Chapter 14: A Dreadful Feeling

“The worst part is not the slaughter. It’s the waiting before it”

-Old proverb

The freezing, mighty winds roared loudly with a howling whistle through the dark, matted forest and soaked grasslands, bringing along the swamp’s powerful stench in its wake. It was mild; however, when compared to what its reputation suggested. The highland weather was renowned for being utterly merciless. The sun had already set behind the mountains just a few minutes ago and the woods were completely overtaken by darkness. He frowned. Being stranded on inhospitable lands in the middle of nowhere without his weapons, food, supplies, and means of transportation would probably mean the end for anyone else, but for a man like him? It was just a minor setback. He’s been through worse. Far worse.

Well. At least it stopped raining. He thought, spitting bitterly while cursing his shitty luck. White Feather wasn’t the kind of man that gave up easily. Who would’ve thought that stubborn dragon would almost beat me? Almost being the keyword here. If it wasn’t for that bratty teenage girl hitting him in the head, he would have killed that dragon right there. He made a slip, a slight one that almost cost him his life. Oh, but he always relished a good thrill despite constantly saying otherwise, having faced many challenges throughout his career, from hunting down dangerous beasts to slaying kings from distant realms. He could brag about shaping kingdoms! Facing a dragon was nothing new. However, one that could talk, think and know the secret behind his magic might yield an even more valuable prize than the bounty for the girl.

He learned the lesson the hard way. But he would be a fool if he didn’t prepare for the worst. He always anticipated that possibility and prepared accordingly, having previously hidden a cart full of food and supplies deep into the forest for the slight chance that things went the wrong way. And they did. They always did. If it wasn’t for that terrified Nord boy that the dragon let go, he would still be tied to that well. He sighed, his warm breath forming a cloud of moisture in the cold night air. The only outcome he didn’t anticipate was being foiled by the very girl he was after, but he would not make the same mistake again the next time they met. And they will meet again. He had already made sure of that.

However, he needed more pawns for his little gambit after losing a team of the best sellswords money could afford around these parts at the dragon’s hands. He couldn’t blame them, though. Nobody could have prepared for what they faced and said dragon proved to be a terrifying adversary, wiping the floor with them in seconds. What a waste of fine men. Finding the Nord band resting at the edge of the forest bordering the swamp just a few miles ahead surprised him, but for all the wrong reasons. He grinned. The fates always give prepared men a second chance, they say. After briefly pondering about it, now the Northmen seemed so convenient exactly for the same reasons he frowned upon them in the first place. And who knows? They might be exactly what he needed: straightforward, brutal, bloodthirsty.

Expendable.

White Feather walked into their camp, walking past the others who could only stare back astonished, and approaching their chieftain directly, he being easily distinguishable by his ornate ridge helmet with a rather prominent polished bronze visor obscuring the upper half of his face, while his grizzly, braided beard masked him completely. His matching pauldrons and vambraces shining brightly at the campfire’s light, and his breastplate partially hiding behind elegant furs, only reassured him that the man sitting in front of him was indeed in charge.

The chieftain thought wise of regrouping the remnants of the war band after they split into smaller groups while giving chase to that lone adventurer through the swamp during their botched attempt to capture her. He barely acknowledged the wizard’s presence, looking worried, thoughtful, and his head weighting down his shoulders yet making the effort to raise it to meet the mage’s face while his men whirled around them astonished. He swiftly pacified his men with only a hand motion. White Feather lowered his mask responding in kind, cobalt blue eyes piercing through emerald green ones.

-“Seems you were hit pretty hard... again,” White Feather said.

-“Trollkarl! Han är trollkarl från häromkvällen!” a Northman among the crowd yelled.

-“Halla mun!” the Nord chieftain growled fiercely, quickly silencing his men. -“You are either the bravest man or the foolest, outlander! You have no idea who you are dealing with!” he threatened.

-“On the contrary, my friend, I know exactly who I’m dealing with. You are lost on hostile territory, short on supplies, and your men keep falling by the dozen. First by that old priest, and now by that dragon,”

-“How do you even know that?!”

-“I also have unfinished business with him,”

-“So is true. First you and now a dragon?! I thought my men had lost their minds!” he said, standing to look at the wizard squarely in the eyes, his imposing frame towering above the already tall mage. -“You might have helped my men the other night but I will not tolerate you ridiculing them!”

-“They are doing fine by themselves, they don't need my help for that,” the mage said with a mocking grin that promptly changed to a frown after the Nord chieftain bared his teeth. -“But I didn't come all the way here to make fun of their failure, quite the contrary... I'm willing to lend a hand again... if it benefits us both,”

-“If I learned something in my life is to never trust imperials!”

-“I don't know what your masters promised you, Northman, but I might be willing to share a hefty amount of gold with you... if you help me, of course,”

-“No amount of gold could rival what I was promised, wizard!”

-“And what was that?”

-“A kingdom! I was promised my own kingdom!” he yelled, diving again onto the tree trunk he was previously sitting over with a defeated look on his face. -“A kingdom I might never see if we remain stuck in this accursed swamp!”

-“A kingdom for a teenage brat?” the mage asked.

-“I don't know who the hell she is and frankly I couldn't care less! I have kidnapped royals before, wizard! I know this business very well! But clanners don't have any royalty! I know because I have fought them countless times! Something is wrong, I know! If my men are correct then that girl went south deep into Clan Aureon lands where we can't follow!”

-“Yes, she proved to be equally elusive for us both,”

-“What angers me the most is that the Seer predicted this! She even made me seek a drakenirr warrior!” he said, pointing at a lone man wearing a dragon skull as a helmet and grey feathered hide as a mantle, sitting on the ground in complete silence, far from the others. His naked torso was covered in scars, and his eyes closed as if he were in deep meditation. -“I thought I was daft for even listening! But as it turns out, she was right in the end,”

-“You might be interested in knowing that there is still a chance to get to her,”

-“Dumheter! Do you really expect me to believe that?!”

-“It's been arranged,” the mage said, producing a golden medallion with the Clan crest engraved on its face, much to the chieftain’s utter shock. -“You’ll see, I already spoke with the Clan Lord and made him an offer he couldn't refuse,”

-“Don’t you dare lie to my face, Imp!” the Nord chieftain countered fiercely, standing again, pointing a finger at the mage’s face, who kept his composure. -“I know clanners! They would never take bribes!”

-“They wouldn't?” White Feather asked prompting the Northman’s confused reaction. -“That might have held true fifteen years ago, but nowadays they are just as greedy as they come. Haven't been to Dawnfall yet? They backstab each other over whores,”

-“Even if that's true, I will take the girl to Nordland! I won't let you take away the kingdom I was promised!”

-“I'll have a word with your master then, Northman. If the one that put the bounty on her and the one that supplied your ragged war band with their equipment turns out to be the same then he might be interested in my services,” he pointed out, prompting the chieftain to contemplate the mage’s words for a moment. -“We can still benefit from this... if you accept my offer,”

-“We don't have much time!” the Northman countered. -“Even if we had free reign, the girl could be anywhere!”

-“There is a road going through the forest. It’s the only road that isn't flooded. It leads straight to a small Clan outpost not too far from here. She’ll be there,”

-“How can you be so sure?!”

-“She has nowhere to run. I've already made sure she can't cross the Spey River,”

-“How?!”

-“By blowing up every bridge,” the mage said with a wicked grin.

-“You scare me, wizard,” the chieftain said, trying his best to keep his cool. -“Suppose for a moment I go along with this madness. What would you want me to do?” he asked with a much calmer tone.

-“To attack, of course,”

-“When?”

-“Soon,” the mage said calmly. -“The Clan Lord will send a token resistance to save face but they might still pose a threat. I need eight of your best to infiltrate the outpost, take the girl and get the hell out while your men keep the warriors busy. The bridge on the far west that leads to Clan Kano territory is the only bridge remaining. I'll wait for you there. I suppose I don’t need to tell you that your men will make sure I don't run away with the girl,”

The Nord Chieftain contemplated the mage’s words for a moment before replying. He’s definitely up to something! This is too good to be true! However, he recalled the Seer’s words before embarking on this ordeal. The priest, the wizard, the dragon, being lost on foreign lands, and the battle that is coming, that witch predicted all of this! That was why she insisted on bringing a drakenirr warrior, a full-fledged dragon slayer, along with his war band. But even if his suspicions about him proved correct, it was still far better than sitting here wasting time and risking a mutiny against him. I need to find that girl and fast! And this wizard might be the key to it, as shady and self-serving as he may be. It is fated.

-“First, let me be absolutely clear. I don't trust you! And I would never help your kind if the Seer hadn't predicted this. This better work or I will have my men tear you apart limb by limb,”

-“Wolfein! Choose seven of our best men. You’ll go with this fine gentleman to make sure he keeps his word!” the chieftain gave his last command, walking away not before exchanging glances with the mage one last time.

-“Ja!” yelled the young, vigorous Northman, approaching the mage to meet him face to face. His hulking frame rivaled the chieftain in stark contrast to his youthful yet determined face. He turned immediately to address the rest of the men. -“Jorn! Gorn! Bors! Leif! Rurr! Kurt! Virheim! Du följer med mig! Förbered dina turer!

The chosen seven complied without protest, gathering their bulls and their equipment in little time. Their rugged looks quickly set them apart from the rest, they looked seasoned and their demeanor showed discipline. Good.

-“Perhaps the chieftain is desperate enough to fall for your lies, mage, but I’m not! I bet you are leading us to a trap!” Wolfein said, interrupting his thoughts.

-“It’s funny, you know. That's exactly what I’ve planned,”

-“And you have the nerve to admit it?!”

-“Well, you could've warned him any time, kid, but you didn't,”

-“I could have! And I still can!”

-“You seem rather smart, unlike the others. I could use a man like you. What’s your price?”

-“I'm not as foolish as the Chieftain! I have my feet on the ground but I also know that a chance like this never comes twice! I want a share of that gold!”

-“And you will have it, kid,” White Feather said, producing a single gold coin from his pockets, and tossing it to him. The Northman caught it in midair and inspected it. -“There won't be many to share it with after the clanners are finished with your fellows,”

-“And how much would it be?! Didn't you promise the Clan Lord a share too?!”

-“I never said that. I said I made him an offer he couldn't refuse,”

-“What did you promise him then?!”

-“What do you think would make a clanner happy? What would a clanner desire the most?” he asked back, the Northman pondered briefly about it before the realization hit, his eyes widening in shock. -“A battle,” White Feather said as a confident grin appeared on his face. -“I’ve promised him a battle,”

Wolfein made a wicked grin in return. Perhaps he wouldn’t have to go back home empty-handed after all.

Meanwhile, the leader of the small mercenary group couldn’t stop worrying. Everyone called him ‘Boss’, yet nobody from his small group seemed to follow any of his orders. He sighed. He went ahead just for a few hours to report their presence to the Clan warriors manning the outpost only to find it deserted, save for a bumbling pair punished with guard duty. In his absence, each one of his men handled the situation differently. Although Rain went to scout their rear as instructed, she never returned. Hunter and Tracker were supposed to guard the road and the caravan while he was away, only for said caravan to move on their command, with Hunter now missing, and Tracker only just barely explaining anything before he too went on his own to only the Gods knows where.

Of course, only he worried about that. He was doing everything in his power to save face in his client’s presence. To Lady Nana and the others, it was but a magnificent display of professionalism, each one of them knowing exactly what to do in his absence. If only she knew. He looked at the broken-down cart and sighed, his problems only seemed to get worse. He watched the young blacksmith apprentice inspecting the carriages waiting for the report.

-“Kira, can you fix it?” he asked.

-“Not today,” she said, crawling from below the broken-down cart to look back at him. -“The axle is broken and weight is the only thing holding it together. You are very lucky it got you this far. Weight and speed always mean an early end for these carts. They aren't meant to go that fast,”

-“You don't have too many choices when Northmen are behind you,” he countered.

-“Truly,”

-“Can you just use a wooden shaft?”

-“With this weight? It wouldn’t last long. You need an iron one if you want to make it back to Dawnfall. I think we have a spare axle at the workshop. Kastus can go and bring everything. I just need a few tools, and a day,”

-“You think that will do?” the blacksmith assistant asked,

-“It will suffice,” she replied, confidently.

-“I don’t think we have that much time,” the mercenary said.

-“You don’t have much of a choice, anyway,”

She’s damn right. He cursed. They were behind schedule already and couldn’t afford any more delays. Damn you, Hunter! I hope you’ve had a very good reason for this! At least we are in the outpost and not in the middle of the forest anymore. He had no choice but to press on, Lady Nana put her trust in his team to keep them and the caravan safe, and that’s what they’re going to do. It was then that he spotted two raiders coming hard in the distance, quickly identifying them as Hunter and Rain. About fucking time! He rushed outside the walls to meet them in order to keep their clients out of earshot for the scolding that was coming. Nina and Kuro had just barely dismounted when the shouting barrage began.

-“Where the hell were you two?! What the hell went through your head to move the caravan like that?! ‘Boss’ yelled at the top of his lungs, removing his sallet-styled helmet to better allow him to dish out insults, revealing a middle-aged man with a balding head of hair and a bristling beard. -“It almost cost us the carts! I had to carry on with your stupidity just to save face! I still don't know what the hell is going on! I know you're capable but I'm the one in fucking charge of this mission and you'll do well in remembering that!”

-“Boss, please! Calm down! We are wasting time! We are on the clock! We have to prepare defenses!” Kuro said, already expecting the justified lecture.

-“Defenses?!”

-“I had to go after Reinn! I couldn’t leave her there! I told Track to look for you and explain everything but I guess he didn't,”

-“He went off without explaining much!”

-“Where he went?”

-“To scout ahead and summon Clan warriors! I hope you had a very good reason! And who the hell are those two?!”

-“She's my cousin Nina,” Kuro said, while Nina bowed repeatedly in apology, which the mercenary leader seemingly ignored. -“And that thing over there is her pet, I answer for them both,”

-“I don't care about her or whatever that thing is but about what had Tracker so fucking nervous! Who the hell did you cross this time?!” ‘Boss’ demanded.

-“Northmen, boss. I think it's the same band from last night,”

-“NORTHMEN?! And you brought them here!”

-“No! But I don't have to! There is only one road available and it leads straight here anyway!”

-“Great! Fucking great! We are but a handful! Rain! Come here!”

-“Rain reporting, sir! I counted at least fifty before the band split in the swamps,” Reinn reported.

-“Their numbers may have dropped a bit, boss. We killed a few of them,” Kuro said, trying to ease the spirits to no avail.

-“Bet they're going to be pissed about that!” ‘Boss’ replied.

-“Where are the Clan warriors, anyway? I thought there would be at least a few around,”

-“They were summoned elsewhere! There is only a pair manning this post now,”

-“A pair? Let me guess, Sitka and Denai?” Kuro guessed. The mercenary leader just nodded in return. -“Great,”

-“What should we do?” Reinn dared to ask.

-“And now you ask?! We can't move the caravan any further, and ditching the carts will cost us our pay!”

-“Even if we leave the carts, we'll be easy prey on the road,” Kuro noted.

-“Sir! I think this position is defensible. We battled them in the swamps and they were quite sluggish,” Reinn pointed out.

-“In the swamps! But they will come with cavalry in the open as they did last night! Hopefully, Tracker will bring reinforcements when he comes back, we'll make a better plan then. I'll talk with Lady Nana. You two make sure we have everything prepared,”

-“Yes, sir!” the pair howled in unison, ‘Boss’ just nodded, and finally walked away to report the news to Nana. Both Kuro and Reinn let out a loud sigh. Man, being chewed up sucks.

-“He seemed pretty mad,” Nina said.

-“Nah, he's always mad. We’ve been chewed up far worse. Why don’t you and Rudo go inside and make yourselves comfortable? We’ll take care of things here,”

-“Sure, I think he wants to sleep,”

Rudo’s eyes shut the moment they reached the outpost and by now was just barely awake, having pushed his body beyond his limits during the past hours. Adrenaline helped him push on through most of it, but now that things finally calmed down, exhaustion shut down his body almost completely. Nina walked him through the ramp to inside the outpost’s walls to look for a suitable place to rest. Reinn watched the young pair walking away with a downed expression, feeling deeply for them, wondering if one day she could ever repay their kindness.

-“Hey Reinn, you ok?” Kuro asked, interrupting her thoughts.

-“Yeah, is just... I lost my favorite sword in the swamp. It was just a cheap sword anyway. I thought I’d got something better when I took this Nord sword but it turned out to be just as cheap,”

-“Let me see it,”

Reinn unsheathed the sword and handled it to him, which proved way too long to fit properly inside the scabbard. Kuro inspected it closely. He wasn’t a blacksmith or a connoisseur of Nord culture, but he knew a few things. There was something rather unusual about the sword he was holding, but he couldn’t put a finger on exactly what. Perhaps an actual blacksmith could tell them more about it. -“Kira! You have a second?!”

-“What do you think?” he asked, tossing the sword at her, which the apprentice blacksmith caught midair without effort, fanning it back and forth around, testing its balance.

-“It's a cheap knock-off of a Nord sword,” Kira said with a curious look, bringing its edge closer to her face. -“Definitely imperial steel, this would be an insult to a Nord blacksmith,”

-“So much for the Nord pride,”

-“But what does that mean?” Reinn asked.

-“The ‘Imps’ are the masters of mass production. This sword was forged with trip hammers and a die, devoid of any character,”

-“Character?”

-“Hammer marks. The Nord blacksmiths are world-renowned for their skill. They make magnificent swords with the best steel that only the wealthiest can afford. But even the most skilled smiths leave uneven marks. That's the sword's character, and it differs from one smith to another. The proudest even sign their swords. This one has no signature and the marks are all even because it was forged with machines along with thousand others,” Kira said, spitting a mouthful full of saliva if her disdain for Imperials as a whole wasn’t already evident.

-“Thank you, Kira! You're as helpful as always,” Kuro said smiling.

-“Ask Kastus if you don't believe me! He's familiar with imperial craftsmanship,”

-“I actually meant it when I said that,”

-“Sorry. I'm just way too used to your sarcasm at this point,” Kira replied, shrugging. -“Anyway, I’d love to hang a little longer but I still have work to do, let me know if you need anything else,” she said, walking away to return to her business.

-“There you have it,” Kuro said.

-“But… I don't understand! What does all that have to do with the Northmen?” Reinn asked.

-“I'm just thinking. I didn't want to say this in front of Boss but I think we got something way out of our hands here!”

-“Wait, you don't mean...”

-“Nina,” Kuro said, lowering his voice, looking over his shoulders to confirm nobody stood around eavesdropping. -“I think the Northmen are after her,”

-“Are you sure?!”

-“No! But just think about it! Why did the Northmen come this far?! They could've caught us last night if they really wanted to! Why they didn't?!” he pointed out.

-“Because they weren't after us,”

-“Exactly! The last time we saw Varr and his group, he mentioned something about a bounty for a girl. I didn't put much attention to it then but now I think it might be her,”

-“But even if that's true the Northmen can't cash the reward! Only official adventurers can!”

-“Unless there’s an adventurer leading them... Or we are missing something else,”

-“What do you mean?” Reinn asked, confused.

-“Her father is the closest thing to a King on fucking Midland! Now all of a sudden Northmen land everywhere, armed with imperial weapons! They chase us all the way to Clan Aureon lands through the only road available, and the warriors that were supposed to be manning this damn outpost suddenly disappear! It can't be a coincidence! Varr and his group are also looking for her, and who knows how many others! She even mentioned a mage! A fucking mage! She killed a Northman with that weapon! You saw that! Doesn't that makes you think?!” he said, pausing to catch his breath.

-“Now that you mention it, there's even the dragon,”

-“The dragon is the least of my concerns, they seem rather close. Let me talk to her. Please don't tell Boss anything, ok?”

-“I won't, you have my word,”

They nodded in agreement, finally making their way through the ramp and inside the walls. The towering stone walls stood ten feet tall. However, its sloped construction that allowed them to withstand constant floodings also made them rather easy to climb. Although the outpost formed a man-made island in the meadows, its imposing walls were only waist-high from the interior. Inside the walls stood just a few austere buildings, the warrior’s barracks in the center encircled by a pair of smaller ones that served one as an armory and the other as a dispensary, with the stables and a small latrine on the far side of the entrance. The wooden gate was only meant to keep the animals from wandering and would not prevent anyone from trespassing. The dykes they saw on their way to the outpost just a few miles away only made the entire purpose of the wall completely moot by this point. This isn’t good.

Kuro walked towards the armory, swinging its wooden door open, and finding both Nina and her dragon friend resting inside. Rudo was lying on the ground wrapped in Nina’s fur cloak, deeply asleep while Nina sat next to him, watching over him rather tenderly. Awww. Isn’t it cute? He cleared his throat audibly, prompting Nina to instantly retract her hands from the top of Rudo’s, her face a brighter shade of red, adjusting her posture clumsily, looking away embarrassed. He smiled broadly and the sight and couldn’t help but chuckle a bit. The thought of teasing her had already crossed his mind before, but just like then, there were far more serious matters that required their attention. She attempted to break the awkward silence with some casual talking but her tongue betrayed her. -“I-I-It’s not what you’re thinking!”

-“I wasn’t thinking anything. How is he doing?”

-“H-he’s sleeping! He’s been running nonstop for the entire day and he’s been exhausted even before we went back for Reinn so I thought it would be nice if he got some rest! I just didn’t want him to be alone!” Nina said.

-“He surely enjoys your company. How the hell does he even do it? I mean, to sleep like that,” he asked, intrigued, watching Rudo’s calm breathing.

-“I wish I knew! I've been having trouble sleeping,”

-“No wonder why. You’ve had a hard time and I bet the past few days weren’t easier either. Am I right? Look at the bright side. At least you killed one of them,”

-“Yeah, but I can't help but feel like shit about it,”

-“First time?” Kuro asked. Nina just nodded in response. He knew all too well how she was feeling. There was a time when he went through the exact same thing many years ago. But he wasn’t there to chatter. There were far more important matters to talk about, and he needed answers. Man. This is going to suck. He held his breath briefly, closing his eyes before changing the subject to another one he knew would make her greatly upset.

-“Nina, listen. We need to talk,” Kuro said, changing his tone to a deadly serious one. Nina turned immediately. -“Word says there is a bounty for a girl. Is that you?”

-“I thought I could trust you! We're family!” she countered fiercely, her temper blaring, and tears flooding her eyes, blurring her vision.

-“So is true!”

-“Yes! It's true! What are you going to do?! Are you going to sell me out too?!”

-“No! I won't! We're family after all but I need to know what in hell is going on!”

-“You might not want to know,” she said with a dejected tone.

Although she didn’t mean it, her elusive reply pissed Kuro greatly. He has done an amazing job concealing his anger ever since hearing about Verkan’s passing but there was only so much he could handle. Kuro knew it wasn’t her fault, but she was with him. She has to know something.

-“Verkan died because of it, Nina. So bet your pretty little ass that I fucking want to know!” Kuro countered, startling the hell out of her. Damn it! He didn’t mean to snap at her like that, but his composure finally reached its breaking point. It was clear that Verkan’s death was just as hard for him as it was for her. She gulped. She has never seen him this mad before, and the sight of his usually cool, handsome face distorted by rage terrified her. Nina produced a small scroll from her pockets and handed it to him, who promptly unrolled it to read it. His jaw dropped.

-“One fucking thousand! This is insane!”

-“And I still don't have the slightest clue of why!” Nina cried.

-“Does Rudo know?”

-“If he knows, he doesn't care! I’ve convinced him with food, but he has done so much for me that is not even fair!”

-“Do you trust him?”

-“With my life,”

-“Good. I have the feeling we're going to need him,”

-“What would you do?”

-“Honestly? I don't know! We don't have many choices right now. Running away is not an option, and we can't negotiate with the Northmen, even if we wanted to,” Kuro admitted, looking away and shrugging while Nina cried in silence.

A grim mood infected the room as both cousins took some time to catch their breaths, feeling greatly agitated. The awkwardness lasted only temporarily, however, when a still-sleeping Rudo rolled towards her, his pointy muzzle just grazing her thighs, mumbling something unintelligible, surprising her cousin, and shocking the hell out of Nina, who almost jumped from the thrill. Kuro chuckled. He couldn’t help but be robbed of a smile while Nina could only shudder, utterly flustered.

-“I didn’t mean yelling at you, really. Is just… I got carried away, I’m sorry,” Kuro said. Nina smiled half-heartedly in response, looking down.

-“Yeah, me too. I’m sorry for not being upfront about it,”

-“I think you should talk with Nana,”

-“I was afraid you were going to say that. I don't think I have the nerve,”

-“I know it's hard,”

-“You do?” she asked.

-“Is not the first time I have had to break bad news,” Kuro said, extending his hand to Nina. -“Come, I'll go with you,”

Nina hesitated for a moment, contemplating the dreaded meeting briefly. We’re finally here. Nana deserves to know it from me. It’s only right! She took a deep breath to steel herself for the imminent face-off, finally grabbing Kuro’s hand, who immediately pulled her onto her own feet. She turned to glance at her sleeping dragon friend one last time before leaving the room.

Kuro opened the barrack’s wooden doors, revealing a long, dimly lighted hallway with a few narrow doors on each side, each leading to smaller rooms. Nina could only think about what her next words would be, but they evaded her, even though she knew exactly what she was supposed to say. They walked through the hallway for what seemed an eternity, each step harder than the previous one, feeling cold sweat on her face, her body shaking like a leaf, and her mouth dry. If facing the Northmen was scary, this was downright terrifying.

They found the bottom doors half-open, light bleeding through the small gap. Nina gently pushed the door open, finding Nana and Lily in mid-discussion with ‘Boss’ in what seemed an exceptionally important matter to dare to interrupt. Lily turned towards them immediately, bowing politely to acknowledge their presence.

-“I trust you and your men will keep us safe, Raznak. It won’t be the first time we face the Northmen, and I'm sure it won't be the last. I trust your team and their skills,” Nana said, her face showing absolute determination.

-“Thank you for your trust, Lady Nana,” ‘Boss’ replied, bowing with respect. Nana nodded in return. -“I'll let you know anything as soon as we have more information. I'll keep you informed,” he said, glancing at both Kuro and Nina before leaving.

-“What do you want?!” Nana demanded.

-“Nana, we need to talk. It's important,” Kuro said with a grim tone.

-“What do you...” Nana was about to ask when Nina walked through the door, looking away, and biting her lips, tears already running down her face. She was unable to look Nana in the eyes. -“What are you doing here, young lady? I thought you were with Verkan,”

Kuro put a hand over her shoulder, giving her the courage to look at Nana’s eyes at last, although she remained silent. Lily also tried to comfort her grand grandmother, but she remained none the wiser.

-“Where is Verkan?!” she asked again, but Nina didn’t even dare to respond. It was only then that the girl’s silence and solemn expression finally clued her to old Verkan’s fate. -“No...”

-“Grandma!” Lily panicked, diving after Nana, who abruptly collapsed on her knees. Kuro also raced after her to help her stand, dragging a nearby wooden chair in which she sat down. Nina just watched them, crying silently as they helped Nana, not knowing what to do, her own knees shaking, threatening to collapse on her at any moment.

-“Kuro. Lily. Leave us alone,” Nana commanded.

-“But... grandma!”

-“Please,”

Lily was about to protest when a knowing Kuro let her know it was pointless to rebut. They complied immediately, if reluctantly, promptly making their way to the door. Kuro and Nina exchanged apologetic glances before he left, closing the wooden door behind him. She took a deep breath, watching Nana with nothing but absolute awe as the old woman held her head high, dignified, letting down just a single tear despite receiving this devastating news.

-“L-La-Lady Nana. I'm so sorry!”

-“You were with him during his last moments. How did he die?”

-“T-Th-The Northmen attacked the village the other night. Verkan held them off long enough to give me time to escape,” Nina said between sobs.

-“I've been having a dreadful feeling for the past few days. I never imagined it would be because of this,” Nana admitted, letting out a single sob. -“That old fool finally got his damn wish granted! He always dreamed about dying ‘gloriously’ as a warrior! I should be happy for him, but... it hurts,” she said, while Nina remained silent.

-“I know what you're thinking, child, and please... don't. Don't blame yourself for Verkan's death. It's not your fault. He would've hated seeing both of us weeping like this. Thank you. For giving me this sad news, I know it must have been hard for you.”

-“Are you sure you’re going to be ok?” Nina asked, concerned. -“If there is anything I can do...”

-“Did you find his body? Did you give him the proper rites?”

-“Yes,”

-“Then you did more than enough already,”

-“Thank you,”

-“Don't worry about me, child. I knew this was bound to happen sooner or later. I just thought I would be the first one to go. That old fool beat me to it. We’ve been friends since we were kids! Now he left me all alone,” Nana said.

-“You still have many people looking after you,”

-“I'm the one looking after them! Those girls can barely fend for themselves and they look up to me. They are my responsibility!” Nana commented, forcing a sad smile if only briefly, quickly replaced by a dead serious frown. -“A large Nord war band has been on our heels since last night. It seems they are the same band that killed Verkan. We might only have a few hours, maybe even less. If the Clan warriors can’t get here in time, I'll be meeting Verkan sooner than I thought,”

-“What do you mean?”

-“One of the carts has broken down, and the others are barely running,” Nana confessed, sending shivers down Nina’s spine. -“The highlands haven't been very kind to their wheels. I told Raznak to take my girls, and leave the cargo behind. There's just not enough room for us all, even without the luggage. I've already talked with the others. You're going with them,”

Nina’s heart stopped. What?! Does that mean… she’s staying?! She began to cry even before facing Nana, and now she was weeping uncontrollably. She took a deep breath to try to rein her feelings, her breathing becoming laborious after recalling the same dreaded feeling from a few nights ago when Verkan said almost the same thing to her before making his last stand. It wasn’t fair.

-“Nononononono! There's no way I'm leaving you behind!”

-“There will be no argument, young lady! You're going with them and that's final! I will not have your blood in my hands!”

-“I already have Verkan’s blood in MY hands! Do you think I also want yours?! I have my own means of escape! There's still a spot for you in the cart!” Nina countered fiercely.

-“That’s how I have decided it,” Nana replied sternly.

-“What?! But... why?!”

-“You're a good girl, Nina You remind me of your mother. You’re both naïve, and stubborn, and care too much for others. You may think of it as a fault but it’s not. I’m sure you will become a great priestess someday. The trip to Dawnfall is long and they need to go as fast as possible. I'll only be a burden to them,”

-“But...”

-“No 'but' me now, child,” Nana interrupted before she could even object. -“My girls don't know it yet, and it will be a heavy blow. I'm counting on you to look after them,”

-“Please, Lady Nana, don’t ask me that,”

-“I’m not asking, child. You need to be brave and strong, just as ‘The Vanquisher’ was,” Nana said, leaving her speechless.

-“Y-You... You knew?!”

-“Of course, I knew! I’m sure everyone knew! At least the people of our time! It wasn't the secret he thought it was! We just pretended not to know to make him happy!” Nana said as the hints of a smile briefly appeared on her face. Nina remained silent.

-“I’ve already made up my mind. I’ve lived a long life. I have some regrets but I’m ready to face my fate. Now you must face yours. You have to step up to the challenge,”

-“I-I’ll try my best,”

-“Good. Now if you excuse me, I wish to be alone for a while,”

Nina complied immediately, swiftly leaving the room, and closing the wooden door behind her with utmost care. She leaned against the wall, letting out a profound sigh, glad to finally breathe some fresh air after that torturous situation. Nana was indeed a formidable woman, and she hated breaking the news about Verkan’s death. She did what they expected of her, despite it killing her doing so. But the Northmen issue remained unresolved. Nana wants to stay, and she calls ME stubborn.

Kuro and Lily watched Nina leaving the room, and raced to meet her. Her biting her lips and solemn, teary face fixed on the ground quickly let them know about how the conversation went.

-“Lady Nina! What happened?!” Lily asked, her eyes begging for an answer.

-“Nana wants to be alone,” Nina replied.

-“Great,”

-“Kuro. What is going to happen to us?”

-“I don't know, Nina,” Kuro said, placing a hand over her shoulder. -“We’ll have more information when Track comes back,”

She nodded. There was nothing more to say. Nina made her way outside, walking through the courtyard toward the armory, and closing the door behind her. She slumped next to Rudo, embracing her legs in front of her, and carried on crying silently so as not to disturb him, who remained deeply asleep, still wrapped in her furry cloak. She couldn’t help but gently stroke the fleshy comb on top of his head, and sighed, fully aware of the impending bloodshed that was coming, and that he would be again her only hope. You’ve done so much for me that’s not even fair.

A dreadful feeling took over her heart, feeling torn apart between her desperate desire to just run, leaving everything behind, and the unwillingness to leave everyone at the Northmen’s mercy. Nana’s previous words echoed through her head, she would have to step up and face this. Please, Gods! Give me the strength!

She will probably need it.