Chapter 159: The Whispers of the Barrens
The journey to the Northern Barrens was not merely a physical trek; it felt like a descent into a forgotten nightmare. As the Alpha and Omega moved further away from the Iron Citadel, the lush, recovering forests slowly withered, giving way to the jagged, frozen landscape of the Barrens. The air here was thin, biting, and unnervingly quiet.
"It's not just cold," the Omega remarked, pulling her cloak tighter. Her eyes, usually vibrant, were scanning the horizon for any sign of movement. "The silence... it feels heavy. As if the land itself is holding its breath."
The Alpha kept his hand near his sword, his senses stretched to their limit. "The Seer said something ancient woke up. If it's something the High King was containing, then we are treading on ground that hasn't seen a living soul for an eternity."
By nightfall, they reached the edge of the Barrens. Instead of camping, they found shelter within the ruins of an old, nameless outpost. The stones here were etched with runes that predated the High King's era—symbols of a power that didn't rely on shadows or voids, but on something much older.
As the Alpha lit a small fire, the Omega knelt by the crumbling wall. She traced a finger over a glowing symbol that flickered to life under her touch. Suddenly, the silence of the Barrens was broken. It wasn't a roar or a scream, but a series of rhythmic whispers—hundreds of voices layered over each other, sounding like dry leaves skittering across stone.
"They aren't speaking to us," the Omega whispered, her face pale. "They are remembering us."
The Alpha stepped to her side, his amber eyes narrowing. Out in the darkness of the Northern Barrens, pairs of pale, luminescent eyes began to ignite one by one, encircling their small outpost. They weren't the minions of the High King. They were something else—beings made of shifting frost and forgotten memories, now standing between them and the truth of the Barrens.
"It seems we weren't just invited here," the Alpha said, his voice steadying. "We were summoned."