NOVGO.NET Chapter 503: Chief Gruumak, we meet again.
Chapter 503: Chief Gruumak, we meet again.
Trogoth’s Rest was the secret place only the Stonefangs knew about.
It was a deep valley hidden beneath jagged cliffs of gray stone, carved over ages by wind and frost. From above, it looked like a wound in the mountain—a long gash where the land sank and vanished beneath the frozen ridges. Snow piled thick on the ledges, sliding down in slow sheets that vanished into the shadows below.
No light reached the bottom easily; the air there was heavy, filled with mist that shimmered faintly where the cold met the warmth of buried hot springs.
The ground here wasn’t white like the rest of Heights. It was dark gray, almost black, made of cracked stone and frozen mud. Great spears of ice hung from the ceiling of the cliffs like fangs, dripping slowly, creating a constant rhythm of falling droplets that echoed through the vale.
In the center stood a huge slab of rock shaped like a rough and uneven throne, and around it were bone totems, beast skulls, and broken weapons half-buried in the snow.
And sitting atop that stone throne was a monster of a man.
Gruumak the Ironjaw.
Even when he was sitting, he looked like a mountain himself—broad-shouldered and built like the cliffs around him. His bald scalp gleamed under the weak light, scars crawling down from his head to his neck.
His Thunderspine Rauk sat beneath him, growling softly, six thick legs shifting as faint arcs of blue electricity danced across its scales.
Around Gruumak stood about a dozen Stonefang warriors, each wrapped in furs, their bodies covered in crude tattoos and bone charms. Their breaths came out as steam, and none dared to speak until their chief moved.
Gruumak’s cold eyes stared toward the north—in the direction where the Velmourn walls lay beyond the mountains. He sat silent for a long time, unmoving, as if carved from the same rock that surrounded him.
Then, his voice broke the silence.
“Drokh’dul nar’kaan.”
{He hasn’t come.}
He spoke in a deep, rough voice.
At his words, the warriors around him exchanged uneasy glances. Gruumak then turned his head slightly and glanced at one particular warrior.
“Zakaar,”
{Zakaar,}
He called out.
“Zul’vak tharn dul’vorr?”
{You gave him the message?}
The messenger stepped forward—Zakaar was a tall man, even among his kind, his shoulders hunched slightly under the weight of the chief’s gaze.
“Vornak,”
{Yes,}
He replied with his head bowed.
“Tharn’gul zul. Vak’tar draak—zul’kaan vekh’dar dul Tharn.”
{I met with him and said it clearly. I said he only has one day to come and meet the chief.}
Gruumak narrowed his eyes at those words. For a moment, only the sound of the Thunderspine Rauk’s breathing could be heard.
Then, another Stonefang, this one younger than Gruumak and Zakaar, stepped forward.
“Zul nar’kaan, Tharn. Maybe… Drokh’dul think we graal.”
{Maybe he not come at all, Chief. Maybe… Flying man think us weak.}
He muttered in a low voice as he recalled the nightmarish sight he saw back then—those fiery scales that covered his body, those flames that burned ten of their warriors in an instant and planted a seed of fear deep into the minds of others…
No Stonefang who had participated in that battle had forgotten it, that day… that humiliating experience—no, it wasn’t even humiliation.
One feels humiliated when the enemy they go against is weaker than them or at their level, but that time…
The enemy was stronger, far, far stronger than anything they could ever imagine.
Humiliation?
No.
It was pure terror that they felt.
Terror that made them run with all their might, not even caring about the allies they left behind, not even daring to turn around and look at the man who simply hovered in the air and waited for them to flee in fear as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
However, not every warrior here had participated in that battle.
“Maybe zul fear shaal’mor.”
{Maybe he fear trap.}
Another warrior suggested, and as if a chain reaction had started, murmurs began.
“Maybe zul nar’kaar for draal’zul.”
{Maybe he no care for peace.}
“Maybe zul thaal’zul, then shaar’raag.”
{Maybe he wait for us to leave, then attack tribe.}
More Stonefangs spoke. For a while, Gruumak didn’t speak; however, as the murmurs grew louder—with a few Stonefangs defending Kael and others looking down on him—his jaw tightened and—
“Nar’vak.”
{Enough,}
He said quietly, and the next instant—
The murmurs died down.
He slowly rose from his throne, standing on top of his beast.
“Drokh’dul nar’zarn.”
{Flying man is no fool.}
He said.
“If zul vak’shaal, zul’raak draal. But…”
{If he think we plan trick, he right to stay. But…}
Gruumak’s eyes then hardened and—
“But Drokh’dul is Draak’mor Shaar’mor.
Zul’raak vekh’dal.
Trib’raak… vornak.”
{But Flying Man is also Dragon God.
He should know danger coming.
The tribes… they gather.}
The warriors who had participated in the battle nodded at those words.
“Vornak. Shaar’mor draal. Nar’kaar vekh’mor. Zul’raak vak’draal. Draal, nar’mor.”
{Yes, Dragon God likes peace. Does not like blood. He should know he should talk. For peace, not for blood.}
“Vornak.”
{Yes.}
The murmurs began again, but this time, they were mostly warriors talking in support of Kael. Soon, another warrior stepped forward.
“Then nar’zul, Tharn. Trib’raak nar’draal zul’mor. If vak us—shaar’draal.”
{Then we should not wait here, Chief. The other tribes… they no like we talk to outsiders. If they find we are here, they strike home.}
Gruumak’s gaze moved to the man who spoke and—
“Tharn’gul,”
{I know,}
He nodded.
“But… zul’kaan.”
{But still… we wait.}
The others looked at each other in disbelief.
“Tharn—”
{Chief—}
Gruumak raised a hand, silencing them instantly.
“Zul’kaan.”
{He come,}
He said firmly.
“Zul’raak or’gul. Drokh’dul nar’graal. Zul vak, then draal. Zul’kaan.”
{I saw his eyes. Flying man not coward. He think first, then act. He come.}
The others fell silent again, though not many looked convinced. Gruumak, however, didn’t care. He turned his eyes back to the sky, his breath steaming in the cold air.
And just then—
“SCREEEEEECH!”
A piercing cry echoed across the valley, loud enough to make the snow tremble on the ledges above. The Thunderspine Rauk raised its head and growled, electricity crackling across its back. The Stonefang warriors grabbed their weapons, some raising shields, others looking upward in confusion.
Dark shapes cut across the clouds, their wings stretched wide.
Gruumak squinted against the falling snow, his sharp eyes catching sight of them first. The lead figure was surrounded by faint blue energy—light rippling around him as he descended through the dark clouds. Behind him, three other figures followed, riding beasts of their own.
The Thunderspine Rauk growled louder, arcs of lightning sparking between its teeth.
“Graal’thar.”
{Hold,}
Gruumak ordered, his deep voice echoing through the vale, and in an instant—his warriors froze.
The flying figures drew closer—and when their figures became clear, Gruumak exhaled a sigh of relief.
“Zul’kaan.”
{He here.}
Yes, it was Kael.
His cloak—Morvain had given him a new one after the old one was cut into pieces—fluttered in the wind, his eyes remained calm, glowing faintly in the cold light. In his arms, he carried Lavinia, her hair flowing behind her as her gaze swept over the valley below.
Behind them, riding on their own beasts, were Morvain, Kayden, and another Velmourn warrior, all three dressed for battle, their expressions watchful but composed.
The moment they entered sight, Gruumak’s expression changed.
It wasn’t just him—the rest of the Stonefangs narrowed their eyes dangerously as well.
“Vak’tar—zul dul’kaan.”
{I told to come alone.}
Zakaar spoke in a grim tone.
“But zul dul’zarn.”
{But he came with people.}
Another Stonefang spoke, clenching his weapon.
“Drokh’dul nar’vak.”
{Flying man not listen.}
“Zul’kaan graakh?”
{He come to fight?}
Another spoke, and the instant those words were mentioned, the warriors’ expressions became even grimmer. Even the Thunderspine Rauk under Gruumak shifted restlessly, its six legs stomping against the frozen ground. Sparks of blue lightning jumped along its scales as its nostrils flared.
Gruumak’s sharp eyes followed Kael’s descent, his jaw tightening slightly.
The Stonefangs around him began to argue.
“Zul’raak nar’vak’tar.”
{He break word.}
“Zul’kaan draak’taal!”
{He come with army!}
“Tharn, vak’tar—shaark’dul!”
{Chief, say word—we strike first!}
Gruumak’s heavy hand rose, and the entire group fell silent instantly.
“If zul graakh,”
{If he wanted to fight,}
He began in his deep, heavy voice.
“Zul nar’zarn.”
{He no need others.}
The warriors looked confused, exchanging uneasy glances.
Gruumak’s eyes remained fixed on the figures above, his tone steady.
“Drokh’dul graal. Zul’raak, Zakaar. Zul graakh draak’taal. Zul graakh’gul.”
{Flying man strong. You saw, Zakaar. He fight army. Can kill many.}
Zakaar nodded quickly, lowering his head.
“Vornak, Tharn. Zul… graal like zor’mal.”
{Yes, Chief. He… strong like storm.}
“Then if zul graakh,”
{Then if he want battle,}
Gruumak continued,
“Nar’zarn.
If dul’kaan… zul’raak vekh.”
{No need these few.
He come alone, we already dead.}
His words silenced every murmur.
Even the younger warriors who had been gripping their weapons slowly lowered them, glancing at each other in quiet realization.
Gruumak’s jaw flexed again.
“Zul’raak draal. Zul’raan.”
{He come talk. We listen.}
And with that, the Ironjaw Chief sat down again atop his beast, his expression unreadable.
Above, Kael and the others began their descent.
The wind howled louder, throwing snow into a wild dance as the four figures landed at the edge of the vale.
The moment Kael’s boots touched the dark stone, the earth crackled faintly beneath him. Lavinia stood by his side, calm but alert. Behind them, Morvain, Kayden, and another soldier dismounted from their beasts, watching every movement around them.
Dozens of Stonefang warriors stood in a wide half-circle, their breaths rising like steam in the frozen air.
No one moved.
No one spoke.
Gruumak’s beast growled softly as Kael began walking forward through the snow. Each step echoed through the silent valley, crunching against the stone and frost.
The two men finally stood face to face—the towering brute of the mountains, and the calm being who had the power to defeat all that were present—
And—
“Chief Gruumak.”
Kael spoke in a soft, clear voice.
“We meet again.”
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