Chapter 44: Wings to soar
**Big thanks to Luke Karls for your support**
That night the screams of the tribe continued on until the sun decided to grace the land with its light the next morn.
In the center of the village, surviving members were forced on their knees as they observed the army that had invaded. For the people could not be anything less, their numbers were far larger than any one clan could have in these lands and that terrified the villagers even more.
More and more of their people were led back to the village by another group of the army, which had a boy red with blood leading them. The villagers were soon brought out of their musings were the people of the army created a path allowing for a man to make his way towards them.
This man wore armor with intricate designs etched into it highlighting his importance.
Arthor observed his prisoners with a look devoid of all compassion even as he laid his eyes on children who were but four name days. Having took in their numbers Arthor turned to is two and ten, one eyed brother, Ronell.
Ronell had always been important to all the Harwood children, and he had gone to prove himself special when he discovered he was a skin changer. He had loved his talent and spent his time and effort trying to improve, Arthor still remembered that day.
The day had began like any other, with the entire woodlands under his control. They could now focus entirely on surviving the winter as well as improving themselves, on the days leading up to that day. Ronell had revealed his new found fascination with green seers something even Skagos had not seen in centuries.
Skin changing was no longer enough for Ronell he wanted more, he craved the sight, he longed for the knowledge. On that day Ronell decide he would have it, he made his journey to the heart tree and sat praying. The brothers did not think it strange as they themselves had done same, until he stood and moved closer to the tree uttering chants that sounded too much like Shyra's ritualistic chants... then he pulled a blade and dug out his eye.
They had rushed to his side only to watch as he sacrificed his eye to the tree, they all thought his mad restraining him to prevent him from causing further harm to himself.
As their attention moved to the heart tree once again they were all stunned, the heart tree cried out sap so red it must have been blood. It's roots crept slowly wrapping around the eye before retreating to the earth, "AArgh!" Ronell had let out a cry of pain at that moment dropping to all fours as the socket which once held his eye began to let out a steady stream of blood.
His brothers stumped on how to help him could only watch helplessly as their brother writhed in pain, his cries had drawn more to observe what was happening. After a few more minutes Arthor's cries had turned into laughter as he exclaimed, "I can see!"
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"Quite a few managed to slip through. A certain level of skill was required to hold this land through out the winter so it comes as no surprise." Ronell spoke up all to aware of the question his brother wanted answers to. Green seers were supposedly able to see the future and past although he was unable to do that, yes he could borrow the eyes of weirwood trees. Even that was still limited in rage, although he believed with time and training he would be able to see all through Skagos.
He theorized his limitations were because he was not born with the gift and had only received by sacrificing his eye.
"I see", Arthor gave a response to his brother before turning to address everyone else. "I was but a boy once, I lived here. I dreamt of growing into the finest warrior Skagos had ever seen, but winter came."
"Winter came for me and my village and with it raiders, they pillaged our homers they took our women! I watched as they killed my mother." His words and the frost tone in which he uttered them caused the villager bounded on the floor to tremble, many of them wished they had died earlier.
"I made a vow that day, I vowed that I would kill everyone of them. That I would wipe the stain of their blood from the surface of this world." Freya tightened the grip on her blade as she remembered the last time Arthor had kept a vow, her eyes drifted to the prisoners her eyes filled with pity.
"But their deaths alone is not enough, they must atone for their sins before my mother. But the weight of the sins bare down upon them like chains and will surely drag them to depth of the hells... so I shall grant you wings so you may soar up to realms of the old gods, so you may spend eternity serving my mother so as to atone for your sins"
With that said Arthor pointed at a man and had him dragged towards him, "you will be the first."
The man was forced to his knees with his hand held to the sides, tied firmly to two poles. The man who had realized he was to die glared at Arthor who gave him an unimpressed look in response before walking to the man's back, all gathered watched with rapt attention wondering what was about to happen.
Arthor grabbed the man's shirt and began to rip it, the sound of the clothes ripping was clear in the sea of silence. With the man's back now in clear view, Arthor simply took out knife and began to methodically make a vertical incision across the mans back tailing from right below his neck down to his waist.
With that done, Arthor placed the knife away and began to rip the away to have a clear look at the flesh and bone underneath. The man let out grunts as tears began to build up in his eyes, he refused to scream however refusing to grant Arthor his cries of pain.
Once Arthor was done he pulled out his axe, his action causing all eyes to focus on him. Arthor aimed his axe at the man's cervical spine and began to hack away, each strike causing blood to splurt upon Arthor's emotionless face. With the fourth swing of the axe the man let out blood curling screams of pain that caused many to flinch.
Arthor did not pause however and continued to hack away in a rhythmical fashion. Everyone watching at that moment felt sympathy for the man and fear and indescribable fear for the man who continued on with no hesitation however, the hacking finally stopped as the man was reduced to a sobbing mess.
The people thought everything was over until they saw Arthor proceed to rip out the man's spine in the same calm and methodic manner. A woman unable to handle the sight fainted straight away, but none mocked her like they would have any other time no they understood her as they continued to observe.
The man had let out another shriek of pain and desperation at the loss of his spine before his head flopped forward with his eyes rolling in, death had come for the man but Arthor was not yet done.
He continued by pulling apart the mans ribcage and then proceeded to rip his lungs out.
At this point even Lothor grimaced whilst Harwood looked to his son and remembered the words of Shyra, "that boy is the devil. You may be blind to it now but one day you will see what I do".
Now finished Arthor looked at the corpse before him before turning to the remaining prisoners who flinched at his gaze
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