The Test of Frost

Aetri felt something rousing him, rustling him harshly as a voice echoed through the darkness of his Half-unconsciousness "Come on, Kiddo, You have to wake up!"

He woke screaming and freezing cold, flailing and crying bloody murder as He felt hands, strong and soft holding him down as he spasmed in his pool of cold sweat "Boy, listen to me, calm down, it's me, It's Lee and Crow. just Look at me and breathe... that's it, slowly, steady now"

Aetri peered through heavy lids at the two figures above, the panic beginning to melt away. Black-Crow, hooded and dark loomed over him, and Lee's strong form sat beside him, a worried look on the latter's face.

His aching eyes whipped around... this was his room, He was in Uld.

Of course, He was in Uld? where else would He be... He felt the deep unsettlement in his guts that something was wrong. He had dreamt again that much was clear, but it was so real... Aetri could recall the dregs of it... just figures and faces that He knew, a time long passed... By the Saints his head was throbbing.

"Salutations... L-Ladies" He managed to say through attempts to fit as much air into one gulp as He could. Lee crouched by him, wiping his forehead with a warm cloth as she pressed a warm cup of ivory liquid into his shaking hands.

"Drink it, Milk of the Oxen will settle you." She said, continuing to nurse him as He shook.

"W-What happened?" He asked weakly

"You were screaming in your sleep like a dying beast, a nightmare?" Crow asked coldly, though she felt at his forehead to check at his temperature in a more comforting gesture.

"I've never seen anyone wrench like that because of a nightmare, You've sweated through your sheets, I thought you were having a stroke!" Lee's eyes hardened as she fussed over him but Aetri sat up, shaking the dizziness from his mind

"I'm fine, Mentor, I'm fine... it was... just a bad dream." the reassurance was more for himself than her.

Lee seemed genuinely shaken, pulling him into an overly tight embrace "Don't scare me like that, You fool. I thought You were about to Perish." She growled, but her touch made him smile, holding her gratefully.

He saw Crow's black eyes lingering on the two of them. Tilting her head as she looked between them curiously, though she remained ominously silent as ever.

"I'm perfectly fine, come on now, no harm done." He muttered

Lee pulled back, giving Aetri a grin as she knocked his shoulder, almost making him spill his milk as He sipped it "right... well anyway... happy birthday tough-guy, wash all this sweat off and drink hardy, we are going over the training circuit one last time within the hour."

Aetri bowed his slowly calming head "Yes, Mentor."

Lee stood up, going to leave, though she knocked Black-Crow as she went by. The Dark Woman bowed her head gently "Happy Birthday, Master." She said coldly.

Aetri flared his nostrils "You are still wearing that Lavender perfume?" He thought aloud. Crow tipped her head again.

"Indeed... Lee thought it would be pleasant for your birthday... but I have not worn this in your presence before?"

Aetri blinked, the storm of confused memories still flushing through his mind "Right, well... it's nice."

Crow nodded suspiciously "Do you require anything else of me, Master?"

"For goddess sake, for the 40 thousandth time, just Aetri is fine Crow... and... maybe, Help me clean up?" He asked a little furtively, Black-Crow bowed just as obediently as ever

"Very well... Aetri."

After Crow had boiled water to put in their large bathing barrel, she always did do it just the right heat, He gratefully undressed and washed away the grief of his Dream, with Black-Crow hanging up her feathered Cloak and pulling away her thin gloves and pulling up her sleeves as she washed his back and rubbed his shoulders with her gentle hands.

Crow's neatly cut black hair swayed as Her pale skin gleamed in the low-light of the Morning Sun, a beam breached through the pane of the fractal glass window above the Lounge's ever blazing hearth. The Golden Light was a testament to him, winter would die down soon, and spring would come soon... He wondered if Hornhill would still be beautiful as the Light of Dawn pierced the clouds to bath the Outskirts in light... but He doubted it.

Aetri sighed with satisfaction, though he always did feel a little bad when ordering her around "Crow... can I ask you something?" He asked as she washed the warm scented water over his back, sending a pleasant chill in the shivering bones of his muscles.

"Yes." She answered.

"Do you, care about us, Lee and I? like do you Love us, like family I mean... or maybe even in some other way?" This was not the first time He had asked this, He had done so when He was much younger and expected the same answer "A Shadow does not love." She said before, but now... she hesitated and stayed curiously silent. "Okay... well then, do you get annoyed when I order you around?"

Crow shook her head "No, Aetri, to serve my tether is my purpose."

Aetri curled up in the bath, holding his knees close as she washed his face clean "I came to a revelation last night You know, it was like my eyes were opened...

I care about you and Lee, and everyone else so strongly, so passionately it's like I have so much love for so many people, if you can even call it love... that can't be right, can it?" He was more thinking aloud, Crow didn't usually make any kind of constructive comment, but she would always listen to him... that much was comforting at least.

"Your father felt the same way when He was your age, He was fearful of his hunger for women... But I do not think that You are merely lustful, I cannot speak to emotion, but caring for people is more than Your sister ever did... that isn't an unadmirable thing." He heard Crow say behind him.

Aetri turned, raising an eyebrow at her "Wait... really?" He was shocked, since when did Black-Crow say anything constructive, and she almost never talked about his father, Or his Sisters.

Black-Crow continued to wash him quietly, abruptly dumping a bowl of water over his head before He could say another word "Yes, Master. the next time you ask will be Three hundred and Seventy-four, for the record." she said quickly, running her fingers along his locks to detangle his Honey Brown Hair.

Despite being miffed by Crow's now prominent tight lips, Aetri dried off and dressed in his tunic and furs, happy for the warmth they provided as He braided his Hair up in an Uld knot as he always did, using the reflection in his old shaving glass.

He lingered in wandering at his Mirror Image, for years He'd been wearing these uncomfortable Furs and put in tight braids tipped with Raven's feathers to stop people scowling at him so much... He recalled how his mother used to try and make him grow his hair out "You should show off those beautiful locks, my dear, you have to put your rings in something." She'd always say, He always wanted it a little shorter.

No sooner than his recollections grew, He found his hands venturing under the birch frame of his bed, searching momentarily until the tips of his fingers met with a cold metal box.

The Iron case was small and dark as ever, plain and roughly the size of a sword handle. Aetri stared it contemplatively, He had not looked into that box for many a year and yet found his hands cracking open the latch, to display the contents.

Nestled inside the small container, were items: three, the first He took into his hands, letting the smooth bracelet of Dark emerald beads slither around his hands, beads that belonged to his mother, and his mother's mother before her.

The Second sparked a smile out of him, a connection of Obsidian rings, sanded smooth and warm to the touch: His father's hair rings, the last things that He'd ever gave him before his death.

But the last item in that box, tore Aetri's smile away, his hands staying clear from the shining gold signet ring, it's face down so that He did not have to see the Insignia emblazoned upon it... that ring, He never liked it, or what it implied, what it meant... and so, replacing the items carefully, the Young man Closed the case, and locked away tightly his crippling nostalgia, sliding those memories far away under his bed.

Aetri hadn't thought about Home in a long time... He gathered his things and headed out, maybe the fresh air would clear his head?

The Day was bright as the Blue sky's light reflected off of the thick layer of ivory snow that coated the path to the Pinewood just behind the Oxen corrals. it was a quiet peaceful place, a large grove dotted with tall and wide Frost-birches with thick birch patterned trunks that rippled with strong bark in the shape of gleaming frost, and sharp iron-grey needle pines that Aetri looked upon fondly despite all the pain they'd caused him.

Many stumps, old and knew where the Frost-Birch trees had once stood, but He had seen to getting rid of those, The Logs were of course incredibly useful and valuable, and the Uld paid a pretty penny for each that had felled.

Lee stood in the West of the Grove, in her bushy blonde fur coat and burning her face in her Black-stripped scarf that she treasured so, but she of course still shivered and looked grumpy, you would have thought that she would have gotten used to the bitter cold of Norne, but Lee was like a perfect statue of marble, she was beautiful, tough as nails but rarely changed.

"There you are, bloody cretin I could have f-frozen out here if you'd kept me waiting any longer." She grumbled as He walked up, noticing Her holding a shoddy looking Britannian longsword in its sheath as she tried to rub warmth into her shoulders.

He bowed "Sorry, Mentor, come on let's get this over with!" He stretched out the muscles in his arms and took in a sharp breath as his heart rate quickened in anticipation of his routine.

Lee furrowed her brows at him "Absolutely, just draw your sword and we will begin!" She said with false enthusiasm.

Aetri paled... He didn't have his sword... the Skjal had his sword.

"I umm..." He started, Lee looked like she might clip him for a moment as He chuckled nervously

"How do you expect to train without a sword then, Idiot, go into town and ask for one of those shitty Norne Broadswords, maybe, fight with those poorly made barbaric pieces of shit... Unless you have any other suggestions?" She grumbled, unsheathing the spare weapon that she held and pointing the poorly sharpened blade at him.

He held his hands up "I... could maybe... use that... Sword, Maybe?" He asked

Lee growled, lowering and tossing the blade at him which He caught cleanly "You better not lose that one, Markin is gonna tan your hide when He finds out you lost the one He made you."

Aetri shrugged "I guess I'll just have to steal it back before I leave."

Lee frowned, but she tapped the tall trunk of the Noble tree beside her as she went to walk past him to leave "Whatever, just get these done, You know the drill, I'll be back in an hour, that's your record."

He bowed "Yes, Mentor."

Lee stopped beside him, snatching his neck to pull down to peck his cheek before marching off in her commander's gate.

Aetri smiled coyly, before approaching the tall Ivory form of the grand Frosted Birch.

He turned his head up to the tree that reached high above, each pine had collected the light flakes from the morning snow and shimmered in the gentle wind that bit at the skin on Aetri's face. He took a knee at the foot of the Birch, resting his hand upon the face of its white bark and began to speak, in quiet and respectful prayer before getting to work.

Aetri still recalled when Lee put him up to this, the first of her Real training... but He was only a kid then.

Uld Village, 6 years ago

"Hurry up and March!" Aunt Lee commanded from behind him as she led him onward behind the Oxen corals.

He was already exhausted, having been running one overly straining errand for Aunt Lee after the other... but overexerting or not, He followed her command, it beat working on the 7 knightly sword forms in the freezing cold for hours or the boring bouts of deep meditations that she made him sit through, but hey at least Mr Markin made him this cool new sword, even if it was a little heavy for him.

Lee pushed his march through the bitter cold onward until he saw something that gave him pause...

For what looked like miles, rolling down the Hill was a thick forest of beautiful Ivory trees, tall and strong like the Arch trees in the black Forest, but these... their bark was whiter and brighter than the snow and they shone with a diamond-like pattern, the breeze shuffling through their grey pines.

Lee came up beside him as He stood starstruck "Wow..." He muttered, "What kind of trees look like that?"

"Those are Frost-birch, Kid. with Spikey needles with that stick into your skin and Bark hard as Rock, they are a pain in my ass and spread like wildfire, but damn if they aren't pretty."

"Frost-Birch... yeah..." He said mesmerised.

Lee patted him hard on the shoulder "Come on then, You're gonna cut one them down for me." She said cheerfully as His face dropped

"What!? that is gonna take ages, their like 8 inches thick!?" He cried in protest, Lee rubbed her chin with a malicious grin

"Patience is a Virtue, Boy... Hmmm more like ten Inches I'd say." She said thoughtfully.

Aetri's jaw fell into the snowy ground "THAT IS WORSE!"

Lee waved him off "We'll then, cut them down in one blow and it will save a bit of time." She walked off to the edge of the wood like she had just suggested something that wasn't insane.

Aetri barely had time to pick his jaw off the floor before she yelled at him to hurry up and follow.

"One blow! ONE BLOW!? are you out of your mind!? Look I meditate by the river in the frost like you said, I've practised the forms, I worked on My horsemanship-no one, can ride or joust like me, but this is insane!" Aetri spoke in a tumbling jargon as He followed his Mentor's march.

Lee Paused at the head of one of the beautiful, and now slightly intimidating trees, it's huge body stretching up nearly 20 feet in the air. She leant against the trunk and blinked very unamused eyes at him "I promised you that before the day was done that You would understand your strength, and I intend to fulfil my promise, Now pick up that bloody sword and stop complaining."

Despite the doubt that seeped from his every pore, the Young man only 14 and with 2 years of practice under his belt, drew the heavy Longsword at his belt and took his stance at the head of the tree "This is ridiculous, can't cut down a tree with a sword, I need an Axe or something."

His Mentor stood back, and gestured "Begin." and so it did.

Aetri gripped his sword tightly, getting a feeling for the weight. Taking in a deep breath, He decided to go for a nice wide swing, the momentum would cut deep he hoped, and with a sharp exhale and a finely practised flashing power, Aetri swung at the great trunk.

The Tang of the blade violently vibrated his arm, the pain of the shock ringing in his hands as He stepped backwards, wincing as He dropped his sword, a raining of sharp pines falling down to stick into his skin "Argh!"

Lee blinked at the Boy "A Man doesn't drop his arm, Pick it up, try again." she commanded calmly

Aetri pointed to the trunk, which had sustained not even a chip from his attack "Seriously!?"

"I told you, hard as rock, and those Needles, ugh. Come on then, Again."

He screwed up his face, picking up his sword and brushing the pines out of him. Once again he followed his training, and gave it another try. this one was worse, this time He nearly fell over and another horribly painful showering of Pines fell to greet him.

Lee huffed "Alright then, I'm going to Valhal for a drink, I'll be back in a little while. keep trying, I expect to see at least one felled before I'm back."

He didn't even have time to protest, for his Mentor had already marched off. Growling with annoyance, straightening out taking a breath and taking another swing.

Lee wasn't gone for half an hour, He knew this because, by Half an hour, his hands felt like they were going to drop off.

Lee wasn't gone for an hour, because after an hour, He was so jabbed with pine needles that He started to look like a furry grey porcupine, grumbling and growling as He swung for the 50th time.

His Mentor wasn't gone for 2, 3 or even 4 hours... and 5 hours in, Aetri was on the verge of collapse, His arms were so numb that He could barely hold the sword, his skin itched and ached, and he was so deep in rage and delirium that He was starting to hallucinate that the tree was still up... "Oh wait... I'm not hallucinating..." He wept in his mind.

The Tree had barely been wounded, only an inch of its flesh was cut into and the scar would go no deeper than that.

"Boy!" Aetri turned and looked with heavy eyes, to see his Mentor stumbling over to him, a bottle in hand and a dopey look on her face.

"Hmmmf." He grunted, he barely had the energy to scowl, but Lee looked irritated as ever, moving over to the tree with disappointment

"You haven't even cut this one down yet? well shit..." She slurred.

Aetri felt a storm inside of him, monstrous spite towards his master's flippant comment "Shit? SHIT!?" He roared "WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU!? WHAT THE SHITTING HELL IS WRONG WITH THIS TREE, I AM SO DONE WITH THIS, AND I'M DONE WITH YOU, YOU PITIFUL, INSANE DRUNK!" He screamed, tossing her his sword and going to march off, his arms dropping by his side in exhaustion.

"It's a shame, I didn't realise your father raised a quitter, I imagine He must be sad looking down from the heavens." She muttered.

The boy halted in the snow, turning back with blazing wrath in his eyes. He marched back to Lee, his anger overwhelming his fear "Don't you ever presume to know anything about my Father." He growled.

Lee took another long swig from her drink, leaning down to smirk evilly at him "I know your father wasn't a quitter." She presented the blade to him, the challenge of it, that was the real weapon that she used against him, Aetri had his faults, but declining an open challenge, that was difficult for him.

He had little strength to take the sword into his blistered hands, but He did so, and took that stance once again at the tree.

He swung... nothing, He charged the blade at the tree again... nothing "Ugh!" He snarled.

His Mentor moved beside him and began to whispered tentatively "Feel the spreading rage burn inside." Nothing, He couldn't cut it! why wouldn't it cut "Like a hurricane inside, your heart thumping like an army of one thousand in a stomping march... You feel it don't you?" She asked.

He attacked, harder, faster "Yes!" He answered

"Why are you angry, Boy?" She asked gently

More and more He hit the ironbark "Because I can't cut this fucking Tree!"

"Can't you? maybe You're just not strong enough?"

"No... No maybe I'm not!" He roared, slicing and cutting with no effect

"And what does it mean if you cannot cut down the tree?" Her voice was venom on his ears, making his insides stir and spiral even further

"That I am weak, that I can't go home!"

"And that makes it worse, turns the blood in your veins into fire, seers the breaths as they leap from your lips, Your fear, Your wrath, they well up inside of you now, something that is always there, a bubbling spite that is amplified in this moment?" She asked deeply. He nodded, battering the tree with his blade as it shook violently.

"Take it, Boy." She commanded with a whisp of excitement "Grasp that Power, put it in your arm, let it spread throughout your mind and body, Focus, and become an instrument... of Destruction."

Aetri did his Mentor's bidding in that moment, pulling every drop of that Ire inside and letting it flow through his frame, felt it tighten his grip on the handle of the sword, swell up his muscles with strength and sweeping back his Blade, He roared.

"RRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" with the speed of a falling star, the arch in which he swung this time, sliced so cleanly through the air that it rattled and whipped through space, the Blade of his sword Exploded through the thick trunk, blowing its body into splinters; creaking and howling as it's huge beautiful body began to fall limp to the snowy ground.

Lee's laugh echoed through the wood "TIMBER! HAHA!" Her echo was crushed out as the tree smashed into the snow and Aetri stepped back, eyes wide with disbelief.

"What... how?" He whispered, looking at his hands with a mixture of fear and wonder.

Lee took hold of him then, staring more intently and with more pride than He had ever seen "Your Wrath is a weapon, Boy. You don't just swing a sword at something and hope that falls, You fell it with the passion inside. Wrath. is. a weapon. if you know how to use it."

Aetri nodded in silent awe, his trust in his Mentor growing tenfold, she really did just want to make him stronger.

"Now, let's get a hook and rope and we can drag it over to the Village!"

Okay... maybe she did want him to die a little.

---

Aetri smiled to himself, it was a fond enough memory, he missed those times a little, the blisters on his hands, the pain in his skin from the needles, even the odd time that He'd pass out from the pain and exhaustion... it was all worth it, because the feeling he got from felling these trees back then, it was an unrivalled exhilaration.

Sheathing his shoddy sword, Aetri stretched, wondering if He'd broken his record? He was daydreaming about the old days the entire time, at least He'd worked up a sweat.

"Boy!" Aetri turned with a satisfied smile. Lee walked through the snow, dead sober by the looks of her, what a pleasant surprise... but he detected a hint of shock about her as she approached him.

"You're early." He said, raising an eyebrow.

Lee nodded, her dark hair swaying... was she wearing makeup? "I had a few things to do, got them done quick... speaking of..." His mentor looked with genuine Awe out into the Grove that had once been thick woods and shook her head in disbelief.

"Saints above, Boy." She muttered, looking out at where the tree's lay neatly stacked.

"You think I broke the record?" He asked.

Lee closed her mouth, nodding quietly before turning to him seriously "Come, We still have the Oxen and the crops to deal with, I want to check those, I will bring these into Town tomorrow."

Aetri bowed his sweating head "Yes Mentor." and so the two left the sight, but not before Lee looked back once more... to the giant stack of thirty Frost-Birches, all cut in one slice within the space of 55 minutes.