In the morning, Ashur arrived the at the town closer to the caves, where he had been in the beginning with his warriors.
The city had many knights patroling, he couldn't come in, he could only watch from afar, as they patrolled who came in and who came out.
'Those knights are definitely looking for me, but did they managed to arrest any of my people?'
The way back to the cave was also full o knights.
'they seem to be all over the place, should we just leave?'
'No I need to check if any of my men are here.'
'Do you think they are here?'
'....' Ashur was not sure of anything, he rather check before it's too late, if anyone was caught they would definitely not be shown any mercy.
Later at night...
'You seem to be very bold to be entering the town'
'I will check if they are here or not and I will move out'
Ashur had a cape covering his head and face, and to keep himself unsee in dark of the night.
They tried to sneak around but it was proven to be hard since there were many knights everywhere, Ashur had to hide under bridges, behind walls and so on.
Before he knew he was a front of tavern full of knights drinking and talking. Hid himself next to a window where few knights were sitted close to.
"Being stuck in this place is the worst, I have my family back at home waiting for me and I am here searching for a maybe dead guy."
"How unlucky we got to be, to be chosen to be here." They drank and laugh of their misfortune.
"To believe that cave was as empty as my pocket."
"What did they even do there, did they killed the dragon and carried the thing home?"
'Killed me??? Those insolents!!! I can't be killed by mere humans.' Ignis was angry!!
'They don't seem to have caught anyone.'.
"You there... What are you doing over there." Two knights approached Ashur. He tried to hide his face but they took the cap from his head.
"What are you doing sneaking around?"
'tell them you are about to visit your lover.'
'why would I do that?'
'Disguise wise is a great option.'
"Are you deaf?? Why don't you answer???"
'They don't seem to recognise me'
'just tell them you are about to meet a lover, but her father is against it.'
'What are you talking about??'
'Maybe you are right it would be easy to just knock them down.'
'That would attract more attention, and they don't seem to know who I am. I am guessing because of the white hair.'
"Sorry sir...."
'Then just tell them about the forbidden lover.'
"...I have a lover that I was expecting to meet." Ashur was embarrassed, covering his face. 'What hell am I saying?'
"Ohh... Even so young man, there's a curfew so you should get going. Just let it happen some other time." .
"Thank you sir. I will take my leave now."
As Ashur left they kept looking.
"You always had a soft spot for romance.."
"Certainly do, I will definitely confess to her when we get back."
"That's right, I will be rooting for you."
'I should head home, now.'
'You are worried about your people aren't you?'
'...' Ashur silence just made it clear what Ignis was feeling, he didn't know that humans had so many intense emotions.
The journey back, for a normal person would take a almost a year, even though for him and the warriors it took a few months and since Ashur had soulbounded with Ignis the time would be much shorter.
He had been gone for a few months already, much longer than he had originally planned.
He had to stop a in few towns. There he would hear about the dead brave warrior who fought against the dragon, that even before he died he defeated the dragon.
The stories about him were getting more more creative, however the end result was all the same, he died and defeated the dragon.
He had to return quickly as possible because he didn't want to his people to think he had died.
He was still a few months away from the frozen Lands.
In one of the stops he heard some traveling merchants talking what they had heard, that people that lived in the frozen Lands had been attacked they were dying from starving.
"I would go there but it seems the way is now full of Monsters. Those poor Bastards even if is not the hunger, the monsters will definitely kill them."
Ashur knew that sometimes stories like this were exaggerated but... Somehow his gut feeling, didn't stop him from wanting to rush home.
Normally he would travel during the day and rest during the night to avoid more dangerous monsters and unnecessary fights.
However now he had to rush home no matter what. So travelling at night was also must.
Ashur didn't waste any time, through the vast forests was the fastest way but would have to go through monsters and beast, however the time would be much shorter.
After a few weeks of traveling day and night he reached the Frozen Lands,he was finally almost home.
He had to face a few beast and monsters, but with Ignis power everything became much easier.
Nevertheless he could already feel the accumulated exauhstion.
'One more week. And I'll be... there. '
'You should rest ,if you colapse when you arrive there won't do them any good.'
Ashur stopped he knew if they were to need his help he needed to be at least fit to help.
Since Ashur entered the forest he had a wierd feeling, his senses were very alert.
First he just thought it was the anxiety of returning home, but the closer he was, he was feeling more unseasy.
'Ignis do you also feel it?'
'Yes awhile now since we entered this Land.'
'There's some powerful being around here.'
'I hope it's faraway from the town.'
'Thats wierd....'
'whats wierd?'
'is just... this time of the year, is normal to have more and more White wolf's, because it the time to for them to bring their young ones for the hunt.'
Ashur had wondered why he hadn't seen none of the White wolfs so far. All that attacked him was some bloodsucker monsters, it was a creature that walked on 4 legs very hairy and fast, a few could run fast enough to run from it.
Ashur was fast enough to run and avoid fighting with blood suckers, despite of being fast their stamina was low, so they relied on being very fast and grab its pray as fast as possible.
Fighting monsters on his way home didn't leave him any time to rest even though he needed.
Now this unseasyness was bothering him more than anything.
His head was starting to hurt being awake for so long was not good, normal humans can last a few days without sleep, but he was already weeks stressing his body to reach home as soon as possible.
Fighting low level was annoying, but more annoying was to fight Dothics, they were low level monster, if you attacked it, and killed it, it would spawn even more of it, from their spilled blood.
So to fight it was good as stamina training but for someone who didn't want to train, it was just a hassle.
Being sorrounded by them for many was a death flag, but to Ashur it was a waste of his time, he kept moving forward ignoring them.
When they attacked he evaded them, they were getting frustrated and started to cry loud, like they were calling for something.
Before Ashur appeared a large figure, it was an evolved Dothic, it was faster than a normal one.
It grabbed Ashur by the neck, with his feets Ashur pushed the monster away, the monster was pushed back against a tree.
It grabbed the tree with its hands, swinging itself forward, it ran again towards Ashur swinging its fists around, everytime that it would hit the floor it make a loud bang.
The other Dothics didn't they stay idle, they kept pestering Ashur attacking like they were trying to make him kill them.
The larger Dothics kicked Ashur on his chest, pushing him backwards.
Ashur was evading all he could, he didn't know if he swong his sword against the bigger one if it would respawn in double, that was a risk he didn't want to take.
'Fuck this things.'
Ashur cut the bigger one, and the others smaller ones, they cheered as if they managed to do what they wanted.
The bigger one respawed again into 4 more, they had become larger and bigger, than before.
'Ohhh this is amazing.'Ignis sounded excited.
'Fuckk, they respawn and became larger.'
'i didn't want to meddle in your fun, but look at this.' Ignis took over.
'Hey what did I tell you about consent?' Ignis move the arm, making his power flow through it.
'I do apologise... I will show you something, now that we are connected, my power is your power, if you learn to access it, this is what you can do.' through a small move the arm was wrapped in fire, and with a swift move the fire went to the sword.
Ashur was impressed.
'Do you think if we burn them to death, will they respawn ?' Ashur face had a big grin, while his eyes glowed bright red.
'Lets find out.' Ashur jumped over the big guys heads cutting one by one from head to toes.
Swinging his fire sword he burned every little Dothic to crisp.
Few of the little Dothics ran away after seeing the fire sword burning, through the bigger ones.
Those who were burned didn't respawned.
"Ahahahahhahah, Fuck... Jakobus, will be delighted to know."
Ashur was exhausted, he layed there on the snow.
Since he had been in the Frozen Lands had been snowing from time to time, but his body was always warm.
He didn't feel the cold like before.
He smiled understanding that thanks to Ignis is body temperature was on a different level than before.
Suddenly a shiver came down his spine, he got up quickly...
'What hell was that??'