The warm atmosphere of the tavern washed over them as they dug into their meal. The hearty stew was rich with earthy flavors, filling and warm, with chunks of root vegetables and tender meat. Kale couldn't help but let out a small sigh of contentment after the first bite.

"Okay, you were right," he said, looking over at Rika. "This stew is fantastic."

Rika grinned, slurping from her bowl. "Told ya."

"I'd enjoy this more if people weren't staring," Liliana said.

Kale looked around and noticed the same group of villagers from earlier. They weren't exactly staring, but their eyes flicked to their table often enough to make him uncomfortable.

"Relax," Rika said between bites. "They're just curious. Outsiders don't come here much. We're probably the most interesting thing that's happened in Mossvellir in a while."

"Aside from the tremors, strange figures and creatures that don't belong," Liliana said.

The door to the tavern creaked open. A tall man with deep blue hair tied back in a loose ponytail strode in. He wore moss-green and earthy-toned clothes. His golden eyes swept the room before locking onto their table. He moved with the quiet confidence of someone who knew he commanded attention.

Rika glanced up as the man approached, his steps heavy and deliberate. She sighed, looking at her bowl before muttering, "Uh-oh. Here comes trouble."

The man stopped at their table, looking them over. "Heard we had visitors."

Rika nodded, still chewing. "Yup."

The man leaned in slightly. "And these two?" He jabbed a finger toward Kale and Liliana. "Outsiders."

Rika wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "Sure are. Just passing through, but don't worry, they're with me."

The man's expression remained suspicious. "What a coincidence you show up just as the earth starts shaking, and strange creatures crawl out of the woods. Doesn't sit right with me."

Kale tensed, feeling the hostility in the air. Liliana's eyes glowed a faint red, ready to respond, but Rika was already moving. She stood up slowly, her movements calm, though the tension was palpable.

"You're right," Rika said, stepping closer to him. "It's a hell of a coincidence."

The man straightened, his eyes flicking to the door and back to her, his jaw tightening. "Suspicious."

The threat in his tone was clear, and for a moment, it looked like he was ready to fight. Rika kept her hands by her sides, smiling, her voice soft but dangerous. "We're not looking for trouble," she said smoothly, raising her hand and slapping him on the shoulder in what could have passed as a friendly gesture, if not for the sickening crunch that followed.

The man staggered, his strong frame barely shifting under the blow, but his eyes flared with pain, and he gritted his teeth. Rika kept smiling. "But if you're looking for a fight, I'm down."

Kale's eyes widened slightly, but the man didn't make a sound. Despite the obvious pain, he stood tall, his arm hanging just a little lower than before, though his pride wouldn't let him acknowledge the injury.

"Or maybe we can help," Rika continued. "So why don't you tell us more about these tremors and creatures? Maybe we can take a look. After all, we're not the types to refuse aid to a friend in need."

A mix of pain and anger flashed across the man's face, but he hid it well. He was strong, like all earthborn, but Rika's show of power hadn't gone unnoticed.

"You really think you can handle what's out there?" He asked.

Rika leaned in slightly, her smile sharpening. "I don't think. I know."

There was a tense moment, the room seeming to hold its breath. Then, with a grimace, the man gave a stiff nod. "Fine," he said through clenched teeth. "You want to help? The tremors have been coming from the eastern woods. Something's stirring the earth, and it's not natural."

Rika clapped him on the uninjured shoulder, this time much more gently. "Good. We'll take a look."

Rika's grin widened, but Liliana was less amused. "We don't have time for this. We've got bigger things to worry about."

Rika waved her off. "Come on, Lili, you guys clearly need the experience. A little detour might be just what you need."

Kale frowned, folding his arms. "And how is letting ourselves get killed going to help us?"

"Stop being such a baby," Rika shot back, clapping him lightly on the back, though the force nearly knocked him forward. "I've handled worse… Probably."

The man with the injured shoulder, still nursing the pain from Rika's earlier "friendly" gesture, straightened up. His voice was rough, but his resolve firm. "If you're serious about helping, I can take you to the elders. They've guarded the truth about what's been stirring the earth."

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

Rika gave him a nod. "Lead the way."

***

They followed the man through the streets of Mossvellir as he guided them toward a large stone building nestled at the base of a small hill. Inside, a group of elders sat in a circle, watching the group with quiet suspicion. The man bowed his head to them, addressing the eldest.

"These folks are here to help, if you'll believe it. They want to know about the creature in the woods."

The fire in the center of the elders' hall crackled softly, casting flickering shadows against the stone walls. A woman with hair as deep green as an ancient forest, slowly rose to her feet.

"I am Yngvildr, eldest of Mossvellir. You ask about the tremors and the creatures that stir in the woods, but what you seek lies much deeper, beyond the surface. It is the story of Jarosormur, the Stone Serpent, the Guardian of the Earth."

The room fell silent, save for the crackle of the fire.

"It is said that Jarosormur was there before even the earthborn walked these lands, a being so ancient its origins are shrouded in mystery. Some say it was forged by the gods, though which gods, none can now say. Those names have been lost to time. Others believe it was born from the mountains themselves, a force of nature given form."

"Its body stretched vast beneath the earth, coiling through the depths unseen. Its skin was stone, impenetrable, enduring. Wherever it moved, the land reshaped itself in its wake. Hills and mountains rose, rivers carved new paths, and forests flourished. It was no mere beast, but a guardian, woven into the earth itself, bound to its breath and pulse."

Yngvildr paused, the flames in the fire dancing as if in agreement with her tale. "But as the years passed, people came to these lands. They cleared the forests, tore into the mountains, and dug deep into the earth. They changed what Jarosormur had shaped, breaking the balance it sought to protect. At first, it watched, wary and patient. But the destruction grew, and so did its anger."

Her voice deepened, a note of sorrow threading through it. "Jarosormur turned its wrath upon the settlements. It saw the mines, the barren lands where forests once stood, and the rivers polluted by greed. Its movements became violent, entire villages were crushed beneath landslides, and the forests it once nurtured were swept away by rising mountains. What was once a protector had become a force of devastation."

The fire crackled again, louder now, as if punctuating her words. "This is the story of Jarosormur. A being tied to the land it once protected, turned against those who dared to destroy it."

Kale felt a shiver run down his spine. If that thing is really out there, how can we possibly stop it?

"Our ancestors, wise in their ways, knew they could not defeat Jarosormur. Its stone skin was impervious to their weapons, and its command over the earth made it untouchable. But they were cunning. They lured it to the deepest part of Fellskogur, to a cavern where legend said the great serpent was born, where the mountains first breathed life into its form. There, they sang the ancient songs of binding, calling upon Thalor, god of stone and strength. Through his divine judgment, they sealed Jarosormur. It slumbered there, becoming one with the mountain. For centuries, it lay dormant."

"But the earth remembers. It always does. And now, with the tremors returning, some believe that Jarosormur stirs again."

"So no one's ever managed to defeat it?" Liliana asked. "Good to know you're not trying to get us killed, Rika."

Rika smiled at her and shrugged. "Someone's gotta be the first."

Yngvildr nodded. "Indeed. No one has. But there are those who believe that if it awakens, Jarosormur will not simply return, it will reclaim the land. The mountains will shift, rivers will run dry, and the forests will fall silent. Some say the strange creatures appearing in the woods are signs of its return, heralds of its awakening."

"And you're sure it's in this cave? Could it really have survived this long, buried beneath the earth?" Kale asked.

Another elder spoke up. " The cave in Fellskogur is where our ancestors bound Jarosormur. Legends tell of runes etched into the walls, sealing the serpent in place. But those who have gone to investigate the tremors... none have returned. Jarosormur is no ordinary beast. It is a creature born of divine power, a force of the earth itself. Such beings do not wither or die as lesser creatures do. If it stirs, it will not be weakened by the passage of time, it will awaken as it was, in all its terrible strength."

"So, a big, old stone snake that controls the earth and can't be hurt by normal weapons? Rika asked. "Sounds fun."

Kale shot her a look. "Fun? We can't even pierce its skin. My dagger's useless against stone, and Liliana's magic... well, you can't draw blood from a rock."

Rika grinned, jabbing a thumb toward her chest. "Which is why you've got me. I'll crack that shell wide open. Easy peasy, snakey squeezy."

Liliana raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything.

The elders shifted, their hesitation clear as they deliberated whether to entrust the group with such a monumental task.

"If you are serious," Yngvildr said, "you must tread carefully. The cave is treacherous, and if Jarosormur has truly awoken, you will face not only the beast but the land itself. The earth bends to its will, and it will defend its master."

Rika stood with her hands planted confidently on her hips. "Don't worry. We'll handle it."

The ground beneath them trembled. A faint rumble at first, just enough to make the fire waver and the stones beneath their feet shift. Then it deepened, a slow, rising groan, as if the earth itself had stirred in response to the words. The hall seemed to breathe, the tremor carrying an unspoken warning.

"Did you feel that?" Kale whispered.

"It's as if it heard us." Liliana said.

Rika, unbothered, grinned wider. "Guess the legend's not as sleepy as we thought!"

Yngvildr's voice was grim, her gaze distant as the tremor subsided. "The earth stirs when the serpent stirs. Jarosormur is waking."

"Whatever it is, it's been getting worse. Tremors every night, strange creatures appearing in the woods. People are scared," the man with the broken shoulder said.

Yngvildr shook her head slowly. "Legend or not, the threat is very real. The earth does not tremble for nothing."

Another elder, his hair a dark teal and his voice deep, spoke up. "The cave is hidden deep within Fellskogur. Only those who know the land can find it. If you are brave enough to venture there, perhaps you will find the truth for yourselves."

"Good. We'll find this cave and see what's really going on." Rika said.

"And if this Jarosormur is awake?" Kale asked.

Rika shrugged. "Then maybe we can sing it a lullaby or something."

"Right..."

Rika clapped her hands together, grin still plastered on her face. "Alright, guys, we'll go at first light."

Kale sighed, wondering for the hundredth time how he kept getting roped into these things. He wasn't exactly a hero, just a guy with a dagger and, apparently, a talent for not dying. And now, they were off to face some ancient stone serpent? Perfect. Just another day in his completely normal, not-at-all-doomed life.

Liliana floated beside him. "I guess this will either make us stronger... or make us dead."

Rika laughed, unbothered as always. "These stories are always exaggerated, it's probably just a large snake. How bad can it be?"

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