Chapter 127: The Tribe’s Beast
From the dense, frozen forest, an imposing figure burst through the snow, dragging the carcass of a scaly reptile over eight meters long between its jaws. Ignis dropped the giant prey near the village entrance with a heavy thud that shook the ground and, fixing its golden eyes on Kellar, abandoned all wild composure to charge forward like an excited puppy.
The massive armored bear tackled Kellar knocking him down onto the frozen snow while letting out a low roar that sounded almost like a protest for the days its master had been away.
"Easy, boy!" said Kellar, laughing out loud while wrapping his arms around the bear’s neck and scratching behind its ears. "I missed you too, big guy."
Ignis snorted loudly, rubbing its massive snout against Kellar’s chest and nudging him with its head, demanding more pats as a penalty for the long wait. Freyja, the small feline curled on Kellar’s shoulder, let out an annoyed hiss and leaped onto the shoulder of Grok, the silent guard who stood watching the scene a few paces away with arms crossed.
Ron and Lía, watching the interaction from a safe distance, stood frozen in place. The boy swallowed hard, stunned by the size of the eight-meter monster and the beast that had hunted it down.
"It’s... it’s a giant war beast," said Ron with a trembling voice, taking a step back while gripping his sister’s arm.
Lía clung to Ron’s side, her eyes wide with shock as she watched the tribe’s leader wrestle on the ground with a predator that could swallow a man whole in a single bite. However, her awe grew even greater upon seeing Kellar’s calm smile as he leaped back to his feet, giving the bear an affectionate pat on its back.
"Don’t be afraid," said Kellar, gesturing with his hands toward Lía while looking at Ron. "He is Ignis. He is family and the guardian of this village."
Ignis slowly turned toward the two youths and let out a warm snort from its nostrils that kicked up a cloud of steam over the snow, curiously inspecting the shaman’s new entourage.
Ignis let out a soft grunt and lowered its massive armored back toward the ground, tossing its head back in an unmistakable gesture of invitation. Kellar understood the sign instantly and, with a nimble movement, mounted the beast’s back, holding tightly to its thick fur.
Without waiting another second, the giant bear bolted into the depths of the frozen forest at an astonishing speed, kicking up a trail of snow in its wake.
Barely a few minutes later, the treeline opened up to reveal the vast expanse of Lizard Lake, an area infested with predatory reptiles that the tribe had always bypassed to avoid casualties and unnecessary delays. However, what Kellar witnessed upon arrival left his eyes wide open with shock.
The entire colony of aquatic monsters had been decimated. Scattered along the frozen shore lay dozens of giant reptile carcasses, many half-eaten or torn apart by the brutal force of Ignis’s claws. The great bear hadn’t just been hunting to pass the time; it had completely wiped out the southern trail’s greatest threat, dragging the largest catches to the village entrance as an offering for its master.
"Unbelievable..." said Kellar, dismounting the bear’s back as he examined the thick hides and mounds of meat piled on the snow. "You exterminated the entire nest by yourself, boy."
Ignis let out a proud roar and shook its head, awaiting the shaman’s approval.
"It’s a massive waste to leave all this meat and these hides out here to rot in the cold," said Kellar, giving the beast a firm hug around its snout. "Let’s return immediately. We’ll need all the hunters and several cargo sleds to gather everything before scavengers arrive."
Ignis crouched down once more, and Kellar rode back toward the village at full speed. Crossing the wooden gate, Kellar leaped to the ground and instantly summoned Brak and the hunter leaders.
"Brak! Gather all the harvesting squads and bring every cargo sled we have available!" said Kellar, his powerful voice echoing across the central yard.
Brak approached at a brisk pace, confused by the leader’s urgency.
"Did something happen in the forest, Great Shaman?" said Brak, tightening his hunting belt.
"Ignis destroyed the Lizard Lake colony," said Kellar, pointing to the great bear walking contentedly beside him. "There are dozens of catches ready for processing. Thick hides for armor and enough meat to fill the storehouses for weeks. We move immediately!"
"Praise the gods!" said Brak, letting out a laugh of pure joy before turning toward his men. "You heard him! Load the sleds and grab your skinning knives! We march with the Shaman and Ignis to bring back the haul!"
Within minutes, an escort of over fifty hunters and workers set off following Kellar and Ignis toward the lake.
Upon arriving at the lake, the sight of dozens of reptiles stretched across the snow sparked a wave of enthusiasm among the men. Without wasting a single minute, the hunters unsheathed their skinning knives and began the arduous task of harvesting, under the watchful eyes of Kellar and Ignis, who lay crouched on a stone ridge like a king guarding his treasure.
"Cut carefully along the scale joints!" said Kellar, pointing to the belly of one of the largest beasts. "I want you to remove the hide as cleanly as possible, without tearing the central sections. We need whole, undamaged pieces to begin the tanning process. These plates will become our finest heavy armor."
"Understood, Great Shaman!" said Brak, guiding the squads as they peeled away the thick layers of scaly leather. "Clean the inner fat and stack the meat onto the sleds before it freezes solid!"
The work extended for hours amid laughter, hunting songs, and jokes among the men. By late afternoon, the caravan returned to the main village carrying sleds overflowing with tons of fresh meat and massive rolls of scaly hides.
The group’s entry triggered a true celebration in the central yard. Women and children poured out to receive the supplies with joyous cheers, while the communal dining hall’s massive cauldrons were lit to prepare a massive banquet celebrating the abundance Ignis had brought to the tribe.
Lía and Ron watched the scene with wide eyes, caught up in the village’s euphoric energy.
"I have never seen so much food in one place," said Ron in a whisper, staring at the piles of meat the men were unloading.
Lía nodded beside him, her eyes searching for Kellar’s figure while her cheeks flushed a soft pink as she watched him direct the men with such authority.
Kellar gathered with Mentz and the master craftsmen near the tanning huts.
"Scrape the residual flesh from the hides this very night," said Kellar, touching the reptilian leather’s rigid texture. "Soak them in the vats with salt and ash to soften them before tanning. Not a single one of these hides shall go to waste. With this, our warriors will be virtually invulnerable to arrows and sword strikes."
"It shall be done exactly as you order, Shaman," said Mentz, rubbing his hands together with enthusiasm. "The Overlord Tribe has never been this strong or this well-fed."