Chapter 280 The Strong Lady [Part 1]
Northern also found himself dazed for a few moments.
The boy wanted to learn the language and in exchange, teach Northern their ways.
It was a great idea, but it came so easily that Northern doubted its potency.
Was he to accept the situation just like that?
The boy looked at Northern for a while and turned his eyes to Raven, then with a frown, said:
"Woman. Go. Out."
'Of course.'
Immediately, Northern's eyes darkened.
He slightly shook his head, attracting the boy's attention.
"I'm sorry, but I can't let any harm come to her. She's my friend; you have to accept her if you want me too."
The boy, still amazed at Northern's fluency with the monster tongue, paused and stared for a while.
He folded his hands, looking down for a few seconds. Then he shot his head up, eyes brimming with sparks of an idea.
"Your. Woman. My. Woman. Who stronger. Sura Tal."
Northern raised a brow; he wasn't sure what the boy was saying, but he had a guess.
The boy, seeing the confusion on his face, pressed on.
"Your woman. My woman. Sura Tal." He gestured with a tight grip of his hand, a crazy grin plastered on his face.
Northern's guess seemed to be correct.
Raven, at that moment, leaned in.
"What is going on?"
Northern hesitated for a second, looking at the boy's ecstatic expression.
He leaned a little bit towards Raven and explained to her.
"It seems they want to send you out because you are weak, but I insisted on a no, so now he wants you to fight his woman..."
Raven's eyes narrowed, her crimson gaze burned with a dangerous flame.
Northern was well aware of that look in her eyes. He was going to say "No," but before he could, Raven spoke.
"Tell him I'll fight his strongest male."
"Oh hell no. What is wrong with you?"
Raven smiled with her eyes and tilted her head at Northern.
"By now, you should know I don't handle well being looked down upon in any way."
Northern suddenly remembered when they crossed the dark tunnel, and he had said that Raven knocking out couldn't have been that severe.
Indeed, the young lady did not handle it well when looked down upon.
But still...
"This is recklessness. Right now, you are not even in the best state to fight."
"I'll be fine."
"Still..."
"Northern," she called coldly, "I'll be fine."
The look in her eyes sent shivers down his spine.
He sighed and looked at the boy—who was even now looking more ecstatic than before.
He seemed to enjoy this.
'Does he enjoy this?' Northern couldn't help but wonder.
"She wants to fight your strongest male."
Immediately after Northern spoke, the boy's face became gloomy. The atmosphere grew so dark that Northern felt like he just said what he never should have.
He looked at the boy with a confused expression and wondered internally, 'Was that not the case...'
Did he just put Raven in trouble with his own words?
He wasn't sure what the situation was, but one of the guards kneeling, the leader, slowly rose and stepped behind the boy.
Northern slowly shook his head.
'The Catastrophe rank? With a true name and abilities? No, no, no, no.'
He turned to Raven,
"It won't be a bad idea to abort this madness. Let's not go down this path. That guy is strong, and you are not even in your peak state right now."
"I'll be fine, Northern."
She slowly stood up, glaring squarely at both the boy and the leader of the guards.
The boy still carried a dark storm on his features; he turned his face to the leader and commanded:
"No. Mercy."
The leader of the guards lowered one knee and responded fiercely.
"No. Mercy."
Northern looked at Raven once more.
'I really hope she'll be okay...'
—
After the declaration of the duel, Northern and Raven were taken away from the ice palace—to different locations.
Northern was given an abode; it wasn't as glamorous as several others and, at the same time, wasn't as mundane as many others.
But it was simple, and at least made Northern feel like these creatures weren't going to enslave him—unlike his previous experience.
However, he was still incredibly worried about Raven.
A couple of hours went by, and he couldn't even bring himself to rest. There was the fear that he might have caused it, he suspected that he didn't quite grasp the context in which they were speaking and might have misunderstood it as a duel.
But who wouldn't have misunderstood such a thing?
Just when Northern's patience was running thin, one of the White Walkers knocked on his door.
He responded quickly and was thus escorted to an open ground ice arena.
The place was not teeming with people, but yet, a few White Walkers here and there occupied the empty seats.
Northern breathed as he was made to sit down in the front row and watch.
He observed the other White Walkers, which were mostly men rather than women.
And perhaps more guards.
At one corner was a large seat, where the ruler of the White Walkers sat—the young boy.
A couple of silent minutes later, the iron gates slowly rose, and a human girl walked out.
She was donned in sleek black armor that complemented the rhythm of her body.
She was like the champion of a goddess, walking right out of myths and legends.
Her crimson eyes gleamed frighteningly with resolve.
Northern, watching her walk out into the arena, had to take a deep breath.
She looked like she was going to be alright, like she could handle this herself.
But he couldn't help but think... it's just so impossible for her to defeat this guy—Krullgath was a Catastrophic Hellion.
A Named one, at that.
One that had a higher level of intelligence than Night Terror.
Creak!
Another metallic gate rolled up, and slowly, a whitish figure began to emerge.
He was bare-chested and was holding a large bone ax over his shoulder.
His lower body was covered by rugged clothing; he walked barefooted, carrying strong and purposeful steps towards Raven.
Then he stopped five meters away from her.
By this time, two swords were already sitting spitefully in Raven's hands.
She observed the White Walker with an intense glare and got ready to attack...
...perhaps defend.