Chapter 278 The White Walkers [Part 2]
Northern didn't know what to make of this; the spectacle itself caused his mouth to hang open in awe.
What was this?
How is this even possible?
They were walking on... the sky?
To be precise, it wasn't the sky, as the leader of the White Walkers had said. It was a bridge.
To put it in simple terms, they were walking on the sky; to be particular, the aurora's colors served as a sort of trekking bridge for them.
All the leader had to do was make a hooting sound thrice, then slam the bottom of his axe on the ground.
Immediately, they were enveloped by a pillar of aurora lights. Northern was shocked to see himself walking on a bridge of light.
He and Raven were guarded left and right, walking between the other White Walkers, with their leader in front.
The walk continued for a while; during it, Northern tried to observe the world below.
But the world below was obscured, blurred, and not much could be discerned.
It was almost as if this was a separate space that had been constructed. He didn't know how to articulate the fact.
But he could perceive that this place had to be built. And if his suspicion was correct...
He sighed.
He didn't even know what to think.
After a while, they reached an endpoint. The leader of the White Walkers made another hooting sound and slammed the bottom of his axe on the ground.
Immediately, everything became blurry and nauseating for Northern; before he knew it, they were already on the ground.
Immediately, their feet touched the ground. Raven quickly ran to the side and blurted out a lot of things... she puked a whole lot, causing even the White Walkers to look away in disgust.
The leader of the White Walkers giggled mockingly with his arms folded and stated to Northern in the monster tongue,
"Your woman, scared of heights. Your woman weak, our woman strong." He flexed his biceps at Northern as he spoke.
Raven, with a frightening frown on her face, wiped her mouth and asked,
"What is he saying?" She asked, grimacing.
"He called you weak..."
Raven looked at him with an unbelievable frown.
"Yeah, save it. We can't be reckless."
Northern lowered his eyes. They were now standing on a flat surface, although it was a carpet of pristine snow, untouched and undisturbed, save for a few scattered rocks that peeked through the icy blanket.
The leader of the White Walkers gave him one last glance, then they continued their journey.
Each step they took left a faint imprint. Patches of green and blue light danced across the snow, reflections from the celestial display above, creating a living tapestry of light and color that seemed to pulse with the rhythm of the aurora.
All around them, outlines of ice formations could be seen, their shapes softened by the veil of mist that clung to the horizon.
It was a place of silence and stillness, where the only sound was the whisper of the wind and the occasional distant crack of ice shifting in the cold.
Raven, who before seemed to be almost dying from the cold, also seemed better.
Northern had no idea how or why, but he was at least glad that she wouldn't be perishing anytime soon.
Not that he was glad...
'...I just don't want unnecessary death on my conscience.'
Northern looked away and focused his eyes on the road as they moved.
He had even used his Chaos Eyes to investigate the aurora bridge, but there was nothing extraordinary.
It was just the regular ligatures and Chaos constructs.
But of course, there were a few artificial bodies, which was how he deduced that the aurora bridge was built.
While the aurora itself was real, these creatures seemed to have
—with an invisible material—built a magnificent bridge, taking advantage of the properties of the aurora.
Also, he had to consider that he was currently in a rift and not on Earth. He had to be open-minded as to whether there could be another definition for this aurora.
Or... it might not even be an aurora to begin with.
After a while, they reached a massive, intimidating ice wall, one that perfectly reflected the serene lights above.
The White Walkers stopped before the great ice wall and were silent for a couple of seconds.
Then the leader gave his axe to the White Walker beside him and stepped forward.
He spread his legs apart and began to throw his hands around as if he were weaving some signs, trying to push something out.
At the end of his gesture, he paused and then began to pull his hands apart like he was separating an incredibly strong door.
Moments later, a great shudder resounded from the wall, an enormous cloud of white fog began to seep out as a thunderous creak leaked out.
Slowly, they began to separate.
The leader slumped to his knee and panted heavily.
The White Walkers, with a stern expression, began to walk into the slight parting between the imposing walls.
Northern skeptically moved his legs and went along with them.
The wall was not only tall but incredibly thick. They had to walk over ten steps before finally stepping into the other side.
Northern's eyes furrowed slightly as the terrain of this 'other side' unveiled before his eyes like a dreamscape.
The dwellings, domed and grand, resembled giant igloos but were infinitely more sophisticated.
Each was constructed from perfectly fitted blocks of ice that seemed to merge seamlessly, their surfaces glowing with a soft, internal luminescence.
This glow cast a soothing blue light within, a stark contrast to the harsh whiteness of the world outside.
Inside these homes, the temperature was surprisingly warm, insulated by layers of treated ice that trapped and retained heat, creating a sanctuary from the biting cold.
Every home was a work of art, adorned with intricate ice sculptures and motifs that depicted scenes of daily life, legendary hunts, and the murals of myths they revered.
Furnishings, also carved from ice and cushioned with thick furs, offered both comfort and warmth.
The air inside was rich with the scent of pine and herbs, harvested from the ice gardens nearby.
Northern had never laid his eyes upon a more glorious and splendid scene.