Book 2

The story of the companions’ journey to Ice Wall Castle and their defeat of the evil Dragon Highlord, Feal-thas, became legend among the Ice Barbarians who inhabit that desolate land. It is still told by the village cleric on long winter nights when heroic deeds are remembered and songs are sung.

SONG OF THE ICE REAVER

I am the one who brought them back.

I am Raggart. I am telling you this. Snow upon snow cancels the signals of ice Over the snow the sun bleeds whiteness

In cold light forever unbearable.

And if I do not tell you this The snow descends on the deeds of heroes

And their strength in my singing Lies down in a core of frost rising no more

No more as the lost breath crumbles.

Seven they were from the hot lands

(I am the one who brought them back)

Four swordsmen sworn in the North

The elf-woman Laurana

The dwarf from the floes of stone

The kender small-boned as a hawk. Riding three blades they came to the tunnel

To the throat of the only castle. Down among Thanoi the old guardians Where their swordsmen carved hot air

Finding tendon finding bone

As the tunnels melted red. Down upon minotaur upon ice bear

And the swords whistled again Bright on the corner of madness

The tunnel knee-high in arms

In claws in unspeakable things

As the swordsmen descended Bright steam freezing behind them.

Then to the chambers at the castle heart Where Feal-thas awaited lord of dragons and wolves

Armored in white that is nothing That covers the ice as the sun bleeds whiteness. And he called on the wolves the baby-stealers Who suckled on murder in the lairs of ancestors. Around the heroes a circle of knives of craving

As the wolves stalked in their master’s eye.

And Aran the first to break the circle

Hot wind at the throat of Feal-thas

Brought down and unraveled

In the reel of the hunt perfected. Brian the next when the sword of the wolf lord

Sent him seeking the wane lands.

All stood frozen in the wheel of razors

All stood frozen except for Laurana. Blind in a hot light flashing the crown of the mind

Where death melts in a diving sun

She takes up the Ice Reaver And over the boil of wolvesover the slaughter

Bearing a blade of ice bearing darkness

She opened the throat of the wolf lord And the wolves fell silent as the head collapsed.

The rest is short in the telling. Destroying the eggs the violent get of the dragons

A tunnel of scales and ordure

Followed into the terrible Lorder

Followed further followed to treasure.

There the orb danced blue danced white

Swelled like a heart in its endless beating

(They let me hold it I brought them back). Out from the tunnel blood on blood under the ice

Bearing their own incredible burden

The young knights silent and tattered

They came five now only

The kender last small pockets bulging.

I am Raggart I am telling you this.

I am the one who brought them back.