Synopsis

The chapter opens with a symbolic representation of spring thawing the frozen world, paralleling the emotional thawing occurring as the protagonists learn about the Ice General's past through absorbed memories. They discover she was not inherently evil, but a lonely being who sought connection, and her attempts at play were met with hostility, which warped her into the monster they know. This leads them to understand that the solution to their conflict, previously thought complex, might be as simple as fulfilling her initial wish: to play a game.