Chapter 187 The Matriarch

Chapter 187 The Matriarch

Suddenly, not far from where the hole had been, a giant hand, twice the size of a common Ice Giant's, emerged, clawing its way through the debris and snow. The hand was covered in rough, jagged ice, and each finger looked like a sharp, shining needles. Blue veins ran through their whole skin.

Henry watched as a head finally broke through the snow, howling as it struggled to pull its massive body free. "That's the first creature to crawl out of that hole?" - Henry muttered, seeing an Ice Giant the size of a modern building emerge from the snow. Its eyes held a strange mix of emotions as it looked at the ruins of its home. It let out a howl filled with both sadness and fury.

In response to the sorrowful howl, dozens of hands began tearing through the snow, clawing their way out from beneath the icy layer. Under Henry's gaze, the valley slowly filled with giants, though it was only a fraction of the number that had once surrounded the hole. "Yes" - Yngvi replied, his voice trembling slightly at the sight of their growing numbers - "Accordin' to our ancestors, that was the first creature that emerged from the hole. She was the one who opened it, and the others followed after her. Their numbers grew so large that we couldn't fight back. We were forced to retreat, only sendin' scouts outside to monitor the valley." - His eyes locked onto the matriarch with a look of fear.

As if sensing his gaze, the creature turned its eyes toward their direction, and an intense killing intent radiated from them. The weight of it was overwhelming, freezing everyone on the mountain path in place. Even Yngvi, a Sixth Stage warrior, felt his knees tremble. Had he and the others not been gripping the mountain wall, they would have plummeted to their deaths. Henry also felt the crushing presence of the matriarch, it was the most powerful force he had ever encountered. It was as if death itself lurked within the sound of her howls. But then, as if in response to the fear spreading through him, Caelum appeared in his hands. The sword was vibrating fiercely, not from fear, but from excitement. Henry could sense the spirit's will, Caelum wasn't afraid. It was eager, as if it had found a delicacy that awakened its gluttonous side. It wanted to devour the Matriarch without even chewing.

On top of the mountain, Yngvi watched with wide eyes, a mix of awe and disbelief. He swallowed hard, glancing between his hammer, Skybreaker, and Henry, who now stood on a pile of corpses. The sight was almost surreal, the ragged kind surrounded by the towering remains of the fallen giants. Yngvi exchanged a look with Leier and the other dwarf elders. A silent agreement passed between them, and without hesitation, they jumped down, ready to join the battle, letting go of the weapons' handle.

The elders descended like a storm, their hammers swinging with deadly precision. Each strike was aimed at the giants still clinging to the mountainside. Heads were crushed, and arms were severed, sending more giants plummeting to their deaths below. The ground around Henry soon became littered with even more bodies, forming small mountains of defeated enemies. Skybreaker's silvery lightnings engulfed its enemies, killing them on the spot or even breaking their whole arms.

After a few moments, Leier and the dwarves landed near Henry, their eyes scanning the battlefield. Only fifteen Ice Giants remained, still climbing determinedly up the mountain, their glowing blue veins pulsing with fury. They wanted to kill the barbarians and the remaining dwarves up the mountain.

"Well, that was easier than I expected" - Yngvi said with a sigh of relief.

"'Course it was, old dwarf!"- Mani replied, rubbing her hairless head with a grin - "Strong an' Bald Mani was in the fight, an' those giants were easy pickin's, couldn't dodge or strike back!"