Barbaric Spouse, Descry the Night's Lure-Chapter 82: Scene LXXXII — Harsh path of a Savage Barbarian.
Night engulfed their walk.
Chilling cold emanated from the ground as the heavy mist of the night weighed on their shoulders, burying them more on the treacherous bottom that pulsates in constant menace to attack the pack of savage barbarians, crouching, almost crawling attentive to maintain its temporal calm.
"... They are moving..." — Otrur whispered, looking up at the few stars willing to help their path along their torches.
"Ou... Small tremors... They are still far. Ours must be alive keeping them inside the crack."
"... Hopefully they are many. And they stay alive until we arrive... Yngve... it’s good you injured him. If Auflulk has been taken by the earth..."
"It just means I can kill him when I get back." — Aslak replied to the warlock, aware that if not for Yngve’s brother being one of the returnees, the rebellious savage would have not seen day again many moons before.
"... Why?"
"What. Without Auflulk his only blood–"
"Why do you want to truly kill him now? You weren’t as thirsty before."
"... He finally made it that way. That’s all." — Recalling his attitude in front of Ewelina, Aslak concealed the truthful fact for the patriarch of the village could easily commence a talk he wasn’t apt to engage in currently. — "Regardless. The mist is becoming thicker. And..."
"Aie... No amber sight. No beast has shown menace... It’s no good."
"... Kir." — Aslak plainly said in slightly a louder voice.
Steps from behind were heard, complying with the call of his Lord. And soon, between the mist appeared the silhouette of the wild knight.
"My Lord."
"Give notice with the hand. We have to stay close. Otrur, how far should be the clear crater? Has the earth changed its place?"
Listening to the Archduke, Otrur Nolsvun took the axe of his own. One with a longer spike at its head which would be pierced on the ground they were walking in cautiousness.
Thuck... Rustle... The sound of the stab was heard loud although it was not strong.
"..... It should have moved with its breaths... further east. Not that far from its last spot." — Attentive to the feel of his hand on the throat and end knob of the distinctive weapon, Otrur Nolsvun informed. Watching and sensing with the sight of his earthy eye the territory oozing the Earth’s energy.
"Can you tell if we should be able to arrive before the sun rises?"
"... It’s not a matter of ’we can’ now, is it?"
"You heard it. Blow the hands to the others. We need to move faster."
"Aie, my Lord."
Time was hast during the dark of later hours. The miles leading into the deeper ends of the Archduke’s territory, Sortnafeigr, were lengths during which the inhabitants ought to be careful during daylight. However, it was mostly for those human ones that the danger was truly hazardous at such a time.
For them being many, for them being surrounded by treacherous nature... The mist was the cruellest trap in the day... For within it, spectres of their shape would appear. Confusing the wild ones of who was a beastly enemy... Of who was of their tribe and keen.
Night was their ally. Hence they would cross the fog in the darkness of it.
A brief song of the hands was played by Kir’s. Invoking the alert of every ear those crawling along the leaders had and acting upon it, their walk commenced moving according to its message and pace.
— Join. Move fast as one. —
Hours of walk would be needed to reach the clear crater where inside it the mist would not reach and confuse those moving into the South east nooks. Working also as a shelter from those creatures above that would roam naturally in the plains they are accustomed to.
"I’ll keep watch on the moon. Otrur, you guide the pack. Let’s make it to the crater before the sun appears."
"Ai." — Turning to see clearer torches and their people, Otrur Nolsvun skillfully took out from the tough ground his weapon and spoke to those attentive to human sound. — "Keep close, bend lightly. Keep the horses near and walk following me. Beasts have not appeared, you know what that means."
Little glows of the barbarians’ eyes responded to the warlock, aware that if no beast was appearing...
’They are joining the high men...’ — A shared thought emerged between them. Knowledgeable of the place they had survived once on their own during the Framikanna ritual and played in later out of the entertaining danger the confusing fog provided.
Their cautious silence was kept, and moving as one sole beast the night became lengthy and then... The sun menaced. Peeking and lightning that march they needed to finish before it fully appeared above.
"How much? The scent... Can you tell how far is it?" — Aslak asked Otrur Nolsvun. Sensing the waking creatures with his wildness.
"We need to hurry. It shouldn’t be far, but the mist is getting thicker."
"That means it’s close."
"But also..."
"Right. Where in the bloody ground is it?"
The menace of the sun was intimidating. At a time like this, relishing on the thrill of battling against the creatures within the fog was not an option for the savages.
A goal further ahead waited. One greater in danger they knew would enjoy further... And one they needed many heads that could go against it. For they also could lose many.
"The direction, can you tell where it should be?" — Aslak then asked.
"... That peak that can be seen already... Do you see it?" — Pointing at it, Otrur told the man, receiving a nod from him. — "If we walk straight... It should let us fall inside it."
"Alright. I’ll go ahead. Take the end of the rope. Follow fast once I pull."
"Keep bent."
"I know."
Taking out his axe from the back after tieing said rope around him, Aslak dived into the mist. Quick, wary, feeling the ground with his hands at times to also peek from below the thick air at further plains... as the light became stronger in orange...
"Fuck... It’s moving fast. Where in the bloody earth–"
*Hiss...zzhaa...*
The sound where none has been emitted besides the savages’ steps... was the signal that his hands should kill its owner before finally reaching the crater they needed to refuge in.
Raising, the one shadow showcasing his opponent appeared before Aslak. Repeating the deathly sound announcing its presence as the creature already paced towards him. Also cautious... Also hungry to kill.
Taking the rope he was tied to, Aslak waved it to the sides informing the pack was to halt their advance... for battle was to occur before their pace could resume. Only once the beast was dealt with.
"Come... help me release this frustration, cursed Pennata."
