Chapter 103: Spring arrives
Chapter 103: Spring arrives
As the harsh winter season finally released its icy grip on Garnt's village, the arrival of spring brought with it a wave of hope and renewal. The villagers, bundled up in their warmest clothes for months, now shed their heavy coats and scarves made with animal fur. The air was filled with a sense of anticipation and joy as the first signs of life began to emerge.
One bright morning, Garnt couldn't help but smile as he walked through the village square, where children played and laughed, their cheeks flushed with the warmth of the sun. Elderly villagers gathered in small groups, basking in the gentle rays of the early spring sun.
Sure enough, the trees that had stood bare and skeletal during the long winter were now adorned with delicate green leaves, their branches swaying in the breeze.
Kara approached him with a wide grin, feeling that the mood was right for her to try and show her maturity. "Garnt, can you believe it? Winter is finally over! It feels like a dream! If you like we could go and swim in the river."
Garnt nodded, his eyes glistening with happiness. "I know, Kara. It's like a weight has been lifted off our shoulders. Look at the trees! They're starting to bud and about swimming-"
Before he could answer her request, suddenly Kiriah came running toward Garnt with his eyes looking rather excited, which caused Kara to frown and give a deadly stare.
Kiriah didn't even notice that his life was in danger with Kara looking at him like the mortal enemy, but Garnt was actually more curious to hear what Kiriah had to say.
His heart swelled with excitement as Kiriah delivered the news of the completed metal weapons. He could hardly contain his anticipation as he listened to Kiriah's report.
"It is complete. The first batch of metal weapons is here. All the blacksmiths are waiting for you to first check them before announcing their success this time."
Garnt wasted no time and immediately rushed to the blacksmith's workshop. The entire blacksmith area of the village seemed to buzz with excitement as the news spread like wildfire. Some villagers gathered around, eager to witness the fruits of their labour, as creating metal weapons even took some of their lives.
[This will be an important event for the people who lost their loved ones during the last battle.]
"It sure is," Garnt confirmed Eva's words.
As he arrived at the workshop, the blacksmiths and workers were beaming with pride, and they couldn't wait to show Garnt the results of their hard work. They spoke animatedly, their voices filled with excitement, but Garnt had to ask them to calm down so he could properly assess the situation.
"Calm down! First, let's check how strong these new bad boys are." Garnt muttered and his attention was drawn to a wooden table displaying five newly forged swords and five daggers.
Garnt picked up one of the swords, carefully examining the craftsmanship. The blacksmiths explained that when they initially used pure iron, the blades proved too weak and broke easily. However, after following Garnt's instructions and incorporating alloys into the forging process, the weapons had become remarkably strong and resilient.
'It was not easy, but thanks to your instruction we managed to achieve this." Most of the people in the village didn't understand how Garnt had all this knowledge and that's exactly why their adoration for him exceeded normal leader and vassal relationships and entered a level that people started to worship him.
Garnt's eyes shone with pride and joy as he realized the significance of this achievement. He asked for a wooden log to test the sharpness of the blades.
'Make sure to bring a strong wooden log, let's see how sharp these new blades are,"
Holding the edge of the sword, he swiftly struck the wooden log with a good sound coming from the impact.
The result was impressive; the wooden log was chipped almost halfway through, demonstrating the sharpness and effectiveness of the newly crafted weapons.
The cheers and celebrations that erupted from the blacksmiths and the onlooking villagers were deafening. Garnt congratulated the blacksmiths on their remarkable success and urged them to continue their efforts, creating more weapons to ensure the safety and security of the village.
He also instructed the skilled wooden workers to craft sturdy handles for these weapons, enhancing their functionality and ensuring that they were well-prepared to defend the village when needed.
"I would like to gift all the people involved in this great project, so tonight we will grill a huge bison and open a new alcohol we made, finish your work and get together around the bonfire when the night time comes,"
Upon hearing Garnt's reward, everyone in the crowd started to cheer including men and women since all of them liked the grilled meat and alcohol.
Ayra, Rona, and Unami also joined the crowd, seeing that things were getting hectic. All three of them had a question they wanted an answer to.
Rona spoke up, "Garnt, what are we going to do about the thing we saw in that tunnel? A giant egg, and it didn't look like any ordinary egg."
Unami chimed in, "Yes, Garnt, it's huge and seems quite heavy. How do we bring it here, or should we build a structure to lift it out?"
Ayra added worried about this whole situation, "And what if it hatches? What could be inside that egg? We need to be prepared." She didn't want another disaster to happen.
Garnt, his eyes reflecting a mix of caution and intrigue, responded, "You've all brought up important questions. Tomorrow, we'll go back to the tunnel and assess the situation. If we can't move it, we'll construct a suitable structure to lift the egg safely. Whatever is inside, it could be a danger to the village if we don't keep a watchful eye on it."
"Also, I think we can bring water hot spring water into our village if we can create a good system to transfer water. We have a lot of things to take from that cave, so we should visit there again,"
He continued, "Our priority is the safety and security of our people. We'll make sure to take all necessary precautions. For now, let's enjoy the celebration and the feast.
***
"Is this really worthwhile? I trust you my guardian," Amel was walking through the forest while complaining about having to walk for a few hours without any rest.
The voice that was supporting him didn't respond, instead, Amel knew that she was pissed off by his attitude, so he decided to keep his mouth shut while walking. Moga was next to him following him, but his eyes looked rather empty compared to before and he had no idea what he could do with this man.
Hours passed, and Amel began to wonder if this journey was really worthwhile. What could possibly justify this arduous walk through the desolate forest? He couldn't fathom the purpose behind it all, but he had a deep trust in his guardian's guidance, after all, she was the reason why he was alive even if he was surrounded by useless people.
Then, Amel's heart skipped a beat as he reached the edge of a vast, open area within the forest. His eyes widened in awe as he beheld the sight he had been anticipating. There, in the centre of the clearing, lay a massive, majestic animal with a giant pair of tuskers, its breath visible in the frigid air. It was dying from some kind of attack, its enormous body shivering in its final moments.
Amel turned to his guardian's voice, unable to contain his astonishment. "How did you know this animal would be here? What is this?"
[Just look at your hand and do as I say.]
His guardian's voice remained enigmatic, and instead of providing an answer, she directed his attention to his hand. As he looked down, he felt a peculiar weight in his palm, and when he opened it, his eyes widened in fear.
"What is this thing? It is weird,"
In his hand appeared a transparent branch-like instrument. It resembled a tree branch but was unlike anything he had ever seen. It was as if it had materialized out of thin air.
Amel's initial instinct was to drop the strange tool, panic coursing through him. However, before he could act on that impulse, his guardian's voice resonated in his mind, soothingly yet firm.
"Do not drop it," she urged. "This is the tool you will use to extract the blood of the mammoth before it succumbs to death. Hurry up you don't have time. Use the syringe to pierce the chest of the animal and extract the blood from its heart."
Amel cautiously examined the transparent syringe in his hand, its purpose now clear. With trembling fingers, he approached the majestic beast, his heart heavy with the weight of this unusual task, but determined to carry out his guardian's mysterious instructions without any question.
"But why did she ask me to bring Moga? What is even happening here? I don't understand anymore."