The Game of the Brave

The decision was easy to make, but truly becoming "Demacia's Warmother in the hearts of the Freljordians" wasn't so simple for Lux.

Demacia held considerable appeal for the Freljordians, but there were just as many factors keeping them from joining Lux. By Freljordian tradition, a powerful tribe could easily absorb a smaller one—but there was one very important prerequisite: Lux had to prove herself a Warmother.

Many tribes across the Western Freljord Subcontinent now looked toward Demacia with hope. But for that hope to turn into action, Lux would have to make a little more effort.

Fortunately, the stage was already set. The journey to Rakkor to attend the tribal alliance and witness the ceremony had sparked a spontaneous gathering of tribes across the Western Freljord. If Lux performed well at the gathering and showed enough sincerity, quite a few tribes would likely be willing to try boarding her ship.

So Lux, who had initially planned to take things easy, tightened her belt once more. She began studying intelligence about the Western Freljord Subcontinent and preparing for her performance.

"Acting like a Warmother? That really does sound challenging."

Once Lux had made up her mind, word of the "Nuskar Alliance" quickly spread throughout the Western Freljord.

Lux had deliberately slowed her pace, and the tribal Warmothers interested in either her or Demacia began to make their moves.

They would reach Nuskar before the ice and snow melted, greet the legendary "Demacian Warmother" in spring, and observe her up close—her strength and wisdom—while silently gauging how far they might dare to go in approaching her.

Whether they would show her respect, draw closer to her, or simply pledge themselves to her—all would be answered at the gathering.

Compared with the vast Freljord, the Western Freljord Subcontinent was no more than