"Do I... fire the signal...?"
The second soldier asked with a confused look on his face and then—
"No."
He got an answer.
"You wait for my command."
The two soldiers turned around, and their eyes fell on the blue-eyed man hovering in the air with a calm look on his face, as if he had control over everything here.
The instant he appeared, the two panicking and confused soldiers instantly cald down, and their expressions changed into...
"Lord Kael..."
...reverence.
Both of them were here when the Stonefangs had attacked before; they had seen what Kael had done with their own eyes, and ever since that day, the two of them earnestly believed in Kael and had next to blind faith in him.
Even when those hunting parties were ambushed and more soldiers died, they simply believed that was what was required and were even willing to sacrifice their own lives if it could be of any help to Kael—
For such strong believers, the instant they saw the subject of belief hovering right in front of them, their minds shut off.
Why was the Stonefang here?
Why was he holding a white flag?
What were they planning?
None of it mattered now.
The only thing that mattered was that their Lord was here, and they... they simply needed to follow what he said.
Kael stared at the two soldiers and then turned his gaze toward the Stonefang who was walking toward them.
His Ants, who had already surrounded the area, confird that he was alone. Actually, from what his Ants beyond the Wall told him, ever since they sighted him, he had been alone and was moving carefully through the forest, as if making sure no one saw him—almost as if he had escaped his own tribe and was now rushing toward them. But even then, Kael did not move irrationally—
He waited.
Letting the Stonefang co closer.
The Stonefang was a Fourth Stage Warrior, so while his strength was a little unusual for his level, he wasn’t exactly a threat; letting him close wasn’t a problem.
And even if he did beco a problem, the mont he did sothing that might put him or the people around him in harm’s way, Kael was prepared to kill him.
With a clear plan in his mind, Kael let the Stonefang co near—near enough so that they no longer had to squint their eyes in order to watch him.
Behind the Walls, Lavinia had already reported the incident to Korvath, and while the two of them were now here together with Kael, Kayden was gathering the n, preparing for another possible war.
Once the Stonefang was just a few ters away from the Wall, close enough to see Kael and the others, he stopped.
Kael narrowed his eyes, his body on full alert. Cirri too had already surrounded the Stonefang, making sure any hidden movents were... not hidden.
The Stonefang, under their gazes, raised the white flag and—
"No fight.
Not here to... fight."
He spoke as he began waving the flag, and when the two soldiers on watch duty heard him, they widened their eyes in shock.
"He is... speaking...?"
"How does he know our language...?"
"Has there ever been a Stonefang who could speak our tongue?"
They asked a series of questions despite being in Kael’s presence, but the next mont, Korvath turned toward them with a sharp look on his face, and the two instantly turned silent.
Then, he turned back toward the Stonefang and—
"What is your na? And why are you here?"
He asked in a loud, clear voice.
"My na... is Zakaar."
The Stonefang spoke. His words were still unclear—it was obvious that he wasn’t exactly proficient with Velmourn’s language—but seeing as how he understood Korvath without any issues, it seed like his understanding of the language was thorough.
"I... was sent by... Chief. To talk."
Zakaar continued.
"Your Chief...?"
Korvath narrowed his eyes.
Kael too quickly recalled that broad-shouldered and thick-limbed man who resembled more a monster than a man.
Gruumak.
"What does your Chief want with us?"
Korvath asked.
While other tribes had tried to contact them before with different intentions, and they knew that so of the tribes had people who knew their language and were capable of understanding and talking to them—the Stonefangs were different.
They had never co in contact with them before this. To the Velmourns, Stonefangs were the enemies they needed to face every single winter; no amount of effort to talk to them and co up with so sort of arrangent ever worked since they never ’understood’ them.
Or, from the living proof in front of them—they never bothered to talk to them even though they understood them.
’So this was the reason they never reacted even when we approached them after learning their language.’
Korvath noted in his head.
For a long ti, and even now, Velmourns were unsure whether they had mapped their language correctly or not, but...
To think they were racking their heads trying to understand and map their language, solving a problem they already had, just because these people refused to talk to them...
For a mont, Korvath felt his mouth twitch. Of course, he didn’t let that affect his emotions. He just stared at Zakaar, waiting for his answer.
"Chief says... he wish to talk to the Flying Man..."
"The Flying Man...?"
Korvath frowned, and just then—
The Stonefang pointed his finger toward Kael.
"...?"
Kael frowned.
"I... ca... for him."
Zakaar nodded.
"Chief... Gruumak. He... want talk. With you. Alone.
So I ca.
To bring the Flying Man."
And the mont he said those words, the atmosphere around them changed. Even the wind itself seed to pause, and Lavinia—
She instantly stepped forward, and before anyone could respond—
"He will not co alone."
She spoke in a clear, authoritative voice.
Zakaar’s gaze slowly moved to her. His heavy brow furrowed, as if struggling to piece her words together.
"Chief say... Flying Man co... alone. Not... with army. Not... with woman."
Lavinia narrowed her eyes.
"And why should he?"
She asked.
"Do you think we are fools? You expect him to walk into enemy territory alone?"
Zakaar blinked slowly. He didn’t answer imdiately—instead, his gaze turned toward Kael, as if he didn’t even know how to answer anyone else.
And Kael—
"I’m not going,"
He answered directly.
"If your Chief wants to talk, he can co here."
Going into enemy land alone wasn’t bravery—it was stupidity. And Kael wasn’t about to gamble his life when so many other lives depended on him.
Zakaar stayed silent for a mont. Then he lowered his hand.
"Chief... said you say that."
The Stonefang’s tone shifted—it was more... deliberate now.
"Oh?"
Kael raised his eyebrow.
"If... Flying Man not co..."
Zakaar talked as if recalling sothing carefully.
"Chief say... tell him... other thing."
"Other thing?"
Korvath muttered under his breath, his hand instinctively moving toward his sword.
Zakaar gave a short nod, then looked up toward the walls again, eting Kael’s eyes directly.
"Other tribes... move."
He tapped his chest twice, as if to show sincerity.
"Not only Stonefang. Many. All co... together.
Against Vel... Velmo...
Against Outsiders."
He spoke, unable to say the word ’Velmourn.’ It was quite comical to see him struggle, but none of the people hearing him found it amusing.
"What...?"
Korvath’s expression turned grim as he narrowed his eyes.
It wasn’t just him—the two soldiers behind him widened their eyes in horror.
"Together? The tribes?"
"That’s impossible... they never unite!"
"Don’t they all hate each other...?"
The only ones who were relatively calm in this situation were—
Kael and Lavinia.
Their expressions had hardened just like the others’, but neither seed surprised.
"So it’s really happening..."
Lavinia muttered in a low voice. She had already suspected it, and now, the truth was finally coming out.
Kael nodded faintly as well.
He looked at Zakaar again and—
"How much do you know?"
He asked.
Zakaar, however, shook his head.
"I... not know... all. Chief say... talk to you. Tell plan. He know more. He want... tell you... in person."
Kael didn’t respond.
He could feel Lavinia’s eyes on him.
"You’re not going,"
She said in a sharp, final tone.
"You just ca back, and I am not letting you go again—not without ."
Zakaar’s gaze turned toward her again. He hesitated for a mont, then slowly nodded to himself, as though expecting her reaction.
"Chief... say that too."
His words were clumsy, but the aning struck clearly.
"If Flying Man not co... if Flying Man not trust... then Chief say... give him... place."
"Place?"
Kael narrowed his eyes.
Zakaar nodded again, pointing east—beyond the mountains, toward the snow-covered valleys.
"Deep vale... under gray rocks.
We call... Trogoth’s Rest."
"Never heard of it."
Korvath frowned.
"No one has,"
Zakaar replied.
"Only Stonefang... know. Safe. No fight. No trick."
He paused, searching for the right words.
"Chief say... Kael can co there. One day. He wait.
Only one day."
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