Return to Jorgaldur Volume V: Reunion (2)

Heroes

When the Guardians of the North arrived at the fortress, they feared the worst. After long hours of fighting, they had annihilated the losts that stood in the way. However, no one had left the fortress alive.

"Let's go in and wipe out the remnants of those beings," one of the generals suggested.

"The architects fear it won't be able to stand. It could fall on us," another warned.

"What do they propose then?" the first asked.

"To shore up the structure as we advance," the other shrugged. He knew it would be slow, but they couldn't risk more lives.

Some clenched their fists or teeth. They wanted to get in as soon as possible, to know what had happened to the rescue team, or those they had gone to rescue. However, there was no choice but to wait.

It was then that a pair of figures appeared. They were Cahildya and a limping Menxolor, who was leaning on her.

While the warriors were clearing the underground passages of losts, the healers had rushed to treat the wounded. Some were on the verge of death, almost looking like they hadn't survived.

They had been kept alive, but the healers in their group had been unable to do more. There was only mana left to keep them from dying. It was what they had promised each other. To die together, to sacrifice themselves to eliminate as many enemies as they could, even if they destroyed the fortress with them.

Of course, many, or all, had the secret hope of surviving, although that hope had weakened as their companions were exhausted, seriously injured, or ran out of mana. They could no longer restore it. Some had even lost consciousness, and their breathing was tremendously weak, almost imperceptible.

The newly arrived healers had needed to work hard to recover them, in addition to taking out dozens of mana crystals. With the appropriate spells, they had repelled the miasma and created a small sanctuary.

They had spent hours there, healing them until they were able to walk on their own. Many still limped or had broken bones, as well as many bruises. They would need more time and more healers to heal them completely, but none of them were willing to wait. They had already waited too long.

"Menxolor!" someone shouted.

"""Menxolor!!""" dozens exclaimed.

""""""Menxolor!!!"""""" this time there were hundreds.

""""""""""""Menxolor!!!!"""""""""""" the entire army joined in. They were cheering one of the heroes who had returned to awaken them.

""""""""""""Menxolor!!!!"""""""""""" they repeated several times.

One after another, the heroes, most of them wounded but smiling, left the fortress. Each of them was hailed as what they were: the heroes who had traveled hundreds of miles through corrupted lands infested with enemies to give them a chance. They had done it so that little Menxilya could go inside and wake them up.

There was no shortage of hugs and tears, especially among the heroes. For the other guardians, it was a bit confusing. They had been asleep for all these years, so they barely had a sense of the time that had passed. However, for Menxolor and the others, it had been almost a hundred years.

Now, they were home again. They could reunite with their loved ones, and enter a city they had given up hope of returning to.

Sure, the surroundings were devastated, but at least they were alive. They would have a chance to restore their world.

Eldi, Goldmi, the lynx, Gjaki and Maldoa were lying or sitting on the plants by the lake, exhausted, recovering, eating and drinking. The kraken was also nearby, in the water, savoring some fish sticks. The goshawk kept watch from the sky, although she came down from time to time to have a snack.

In the distance, a huge cherry tree was particularly striking, which the fairy had asked Maldoa about several times. She wanted to know when the cherries would ripen, so she could take some to one of her sisters. Pikshbxgra had even asked Goldmi to make a candy stick out of them, to give to her.

"The doors are opening," the goshawk then announced.

"What doors?" the elf was surprised.

"The city doors."

Goldmi turned towards there and looked directly with Goshawkeye. They weren't far from the entrance.

"The guardians are coming. There a lot of them, an army," she warned her companions.

They all stood up and looked in the direction the archer had pointed. Nonetheless, they still had to wait some time for the army to arrive before them.

That army looked imposing with their polished uniforms and shields. They weren't wearing the same armor as in the previous battle, but the dress uniform. They weren't going to battle, but to welcome the heroes who had saved their world.

The army parted, split into two and formed a corridor, in which there were three figures. One of them, the smallest, ran towards them.

"I knew you were fine! I saw it!" the girl called them, although her watery eyes revealed that she had been quite worried.

"Menxilya!" Goldmi hugged her, as the girl had thrown herself in her arms.

They all hugged the girl. They had grown fond of her, and hadn't heard from her since the goshawk had left her at the city gates.

"Menxolor, you're alive," Eldi shook his hand, half hugging him with the other.

"You too. We survived by the skin of our teeth, but we survived. We owe you everything... Ouch! That's... Let me introduce you to Cahildya, my wife," he stepped away, after receiving a pinch in the side.

Goldmi and Gjaki, who had noticed, looked at each other and smiled, but said nothing. Maldoa didn't notice, as she was now hugging the girl, while Eldi had been greeting Menxolor.

"It is an honor. My husband and daughter have told me a lot about you. On behalf of my people, I would like to invite you to our city. Everyone wants to welcome the heroes who have saved our world," she offered, and bowed deeply.

They couldn't refuse. Besides, they had stories to tell and to hear. The Guardians of the North deserved to know that Kan Golge had really been behind all that, and that he had died.

Furthermore, Maldoa, as a representative of the dryads, had many things to discuss with them.

As if that weren't enough, they couldn't leave for now either. The Origins and Sources were overflowing with the power of the dryads, and couldn't be used for a while as a means of transport.

There was also still too much miasma to use the Gates, so they would have to wait a while to return. For now, they had no choice but to be welcomed as heroes, to be the guests of honor.

The companions wouldn't have to wait to enter to receive their honors, though. As they began to walk alongside their hosts, their names were enthusiastically chanted by the Guardians of the North.