“We have to find shelter” Aaron yelled over the blizzard. snow began to pile up around them. Soon the snow will be too deep to ride though. The wind was so loud and so cold Aaron couldn't feel his ears and nose. Then he got an Idea.
I can practice my levitating if the snow gets too deep. I can levitate over it. if I can figure it out that is.
“If you find something let me know!”
“We can't keep going like this! there has to be something ahead!” I can’t see ten feet in front of me but I kept it to myself it would do no good William knows this is a bad situation my fingers are going numb. Finally they found a crevice in the ground that they could hide in. It wasn't big but it will do as they demounted and lead the moas into the hole. it barely was big enough for all our mounts and them. Aaron hurried to the back to escape the wind. But couldn't due to the moas.
they sat at the entrance with the wind now that it was out of their faces they sat there silent for what seems like forever.
“So now what?” Aaron asked
“now we wait”
“I know. what do you want to talk about?” he looked surprised or I think he did. His expression was so quick I could have imagined it
“How are you holding up?”
“You're asking me? I’m the godling”
“yes but you’ve never traveled before. It's just since I promised your mother I would keep you safe and I take that seriously”
“it’s ok I’m not a kid” Aaron said getting a little annoyed at being treated like one. “I’m not treating you like a kid” before he shut his mouth
“I’m sorry maybe a little it’s just so much is riding on you” William said before falling silent again the only sound was the wind outside
“Do you think other people know what we know?” Aaron asked
“I don’t think so” with that they waited for night and fell asleep the best he could.
After two days of waiting the blizzard to pass they traveled again passing farms, villages and towns but rarely stopped for long jest to resupply. Then William tugged on the reins to a stop
“dismount” he did as William ordered. What is this about?
“Time you master levitation we go off road for now then we train with the spear”
“fine” embracing skylight feeling cold and hot at once. he closed his eyes to consented on leaving the ground and when Aaron opened his eyes three feet off the ground then he willed his way forward flapping his arms until he got the hang of it and made his arms still
“good good soon you can be ten feet off the ground and look majestic” William said he looked at the distance he looked almost wishful before return his attention to Aaron “anyway practice and have poor Daisy have a rest” William said
“your not giving your moa a rest”
“that’s because she's bread to carry large weight” with that he turned his mount and headed into the wilderness into the oak woodland the trees bare with winter sleep ice formed on the branches and snow was beginning to pile up Aaron followed after him gliding in a less than strait line moving is so awkward. I can’t put my finger on it but it felt weird. I've never used skylight like this before. It's not like I can just shoot it out as a beam. I have to pull it in me and though my legs I’m still getting used to it. focus monsters could be anywhere with the battle still fresh in his mind
traveling deeper in the woods it became harder and harder to stay levitated which he wanted to keep going it was majestic but he went from five feet in the air to almost two finally he let go and dropped to the ground breathing heavy and sweat rolling down his back and face William tugged on his reins and stopped the mounts
“very good now get on,” as Aaron climbed onto Daisey the sun was halfway over the horizon I must have been levitating for over an hour! I wonder if I can use skylight now? he tugged on the reins to urge her to go left then with a stretched forth his hand threw skylight it came out a thin line of skylight and felt exhausted even more so he must have used all of it in me William didn’t react no warning or anything he must be Frozen
it’s starting to get colder but not unbearable and the feather south we go the warmer it will get at least it’s supposed to anyway
“It’s takes a lot out of you” William said not turning his head to face him
“you talk about it like it was last summer”
“you don’t forget using magic even if it’s been fifteens years” he sounded a little sad
“Soon you will have magic again” he couldn't see his face and he made no sound. They rode in silence for a time going deeper and deeper into the wilderness. looking for danger everywhere. Will we be ambushed by goblins? or satyrs there's no use getting paranoid about it we just have to be careful and hope I have to protect William who will I pick to replace the other gods and goddess I wait first I have to survive first
Soon a city was seen in the distance. I guess I’m not in the wilderness as I thought we still have a long way to go but we will make it We have
“What are you thinking about”
“nothing” William looked at the trees looking for danger, our breath turning to mist in front of them
“we're nearing the city of Ironhaven and this time don’t get lost” his cheeks burned with embarrassment. Why does he have to bring that up? It still hurts my pride getting lost like that William must have seen his annoyed face because he didn’t press the issue
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
“Have you ever had a wife?” Aaron asked and he seemed surprised at his question “no” William said quietly the way he said it. so I didn't press the issue further
the sun began to set after hours of riding in silence
“we’re make camp here” William announced
“but there is still some daylight left” Aaron said
“we can’t travel at night just in case”
“alright I’ll keep first watch” Aaron said “I’m not tired yet” dismounting we set up camp in a little clearing with barely enough room to set up the tent and for our moas to rest nothing but trees and the city in the distance William left for firewood the place became quiet no birds chirping no small critters in the trees no anything something must be wrong or maybe it’s just winter and the squirrels are hibernating but still the silence
Was disturbing.
Aaron heard William's footsteps before he saw him. Soon enough they had a fire going
“Why did the gods make monsters like goblins?” William stared into the flames before looking at him
“I think is so we don’t kill other humans that is the best I came up with anyway” William sighed before continuing “I know the gods were not perfect they made mistakes here or there sometime appearing in the mortal world to make it right but they were better than us more kind they forgive quickly we need them don’t forget that,” with that William went to bed Aaron kept watch getting his spear off of the packmoa. thinking as he watched the forest. The gods made some mistakes somewhat big ones at that I don’t know if I should be relieved or disappointed on one hand I have smaller shoes to fill I don’t have to be perfect but it’s disappointing to learn not even the gods are perfect.
“Curious,” a new voice said, pulling him out of his thoughts, jumping up and looking around. Where is he? No one was in view “up here” the stranger said up in the trees perched on a fat branch was an enormous owl it had to be five or six feet tall and the wingspan might be twenty feet would be his guess and it’s eyes shone like the moon and feathers of silver
“Are you an owl?”
“yes” he said flatly
“What do you want?”
“I saw you levitating and since you don’t see magic much these days I wanted to investigate. son of Caelum ” he sounded amazed
“yes I am and I’m going to mount Iroswell “ not seeing a reason to lie stopping before revealing why
“Mount Iroswell is a dangerous journey for two humans even if one of them is a godling” the owl said, turning his head from side to side as if confused
“there’s a treasure there” Aaron replied “really I’ve never heard of it”
“really?” Which goddess has the owl as a sacred animal that will help with what I’m dealing with? They stared at each other for a moment then it hit him, a moon owl! The sacred animal of Luna.
“perhaps I’ll just travel with you I’m interested in treasure”
“Wait um..gold is of no use to you though” Aaron said frantically, I can’t fool him!
“oh I don’t know about that I’ll go on ahead and you will catch up with me during the day see you soon” with that he flew over the treetops great what I’m I going to tell William in the mourning after my watch I woke William and went to bed before telling him about the strange owl. A few minutes later he flew back circling over head “monsters! monsters are heading your way!” he cried, grabbing his spear in frantic
“William get up!” Aaron sounded William came out of his tent and grabbing his spear
“What is it” William whispered footsteps could be heard in the snow but couldn't be seen
“What do we do?” Aaron asked voice shaking the owl flew away before William woke up he hurried got the moas up and belting on his sword as shapes of satyrs were coming right at us Aaron held his spear and a sweaty grip
“We need to ride to the city” Aaron said
“Not with satyrs we can’t” William said the satyrs were standing at the edge of the clearing
“Why are they waiting?” Aaron asked
“For more numbers probably I count four which means we need to attack now” William said they held there spears forward and charged the nearest satyr the other three charged them with stone axes and spears throwing skylight at the first one to distract it before the satyr reached him William fended off the other them as Aaron launched for the nearest one next to him I wish I put on my armor! Trying not to get hit while hitting the satyr the other one joined in as well but his ax had short reach so Aaron blocked and paired reading a cut on the side but hitting one of them in the shoulder dark blood gushed out and she wailed in pain the ax welder charged strait at Aaron spear in front and he crashed into it right thought the gut Aaron got up and threw skylight at the female killing her then finished the male one off. William didn’t seem hurt and two corpses lay at his feet.
“How did you know they were coming?” William asked he had a cut on his forehead “I- howls were heard in the distance
“Timber wolves I knew it was too good to be true get the tent put away I’ll make the moa ready” William said as shapes of satyrs were running past them in the distance hurrying to take the tent down as fast as possible as William mounted his moa as Aaron mounted Daisy after putting the tent on the pack moa they rode in the night towards the dozens of satyrs and hundreds of goblins running towards them from behind with a good number of them on timberwolves.
“We need to slow down or the satyrs will take us down” Aaron said
“If we slow down the timberwolves will”
What do we do!? We can’t go back or forward or sideways! The satyrs to their left noticed them riding towards them and one of them jumped ten feet into the air at William knife in hand throwing skylight at him hitting the satyr and he missed. William flinched but stayed on his moa towing the pack moa throwing wildly trying to keep the satyrs at bay which worked well enough. Timberwolves started to run satyrs down and with howls of pain they were killed some tried to fight the goblins but were quickly overrun. don’t look behind don’t look behind throwing skylight to his right to hopefully slow down the timberwolves the city came into view but it's about half a mile away and the gates are closed they always are at night on and on they rode whale avoiding the monsters all around them William veered left and right to avoid the goblins riding down satyrs some of them jumped to pull the rider down a timberwolf was riding straight for Aaron without a goblin on his back holding his spear out to ward it off it crashed into the spear head on killing it but knocking Aaron off his moa. William rode on without slowing down towards the city getting up sprinting towards William dodging satyrs and goblins if a timberwolf hunts me down I’m dead I need the satyrs to hold out Aaron ran into a satyr getting up without issue and running again as the satyr was rundown in the confusion Aaron reached the closed gate William already made into the city.
“Open the gates!” Aaron cried levitating as two timberwolves closed in on him “open the gates!” two talons grabbed Aarons shoulders as the timber wolves bit his left boot Aaron screamed in pain as the owl carried him onto the stone wall before flying away looking at his foot bleeding freely limping down to the gate were William was arguing with a guard
“Open the gates Aaron is still out there” William said
“Are you crazy he's dead I’m sorry” the guard replied
“I’m not dead yet” Aaron said, revealing himself William hugged Aaron
“I would have gone out there and rescued you but you rescued yourself” William said he looked where he came from “how did you get onto the wall?”
“I’ll tell you later but first I need to sit down my foot is hurt” Aaron said bitterly
“We will find a herbalist and wait two days for you to heal before we ride. William helped Aaron walk with one foot “can you get our moa to a stable? They need rest and he needs a herbalist” the guard nodded leading the three moa away. As they made their way into the city in the night.