Harald's piercing gaze met Mingar's defiant glare. The chaos of battle raged around them, but their focus remained solely on each other. Harald twirled his axes effortlessly, radiating an immense presence that filled the air. Mingar, still struggling to rise, looked at Harald in disbelief.
"It's impossible for you to be stronger than me without having gained wings!" Mingar exclaimed, his voice laced with a mix of anger and confusion.
Harald approached Mingar with a casual stride, his eyes never leaving his opponent. "It's those very lies the Kingdom of Kol feeds you that make you weaker," Harald countered, his voice carrying a tone of absolute conviction.
Mingar's anger flared, and he yelled, "I don't need a lecture from a traitor and coward like you!" Gripping his mace tightly, he lunged at Harald, launching a fierce attack. Harald, with a swift motion, blocked the strike with Jormun, causing the ground beneath Mingar to shake, upsetting his balance.
Without wasting a moment, Harald swung Gander at Mingar, aiming for a devastating blow. But Mingar managed to step back in time and blocked the attack using the mace's handle. However, the sheer force and vicious wind carried by Gander sent Mingar flying backward, crashing into a nearby tree before spitting out blood.
Harald walked slowly through the chaotic scene, his eyes fixated on Mingar as he continued their confrontation. "The gap between us isn't something some wings can close," Harald asserted, his voice filled with an unwavering confidence. "Your leaders should know this. They sent you to your death because you mean so little to them."
Mingar growled in anger, fueled by Harald's words. He charged at Harald once again, intent on proving him wrong. However, this time, Harald unleashed a powerful shout, "Fus!" A shockwave erupted from him, hitting Mingar with an incredible force, bringing him to his knees and causing his ears to bleed.
Struggling to look up at Harald, Mingar received a powerful kick to the chest, knocking the air out of him. Harald swiftly pinned him down, pointing Jormun directly at his throat. "You never stood a chance," Harald stated with a cold determination in his voice.
Meanwhile, Aron's fight against Gragnar had been equally one-sided. Gragnar swung his mace with skill and precision, but Aron effortlessly evaded each strike, almost dancing around his opponent. Aron's movements were calculated, and with each shove or push, he made a mockery out of what Gragnar considered a serious fight.
Growing increasingly furious, Gragnar charged at Aron recklessly, shouting, "Don't underestimate me!" Yet, just like before, Aron effortlessly dodged the swing and landed a powerful uppercut in Gragnar's gut. The impact was so powerful that the force extended past Gragnar's body, causing a long depression to form on the ground behind him.
Gragnar's body went limp, and he dropped his mace, defeated. Aron looked down at him with a cold, unfeeling gaze. "Pathetic," he muttered under his breath, his attention then shifting to Harald's partners and his siblings who had been watching the brief fight.
The young twins, Ingrid and Freja, looked at Aron with curious, innocent eyes, still hiding behind their mother. Runa, on the other hand, gazed at Aron with adoration, pride sparkling in her eyes. Eira, however, remained angry, her fists clenched tightly, the fire of determination burning within her.
Aron glanced briefly at the group before grabbing Gragnar by the hair and dragging his limp body away, like a trophy from a hunt. Runa, unable to contain her curiosity, rushed out despite her mother Sigrid's attempts to stop her.
She circled around Aron, poking Gragnar's unconscious form with a mischievous grin. Mimicking Aron's moves and sounds in a childish manner, she asked, "How did you do that, big brother?"
Aron didn't spare a glance at Runa or show much reaction. He simply responded, "Ask our father."
Runa pouted, her excitement fading slightly. "But father is always too busy," she complained, her voice tinged with disappointment. "And mother doesn't want me to be a warrior. But now that I have a strong older brother, you can teach me, right?"
Aron paused, his expression unreadable, and then crouched down at an astonishing speed to meet Runa's eyes. Sigrid's worry surged, and mana fluctuations flickered around her as she quickly stepped in front of Runa, blocking Aron's view.
Aron, unfazed, took Gragnar's mace and planted it into the ground with immense force. "If you can remove this mace, I'll teach you something," he stated calmly, his voice carrying a hint of challenge.
Sigrid, still wary of Aron, looked at him with concern. She glanced at the mace embedded in the ground and then back at Aron, but said nothing. In the next moment, Harald appeared from behind, dragging Mingar's unconscious body.
A smile formed on Harald's face when he saw Aron standing there, having easily dispatched Gragnar. He nodded in approval. "Seems like we both finished quickly," Harald remarked.
Aron met his father's gaze, fully aware that Mingar was no easy opponent, being in the latter stages of the 7th Tier. It made him wonder just how powerful his father truly was. Harald noticed Sigrid's cautious demeanor and asked, "What's wrong?"
Aron shook his head, dropping Gragnar's body casually. "It's nothing. I need to check on my people," he said, his voice devoid of sentiment. He turned and walked away, leaving Harald behind.
Concern crossed Harald's face as he watched his son's distant and cold nature. But he simply nodded and said, "I'll take care of the rest of the attackers."
Once Aron was out of sight, Runa ran up to Harald, tugging at his fur skin bottoms and pointing excitedly at the mace Aron had planted. "Brother said he'll teach me if I can lift it! Watch me, father!" she exclaimed eagerly. Determined, she tried to lift the mace, but it didn't budge an inch.
Sigrid approached Harald, her expression filled with regret. "I apologize for my actions. We may have made him feel less welcome," she said, her head lowered. She watched as Aron disappeared into the distance and whispered, "He takes more after his mother."
Harald followed her gaze and let out a sigh. "Maybe it's for the best," he said quietly, contemplating the complexities of his son's nature.
Aron walked through the settlement, his steps purposeful yet unhurried. His grey eyes reflected the flickering embers of the nearby fires as he made his way toward the central hut where his people and the settlement's non-combatants had sought refuge during the attack.
As he arrived at the hut, Aron cast a casual glance around, observing the aftermath of the battle. The interior was filled with children and elderly Kolieans seeking shelter, their eyes filled with a mixture of reverence and respect as they caught sight of Aron. The young females approaching maturity regarded him with a glimmer of admiration, envisioning him as an ideal mate.
Unfazed by the attention, Aron continued his stride, paying no mind to the lingering gazes. He made his way to the area where his people had settled, a space that offered a sense of safety amidst the chaos. The wooden floor was now occupied by various individuals attending to the wounded and comforting those in distress.
Rose, perched on the edge of one of her scouters, caught Aron's eye. She sat there with a notebook in hand, seemingly detached from the surrounding chaos. Evanora stood beside her, observing the words Rose was jotting down. Mrah and Khalel, the mother and daughter healers, crouched nearby, tending to the injured Jin, who lay asleep, and Jagu, whose eyes revealed a sense of reluctance as he bowed his head.
On the other side of the room, Claudia and Scarlett were seated against the wall, unable to contribute directly to the healing efforts. Their eyes found solace in the sight of Aron's arrival, a glimmer of reassurance amidst the turmoil.
Rose, still engrossed in her writing, didn't turn her attention away as she spoke to Aron, her voice carrying a calm demeanor. "Has the problem been dealt with?" she asked, her eyes focused on her notebook.
Aron nodded, his expression unchanged. "It wasn't a problem to begin with. If it proved to be, we were better off leaving," he replied, his words coming across as matter-of-fact.
The others in the room, except for Jagu, Evanora, and Rose, couldn't help but feel a twinge of shock at Aron's seemingly heartless response, even toward what could be considered his family. Yet, no one dared voice their thoughts.
Rose, still engrossed in her work, nodded in understanding. "What is our next move, then?" she inquired, her voice calm and collected.
Aron revealed his plan, his tone carrying a hint of determination. "We'll stay here for a few sleep cycles. It will give the others time to recover, and I can gather much-needed information from my father."
Rose found no fault with the plan and simply nodded. "That gives me more time to study your people," she replied, a hint of curiosity in her voice. As the battle came to a close, many of the Kolieans who had gathered in the central hut left to assist in the cleanup of their settlement.
Just then, Harald appeared with his partners and Aron's siblings in tow. "My people can stay here," he announced, gesturing to the space. "There's enough room for all."
Harald turned to Sigrid, his gaze warm. "Would you mind showing them around, Sigrid? Meanwhile, Aron and I need to speak in private," he requested.
Astrid and Freya, Harald's partners, excused themselves as well. Astrid mentioned that she would arrange the rooms, ensuring everyone had a comfortable place to rest, while Freya offered to prepare a meal for the weary warriors.
Harald approached Aron, a sense of seriousness in his eyes. "Let's take a little walk away from curious ears." he suggested, his voice carrying a mix of concern and anticipation.
Aron nodded, acknowledging his father's request. The two of them left the central hut, their footsteps leading them into the night.
The sourc𝗲 of this content is free(w)ebnov(𝒆)l