The gate led into a new world, one unseen by the villagers and Adam. The air howled around them for a moment as they stepped through, but then it died down. Everything was white, blue and grey. Snow, ice, and frost floated all around them, though it wasn’t freezing here. The yellow cloak may have staved the cold away, but it didn’t seem like the air here was that cold either.

 

Adam looked down to his feet, noting that they were standing on a platform made of ice. It wasn’t slippery, and he could see through it to see the top of the forest they had just left. The platform continued on either side, disappearing into the horizon.

 

“Let us go,” Joti said, stepping forward, beginning to lead the villagers.

 

As Adam stepped, he gasped. The world underneath him blurred as he stepped forward. He did so again, and once more the world underneath blurred, until he stopped. Their steps moved them further than he expected.

 

“What is this place?” Adam asked, speeding up until he was beside the giant.

 

“This is our Frostbridge,” Joti said. “With each step you take, it will be as though you have taken fifty steps.”

 

“So if you travel a mile in this world, then you travel fifty miles in the real world?”

 

“It depends on what you mean by real,” Joti said. “This world is the real world to its denizens.”

 

“Right, but you know what I mean.”

 

“I do.” Joti bowed his head. “It is as you say. The Frostbridge is something our clans have used since the dawn of our being. We have often used it to aid our allies when they call for our aid.”

 

“It seems like a useful, if dangerous, tool.”

 

“Dangerous?”

 

“Couldn’t someone access it in order to invade you quickly?”

 

“They could,” Joti said. “Though the Frostbridge does not extend over much of our lands.”

 

“Why?” Adam asked. It seemed very convenient that the bridge didn’t extend over their lands, though they could have decided to form their cities where the Frostbridge did not extend.

 

“We destroyed it.”

 

“Oh.” Adam supposed that made sense. “You can destroy the bridge?”

 

“With enough time, yes. To destroy the Frostbridge is a great sin, but if the clans all agree to it, with enough stipulations, then we are allowed to. The Frostbridge ends about a mile away from our towers. We can access the Frostbridge through some of our permanent gates, which are sealed away until they are of us. Once we step through the gates, we are teleported to the edge of the Frostbridge, and there we can make our way forward. I hope this answers your questions and sates your curiosity.”

 

Adam paid keen attention to his words. He nodded wildly in response. “It does answer my questions,” he said. “Can someone access those gates from the Frostbridge?” Adam asked.

 

“No. The gates are only able to send us through to a certain point on the Frostbridge, and from there we are able to travel through the Frostbridge to our destination.”

 

“How long will it take us to return to Muten?”

 

“We will first stop at the watchtower, and from there we will take the path back to Muten. We have sent word that they should expect us soon.”

 

“Cool,” Adam whispered to himself.

 

“Yes,” Joti said.

 

Adam looked out to see Entalia walking with Jon, who was squeezing her hand tightly as they walked. More of the children had gathered around the pair, and then the adults around the children. Gutt and his giants remained behind, with Joti and two others ahead, with the one-eyed giant who held the horn remaining in the centre. Adam wondered what significance the giant with the horn held, since he seemed to hold a lot of authority over the Chiefs, though perhaps he misunderstood their earlier talk.

 

The group continued to march forward, with the horn giant growling something in their language now and again. Whenever he did, Joti and the others would turn slightly, and then led the group onward with the new direction. Adam looked back to the one-eyed giant, whose focus was in the distance. His good eye looked down to Adam, whereas his white eye remained fixated on the horizon. Adam quickly snapped his head back to the path ahead.

 

They hadn’t been walking long, a little more than an hour before the giants stopped. “We are here,” Joti said, turning back to look at the one-eyed giant. The older figure inhaled deeply and then blew his horn, the entire land shaking. Adam could see lights and figures in the distance begin to move, racing towards them. He reached down for his sword, but the giants didn’t seem to react. Eventually the lights and figures stopped, some ways away, just watching the foreigners in their land.

 

The figures were transparent, ghostly shapes who held little shape or form. The lights were too bright for Adam to make out anything within them, but they were each a curious folk. Then a large circle formed on the bridge, taking form of a beam of ice. The giant with the horn leapt up and then fell into it.

 

“Come,” Joti said, leaping into the beam of ice, followed by his two giant guards.

 

The villagers watched in shock as the giants disappeared. Adam looked towards Entalia, who bowed her head towards him, and then she pulled away from the crowd, with Jon in tow. She smiled towards the villagers and stepped onto the hole and slowly fell forward. Jon held her hand as he allowed himself to be pulled into it.

 

Adam looked to the villagers. “See you on the other side,” he said, running towards the hole and then jumping into it. He fell into it as the ice then wrapped around him like a blanket, guiding him down towards the ground. At the bottom was a large field of fresh snow, which the ice led him to. He felt as though he was moving slowly, but in an instant, he was at the bottom. The soft snow didn’t break his fall, for he felt as though he had been standing on it the entire time. The one-eyed giant was ahead, with Joti and his two companions right behind him, and then Entalia and Jon.

 

“Whoa,” Adam said, stepping towards them. “That was weird.”

 

“It’s always weird the first time,” Entalia said.

 

“Have you been here before?”

 

Entalia smiled the same smile Adam had grown to dislike, but he left it at that. Behind him the villagers landed onto the soft snow, quickly stepping towards the group. Their eyes were wide with delight and shock. The children were stumbling around, a little confused as to what was happening, but clutching their parents tightly.

 

As Gutt and his giants dropped down, the one-eyed giant blew his horn, and then the snow and ice began to gather to form a gate, before he stepped through it. They were welcomed by the mountain and its cold. Joti led them forward, marching his way into the swirling snow, singing a song which dampened the snow and the cold. The villagers were wrapped tight in their cloaks, but it was still very cold.

 

From the snow, a frost giant emerged. He called out in their language. It was the same frost giant Adam had met. He looked out to all the villagers and the other giants. The giants exchanged greetings and then started to walk towards the tower. As the group approached the tower, they saw its fire raging, a beacon of safety awaiting them.

 

The group was led to the top, gifted warm and protection, and then some food. The giants were speaking in their own tongue, slow as one would expect.

 

“We will rest the night here,” Joti said. “Then tomorrow you will be led to Muten.”

 

“Thanks for the help, Chief.” Adam said, reaching out a hand. Joti shook Adam’s hand and nodded. It was the least he could say to the giant Chief for offering them safety. He wasn’t able to say much more, as he leaned back against the tower and then closed his eyes. The sweet embrace of sleep took over Adam, taking him to the empty blackness he had become accustomed to.

---

 

---

Adam stared at the level up screen for some time. Eventually the numbers and letters began to blur as he ignored the screen and then he went back to sleep. He had too much experience to bother with at the moment.

 

When morning came, Adam sat up. He looked at Entalia, who had remained beside Jon in the night. The boy’s head was against her thighs as she played with his hair. She looked towards Adam, who nodded towards her in greeting for the morning.

 

“You have awoken,” the one-eyed giant said quietly.

 

“I have,” Adam replied with actual quietness.

 

“You slept like fallen snow.”

 

Adam narrowed his eyes. He wasn’t sure what that had meant, but nodded his head. “It was a good sleep.”

 

“I have heard from Entalia of your exploits,” he said.

 

“Which exploits?” Adam said, his eyes flashing to Entalia suspiciously.

 

“I have heard that you had cast Fireball multiple times yesterday.”

 

“I did.”

 

“There are very few who are able to cast such a spell so many times, and yet I do not feel you can cast greater spells yet.”

 

“I’m very special,” Adam replied.

 

“I have sensed so.”

 

“I’m Adam by the way,” he said, reaching out a hand.

 

“Igarsmith,” the giant replied, shaking Adam’s hand.

 

“A pleasure to meet you.”

 

“You as well.”

 

“If I can ask, just what exactly are you?” Adam asked.

 

“What am I?” Igarsmith asked.

 

“Aksak is a Prince, Greffenhelm is a Helm, and Joti is a Chief,” Adam said. “What are you?”

 

“I am a Runesmith,” Igarsmith replied said. “As is in my name.”

 

“So you gain the suffix of smith when you’re a Runesmith? Is it the same with helm?”

 

“Is it,” Igarsmith nodded. “It is a sign of respect. To have the title at the end of our name, to become a part of it, it shows the greatest of respects. We are not Chiefs or Princes, we were not born to be, but we earned our place here.”

 

“What about Joti? I hear his calling is to be a Helm.”

 

“Yes. It is expected of him, and we are certain he will become a Helm. He will need to work to become a Helm.”

 

“How many Helms are there?”

 

“There is one active Helm, but a handful more who are retired. If the time is needed they are ever to be called, then we should pray to our ancestors for luck.”

 

“Have you ever thought about asking Mistress Fate for luck?”

 

“We have never been in such a dire situation where we must abandon our ancestors for Her.”

 

Adam looked up at Igar, whose face was as stone cold as it always had been. “I meant no offence,” Adam said.

 

“I did not believe there was any offence.”

 

Adam let out a quick sigh of relief. There were a few more questions on the tip of his tongue, but he knew better than to bring anything political into a conversation. He remained silent, using his sound mind to stop his good intentions.

 

They all ate in the morning, with the giants also offering each villager one of their cold resistant cloaks, being as hospitable as they could be. Once they were done with their breakfast, and Adam said his goodbyes to Oklok, they continued to the next fortification.

 

A few hours later, as the path became wider, they noticed that there were various carriages and trihorns waiting for them. A handful of giants were also on duty nearby, wielding their large spears in hand.

 

“You brought carriages for the villagers?” Adam asked, looking up at Joti.

 

“You are under our Edict of Hospitality. We recognise when there are those most vulnerable in danger,” he said, looking at the children, “and take appropriate measures.”

 

“Your people accept that? That you give up some of your resources in order to help others in need?”

 

“We are a people with resources plenty, though we have want for some more, as all people do, we understand when there are people with less. Though we may be giants of ice, our hearts are not quite so cold.”

 

“Is that a joke?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“I’m surprised that you people are so warm.”

 

“This is our law. Our Edict of Hospitality makes us who we are. Are there people who exist that would disobey their own laws in order to be so heartless? I do not believe such people exist.”

 

Adam looked up at him. He was conflicted in his feelings. There was a shame that filled him at Joti’s words. Adam knew of suck people, there were plenty of them from where he had come from. He kept the words in his throat.

 

“What about Gutt? He wasn’t quite so hospitable to Entalia.”

 

“My brother, regardless of how much he would want to face Entalia, believes in our laws. There have been those who have waved the cudgel of our codes to assist themselves, and then decry it when they are affected by it, but they are quickly culled from our society.”

 

“Culled?”

 

“We ask them to leave politely.”

 

“If they refuse?”

 

“Then their blood will stain the snow.”

 

Adam looked up at Joti. “That’s hardcore.”

 

“It is our way.”

 

“I wasn’t criticising you.”

 

“I know.”

 

Adam climbed into a carriage with Entalia and Jon. Joti joined them as well, though his two guards remained outside. They grabbed their own trihorns and rode them, flanking the carriage.

 

Adam remained quiet, sinking into the carriage’s blankets. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply.

 

“You should sleep some more,” Entalia said.

 

“I’m afraid you’ll attack me.” Adam smirked.

 

“Would I?”

 

“You didn’t deny it.”

 

Entalia smiled her smile, and Adam wrapped his cloak around himself. He looked over to Joti, whose eyes were now stuck to Jon.

 

“Ah, right,” Adam said, about to call attention to Jon’s heritage, but he quickly stopped himself. He had needed to stop himself several times recently, a sign of his growing wisdom. “Nothing,” he said, as Joti’s eyes fell to his.

 

The ride to the fort didn’t take too long, the carriages moving swifter than the children’s feet.

 

“How long will you keep the people under the Edict of Hospitality?” Adam asked.

 

“We will send message to a nearby human settlement. If they are able to house the people, we will escort them to the settlement. We will need to come up with a suitable compensation.”

 

“Compensation?” Adam asked.

 

“It will take some resources to house the people, and as such we will provide them with some compensation.”

 

“You look after them, then you help find them a place to stay, and even pay the settlement to look after them?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Adam’s brows raised in surprise. He couldn’t speak, for there was too much shame that had filled him. He was rather embarrassed about the entire thing, pulling himself back to the blanket.

 

‘At least we have good tea…’ Adam thought.