"He was once an Old God of the Northern Wastelands. A powerful warrior. A supreme being." Garren said, his hands thrown into the air, waving gestures as though trying to pass across the grandness of Kyros; The Once God Of Winter.
I listened attentively, history class was always the best. I got to learn so many things that seem out of the world. Things that seem too good to be true. But more of the main reason for my love for history would be the insatiable urge to know more. It was almost as if- it was part of my nature.
Garren's eyes sparkled for a second there, his eyes retracing back to mine.
"He was respected, loved and revered by his followers. He was a just man. And easily protected the Walls Of The North that served as the world's only means of salvation against the supernatural creatures beyond the depths of the North to the core of the Northern Wastelands.
"This supernatural creatures were fierce, unstoppable, indomitable even. They had rampaged through the north, bringing ruins and chaos along with them. Everyone shivered at the calling of the North, for that was the time of the wilderness. The moment for the supernatural creatures.
"It was the time of the season meant for for The Northern Walkers- who razed buildings to the grounds, killed and dined on the flesh of humans and caused panic and fear to settle within the spine of every single civilian of the North."
I frowned slightly, my brows slightly arched upward.
"Why didn't "He" put an end to it ?"
According to Garren, Names of powerful beings weren't things that one should call or speak of so easily. If one happens to be unlukily, and the god just happens to be a Madra God also known as a DreadGod or worse still a Forgotten god. Such a God can easily form a link with said person and induce hallucinations, madness and in extreme cases profanity.
The same can be said for a righteous God. According to Old Man Garren. God or No God. They were once mortal and each have hearts. And just like Garren always says: The heart is the root of all evil. And since the so-called Gods also possess hearts.
Why couldn't they be selfish?
Why couldn't they manipulate lower beings for their goals?
Why couldn't they do this or that?
I had reasoned with Garren, not that i believed in any of the gods anyway. But still, Garren's words had served as a warning. Unless i was absolutely sure of it, I couldn't and shouldn't ask for a divine miracle or divine blessing from any God whatsoever.
Old Man Garren chuckled.
"Of course He couldn't put an end to it. That was years before he was born. The early era's of the mysticism era they call it."
Garren shook his head lightly, a light smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
"Anyway let's not delve into that. Now, where did I stop?" Garren questioned no one but himself, his eyes sparkling with a hint of rememberance.
"Oh yeah," his hand twisted together, creating a hollow echo, while his eyes flickered in the same rememberance it once held.
"This continued for a long time, and the humans did their best to fight against the Northern Walkers. They fought hard, tooth for tooth, hand for hand and blood for blood." Garren said and I could see the blazing aura rising up slowly but surely, not only around me but around Garren also.
My blood boiled, and i felt this weird surge of warmth coursing through my body, a weird aura rising in the depth of my heart.
T-hat strange feeling was europhic beyond what words could expansiate on.
"A few hundred years later, He was given birth to by a powerful warrior of the north- Azik and a princess of a powerful civilization- Princess Aeriana. Kyros showed unimaginable talent at a young age. He could walk a few days after he was given birth to, talk in a few weeks. He could play the flute better than those who had spent years on it at the mere age of one.
"He started fighting and hunting various supernatural creatures at the young age of eight. He was fierce, fast and brutal. Some said he could control the wind at will. He even knew the name of the wind and the forest and the wilderness seemed to revere him. The snowy floor lined illusory paths for him and him alone! Paths that lead to unimaginable fruititous encounters."
Old Man Garren pauses for a second, yawning slightly, and he closed one of his eyes while one of it peeked at me.
I slightly frowned.
I knew Garren was trying to annoy me. Yet i struggled to remain calm. Although i was really eager for the rest of the story. B-ut as Garren always says: Patience is the key. And it seems Garren was hell bent on teaching me that.
I soon calmed myself.
Exhaling lightly.
I forced a smile to tug at the corner of my lips. Eyes meeting with that of Garren, impatience never flashing across my eyes. Garren could only see patience within those eyes.
A deadly patience.
A smirk tugged at Garren's lips, a light laughter escaping his lips.
"Good! Good!" He laughed, his voice seemingly crook and old, yet it carried a strange feeling that could send chills down the spine of those who heard it.
But for me, it was a soothing melodic voice. It was the only voice he had heard in what seemed like ages. I had no idea what other voices sounded like. All i knew is that, I love Garren, Garren's voice.
I love the time spend with Garren.
Every single moment.
A faint warm coursed through me, eyes beaming in anticipation as Garren continued with the story- The Tale Of The Once God Of Winter.
"He grew up fast and quick. And in a mere few decades. He had grown into a force to be reckoned with. He had become a divine being. With his rise to power, the humans of the North fought back. With him leading them, the North ushered into prosperity. The dawn of a new era- marking the beginning of his Lordship.
"Not only did He become a god, He also brought about the creation of the WALL OF THE NORTH. With his rise, the human of the North ushered in joy. There was no more fear. No despair. No desperation. There was only their lord. With him by their side, they would never know harm.".
Pity flashed across Garren's eyes, and i managed to catch that. I was already loving the story. What a great ending it was. But that flash of light i just saw flash told stories of upcoming horrors.
I felt a cold chill run down my back, and fear slowly crept at me. My hands subconsciously grew tightly clenched together as Garren's voice sliced through the desolate surrounding:
"In a war against the Northern Walkers. He got ambushed by creatures from the Boundless Ocean. Shadowy entities. Monsters beyond human comprehension. It turned out the Northern Walkers had joined hands with some powerful beings from the Boundless Sea or Ocean.
"And In an attempt to escape getting dragged into the Boundless Sea. He found himself in a Madra Land. The intensity of the Madra was too severe even for a god, mostly due to the fact that he had been injured in his encounter with the shadowy entities.
"And although he did manage to send them back before being teleported away. But it was at a cost. His spatial points were affected and he ended up in the Madra Land. The result could be expected, He lost control and became a Madra God."
"So what happened to him?" I questioned, a trace of sympathy clinging to my eyes.
"Well what else. The other gods had no choice but to seal him. It is said that he's sealed to an icy valley or so they said.
Hence why he was given the Madra title: The Icebound Madra God."
"Then, what of his people. How did they fight against the Northern Walkers? Didn't the other gods consider this? I had asked so many questions, slightly startling Garren who waved his hand tiredly.
"That would be another story for another day."
Although i really wanted to figure out what happened to the civilians of the North. I still held back my urge. Nodding my head with a forced smile tugging at the corner of my lips.
"That's my boy." Garren lightly carresed my head, "Also. Tomorrow's lesson will be on the flute. Let's see if you are as talented with the hand and strings as well."
I smiled.
Nodding my head in affirmation.
I glanced at the desolate surrounding, the endless darkness our only source of warmth in this cursed land. I wanted to ask Garren if there was a way to leave this cursed land. Leave the unending agony, the endless cycle of pain and torture behind and meet with other humans.
But on careful consideration and upon thinking hard on it.
If Old Man Garren could do that.
He wouldn't be here and I definitely wouldn't have met him. So In a way perhaps this can be counted as a blessing.
A wry smile tugged at the corner of my lips as i laid on the cold cobblestones beneath me. My eyes slowly fading along with the endless darkness.