NOVEL NEXT 091. Path to Danger
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I've been extremely stressed out, but I'm aiming to get three chapters ahead on Patreon before I sleep.
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Level up!
XP (24,470) -> (14,470)
Level (23) -> Level (24)
Warrior (6) -> Warrior (7)
HP (238) -> HP (250)
Adam did not flex his new muscles, instead spending the next few days deep in thought. A few days passed when Joti gathered the five of them together. “The wind speaks to me,” he said. “We should move out this morning.”
Adam nodded towards him. He looked up at the giant, noting the scar which now marked his face. Adam hadn’t been able to see his own face yet, he always forgot about it until Joti’s scar reminded him of his own.
“We must be careful,” Joti continued. “The wind which had spoken to Adam had told him of danger. Even though I believe we are some of the strongest to have left Muten, we must take care with the warning words of the wind.”
“I can’t wait,” the other giant man, Ogoron, said. “My blade howls at me in the night, it wishes to spill blood.”
“My maul sings to me as well,” Sera said.
Sara remained silent, her eyes falling to Adam. “Are you ready?”
Adam reached down to place a hand on the hilt of his blade. There was a warm sensation which filled him, as though the blade was pouring through comfort through his body. “I’m ready to leave when you are.”
“Leaving already?” Gotorsmith asked as he approached. “We have yet to drink together,” he said, frowning at the group.
“We must leave today,” Joti said firmly.
“Fine, but you will drink with me when you return. We have ours returning in the next few weeks, and I will not allow you to leave until you have shared a drink with me. You especially, Adam.”
Adam looked up towards the white-eyed giant. “Perhaps we could have a drinking competition, since I doubt you can beat me in a fight.” He had spoken with Gotorsmith quite often during his time here, hearing of his rebellious youth, as well as the great weapons he had created. He had even assisted Aksak in making a few weapons, though they were lost to the northern snows.
“Aha!” Gotorsmith roared with laughter. “You should watch your tongue,” he said. “There are few who can drink a giant to death. We share more in common with the dwarves than just our runes.”
Adam reached out a hand. “Then I’ll see you when I return. The drinks better be good.”
“The best. You’ve never tried true frost giant ale, have you?” Gotorsmith shook Adam’s hand.
“I’ve had a few drinks at Muten.”
“Aye, but have you had frostfire?” the giant asked.
Adam looked to Joti, who shook his head. “Apparently not, Adam said.”
“I believe you are strong enough to try it.”
“Doesn’t that go without saying?” Adam chuckled.
“See you soon, young Adam.”
“You too, old Gotorsmith.”
Gotorsmith roared with laughter again as he waved at them. The group then parted for a few moments, grabbing their gear, before they reconvened at the gate.
All the villager had come to see them off, the children waving at the group. Adam returned the wave, realising that he hadn’t really spent much time speaking or talking with the giants, the adults or the children, beyond just Gotorsmith and his own group.
He had spent a few days relaxing and recovering from his wounds, pacing around the village in his thoughts. ‘Well, maybe when I return…’ He let the thought linger before turning as Joti opened up the gates. The snow greeted them as he stepped out. Gotorsmith and a few others escorted them down the path.
Runes glowed and disappeared as they trekked down. Gotorsmith and Joti would speak with one another as they made their way. Adam didn’t understand giant still, but that didn’t matter much to him at the moment. He then realised he could have asked someone to teach him, though he wasn’t sure who had the ability to teach him quickly. Perhaps when he’d return to make the axe he could also study with the giants. He kept the thought in the back of his mind.
“We will again be alone with the snow,” Karasmith said.
“We won’t be alone if we have one another,” Adam replied.
“I apologise, but I can’t return your feelings.”
Adam coughed. “Not quite what I meant,” he managed to gasp out, trying to stop his laughter.
Karasmith replied with a sly smile for an instant before she focused again. “When we return to Muten, I will accept my runes and tattoos. Then I will assist you with smithing your axe, if you wish.”
Adam raised his brows in surprise. “I’d like that. I’d like to have someone as dependable as you helping me.” He thought back to Arya’s words, about the faceless God of Axes who was going to help in the forging of the weapon.
“Gotorsmith, myself, and you,” she said. “We will meet again to create a greater weapon. Do you have any ideas for what shape you wish the axe to take?”
“Just a normal axe, I guess? I’d like it to look similar to one of the axes you wield, one which can be used with one hand or two, though as a human rather than a giant.”
“The enchantment?”
“Something which will grow with the wielder.”
“A living weapon,” she said. “That is quite the task.”
“Well, I think with the three of us, it should be okay.”
“It will be quite the costly endeavour, and it will take many years.”
Adam raised his brows in surprise. “Well… perhaps it might take less with a little bit of help from a friend of mine.”
“Which friend is this?”
Adam looked up to the sky. “Someone I’ve yet to meet.”
“You have a friend you have yet to meet?”
“At one point in time you were a friend I had yet to meet.”
Karasmith fell silent as they continued to walk. Adam had meant it as a joke, but she seemed to lose herself into her thoughts. An awkward silence passed by. Then she smiled.
“That is true.”
Adam smiled too. “It would have been awkward if you denied it.” He chuckled to himself.
Soon they were at the base of the pathway and Joti turned to place a hand onto Gotorsmith’s shoulder, who returned the gesture.
“Return safely, little Chief.”
“I will, old Gotorsmith.”
“The pair of you have become so cheeky after gaining your scars.” Gotorsmith laughed again and then nodded towards all of them. “May the snow guide you to safety.”
Adam saluted him with a pair of fingers before following Joti, who began to lead the group. Moments later and they had disappeared into a fog, and the snow began to rage all around them. Joti began to chant and the barrier formed around them.
They would continue like this, as they had, for the next few days. They moved through the hills and the mountain range, finding more white and snow. Adam started to understand the differences between the snows, not entirely to a nuance, but well enough that he could surmise if it was fresh snow or slightly different.
They would often stay at the runestones, each of them emanating a power which flowed through Adam easily now. He would lay the new blade across his lap during his down time and run his hand all along the runes and the cool metal.
Every time he stroked his blade, he could feel something tingle through it. There was something speaking to him through the blade, and sometimes he could hear some wind from the distance.
The wind picked up, whipping the barrier. Adam looked out towards it, watching the wind attack the barrier. He squinted his eyes as he noticed the wind circled around the barrier and was only assaulting it near him.
“The wind is calling for you,” Joti said.
“Why?”
Joti did not reply, staring at the wind. It was as though he was listening to the wind. The wind continued to strike the barrier until it suddenly stopped. All became silent, and some of the storm around them began to calm.
“Has the wind said something nice?”
Joti shook his head. “We should sleep soon.”
Adam raised his brow, but decided to not question the expert. He dropped down onto his back and wrapped the cloak around himself. Luckily the snow was very soft, even when he rolled around in his sleep.
Joti slept whilst sitting down, much like Gant, the other giant man with the large greatsword. Adam wondered why they slept in such a way since the women slept normally, on their backs.
The thoughts kept him company before he slipped into slumber. Adam’s eyes then flashed awake as he stared through the barrier. The blue glow he had seen all those days ago appeared, and his entire body grew cold. He continued to stare at it. It remained outside, waiting for him.
When morning came, and when Joti finally awakened, Adam snapped his head towards the giant. “Joti, there’s an iceworm outside. What do we do?”
“There is no iceworm outside,” Joti replied. He looked out and Adam followed his gaze to see nothing.
“What? There was one right there, I swear…” Adam walked towards the edge of the barrier and squinted.
Perception
D20 + 5 = 20 (15)
His eyes peered across the white slate, but he saw nothing. No glowing eyes, only the wind and the gentle snow storm.
“I swear, it was out there…”
“Was it a dream?” Joti asked.
“Maybe,” Adam said, though he did not believe it. He had yet to dream in this world, it had been something he had started to miss.
“We will leave-” Joti froze as the wind whipped at the barrier. “Let us eat and ready ourselves,” Joti said. As he grabbed his rations, the wind and snow around them cleared. There, towering above the barrier, were two creatures of white and blue. They were long and scaly, one set of large wings flapping threateningly, and multiple smaller wings travelling down their spiny body. Thin legs jut out of their body, with long talons, which gripped at the earth under them. Their faces were long, their eyes filled with a brutal savagery.
“Are those…” Adam whispered quietly, leaving the words unsaid.
“Yes,” Joti said as he bit into his rations.
The creatures screeched out with rage and hatred, a blow glow beginning to fill their mouths as frost fell out of their toothy maw. They opened their jaws wide and, within a flash, ice blasted all over the barrier from both sides, covering the dome barrier with frost. The barrier did not fall, though Adam did bring an arm up to protect himself from the sight of it.
“Eat,” Joti said.
“How am I meant to eat with the icewyrms outside?” Adam grumbled quietly as he then pulled out his rations. They tasted even blander than usual. His eyes went from one icewyrm to the next.
Perception
D20 + 5 = 19 (14)
Adam noted a glow coming from above him. He looked up to see a beam of blue shooting through the thick fog. He squinted his eyes to see if he could see more, but much to his dismay, whatever made the blue glow evaded his sight.
“What’s that?” Adam asked, focused now on above them.
Joti looked up, squinting his eyes. “Another icewyrm,” he said with his voice low.
“Three of them?” Adam asked.
“This will be a difficult fight,” he said.
Adam frowned. Joti has been so confident before, but hearing him say that filled him with very little confidence. Adam remained silent as he nibbled on his rations, the ice blasts from the icewyrms keeping him company.
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Three icewyrms? Are our heroes going to be okay?
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