Chapter 130 - Coming Of Age (1) : The Race
Days passed!
Fun days!
I liked them!
Every day is something new, something fun!
Nurina is here, Jullanar is here, Hilda is here, Nefertiti is here, and Jonrad is here.
We lived for almost a week together like a family.
I saw everything there is to see in this place. I visited the Beast Tribes that live with the Firemanes.
I made friends!
I became so attached to the place.
How long has it been since I felt like that?
Years? Maybe! I always had my friends and I never missed anything but this time I feel rather... I don't know the word, but I feel like I have all that I asked for... I feel thankful!
Thankful? I remember my name from my past life also meant thankful!
Hehe! The irony!
Anyway! Here is my report for the past week.
Day 1: It was a full home staying event... I cooked, Jonrad says that he cooked but he only helped yet he says that he cooked and I helped! Don't really understand how his work... Anyway, Jullanar got really close to Hilda and Jonrad.
Day 2: Hilda took me for the Direwolf tribe to visit Ylva! Too many puppies! I hated it! Still, wolves are better than dogs in my opinion... We went to also to visit the Night Owl tribe where we met Forseti, Great Bear tribe where Grandpa was spending time with his partner, Singing Snake cave where Uncle Tyr stays, Hunter Fox tribe, and Snow Hawk tribe.
Day 3: Wulfur came with Skadi and Bjorna, I also got to meet Skadi's husband who is a very easy going fellow, his name is Forni Moonblade. Anyway, it seems that Wulfur started raising a bear.
Day 4: We went out and joined the gathering in the Clan's keep for dinner. Before eating Hafthor made up a competition that the elder agreed to it and an unarmed fight was announced before eating. No Aura allowed, no magic allowed, no Thu'um allowed, just fists and kicks. I may have become tall but I was still the same nimble monkey that participated in the tourney a year ago. Still, winning wasn't easy. I had to kick the hell out of Hafthor and Vilkar before they give up.
Day 5: Jonrad went to the fire garden and Hilda told me to go with him so don't forget about time and return the second day. I went with him but this time it was hard to reach the central area on foot, I picked a place I could withstand the heat in and started getting a taste from the energy of the place. It was indeed wild yet it blended into me greatly in the end. I felt like it got dissolved every time I absorb some of it. I was careful to not absorb too many but I ended up getting excited, I also may have discovered a way to make a Magicka Nature Change technique. After some time I took the sky on a Flame Atronach Hawk and reached Jonrad to pick him up. He kept begging me later to teach him the spell so I promised I would give him the Flame Atronach Horse spell later.
Day 6: We returned the second day! Hilda gave us an earful. I also had to get ready for tomorrow's gathering.
Day 7: Today...
The Firemane members gathered in the training courtyard in front of the keep and all the Elders were standing on a high platform. The ten participants this year are five boys and fives girls, that includes Alina, Wulfur, and Jullanar.
"Listen up, brats! I know some of you wants to compete, it is all good and fine but I want you all to be careful! You are not going alone to the Serpentstone Isle. This place is right at the doorsteps of our clan's enemies. They also may send their young bastards this there." Grandpa Turmond said.
"Now I want you to remember one thing and remember it very damn well! Every one of you needs to kill only one Ice Wraith on his or her own. Those who can't make it will wander the land to find his own prey alone until he or she returns with the proof!" Uncle Njord said.
"The rule is simple, go and come two in weeks at most, whoever comes late will go hunt one more time on his or her own." Uncle Heimdall said.
"There is one more rule this year! Out there, your brother Jonhild is called Jon Dare, the Thane of Winterhold and a distant relative to our clan who will be joining the house! This is for his safety and also for the clan! This also is a secret from the town's younglings" Skadi said and the ten of us nodded.
"Now! Open the gate!" Grandpa said and the gate of the courtyard opened. Some people from the outside came in. On the lead were few adults who came in and greeted Grandpa in haste, followed them some young ones who were around our age, they also greeted the elders and greeted us with respect.
"These are the people from the town! Treat them well as they are our soldiers and closest men!" Hafthor whispered to me.
The young ones who join us are around thirty! They are all from the houses that serve the clan in the town outside. Their number is around thirty and the male/female ratio was equal.
"Now! Everyone is well aware of the rules! You are allowed to go! Each one of you must return with a flask of an 'Ice Wraith Essence'. Help each other out if needed! Now go!" Grandpa said.
Everyone here was suited and booted and have a big weapon on his back. I had my hammer and saber and donned my 'Savior's Hide', Wulfur was carrying his Skyforge Warhammer and an axe on each side, Jull and Alina looked beautiful in their black armors.
"Listen up boys!" Hafthor spoke up! "There are two small ships waiting for us in White River. One for us boys, one for the girls! You know what that means. Yeah! Yeah! Let's get them this time!"
"HAHA! LET'S DO IT!" Only Vilkar was happy about it and the other seemed not even motivated!
I don't want to know what happened to make them like this but I hope we don't look bad at the very least.
Frejya daughter of Njord mocked Hafthor and declared that the competition will start as a race to the ships in White River. Hafthor foolishly agreed and started rallying us to run but we found out that the girls were prepared in advance and twenty horses were brought as they rode ahead of us.
Hafthor looked pale and started looking around for horses but it seemed it will take time to prepare twenty for the boys.
Sigh! What an unlucky start! I now know why no one was even motivated.
"Listen up!" I said. "Is there any carriages?"
"Two!" Vladimir said. "But don't expect them to carry ten each and run faster than the girls.
"Hehe! Just bring them and bring many ropes."
In a minute everything was prepared.
I was also conjuring Flame Atronach Horses! Once the boys saw them, I have already been declared the lord and the savior.
"Vladimir! Take that staff and command those six! Tie them to a carriage and get moving!"
"Hehe! Six horses and one carriage! Yes, cousin!" He was already fired up to command them six.
I kept conjuring another six without a staff and roped them to the carriage and rode.
It felt a bit royal to have six horses but we rode so fast and caught up with Vladimir who rode first.
We were already going through the town and the people were freaking out from the scene.
"Vladimir! Where are they?" Hafthor who was with me called out.
"They are ahead! We are a bit late!" Wulfur who was with Vladimir replied.
"They can't run too fast or their horses will get tired! A Flame Atronach Horse is faster and will never get tired. Don't worry about it and push forward!
I assured Hafthor and he rallied the message to Vladimir.
The run kept going as we went out of the town and kept riding on full speed at the wide road between the town and the under mountain tunnel. As we could see the entrance to the tunnel, we saw the last of the girls going in.
"Now, we caught up! Make sure that you light the way ahead! Full Speed!"
"Catch them!"
"Haha! Jon! You are the best!"
We rood into the tunnel but we had to slow down for the carriages to not get damaged. The stone gate was opened and the girls were riding out. As they did, the last one of them could already see us!
Hehe! They rode slowly thinking we will never catch up. Just like that story of the rabbit and the tortoise, but this time, the tortoise has become the panther they need to run from.
This will be fun!