The sled was on the move through the mountains again.
But compared to the apprehension they felt on the way up, a sense of anxiousness now filled their hearts.
They left the rock ledge and continued down the mountain.
As the wind and snow whipped against his cheeks, Colin’s mind kept replaying everything he had seen and heard along the way.
He disagreed with Ale’s earlier claim that the resurrection of the Skeleton Legion was the cause of the abnormal winter disaster.
Based on what the Guard at Snow Deer Ridge had said about the Orcs’ shipnt being several days late, the Orc Tribe could have only been threatened by the Skeletons for half a month at most. The winter disaster, however, had lasted for far longer than that.
So, it was more likely that the revival of the Ancient Kingdom occurred while the winter disaster was already underway, which was why the Frostland Druids stationed here were caught off guard.
If that was the case, the Skeleton revival here was probably just a regional event. It didn’t seem to have any connection to the major event that could be causing monsters all over the world to act abnormally.
But... Colin still had a gut feeling he couldn’t quite explain.
For so reason, he felt there had to be more to this business with the Ancient Empire of Ora Kaim.
Ti passed, and the group arrived at a mountain valley.
Strangely, at the entrance to the valley stood a wooden watchtower and a half-finished wooden wall. Several Skeletons were currently at work around the wall.
"Hold up," Colin said, patting Kase’s shoulder.
The Half-Orc nodded.
The sled looped around behind a large boulder. The group hopped off and used a Climbing Rope, with the help of a tree on the slope, to scale the rock. From their high vantage point, they looked down at the wooden wall below.
Only four Skeletons were busy around the wooden wall.
Furthermore, there were no buildings or tents behind the wall. It didn’t look like a heavily guarded checkpoint.
"The log pile behind the wall looks like it has scorch marks, Colin! Kase!" Orelia whispered with excitent.
Colin added, "That ans soone attacked this place from the inside."
He glanced at Kase beside him and saw the Half-Orc’s tense muscles visibly relax.
"So, what do we do now?" Kase asked.
"We’ll charge straight through," Colin said. "The fact that they built a wall here ans there must be a Skeleton stronghold nearby. We can’t let them slow us down. You still rember where the tribe’s hiding place is, right?"
"Got it." Kase nodded grimly.
’To be honest, I’ve never seen this Half-Orc look so serious,’ Colin thought.
With a plan in place, the group climbed back onto the sled.
Kase let out a sharp cry, and the sled dogs shot forward, pulling the sled with them.
As the sled dogs pulled them toward a gap in the wooden wall, everyone on the sled readied their ranged attacks.
The mont they got close, a Scorching Ray, a volley of Arrows, and a few Cantrips instantly obliterated the Skeletons. The sled didn’t slow down, charging straight through the wall’s opening.
They continued to charge downhill through the valley.
The sled only began to slow down once the wooden wall was out of sight behind them.
They traveled in silence along the winding valley for another half hour.
Just as they were pressing onward, a low voice called out from a small snowdrift by the path.
Kase’s arm twitched at the sound, and he quickly called the sled dogs to a halt.
Then, several Half-Orcs similar to Kase leaped out from the snowdrift... or rather, they were a bit taller than Kase and had a more rugged appearance. They were possibly Pure-blooded Orcs.
The three Orcs leaped out and imdiately surrounded Kase, clamoring around him.
Seeing this, the others in the sled breathed a sigh of relief.
It seed the Orc Tribe’s current situation wasn’t as dire as they had feared.
The Orc language was full of guttural sounds, making it sound sowhat rough and wild.
Additionally, the Orcs glanced at Ale on the sled, their eyes filled with obvious hostility. ’The girl already covered her ears,’ Colin wondered. ’How did they know she was a Half-Elf?’
Amidst the conversation, Colin sized up Kase’s kin.
They were dressed in thick furs. They had been lying in ambush in the snowdrift, covered by Cloaks. Each one clutched an Orc Short Sword that looked just like the one Kase had once lent him—heavy and blunt, you could tell at a glance.
"Our tribe’s okay. We lost thirty people out of more than a hundred thirty. They said the adventuring party that ca here is also with them."
Kase turned back, looking at Colin with an extrely serious expression. "The problem now is how to get them out of here."
"We’ll find a way. First, let’s see what the situation is," Colin replied with a solemn nod.
’For a tribe this size, losing thirty people must be a crippling blow,’ he thought. ’I can only hope the situation isn’t as bad as it seems.’
One of the Orcs stepped forward to lead their group.
"You... warrior! Bear Hunter... you nod! For help... thank you!"
The Orc ca up to Colin, gave him a thumbs-up, and spoke haltingly.
’Feels like he’s used up every foreign word he knows,’ Colin thought. ’If he tried to say two more sentences, he’d probably start sweating, even in this sub-zero weather.’
"I’ll do what I can. Kase has helped a lot, too," Colin replied.
"Oh, oh! Good, good," the Orc hurriedly agreed.
After another half-hour walk, they ca to a small, well-hidden valley and found a cave within a small grove of trees.
The entrance was barely wide enough for a single Orc to squeeze through.
After burying the sled in the snow, the group headed into the cave.
The farther in they went, the more they could feel waves of warmth washing over them. After a few dozen paces, the space suddenly opened up before them.
They had entered a large cavern.
Just like with the Barbarians, a large fire pit sat in the middle of the cavern, its flas warming the space. Orcs clad in Beast Hides were huddled in the corners of the cavern. Their heads were bowed, their expressions dejected, and they all looked as if they hadn’t had a proper al in days.
However, when the Orc who led Colin’s party inside shouted Kase’s na, all the other Orcs raised their heads in unison.
The mont they saw Kase, they began to cheer loudly.
All the Orcs were chanting Kase’s na, as if they weren’t hiding in so remote cave, but attending a magnificent victory feast.
It was only then that Colin truly understood the weight carried by the title "Strongest Totem Warrior" among the Orcs.
He scanned the main cavern.
He estimated there were over a hundred Orcs and Half-Orcs in total. The number of young Orcs was high, while the proportion of Old Orcs was quite low. ’Perhaps the elderly made up a large portion of the thirty who were lost,’ he mused.
It wasn’t hard to imagine the Old Orcs here stepping forward to secure a future for the younger generation.
Just then, an elderly female Orc pulled aside the curtain covering an inner passage and erged. She clutched a long staff, leaning on it like a cane as she walked toward them step by step.
Kase imdiately raised a hand, silencing the cheering Orcs.
The Old Orc slowly walked up to Kase, patted his shoulder, and said sothing. Kase bowed his head and murmured a lengthy reply.
The Old Orc then shifted her gaze to Colin.
Though it was perhaps a rude thought, Colin could see a wisdom and serenity in the Old Orc’s eyes that felt almost out of place.
"You must be the human Kase ntioned," she said. "Thank you for your efforts to save this tribe. No matter what happens, you will always be our friend."
Just then, the curtain hanging over the inner passage swayed gently.
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