125 CXXV. The Whea

Although it was a very long road, torches were seen fixed in the ground hundreds of meters away, elements that allowed Dag and the others to understand that those camps were not abandoned, albeit isolated from the dwellings.

They deviated from the main path, heading for the grove mentioned earlier by Dag, next to which there was a well.

"Perhaps that is still working. That would be good news as our water supplies are running out" Dag continued, pointing to the well.

Fortunately, he was right.

The well was operating normally and the three travelers took advantage of it to wash and fill their bottles with fresh, clean water.

Then they stopped in the trees of the small wood.

They looked like fruit trees and Karl did not hesitate to detach an apple from a branch of them.

"It seems that the Gods are finally helping us! This apple is really sweet and juicy!" he exclaimed, his mouth full.

Dag and Reidar laughed.

This time they didn't light the bonfire. Kvete's temperature was decidedly milder and the fire could only attract the attention of some peasant who could mistake them for bandits.

When all three finished eating the supplies and fruits of the trees, Karl approached Reidar to check on his wounds.

"You're a really good healer, Karl" Reidar said, complimenting him.

Dag looked at his companions, glad they were becoming friends.

"Nah… I think I still have a lot to learn. I just know how to use some grass, that's all" Karl replied, shyly.

Reidar's superficial wounds were almost completely healed. The one on his right shoulder, deeper than the others, was still half-open and Karl medicated it and cleaned it, changing the bandage.

Dag lay on the ground, with his leather bag under his head, as he usually did.

As his companions fell asleep like stones, with a light warm wind gently caressing them, Dag stood with his eyes open and his eyes turned to the night sky.

Among the few trees in that grove, an upward opening allowed to observe the stars, which shone brightly and illuminated the leaves of the vegetation.

...

"Now come with me, let's start again, you and me"

"I want to travel, while I'll keep loving you infinitely"

...

Dag thought of Freydis. The illusion in which he was trapped in the FossilWood Forest seemed real.

Her perfect body, her voice warm and passionate. She was his inspiring muse.

He wanted to get stronger, he wanted to find out more about his past, he wanted to reunite the Clans and become one of the most famous warriors on the planet... and for what?

He was doing it for her too so that he could meet her again and finally be able to stay by her side forever.

With the image of Freydis holding his face between her hands, Dag fell asleep like a child.

When he opened his eyes again, it was daytime.

The Sun illuminated the wheat fields, which could be seen among the branches of the trees of the wood in which they had taken refuge.

"Wake up, guys" he said, stretching and rising from the ground.

For the first time since they left Temple Of Orn, they had spent a whole night without waking up and finally began to feel the benefits of sleep on their muscles.

When Dag and Reidar also got up, they left immediately, curious to visit the Kvete region.

The Sun just rose in the sky, warmed their skin, as they rode toward the main path.

"I think we popped up a little too far west of the coast" Dag said, pausing to look toward the horizon.

"Yes, perhaps you're right, Captain. I can't see the sea from here either" Reidar said.

"I don't understand what the haste is. With no giant animals ready to tear us apart, we'll have plenty of time to get to the east side of the region, am I wrong?" asked Karl, ironically.

"Haha! Yes. I think you're right, brother" Dag replied, continuing to ride.

After about an hour, they completely crossed only one of the many cornfields in front of them.

That valley never seemed to end.

In the distance, they saw a small cluster of houses, which interrupted the monotony of those landscapes.

"Let's go to those houses. Maybe farmers can point us to a faster way to get to Tyven" Dag said.

As they rode slowly toward the small village, they heard screams coming from that direction.

"Did you hear that?" asked Dag.

Karl and Reidar confirmed and accelerated the pace.

The three horses began to run and in a short time, Dag and his companions reached their destination.

Just before entering the village, on the ground, among the ears of wheat, they saw corpses. From the blood around them, they seemed to have recently been killed.

Dag pulled Aslan, who started running again and entered the village.

A hut next to them was half destroyed and in front of its entrance, a bleeding and dying man was sitting on the ground, leaning against the wall.

Dag immediately got off the horse and approached him.

"What happened here?!" he asked, grabbing the face of the stunned man.

"Warriors? Are you warriors?" he asked, with a thread of a voice.

"Yes, we are. What happened, who reduced you like that?!" continued Dag.

"Bandits... that... that way..." continued the man, pointing his finger at another hut and exhaling his last breath.

Karl approached him and touched his neck, trying to hear his beats.

"He's gone" he said, looking at Dag, who turned to the hut indicated by the man.

After all three of them tied their horses sideways to the hut, they began to sneaky approach the enemies, trying to make as little noise as possible.

On the other side, the door of another house opened: a man walked out of it, running away in a panic.

"Aaagh! Nooo! Have pity on me!" he cried, looking back.

From inside his home, a tomahawk flew, hitting him behind the back, killing him instantly.