Chapter 139: The Shadow Over the Fortress
The freezing night enveloped the pass following the execution of the traitors. The pungent smoke of the recent discharge was still dissipating among the rocks when Kellar turned toward Lennis and Garik, inspecting the carts loaded with iron and machinery.
"Lennis, take ten riflemen and escort the convoy to the village" said Kellar, pointing down the southern path with a cold gaze. "Mentz and the girls are expecting you. Maintain a strict watch at the central workshop until I return."
"Understood, Great Shaman," said Lennis, gesturing to the selected group. "You ten, take up positions around the wagons! We move now!"
Kellar watched the convoy depart and turned toward the remainder of the formation, which maintained flawless military discipline.
"The rest of the brigade comes with me," said Kellar, looking over the forty riflemen and Brak. "Tonight we settle the score at the mountain peak before any rumor of betrayal can spread."
"Double time! March!" shouted Brak.
The troop marched with steady strides under the cold moonlight. After several hours, the imposing palisades of the mountain fortress emerged from the gloom. The sentries atop the wall scrambled to swing open the heavy wooden gates upon recognizing Kellar’s imposing silhouette mounted on Ignis.
Krag, informed of his leader’s unannounced night arrival, hurried out into the central courtyard wearing his half-adjusted fur cloak. However, as he drew near the giant bear, his breath caught in his throat. Seeing Kellar flanked by forty riflemen with musket muzzles still blackened by gunpowder, and noticing the total absence of Mark and the disobedient nobles, the veteran hunter’s face drained of all color.
"Great Shaman..." said Krag, dropping to his knees on the frozen snow with trembling hands.
"Mark and his faction attempted to ambush the convoy in the pass," said Kellar, dismounting from Ignis and walking slowly until he stood right before the leader. "They were completely eradicated. Your incompetence in detecting and crushing betrayal within your own ranks nearly destroyed the tribe’s future."
"I accept full punishment, Shaman!" said Krag, pressing his forehead against the icy ground, his body shivering in terror. "I committed a fatal error. My life is yours."
"An error?" said Kellar, taking a step forward, his eyes burning with rage. "How in the hell does a heavily armed group of thirty people move behind your back without being detected, unless you were also waiting on the outcome to rebel?"
Before Krag could articulate a lie, the main hall door burst open. His wife rushed out into the center of the courtyard, falling to her knees before Kellar.
"Great Shaman, he knew everything!" said the woman, pointing at Krag with a trembling hand. "He drank last night planning this with Mark! I begged him to stop, I threatened to abandon him, and I even swore I would kill him in his sleep if he betrayed the Bear God, but his ambition blinded him!"
Kellar flew into an fury. He stepped right up to Krag and roared directly into his face, making the entire courtyard echo with his voice.
"I trusted you!" shouted Kellar, the veins on his neck bulging with rage. "I put you in command of this fortress! You were going to be the man just beneath me, ruling this entire region under my command! There was nothing in this land you could not have had, and you sold me out for a simple shipment of basic weapons! Was that all it was worth? Did you want them to steal the weapons, attack us in the valley, and then have you walk in to claim the spoils and take whatever little was left?!"
Krag turned deathly pale as his blood ran cold. Hearing every single word, he realized his dark plans were as clear as day to the shaman; Kellar had tied every loose end together flawlessly.
The woman pressed her face against the frozen ground and raised her voice through sobs.
"I beg for mercy for myself, Great Shaman!" said Krag’s wife. "I tried to stop him with all my strength. I swear on my faith that if he rose up openly against you, I would have killed him myself without hesitation!"
Kellar took a deep breath, reining in his fury as he locked eyes on the traitorous hunter and then on the woman.
"For the faith of your former wife, you shall keep your miserable life," said Kellar, looking down at Krag with contempt. "But I have no use for a dog that dares to bite the hand that feeds it."
"Helga, correct?" said Kellar, looking down at the woman who remained on her knees.
"Yes, Great Shaman," said Helga, lifting her eyes with respect.
"From this day on, you will take your husband’s place," said Kellar, setting an unyielding stance. "The fortress is under your command, and Krag will be only what you decide he should be. I will leave twenty of my riflemen here to protect the stronghold; all of them will obey your word. Make sure to keep several of them by your side at all times. Whatever happens to Krag will depend on you."
Kellar turned toward the hunter, glaring at him with coldness.
"Krag, I strip you of your title," said Kellar.
Upon hearing the sentence, Krag felt as if all strength completely abandoned his body at once. His shoulders slumped and his frame went limp against the snow, utterly broken.
Without giving him time to react, Kellar stepped forward and extended his hand, placing it firmly onto Krag’s forehead.
"I curse you to be a slave for the rest of your miserable life," said Kellar.
As the words left his mouth, Krag let out a muffled shriek as an unbearable heat branded his flesh, exactly as if red-hot iron were sealing into the bone of his forehead.
"From now on, you will obey her, or you will wish you had never been born," said Kellar, pulling back his smoking hand.
Over the past few days, Kellar had developed that mystical skill in secret and was looking for the perfect excuse to test its effectiveness. Krag’s betrayal had handed him the trial on a silver platter. Deep down, Kellar felt profoundly betrayed, which was why he showed not a single shred of mercy; in a wild land like the north, he could not afford to display weakness before his subordinates or he would pay dearly for it.