[LSB] Chapter 124: A Hyum, a Gnarfolk, and an Eldazen walk into a Cot

“Do… you think they might be friendly?”

“Why… wouldn’t they be?”

Cyrus and Juliet kept their eyes on the figures approaching through the thinning fog. At first, they thought the cold was playing tricks on their vision—seeing three different races walking together?

They’ve never seen that before—for Juliet, Cyrus and Julian’s existence as creatures who live in a completely different realm was more believable than this.

But now, as the silhouettes sharpened in the haze, it became clear.

Two gnarfolks, one hyum, and one eldazen.

The hyum and one of the gnarfolks were dragging a sled between them, scraping faint grooves in the ice. The second gnarfolk walked ahead alongside the eldazen, though she had to slow her pace—the eldazen’s shorter legs struggling to keep up with her long strides.

Julian remained on top of the massive creature’s snout, watching silently. He looked down at the strange party, then slowly plunged his hooked weapons back into the shadows.

That’s when the eldazen saw him.

The eldazen halted his steps, his eyes turning wide then they locked onto Julian and what he had just done.

The others halted too, following the eldazen’s gaze. And for a moment, they became quiet.

Then, the female gnarfolk beside the eldazen raised her hand.

Julian tilted his head. “Hmm?”

He thought the wave was for him—but quickly realized it wasn’t.

She was waving at the giant monster he was standing on.

Julian quickly leapt down, landing on the ice with a loud thud. The ice didn’t even crack under his weight.

The zautoros thrashed again, spooked by the monster’s movement—but quickly calmed when the beast began to crawl away from them. Its severed fingers—cut clean earlier by Julian—were regrowing.

But they weren’t healing.

Wherever the creature’s hand touched the ice, it absorbed it. Thin layers of frozen ground coiled upward, slowly rebuilding the missing fingers.

Julian had already sensed something unusual when he forged his new weapons from the creature’s digits. He was able to use every part of it—its bones were metallic, its flesh heavy like stone, its skin once again cold, hammered steel. Only its fur remained a mystery—light, yet unnaturally dense.

“Psst. Julian.”

Cyrus’s voice cut through his thoughts. He was waving from the cart, gesturing for Julian to come back.

“We need to be ready to run. I don’t like this. Three different races… together?”

“Isn’t that a good thing?” Juliet raised an eyebrow at him.

“In most cases… yeah. But do they look friendly to you?”

They both turned back to the group. The strangers were huddled now, whispering to one another. The hyum and the gnarfolk dragging the sled crouched down to hear the eldazen—their eyes, turning to Julian from time to time.

Meanwhile, the female gnarfolk who called for the giant was now caressing its newly formed fingers. The cracks formed around it, smoothing over like they were untouched.

They didn’t heal, no. They were reconstructed.

Now that Julian wasn’t locked in combat with the giant creature, he realized he could hear nothing from it–it had no heartbeat, no breathing, no organs. But he could hear something familiar.

This giant creature wasn’t really a creature at all.

It reminded Julian more of something he might’ve seen on Earth—a machine. But not one powered by intricate gears or microscopic robots. It didn’t operate—it just… moved.

The giant…

“It’s forged,” Julian whispered.

It was similar to the living statues he’d encountered in the hidden dungeon that had started the entire Bridge quest.

“Huh?” Both Juliet and Cyrus looked at him, startled by his whispering to himself. Cyrus leaned forward and whispered loudly for him to get back on the cart, but instead of doing so, Julian even stepped toward the approaching group.

“Boss, what are you doing!?” Juliet sucked in a breath, gripping the reins as she tried to keep her voice low.

Julian glanced over his shoulder and waved them off with a calm hum.

The hyum and gnarfolk who were pulling the sled paused their conversation and stood up when they noticed Julian approach. The female gnarfolk—who had been gently brushing the creature’s regrowing fingers, also froze, her gaze following Julian.

But Julian wasn’t looking at any of them.

His eyes were fixed on the massive beast.

The eldazen stepped forward.

“W—”

But Julian kept walking and didn’t let him utter a single word at all, moving past the little person without pause. He placed a hand on the monster’s arm, closing his eyes to hear how it worked.

“How is it moving?” he murmured.

He tilted his head, and soon, finally, he heard a familiar hum.

“A spirit?” Julian’s eyes narrowed. “I can feel it. Weak… but it’s there.”

“How truly perceptive of you,” said a voice beside him. “As expected of one favored by spirits.”

The female gnarfolk approached, standing beside him. She towered over Julian, her white scales nearly blending into the icy terrain beneath her.

“Who are you?” She asked, “And what brings you to these lands?”

“Julian Winters,” he replied without hesitation. “I’m a blacksmith, here on a quest that led me this way.”

“A quest…” the gnarfolk repeated, her eyes flicking to the eldazen behind her. Her tail twitched lightly. “Much like you, Maldan.”

She turned back to Julian, bowing her head. “Oh, forgive me. My name is Nuru. And…”

Her tail then gestured to the second gnarfolk. “This is Hobs, my husband.” Then to the hyum. “And that’s Lloyd, our long-time companion.”

Julian nodded. Up close, he finally noticed how old the hyum was—his skin deeply wrinkled, but beneath it, Julian could sense dense, coiled muscle hiding beneath his shirt. 

The man was strong, all four of them were.

Stronger than Cyrus. Stronger than anyone Julian had met in Artemia.

And yet—not one of them felt hostile.

“As you’ve already heard,” Nuru pointed toward the eldazen, “The little one is Maldan—the leader of our party, and the chief of the village.”

Julian looked at Maldan, and the eldazen had already placed a hand over his chest. His eyes, watching Julian as if they were trying to look through him.

“You have trod a long and winding road to nowhere, Julian Winters,” Maldan was finally able to speak. His voice was soft, but it could be heard clearly through the cold mist, the fog around them rippling with each word. “And Artemis hath led thee here, now, at this most fateful hour. Ever does she guide us where we must go… when we are most needed.”

Julian responded only with a hum, then turned and signaled to Cyrus and Juliet that it was safe.

“May I ask something, Julian Winters?” Maldan continued, glancing at Juliet and Cyrus before focusing again on Julian. “The quest that hath brought thee hence… doth it bear the name The Bridge?”

“Oh?” Julian tilted his head for a moment, then crouched, lowering himself so he could be at the same eye level as the eldazen.

“How do you know that?” He asked.

For I have borne that same quest for many long years,” Maldan said, closing his eyes. He drew a deep, weary breath. “A journey that stole me far from hearth and kin, from the land of mine own blood.”

He opened his eyes again and gently placed a hand on Julian’s shoulder.

“All to wait for one soul… thee.”

***

A few hours had passed, and Julian’s party was led to a small village tucked into the icy sprawl of Dodona. The houses were made of stacked igloos and bundled branches, likely gathered from outside the region.

Like Maldan’s party, the village was home to more than one race—hyums and gnarfolks living side by side. 

There weren’t many of them, so it wasn’t hard to notice that all of their eyes were focusing on Julian as he entered their modest settlement.

They didn’t stare for long. Julian and the others were quickly escorted into Maldan’s home—a large frozen cot nestled near the center of the village.

Well, calling it a house was already being generous. There was only a single bed, and that was the only thing that even made it resemble a home. The rest of the space was dominated by tables, each one drowned in a sea of maps—so many that even the walls were plastered with them.

Hobs, Nuru’s husband, moved swiftly to prepare them a hot drink. But Juliet and Cyrus hesitated as soon as they saw it.

It was red. Boiling. And it didn’t look like anything remotely drinkable.

Still, they drank—mostly out of politeness, and partly to break the heavy silence that had settled over the room since their arrival.

Lloyd sat quietly on the bed, supporting himself with a sword resting against his shoulder. Hobs remained by the door, standing like a tree. Only Maldan and Nuru joined them at the table.

“Kukh…” Juliet coughed, her eyes narrowing as the drink hit her tongue. She’d braced for spice—but this was something else entirely. It numbed her mouth instantly. And yet, it brought a surprising comfort, radiating warmth through her entire body.

Even Cyrus, for all his quiet complaining, seemed to appreciate it. He finished the drink without a word.

Julian, however, didn’t touch his.

“I’m sorry. I only drink water,” he said, gently pushing the bowl away.

“It’s fine. We can heat some water for you,” Nuru said, taking the bowl back. “This must be strange for you… seeing gnarfolk and hyums living together far away from any major city. We—”

“We’ve waited too long to speak of trivial things, Nuru,” Maldan interrupted, lifting a hand. Nuru didn’t object, but her expression shifted—quieter now, focused. Her eyes returned to Julian and didn’t leave him.

“Julian Winters,” Maldan exhaled, his breath curling in the cold air, “I reckon thou need not be convinced of Artemis’ hand in this. Thou art here, I am here, and we are all here by her will. Willing are we, strings beneath her gentle fingers. Aye, we might refuse—but we follow, for we know she turneth us from ruin and leadeth us unto a fate more kind.”

Julian didn’t reply. He didn’t know much about fate. But he’d followed the Guidance because of the quest, and maybe that was close enough.

“Come now,” Maldan leaned forward, “What saith thy quest, Julian Winters?”

‘MEGAN.’ Julian called her in his mind, and soon heard her voice.

“It says… to listen to the village chief,” Julian said, meeting Maldan’s gaze. “That’s you.”

“Ha…” Maldan’s breath shook slightly as he looked up at the ceiling.

“Thank thee, Artemis. At long last, thou bringest me to the end of mine own road.” Then he looked back at Julian, a flicker of fire behind his eyes. “Art thou not curious what my quest hath been, Julian Winters?”

“No,” Julian replied with a hum. “But what is it?”

“I am a smith, like you,” Maldan said as he climbed down from his high stool. Hobs opened the door for him, but Maldan didn’t step outside—he only pointed through the doorway, toward the massive creature lying beyond the village.

“I am a Golemsmith,” he declared. “And thou—thou art the one I must teach.”

Julian’s ears twitched.

“But first, of course…” Maldan turned back with a smile. “Thou must prove thyself worthy. Venture into the deepest part of Dodona… and return with the Heart of a golem.”

[Your quest, The Bridge, has been updated!]

***

[LAST CHAPTER] <-----> [NEXT CHAPTER]

Thou hath been slapped with a quest within a quest. Welcome to RPGs, Julian Winters.