Goodbye Sunrise
Frost lay strewn upon the snow covered ground, his master, Diamond Ice Hunter, had cast him aside with ease. He had made the mistake of defying his mentor, refusing to betray his long time companion Child of the Black Sunrise. It marked the first time since his exaltation that he felt truly powerless.
"Is that all you've got in you boy?"
Ice Hunter's harsh words focused his mind, Frost slowly pushed himself back to his feet, blood dropping from the tiger snout of his war form. He spit the the thick blood from his mouth, marking the perfect white snow with spatters of blood. Starring down his mentor he snarled with renewed purpose; he charged towards Ice Hunter, hurling his massive form into the air and diving towards his mentor's chest. Ice hunter sidestepped the attack easily, Frost reacted quickly, landing in a crouch he spun a sweep kick at Ice Hunter's legs, continuing the spin he exploded upward to uppercut his opponent.
Ice Hunter stepped over the sweep kick and knocked the blow aside, catching Frost's wrist he twisted it away from himself and struck the outstretched arm at the elbow. A loud 'crack' followed the strike as Frost's arm snapped and Frost called out in pain, falling to his knees. As he dropped to his knees he was met by a forceful kick from Ice Hunter, sending him spinning through the air landing painfully on the ground.
"So be it boy, I'll do it for you."
Frost's muscles ached in pain and he was unable to move, the very act of breathing burned his chest. All he could do was watch as the lumbering form of his mentor approached the minesicle figure of Black Sunrise, laying unconscious in the snow.
"Wait..." Frost's voice was weaker t hen he wanted, and Ice Hunter paid the feeble attempt no mind. He lifted the slender body of Black Sunrise from the snow; he lifted her easily by the throat with one hand, he pulled his great axe from the ground with the other.
"I said wait!" Frost's voice resonated across the icy ground, forcing himself to stand as he called out.
Ice Hunter paused and turned to look to his young pupil curiously, "You can't save her now boy."
"Take my life instead! If your thirst for blood cannot be put to rest."
"You don't get it, the sun's chosen are a plague on creation. They are all as glorious and beautiful as her in the beginning, but sooner or later she will be consumed by it. She will turn on all those she once claimed to protect, even you." Ice Hunter dropped her limp body to the ground, raising his axe over his head with both hands, without pause he struck a mighty blow.
A corona of essence wrapped around Frost's body as he crouched over the unconscious body of Black Sunrise. His unbroken arm stretched out, crouching the axe handle just under the blade, halting it only inches from his skull.
"I will pledge you a life debt if you spare her." Frost struggled to speak as the straining from stopping the mighty blow caused more blood to trickle from his mouth.
"You're bold boy..." Ice Hunter pulled back his mighty axe, turning and starting to walk back to the cave the three of them had lived in for the last several weeks. "Make sure she is gone by morning."
Frost collapsed into the snow, falling out of consciousness from exhaustion.
Frost watched as Black Sunrise rode off into the sunrise on the back of a red elk, packed heavily for the long journey out of the northern territories. Frost felt the large, calloused hand of his master come to a rest upon his shoulder.
"Come on boy, back to your training. I won't let you die before that debt of yours is paid."