"Think beyond one lifetime."~ Anivia the Cryophenix
I'm a moron. I messed up the chapter orders. Sorry. The previous two chapters 6&7 are switched around.
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"Freljord is constantly embroiled in some sort of conflict. News of tribes being wiped out it spreading through the lands. Noxians are still trying to encroach their territories and keep failing. Their war can't survive the elements. All they do is lose lives. Idiots. All of them."
The man seemed sad as he said this.
Gregori spoke solemnly, his eyes still on the kids who managed to climb onto an Elnuk. "War never is good for us. I've lost so much to it that the only thing keeping me going are those two. And Noxus doesn't seem to be dropping its war tactics despite the change in leadership."
He didn't care for war or all that it wrought but for information he could put on an act.
He rose to get them off before they got hurt. As he did that however, a hand grabbed his shoulder.
"Don't bother. The Elnuks like the young. Regardless if they are human young or not. They are good mothers. Nothing will happen to your kids."
The old man was also looking at the two girls playing happily, his expression melancholic.
The silence continued for a little while.
"New leadership you say?"
Giving the old man a confused look he answered, "Haven't you heard? Its all they talk about back at Delverhold. Darkwill's dead. The Trifarix it is called. Three factions lead Noxus now. They are looking for more people to bolster their numbers."
"Boram was killed? Hopefully it wasn't in battle. A cowards death is what he deserves. May the wolf feast on his soul."
"He died a cowards death. Murdered by his own allies. Good riddance I say. They shouldn't have gone against the Ionians anyway."
A few minutes passed in silence. Then the man spoke.
"Demacia is also fighting harder now. Facing both Noxus and Freljord."
"The
"Noxians have lost a couple battalions and Demacia have lost a portion of their scouts and riders. Those lot have taken this extremely seriously the prince is leading the charge into the Argent himself, the next thing you know their mage seekers would be in battle. Those inhuman bastards."
With eyebrows raised Gregori spoke, "Argent? They are fighting in the mountains? The mountains were Demacian Silverwing riders fly and the Crag Beasts live? Their stupidity has no bounds."
"You seem to know much about Demacia young man." The man looked at him suspiciously.
"I was Demacian once old man. A long time ago. Then my wife turned out to be a mage. I chose her over my old home. There is nothing there for me anymore. Here? These lands? No one cares about that. But we were caught when the Noxians went after the Minotaurs, my wife died then leaving me to raise our daughter alone."
He dropped his gaze. " My condolences. But you spoke of one only daughter?"
"My flower. I found her crying in the ruins as a babe. I picked her up and haven't looked back since."
"That child. The blond one. Be careful with her. She is Freljordian and the souls of The Freljord are always called back to the Freljord. If anything happens, come here and ask for me by name. Roark. If we aren't there, venture into the Freljord. Find one of the bigger tribes. If we are there however, then I will make that process easier for you."
Gregori gave him a confused look. "What do you mean sir?"
The man smiled at him and spoke, "It is just a precaution my boy. Don't get too worked up about it." He stood up patting his clothing to get rid of the grass. "I think it is time for you to begin your journey home."
Gregori nodded getting the hint but still remained skeptical at the last words of the old man.
"Thank you Roark. I will take your words and warning to heart." He said to the old man as he walked toward his daughters.
"Come on girls, it is time to go home."
Though the two didn't want to leave the large animals, upon promises of warm food and the comfort of a bed, they reluctantly left the mammal's side.
"Bye bye Elnuk." Waved Daisy.
"Bye bye!" Annie said with tears forming.
The walk back was mostly pleasant to say the least with the girls animatedly discussing today's big adventure. He didn't have the heart to point out that it wasn't that big of an adventure, as long as they were with the little trip then that was enough.
It was all fine.
Until he spotted some prints on the ground.
Gregori calmly led the children back home. This time they didn't jump the creek but walked over the bridge.
They had gotten tired. Usually Annie slept half way into the trip to Delverhold, a journey this long would have taken a lot out of her and Daisy. But they stayed awake due to the excitement and each other's company. They hadn't even asked to be carried.
"Mummyyyy!" Squealed Daisy as she spotted Leanna at the door. And sprinted to her mother's open arms.
Annie turned to look at him expectantly.
Nodding to her he softly said, "Go ahead firefly. She won't push you away." He patted her back, softly pushing her forwards.
Annie took a couple steps forwards. Leanna saw this as she hugged Daisy and beckoned her with a nod. Annie then shuffled toward her and was immediately grabbed into a hug.
She did not know how to feel at that instant. She had never experienced affection like this from a woman before. A mother. She missed her mother a lot but all she ever knew about her was from the stories her father told her.
Unknowingly she leaned further into the embrace. Hoping it would go on forever. The warmth was beautiful and she wanted more.
Feeling her lean in, Leanna hugged both girls tighter and laid a kiss on both their heads. She then looked at Gregori and gave her own smile looking at the wide smile on his face.
Leanna led the girls inside while instructing them to wash their hands and feet and get ready for dinner.
Gregori was contentedly watching the girls talk about everything they saw, explaining to Leanna with exaggerated hand movements. After a quick but hearty dinner, the two adults put the children to sleep.
"Stay with our girls tonight."
Gregori spoke as he walked down the stairs.
Perplexed, Leanna asked, "Why what happened?"
Gregori walked behind the stairs and pulled at something under it. "I saw footprints of an animal that shouldn't be here. There is only one place whose runes I haven't checked yet. And something must have failed for the hound to be here. And the main runic scheme is here, along with a couple weapons. It is blood locked by magic."
"Hound?"
Reaching further in he shimmied a hexagonal shield out. It wasn't a small shield nor was it very large. Just big enough to cover his torso. With spikes thrusting out of each one of its ends. He slid his hand into the bracer and waved it a to check if it was secure. There were markings on the grey shield that seemed muted. Gregori ran a hand through the shield and mumbled something to himself.
"The main runic scheme is still up." He mumbled immersed in his own thoughts.
"Hound?" She asked once more, exasperated.
"Drakenhound."
Leanna let out a gasp.
"Drakenhounds? Here? How many?"
"Only one set of footprints. Probably a straggler that got lost and ended up getting confused by the magic." He spoke as he walked to the door with the shield.
"Will you kill it?"
"If I meet it. Yes. If I don't then the runes will eject it out on its own." Putting on his coat and grabbing his axe, he spoke.
"Why not take a bigger weapon?"
He picked up the lantern that hung outside his house and set off.
"This is all I need."
Holding the lantern in front of him he walked toward the only location whose runes he hadn't checked yet.
The clouds were out at night. No moonlight shone through. The night was not in his favor. He rolled his shoulders and stretched his neck.
He walked through the forest. The shadows fading past him. Noises in the forest was common and he had heard them hundreds of times before. By keeping his ears open, he hoped to find the Drakenhound and kill it. He had told Leanna that it would eventually be evicted from the forest but he didn't want to take that chance. Soldiers kept count of the hounds and they might retrace their steps. And it might lead them here if it got out and the runes weren't fixed.
Travelling soldiers were known to ransack homes. And his house had enough books on magic that might alert them. Not to mention random artifacts hidden around by Amoline.
He couldn't afford to have checks done in the forest itself and the runes made people avoid the forest in general.
Checking on the runes he found that two had failed. Not from sabotage. Just natural fading of the runes. That was one worry off his mind.
Letting the magic flow through him, he recharged the runes and put them back.
And that was that.
Other than a couple scares nothing major happened.
YIPP GRRRR YIPP
Just as he had thought that, a wolf sized creature rushed at him. He swatted it away with his shield reflexively.
It let out a whine as it rolled across the forest soil. Its scales scratching across the rocks. The Drakenhound was a wolf sized wingless dragon. A scaled wolf with a dragon head. It was ferocious and dangerous. The dark green and brown scales helped it mitigate most damage to its body. A Noxian war beast for sure, the spiked collar around its neck proved it. Luckily for him it wasn't armored. travelling while armored was tiring for even them.
The Gregori of ten years ago wouldn't have broken a sweat dealing with this trash. But his body wasn't how it was before. Not as spry at all. Creaky bones and locking joints were a result of his age catching up with him. Not to mention the effects of the escapades in his twenties.
But he had experience. That was enough. He put the lantern down and reached for the hand-axe. With the light of the lantern casting long shadows of him and the hound he dashed toward it. The hound leapt to his right as he ran at it and bit at him.
Gregori moved the shield to his right blocking the lunging hound and swung at it with his axe. The axe bounced off the scales but the force of the swing pushed it to the side.
He turned to face the beast. And calmly walked toward it. It roared at him. He didn't even flinch. A pack war beast was nothing when it was alone. However these creatures were smart, they would disengage and run away when they realize they would fail.
He knew he had to finish it off the next time it lunged at him.
Gripping the handle of the axe loosely, he stopped and waited for it to attack once more. The creature did just that, it leapt with its jaws wide aiming for his neck.
Just a quick he shoved the blade of the axe into its mouth and rammed its neck with the spiked edge of his shield. Sticking to the hound he landed on top of it and kept repeatedly slamming the side of his shield into its neck.
SLAM
SLAM
SLAM
SLAM
SLAM
He stopped after all signs of movement stopped. Still on top he forced open the eyes of the beast to check if it was still alive.
The eyes moved.
It pretended to have died. Drakenhounds were smart. And it was always the right decision to confirm one's kill.
SLAM
SLAM
SLAM
SLAM
With a final quiver the life left its body, he made sure of that.
Despite his brutal hammering of the now corpse, the only blood was from its mouth after having its neck broken.
Lifting the lantern back up, he looked around for any other prints and found none other. He put his axe on his hip and dragged the corpse by its tail all the way to the creek near his house.
Walking into the house he spoke to a worried looking Leanna, " Its dead and the runes are fixed. We are safe. Go to bed. I'll bury it and be there."
She gave him a concerned look and asked, "Are you injured?"
"Not even a scratch."
Putting the shield back under the stairs, he grabbed a shovel and walked out.
After seeing this Leanna went to their room and got on the bed. She didn't understand how he came out unscathed against a beast like that and spoke of the encounter like it was nothing. Just as she thought she had gotten to know him, he did things like this.
Almost an hour later he returned. He slid into bed and grabbed her into a hug.
She gave him a little sniff. He had washed up. She leaned into his hug and peacefully fell into slumber.