Seton froze in terror for a moment, before darting away and hiding behind underneath the steps that spiraled around the chamber. Heavy footsteps could be heard in the chamber, shaking the cave around them and knocking dust and powdery ice from the ceiling. The steps grew louder, and Seton chanced a peek at the cave to see the massive body of the Frost King emerging into the open chamber. He ducked back underneath the step immediately, holding his breath and readying his body for a fight.

"What human dares desecrate this sacred place?" boomed the voice once again. "Come out and face me, unless you would have me hunt you down."

The thudding stomps grew closer to the steps where Seton hid until the beast was right above him. It seemed to examine the area above, then swiveled its head to look underneath the steps. Seton inhaled slowly, readying his ax for the moment the creature would spot him and all hell would break loose.

"Hiding is futile," the wyvern growled, drawing its head closer to peer underneath the steps. Seton had fully intended to leap upon the monster and slash its eye, but hesitated as the beast's head drew close and its right eye fell on him. On that eye, the same symbol that had been used to signify the ruler of the mountain was etched. For a moment, time stood still, and Seton stared into that strange, unmoving eye; and for that moment, the strange eye stared back, a sort of violent hatred burning within it. "There you are," the Frost King growled.

The sound of that voice finally snapped Seton out of his trance, and he let out a roar and jumped at the wyvern, swinging his ax at the creature's eye. But the Frost King was quicker, opening its jaws and catching Seton mid-swing. It swung its head, violently throwing Seton into the far wall of the chamber. As Seton struggled to get to his feet, the massive wyvern seemed to stand back, looking him up and down. There was a slight glint of curiosity in the Frost King's eye, but it quickly faded, replaced by an angry glare as Seton readied his ax once more. "In every age," the dragon growled, "you humans remain the same."

Seton took a step forward, his body aching, but his resolve firm as ever. Part of him wanted to fling himself at the beast with a mighty roar, but that had already failed once. Instead, he watched the king carefully, waiting to see what it would do. But the Frost King did not attack. It, too, took a step forward, its legs crouched and its head low, with its tail slowly swaying from side to side. Its wings were raised, as though it could have taken off at any second, but it never did. "Fools," it growled, "so eager to die."

"'Eager to die?'" Seton gripped his ax, feeling a newfound rage within him. "You're the one who slaughtered them," he hissed through gritted teeth.

"And I suppose you think you're here for revenge?" the beast replied, with what sounded like a chuckle.

"I am," Seton growled, taking a few more steps. As he did, the wyvern gave a low, dangerous growl. Seton stopped.

"And what are you avenging, little fool?" Despite its apparent anger, the Frost King spoke with what seemed to be a tint of amusement.

"You know full well what I'm avenging. You killed our livestock, you laid our houses to ruin, and you slaughtered many good people. On my ax, I will have your head."

"Do you truly think you can kill me, just because you felled one young dragon?" the Frost King chuckled.

Seton's eyes widened. "You knew?"

"Everything that happens upon any of these mountains is mine to know, and your voyage was no exception. Why do you think the wyvern sentinels didn't tear you limb from limb? Why do you think the dragons didn't drag you from the mountainside and gorge on your entrails? I commanded them to let you come."

"Then you've made my hunt all the easier," Seton snarled before racing toward the wyvern in a frenzied rage. He lifted the ax as he ran, only swinging it once he was within reach of the Frost King's neck. Before he could make contact, however, his limbs were frozen in place, as the wyvern opened its mouth to breathe a blast of icy wind that froze Seton to the spot where he stood.

The king gave a heavy sigh as he circled the frozen Seton. "It seems I've struck a nerve with you, little fool. I spare your village from being leveled entirely, and you come to avenge what little blood I righteously spilt. I grant you open passage to my chambers, and you accuse me of making a fool of you. You've done quite enough of that yourself." As it spoke, the beast brought its face level with Seton's locking eyes with him. "You've squandered my generosity enough. So hear my words: you only live and breathe now because I allow it. And the same holds for your kin down in the hills." The creature then fell silent for a moment, eying Seton again before speaking once more. "Are they even your kin? You look different."

"Not by blood," Seton replied.

The Frost King's eyes widened slightly at this. "Yet they sent you? A hunter for hire, perhaps?"

"No. They raised me when my mother passed. They taught me to hunt, and to protect. And every day, we lived in fear of you. We all wondered each day whether you would come or not, and who would die next. Would you send a dragon, a wyvern, or yourself? How much food would we lose because of you? Would a father die? Or would his son or daughter? So they raised me to fight, praying that I'd be the one to finally ease their fears, and let them live without dread of your next coming."

"So they trained you for this moment, did they? An outsider boy?"

"Among them, I am the strongest. It was only natural that they did."

The Frost King fell silent. The pupils of its eyes constricted, and it gave a deep, menacing growl which gradually rose to an enraged roar. It swung its heavy tail, denting the wall behind it. It continued to roar, stomping its feet and shattering the ground underneath it, moving wildly about the room in a terrifying tantrum. Yet, never once did it strike Seton. "The cowardly bastards!" it roared. "They squander my kindness, run my kin from the hills, tread upon our lands, ignore my warnings, and now they raise and send an outsider boy to deal with the crisis they made for themselves! Mark my words, I shall see them all dead!"

When it finally calmed down, Seton finally spoke. "What did you mean by that?" He said it softly, not quite certain how to process what he'd heard.

"By what?" the Frost King snarled.

"You said they squandered your kindness, and ran your kind from the hills. What did you mean?"

"I meant precisely what I said. Tell me, do you know why your village rests upon that hill?"

"The chief says it's because the soil is rich, and the animals are plenty for food, even in the cold season."

"That it is," the wyvern stated. "It is a good land, which gives generously. And it was set aside for my kind. For the dragons. The wyverns. The drakes. Even the amphitheres, should they venture into such lands. These were lands for us to rest from our journeys, and to unite in the calling of storms. And on these peaks, we would worship our god--the god of all dragons."

"Like the carvings on the walls," Seton murmured.

"Precisely," the Frost King replied. "Akiah, the great Dragon God of Storms. Magnificent in form, and overflowing with the most frightful of powers. Storms of rain, ice, and thunder all form and dissipate at her command. And even her three greatest subjects can scarcely match a tenth of her might." The king spoke with a reverence that Seton had never heard from anyone before. "And as one of those subjects, it was my desire that these mountains should stand as a place of worship in her honor. They would be holy ground, sacred to my kind, and not to be sullied by the feet of man."

"Then why is the village here?" Seton asked.

A frigid breeze blew over Seton as the beast gave a heavy sigh. "Your kind came from a far land that had fallen to ruin. You were hungry and sick, and begged that I come to your aid. So I obliged, and allowed your kind to form a settlement in the valley these mountains surround. I saw to it that you had food, and said the land was yours to live within. Only, you were not to set foot upon the mountains, save for travels to other lands. No hunts were to be made there, and no settlements were to be established. And, for a time, the humans obeyed. But then came a famine, and food was scarce. I told the humans to stay within the valley, despite their hunger. I told them to trust me, and that rain would soon come to give the land life again. I warned them that if they moved into the territory of the dragons, they would not be easily forgiven.

"But they ignored me, and moved to the hills, running the dragons off and hunting for food never meant for them. But I commanded that they not be killed. Instead, I told them that the dragon of rain would soon come, and the valley would be plentiful again. But they had developed a taste for the bounty of the mountains, and had become greedy. They refused to leave, and began to fight off the dragons that attempted to hunt there. They asked what the harm could be. It was just a few hills, after all. The dragons and wyverns wanted to kill them for it. They wished to leave none alive for their transgression. But I commanded them to let your kind live, in hopes that I could, perhaps, run them from the hills and back to the valley that I gave them. But no matter how many warnings I gave, they would not relent. We dragons live far, far longer than you humans. The time of a human life is little in my eyes, and my patience spanned two generations of your kind. And instead of heeding any of my warnings, they remained, and have sent you--no blood of theirs--to come and do away with me. So tell me, little fool, do you still plan to butcher me the same as some bear or wolf?"

Seton, with no response to give, fell quiet.

"I thought as much," the beast said in a lower, calmer tone. "You're different from the rest. You listen to reason more than they. You must be confused. Troubled. Terrified, even. A bit of a temper to you, but I can see in your eyes that you have no bloodlust. Only anger, and desire to do what you must. You don't kill for the thrill of it, do you?"

"I do not," Seton replied. "Only to protect and provide for the village."

"You seem quite allegiant to them, even after what I have said. Why?" the wyvern asked, curiosity filling its words.

"As I said before," Seton answered, "they raised me when my mother passed. They took me in as one of theirs. They gave me my ax, and taught me how to survive. I owe them a debt, and if I can spare them, perhaps I can finally call it paid. And so long as I am in their debt, I hunt without question."

"So they've made you their slave," the beast hissed, anger now seeping into its voice. "Just as I thought. They never change. But tell me, do you want to kill me? Did you ever want to kill me at all?"

Seton thought for a moment. "No," he said at last. "I don't want to kill you. At one time, I did. When I saw what you did to the village, I wanted you dead, so they could have peace. But even then, I was terrified, and knew in my heart that for all the wolves and bears I could kill, I would never be able to slay the Frost King. I knew it was impossible for any man. And I dreaded the day they would send me to do it." He took a deep breath, then met the beast's eyes with all the determination he could manage. Thoughts of Nalia crossed his mind as he spoke. "But if it means the village can be safe, I will still try."

The dragon held his gaze, but this time, it seemed calm. For a time, it seemed as though it was staring into his soul. By the softer stare it gave, it almost seemed to pity him. "All for the sake of your kin, I see. Your determination does not come from greed. I see it clearly."

"Of course. Even if they transgressed, I don't want them to die. And if I have to kill you for that to happen, then no matter how impossible, it will be done."

The Frost King chuckled. "There will be no need. I will send one final warning. I will not allow you to kill me, but neither do I wish to kill you. This fight is not yours to die for. It is that of the chief, and of those who know plainly what they do and still choose to transgress."

Seton struggled to find words for many moments, before finally saying: "Thank you."

The wyvern shook its head. "Do not thank me yet. I will send you to give them a warning, but it will be my last. They shall be removed in one way or another. See to it that those you love are not removed by the force of my wrath. Do you understand?"

"I do," Seton said with a solemn nod.

"Very good," the Frost King said, raising a clawed leg to chip away the ice and free Seton from his frigid prison. When the ice finally gave way, and Seton came tumbling to the ground, the wyvern caught him with its foot, and helped him back to his feet before ascending the steps that led back to the chapel above. 

Seton followed the beast, passing the murals on the cave walls and emerging into the icy chamber where the king awaited, its eyes inclined toward the depiction of Akiah at the top, just like the carvings on the wall. When the king did not speak or acknowledge his arrival, Seton also chose to stare up at the engraved god. He knew how strong the Frost King was. After all, he'd seen it himself. If this Akiah was as immensely powerful as the king said she was, then perhaps she truly was worthy of worship by the dragons. If the village truly stood their ground, and made enemies with these beings, there would be no fighting back. Even if the Frost King fell, what would the other dragons do? And what would Akiah do?

After they had both stood in silence for a few moments, the Frost King finally looked back down at Seton before walking out of the chapel and into the open air of the summit. Seton followed, looking up to the sky to see that the dragons above had dispersed, allowing the clouds to clear and show faint traces of the sun and sky beyond. Instead, they perched on the icy buildings and stared at him silently. Some seemed to eye him with curiosity. Others looked on with contempt. But as the Frost King walked beside him, none dared attack.

The king raised its head and let out a roar, followed by words in a language that Seton had never heard before. It seemed to be made of beastly growls, grunts, and other strange noises that resembled no known human tongue. Though none of the other dragons spoke, it seemed as though they understood what the king said. And as the king finished speaking, a smaller, younger-looking wyvern emerged from the crowd, standing before them and dipping its head in a sort of bow before the king, which the king mirrored, though less low. When they both raised their heads again, they looked to Seton.

"This is Shakah," the Frost King explained. "She will take you down the mountains and to your village. There, you will tell your village what I have told you. Shakah will wait outside the village to ensure you do not flee, and the day after tomorrow, she will bring you back here to give me the answer your people have chosen. Do you understand?"

"I do," Seton answered in as firm a tone he could manage, despite his growing fear.

"Very good." The king then looked to the other wyvern and said a few more words in their tongue. Once they were done, the king turned to enter the chapel once more, and the rest of the dragons gradually dispersed.