He had found life in this seemingly barren land. Others, just like him, who had survived. Lived, kept going, and against all odds, survived.
They had grown strong together, taken on the world together, formed a bond that they swore could never be broken.
And now here he was, all alone again. He had risen so high, now crashed to the ground, a mess that couldn't be fixed. Iceclan had been defeated, his friends, his protection, now lay dead, scattered across the frozen ground, taking those lives and freezing them forever in a permanent capsule.
Supplies were running scarce. HellFire had taken everything with them, left and gone, taken their power. Once one of the three, Iceclan had that honour taken away from them. The legendary warriors of the frozen world were over. Only their leader, broken, alone and the life taken out of him, remained.
He lay crushed in the ground, feigning death until he was sure the last of the enemy had left. Then he picked himself up and staggered wearily south. he knew he had to find others soon, or risk dying from the stark conditions. He thought of how he had survived so long, now looked back in wonder at this miracle. He wondered how he'd done it.
It was right then that he knew. If he could do it back then, he could do it now. He could keep going, build a life out of the pieces he had left, one day he would regain that power and once again rule over the clans. He knew it in his heart, and set off with renewed strength, determined to stay alive.