The northern wall stood majestically, the damages it sustained were small holes and carved slashes. Its structural integrity still stood firm. The wind was still howling on the top of the wall. A red-haired boy coated himself on the balcony, with his scarf tucked up.
Gallo was watching both sides of the wall. He halted the advance of the pursuing enemies when the flooding spikes entered the desolated lands. It would be a waste of time since Regrin the Owl already did numbers on them.
That was 5 hours ago.
The Mayor approached Gallo. “You have to rest, boy… we will wake you up if anything happens,” he said.
Gallo just nodded… he then looked for Regrin… he was together with the warriors on the top of the wall… they were celebrating… celebrating that they won… that they were alive.
The cheery mood could be felt below too as the adventurers and even knights started dancing…
But Gallo just didn’t feel that way. He went to Regrin.
“Thank you for the assist… if you were not there, then we would have fallen…” It was to give thanks to Regrin who immediately agreed to help the siege.
“Don’t sweat it, kid… humans must help each other… you are a different noble, I suppose,” Regrin said, even Gallo knew of the Neward Clan that was promoted to a noble 15 years ago.
It was part of the emperor’s decree to promote commoners into nobles. One can imagine how many accomplishments The Owl of the Neward has accomplished.
He was immediately granted the title of a Baron after three years of multiple successful expeditions on the southern frontier, he was already in the history books.
Although a noble, Gallo’s rank was that of a Baron too, it was because of age limitations. He would be a Count when he came of age by claiming the title of his Father but it was still a long time.
“... Now if they safely return I can… I’m going to rest for a while excuse me,” Gallo said with a weary heart. He had been waiting for them… any message would do.
<--->
Half a day had passed… it was already almost nighttime, the gates were already closed, and the warriors, adventurers, the knights, and even the two hunters partied and danced the night away. It was then, during the festivities, they received the message.
Important persons were awakened.
Warriors and adventurers celebrated as they went into the crowding around it, eager to celebrate the heroes of the siege. The people already had installed a pulley on the well for ease of access and the rest were happy to pull up.
The jolly atmosphere painted the air… but Gallo and the Mayor; were the ones who bore the brunt of the message, they had an idea of what happened. Luckily, one of the knights was a healer, and Maricela was currently mixing herbs for the wounded. They were already waiting on one of the vacant houses.
Regrin was outside in the wild looking for some ingredients for cleaning the wound (Not outside of the walls); the hunters were known as apothecaries around the world, and Maricela was famous for it.
A warrior was keeping watch on the well, he saw the ropes of the pulley move and he screamed “They are here!! PULL!!” the warriors heartily pulled the rope.
“Heave!!! Ho!!” the rhythmical sounds of the mix of warriors and adventurers.
“Princess!!!!” the knights who were among the crowd screamed, but along with the princess was the bloody Percival. “Please help!!!” she screamed. They were the first two that came out of the well.
Percival was still conscious… he knew from the smell that the town was celebrating. He was not carrying anything with him. “WE WON!!!!” he raised his fist, and although the crowd knew it was a bluff, they still cheered.
“YEAH!!!!” the crowds clapped.
<--->
Down the well… the cold weather and the place where they were standing. It loomed down the atmosphere, a contrast from what was up the well.
“... They are cheering…” Paramour said… he was looking at the clothed body of Raphael. “Sir Hero… I could take it up…” the knight who was together with the princess offered.
“No… please go first… just tell them to disperse before I go up…” Paramour said. The knight just nodded.
The well could only fit two people, the Black Hood tapped Paramour’s shoulder, and the Black Hood and the Knight would go first.
The ride finally arrived, and the two stepped on the wooden board.
“PULL UP!!!” the Black Hood screamed.
“HEAVE HO!!!!” the warriors started the rhythmic pulling.
Paramour was just looking at what he was holding; he couldn’t let it touch water or there would be problems… but he could be at ease for now, lower his guard, and let it flow… the emotions that he was hiding.
He just let it flow… tears…
Not only that he lost his best friend… he lost the kid too… the fucking annoying kid… the best rival he could ask for… the kid…
“YEAH!!!!” he could hear the cheers from inside the well… it drowned his tears and silent whines. “Simon… I will come back for you I promise,” he swore on the body of Raphael.
<--->
The crowd was dispersed; of course, the Mayor told them to party, and only a handful of warriors were there pulling the last ones.
Paramour emerged holding a clothed body. The warriors knew that somebody had died. Some of the warriors immediately ran to Paramour offering help. One of the warriors asked.
“Is it the boy?” the warrior knew Simon; he had been staying with them for months, the fun they had on training and the hope he brought to the town, the warriors really loved the boy.
“No… that is my friend… Simon… he is still down there,” Paramour tried to hold on to his tears… his face told it all. The warrior just gulped down. “Well… he is a tough one I say you,” the warrior smiled as a consolation.
There was an eerie silence and Paramour went on.
If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.
<--->
In a private room, Paramour, Gallo, and the Mayor watched Percival writhe in pain. As soon as they removed the tie that was tied by the Black Hood, he started screaming. Percival was hit on a major artery.
“Heal the artery first or we will have to cut from his shoulders!!!” Maricela told the knight who was helping her. Maricela had already prepared some blood pills for the aftermath since Percival was losing blood according to the message.
Peron suddenly opened the door; he was together with Regrin carrying hot water.
“Mayor… you can send a message for the townspeople; they were with us when we prepared, we have to celebrate with them,” Gallo said. The Mayor just nodded; he was worried for his brother, but he chose to be busy.
“Sir Hero… can you tell me what happened?” Gallo asked.
Paramour looked at him and sighed; he started telling the events that happened underground. It would take a long time for a battle that lasted just for a few minutes.
As the celebration of the victory went on outside of the house, cheers erupted for different reasons. Their warm celebration shielded them from the cold outside. Finally, the long-standing battle against the Spikes ended that day.
<--->
Time passed. (Wink)
As the snow storms passed the greenery of the slope going down to the wall started to sprout. The never-ending cycle of seasons persisted and the change was inevitable. The town of the northerners were flourishing.
There was no church in the northern town. The ceremony was held in the town hall. Adventurers, warriors, scouts, and the townspeople were in a humorous mood.
It was a joyous occasion. Four months after the siege, Vish was getting married in the old northerner's way. She was decorated with her bridal dress of fur and cotton wool inside. Flowers and knives hang on her long grayish skirt. While bones decorated her shoulders.
The lucky guy there stood blushing as he saw his beautiful bride. He was shaking, worrying that this was too much luck for him.
“You fucking lucky rabbit!!! DIE!!!” it was Paramour the hero, he hadn’t left the north in the past three months, together with him was Gallo, he left the north two months ago and was there because he was invited to the wedding.
The curse of Paramour just made the crowd happier. Vish stood a bit higher than Lucky Rabbit, whose name was actually Robert. Ever since the celebration of the siege, the two were inseparable.
Peron Wiseman was invited too… he was drinking alcohol.
Another man gulped as the second bride came out of the house. Andy was getting married too. It was a double wedding. She had the same design for her wedding dress but less decorated but it didn’t remove Andy’s smile.
The crowd cheered again. The townspeople began throwing leaves at them as per their tradition, they are now to walk inside the church for the official ceremony.
The town was back on its bearings again. The Mayor did a good job with its recovery along with Gallo’s help, and with the reward they were receiving from the princess, the town was getting better each day.
There was even an adventurer's guild being constructed and was already on its finishing touches.
The Mayor acted as the priest, and the two couples entered the town hall and stood before him. They started the ceremony. Killing two pieces of chicken and putting a moon sign on the wedding participants using its blood, the Mayor started the chants and vows.
“... That’s it… you may kiss!!!” the Mayor said, and the two couples kissed, and the crowd went wild. The town hall erupted from the cheering of the townspeople. Northerners were great screamers especially when they were excited.
<--->
In another room with the Mayor, Gallo, and Paramour, they sat there talking. The mood outside was great as people were loud; they were celebrating outside, and some of the memories of the siege came lingering along with the smell of the alcohol the Hero was having.
“The Princess is coming back…” Gallo said.
“So, they are going to explore the deep roads huh,” Paramour said.
The two already had experienced going back and forth into the well. The ancient roads underneath it are now called The Deep Roads.
<--->
After the battle, two weeks later, they went back there again with a small platoon this time. Together with Gallo, Paramour, and the Princess. That earthen gate that the princess created was only a few kilometers from another ancient gate.
By Gallo’s deduction, they needed to find a Crown Emblem. The princess just touched it, and the gates opened. It could be closed too by touching the same emblem on a different spot.
The smell of carcasses of Spikes permeated the air. They needed wind magicians to continuously blow air.
They took a month to prepare and they explored the tunnels. Properly drawing its map, it was not a straight path, it was actually a curving path arcing eastward.
But that was not the reason they were exploring the dungeon. Their aim was actually to go farther up north. They did have the time, so the platoon walked properly and used earthen sensory magic to scan each area they passed. Boy, they found many secrets along the way. There were never-ending litters of carcasses of Spike, brutally mutilated.
At the end of the tunnel, they found the same cavern where the hero of the era and his party had once fought, the carcasses of Spikes festering were still there. It followed into the tunnel that had a broken seal.
They continued following the bloody trail until they arrived at a familiar crossroads, emerging from the west. They took some time exploring the paths.
They found some sort of ruins going south.
An exit out of the mountains to the east.
Finally, through the north they found a river and a broken bridge… the other side was too far to be seen. The hero fired a few fireballs, but it was not enough, it was just an endless abyss.
There were ideas of crossing the underground river, but the currents were strong, and there were monsters in the water too. They tried fighting one, but its hides were too hard, and it was dispersing magic too. These cold-blooded creatures almost ate one of the knights.
They tried feeding it the worst poison, but it didn’t work… the river was considered impossible to cross...
<--->
Back to the present.
“The emperor has created a branch of explorers that would explore the “Deep Roads”… it’s the official name now… the princess is the head of this branch,” Gallo added.
The Mayor and the hero were silent.
“They are going to explore the southern gate the princess opened,” Since there was no response Gallo continued his words.
Paramour just sighed. “You know that he is still out there,” he declared and took another sip of the bottle he was holding.
“She wants to invite you for the first few dives,” Gallo finally conveyed the message from the princess.
“Of course… I would go, tell her…” Paramour just smiled at Gallo. The red-haired looked down; for some reason, he was feeling shame.
The hero stood and walked out of the room.
“He went back there alone many times just you know…” the Mayor said as soon as the hero was gone in the room.
“I see,” Gallo’s lonely words.
<--->
There was this graveyard just east of the wall. The northerners call this place the Bear’s Yard. This was where the bears that want to die fighting go when they are calling for a challenge. This place has been maintained for a very long time. It was on an ancient contract between the northerners and the large bears.
It's just an hour walk from the town. Paramour strolled this with ease feeling the cold wind, enjoying it.
When he could finally see the small hut with a small fence, he was close to his destination. He found the gate and went through it. There the biggest northerner he had ever seen, Percival was digging. There was a dead bear on the ground near the pit. The winter was almost over, and the spring was blowing cold winds again.
“Paramour… Andy and his wife are there too…” Percival said. This was actually his duty whenever he was in the North. He would trade with another warrior by moons; it was just his time right now that’s why he didn’t attend the wedding.
There were only a few capable warriors that could handle the bears that were coming down from the mountains and he was one of them.
“How’s the shoulders?” Paramour asked.
The big northerner paused and smiled at his friend “It's good now,” Percival answered, and he went back to digging.
“When are you going to travel again… just asking?” Paramour offered a bottle of alcohol, and Percival happily took it, he decided to stop the work to enjoy the swig of alcohol.
“Next year, next winter moon probably… GULP… AHH, this is good shit,” Percival said after taking a huge gulp.
“It’s from Gallo, he visited for the wedding,” Paramour smiled, the two then shook hands. “That’s a large bear, you killed it?” Paramour suddenly asked as he lay eyes on the large carcass of the bear.
“Yeah, I will take a break for a while. Whew, this babe hits hard,” Percival said, his face turning a bit red. He sat on the mound of soil he had dug up.
Paramour tapped his shoulder twice and continued walking. Along the way, he saw familiar faces.
Paramour saw Andy and his Wife in front of the grave of Bibs, Paramour’s presence commanded attention to the two. Both parties bow in respect.
A little further ahead was where Raphael’s grave was. Paramour first wanted to bury him near the school where they met but was disheartened by the look of Raphael’s body. Percival was the one who offered him to be buried in the Bear’s Yard.
“... Raphael… I will be leaving soon, the Black Hood is still going to join me, he just needs some vacation,” Paramour said and he poured alcohol on the grave. He then took out the Black Paper from Gallo… this was the only proof that Simon was still alive.
“Gallo: the black one will tear itself if you die”