60. Friends Across the Sea
There was a time when the world both feared God’s wrath and loved God.
A time when people would sit around a campfire, gazing up at the countless stars scattered across the night sky, listening to stories of great heroes. People knew how to respect God, and God respected people enough.
In the cycle of providence, nature made sense. Everyone understood the obvious laws that the one who devours will also be devoured, and that those who love God will receive God’s love.
-Until the ominous starlight came to the world.
[Lux Stella]
The god who came from outer space shook the laws of the world.
The starlight from outer space bestowed its miracles even on those who did not prove their love and devotion. Those who had given themselves over to desire, those who could only prove their loyalty as burnt offerings, rose up.
Instead of blaming their own irreverence and shallow faith, they spewed forth foolish anger.
[Oh, starlight, guide us! We would rather perish than return to our pens as slaves!]
They wailed, clutching the husks of their kin offered as the holy food of the gods, crying out twisted desires and vengeance.
[Kill these monsters!]
[Gyaaah!!!!]
With endless murderous intent in their bloodshot eyes, their twisted lips curled back in a snarl as they screamed incoherently and brandished their swords.
[Kill all the gods of the bipeds, and all their descendants!]
[They are monsters born from eating the flesh and blood of my family! Don’t leave a single one alive!]
They trampled over the corpses of the Guardians, slaughtering everything in sight as they came across it.
The blind blades made no distinction between those who could fight and the weak. The humans who were the weakest, the most despicable, and who had never loved God, unabashedly revealed their cruel nature.
Even then, there were exceptions everywhere.
Some noble and great heroes realized how dangerous the starlight from outer space was and joined the Guardians. They believed they had to stop Lux Stella, who was bestowing indiscriminate miracles on the unqualified and those who did not love God.
At that moment, the humans who had served God with true hearts were able to achieve the dream they had always yearned for.
All the heroes united to confront the Lux Stella followers who had turned their backs on the gods brought by the starlight from outer space and declared the end of the world. The humans who chose to stand against Lux Stella also stood shoulder to shoulder with them as heroes.
Even the Elves, who rarely acknowledge the worthiness of other races, could not help but grudgingly admit their nobility.
[There were some useful ones, even among the lowly humans.]
[Hmph. If we did not consider them as fellow beings, we could have definitely finished them off. Then we would have been able to see each other again.]
Only then was the deep-seated grudge between the races washed away. Orcs, Kobolds, Elves, Dwarves, Giants, Trolls… countless races set aside their history of mutual animosity and joined forces.
There was only one reason that united them.
To protect the world from the invading human army.
[Let us drive the Otherworlders below the horizon, for the dawn of mankind!]
And the moment the pale starlight shone irreverently and spread over the human army, the heroes who had fought to protect the current world sensed their defeat.
Of course, the battle did not end just because the end of the world had been declared.
The heroes of the current world desperately fought against the invading human army, using every means at their disposal. However, it was not enough to reverse the momentum that had already turned against them.
The human army, united under the single banner of the end of the current world, used the powerful miracles of Lux Stella to defeat the heroes, and then mercilessly slaughtered and buried alive the surviving refugees.
There was no room for negotiation.
Some of the heroes of the current world, harboring futile ideals, tried to meet with the human army, but the result was always the same.
[Just as you offered sacrifices to your gods, we offer sacrifices to our god. Go back and prepare for battle. Prepare to be annihilated, just like we are prepared.]
There were only a few noble humans who had set aside revenge and grudges in the face of a great cause.
The majority used their own incompetence and distrust as the driving force for their misplaced anger and clamored for pointless revenge. The fighting continued unabated, and there were even those who rebelled, saying that they did not care about the current world.
And so, the current world collapsed.
It ended, crushed under the weight of distrust and betrayal.
The followers of Lux Stella relentlessly hunted down the survivors, beheading them one by one, erasing the names of the gods they had once held in awe.
And after a long time, now.
The shaman of the tribe breathes a hopeful breath into the end of this gloomy and tragic tale.
“The heroes who fought to protect the gods all fought bravely and died. But the surviving heroes, the rising heroes… there are heroes who will fight to restore the forgotten gods.”
The shaman caressed the face of the child whose eyes sparkled with admiration with his gnarled and twisted hands, and smiled contentedly.
“Child, receive the wind of your ancestors and my prayers. Please become a great warrior and drive away the starlight of the outsiders.”
When the shaman finally raised his hands, a pattern drawn with the rawhide of a reindeer was on the child’s cheeks.
“Let us take back our world.”
“…Yes, shaman!”
The child clenched his fists in the wind that had been passed down through generations and replied.
With enough vigor to bring a gratified smile to the shaman’s gaunt face.
***
“…Son, Horson!”
“…”
“Horson! It’s over. Snap out of it, huh? You need to find some land to farm.”
“Over? Oh, yeah… Right. I need to find some.”
Horson.
Only then did the bearded man realize that he was sitting on a tree stump. He turned his head towards the sound and saw a familiar face approaching with a gratified smile.
Abrook.
He was a close friend who had boarded the ship before Horson, recognized for his excellent communication skills. Abrook’s eyes held concern and worry behind his smile.
“As expected, you’re amazing. Like you’re not on your first mission. You must have cut down at least twenty of them?”
The chainmail that should have been silver was now painted bright red.
Horuson barely managed to part his lips, his gaze sliding away from the oppressive crimson.
“…Yeah?”
“Oh, look at this one. I guess you’re the type to take a nap when the fight’s over.”
“A nap?”
“There are various reactions after a fight. Some can’t contain their excitement and rampage around like a berserker. Occasionally, there are ones like you, who become as dull as if submerged in water.”
“Ah, I see.”
“Tsk tsk. Follow me.”
Unable to bear it any longer, Avrok began leading Horuson around the area. He shrugged as he pointed to a gentle slope covered in vibrant wildflowers.
“Look here. The gradient isn’t steep, and it doesn’t look too hard to till the soil. It’d be a good spot for beekeeping, don’t you think?”
“Beekeeping…?”
“That’s right. Beekeeping. We could make mead from the honey and dip bread or meat in it.”
Imagine if we planted apple trees nearby to gather apple honey. It’d be even more fragrant.
Avrok, who had always been interested in beekeeping, went on to give a detailed explanation about how each flower had a different fragrance and taste. He was already listing all the things he would make with honey.
His enthusiasm was enough to make even the uninterested Horuson focus. When Avrok saw Horuson’s reaction, he pointed to the forest with even more excitement.
“Those trees are sturdy enough to be used as timber for building ships. If we use those for the keel, we could make a pretty decent ship. It would easily withstand storms. Maybe… maybe our ancestors planted them with that in mind .”
“Ancestors.”
“Yes, ancestors. Our ancestors who lived on this land before us.”
The moment Avrok took a step after saying those words, Horuson was confronted with a sight he had desperately tried to ignore.
Beneath the collapsed roof of a charred and blackened barn lay the bodies of those who had been trampled to death. Nearby, the faint cries and moans of a woman echoed through the dim shadows.
And along with the piercing screams of a young child came roars of laughter.
aaah….
The loud applause came as the gurgling sounds of boiling blood subsided.
“That was magnificent!”
“The gods must have heard. Alright, ten points! Next?”
“hahahahaha! Did you all see that?! Hurry and choose what you want from my spoils!”
The warriors gave high scores to the child who was twitching and dying on the skewer that had pinned him to the ground.
The warrior who had received the high score stood tall in triumph, but the others grimaced as they looked down at the child beneath their feet.
“Haah… Insuk was too skinny to be any fun…”
“P-please spare me.”
“hehehehe, little one. Where’s your god now that you’re begging me to spare you? Hmm?”
“Spare me… mister… spare me…”
“Alright, that’s the spirit. You got it? Scream as loud as you can, as loud as you can. So loud that even your god can hear you!”
A moment later, another scream pierced the air.
The child impaled on the skewer thrashed like a live fish, his blood and entrails spilling out. The warriors watched the sight and gave their cold assessment.
“This kid’s got no guts.”
“Tsk, tsk, tsk. Two points. Move aside.”
“Ugh, why did I have to get stuck with this one? I’m starving!”
The warriors casually placed bets on how to divide the spoils.
Horuson watched the betting with a face drained of color, and then he realized that one of the gazes was fixed on him. The tearful eyes of the child who was on the verge of death were looking at Horuson.
From that distance, far away, yet so precise.
At that moment, when Horsson saw the look in their eyes, he gasped.
Avrok, who had quietly stepped back, once again blocked Horsson’s path.
“Horsson, those who drove us out and occupied our land at will. Our ancestors suffered the same.”
Avrok said as he caressed Horsson’s shoulder.
“This is our rightful right. There is no need to feel guilty. You heard the shaman’s story. We are simply reclaiming our land, nothing more, nothing less.”
Horsson couldn’t answer right away.
He didn’t want to abandon the tribe’s wishes just because the heroic actions he had envisioned were different from reality. Avrok knew his feelings, so instead of pushing him any further, he encouraged him.
“If you’re really worried, let’s at least take care of the warrior’s honor. The chief has decided to introduce you to a noble after seeing your performance.”
“A noble?”
It was a question he asked casually, more to keep the conversation going than out of curiosity.
“The Silver Wolf Mantle.”
Until he heard Avrok’s answer.
***
A long scar running from his forehead to the tip of his chin.
A lean figure with a fierce aura despite his thin frame, his one eye narrowly avoiding the gaze of others. Footsteps approached the man wearing a wolf fur mantle of silvery fur.
But there was no greeting. The Silver Wolf Mantle simply sat on the terrace with a clear view of the sea, fiddling with an old box.
In the end, it was those who approached who spoke first.
They showed fierce, glaring eyes beneath the face guards of their helmets.
“Great Chief, it’s been six years.”
“All you’ve done in that time is conquer fragmented island crumbs… Now you must explain yourself.”
Some even went so far as to subtly place their hands on the ax hilts at their waists.
However, the Silver Wolf Mantle did not panic or flinch. He looked at the petitioners indifferently, then slowly opened the old box with a leisurely gesture.
It was inevitable that the petitioners’ gazes would be drawn to it. It was a small box that the Silver Wolf Mantle cherished and never showed the inside of.
But when they saw the contents inside, their disappointment doubled.
“Bones?”
“Great Chief… is that all you’ve been cherishing and carrying around?”
“Perhaps it’s the first you’ve ever cut down. Great Chief, if it is the wisdom you have shown us, I believe there is a reason why you are showing it to us now.”
Thud.
The Silver Wolf Mantle slammed the box shut with a rather fierce gesture and quietly looked away. Was he going to remain silent again? It was the moment when the petitioners could no longer bear it and drew their axes.
“The starlight of a foreign power.”
“…”
“Those who know nothing think that the starlight of a foreign power has left them in disappointment. However, he is still protecting them.”
The Silver Wolf Mantle held out the old box to the petitioners.
“He is preventing the fog from rising to the mainland. With a few old bones that they respect and cherish.”
Clatter, clatter.
There was a loud noise from the box because he shook it on purpose.
“Find the last piece of the nameless warrior king who served the ethereal god of the fallen kingdom, and the remains of the blasphemer who served him. Send your best warriors to do this. Find them and offer them to the gods.”
The Silver Wolf Mantle placed the old box on the table and looked out to sea again, at the land near the horizon.
“That’s the only way you’ll be able to return.”