20 Chapter 20 - Whitetree

The moment I spoke the destination, Kyle stopped his steps.

"Negative, Whitetree is inhabited by Savages, I have been ordered to avoid all Savages we encounter." Spoken Kyle with unwavering conviction.

"I understand your hesitation friend, I also understand Lord Commander Qorqyle's orders, but we need to go there, there is something calling me and I need to know what it is." I spoke looking directly into Kyle's eyes.

When Kyle met Arthur's cold heterochromatic eyes, he felt a numbness go through his body, from the back of his neck to his tailbone.

"Right, we'll take you to Whitetree, leave the horses, it's better to go on foot, it will draw less attention." spoke Kyle, with misty eyes.

"Come on, follow me."

The moment we entered the narrow, icy tunnel, I felt a tingle run through my body.

'Magic'

I closed my eyes and put my palm against the walls of the tunnel, that's when I felt it, an oppressive magic, I felt like a tiny drop in a vast ocean.

'If this magic still remains after thousands of years, I can't imagine the sacrifice required for that, they say that dragons are the carriers of magic, that when the last one died, the magic disappeared, maybe this information is somehow wrong, if this is true, it will change a lot of things.'

'With each passing minute I feel closer to the truth.'

Opening my eyes, I went on my way.

After passing through the tunnel, we arrived on the other side of the wall, the moment I put my feet outside, I had the sensation of being watched, I ignored the sensation and continued walking.

After walking for some time we saw in the distance, a place that resembles a village, the village consists of four one room houses falling apart, which surround a sheepfold and a well, the houses are built of stone without mortar and covered with grass, they have windows closed with pieces of leather, low doors, dirt floors and a smoke hole in the ceiling.

Above the village stands a huge old Weirwood, Its trunk is almost two and a half meters wide and its branches shade the village, The irregular mouth of the carved face of the heart-tree is big enough to swallow a sheep.

Some people were present around the tree, wearing like clothes, boiled leather and stitched sheepskin, strapped to their waists some swords and axes made of bronze, some of stone and wood, the women were singing a song I recognized,

The Last of the Giants.

"Stay here, I will go alone, it will be brief." I spoke.

"Be careful" said Astrid.

"It's dangerous for you to go alone," said Kyle.

"It's more dangerous if I go with crows. I said.

"You're right, but as soon as we see any danger we will come to you" said Kyle.

"That's fine with me" I said with a smile.

"Save it for me" I ordered as I passed my bastard sword.

"Barry, climb the tree and cover Arthur" spoke Kyle.

"Yes sir"

I headed towards Whitetree with light steps and calmness, I was wearing a black hoodie, and an all black outfit.

As I got even closer to the tree, my presence was noticed by a man.

"Stop, who are you?" Asked the man with the bronze sword in hand.

"I got lost from my father, we were hunting in the forest and I lost sight of him, then I walked and came here" I spoke as I lowered my hood.

'A child? What unusual hair and eyes,' thought the man.

"Where are you from boy?" Asked the man.

'I live somewhere in the Haunted Forest, but I don't know where' I spoke with sad eyes.

'Shakespeare taught me how to act just right.'

"Okay, come here," spoke the man.

I approached the man with my head down.

"What's your name, boy?" He asked.

"Bjorn," I said.

"Okay, Bjorn, why don't you wait until your father comes here to look for you, and we'll take care of you in the meantime. The man said with a smile.

"Thank you," I said, smiling.

'These are the infamous savages? Famous for being, murderers, rapists, lawless thieves and primitives, the only thing I see, are people in extreme hardship, trying to survive an inhospitable place, one should not judge other people by the actions of others.'

"Sir, I have never seen such a Weirwood, can I come closer?" I asked with bright eyes.

"Sure, we are free people, don't call me sir, my name is Hakon." He spoke.

I nodded to the man, and headed towards the tree, it was the biggest tree I had ever seen in this life.

With each step closer to the tree, my heart squeezed harder, and the feeling of being watched was even greater.

When I was less than a meter away from the tree, I took a deep breath and put my palm against it.

The moment my hand touched the tree, my eyes turned all white, and my consciousness was transported to another place.

The place was a cave, full of white roots, the floor of black earth, with many bones of birds and animals, Skulls of various creatures are placed in stone niches in the walls.

The cave opening into a black abyss, with a swift river two hundred meters below, and seated on a throne of braided Weirwood roots was an old man.

He wore rotten and faded clothes, stained with moss and half eaten by worms, on a throne of tangled Weirwood tree roots, his skin is white, apart from a red patch on his neck and cheek, he has thin white hair, long enough to reach the earthen floor, on his face is missing one eye, while the other is red, dam tree roots surround the man and grow through his body, including his leg and his empty eye socket.

"Hello Arthur Snow" spoke the man, his voice is slow and dry, as if he had forgotten how to speak.

"How do you know my name?" I asked.

"I know many backs Arthur" spoke the man.

"Since you know many things, you must also know who you are, what is your name, old man" I spoke.

"I have used many names, and lost many names, but the only one I have not lost, and the one I miss the most, is the name my mother gave me on her lap, it was Brynden."