Alliance in the Ice - The Guardians of Noindaith

Copper Heights - Soldier Paul

We all fell silent for a moment after Amba had finished her story. In the fading twilight, the last light of day cast long shadows between the huts of the camp and the sky turned shades of red and orange.

Amba looked up and watched the clouds slowly drifting across the horizon. "The signs are favorable," she said, her voice full of confidence. "The wind spirit is with us."

Annuk nodded, leaning his spear against the crook of his arm. "The wind spirit knows of your strength and wisdom and is therefore favorable to us." There was respect and loyalty in his deep voice.

Amba smiled slightly, her eyes reflecting a mixture of warmth and seriousness. "And he also knows about your courage and vigilance, which have protected us well so far," she replied. She placed her hand on his arm. "Together, we will survive this threat too."

Annuk grabbed her hand and held it for a moment, as if to say: "Wherever you lead us, I will always follow you and protect you.

Their gestures and glances, though subtle, made clear the deep bond and trust that existed between them - she was the leader, guided by vision and wisdom, and he was her strong and devoted protector.

They became aware of our presence again, straightened their backs and turned towards us. Annuk let go of Amba's hand.

"This is a good time to connect with our ancestors," Amba now said solemnly. She closed her eyes and raised her arms, palms facing the sky. In a deep, melodic voice, she began to chant and sway her body back and forth.

The other guardians joined in their rhythm, singing and clapping. A gentle breeze rose up between the branches of the trees like a soft whisper, as if I could hear the ancestors themselves, who were now talking to Amba.

Amba's singing became more and more powerful, her movements more fluid. She stood up and bowed low. "Great ancestor, we seek your advice and protection," she said to an unseen figure. "Dark times are approaching, and we fear that our powers alone will not be enough."

As the chanting and drumming continued, Amba stood in the center, swaying back and forth as if absorbing instructions. Occasionally she nodded, "Yes, Great Ancestor." Then she slumped down. The other guardians fell silent and a deep silence fell over the circle of people present.

After a while, Amba looked up and smiled: "I have received the blessing of the ancestors. They promised that we would overcome the coming disaster together."

I didn't really know what to make of this mumbo-jumbo. But the guardians laughed freely and were now chatting to each other as if God himself had spoken to them. I drew parallels with the rituals of many primitive peoples I had heard about and decided that it couldn't be a bad thing if they lived their faith.

Before falling asleep, I looked at the starry sky and thought about the upcoming confrontation with the demon, which was inevitable. Amba wanted to wait a week for the other guards to arrive. The calm in our camp was deceptive, and the days of peace finite. But in our small community, which existed against all odds, I felt an unexpected peace.

The next day, Lars, Emil and I set off to climb a peak that wasn't very high, but very rocky, so we had to scramble. There was no need to do so, but it was a welcome change of pace where we could burn off some energy and relieve our pent-up tension. Equipped with ropes and carabiners, we made our way to the top. I had loved climbing ever since I was a little boy and had often been out and about in the Apennines. Even now, I enjoyed the thrill of every step, every hold and every look into the depths.

At the top of the summit, we delved into a discussion about a machine that would make the impossible possible and put the demon in its place.

"If the demon feeds on negative energy, then we would have to invent something that reverses the energy," I said thoughtfully.