"My queen, have you seen something in your mind's eye?" asked Asger.
Sindri was breathing heavily and her forehead was soaked with sweat. She nodded in response.
"Odin has called to me, bringing ill news and plans for war that must be made quickly. He said the enemies of iron foot are approaching. We will make war with them, but first we must rescue our new friends from harm, then we can plan the protection of our kingdom. We must call for Hemming," she requested.
Asger turned to summon the slave. To his surprise, no one responded. After a pause, he called for the other slaves one by one until the eldest and most faithful ram entered. He was fortunate to still be alive, as his bravery in saving Asger many years ago had spared him from being sacrificed.
Asger was annoyed that only the weakest slave had arrived, but at least he had someone here to do his bidding.
"Simueal, where are the others? Have they not returned?" he asked.
The old ram shook his head no.
"I'm sorry, master, they have not returned since yesterday. I am here. What do you want me to do, my Lord?" he answered slowly.
Asger gazed solemnly at the old ram, feeling empathy for the difficult assignment he was about to give.
"I need you to round up any of Zarda's companions who may be present, those who are capable and willing to join a rescue mission. Inform them if you locate any here, as they may all be in need of help. If none are found, gather five of our best warriors instead. Return here with them, and do not return until the job is done. Do you comprehend?" Asger stated firmly.
Sindri had finished dressing herself while Asger gave a task to Simueal. The ram comprehended his task and swiftly exited the bed chambers as quickly as his frail body would allow. Despite his feeble legs, he found the energy to shuffle forward with a slight gallop. Asger then turned his attention back to his bride.
"My love, how did Odin come to you and speak when only the seers and medicine witches have such a connection?" Asger asked, looking confused.
Sindri gazed at her lord with a strange expression.
"I believe it was the crystals. Yes, in fact ever since that visit last night, something inside me has changed. I see it as a gift from the Gods, from Odin himself. It feels as if mother Freya has planted a seed within me. Something monumental is on the horizon. But enough talk, we need to leave soon. It's a shame you sent that old goat out, he won't be back for ages. Why didn't you go yourself? It would have been quicker," she replied.
Asger was so preoccupied with giving orders and listening to Sindri that he had forgotten to change into more suitable clothes. In a quick moment, he hurried to get dressed. Sindri was already ready and stepped out of their bedroom into the daylight. As she walked into the sun, she felt a peaceful sensation inside her, similar to the feeling she had with Nova. Tears started to fill her eyes and she heard a soft, fairy-like voice calling out to her. Looking around in confusion, she found no one there except for herself and the trees. Her heart raced with anticipation, hoping for a mysterious presence to reveal itself. But she remained alone until Lord Asger approached her, reaching out to hold her gently.
"Are you playing a joke, my love, or have you lost your mind?" he asked teasingly.
She laughed at his comment.
"No, it's nothing. I thought I heard something, maybe just a butterfly fluttering past my ears," she responded.
The couple embraced tightly as they waited until they heard what sounded like a group of approaching footsteps. They looked up and saw that they were indeed correct. Sindri was relieved to know that she wasn't imagining the sounds. Zarda's friends K'nani, Egil, Bjorn, and Lysabel walked in, while the others stayed with the little ones for safety. Five of Asger's top warriors followed behind them: Ayaan the fierce Lynx, Hamish the Broad Bison, Luca the stealthy Coyote, Jaxon the wise Fox, and the fiercest of them all, Montgomery the Wolverine.
Quietly, they stood side by side in front of Lord Asger, awaiting his command. All eyes were fixed on the couple as Asger addressed his troops and Zarda's clan at once.
He revealed the news of a rescue mission for Zarda, prompted by his disappearance alongside some of his companions. With the looming threat of an impending attack from humans, they needed to act swiftly.
"I hope we don't encounter any resistance, but my subjects have a tendency to rebel," Asger said. "Let's hope we can avoid conflict with them before the real battle begins. Let's go."
With that, Asger ordered the group to move out. As he went to kiss Sindri goodbye, she resisted pulling him back into her arms instead with a fierce look upon her face. Her flashed bright yellow.
"You're not leaving me. I'm coming with you. It's our responsibility that they are missing. The kingdom is secure as long as the runes remain intact. Now, Let's go, as you said," she insisted, gripping his face and passionately kissing him.
"Can you hear me, Zarda?" Osborn asked from behind the metal bars.
Zarda sat angrily on the ground, surrounded by what looked like moon dust. It was soft and powdery, with a color similar to Himalayan salt. He kicked the dust in frustration and growled fiercely at the rocky walls that imprisoned him. The walls shook and rumbled, causing some animals to tremble in fear. Zarda regretted not acting sooner, trusting his instincts but failing in timing. Annoyed and reluctant to speak, he responded sharply to his friend.
"Yeah, I hear you. What do you want?"
Osborn felt a pang of embarrassment, never intending to upset his friend.
"I'm sorry, mate. I know we're in a tough situation, but I just wanted to say I trust and believe in you completely. I will follow you to unto death to the very end, and you have my loyalty and support," Osborn said.
Zarda felt remorse for snapping at his faithful ally. Approaching the bars, he pushed his face through as much as the bars allowed, to see Osborn.
"No, I'm the one who should apologize, Osborn. You are a true friend, and I accept your help in whatever lies ahead. I never thought we'd be back behind bars again. I hope you can forgive me.I hope you all can forgive me. I have let you all down," Zarda replied sadly.
"You did not fail us, boss. You did all you could within the limits," Dane reassured from his own cell.
Zarda couldn't control his emotions as tears streamed down his cheeks, causing a sharp pain as they fell. He was relieved that no one could see his tears as he pushed away from the bars and collapsed onto the soft ground. Curled into a fetal position, he wept silently, his heart heavy with longing for his family in Africa. Memories of his loved ones flashed through his mind - his little brother Meeku's smile, his mother's gentle kisses, the fierce passion in his queen Natia's eyes. He even envisioned a future for a cub he never had the chance to meet. As he pondered the fate of his friends Purk and Thyron, he yearned for a reunion that seemed impossible. With a heavy sigh, Zarda's tears dried up, leaving him drained and breathless. Closing his eyes, he surrendered to the darkness until a familiar voice reached out to him in his despair.
"Zarda, you're going to be okay, my son. You are stronger than you realize, I know because I created you. Remember, Osborn has your staff, which holds my power. Teach the bear how to use it by guiding him to focus on his happiest moment and directing that energy towards the amethyst tip. Only then will he be able to use my power to set you all free. Retrieve your staff from Osborn immediately, as there are those who seek to harm you and those who will help you. Time is of the essence, gather an army for Havardr. You must leave with your companions, you cannot stay to fight. Travel until you find the metal plane and return to your kingdom. I will always be with you, goodbye for now, Zarda," said The Creator.
Zarda gradually came to his senses and struggled to open his eyes. Pushing himself up from the dusty ground, he made his way back to the prison bars. The sound of crying and yelling echoed outside the cells. "What on earth happened while I was out?" he wondered.
Chaos had erupted, causing the prisoners to panic and recall their experiences in the labs. They were terrified of what awaited them in these advanced prison cells. Zarda noticed that the walls were made of Himalayan salt rocks, confirming his suspicions. The unique scent in the air explained why his tears had evaporated so quickly. Salt had both beneficial and harmful effects, affecting everyone to some extent. Amidst the turmoil, Zarda managed to call out, silencing the room so he could speak openly to Osborn.
" Ozzy!" he called.
" Yeah mate, what's up" he replied.
"I need you to do me a big favor. Take my staff in your hand for me, do it now, okay?" Zarda commanded.
Osborn chose to act immediately instead of responding.
The puzzled bear asked, "Okay, now that I have your staff in my hands, what do I do?"
Zarda was relieved to hear that Osborn was following his instructions without questioning the reasons behind the task.
Zarda instructed, "Now, I want you to recall a moment in your life when you were truly the happiest. Hold onto that memory and visualize it transferring onto the amethyst. It's recommended that you stand, near the bars, before beginning. I'm uncertain of what will occur next, but I am certain that your gift is going to manifest. Keep in mind, concentrate on the happiest moment of your life and gaze at the amethyst. Do you understand?"
Osborn nodded, aware that his friend was unable to see or hear the gesture.
" I got ya mate, there's nothing to worry about. Hang on tight, everyone, because here we go, I guess," Osborn declared.
With focused concentration, he delved into his thoughts, reliving the happiest moments in his mind. Eventually, he settled on his favorite memory, gazing down at the amethyst with pure delight in his heart. To his surprise, the amethyst began to emit a bright glow, sending beams of light towards the metal bars. The bars melted down into silver liquid puddles, leaving Osborn in shock. The process abruptly stopped when he lost focus on his happy memory, leading Osborn to sheepishly exclaim,
"Oops."
Zarda didn't like the sound of that, oops.
"What's wrong, did it work?" Asked Zarda anxiously.
" Yeah no everything is fine, just needing to concentrate harder" replied the nervous bear.
Osborn seized the moment once more, directing all his focus towards the stone. As it glowed even brighter than before, the remaining metal bars melted away completely. He had succeeded in freeing himself and was now able to move beyond the opening. Without wasting a moment, Osborn hurried to Zarda's cell and repeated the miraculous process, setting him free just as he had done for himself moments earlier. Zarda retrieved his staff, and together they worked swiftly to release all the other prisoners. After ensuring everyone was accounted for, Zarda led them out of the holding quarters and down a marbled hallway towards the inner courts of the castle, where merchants, residents, and guards of Hellir lived, played, traded, and dwelled.
Following his master's instructions, it was essential to act quickly. They hastened their escape towards the entrance, approaching rapidly. However, Erling, the ruler of Hellir, and his soldiers emerged to obstruct their exit. Armed and prepared, they intended to capture Zarda and his companions.
Erling shouted out in question to Zarda, 'Not so fast. Do you understand why we have kept you here as a prisoner?' Zarda, indifferent and seeking vengeance and freedom, had no clue. As his core began to burn, he could feel the strength of his master's power building inside him.
Zarda replied, "No, and I really don't care, but I'm sure you're going to tell me."
Erling grinned mischievously and burst into uncontrollable laughter with a touch of madness.
"You are correct. Regardless of whether you agree or not, I am going to say it. Our Winter solstice requires sacrifices to bring blessings to each kingdom, and your head, along with those of your companions, will bring us a powerful blessing upon Hellir. In fact, your group will bring the largest blessing we have ever received. That is why I cannot let you go until the day we slit your throat and your own blood is spilled upon the altar. You understand now why you must stay here. I will not allow anything to disrupt my incredible plan," answered Erling, the loathsome Puma.
Zarda was fed up with the puma's incessant speech.
Zarda spoke, "Out from behind bars, and into the trapper's trap."
His anger amplified his supernatural abilities, causing a stunning purple aura to materialize on the tip of his staff, transforming into a dazzling lightning display. The intensity of his power grew, leaving the Monarch's army in awe as they fled in fear, including Haldor and Brynjar, abandoning their leader. Zarda smirked wickedly before unleashing a burst of purple lightning at the deranged puma, sending Erling flying across the city and crashing into a building. His blood stained the walls, signaling the end of their obstacle and clearing their path.
At that moment, the Lord and Lady of Havardr, accompanied by many familiar companions, arrived at the gateway of Hellir. Zarda, thrilled to see friendly faces, rushed towards them with his group close behind. They greeted the royals joyfully and quickly departed from beneath the cave of Hellir.
Zarda ran next to Lord Asger as they emerged from the cave.
Zarda gasped between breaths, muttering, "If I ever step foot in another cave again, may it be my last. Do you know how much I despise caves?"
Asger was sprinting quickly alongside the strong lion, unable to suppress a chuckle at the lion's comment.
"Believe me, I feel the same way. I could go my whole life without ever returning to Hellir, and if I do, you have my permission to cut off my balls," Asger said with a laugh.