The heavy iron hooves trampled on the white bones, crushing the fragile bones to dust.
A knight clad in heavy black armor stood on the battlefield, riding a gigantic horse that resembled a monster. Dozens of sharp, parasitic limbs swarmed out from the gaps in his armor, their twisting and contorting forms resembling ancient, malevolent creatures.
The city of Ozd in the Kingdom of Ulster, a once bustling metropolis known as the "Northern Star," is now engulfed in fire and smoke.
Fully armed Valkyries rode griffins circling above the city, searching for enemies still putting up a stubborn resistance; cultists waving the banner of "Umbrella" shouted the tyrant's name and frantically attacked any creature that dared to resist.
In the ruins of Ozd Castle, a group of soldiers, led by their commander, were making their last desperate struggle.
A guard wielding a spear plunged his weapon into the abdomen of a barbarian covered in tattoos. The latter neither flinched nor cried out in pain; instead, he reached out and gripped the weapon tightly, letting the spearhead writhe within his flesh.
"Gods above! Valhalla is calling my soul!"
With bloodshot eyes and a fanatical expression, accompanied by a roar, the barbarian laughed as he unfastened his leather armor, revealing a pack of explosives inside, emitting sparks and white smoke, instantly plunging his enemies into an icy abyss.
With a deafening explosion, Ozd's last resistance was reduced to dust amidst flames and rubble.
Standing atop the mountain ridge, Ivy stroked the feathers of her griffin mount and said to the person beside her, "This is the last obstacle on the way to the capital of Ulster. As of today, we have occupied two-thirds of the kingdom's territory."
Looking at the smoke that obscured the sky above the city, Todd calmly asked, "What's been happening in the Kingdom of Connaught in the east lately?"
Alfonso, who was guarding Todd, replied, "Ulster and Connaught have made peace. The two great kingdoms in the north have signed a ceasefire agreement."
Evie patted the griffin's head, her tone full of disdain: "Fear always makes people let go of everything."
"The total population of Froststone Territory is approaching 120,000, including barbarians, refugees from Holy Guard City, and prisoners of war from Ulster." Alfonso's voice sounded somewhat bewildered: "Every day, thousands of people come from all directions to the temple in the center of the city to worship the sons of the gods and beg for their blessings."
Evie told Todd, "There's more good news. I went back to the Valkyrie village and told everyone what happened. The Valkyrie elders have unanimously agreed that, in order to restore the glory of the gods, they will send some Valkyries to join the battle."
The battle cries gradually faded away, and only the occasional neighing of horses could be heard.
Todd turned his gaze away from the city and said to Evie and Alfonso, "Let's go, it's time to go back."
It was a week later when the three men led their army back.
Today, Froststone is no longer the small camp it once was; to be precise, it has become the well-known "Froststone City."
The area, home to over 100,000 people, had long since developed into a megacity with distinct barbarian characteristics.
The shacks and stone buildings are scattered throughout the residential areas, and the owners of each building would display their most prized possessions at the door, showing off their achievements to passersby.
In the circular open-air plaza, one gladiatorial contest after another was held, with men, women, and children sitting in the audience, cheering loudly for their favorite contestants.
In addition, there are all kinds of barbarian-style buildings, such as gymnasiums, archery ranges, shamanic dwellings, bone-whispering halls, tribal taverns, and bathing areas.
The only place that still retains its original appearance is the site of the former camp.
This basin, formed by red soil, has now become a religious sanctuary for Froststone City.
All the original residents who lived there were moved to the outside, and all the unimportant buildings were demolished, leaving only the places associated with the Son of Gods—the Tyrant Temple, the Tribal Hall, the Megalithic Ritual Circle… and of course, the small building where Todd once lived.
When Todd stood in front of the small building and pushed open the tightly closed door, Deirdre's joyful face instantly gave him a feeling of returning home after a long voyage.
Compared to her initial awkwardness and unease upon arriving at the camp, Deirdre has now integrated well into her life there.
She first helped Todd change his clothes, then fetched clean water for him to wash up, while constantly telling him about the interesting things happening in Froststone City.
“Did you know? Fugal’s daughter, Emeral, was brought here by her father. He tells everyone that Emeral is now the concubine of the Son of God.”
Todd waved his hand with a smile: "This old guy may not have any other skills, but he's first-rate at being opportunistic and talking nonsense."
"And another thing, Aunt Minnie and her family have developed a superior snuff. Everyone who has tried it says it's a gift from the gods. Due to the limited production, the snuff is in high demand, not only for export but also for the city itself. So, just last month, Aunt Minnie designated a forest in the eastern part of Froststone City specifically for growing tobacco."
Todd said approvingly, "That's a good thing. Snuff is an important specialty of Froststone City. If production can be increased, it will bring huge benefits to the entire city... By the way, Deirdre, has anything bad happened here while I was away?"
After pondering for a while, Deirdre said, "For a time, the pirates from the North Island would sneak into the city to rob things, but they were driven away by Alfonso."
"Northern Islanders? What's going on?"
"It seems that because of the constant fighting, the people of the North Island didn't have enough food, and the seafood trade couldn't continue, so they had no choice but to come here to rob things."
Todd pondered for a moment, then continued, "And then?"
"Evie took the captured pirates to the North Island, and after that, it seems no one came to cause any trouble."
Listening to Deirdre's account, Todd nodded thoughtfully: "The war in the North Island will need to be dealt with sooner or later."
"Todd..."
Deirdre blushed and asked shyly, "May I ask you a question?"
Todd looked puzzled: "A problem?"
"How long will you stay this time?"
Seeing Deirdre's expression, Todd laughed, grabbed her hand, and pulled her into his arms: "A long time, long enough for us to do everything we want to do."
The candlelight inside the small building quietly went out. That night, the two, who had not been intimate for a long time, exchanged physical intimacy for spiritual closeness amidst the boundless spring scenery.
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