Chapter 538 The Trip Back.
Arad looked at the barbarians gathered, ready to embark on the long journey. The wind started blowing cold, signaling the start of winter.
Aella looked at the grey clouds and felt the wind, her eyes shifting toward the trees. "Animals have started retreating to their borrows." She approached a bush, seeing a small hole in the ground.
"This one is empty," Zephyr said, sitting on her head.
"Probably ran away due to Arad's fight with Shi, but that doesn't change the fact they are preparing for the winter." Aella stood and looked at Arad. "It might start raining or snowing soon,"
Arad nodded, transforming into his draconic form. His black scales glow with a faint light, shifting in color and turning red. Merlin's spell still worked.
The barbarians gasped, "Red!"
Arad's wings ignited in flames as he slowly flapped them, releasing a gust of warm wind around the barbarians. Soon after, a crystalline barrier appeared above him and spread for thirty meters, creating a massive umbrella.
"Exercise," Arad said, "As long as you stay close to me, don't fear the cold or rain,"
As he said that, a gush of cold wind blew from the side and went underneath his umbrella. Aella shivered, looking at Arad. It was the same as if the rain fell horizontally and went under an umbrella.
"Give me a break," Arad sighed, "I can extend the barrier down, but it then could get stuck on the ground or hit the trees at the side of the road. My control isn't that good yet,"
Aella shook her head, "No, this is more than enough," She giggled.
Arad nodded and put the flames on his left wing. He then lowered it and looked at the barbarians, "Those who can't walk, get on my back,"
The barbarians looked at each other. Even those who cannot walk still refuse to be carried through the journey.
Arad looked toward Nina, "Can you convince them?"
"Leave it to me," She walked toward them, approaching one old lady, "Get on," Nina pointed at Arad's back.
The old lady shook her head, "Old, weak. We stay,"
Thud! Nina grabbed the old lady by the head, "I don't care," She threw her on Arad's back with one swing.
"Be careful!" Arad growled, but the old lady landed on her feet as if that was nothing,"
"Don't worry," Nina looked at Arad, "We're more resilient than that city's people. She smiled, "They can't walk for a whole day, but they won't mind some action for a minute or two,"
The old lady stared at Nina in silence, "Fine," She sat on Arad's back, resting her wooden cane on her leg.
Arad turned his head and looked at her, "Are you all right?"
The old lady nodded, and Arad smiled, "Get the rest,"
Nina started gathering the barbarians, asking those who couldn't walk to get on Arad's back and forcing those who didn't want to ride his back by throwing them like bags.
The children purposefully refused to get on his back, only for her to throw them, treating it like a game. Arad even caught some trying to get down from his back, so she threw them again.
When everyone got in their place, Arad pulled the saddles from his stomach and laid them on his neck where the girls would sit. "Get on,"
"We can walk," Aella said,
"No way I'm letting you walk," Arad lifted them with gravity magic and put them on his neck.
"I won't say no for a ride," Jack said with a smile, "I will treat you to a drink later,"
"Hopefully, something strong," Arad replied.
"Fine," Aella tapped Arad's neck with a smile on her face, "Just don't push yourself too hard,"
"It would take more than this to push myself slightly," He replied. Slowly starting to walk with the remaining barbarians trailing behind him.
In this world of monsters and magic, humanoids always end up squashed in the struggles of those beasts. Even the tough and battle-hardened barbarians weren't an exception.
Only those who attained unrivaled strength, the honor of being called monsters could survive in peace in the world.
After a half day of travel, the night fell and the barbarians stopped to camp. Arad let those on his back down and looked around the area.
A long green forest spread to their right. The trees already shed their leaves in preparation for the winter.
The barbarians approached the forest, swinging their axes at the trees.
Arad walked in his draconic form, finding a suitable flat piece of ground for them to rest.
"Those look good," Aella smiled, "Let's set camp here."
Arad nodded as he used his claws to dig a hole the size of a cow. "Nina, tell them to make their pyre here."
"I will," Nina replied as she went to check on the barbarians.
"You want a big pillar of fire," Jack looked at the hole then said, a smile on his face, "The bigger the better,"
"It's for warmth and protection," Arad replied, "One massive flame and me in the middle, and the tents spread around us,"
Eris approached, "Want to keep the barrier up?"
"Of course, and since we aren't moving, I will lower it down so monsters won't enter," Arad replied.
"People need to go to the forest every now and then," Jack looked at Arad, "We don't want a shit show here,"
"I didn't think about that," Arad scratched his head, "I will see if Doma can help me make changes to the barrier," Arad sat there thinking.
Lydia approached Jack, "Where is our tent?"
"I just got it from Arad," He replied, going with her to his bags. From them, he pulled the folded tent.
Lydia smiled, handing the tent to him, "You build it, I will gather wood for our fire,"
Jack pulled a small hammer from his pocket, "Time to work," He started setting the tent, adding a few snare traps around it.
Lydia went to the forest, seeing the barbarians chopping threes for the pyre.
"We don't need that much so," She looked around, gathering an arm-full of sticks and branches, enough for their flame to burn for the whole night.
CRACK! She heard something behind her.
"Who's there?" She turned, and her eyes opened wide.
A white steed with rainbow hue hair and tail, stared at her with two glowing white eyes and one horn pointed forward.
"I smell the breeze of the spirit," It said in a deep voice, "My Highness seeks an audience with her Highness."
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