Alna – The Frozen Mother

**Alna - The Frozen Mother** is an animated short that released on the official AFK Arena Youtube channel on December 25, 2020. It depicts Ginneas the Dwarf's encounter with Alna in the mountains as they hold out against a surge of Hypogeans.

## Description

*"I dreamed of that frozen battlefield countless times in the years after I parted with the Frozen Mother.*

*I dreamed of swarms of Hypogeans, of countless fallen brothers, and of the Frozen Mother who slew the demons by the hundreds. Her strength surpasses that of even a snow buffalo, her spear is more piercing than the freezing wind, and her soul burned hotter than a forge.*

*Valiant Alna, may your voice resound through the mountains for all eternity."*

## Transcript

[*Open on a shot of present-day Ginneas writing a letter. He begins to narrate what he's writing.*]

Alna, please permit me to address you as such. You have many names – Chillwind Songstress, Mountain Protectorate, The Permafrost Matriarch… Yet most folks of the world call you The Frozen Mother.

[*Pan up to a shot of Alna standing atop an icy mountain.*]

I still remember the day the mountains were torn asunder by the Infernal Surge.

[*Shift to an army of Hypogeans swarming the mountainside.*]

The Hypogeans trampled my home like a swarm of vile locusts. We were caught entirely off-guard. At that time, I was a soldier in the ‘Moltenflow Regiment.’

[*Shift to Ginneas hunched alone in a circle of fallen comrades.*]

My instinct as a soldier told me I was going to die honorably that day. I’d be drinking my fill with my brethren in the Halls of the Dead. Two days and nights we fought hard without end. Finally, I was alone on the battlefield. I believed my moment of glory had come as the Hypogeans advanced on me.

[*Shift to Alna leaping into the fray to join the battle.*]

But then, there came an earth shattering roar... And you appeared. You told me sternly, "If you don’t want to die, pick up your weapon and fight!" So, together we slayed the enemy. You were covered in cuts and bruises, blood was flowing from your open wounds. That was the day I discovered the gods could also bleed, just like me.

Faced with no alternative, you summoned a blizzard to provide cover. We were able to retreat.

[*Trans. to snow storm blowing the Hypogeans away. Shift to Alna and Ginneas, who are crouched in a cave as Hypogeans march by.*]

Back then, I was ignorant. I loathed you. I mocked your Godhood, I thought you wouldn’t dare to die just like we mortals. It wasn’t long before the Hypogeans sent out a search party. We were both hurt. We had no way to take them on. My dwarven pride made me feel like a coward for surviving.

[*Shift to Ginneas ambushing a patrol of Hypogeans. Alna comes in to save him.*]

Over and over I recklessly attacked the Hypogeans. Again and again, you saved my life. On one occasion, you finally snapped, punching me to the ground. "Stop thinking you’re the only one who has lost everything!" Later I learned that you, too, had lost a great deal.

[*Trans. to Alna and Ginneas alone on the mountain.*]

Many of your brothers and sisters had been slain by Hypogeans. Even your status was reduced to that of demi-God. During that short time, you made me understand one thing – “Perseverance through calamity." That is what defines a soldier.

[*Trans. to Alna and Ginneas attacking Hypogean soldiers together.*]

Later, our wounds had finally healed. We began working together, hunting down the Hypogeans. I am proud that I was able to fight alongside you. You always looked cold and aloof, but your soul burned hotter than a forge. You never regarded yourself a God. You always called yourself a warrior.

[*Trans. to a shot of the snowy mountains. Ginneas and Alna are facing each other.*]

Afterwards, when I was ready to head North, I bade you farewell. I still remember that time when I said to you, "Goodbye, Frozen Mother. May you be as stalwart as the mountains.”

“Take care, soldier. You can call me Alna.”

Valiant Alna, I know not where you are right now, though I suspect you are fighting someplace.

[*Trans. back to present-day Ginneas reading over his letter.*]

The Moltenflow Regiment is about to head South. It’s time to reclaim those pure white snowfields you were once sworn to protect. My soldier’s intuition tells me this journey will be my last, but I will not blindly throw away my life. No, a sacrifice should be meaningful. I only hope that when my time to pass arrives, that I am able to hear your battle cry on the icy winds once more. - Soldier Ginneas.

"Commander, Moltenflow Regiment has assembled!”

[*Ginneas grabs his battle hammer.*]

“Relay the order! All units head South!”

## Trivia

* Alna - The Frozen Mother may take place in Maldan, as it details a fierce battle in the icy mountains between dwarves and Hypogeans, with devastating causalities on the dwarf side.