I remember we were out hunting, looking for deer, and we stumbled upon a raging yeti."
Ashe:A yeti? My mother told me about them. Are they real?"
Ugar:Yes, they're real, Avarosa. More real than you think."
Dago:It looked like a mix between trolls and poros."
Ugar:He means the yeti was like the Ursine we fought, but with a primitive troll face."
Ashe:Do you mean they're with Volibear?"
Ugar:No, Avarosan. The yetis are extremely aggressive creatures. They attack anyone they see. I doubt they'd worship their god - they'd probably attack Volibear on sight."
Dago: "But don't forget, when they're young, they're cuter than poros."
Dago: "Haha, true! Don't forget how we saw that yeti hugging a poro the first time. I was hoping to get one as a pet."
Ugar: "Sigh My friend, one day you're going to get in real trouble."
Dago: "That's right! Let that yeti come - my axe is ready for it! Hahaha!"
Ugar: "As you wish, you dwarf."
Dago: "You scoundrel! I'm not a dwarf! I'll show you who's a dwarf!"
Ugar: "Hahaha, you're still short enough to grab my hair."
Others: "Pfft! Hahaha!"
When everyone saw Dago jumping at Ugar in a funny way, they all laughed and smirked.
Ashe watched them laugh and smiled along with them, feeling like she had returned to the happy days of home.
Ashe: "And what happened when you met it?"
Dago: "Well, while it was raging and attacking wildly, it seemed to be chased by the Frostguard. They chained it up and captured it."
Ashe: "Why did they capture it?"
Dago: "I don't know... Maybe to make it a war mount? I heard they've been doing that for a few years."
Ashe: "That... is a bit strange."
Ugar: "Well, there was something else strange. When the shamans (the former Ursine) came across them, they were discussing something."
Ashe: "What were they discussing?"
Ugar: "I have no idea. But the weird thing is, this happened just a month before the Ursine siege. It started..."
Dago: "Very suspicious."
Ugar: "Yeah, you're right. It was really suspicious."
Ashe: "Are you saying the Ursine and Frostguard are allies?"
Ugar: "Not at all - quite the opposite."
Ashe: "Huh? Aren't they all mages?"
Dago: "Yes, but not all mages worship the same deities. Each has their own tendencies and different goals."
Dago: "While the Ursine worship Volibear, the Frostguard worship the Three Sisters. These are opposing yet intertwined forces."
Ashe: "How so?"
Ugar: "Volibear represents war and conquest, while the Three Sisters - Lissandra, Serylda, and Avarosa - embody conflict, but in different ways."
Ugar: "Serylda and Volibear are very similar; both symbolize war and power. They're closer to each other."
Ashe: "Then what's the difference?"
Dago: "It's a difference of origin."
Ashe: "Origin?"
Dago: "Volibear is a spiritual deity that existed since Freljord's beginning with his siblings, while the Three Sisters were humans whose achievements made them seem godlike - almost impossible in people's eyes."
Ashe: "Wait, siblings? Volibear has siblings?"
Dago: "Yes, according to the Notai tribe, he has a brother and a sister: Ornn and Anivia."
Ashe: "Really? That's surprising - I didn't expect Volibear to have siblings."
Dago: "Neither did I."
Ugar: "Yeah, those Notai were really something else."
Ashe: "You mean the nomads?"
Dago: "You know them, Avarosan?"
Ashe: "Just a little. They came when I was nine years old. They stayed in our tribe but not for long before they left."
Ashe: "But they talked about Volibear and Rhond. What were they like when you met them?"
Ugar: "That was three years ago when we were hunting and they came to us. They were a nomadic tribe moving from one village to another."
Ugar: "They had many songs and stories about other deities - ones I didn't even know existed."
Ashe:Like what?"
Dago:Let me think... They had a song about Ornn, one about Anivia, and also a story about Janna and some watcher-like beings... and what else..."
Ugar:They mentioned stories of many gods. We don't know if any of them were real or not."
Ashe:That's really amazing."
Dago:Yes, it truly is."
Ugar:Oh, looks like we've arrived."
When they arrived, Ashe saw the strange fruit trees they had mentioned.
They looked like dragon fruit but were blue. There were many such trees, and the farther you looked, the more of them you could see. When Ashe saw them, she recognized them instantly.
Ashe:This... it's... dragononge."
Dago:Dragononge? Do you know what this fruit is?"
Ashe:Yes, my family and I used to trade it in the past. It grows quickly in winter and in the harshest places, but it's incredibly hard to cultivate because it needs just the right soil and climate."
Ashe:But once it sprouts, the seed turns into a tree in just a few months."
Ugar:Is it edible?"
Ashe:Yes, it's edible and can be used in recipes."
Ashe:Seeing this many, it looks like there's enough to feed the village."
Ashe: But this is strange. If there are trees like this here, why didn't you harvest them before?"
Ugar: "Ah, that's because of the elder. He told us never to go near that area under any circumstance."
Ashe: What? Why?"
Ugar:I don't know. But the elder kept warning us not to go there... He said it was because of the stormraptor."
Ashe: "Stormraptor? What's is that?"
Ugar: "I don't know. When I told the others, none of them knew what a stormraptor was."
Ashe: "What about you, Dago? Do you know anything?"
Dago:no clue, Avarosa. Even though I've known the elder for years, I have no idea what that stormraptor is."
Ashe: That's strange..."
While Ashe was speaking, the sky suddenly shifted. A strong storm struck Ashe's group, flinging them away with force.
Woooosh!
Ashe:Ugh! What strong winds - everyone, hold on!"
Zzzzing!
Dago:Was that thunder?! Where did this cursed storm come from? There weren't any clouds just now!"
Ashe:Everyone, take cover!"
Ugar:Grab the trees tight and tie ropes between you so you don't lose anyone!"
After everyone followed Ugar's orders, they clung to the trees and tied themselves to each other to keep from flying away. After a short while, the storm disappeared - but the sky had gone dark with clouds.
Dago:That was a smart idea, Ugar."
Ugar:I didn't become the construction lead for nothing."
Ashe:Just what was that? A storm appeared and vanished just like that - what happened?"
Krrrraaaaak!
Ashe: Was that a bird's sound-?"
When Ashe looked up, she was shocked. In the middle of the clouds, a comet-like object was approaching rapidly. When it stopped descending and hovered mid-air, they saw it clearly
A massive creature - a bird-like beast with four large wings, crystalline spears jutting from its wings, head, and whip-like tails. Real ice adorned its head like horns and also covered much of its chest. It stared at Ashe's group with contempt, as if looking at insects, while lightning roared in the clouds above.
(Crystalline Stormraptor: from Legends of Runeterra)
Ashe:W-what is that creature?"
Ugar:Dago, I think we just found out what the stormraptor is."
Dago:Oh, Janna help us..."
Krrrraaaaak!
When the stormraptor roared, it flapped its wings and launched those spears at them - they fell like rain.
Dago:Oh, damn!"
Ugar:Everyone, move and get down! Take cover behind rocks - not trees! That'll only make it worse!"
Krraak!
Ashe:Is everyone alright!"
Dago:Yes, we're fine.but What we do now, Avarosa?"
Ashe:Stay here and take cover."
Dago:And what about you?"
Ashe:I'll try to take it down."
Dago: "No! That's too dangerous! Let us help you! I don't want to lose anyone else - we've already lost too many!"
Ashe:No,My weapon is the only one that can hurt this thing. We can't take the risk. Once I distract it long enough, go warn the village about it."
Dago:but!
Ashe: "That's an order from me - as Avarosa."
Dago: "...Roger...
After Ashe's group took cover...she dealt with him
Ashe fired three arrows at the stormraptor, but it dodged them easily and glared at her furiously, then launched bolts of lightning her way.
Ashe:sh*t! sh*t!
Ashe dodged the incoming lightning thanks to luck and survival instinct. The bolts struck randomly - one in front, one behind, hitting like falling bombs. Ashe rolled while trying to shoot, but failed miserably.
Ashe: "At least I got its attention. Now all I have to do is keep it distracted long enough for them to warn the villagers."
KREEEEK!
Shut up, you darn chicken.
The fight between Ashe and Stormraptor turned into a game of cat and mouse. Ashe was dodging and avoiding every attack thanks to the cover of trees, mist, and smoke rising from trees set on fire by lightning strikes.
While she was running, Ashe kept firing arrows. This time, one of her arrows hit one of his wings, but the wing didn't freeze. He looked at Ashe angrily and charged at her with his massive beak.
When he hit the ground, it felt like a small earthquake had happened. He was shocked. When he pulled his beak out, he saw Ashe had shot five arrows at him.
GgggkrreeekK!
After being struck by five arrows, he flew a few meters into the air and landed far from Ashe, staring at her furiously. On the other side, Ashe was panting heavily, her body clearly scarred.
"Haah, haah... ha, how ridiculous. I became a WarMother for one day, and here I am, on the brink of death again. How many times has it been? I think this is the third time."
"I should have run away, but... I don't want to let them die. I ran away once. I don't want it to happen again. I don't want them to suffer like I did."
"I might not be the WarMother they want, but maybe I'm the WarMother they need."
KRRAAAACK!
"Shut up, chicken! Come at me, if you dare!"
KREEEEK!
He charged at her again with his long legs, same attack, and Ashe braced herself for the next blow.
HAAAA!
They both fought fiercely. Ashe used her arrows, while the beast used thunder and crystal spears. The fight looked like something from a fairy tale. But Ashe's body was full of scars, and she was barely breathing. She looked toward Stormraptor, who was charging to devour her and end the fight. Ashe had accepted her fate.
"Now! ___"
Without warning, just as he was about to eat Ashe, a rope was thrown and wrapped around his neck, pulling him backward.
KREEEEK!
But it didn't end there-more ropes were thrown, tied to trees, and pulled together. Dago jumped onto a tree near Stormraptor, climbed on his back, and started stabbing him.
KRRAAAACK!
Stormraptor screamed and tried to shake him off, but Dago tied his beak with a rope and pulled it hard downward.
Dago:Come on, guys! Pull with all your strength! Don't give him time to breathe!"
Ashe:What are you doing? I told you to leave!"
Dago:Yeah, you did say that..."
Dago: "But what's the point of warning the village if our mother dies here? When you dead, he will head to the village, and there'll be no one to stop them."
Dago:So we decided to help you. We live together or die together! Isn't that right, boys?!"
Others: "Yeah!"
Ashe: "You guys really are unbelievable...ಠ‿ಠ"
Dago: "I'm just tired of seeing others die. I won't stand by anymore. We won't let anyone else die!"
Ashe: "...You're right."
Ashe looked at Stormraptor, then looked at Dago. They nodded at each other. Ashe unleashed everything in her quiver at the beast while the others held him down. Stormraptor was immobilized-his legs, wings, and beak all tied. They used trees like pulleys and pulled with all their might. Before long, he had bled heavily from the sheer number of arrows stuck in him and began to go into delirium.
KRRAAAACK
Stormraptor flailed his tail, attacking anything he considered a threat.
Once one rope snapped, the rest followed, and he was freed-except for one. Dago was still holding the rope tied to his beak, and he kicked the beast so hard it crashed into a tree.
Ashe:Dago!"
Ugar:Dago!"
Stormraptor looked at Ashe, opened his jaws wide, and charged at her, ready to devour her. That was his biggest mistake.
Ashe charged her bow with all the power she had and fired an arrow straight into his mouth. When it entered, he screamed in an inhuman way.
His veins bulged and exploded one after another like fast dominoes. Yet even in this state, he was still focused on Ashe, getting closer.
But before he could, an axe came flying straight at the back of his neck, cutting deep. Life left his eyes, and he finally collapsed.
Dago:Haah! Told you my axe would be ready, Ugar!"
Ashe:Is everyone okay?!"
Ugar:Aside from a few injuries, nothing serious, WarMother."
Ashe:That's good. And just call me Ashe, no need to be formal."
Ugar:If you say so."
Ashe:Let's harvest the fruit quickly and go back. I don't want to face another monster, I have enough today
Dago: I Agreed with that."
Dago:By the way, why did it suddenly appear and attack us? I know we entered its territory, but I know there are creatures way bigger than us around here, and given its size, I doubt we were a good meal."
Ugar:Maybe because of the trees? It only showed up when we got really close."
Dago:That might be it?"
When Ashe looked at the Dragononge trees, she saw they were perfectly intact. In fact, they were far away. At the beginning of the fight, Stormraptor was above the trees. But during the fight, it seemed like he was trying to push them away and focused on killing them.
Ashe:It seemed like he was trying to protect something."
Other #1: "Wait, there's something in the trees!"
When one of the men shouted, Ashe ran to them and saw something. An egg-like shape with a crystal hue, and something was pulsing inside.
Ashe: "lThis is... an egg?"
Ugar:Was the one we fought a female Stormraptor?"
Dago:Wait, wait! Does that mean there's another Stormraptor? Could it come back at any moment right now!?
Ugar:No, I doubt it."
Dago:Why you think that?
Ugar:Birds in freljord usually leave the female to care for the offspring. Once they have an egg, the male looks for another mate."
Ugar:That means we're completely safe."
Dago:So what do we do with it? Kill it? Or raise it?"
Ugar: "Raise it? After what we just saw it do?"
Dago: "Yeah, I'll admit-fighting that thing was insanely dangerous. But think about the benefits. If we manage to tame it, it'd be like having our own war beast-like the Frostguard. We'd have our own beast!
Ugar:well in that case,That's WarMother decision.
Ashe:.....
Ashe:We will..."