The Primordial Record

Chapter 923 The Sirens Of Thenos

On an endless field of frozen bones, seven travelers trod through it, their bodies were fully covered with a cloak woven out of the hair of the only indigenous species of this area– The Frost Giant, for it was only their fur that could protect against the chill of this place that attacked you not from the outside, but from inside. Although this land appeared to be frozen, this was not really the case for if you wanted to, you could choose to walk bare-chested and the frozen air would not affect a single hair on your body, that is, unless you heard the songs.

Only a fool would walk through this land without the skin of a Frost Giant, but this creature could only be found inside the frozen waste and if its skin was carried outside of this place, it would rapidly decay, so there was no means to store this skin for new travelers that would be walking this road.

At the beginning of the journey that was when most of the people attempting this journey perished. It was a horrifying sight to see millions, perhaps billions of diverse creatures of all shapes and sizes, rush into this land of frost and fall to pieces, frozen from inside out as they hunt for the elusive Frost Giants in order to wear their skin.

In the strange heavens above was the cause of these deaths, six heads the size of multiple universes. All of the heads were of beautiful women whose faces were twisted in a rictus of pain, and now and then, in a manner that was impossible to predict, one of the women would scream.

It was a piercing and haunting cry that would bring death to those who heard it. Although what was peculiar about the cries was that hearing it was no assurance of death, there were multiple accounts of people surviving the cries for years and unexpectedly falling to its cold embrace, others did not survive the first wails.

Stories about the origin of these six heads had prevailed for years beyond counting, and their origins were unknown, although every traveler had come to call the heads, The Cold Sisters, or the Sirens of Thenos. Thenos was the name of a Supreme Titan, who was said to have fallen in love with the sisters, and endured their cries for many Eras; he had hoped that if he showed his devotion to them, they would give him their hand in union.

Yet even a Supreme Titan fell, and it was said that the land beneath the feet of every traveler was the bones of Thenos, for even in death, he still waited for their hand.

For the untold number of creatures that ventured past this land every year, it was not a matter of choice but of necessity. Unless one was connected to a Supreme power, this land was the only road that led out of the Great Darkness. This road was connected to every Supreme Power in existence, and anyone who could brave and survive its dangers was given an automatic admission to the Supreme World of their choosing. There were greater places and dimensions beyond the Great Darkness, but to reach it, one must cross this land. It was the reason why an endless number of creatures threw their lives into crossing this path. “Is it just me, or are the blasted sirens singing more frequently?”

A gravelly voice from one of the figures trudging their way through this frozen waste resounded in the silence, it was a man’s, the voice was strong and carried for miles, yet it was still possible to detect the undertone of tiredness in it, after all, these people have been walking on this road for a hundred thousand years, and whether by luck, coincidence or the fact that most of them believed they were nearing the end of their journey, these travelers had met each other sixty years ago, but at that time there were not seven of them, but a hundred and fifteen.

Another figure manifested a map made from the hide of a Frost Giant, the only material that could last under the cries of the Sirens of Thenos, and traced their fingers through it,

“I believe we are near the end of this particular section of the wilderness, at least the map says so, although it was the most expensive map I could buy at the mouth of the frozen waste that leads to the Land of Miracle, the damn thing is still a billion years out of date and in this place… well, we are lucky we can have something that can give us hope. Those damned Walker Guilds have made a fortune out of travelers, you would expect they would try to update their maps more frequently.”

“Why should they bother, they make more than enough from our sorry asses.” Another grumbled, but they moved a bit faster as the hope of reaching their destination neared.

A mousy voice whispered, their voice was heard by the only two other travelers who stayed beside them, “I don’t need hope, I just want this trial to end,”

These three had been journeying together from the start and met the group a while ago and stuck with them, although they still held themselves distinct from the rest “It will my dear, you know that I would never let anything bad happen to you, to either of you. We are nearly at the end.”

The former was a feminine voice, she was smaller and holding the hands of a much larger figure, it was the latter that replied and her voice was also female, of the seven of them here, she was the most powerful, she had to be in order to protect her two young charges, but even a God Emperor had limits and she feared that she would soon reach hers.

Nudging the other silent figure that also held her hand, the God Emperor whispered, “After this long stretch that is almost at an end, you both would be free from the hands of Fate and pursue your destiny outside the bounds of the kingdom. When you return, it will be as heroes and kings. This I promise you, my beloved.”

The silent one nodded, “Empress.”

“Do not call me by that title any longer, until we return, you shall simply call me mother.”

The seven travelers remained silent for a while as they focused their gaze on the ground below, the sight of the frozen bodies and bones had become something they had become used to after all this while, bones had simply become dirt. It was better than looking at the heavens at the heads of the Siren whose cries could end your existence at a moment’s notice.

“Is it true what they say about it,” the silence was broken by one of the cloaked figures, “that in that Land of Miracle, any dream and goals you seek can be given.”

“That and more,” it was the Empress who replied, “your luck can even be transformed and like a fish turning to a dragon, your path shall be one that would rise to the heavens, every struggle you face shall simply be a stepping stone for you to reach your goals.”

“I still think it’s bollocks, I’m just here for the chance to be able to reach a higher level without the Tribulation from my universe tearing out my soul.”

The Empress sighed, “There is nothing fake about the Eldar, and in your heart, you know that to be true. The boon they give is indeed mighty, but the price to be paid is not for the faint of heart. I should know this to be true because I’ve seen it.”