Nicholas had never seen a severed head before or for that matter a dead body. He felt like everything had crashed down and then been built up again.

His inner workings changed after that moment.

Before leaving Martin had told them that if they didn't make themselves puke up the poison they ingested, they both would be dead by the end of the day.

So Nicholas and Kane stuck their fingers down their throats, puking up poison and bread from their carry on meals.

An hour later Nicholas sat on top of his horse again holding the rem of the horse so he wouldn't fall off. In his other hand he firmly held his Cascan pipe.

Kane brought out his own leather pouch filled with wine. Drinking down all that horror he'd had to greet head on as he killed that old woman.

No man could escape the memories of his wrong doings, but according to the king's law he acted accordingly to it.

Martin's way of coping was quite a pleasant one. He started playing old Ballanorian folk songs on his customly made flute.

By his own words the flute was a hand-me-down from his late grandfather, and where he had gotten the flute from, nobody could know.

Though its markings could be recognized as coming from old Casanau. The kingdom of Casanau is known for its mountains and northern weather.

To many living outside Casanau, its people there are seen as great warriors worthy of everyone's fear.

But as nightfall came the three of them traveled onwards with their destination being the entrance of the tower.

…

“Do any of you know the old Cascan language?” asked Nicholas. His mind was bored and nothing else was going on around them.

They were still riding, at a slow pace.

“I've heard it before but I can't speak it fluently, why?” answered Kane.

“No it's nothing, I think it's very interesting. I mean, how we all from the beginning spoke Cascan and we all came from the same place from the beginning.” said Nicholas.

Martin stopped playing, he tied a knot around the flute with a thin leather strap that hung from his belt. "We're here.” he said with melancholy in his voice.

Nicholas stopped conversing with Kane. The tower, its cylindrical shape, seemed to have been built centuries or decades prior to this day.

Its building blocks are made from stone slabs, metals unknown and carved details foreign to their world. It brought an uneven wind to the lands close to it.

A cold swept around them. It seemed like fear itself had manifested these lands. Could anything be done to save all of them? Nicholas didn't know what to say of it.

His eyes couldn't believe or even conceive the tower's feelings emitting from within it and its mass even at every miniscule detail etched into it.

“What a horrifying thing it is,” said Kane. His voice had become calm, it terrified even him to stand before the structure of gods.

“Ye almighty, we can't enter the tower now at least.” Said Martin.

“Why is that?” asked Nicholas.

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“Because Nightfall is here,” he replied.

“And at night we cant see our surroundings. It could be fatal to enter the tower. We don't know yet what is beyond those giant gates.” said Kane.

He pointed towards the big metal gate, being the only entrance known, where they could enter from.

As more winds swept the lands and the everlasting cold stuck in every place imaginable Nicholas had made a fire while Kane and Martin wrestled with the supplies and equipment.

They'd been scratching their heads for about half an hour trying to figure out where the food could have gone. Surely they hadn't eaten everything already.

Only being a week from home would actually make it possible for them to have eaten it all already.

Since they had an old man like Martin with them they'd had to give more food to him, as is tradition within the ranks. And it surely didn't help that Kane also loved food and could eat whole long tables filled with all you could eat.

“I mean I haven't eaten that much. So It can't possibly be me.” exclaimed Martin as he had his arms crossed.

“Yeah, Yeah old geezer. You really think I would believe your words. All you are is an old liar with a dangerous mouth of yours. you're like a bear eating everything you see.” Martin started laughing.

“Now, now, now. Don't be mad, Kane, "he said. After a long day of killing and horse riding they were all tired, cold, hungry and deprived of happiness.

A perfect momentary time of rest. Nicholas had not witnessed such a scene between Kane and Martin prior. He thought it to be very entertaining, almost like theater in a way, although he was very little the first time he saw theater.

Now in war times there were no time for it. He liked watching how they played around, it reminded him of home. A time long ago.

“So what do we do now? There's no food.” asked Nicholas. The both of them stopped squabbling, turning their attention to Nicholas and then they looked at each other.

“Yeah what are we to do then?” said Kane.

“I'm not sure,” replied Martin.

He smiled, looking like a half moon. Thereafter he headed for his brown worn bag resting on the right side of his horse; colored white.

“I am a pure genius” he said out loud, laughing as he did. Kane immediately knew what Martin meant and he was all in for it.

“Newly brewn mead straight from the barrel back home. My old wifey made it especially for us and let me tell you she's the best around,” said Martin.

“Well then come sit by the fire and let us see if your wife really is the best around, at making mead.” shouted Nicholas. He gestured with both his hands for them to sit down by the fire.

Kane sat himself down on his sleeping bag by the fire, he then fixed his fur cape, wrapping it all the way around him so he'd not freeze to death while they sat still.

And Martin had picked around in his bag searching for two more bottles, soon realizing that they had already drunk one bottle. “Well boys, it seems like we're sharing tonight.

I can't find the third bottle of mead,” he said. Keeping the secret just for him. He thought if they don't know then it won't hurt if i don't say anything about it. Indeed was he right, because for the rest of the night no one said anything about it.

…

Waking up in the morning felt like hell on earth as Nicholas had awoken with a headache from all the drinking. Martin had been kicking with his boot for about five minutes attempting to wake Nicholas but to no avail.

“He's really deep into his sleep isn't he Kane. The boy won't even wake after a kick in the side. It's quite impressive actually.” Martin grasped his beard, dragging his hand all the way down it.

A few minutes later……”Ok everyone change socks.” commanded Kane. “It's the last thing we'll do before adventuring down the slope to greet our friend,” he continued.

To Nicholas it seemed very strange that they had to change socks, he couldn't understand why it was necessary. He did it anyway. untying the knots from his leather boot, pulling out his cold feet and changing from one pair of socks to another.

To his surprise it felt amazing, a world changing feeling it was. So warm and thick the wool of the sock was.

Martin sat besides him still struggling to get the boot off since he's on the little weightier side of the bodily spectrum.

Kane asked him if he needed assistance but Martin inclined he said quote “On god's green earth why would I ever need help. I won't take such a thing from a fellow soldier.

I can't believe you young people nowadays, you have no respect or honor.” Nicholas couldn't hold himself from saying “Speaking like an old man are you now, Martin?”

Martin's face reddened up real fast. “Oh you got balls, you little scoundrel.” Kane standing with his arms crossed waiting on Martin spoke happily “I didn't imagine the lad had it in him to be honest. He might actually be cut out for this mission.”

Martin quickly tied his knots around the boot with anger in him and then said “Well then, on we go. To the tower of hell and mysteries.” Nicholas thanked Kane for the sock change advice and on they went.