The caravan moved slowly through the valley as the sun began to sink behind the mountains, painting the sky in shades of orange, pink, and purple. The light was soft and warm, casting long shadows across the ground and turning the stone of the mountains into something that looked almost golden.
In the distance, the walls of Luparia came into view, rising tall and proud against the horizon. They were carved directly into the rock of the mountain, as if the fortress had been born from the world itself, as if it had always been there, watching over the land. A huge stone bridge crossed the deep ravine that protected the city, its arches strong and sturdy, connecting the outer path with the lycan stronghold. It was a sight that inspired awe, a symbol of strength and safety.
But behind Byron, there was a sight that was even more impossible to believe.
Hundreds of stone giants.
The golems marched with slow, heavy steps, as if fragments of the mountains themselves had decided to walk. Every footfall made the ground tremble slightly, a gentle vibration that could be felt through the soles of the feet, a reminder of their immense weight and power.
Their huge stone bodies still showed cracks and scars, thin lines that snaked across their rock skin like memories of the past. They were marks of the years of slavery under the demons, of the pain and suffering they had endured. But in their eyes, something different shone. Something bright and warm.
Freedom.
The lycans who walked near them still watched them with caution, their eyes never straying far from the massive forms of the giants. Even the dwarves looked back from time to time, fascinated and distrustful at the same time. It was not every day that you saw an entire race of stone giants walking behind you, after all. It was a sight that took some getting used to.
When the group reached the start of the great bridge that led to Luparia, Byron stopped.
Everyone behind him did the same. The lycans, the dwarves, the elves—they all froze in their tracks, their eyes turning to their leader. The golems also stopped, their massive bodies stilling, their glowing eyes fixed on Byron, waiting for his next words.
For a few seconds, Byron simply looked at the mountains that surrounded the fortress. They were high, ancient, covered in stone and forests, crisscrossed by hidden springs that flowed down between the rocks, bringing life to the land. They were beautiful, wild, and full of history.
Then he turned to face the giants. He spoke again in that strange language that only they seemed to understand, his voice clear and strong, carrying across the valley.
—Эти горы теперь ваш дом.
(These mountains are now your home.)
The giants remained motionless, listening. Their stone faces expressionless, but their eyes attentive, taking in every word.
—Идите…
(Go…)
Byron raised his arm and pointed to the mountains that surrounded Luparia, his finger sweeping across the peaks and valleys.
—Живите свободно.
(Live freely.)
For a few moments, no one moved. The warriors who accompanied Byron watched carefully, not knowing what the giants would do. Would they try to enter the fortress? Would they refuse to leave? Would they become angry?
Then the largest of the golems slowly bowed his massive head, the stone grinding as he moved. One by one, the others did the same, a sign of respect and gratitude.
Then they began to move.
But not toward the bridge.
Their huge bodies shrank slightly, their limbs drawing in as their gigantic forms transformed into huge spheres of rock. It was a strange and mesmerizing sight, watching the giants change shape, turning into rolling boulders that looked like they had been torn from the mountain itself.
Lars's eyes widened in surprise, his mouth falling open. "By the mountains…" he whispered, his voice filled with awe.
With a deep rumble, the gigantic spheres began to roll away from the path, moving through the valley toward the mountains that surrounded Luparia. Huge rocks climbed up the slopes, disappearing between the crags and forests as if they were returning to the place they had always belonged to, as if they were going back to their roots.
In just a few minutes, the valley was empty again. The stone giants were gone.
Claude watched the mountains for a long moment, clearly confused. His brow was furrowed, his eyes scanning the peaks where the giants had vanished. Then he looked at Byron.
"What just happened?" he asked, his voice filled with curiosity.
Byron turned toward the bridge calmly, his steps steady as he began to walk again. "I told them that those mountains are their new home."
Lars scratched his beard, his expression thoughtful. "You mean… they aren't coming to Luparia?"
"No," Byron replied simply.
Claude narrowed his eyes, his gaze sharp. "You freed them… and you just let them go?"
Byron began to walk across the bridge, the stone echoing under his boots. "They were never my prisoners."
The others followed him, their footsteps joining his. Claude walked beside him, his mind still working on what had happened.
"But they are powerful," he said. "An entire race of stone giants. You could have asked them to join us. They would be a formidable army. They could help us fight the demons, protect our people."
Byron shook his head, his expression serious. "They are not soldiers."
He looked toward the mountains where the golems had disappeared, his eyes softening slightly. "They are a peaceful people. Simple creatures. The demons forced them to fight. They never wanted to be part of a war."
Lars nodded slowly, remembering the chains and the contaminated water, remembering the pain and suffering that the giants had endured. "So you gave them a place to live. A place where they can be safe."
"Yes," Byron said. "That's all they ever wanted. A place to be free."
Claude looked toward the mountains again, his expression still thoughtful. "And aren't you worried?" he asked.
"About what?" Byron asked.
"That one day they might turn against us," Claude said, his voice low. "That they might become a threat. They are so powerful, after all. If they decided to attack us, there would be little we could do to stop them."
Byron smiled slightly, a warm and confident smile. "They won't."
Claude raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. "And how can you be so sure?"
Byron crossed the bridge as the huge gates of Luparia began to open, their stone frames creaking as they swung inward, revealing the city beyond. "Because the first thing they will remember about this place…"
He looked once more toward the mountains, his eyes filled with conviction. "…is freedom."
When the group crossed the bridge, a figure was waiting for them on the other side.
The elven priestess.
The old woman was leaning on her staff, her face calm and serene as she watched the mountains that surrounded the fortress. Her eyes were soft, filled with a wisdom that came from centuries of life. When Byron approached, she turned her head toward the peaks.
In the distance, huge rocks could still be seen moving between the slopes, the golems finding their way home, settling into their new lives.
The priestess smiled, a quiet, peaceful smile. "The Mother is happy," she said softly.
Lars frowned, his brow furrowed in confusion. "The Mother?"
The old woman raised her staff and pointed to the mountains. "The mountain."
"The earth."
"The world."
Her eyes shone with an ancient calmness, a light that seemed to come from the very heart of the land. "Order has been restored in the mountains. What was lost has been returned. What was broken has been made whole again."
Claude looked at her with curiosity. "Did you know they were there?" he asked. "Did you know that the stone giants were being held captive by the demons?"
The priestess shook her head gently. "No."
Then she looked at Byron, her gaze steady and wise. "But I knew something was wrong. I could feel it in the earth. I could feel it in the wind."
"The mountains were restless," she said. "They were uneasy. Something that belonged to them had been torn away. Something precious had been lost."
Elbron watched the peaks in silence, his usual sharp expression softening. For the first time in a long time, the mountains seemed calm. They seemed at peace. The restlessness that had filled the air was gone, replaced by a sense of quiet and harmony.
The priestess smiled again. "Now they have come home. Now everything is as it should be."
Lars crossed his arms and looked toward the mountains where the stone giants had disappeared. He thought about what he had seen, about the giants who had been slaves and were now free. Then he nodded slowly.
"So that's what we just saw…" he said, looking at Byron. "A free people."
For a few seconds, no one spoke. They all stood there, looking at the mountains, thinking about what had happened, about the journey that had brought them here.
Elbron continued to watch the mountains, his eyes thoughtful. Finally, he spoke in his usual dry tone.
"Curious."
Claude raised an eyebrow, looking at the dark elf. "What is?"
Elbron shrugged slightly, his shoulders moving under his cloak. "The demons tried to turn them into weapons. They tried to make them into tools of destruction, to use their power for their own evil purposes."
He looked at Byron out of the corner of his eye, a small hint of respect in his voice. "And this lycan just turned them into neighbors."
Lars let out a loud laugh, the sound echoing across the bridge. "That's exactly what he did! Neighbors! Who would have thought that we would have stone giants as neighbors?"
Claude smiled, a warm and genuine smile. The idea of having the giants as neighbors, of knowing that they were free and happy in the mountains, was a comforting one. It was a sign of hope, a sign that good could still triumph over evil.
The priestess closed her eyes peacefully, her face serene. She stood there, leaning on her staff, feeling the peace that had returned to the land.
Byron didn't respond. He just looked one last time toward the mountains, his heart filled with pride and joy.
High up on the peaks, between the rock and the springs, the stone giants were beginning to settle. They were finding their places in the mountains, making their homes near the pure water that kept them alive, living in peace and freedom.
For the first time in centuries…
they were not walking as slaves.
They were living as a free people.
And the mountains had taken their children back.
No chains.
No masters.
Only stone…
and freedom.