A Search Through Runeterra (Arcane)

"I'm moving as fast as I can."~ Malphite, The Shard of the Monolith, Press Q and run

Funny story. I'm only 5 chapters ahead. I have to pump out chapters now....

And you get the chapter a little early today. So enjoy!

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"Woah!!!" Came the voices of the children as they craned their necks to see the wall.

Their necks craned further as they walked closer to the walls.

""HALT!"" The guards called from atop the gates.

The group stilled.

"State your purpose." Came the order.

Gregori stepped forward, gaining their attention, "It is I, Gregori. I have returned to Rakelstake after completing my journey."

"Prove your identity." They called right back.

Gregori grunted, before replying, "Send someone to go check with the Warmother. She will verify my identity."

The guards looked spoke to each other before calling, "The Warmother is training at the moment and cannot be disturbed. Prove your identity another way."

Training?

This late?

These men might have an alternate agenda.

Reaching for his shield, Gregori replied, "Go verify my shield."

"Wha-?" Was all they could reply before a shield came whizzing into them. It didn't harm them but had enough force behind it to knock them down.

"That should be enough to verify my identity. Check with Sigra."

"Daddy?"

Ignoring the now scrambling guards, Gregori turned his attention toward Annie. "Yes firefly?"

"What are they telling you?" Annie asked confusedly.

The same confusion was etched on the faces of the other children. They did not understand the language.

Of course.

Gregori had forgotten.

The children did not speak Frelian since it was predominantly a Freljordian language. And it was the most spoken in this land. A lot of them did know Velarian but not as much as Noxus and Demacia.

"Do you know which language we were speaking?" Gregori asked them.

His question was met with multiple shakes of their heads.

"Frelian?" Rell answered almost asking.

Gregori nodded toward her, "Yes." His voice pleasantly surprised at her knowledge of the language. "Frelian is what all Freljordian's speak but a lot of them do know Velarian, the language we speak."

"Can you teach me?" Daani asked expectantly. 

Turning to him, Gregori answered, "If you want."

Daani nodded.

"Then I will." Gregori smiled.

He watched them show signs of understanding before continuing, "Just now, the guards asked for me to prove my identity and I gave them my shield to verify with higher ups."

"They know your shield?" Faye asked.

Gregori shook his head, "No. They know me by my shield."

"They respect you." Sydell stated.

Nodding, he answered, "After beating a few of their council members in combat I earned their respect." He tried to emphasize the fact that he earned their respect.

That was most important. The children need to learn that nothing would be given to them for free and everything they needed would have to be earned. Everything that he couldn't provide.

"Um... daddy?" Briar started. "What's a langu-"

Before she got cut off by the gates opening. All eyes turned to the person walking through.

Sigra and alongside her with his shield in hand.... Jorde.

"Gregori." She greeted.

He greeted her back with a nod, "Sigra." And then, "Jorde."

Sigra gave him a smile and turned to the kids. "I thought you went to bring back one daughter." Her words addressing him.

"Things came up. The children were captives. I freed them along with my daughter and brought them all here." Gregori shrugged.

"Do you plan on leaving them here?" Jorde asked.

Gregori shook his head, "I have taken them in. They will stay with me." His eyes boring into Jorde's.

And Jorde raised his hands backing off.

Sigra gave the Freljordian a disgusted look before snatching the shield out of Jorde's raised hand and handed it to Gregori. "Your shield."

"Thank you." Gregori slipped the shield on. "Lets head in." He told the kids.

"Okay!"

The kids were captivated by the sights. The large statue of Avarosa herself glowed brightly in the now darkening sky.

"Why is that glowing?" Sydell asked as he tried to keep up with him.

"True Ice." Gregori answered. "There is a large amount of it in the statue."

"Pretty!" Faye and Annie had stars in their eyes. They looked to each other, a silent pact to come in contact with the statue.

"You cannot touch it." Gregori crushed their dreams before it even took off. "Only Iceborn can touch it." He reminded them.

GROWLLLL

The kids immediately went on alert looking around. And their eyes landed on two menacing beasts bounding for them.

The muscles in their legs rippling through the fur.

After spotting the rushing creatures, they prepared themselves for battle.

Gregori raised his hand to calm them down. "They won't harm you." He gave them a big smile before turning to the beasts.

They stopped in front of him but they slid a little further and right into him due to the momentum.

"Uff..." Gregori let out unknowingly before catching himself and rubbing the heads of the two beasts. "Did you miss me?" He asked them not expecting a reply.

Both beasts let out a whine in reply.

Surprised at the reaction he shifted from rubbing their heads to patting them. Their firm skulls felt good to pat.

"Say hi to Oompa and Loompa kids." He turned to the children.

"PETS!" Annie yelled before jumping at the two creatures. Their menacing features did nothing to scare her as she hugged Oompa, her face buried into the beast's side.

Mere seconds later, everyone was hugging the beasts and rubbing their fur. Everyone except Rell.

Gregori gave her a look before telling, "They are harmless. Go ahead."

"No." She answered. But the look in her eyes gave away her true desires.

"Go ahead Rell. No one is going to judge you." Gregori encouraged her once more.

She glanced at him before making her mind up and joining the other kids in playing with the beasts.

The tiredness evaporating from their faces as they had fun. Gregori had a soft smile as he overlooked the children playing, the beasts smelled Gregori on them and proceeded to play with them as well.

"Which one of them is your daughter?" Jorde spoke up, ripping him from the peaceful sight.

Gregori looked at him before firmly answering, "All of them are my children."

Sigra cut in, "What Jorde meant to say was, which child among them was the one who you had journeyed for?" She spoke putting the question eloquently.

Gregori pointed to Annie. "The red haired one. Annie."

"I see. My commendations for your success." Sigra congratulated Gregori.

"Where is Daisy?" He asked her directly shifting the topic away.

Sigra shrugged, "With the Warmother. Lady Ashe has taken the girl under her wing completely after your departure. The young lass is quite talented, already attempting and winning a few challenges. Though those were only against those who weren't yet old enough to be considered adults."

Gregori smiled at that before frowning when he heard of the challenges. "Where would the Warmother be at his moment?"

"Training." She answered. 

Gregori's eyes showed surprise. The guards weren't lying. "At this time?" He questioned, a little non-believing.

Sigra gave him a small chuckle, "Recent trend. Oathsworn Tryndamere's hunt a week ago brought a lot of food back but it also brought unwanted eyes. Other tribes want a cut.... more than what we already provide to ensure peace as well as their lives. With threats around, the Warmother did not want to take the chance and training intensity has gone up."

"Allied tribes or...." Gregori left his sentence unfinished.

Sigra shook her head sadly, "Both." He could see the exhaustion on her face. "The amount of food could last us half a year all while feasting like kings. That kind of hunt? Any alliance would fall for that."

"They are blocking trades with us as well." Jorde cut in. 

Gregori looked to him in surprise, "You haven't gone to Naljaag this year?"

Jorde shook his head, "I went there but I was received with weapons. A far cry from the pervious reception. I only came back with my life and the goods I had brought due to fear of war."

"Which was why all Avarosans were called back to Rakelstake and why we haven't yet moved north yet." Sigra said. "The walls and the cliffs offer us natural protection." She clarified.

Gregori nodded. The Avarosans moved every few months. Scarcity of food was a real issue in the Freljord. You could not stay settled in one area. Eventually you would have to move to different places. Bigger tribes would usually cycle between different set locations waiting for the wildlife to replenish.

"Ah! That was why the other Iceborn... Gragas... was also making his way here." He stated understanding why he was coming back. It turned out to be an order from the Warmother.

"Gragas!" Jorde exclaimed. "Sigra. I believe you can escort Gregori to the Warmother alone. I think I would be needed at the gates soon." He told Sigra before nodding toward Gregori and walking away.

Sigra sighed exasperatedly, "Gragas is an issue. If he arrives drunk.... then there is going to be a fight. Jorde would surely be needed there."

"I don't mind." Gregori smiled. "Will you lead us to the Warmother and my daughter?"

"Of course." She answered as she started walking past him. "Follow me."

Gregori turned to the kids and the beasts, who had not yet grown tired of each other.