NOVEL NEXT 084. The Way to the Runeforge
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Sorry for not updating until today, I wasn't feeling very well. I'm doing much more writing now!
Also, I recommend you check out https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/45816/wayfinder for one reason or another. I wonder if you'll spot a familiar face.
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Adam’s sleep had been disturbed constantly by the terror of the blue glow he had seen the evening previous. It had appeared so quickly, as though it had teleported into existence, right then and there. He could still see the terrible glowing within his mind, haunted by the strange glow. The creature had come so close to the barrier, and they weren’t too far from the city yet. He doubted they were further than ten miles away from Muten, barely beyond the horizon. Joti and the other giants hadn’t reacted to its presence, though they had known it was nearby. What if they find something which could really hurt them, and the giants didn’t realise?
His disturbed sleep disturbed his mind, and he wore the worry on his face. He caught Joti nodding his head, and he returned the nod. Adam looked out to where the glowing eyes were and found nothing this morning.
“It’s gone?” Adam asked, staring out to the snow storm outside the barrier, the whites all shifting together in a flurry of wind and frost. He then looked back to Joti for his response.
“It is,” he said. “We have an understanding with one another.”
“An understanding?” Adam asked, wiping his face with some of the snow to try and fight off the sleepiness. The cold shocked him awake, though had done little for the fear that gripped his bones.
“The wind speaks between us. It has said that we are not to fight one another. We do not threaten it and it does not threaten us.”
Adam stared up at the frost giant in wonder. How could he believe in the wind? What did he mean by the wind? Wasn’t it just natural phenomena or was there something more to it? Was the wind related to the spirits and elementals? Adam wasn’t sure if he could trust the frost giant’s faith in the wind, though Joti seemed confident enough and was willing to bet his life on it.
“That’s crazy,” Adam whispered to himself. “You listen to the wind?”
“It is the way.” Joti bowed his head, as though it was completely normal.
Adam blinked a few times and then joined the giants in breakfast, eating his bland rations with them. This morning had gone about as well as he expected, quite poorly. The stress of the night and the awful food. Adam grumbled to himself silently.
‘I should make a tower…’ He thought about its comfort, and then realised the giants wouldn’t be able to use it. There was something about summoning a tower for himself as his companions suffered. He couldn’t just abandon them to the cold.
Adam followed the mighty form of the chanting giant, his words providing him comfort. The snow whipped and the wind wailed, yet the group was safe within the protection of Joti's barrier, a blanket of safety to fight against the terrors of outside. Adam's kept glancing around, trying to find those blue lights he had seen the night before. He longed for a hot bath, a nice cuppa, and some biscuits. He’d even settle for some caramel biscuits, though he would vastly prefer shortbread or such.
They travelled like this for the next few days, finding a different runestone at the end of each day's travel. Joti would always place his weapon into the stone, and they would be in true safety once again.
"Why do you put your sword into the stone?" Adam asked, his curiosity getting the best of him. The sword in the stone was a familiar story to Adam, and he wondered if they had a similar tale.
"The magic of the stone will activate through the blade. I will no longer be required to chant as long as the runestone is being channelled." Joti replied, sticking a marked stone into the ground. "The runestone will continue to protect us, for months if we require it."
"Months? How much power does the runestone have?"
"As much as it needs." Joti covered the small stone he had found and marked in the snow, a message for those who would next use the runestone. "The runestones channel the power of the earth and the north, and such powers are infinite."
"Infinite? Nothing is infinite, is it?"
"This barrier, though powerful, draws little power from the veins of the earth. If you were to chip a small stone from the mountain everyday, how long do you think it would take until the mountain disappears?" Joti asked.
"Ah," Adam replied with a nod. "That kind of infinite."
“We are insignificant in the grand scheme of things.” Joti looked up towards the mountain. “No matter how long we live, we all will die, and we will be forgotten. Even this mountain, one day it will be gone, just like us. To be infinite is to be a myth, save for the very few forces who control all.”
Adam looked over to Joti, surprised at his philosophising. “We have a saying where I’m from.” Adam looked over to the mountain. “A man dies when he is forgotten. The Iyrmen that you spoke to will make sure you remain immortal.”
Joti bowed his head in response, but said nothing else. He thought on Adam’s words for some time, and continued to do so even as they rested. Adam would often peer towards the giant, but he remained deep within his thoughts.
The white of the morning was so much brighter today. The snow seemed almost welcoming. Each step had been agonising the day before, and yet today they were so much more joyful and eager.
“We will head up the mountain,” Kara said. “We will climb until we reach the stones, and then we will ask for permission.”
“Permission?” Adam asked, looking up at the giant woman. “Permission for what?”
“To use the forge.”
“You can’t just use the forge?”
“The forge belongs to all,” she replied, as though it answered his question. Kara pointed towards an area of the mountain, which they all approached.
The mountain side was clear white with snow, as Adam had expected. The other woman, Sera, walked over towards it and then grabbed at her giant maul. She held it with both hands and spun once, reaching up with her maul, before then slamming it against the mountain side. It shook under the mighty blow, the snow falling all across them. Adam brought his arms up to protect himself as the snow scattered across the barrier trailing along its curve. Joti stopped his chanting.
Adam opened his eyes to see the side of the mountain was now covered in all manner of runes. Each rune spiralled into the next, though a tapestry, and continued along towards the top until his half-fey eyes couldn’t make them out any longer. Each rune was dug in quite deep, and Adam could only wonder how many years it would have taken to mark the mountain.
“Whoa,” he whispered.
“Come,” Joti said, walking towards the mountain before he dug his fingers intot he grooves of the runes and began climbing. The giant led the way, and the others turned to face Adam, waiting for him to follow their leader.
Athletics
D20 + 8 = 10 (2)
Omen: 6, 11 -> 6
11 + 8 = 19
Adam almost slipped instantly as he grabbed onto the rune, his fingers pulsing with pain. Not wanting to embarrass himself in front of the giants, he willed forth Fate to come rescue him, filling him with a supernatural strength. His muscles relaxed and his body began to move with the instinct of another, as though he had already climbed the mountains a hundred times already. Being able to draw the power of Fate was a wonderful thing.
The others followed him up, and after a few minutes of climbing, he saw Joti disappear over the edge. He climbed up and found himself on a flat ledge, which had been hidden from view until now. He looked towards Joti, who was waiting for the other giants.
“We must continue our way before we climb up again,” Joti said, motioning his head towards the small section of wall still covered with snow. Sera stepped up towards it, and once more hefted her giant maul to crash against the side of the mountain. The snow shuddered and fell to the floor, revealing the entrance to a cave and Joti began to lead them through it.
It was dark and cold, though he could see through the darkness with his half-fey sight, and the cold was warded off by his heavy cloak. They remained silent as they moved through the cave, the giants not exchanging grunts as they had tended to do.
A few minutes later, an area of complete darkness blocked his vision. Joti walked into it and was swallowed by the blackness. Adam gasped.
“What the…”
Kara placed a hand on his shoulder and then bowed her head. Adam looked to the darkness and slowly approached it, his heart pounding. Then he felt the coolness of the dark before he was completely engulfed by it. Kara’s strong grip on his shoulder reassured him as he stepped forward, and moments later he found himself on the ledge from earlier.
Adam looked at Joti, who checked to see if the rest had made it, before then turning to climb again.
“You’re not going to tell me what that was about?” Adam asked, looking up at Kara.
“It is the way to the top,” she said.
“To the Runeforge?”
“Yes.”
Adam sighed and then nodded. He turned to follow Joti, as the other giants expected. He wondered if this was a way to stop people from easily accessing the Runeforge. Had they been doing this sort of thing on the journey? He hadn’t noticed.
Athletics
D20 + 8 = 19 (11)
This time his body had already warmed up with the previous climb, and so he easily followed the patterns of the runes. He could feel how deep each groove was, and though the runes constantly overlapped with one another, it was easy to find the path to climb. Adam wondered if this was what they were made for, or if the runes spelt something out. The thoughts were interrupted as he hoisted himself over the edge and then found a collection of stones lining up the sides of a snowy path, which then rounded around a corner.
“We must walk a few more miles before we reach the Runeforge,” Joti informed him, before he continued again. Adam followed, but noted that Kara had dropped to a knee and grabbed at some snow. She muttered something in giant, a soft prayer which tickled his ears, before she continued on her way. She stood taller than she had before, her strides confident.
They continued to walk along in silence, each step growing heavier. Adam noticed runes would often appear in the snow, and he could see some glow as they neared, only for them to eventually disappear. Joti and the others didn’t seem to react, and Adam wondered if he should mention them. Did they not notice?
“What are these runes?” Adam asked.
“They are detecting our presence,” Kara replied. “The Runeforge has yet to deny us.”
“Would it deny us?”
“Not us, no.”
“Has it denied others?”
“Yes.”
“Who?” Adam wondered. Perhaps others with less innocent intentions had come?
“Myself.”
“You?” Adam asked, surprised. He looked at the giant woman, whose face was still filled with confidence. “Why?”
“I was not ready.”
Adam looked up at her and then to Joti. None of the other giants seemed to mind their conversation, nor were they eager to chime in with their thoughts. Adam wondered if there was something else to this, but decided against asking. Yet there was a tickle against his lips.
“Are you ready now?” Adam asked.
“I am.” Kara bowed her head, clenching her fists together. He could see a few of her runes glow, causing him to step aside for a moment, but they faded soon after.
As they trekked up, they were eventually stopped when a stone was tossed across their path. Joti stopped and looked up towards an older frost giant, who was leaning over the edge of the mountain, staring down at them. His long beard swayed in the wind, and both of his eyes were clear white, as though he were blind. Over his shoulder he had hoisted a large axe, one engraved with all sorts of runes, and the blade was made of something Adam had never seen before. It was like forever moving water, which continued to rage against itself, though there was a rune cut out within it. He exclaimed something in giant and then chuckled, grinning wide.
“We have come,” Joti said.
“I see that, oh little Chief.” The giant motioned with his head and then disappeared behind the rocks.
Joti turned back to look at Adam, nodding his head, before then leading him up the path. The path had been covered in snow, though hadn’t been slippery, and as they continued, ice began to form. Adam stepped on it gingerly only to notice it felt more like stone than ice, and he sped up his pace, wondering if he’d soon regret it.
The half-elf paid so much attention to the ice that he stumbled into the back of Joti, who did not even budge a single hair from his position. Adam looked up at the giant and rubbed his face.
“Sorry,” he said, only to notice they were surrounded by dozens of giants. His eyes snapped around to see the giants, with their grey-blue skin, their long hair, thick beards for their men, and giant weapons at their sides. Only the previous giant they had met held their weapon over their shoulder.
“It has been some time, oh son of Aksak.” The giant stepped forward and clasped the shoulder of the Chief.
“Thank you for accepting us,” Joti said, motioning his head to Kara. “She is ready.”
“I can see that,” the giant said, looking towards Kara. His clear white eyes glared at the woman for a long moment, filled with judgement. “The price must be paid, and the blood must be spilt.”
“I will pay the price,” Kara replied, “and blood will be spilt.”
“Who is this boy?” the giant asked.
“It’s rather rude to not introduce yourself first,” Adam said, looking up at the giant.
“Gotorsmith,” the giant replied. “It is a rare sight for a half-elf to step within our Runeforge.”
“A pleasure to meet you,” Adam said, reaching out a hand. “I’m Adam, and it seems I’m the type to find myself in all manner of places.”
Gotorsmith shook Adam’s hand, his grip fairly loose as though he was trying to not crush the boy’s fist. He looked towards Joti and grumbled something in giant.
“No,” Joti replied. “He is one of us.”
“Oh?” Gotorsmith looked down to Adam with a twinkle in his eyes. “So you are to slay a creature?”
“I’m helping with the slaying of an icewyrm, yes.”
“I didn’t expect such news. Why are you someone Joti can trust?” Gotorsmith asked, his eyes twinkling further with curiousity.
Adam smiled. “I’m strong.”
Gotorsmith stared down at the half-elf. Then he erupted with wild laughter, his bellowing laugh echoing along the path. “Strong!” Gotorsmith roared. “Strong he says!”
Joti placed a hand on the older giant’s shoulder. “Yes. There is much to speak of.”
Gotorsmith’s laugh disappeared, as though he had never laughed before. He stared into Joti’s eyes, narrowing his own. “Grave news?”
“Grave news.”
“Then come and sit by our fire.” The giant turned around and led them towards the walled village. Passed the wall, he could see the Runeforge, or what he presumed to be the Runeforge. It was a large, open space, with a pathway heading up towards it. There were several stones around it, which jut out from the ground like tiny trees, and there seemed to be something else on the ground, though he couldn’t see it well from his position.
The flames within the centre of the village were raging brightly, enough to lick the walls of the nearby homes with its blue flames. Adam walked dropped his pack and then looked to the other giants, spotting a few giant children staring at him. It was obvious they had never seen him before. One grabbed some snow and then stared up at him. He watched as a question fell though their eyes before they wound their arm back and then tossed a snowball at him. It landed beside him.
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