Cold Shoulder

Chione

After Chief Winter told me of Chione and Snow, I couldn't believe it. He instructed me too meet Chione and have her help me defeat Snow. I agreed, after all I didn't have a choice, the rock on my necklace was turning blue signifying how long I have till I'm consumed by ice. "Hielo, I will help you get to Chione but I cannot interfere with any battles or problems you will have along the way. It's a long way too Chione, and you're the farthest away from her right now. I suggest you get moving as soon as possible. All the items that dragged you into the water are here." Chief Winter raised his hand and a poof of snow made my bags appear next to me. "But be warned Hielo, there's a hunter looking for you. She believes if she can find you and kill you the snow will stop. You must move quickly and keep to yourself." Chief Winter said as his body began to turn too powdery snow. "Farewell Hielo and if you need help consult this." From the powder he made an ice rock and handed it too me. "My mind and soul will be with you in the rock, keep it safe." Chief Winter smiled and put his disappearing hand on my shoulder. I nodded and he turned too snow and blew away in the wind. I stood up and groaned as I stretched my back. I sighed and looked out to the South Mountain. This snow wasn't natural for the Apache, I knew if I didn't hurry my people would suffer. I quickly packed up the tent and made sure I had my bow handy. I Threw my satchel over my shoulder and started to run towards the village. I hadn't known how long I was under the ice. If I had any hope, it was hoping Liluye remembered me.

When I got to the village I couldn't believe my eyes. All the people I knew were older. As I walked the paths throughout our village people whispered and gossiped about me. I made my way to the chief's tent and when I walked in I was stopped. On the throne sat someone wearing a mask made of red grass and tree bark. He told the guards to get me and one of them hit me in the stomach with the back end of their tomahawk. I fell to my knees and two guards grabbed me and lifted me by my shoulders. They walked me to the throne and threw me to my knees. The figure wearing the mask stood up and cracked his neck. The figure resembled a body builder, and he was very intimidating. He looked at me through the mask and he began to chuckle. "Well well well if it isn't little Hielo!" He shouted. I looked up at the man and he removed his mask. It was Yatsu, my old friend. The one who stood by me when I was struggling with my father.

Yatsu quickly picked me up and brought me into a hug. He chuckled and looked me over. "My god Hielo, what happened to you?" He asked. "I'll tell you later where is my father?" Instantly Yatsu's face changed and he sighed as he looked down. "Come on let's go on a walk, we have a lot to discuss." He replied. I nodded and followed him out of the tent, we walked past the village barriers towards the graveyard. Yatsu stayed silent as he walked me to a grave, and on top of it was the head dress of my father. I fell to my knees and stared at his grave as tears formed in my eyes. "What happened?" I asked Yatsu. "After you left your father became depressed, he claimed me as his heir and he well he fell ill. I promised him that I would look after the tribe." Said Yatsu. I cried and held my head as Yatsu told me that my father died. I couldn't believe it. "Leave me." I told Yatsu. He nodded and left me in the graveyard. "Father, I never wanted to hurt you, I just wanted a future with Liluye." I hid my face in my hands as I cried. But from the grave a white orb rose from the dirt and shined on me. "My son, you never hurt me." It said in a celestial voice. "F-Father?" I looked up too the orb and it shined. "My dear boy, do not blame yourself for my death, what happened to me was not your fault." The orb said. I wiped my eyes and sat up. "Father, I'm sorry for leaving." I said. "Hielo, I let you leave, you should not be sorry for something I let you do." He said. "Father I caused this winter, this plague on our people." I replied. "Do not blame yourself, I am the one to blame." He said. "If I were to tell you of what you were and how to control it, this wouldn't have happened. I wiped my tears and looked to the orb. "What of Liluye, did she return?" I asked. "She did not, when you disappeared she did as well, I'm sorry my son." He replied. I sighed and nodded. "I expected that, thank you father." The orb glowed brighter and floated right in front of my face. "Never forget who you are. You are Hielo, you are my son." The orb faded back into the grave and I stood up. I walked back to the village and instantly I was stopped by the guards once again. Yatsu stood behind them with a grim look on his face. "Yatsu, what is this?" I asked. Yatsu looked at me with darkness in his eyes and he shook his head. The village people gathered around us and gasped as they saw the guards point their weapons at me. "I heard you in the graveyard Hielo, and I saw the glow you created, you're a witch! You're a monster who plagued this village, you confessed to it!" The people stepped back as Yatsu yelled at me. I stood there with my eyes wide, I couldn't believe it my friend had called me a monster. Yatsu raised his hand and shouted at the guard to attack me. They charged at me with their spears and instead of stabbing me they pinned me to the ground. Yatsu came up to me as I laid on the floor and he pulled out a tomahawk. He shook his head at me with a disappointed look in his eyes. "I thought I could trust you Hielo," He put his chief's mask on as he spoke. "But I see now I was wrong, stop this winter!" He shouted. "I can't, it's not in my control!" I replied. He grunted and put his knee on my shoulder, he then took his tomahawk and slid the blade on my arm, cutting it. I shouted as he tortured me, I looked around to see the village people holding their hands over their mouths as they watched Yatsu cut into me like a ham. My arm bled as he looked to me again. "Stop the winter Hielo!" His eyes were filled with darkness but behind the darkness was pain, pain from hurting his friend. But as the village chief he had to do what was best for his people. Honorable, but he was easily blinded by it. "Hielo, stop the snow, I do not wish to kill you but I will." He said. I stayed silent and he sighed as he stood up. He looked at me and shook his head before turning to the village people. "My people, know that I do this for you. Hielo has confessed to bringing this plague upon us, and he refuses to stop it. I must execute him in order to stop the winter if he refuses." Yatsu said. The people's faces turned from fear to anger. They all started to chant as they agreed with Yatsu. He turned to me and looked down at me. "Hielo, as punishment for bringing this snow upon us, you will die!" He raised his tomahawk above his head and shouted as he began to swing it down. As he did it was as if timed slowed. I could feel the power surge through my body, my eyes glowed bright blue as I opened my hand and ice blasted from my palms. The guards who held me down got blown away and I rolled out of the way of Yatu's tomahawk. Yatsu chopped into the ground and looked at me with wide eyes. His guards were on the floor with chunks of ice on their chests. I stood up and looked to Yatsu, "My friend, I do not wish to fight you." I said. Yatsu pulled his tomahawk from the ground and looked at the people who now watched and waited for their chief's counter attack. Yatsu sighed and looked down before taking a deep breath and looking at me with fire in his eyes. He shouted an Apache War cry before charging at me. He swung his tomahawk at me and did his best to hit me. But his attacks seemed slow to me, almost predictable. As he swung the axe at my right arm I dodged it and punched him in the chest. He kept attacking almost never giving up. Using my ice blast, I shot the tomahawk from his hand and he started to swing at me. It wasn't until he grabbed my wounded arm and threw me by it that I couldn't stop myself. I kicked him back as he walked up to me and when he started to charge, I blasted him with ice. As he tried to fight against the ice I increased the strength of the blast. Eventually he fell and I encased his body in ice, but I left his head free. I walked up to him and formed an ice shard in my hand. I raised it and held it above my head. But I was stopped by the crying of a child. I looked to the village people and saw them stare at me in horror. I breathed heavily and I could see my breath in front of me. Yatsu looked to me with his eyes wide. "Hielo, I am sorry, please don't be the monster they see you as." I growled at him and raised the ice spike once more. "You called me a monster!" I shouted. Yatsu sighed, "For the sake of our people." I growled again but looked at my arm holding the icicle and dropped it. I melted the ice holding Yatsu and helped him up. "I don't control the snow, but I'm going to kill who is in control." I told the people. Yatsu put his hands on my shoulder and asked me who controlled it. I looked him dead in the eye and told him. "Snow, the witch of winter, and I will end her."