Law of the Devil

It’s always snowing here, spring, summer, fall, and especially winter. Yet, even so, it seems to be particularly bad this year after Beinlich took a look up the sky. He and his brave souls of thirty are currently trekking through forbidden grounds here. Try as they might with the thin planks strapped to their boots though, the snow still reached up to their thighs with every stride.

Blast this weather, it’s been nine days since our last haul. It’s as if the wild animals here are all hibernating or something….

Due to how bad their hunt has been going, Beinlich was extremely dissatisfied thus far. In addition, the weird weather has left him feeling all jittery inside and he didn’t like it one bit.

Ordering the men to set up camp now that they’ve arrived at the Great Circle Lake of the Frozen Forest, Beinlich wanted some alone time. Climbing one of the tallest ice encrusted cliff by the lake to overlook the northern part of the divide, he recalls back to the distant past.

He could still vividly remember that event years ago. Duke Tulip, the one boy who saved his men and himself that night from the dangers lurking underneath the water. If not for that experience, his Snow Wolf Mercenary would’ve never achieved such size and connections. It was because of the deep relationship they created that day.

Casting another longing look to the north, He went and returned from the great beyond, seen things I have yet to see…. One day, one of these days, I must do the same. I’m an adventurer, I refuse to slowly wither away by the bed like so many others. Such humiliation will not befall my head!

Feeling the heroic pride coursing through his veins, the leader of the great Snow Wolf Mercenaries boiled with a sense of adventure. But then, his eyes inexplicably shifted back to the yapping voices in the background where the younglings are working.

Sighing at the scene, What a shame, I still have to lead these brothers of mine to continue this work. If I had no baggage, had no responsibility, I could just run off now with nothing but a sword and pack, exploring the unknown to my hearts content. But now, I have a duty to these men, a duty to make sure the Snow Wolf Mercenary would be led by an experienced and prestigious leader. That is…. until my time comes and a fitting replacement is found.

It’s been two years since Du Wei last met with the Snow Wolf Mercenaries. New and old faces came and went, many retired, but some never made it through their life’s journey. For those who Beinlich had to bury with his own hands in this frigid place, he would never forget their faces or their names. He has a duty to them, to remember them, to not let their story be left untold.

No matter how strong this great adventurer was inside, time would eventually polish away even the sternest of wills. Nowadays, he was really starting to doubt if he would ever get the opportunity to carry out his dream….

But just as things were coming together in the background, snow cleared and bonfire set, Beinlich suddenly found his brain being overwhelmed by a dizzying state. He didn’t know how to react to this, but he didn’t need to. Before the man knew what was happening, a ringing rumble had swept over the entire landscape from all directions. The commotion so intense that it sounded like it came from the very heavens itself, crushing their body and into their very soul!

And as if to meet this chorus of destruction, the lands reacted. Trembling until the very earth itself shook like a giant earthquake, cracks formed underneath the ground, trees tumbled, and the air itself blown apart like a magnificent shockwave that would tear the world apart.

Beinlich kept shouting wildly at his men to take cover, but try as he might, nothing would work. Its as if something was caught in his throat and corked it.

Thankfully this frightening anomaly did eventually subside. Though the event was brief, no more than a minute in reality, but to these mercenaries, it was no different from a lifetime. They are scared, very scared in fact by what they were witnessing and of how much destruction and carnage laid around themselves.

“Is anyone hurt? Those alive call out your names!” Reluctantly climbing down from his position, Beinlich promptly calls out to his comrades to confirm their numbers.

Fortunately the news came back as good, only some minor scratches and wounds, nothing a few bandages and healing creams wouldn’t solve. This undoubtedly placed the man’s heart at ease after what they just witnessed.