Chapter 21: Fire Mountain

(Mountain of the Fire Giants)

Halgrim staggered through the fabled terrain of the fire giants, an empty flask dangling from one hand while he supported himself with a gnarled stick grasped in the other. Asura, the little wolf bloodhound pup with piercing eyes and ears perkier than mountain spires, perched confidently on his shoulder. The duo traversed the abandoned land, where every step kicked up ashes long since cooled from ancient fires.

"Isn't it too hot, boy?" Halgrim asked Asura.

And Asura just barked.

The mountains here weren't just huge; they twisted upward like tongues of flame frozen in time—towering, jagged, and with an eerie luminescence that seemed to pulsate from deep within their core. Halgrim, with a crooked smile and a flask poised at his lips, started recounting tales to Asura, his voice blending with the ambiance of sizzling air.

"You see, pup, these giants weren't mere brutes. They were crafters, creators—builders of worlds within their fiery forges. Legend says their blood was molten rock and their breath, the hot winds that forged empires." Halgrim took a swig, the alcohol warming his insides almost as much as the surrounding heat. "Their king, oh he was a beast of a thing—larger than the mountains themselves, with a crown of smoldering coal and a heart that burned brighter than any smith's forge. Don't know where he ran off to now."

As they ascended, the rhythmic pounding of a distant hammer grew louder—a deep, resonating thud that shook the very air around them. It was a primordial sound, echoing through the desolate crags like the heartbeat of the earth. When Halgrim and Asura finally reached the peak, the source of the sound became clear.

'So he's actually here.'

Before them stood a small, stout man, possibly the last of the fire giant kin, dwarfed by the legends yet impressive in his craftsmanship. Thick muscles coiled around his arms as he hammered away at a glowing piece of metal, his gray helmet and long beard giving him a look of ancient wisdom. The sound of his hammer against the anvil was near deafening, sending ripples of force through the mountain.

"Long time see nothing…long time no see… or whatever, however you say that shit," Halgrim slurred slightly, taking another hefty sip from his flask.

The forger paused, placing the hammer beside the anvil, his gaze steady. "What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice as rough as the mountain stone.

"They sent me to come get ya, so here I—"

KATHOOM!

Without warning, a seismic shockwave launched Halgrim and Asura into the air. Asura growled fiercely, fur bristling in defense as they landed clumsily. Despite the rough landing, Halgrim couldn't help but laugh, the sound echoing strangely jubilant amid the looming silence.

Rising from the ground, Halgrim squinted as the forger approached, dragging a massive, magma-coal wrecking ball chained to his thick arms—a weapon that seemed to pulsate with the heart of the mountain itself. "Leave while you still can," the forger warned, his silhouette framed by the flames dancing wickedly around his forge.

Halgrim straightened up, still chuckling, patting Asura reassuringly. The pup's stance was defensive, yet curious, sensing the tension yet the familiarity in Halgrim's demeanor.

Halgrim said, "That was pretty near. Can you do it again?"

The ground beneath the mountain summit trembled as the stout forger, remnants of fire giant bloodline apparent in his every move, slammed his magma-coal wrecking ball into the stony earth. The impact echoed through the crags, a terrifying roar accompanying the emergence of a monstrous creature—a four-headed wolf, its body sculpted from molten magma and coal, eyes blazing with a fierce, burning red intensity.

As the beast roared, Asura, the wolf bloodhound pup resting on Halgrim's shoulder, responded with a surge of power. As if answering some primeval call to battle, he grew in size exponentially. Muscles bulking, fur bristling with streaks of fiery red energy, Asura transformed into a formidable giant, now standing eye-to-eye with the molten behemoth.

Halgrim said, "Kill it."

The forget exclaimed, "Go!"

The magma wolf lunged first, its four heads snapping simultaneously. Asura, agile despite his new size, dodged to the side, the sharp rocks beneath his paws cracking from the heat of his enemy. With a swift, powerful pounce, he clamped down on one of the fiery heads, his teeth searing through the molten rock, drawing sparks and smoldering coal blood. The struck head retaliated, twisting to sink its flaming teeth into Asura's shoulder. Scorching pain flared, but Asura, fueled by fury, slammed his paw into the head's side, sending it reeling back with a thunderous clash against the mountain wall.

Asura's bark echoed devastatingly through the peaks, a sonic blast of force that caused the mountain to fissure. The magma wolf stumbled, briefly disoriented, which Asura took advantage of by rolling into a fiery ball and smashing into the wolf's underbelly, the collision radiating intense heat and light. Recovering quickly, the magma wolf swept its tail, a massive, burning appendage that struck Asura across the face. He skidded back, paws scrabbling against the stone, leaving scorched marks. Shaking off the blow, he leaped high, coming down with claws first, aimed squarely at the wolf's back.

The magma wolf bucked as Asura's claws raked deep grooves across its spine, ember-like blood spattering the rocky terrain. It howled in pain and rage, shaking itself violently to throw Asura off balance. Landing agilely, Asura didn't pause. He charged, his claws glowing brighter with red energy, each strike aimed with precision to weaken the wolf's rocky armor. The magma wolf's heads responded in unison, spewing streams of lava towards him.

Asura twisted in mid-air, evading the fiery attack, and landed squarely on the wolf's back. With his jaws, he tore a great chunk of coal and magma from the wolf, savoring the taste of victory even as the land burned around them. Enraged, the magma wolf arched its back, desperately trying to dislodge its attacker. It rolled over, attempting to crush Asura under its massive weight. But Asura had anticipated this move; springing free, he circled swiftly around to face the beast again. Both combatants, now facing each other, paused momentarily, breathing heavily. It was a short-lived respite. Asura launched forward, his entire body encased in red flames, and rammed headfirst into the wolf, forcing it up against a steep cliffside.

The entire battle, Halgrim was drinking from his flask, and the forger stared back.

Halgrim said, "Pretty bloody fight huh?"

"You shouldn't be here."

"I shouldn't, but my daughter had to make a quick stop. So i'm here."

The impact caused a small avalanche. While the magma wolf was briefly buried, Asura dug his claws into the mountainside, stabilizing himself. As the wolf emerged, shaking loose rocks and magma from its backs, Asura was ready and waiting. With relentless ferocity, Asura attacked each head individually. Dodging teeth and claws, he struck with his own, each movement calculated and brutal—torn flesh, molten blood, and the crack of hardening rock filling the air amidst their snarls and roars. Utilizing his size, the magma wolf attempted to overpower Asura by using two heads to pin him down while the other two attacked. But Asura, deftly using his smaller form, wriggled free, leaving trails of flaming fur, which ignited upon contact with the wolf.

With the wolf momentarily stunned, Asura bounded onto a high ledge, gaining the higher ground. From here, he lept downward, focusing all his energy and massiveness into a single, devastating dive attack onto the wolf's central body. The magma wolf wasn't down yet. It collected itself, parts of its body solidifying into denser, more armored rock. It stood, towering, its eyes brighter and more ferocious. What followed was a blur of snapping jaws and slashing claws, each meeting their match blow for blow, neither giving quarter.

'We're the strongest duo!'

Klade's voice rang through Asura's head, and Asura got distracted, almost falling off the mountain. 

Finally, with both hounds exhausting their strength, Asura found an opening. With a precision-driven leap, he targeted the main head, biting down with all his might, his claws simultaneously gouging deep into the wolf's flanks. With a tremendous effort, he tore the head off, the rest of the body starting to crumble and collapse. Breathing heavily, Asura stood victorious amongst the ruins of his enemy, the mountain quiet once more. The earth beneath him was scarred and remade by their catalytic dance. As the adrenaline faded, so too did Asura's immense form, shrinking slowly back to that of a bloodhound pup, curling up tiredly on Halgrim's shoulder, both of them looking out over the landscape they had forever changed.

Halgrim petted Asura, "Good boy."

Kraglin, the stout blacksmith of the fire giants, watched Halgrim dust himself off, his expression carved from the bedrock of years of toil and silent battles fought in the solitude of these fiery peaks. The glow from the forge painted his features in stark relief, the old warrior's eyes reflecting a mixture of annoyance and a deep, unreadable sorrow.

"Asura, keep calm," Halgrim advised the little pup, whose growls subsided into a low, wary grumble. They both faced Kraglin, whose presence, though now belonging more to myth than man, commanded attention.

Kraglin returned to his anvil, lifting his heavy hammer with a grunt. "So, Lances is scraping together the old guard, eh?" He didn't wait for an answer, the hammer falling rhythmically, sparks flying like mini suns. "Figures. With the Rothgar brood sniffing around for the divine embryo, guess he'd want all hands on deck."

Halgrim asked, "What was the point of attacking?"

"To see if you were the real Halgrim. Those royal bastards can be fuckin' shapeshifters for all we know."

As he worked, Kraglin's voice wove the tale of the avatars. "You know, Halgrim, avatars ain't just storied champions picked at random. They're born because the gods, sensing their end, tie their essences to a new soul. Creates a conduit of raw divine power. The avatar of the sun, bathed in eternal light, and the avatar of the moon, cradled in shadow—both are merely players in a game older than the stars themselves." He hammered harder, as if imprinting the importance of each word into the glowing metal itself. "Each avatar serves to maintain balance, wielding powers that could as easily create worlds as rend them apart." Then, pausing, he ran a hand through his beard, his gaze hardening like the metal he shaped. "But that's gods' play, Halgrim. What concerns me now, more imminently, is the approach of the 7 Orphans of Rue. They're coming to these mountains, drawn by the ancient power forged into our weapons. This..." he gestured broadly to the numerous armaments lining the walls of his forge, "...is what I must protect. Arm my kin. The fire giants need these weapons if they are to stand a chance against the raiders."

"So this is what you've been doing? Why you ran? I thought it was because you were trying to get over losing my wife?"

"No..the Hero Lances thought that was the case since I left right after your wife vanished."

"Why did you mention the avatar of the sun and moon?"

"Just keep listening, drunk fool." Kraglin then looked pointedly at Halgrim, his voice dropping to a gruff murmur nearly drowned out by the crackle of the forge. "I understand the stakes of defending this place, old friend. But my duty, first and foremost, is here. With the whispered prophecy of the Rothgar scion's rise, and the shadows that follow such news, every blade I shape could mean the difference between survival and annihilation for our people."

Halgrim took another swig from his flask, his countenance serious as he considered Kraglin's words, the weight of the situation settling in. Asura, sensing the shift in mood, nestled closer to Halgrim's neck, his small body tense but trusting.

"You always were one to stick to your forge, Kraglin," Halgrim finally said, a wry smile tugging at his lips. "Guess I'll have to tell the Lances you're busy with... hero stuff of your own."

Kraglin gave a short, barking laugh, acknowledging the jest with a nod. "There's more to this. Which is why I was hoping you'd understand. Keep listening."

As Halgrim turned to leave, the pounding of Kraglin's hammer resumed, a steady beat in the heart of the mountain, crafting what might one day be the salvation or destruction of their world. 

Kraglin paused again, his hammer hovering in midair as he sensed the gravity of the next disclosure weighing heavily on his heart. Halgrim watched the old blacksmith's expression turn graver, the fire casting dark, wavering shadows across his stoic face.

"There's more to why I've sequestered myself here," Kraglin began, setting down his hammer with a clink that rang almost solemnly through the cavernous space. He motioned for Halgrim to come closer, ensuring his words would not stray far. "After the last big fray with the Rothgar kin, I sought out the Council of the Celestial Librarian. You know, the keeper of cosmic archives, born before the sands of time began to flow."

Halgrim nodded, although unease began to stir within him, the little pup Asura sensing his master's tension and whining softly. "Oh yeah? And how did that go?"

Kraglin continued, his voice low, freighted with the weight of his tale. "That deity... he offers answers, but at a cost no gold or bloodshed can cover." He sighed, the sound almost lost in the crackle of the forge's flames. "I gave up my ability to feel happiness, Halgrim. A sacrifice harsher than it sounds."

"By the gods," Halgrim murmured, his throat tightening as he considered the enormity of such a sacrifice. "So that's the cost worth more than a million lives? I didn't expect that."

"Yes, it was a gamble, but necessary." Kraglin's eyes hardened like the steel he so often tempered. "I asked him one question: 'Where is the avatar of the moon?'"

At this, Halgrim's heart skipped as if struck. He felt a cold tightening grip him.

'He's gonna tell me..

"And, Halgrim," Kraglin's gaze bore into him with serious intent, "your wife, she is the avatar. She's been hiding in a realm accessible only through the disciples of the moon god."

The words struck Halgrim like a physical blow, blowing away the fog of years of searching and wondering. His knees buckled, and he fell to the hard, cold ground of the forge, his hands digging into the soot and ash.

Halgrim dropped his flask right beside him, and Asura leaped off of him.

"No she's not…she's dead."

"No she's not. You believed she was dead, which is why you resorted to being a drunk bastard. You wanted to cope in a way."

"I forced myself to believe she was still alive around my daughter, to give my daughter hope. Seven cares about the family very much. I wanted her to have hope in this fucked up world. ... I am the witch hunter," Halgrim confessed, his voice cracking under the weight of his admission, the heavy burden of his past roles unraveling before Kraglin. "The avatar of the moon, she protected the witches during the war between the gods and the Rothgar clan. She used the moon's guidance to shepherd them through darkness, to keep their practices from corruption while the darkness deity slumbered."

Kraglin watched him, saying, "Dark magic is what the witches used, and it could corrupt them at any moment, but Yalen's power kept them from it. But you killed those witches, and you're out for more."

Halgrim gritted his teeth, his eyes waterlogged but burning with a newfound resolve. "The Hero Lances, they used a witch's aid with guidance from my wife, unknowingly, to kill a Rothgar. All this time, I've been hunting them down to prevent them from overthrowing the Royals completely, believing I was preserving balance."

"Why?"

"…They came to me."

"The royals?"

"Yeah…they saw how depressed I was and distraught, and came to me offering me an accord or some shit. That if I can hunt down the witches and the deity of darkness, then they can bring her back and bless her with immortality as they have done themselves."

"You took it."

"Yes I did, without hesitation. And I wasn't even drunk. For a while now, I've been drinking to keep myself from thinking of her. The times we had..and I found a kid. A boy named Klade, I was going to use him to kill the demigod Rue, since Rue is planning on bombarding the royal castle. I've been around a lot, using my astral projection to gather information, and a war is coming. Many will be involved, and many will die. Many different groups will be involved."

"If you wanted to stop Rue from attacking the royal capital, why not inform the royal family?"

"Rue is the demigod son of Cataclysm, the deity who needed half of the royal family to kill. If anything…I didn't want to risk the demigod possibly killing the royal family or giving them a hard time, and I get left behind and forgotten about. But how did you know about my wife Yalen?"

"She told me. And she also told me other things, but I had forgotten."

'She wants him dead.'

Halgrim sat back on his heels, his mind racing to piece together the fractured memories, the double edges of his past deeds, and the monumental revelations of the present. Asura, sensing his master's internal turmoil, nestled closer, offering what comfort a small creature could amid the towering shadows of giants and gods.

"All this time…I didn't even know. How can I right this, Kraglin?" Halgrim's voice was hoarse, barely a whisper amid the roaring silence of the forge.

Kraglin pondered, then solemnly spoke, "Reunite with your wife, the moon's avatar. Therein lies your path to redemption, and perhaps, the world's hope against what is to come."

'Will she even forgive him? She took it seriously when he became the witch hunter, and took away her only shot at taking down the royal family.'

"I don't even know why she started helping the cursed witches any damn way!" Halgrim scrambled on the ground and grabbed his flask, and tried to drink the rest of the spilled mead.

Kraglin pulled out a black crystal, and said, "This is what she was fighting for."

"The hell is that, dwarf?"

"I'm not a DWARF, ASSHOLE. But this crystal holds dark magic, which I infuse in every weapon I create for my kin. Which you know, dark magic can kill the royal family. But if the entire Ember Tree is corrupt, then we can kill them all as their immortality will be gone."

"Only one brat I know that's gone to the Ember Tree itself, and that's—."

"Klade. How old is he?"

"Like…eleven."

"Stop lying."

"Sorry. But about the avatars.."

"Yalen, being the avatar of the moon, all avatars of deities are blessed with their power at birth. The deities always do this, every deity has an avatar. They implant some of their power in whoever they choose, and once something happens to the deity, the one they choose inherits their full power. Yalen was chosen by the moon deity…"

"And the future son of the royal family was blessed by the sun deity, the deity of light. But why him?"

"No one knows. Ask the Librarian if you're ready to get rid of an emotion you care about the most. That's if you even give a damn about yourself, or your family."

"…It's tempting. But I can't. Not yet. I don't know, fuck. I can't do that to Seven."

"Have you even talked to her yet?"

"No. I didn't want to be overprotective, she gets on me about not trusting her. But I will check on her in a little, I want her to grow up a little faster, if something ever happens to me, she'll know what to do on her own."

"You're preparing her.."

"Yes. How do I find Yalen? Her domain? Her disciples?"

"I'm not supposed to even tell you things, she wanted me to kill you. But I can't. I know you. And I know you're a good guy, sometimes so damn annoying makes me wanna rip my beard out."

"Aww that's nice."

Halgrim gathered his strength, pushing himself back to his feet, his resolve hardening like the cooled steel of the weapons lining the walls of Kraglin's forge. He turned to the blacksmith, his voice firm despite the weight of emotions still fighting within him.

"Kraglin, before I leave to find her... I will stand with you. We will defend your forge, the mountains, from the Orphans of Rue. At least until I find a way to reconcile with my past, and my wife."

"If ya wanna repay me so badly, bring the Klade boy as well. We'll need him. What's his power?"

"He can forge anything. And I mean anything. Kids a badass. He can put his hammer to your face and make a face blade."

"He's my forging rival then, haha. Good. There's an issue."

"Hm?"

"The king of the fire giants. I've had him equipped with the strongest armor and weapon I can create with the dark magic, but I've told you the darkness can corrupt its users. But he's corrupt because he has forcefully added too much dark magic into his arsenal, when there's a specific amount I can put in that will lower the chances of corruption for each user."

"Yeah."

"Perhaps your brat Klade can break the king out of the armor. It's the Demon armor, alongside the Demon sword."

"And he's corrupt?! Where is he?!"

"Chained and bound by the Chains of Korun. Chains I have to reinforce everyday to keep the king at bay. If he gets let loose, he could wipe us all out."

"And if you can't save him?"

"I'm afraid we'll have to use him as a weapon, to unleash him during the war."

"Yeah, that damn war."

"Many will be involved, it all connects. Now go see your daughter and bring that boy Klade back here."

"So bossy."

"Shut up."

"Bye. I'll be back."

Asura wagged his tail, and barked at Kraglin, leaving with Halgrim.

Kraglin continued to imbue the black crystals into his weapons and armor, and a tear dropped from his eye, thinking, 'I would usually smile at something like that, like the puppy. But my happiness is gone, I wish I hadn't seen the Librarian, but I wanted answers. I only wanted answers, I'm tired of living in fear.'