The two days had crawled by, each moment a sigh in the silence of waiting. At last, on the evening of the second day, word arrived that the hattori of Nin-Alumni was en route to Gaigen to assume the mantle of deputy Shyugan. Preparations were completed, and by the morning of the third day, Balbun roused Byuga and brought him to the shimlyndvyens. They were all returning. Only Bodhi had chosen to remain. As he bid farewell to his father’s guards, a strange feeling settled in Byuga’s chest. It was as if he were parting ways with his past. He watched from the inner ramparts of the Black Tower as they departed, feeling a pang of sorrow as the gates closed behind the brave men who had accompanied him on the road. In a way, he felt spoiled. They were leaving because of him, because of his wishes and desires. Yet, he knew that given the chance, they would have chosen this path regardless.

  Turning to rejoin the group, he saw Bodhi approaching Balbun. The monk had thrown a thick fur over his robes and was constantly tugging at it. Byuga approached him, smiling as he raised his hands. "Tell my father I understand why he sent me. Give him my love, will you?"

  "Tell him yourself." Bodhi raised his hands to sign, causing the fur to slip sideways. He swore, adjusted it, and then dispelled Byuga’s confusion. "I am coming with you."

  "Why?"

  "I thought you would be pleased."

  "I am pleased." Byuga lowered his hands and embraced the man, then pulled back to continue signing. "But I do not understand why you made this decision. You do not have to come with us."

  "Those Hashimi monks are decent enough, but they are merely a handful of healers and herbalists. You will need a proper monk of Taom-Dium at your side. Under fire, that band of rabble couldn't cast two spells between them."

  "I knew you were a sorcerer."

  "Most monks are." Bodhi lowered his hands, clasped them, and smiled. Then, mixing mischief into his solemn expression, he looked at Byuga. "Do not tell Balbun, alright? Let it be our secret. He is a good man, but not overly open-minded." He chuckled.

  "Who isn't?" Balbun had read the signs and asked Bodhi aloud. Byuga, not understanding what was said, merely watched the conversation between the two men he could not hear. As they laughed together, Balbun approached and draped a thick fur cloak over Byuga’s shoulders. Buttoning it, he looked at the prince and raised his hands. "You do not realize it yet because you are within these walls, but the air has turned cold. Whatever created that light, the weather has been freezing ever since. The Ice-Spear Mountains will likely be colder than we anticipate. I took two more furs and three beanies for us." He placed his hands on Byuga's shoulders, looking at the Shyugan emerging from the Black Tower. "It is not too late to turn back, if you wish."

  "I want to go," Byuga told him. "Still."

  "Alright, men!" Balbun looked at Kungam as he shouted. While telling Byuga to wait there, he walked over to take the myshos standing nearby, listening to the Shyugan’s speech. "The journey will be long and arduous! Your hattoris and commanders have given you the necessary warnings. We have two outposts along the way. The first is at the northern foothills of the mountains; at the mouth of the Barren Lands. The second is a few miles off the Cursed Valley, Sashun, as you all know. Until we reach these, we will not stop except for night camps. Those who cannot keep up can curse their luck." The men grumbled, many thinking the speech was over and dispersing to complete their preparations. As Kungam mounted his mysho, three creatures emerged from the tower. Byuga stared at them in astonishment as Balbun handed him the reins of his mount. They were covered in fur from head to toe. Only their pink and purple faces were slightly exposed. They resembled bears walking on two legs. At the same time, they were much larger than any Bahysa. They wore ragged clothes, yet seemed not to feel the cold at all. Looking at their thick legs and splayed feet, Byuga found his own legs and feet strange. Any one of them could likely break his legs in an instant and continue on their way.

  "What are they?" he asked, turning to Balbun.

  "Kardams." Byuga was seeing a Kardam for the first time in his life. He wondered how the Jade Lineage had stopped them and killed the Rokon centuries ago. Even a handful of these could crush an entire Bahysa army.

  "These are our guides!" As Kungam spoke these words, several guards marched the Kardams forward. Clearly, they had not chosen to be guides, but they were not entirely unwilling either. Balbun suspected Kungam had promised them freedom, but he remembered the man's hatred for Kardams. Byuga watched the astonishment in their eyes as he observed them. He must have reacted the same way when he first saw them. He focused on Kungam’s voice. "Anyone who harms them will be punished as if they harmed a warden! May the Shuins be with us, sons of Bahysaris!" These words caused discontent, but everyone seemed to have expected it.

  Kungam spurred his mysho, and the Kardams were placed in a wagon following him. As the gates opened, Byuga shook off his astonishment. Balbun helped him onto his mysho and nudged him toward Kungam. At least Byuga could ride his mount on his own. Balbun and Bodhi flanked him, falling in behind Kungam and the guards around him. The Prince of Gaigon turned back to look at the scouting party. There must have been over a hundred wardens. He turned his head back, watching the opening gates. Kungam took a deep breath as he moved, and they advanced.

  As soon as they exited Gaigen, Byuga felt the harsh wind strike his face. It was as if the North had reached out to claim the Old Countries. Still, despite the cold, he wrapped himself up like a cocoon and looked at the landscape. They were proceeding along the very edge of the cliff by the lake where they had gone fishing. To his left, Byuga saw plains and mountainous terrain stretching into infinity. Beyond that, in the distance his eyes could not see, must be Tahmar. The realm of dwarves, Tregors, and the famous Rune Warriors... Bodhi had told him about Tahmar. Nowhere in all of Ekard, neither south nor north of the Skyriver, possessed architecture as magnificent as that in the cities or temples of Tahmar. When he told his father this, his father had mocked him. "Dwarves try to compensate for their short shadows with the nights their creations cast," he had said. Since that day, the Prince of Gaigon had imagined these structures that created shadows bringing the night.

  As they moved, he turned his head and looked north. The cliff by the lake eventually sloped gently into the plain. From there, flat tundras stretched as far as the eye could see. He could see bushes and sparse trees poking out from the snow. Even now, as the cold seeped into his marrow, he wondered what they would find on this journey, what storms they would face. He looked at the mountain range rising on his left, merging with the plains in the distance and losing its end from sight. Except for three of the Shyugan Towers, all those to the west were within those mountains.

  "How far will we go?" he asked Bodhi as they emerged onto the plain.

  "Nearly twice the distance we covered coming here from Gaigon," Bodhi said. Then, leaning over his mysho toward the horrified Byuga, he added, "That is just to reach Sashun. After that, the Ice-Spear Mountains begin."

  "Will we go to the Bone Cities?" the prince asked with his hands.

  "With a hundred men? Of course not. That place holds the greatest cities of the Kardams. We wouldn't survive a single day." Byuga listened and fell silent, but he was also curious. The names of the Bone Cities intrigued him. were they truly cities of bone? Or were they filled with bones? Curiosity gnawed at his mind. At the same time, he was afraid. The thought of thousands of creatures like the Kardams the Shyugan had brought out of the Black Tower—even hundreds—terrified him.

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  They traveled for days until they passed the mountains. They camped at night and lit several large fires. The wardens huddled around those fires. Byuga loved these moments the most. All day long, the cold seeped into his bones, and he felt as if he would freeze. When he sat by the fire at night, the ache in his bones subsided, and he was filled with peace. The spirits of the wardens also lifted. Men who had traveled in silence all day suddenly began to laugh and talk. Byuga could not hear them, but Balbun occasionally recounted a few jokes to him. The Prince of Gaigon would have given an arm to be able to hear.

  Towards evening, the last hour or two of their progress became the hardest part of the day. Byuga, unable to move his hands numb from the cold all day, waited impatiently for the fire to be lit. Every day, two separate groups were chosen to gather firewood and stand guard. Thus, the fuel they brought with them would not run out quickly. When the fire wouldn't light due to the blizzard or the cold wind, they poured whale oil on it. Byuga had never seen such cold in his life.

  Moreover, as they moved north, the cold intensified. The wind grew harsher, the blizzard thickened, and bare trees and larches became common. Bodhi had told him there was a forest between the Barren Lands and the Cursed Valley. They should arrive a few weeks after leaving Gaigen. Byuga waited impatiently for this forest. For the first of the outposts was between that forest and the mountains. It was a secret dwelling of the wardens. Kungam had mentioned one evening as they sat around the fire that outposts were sometimes captured by Kardams. There might be a possibility of conflict when they arrived.

  However, before reaching the outpost, they came across two Kardam villages. One was established on a steep rocky hill. They all approached cautiously, but the village seemed empty. When they entered, they found all the houses completely empty. Not a soul remained in the village. Moreover, there was no sign of flight or migration. It was as if the earth had opened up and swallowed the entire populace in a single night. They camped there that night, but none liked what they saw. "Kardams do not leave their homes so easily," Balbun said. "There is something wrong here."

  In the days that followed, they saw two other villages abandoned in the same manner without a trace. "Kardams do not live here much," Kungam said, trying to dispel the countless superstitious questions forming in the wardens' minds. "We are not yet counted in Kardam country. Wait until we pass the forest." Yet Balbun could see that he too was uneasy. The cold became more unbearable with each passing day, and it wasn't due to the distance they covered. Clearly, the weather was cooling. The men heard whistles and whispers they couldn't explain; Byuga was glad for the first time that he heard nothing. Silence was something he was born into, and here, there was a disturbing amount of it. However, two days before reaching the outpost, Balbun suddenly woke from his sleep. Byuga woke feeling the vibration he created. The fire in the middle was about to go out. The shimlyndvyen suddenly stood up, fell to his knees, and took his head in his hands. Byuga woke Bodhi and brought him to his senses, asking what happened.

  "Did you not hear? They are here?" the shimlyndvyen said. Bodhi explained what he said to the Prince of Gaigon in fear. That was when Byuga felt afraid.

  When they arrived at the outpost two days later, everyone was already exhausted. Like a group of marauders, they arrived tired and worn out. They were where the mountains ended. What they called an outpost was a dozen caves carved into the foothills of one of the mountains and a stone barrier built in front of them. There were Bahysas inside. They were surprised to see them. Byuga was happy that the Kardams hadn't taken this place, as his uncle had said. They opened the gates of the barrier and let the convoy in. The stone walls cut the wind, so almost everyone slumped down at their base and tried to warm themselves. Only Kungam disappeared into the caves after talking to the wardens at the outpost without sitting for a moment. Byuga, Balbun, and Bodhi sat at the mouth of one of the caves and warmed each other. When they warmed up a bit without leaving their myshos, they looked at the forest visible over the barrier. Only a small part of it was visible through the blizzard. At that moment, the Kardam guides entered. Their chains were tied to the myshos, but the trembling animals, clearly freezing, looked as if they could easily topple over. Not being shot with arrows was the only reason and whip keeping them here.

  Byuga watched the Kardams. Their heads exceeded the wall. They were gigantic compared to Bahysas. It was clear they weren't cold at all. Their thick and long fur waved like small flags in the blowing wind. There was a strange, accepting expression on their faces, but perhaps due to his fear of them, or perhaps the tension of the arduous journey, the Prince of Gaigon sensed a kind of fury in their eyes. While they were all marched forward and seated, only one caught his attention. He seemed calmer than the others. They placed him a little further away with another Kardam. Although he was cold, Byuga straightened up, slightly shivering, and approached them. He tugged at Balbun. The shimlyndvyen looked at him with a displeased and tired expression.

  "Will you come with me?" asking the son of Jado. Then, without giving him a chance to say no, he stood up and walked towards the Kardams a few steps away. Halfway there, Balbun immediately grabbed his arm and turned him around. He looked as if admonishing him not to do it, then pulled him to return, but Byuga freed his hand and walked towards the Kardams again. He approached the one he saw as calm and sat cross-legged in front of him. He tried to take the stone poking out from the snow beneath him. He placed his disjointed legs on either side from behind and fixed his eyes on his. The wind blew hard where he stood, but he didn't care. Although the other Kardam next to him opened his mouth and said something, he ignored him because he couldn't hear. He signaled to Balbun.

  The old shimlyndvyen was not pleased. Grumbling, he asked him something. The Kardam Byuga wanted to speak to raised his head. There was suspicion in his eyes. Somehow, compared to the other Kardams, he behaved with much more silence towards Byuga.

  "He isn't speaking to us," Balbun said, turning to him. Just then, the calm Kardam opened his mouth and said something. The Prince of Gaigon felt his warm breath on his face. Balbun seemed surprised, but turned to him. Then he looked at the young man he guarded. "He asks why you are making those movements with your hands," he said. Then he turned to the Kardam and explained the situation. While the creature opened his mouth again, the Kardam next to him said something angrily, waved his hand, and turned his back as if saying do whatever you want.

  "What is he saying?" Byuga asked, raising his hand.

  "He asks what a deaf and lame Bahysa child is doing here."

  "Tell him I wanted to come myself. Ask him his name, Balbun." The old shimlyndvyen made an angry, hissing sound. He couldn't keep up. He raised his trembling hands, then shook his head, lowered his hands, and spoke with his voice.

  "His name is Makar," he said.

  "What is he doing here?" Balbun asked this, and the Kardam laughed, raising his hands and showing his shackles. Byuga felt bad. "I am sorry you are like this." Then he asked Balbun to say this. When Balbun said it, a strange expression appeared on the Kardam's face. His face seemed to twitch, and he looked at the young Bahysa with interest. He said something. Byuga looked curiously at his guard.

  "He asks what we want from him."

  "I want to know what is there." The shimlyndvyen turned and asked this too. A dullness appeared on the Kardam's face, he turned his gaze beyond the wall built as a rampart. He opened his mouth and said a word or two. Then, he fell silent. Balbun sighed. He looked uneasy. He raised his hands and turned to Byuga.

  "He says only winter and death. We are all going there to die." Then, the Kardam said one more word. Immediately after, he scratched the snow and curled up. Balbun turned to the boy with warning eyes. "He says if we have any sense, we should turn back and wait to die."

  "Okay, but ask exactly what it is."

  "Enough." Balbun raised his hands. "I am cold, Byuga. He won't tell us anything more." Then, he walked away with heavy steps. Byuga touched Makar's arm amidst the gazes of a few wardens on the side. The Kardam flinched and tensed, examining him with curious eyes. The feeling of his fur was very fine. The Prince of Gaigon sensed the hard and rough skin beneath the layers. Without saying anything, he stood up and went to Balbun.

  They spent that night there. Everyone was cold. Everyone except the sentries curled up and slept in the deepest parts of the caves. Kungam had learned from those in the garrison that the source of the light and the wind blowing after it was beyond the forest. They were going there. Byuga realized that almost all of the garrison at the outpost had missing limbs. Either a leg, arm, or finger. Kungam mentioned that this was actually a place of punishment. Wardens who didn't behave properly or hardened criminals who came to the towers were sent to the outposts behind the mountains. Byuga felt more afraid of them than of the Kardams.