Ever since she found her friends encased in ice, Jeze has become obsessed with vengeance. She searched the area for clues, and she utilized the Spirit aspect for assistance. The Summoned Spirit seemed to be energized by Jeze’s strong emotions. It fluttered about the cavern, always on the periphery, and showed Jeze where to find tracks. With its support and her tracking skills, Jeze was able to piece together what happened. Her friends encountered the Frost Hag in this chamber, and the battle ended with them encased in ice. Jeze knew where the Frost Hag went after the fight and the likely direction that led deeper into the monster’s home.


    “You should have had a full team!” Jeze quietly scolded the frozen forms of Rainbow and Swordslayer as anguish squeezed at her chest like a crushing wave. Only if they had a team, they could have beaten the Frost Hag. She knew that in her sad heart.


    “Tell me what you know about the Frost Hag,” Jeze asked.


    “It’s just stories,” Mikal replied.


    “Everything! Tell me it all!” Jeze demanded. The Healer flinched at her intensity.


    Helga answered, “Ya, so the stories say that she was a mortal lover to the Frozen All-Father. Her name was Freyja.”


    Jeze rolled her eyes at Mikal and said, “Your god sounds like a swell guy.”


    “The Frozen All-Father is not perfect, but he cares for us,” Mikal stated.


    Jeze arched her eyebrows. “Oh really? Helga, what happened to Freyja? I bet nothing good.”


    Helga grinned. “Oh ya, you are right. Nothing good. It is said that the All Father’s wife, the goddess Sifron the High Queen, grew angry at his infidelity and punished Freyja and cursed her into a twisted Hag whose very touch can trap a person in ice.”


    “Wonderful! Why punish the poor mortal girl and not the All-Father himself?” Jeze wondered.


    Rolfe and Dunar remained quiet and both took one step back. Mikal scratched his head and debated if he should answer the question or not. Finally, his faith won.


    “Because he is the All-Father! The High King, ruler, and Protector of the realm of man,” Mikal responded.


    “There you have it, Jeze. Protector of men, but not women,” Helga stated.


    “I meant all people. Men and women,” Mikal stated.


    Dunar and Rolfe shook their heads but knew not to get involved.


    “We heard what you said,” Jeze growled, and she turned to Helga, “Please continue.”


    Helga glanced up and tapped her chin. “I’m not good with stories, Jezie. But I think you know what happened. Freyja became enraged with the injustice and used her curse to freeze the All Father’s mortal children.”


    “She was then punished to live in eternity within this cursed realm of cold and despair,” Mikal said.


    Dunar spoke up, “It is said that before she took her horrible vengeance on the All Father’s children. Freyja studied the dark Runic arts.”


    Jeze nodded and said, “Tell me more.”


    Dunar cleared his throat and continued, “The All Father’s mortal sons were the First Kings. They were said to be great warriors with many loyal soldiers at their command. Killing them would not have been easy. So Freyja prepared herself. Trained in the spear and the forbidden magic.”


    “Only the Frozen Priests were allowed to learn Rune magic,” Mikal added.


    “Sounds like a wonderful religion, Mikal,” Jeze muttered.


    Mikal scowled at her, but he did not respond. She turned to Dunar.


    “Do we know what type of Rune magic she studied?” Jeze asked.


    Dunar shook her head. “The stories just say that she studied the dark arts in order to get her revenge on the Gods. She became so formidable that they could not kill her and had to trap her in Niflheim.”


    Mikal said, “I find it interesting about the parts of the story that you chose to remember, Dunar.”


    The Leader shrugged and replied, “I admire progression and growth.”


    “Even if it led to murder?” Mikal asked.


    “Oh, hush, Micky! The Frozen All Father cheated on his wife and abused a mortal girl,” Helga admonished.


    Rolfe spoke up, “I liked the story. It says that we can get stronger for good or for evil. We could even threaten the gods if we work hard enough.”


    Mikal narrowed his eyes. “That is blasphemous!”


    Helga rolled her eyes. “Oh ya? Well, then, why even have it in the tale? That is exactly what Freyja did.”


    “Enough!” Jeze shouted.


    The others turned to her. Jeze held a hand to the frozen ice that encased her friends. Tears streamed freely down her cheeks. Jeze wiped them and turned back to the others.


    “This is not going to be easy. This Frost Hag will be patient and, by all accounts, formidable. We have to be smarter than her,” Jeze said.


    Mikal spoke softly, “I liked Rainbow and Swordslayer. I will not forget that they saved our lives during the Monster Waves. I have to ask, is taking on this risk worth it for us? Would Swordslayer and Rainbow want you to throw away your life?”


    Jeze smirked. “You do not know them. Especially Swordslayer, he would lose respect for me if I turned around. Besides, maybe there is a chance we can save them. By my deductions, they were just recently frozen.”


    Rolfe spoke up, “I am with Jeze. This is the type of challenge we need to face if we wish to grow stronger.”


    Helga nodded her head enthusiastically and exclaimed, “Ya!”


    Mikal glanced at Dunar and gave up. He recognized the determination in the Leader’s gray eyes. He studied the frozen ice and said, “It is not likely that they are alive. But it is possible.”


    Jeze beamed. A fire grew in her chest that replaced the anguish with fury. She was ready to face Freyja the Frost Hag!


    Dunar glanced around and asked, “Where are the Ice Giants?”


    Jeze studied the floor and replied, “I found some tracks, but they appear to have headed outside the caves.”The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    “That is odd. The stories say that Freyja gave birth to the Ice Giants. She wanted to raise an army to reclaim the Material Realm,” Mikal pointed out.


    “Something else was bothering me. Why did the Winter Wolves flee?” Rolfe asked.


    Helga raised up her arms in frustration. “So many questions! Can we just go and fight the Frost Hag?”


    Jeze squeezed the warrior maiden’s arm with affection. Jeze spoke, “It is important that we figure this out but also make plans to fight Freyja. I don’t think the Winter Wolves fled. They were a storm, and storms are chaotic. I think it was just random luck that they didn’t follow us into the caves. They were not attacking us for any other reason than we were in their way.”


    The others agreed. Jeze continued, “The mystery is the Ice Giants. Why are they not here?”


    “Maybe they are deeper in?” Rolfe said, and he pointed with his spear down the ice-walled corridor.


    Dunar shook his head. “It was said that she was raising an army. We have traveled far enough to have at least encountered a few.”


    “Ya, and we fought a small army already, no?” Helga reminded everyone.


    Rolfe bowed his head and growled, “Next time we will not fail.”


    Jeze’s eyes went wide, and she exclaimed, “You are a genius!” The scout leaped up to give Helga a kiss on the cheek.


    The warrior maiden held a hand to where she was kissed and responded, “Oh?”


    Mikal’s eyes narrowed, and he asked, “What are you getting at?”


    “Val! She took the Ice Giants. I think that happened before Swordslayer and Rainbow came here. So, the Frost Hag is most likely weakened from her recent battles!” Jeze exclaimed.


    “How is that possible? She is the mother of the monsters,” Dunar wondered.


    “You all forget. We are not in Niflheim, and the Fiends must have conquered a portion of that realm and absorbed it into the Stronghold to make this floor,” Jeze explained.


    Dunar nodded in understanding. “We know that Val can take control of monsters using the Rift aspect. We saw her do that with the Goreraptors and the cult leader we fought.” The Leader absently rubbed at his healed arm where it was cut off in that battle.


    Helga removed her helm to scratch at her blond braided hair. “What if the Frost Hag is working alongside the Fiends?”


    “I doubt it. The Fiends are not one to make alliances, and neither is the Frost Hag. They both respect strength and would not serve unless they were defeated,” Dunar said.


    “Why keep her alive then?” Rolfe wondered.


    Mikal perked up and answered, “Because she is guarding something!”


    Helga grinned and slapped Mikal on the shoulder. “Very good! You are with us, ya?”


    The Healer rubbed his arm and scowled at the warrior maiden. “Yes, now that there is a useful purpose.”


    Rolfe grinned. “What are you thinking? Treasure?”


    Mikal nodded.


    “We must hurry. Dunar, can you show me what you have mapped so far?” Jeze asked.


    The Leader and Jeze studied the map and the small labyrinth of tunnels they had traveled so far. “What do you have in mind?” Dunar asked.


    Jeze looked around and lowered her voice as she responded, “I have some Security Discs left. I can also inscribe some quick and dirty Rune traps. I’m guessing she is vulnerable to the Fire aspect.”


    “You are thinking to ambush her? But she is waiting for us,” Mikal stated.


    Jeze grinned and replied, “Then we lure her out. She won’t expect that. This is her home. She will be overconfident. But we will be ready.”


    Dunar shook his head. “I don’t think it will be that easy. If we engage her, she will most likely retreat and lead us into a trap.”


    Jeze pointed to Swordslayer and Rainbow. “Not unless she thinks we are just two.”


    Rolfe nodded in understanding. “Two go in and instigate a fight while the rest of us hide?”


    “Bingo!” Jeze exclaimed.


    “Ya! Well, who are the lucky ones to go and start this fight with a demigod?” Helga wondered.


    Jeze nudged the large warrior maiden with her shoulders like an affectionate cat. “I think your flame axe would come in handy, and we ladies should go and have a nice womanly chat with Freyja. Whattya say?”


    “Yes!” Helga beamed.


    Rolfe sulked. “I wanted to go have a womanly chat.”


    Dunar patted the large Protector’s broad shoulder. “Next time. Come, Mikal, let us find places to hide.”


    The Proven spent the next thirty minutes preparing. Jeze, with Dunar’s guidance, strategically placed her security disc traps. She also inscribed and empowered additional Fire Rune traps.


    Dunar looked up from his map and said, “These are good spots that give you plenty of options, depending on how Freyja chases you.”


    “You will hide there and there,” Jeze pointed.


    Dunar examined her suggestions and shook his head. “I was thinking Rolfe, and I hide here, and Mikal should go over there.”


    Jeze nodded. She trusted the Leader’s judgment. He had a very sound tactical mind. Helga put her helm back on and came over to Jeze.


    “Let us go, no?” The warrior maiden was eager to fight.


    Jeze nodded, and the women followed the Frost Hag’s tracks deeper into the ice caverns.


    “What if we are walking into a trap?” Helga whispered.


    “Then we figure it out. It’s the life we live,” Jeze replied.


    Helga widely grinned. “I am glad to have you as a friend.”


    As they tracked the Frost Hag deeper through the ice passages, Jeze discovered and disarmed several Rune traps. They were made out of the aspects that she guessed the Frost Hag would use. The monster overlaid the Affliction aspect onto the Ice using the Water aspect. The Will infused into them was quite strong, but nothing that Jeze couldn’t handle. Adventuring has tremendously improved her abilities.


    “It would be a nice run back,” Helga observed.


    Jeze nodded. The caverns were bigger than she imagined, but they were still determined to continue with the plan. Eventually, the two arrived at a circular chamber that looked like someone’s living quarters. There was furniture, such as a bed and cabinets against the translucent ice walls. A lush white carpet made from the fur of some beast. Against the back wall was a throne made out of blue ice.


    Sitting on the throne was the Frost Hag. She was as tall as Helga with a slender build. Her bare arms and legs were corded with muscle. The Frost Hag’s white hair fell over her face, but Jeze was able to see a large, pointed nose sticking out of the long hanging bangs. A spear made of smooth ice was held loosely in the Hag’s hand. In a weird way, Freyja reminded Jeze of the Night Mistress. Except, the Night Mistress was beautiful. The Frost Hag was more monstrous in appearance. Jeze wondered if there was a connection between the two.


    “Hello Freyja,” Jeze greeted.


    The Frost Hag chuckled. It was an oddly sonorous feminine sound that came from such a monstrous creature. The Hag looked up, and Jeze saw she had a mouth filled with sharp teeth and red eyes that were filled to the brim with rage.


    “You’ve come to join my collection, have you?” Freyja asked.


    Helga snorted, “You are very confident in yourself.”


    The Frost Hag laughed. The piercing sound echoed across the caves like a maddening wind. The monster was on her feet in a blur of speed. Helga and Jeze stepped back. The Frost Hag attacked with a rapid thrust of her frozen spear. Helga batted the weapon to the side with her axe, and Jeze circled to the left. Freyja cocked her head in curiosity.


    “Not bad. This should be fun, and you will make a fine addition to my collection,” the Hag hissed.


    Jeze’s curiosity got the better of her, and she asked, “Do you know the Night Mistress?”


    Freyja snarled, “Do I know that bitch? Yes, and for putting me in a foul mood by staining my home with that cursed name. I will freeze your blood and burst your heart!”


    Helga smirked. “Good job with getting her mad, ya?”


    The Frost Hag lunged at Jeze and the teenager dove out of the way.


    “Don’t forget about me!” Helga roared and attacked.


    The warrior maiden and the Frost Hag exchanged blows for a moment before Helga retreated. Jeze struck the monster with Darts of flame, which caused the Frost Hag to howl in pain and rage.


    “Time to go,” Jeze said, and she and Helga turned to run out of the chamber.


    “No, you don’t!” The Hag screamed and a wall of ice blocked their escape.


    “Helga, do the honors,” Jeze said.


    “Ya!” The warrior maiden exclaimed.


    Hegla tapped the runes on her axe and shaped the activation glyph with her hand while pouring some of her Will into it. The Dane axe flared with flame, and Helga delivered a powerful blow that shattered the wall of ice into steam and chunks of ice. The two ran out of the chamber as the Frost Hag launched ice boulders at them. Jeze dared not look back, but she heard the Frost Hag give chase. In that short fight, Jeze knew that she and Helga would not have been able to win. The Frost Hag was very strong. Worse yet, Freyja was skilled with the spear and Rune magic. Jeze just hoped that her plan would work and that she and the others were enough to defeat this rageful Demigod. She also dared to hope that maybe she could save Rainbow and Swordslayer.