Bloodlines of the Ancient Pantheons

Chapter 494: CDXCIV. Outside The Walls

"My eyes are burning..." 

*groan*

A yawn followed that statement, and when Freydis looked at Dag's eyes, she quickly realized that he had not slept much that night, while she was perfectly rested.

"What happened? Couldn't you sleep?" she asked, stroking his face and looking at him carefully, to see if there was anything strange.

"I couldn't sleep, but it doesn't matter... now I get up... wake up Thalos for me" he said, to have a few more moments to recover and stretch.

After waking the wolf with cuddles, Freydis put on her armor and tied her spear behind her, preparing for the departure.

Dag did the same, a little slower than usual, continuing to yawn.

"The water in that bucket is clean. Rinse your face, it looks like you need it" she replied, mocking him for his sleep-deprived zombie expression.

After laughing with his woman and rinsing his face, he, Freydis, and Thalos left the house, locking the door even though there was nothing of value inside. 

They made their way to the palace, but at the intersection of their home road and the one leading to the Colossus Palace stairway, Kranus, Atran, and Kron were already waiting for them.

"Here they are, they have arrived. We can go" Atran said as he saw the Okstorm's warriors heading toward their position. 

Without making too much noise and avoiding waking the neighborhood, the brand new team members made their way to the gates of Tungvek, passing through the silent streets of the city, where only very few people were already awake: the baker who just started to bake the warm bread, a blacksmith who began to collect the pieces of iron useful to forge some kind of weapon, even two monks, kneeling in front of a small altar with a stone idol on it depicting the mighty Ymir, father of the Ice Giants.

After taking a horse each from the city stables, they arrived at the large stone door, immediately noting that the two guards who were supposed to supervise the opening mechanism, were both immersed in sleep, sitting on a mat on the ground, leaning on each other's backs.

"Hey! Is that how you work?!" Kranus asked, slightly raising his voice and causing them to jump in fear.

With their eyes still slightly closed and trying not to drop their helmet and weapons on the ground, the two men rose in unison, putting themselves on the lookout in front of their leader. 

"Open the gates, come on" he replied, avoiding commenting on their current state, so as not to put them in trouble.

Without saying a word, both of the guards made their way to the mechanisms that served to open the door, located one to the right and one to the left of the large stone slabs.

With a slight effort of their arms, they pulled out of the heavy metal levers, and soon after, a noise of gears announced the opening of the door, the two ends of which slid away from each other. 

"Come on, there's no time to waste" Kranus replied, urging his horse and opening the line. 

Dag and Freydis tried to support Kron and Atran, advancing slowly to allow Thalos to follow them without the slightest effort while keeping a distance so as not to scare the horses, not accustomed to walking next to a wolf of that size.

While riding with Freydis trying to notice something on the horizon that was not snow or rock, Dag thought back on Aslan, missing him and reflecting on his health, reassuring himself that in Skjegg's stables he would have been supervised by someone and some of the stables would have taken him out for a walk every now and then.

Trying to pass the time, after about an hour of riding at a slow pace, the mountains that from the city seemed imperceptible and far away became evident in front of them in all their magnificence.

"These mountains belong to the Randt Mastiff, which extends in that direction. The entrance inside the ring is on that side, while the Outpost 1 and the Ice Gorge are over there" Atran said, pointing both directions with his arm, allowing his teammates to orient themselves.

"Keep your eyes open. The guards of the Claws Of Fenrir could also be stationed above the mountains. This is one of the most inhospitable places in Krypstorm" Kron answered, slightly scaring Dag and Freydis, who, despite being ready to fight, couldn't help but think of those words.

"Until now, there hasn't been a place beyond Fort Hvit that wasn't dangerous... what Kron just said gives me goosebumps... look at the fog over the mountains... it's so gloomy that it looks supernatural" Freydis whispered, approaching Dag and telling him of her impressions. 

"Don't worry, stay close to me and keep your head down. If we remain silent, I will try to focus on the sounds, even if it will not be easy to distinguish them from that of the wind" he replied, trying to be heard by others, who did as he said, trying to minimize noises, allowing him to focus his attention on his surroundings, fully trusting his senses.

The mountain to their right diminished its height more and more and its summit gradually descended downwards, reaching the plain a little at a time and widening towards the base.

"Here we are, I feel something. The entrance must be close" Dag said, who began to hear voices in the distance.

"From here on we will proceed with caution. Keep your eyes down and raise your hands, showing your enemies not to be armed. In this way, they will allow us to get closer and maybe talk to them" Kranus continued, explaining the plan to his allies.

As soon as he finished speaking, looking towards the ground, he himself marveled and became afraid of the sight of that macabre spectacle: partially submerged by snow, there were hundreds of corpses, of which there was now nothing but bones and armor.