The far north was a land of eternal wind and snow, where glaciers, seas, and rivers stretched as far as the eye could see, filled with a wild, untamed air.
The Warmothers of the Winter's Claw and the Avarosans, Sejuani and Ashe, were now the apparent leaders of the Freljord. These two were known to practically everyone in the Freljord.
Even if you asked children only a few years old, they could tell you a thing or two, discussing the changes the Freljord had undergone under the leadership of its new leaders.
But today, the two Warmothers had summoned the people of the north. No matter whether they belonged to large tribes or small tribes, all of them had to leave the northern reaches and gather in the central territory of the Avarosans.
No one was allowed to remain in the far north. Otherwise, they would be considered enemies of the Avarosans and the Winter's Claw. That accusation was simply too heavy.
Because of that, although the tribes of the north, both large and small, could not understand why the two leaders would do this, they still obediently left their homeland, bringing their families with them as they headed toward Avarosan territory.
Tangji's tribe was one of them. His tribe was called the White Fir tribe, a tribe named after an ancient tree. Supposedly, a long, long time ago, the ancestors of the White Fir tribe had once produced a great figure. That old ancestor, named Bolt, had once made the White Fir tribe one of the largest tribes in the northern reaches.
Even now, the elders of the White Fir tribe would still pass down Bolt's ancient deeds by word of mouth to the younger generation.
Some said he was a great warrior who could fight a brown bear with his bare hands. Some said he was a great hero who, to save a child, could risk danger by plunging alone into a wolf pack. Others said he had once ventured deep into the Howling Abyss alongside an ancient god, sacrificing himself for the future of humanity in the Freljord.
Tangji thought all of that was too fake. If their ancestors had really produced such a great figure, then how could the White Fir tribe have become a small tribe that survived by selling charcoal?
The entire tribe had no more than forty people in total, and among them were several elderly people. Of the children, there was only Tangji's younger sister and two other children, while young people like Tangji numbered only four or so.
A tribe like this had once been a major tribe in the northern Freljord?
Heh. It was nothing but lies and boasting!
Thinking this, Tangji moved his legs and climbed up a high slope. Once they crossed these mountains and rivers, then after another three days of walking, they would reach Avarosan territory.
Tired, hungry, cold.
Tangji was exhausted beyond words, but everyone in the tribe was walking, so he could only keep walking with them.
They had not encountered any danger along the way.
Now, under the leadership of the Avarosans, there were no longer any tribes in the Freljord that lived solely as bandits. After all, the largest and most powerful of them, the Winter's Claw, had already gone straight. If the other tribes were still working as bandits, what, did they look down on the Winter's Claw?
Even so, the long journey still left Tangji full of resentment.
"I really don't understand. Why summon everyone over when everything was fine? Does Avarosa not know that because of this decision, many people will die on the road?"
Tangji complained to his mother, who was up ahead.
His mother was the Warmother of the White Fir tribe, an ordinary middle-aged woman. Although she was not particularly outstanding in martial strength, she possessed wisdom.
A small tribe like the White Fir tribe could not raise powerful warriors. A warrior needed to eat a great deal, needed someone to teach them, and needed to fight and struggle through blood and fire.
But the White Fir tribe could not provide those things. Because of that, the strongest fighter in the White Fir tribe was Uncle Fran, the hunter, followed by his mother.
Tangji had also learned some archery. His skill was roughly at the level of being able to hit a deer within thirty meters.
"That's enough, Tangji. Stop complaining," his mother said in a deep voice.
"Stop complaining? Look around! The elders of the tribe can barely keep walking anymore! Are we supposed to carry them on our backs next?" Tangji immediately said.
His mother turned and looked at Tangji seriously. "Yes. Exactly that."
"Or do you want to abandon them?" There was a trace of resolve in his mother's voice as she continued, "The reason we have survived until now is because we relied on helping one another, Tangji. Do not forget the meaning of the White Fir."
Tangji pouted and muttered, "To fall like withered leaves, to become nourishment and nurture those who come after."
All of it was empty, lofty talk!
"Warmother, although Tangji has been complaining this whole time, I also think the Avarosans are wrong."
"She should be wise and insightful, not so savage and heavy-handed." Another voice rang out. It was one of the tribe's elders.
On a face like withered bark, a pair of cloudy eyes carried pain. He said, "If this continues, none of us will make it to Avarosan territory. Besides, we do not even know why she summoned us."
"So?" Tangji's mother looked at him seriously and said, "To defy Avarosa is to anger Serylda. Have you forgotten what the Winter's Claw has done in the northern reaches?"
"They have retracted their claws and speak to us with smiles only because they want to speak to us properly. Otherwise, they can change back at any moment."
"The shift back to wild savagery takes only an instant," Tangji's mother said softly.
"All right, everyone, stop complaining. We'll rest in a moment."
Before she could finish speaking, a stunned expression appeared on the old Warmother's face. The next instant, she shouted, "Avalanche!"
"Quick, run! Run faster!"
She shouted loudly.
Tangji froze for a moment, then saw the members of the tribe all running forward. The adults helped the elderly, and the young helped those even younger. Seeing this, Tangji gritted his teeth and also went to help one of the mothers in the tribe.
"Hurry, we have to get over there! We need to reach an open area!"
His mother shouted loudly.
An avalanche. A sudden avalanche.
No. It was not just an avalanche. The entire mountain was shaking!
Tangji looked back toward the trembling mountain range, and in the next instant, his mouth fell open.
A terrifying scene appeared in the sky. Just moments ago, it had been blue sky and white clouds. But now, it had turned into a huge, horrifying vortex.
Purple storm clouds covered the sky, rotating toward the center and pulling in even more dark clouds.
Tangji's eyes widened. He did not know what that was, but it could only be called a natural disaster.
And in the next instant, everyone, including Tangji, heard a terrifying sound.
"Screeeeeech!"
That tremendous sound seemed like a wail, yet even more like a meaningless roar, filled with the most primal madness.
Then the mountain broke.
A massive, twisted creature appeared from within the mountain range. It was incomparably tall, hundreds of meters long, like a walking iceberg.
Countless strange antlers, like those of a deer, grew from it, covered in innumerable dense purple eyes. Beneath those enormous, bizarre antlers was a warped face, as though countless strands of malice had gathered together into one twisted visage.
"Screeeeeech!"
It wailed again.
When Tangji heard it, his eyes rolled upward, and he was about to lose consciousness.
But in the next instant, light appeared at the edge of the sky.
Green radiance split apart the purple sky and crashed into the enormous twisted creature.
Tangji came back to himself. He suddenly understood why Avarosa had ordered everyone to leave the northern reaches.
But he did not know why this was happening. He did not know what that creature was. He did not know whether the one who had launched that green light was helping them either.
But Tangji knew one thing.
The heavens had changed.
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