The sky fell into haze again, and everyone was worried that the snowstorm would come again, but no matter how threatening it was, the return trip could not be delayed.
A light snow fell from the sky, and people's leather clothes were covered with snow, including their beards, which were "dyed" white.
Rurik tried his best to cover himself and shared a huge deerskin blanket with Saipolava. The girl was completely hidden in the leather, and Rurik only showed his eyes.
Everyone began to remain quiet, only the reindeer continued to exhale a large amount of mist and continued to move forward.
The snowfall seems to be just like this. It will not become too serious. Once everyone adapts to the current low temperature, there is nothing to complain about.
They successfully reached the very critical fork in the road where the two main rivers converged into the wider Airon River (Kemi River).
The people who had been silent until here finally became restless under the light snow.
"I'm finally going back." Biyongni opened his leather jacket and shouted, causing the ice on his beard to fall off.
"Then keep walking. It will be completely safe if you get to Fort Fiskele as soon as possible." Rurik really didn't want to say more. He didn't want to lose precious heat, so he urged the sled driver to continue beating. reindeer.
The team still maintained a stable pace. They actually walked a marathon distance a day. Rurik has been counting the time silently. They have been traveling for fifteen days since setting off from Murmansk!
At this point, all the wheat had been consumed by feeding the deer. The reindeer had to graze on hay under the snow while the team rested, and there was not much meat left in people's reserves.
Fortunately, those who followed Biyongni were the best Balmok hunters, and Rurik's men were also fat and strong. Everyone is a strong person and has enough physical strength to resist for a period of time.
Arrived at this fork in the road, it was like seeing the first ray of light at the end of the polar night.
Everyone moved forward step by step, and after three full days, the lake finally arrived.
The whip began to beat the reindeer desperately, and the sleigh loaded with cargo began to accelerate gradually.
The light snow has stopped, the north wind has blown away the haze, and the sky is suddenly clear. Everyone breathes extremely clear air, and the sun shines in the sky!
People with good eyesight can see the houses and walls from a distance. Although they are covered by pine forests, the overall appearance is still very obvious.
Rurik finally lifted off the leather blanket, supported Yevlo’s arm and stood firm on the speeding sled, shouting: "Brothers, rush! Wheat porridge! Barbecue! Let the brothers there Look how powerful we are!"
Inform the tribesmen that Lord Rurik has arrived at the northernmost coast and is determined to establish a permanent settlement. This matter must be publicized grandly.
But now, hungry people just want to hold a roasted animal leg and gnaw on it, or eat a pot of cooked oats.
There is a group of black shadows on the ice lake, which are a group of fishermen. The winter hunting work is basically over, and many people are dragging their feet in a helter-skelter pace with not many hunters.Things return. The Ross hunters evacuated one after another when the blizzard began to appear. It was lucky to be able to save their lives during the natural disaster. They returned early and endured the snowstorm at Fort Fiscolle before turning into fishermen to cut the ice and fish. Not to mention that there are really a lot of fish in this lake area.
People must stay alive first. They have been living on fish and meat for some time in this extremely cold place.
A few people still caught a group of ferrets and foxes, and the bass caught from the glacial lake piled up into mountains. When Rurik and his entourage returned in triumph, they met him.
Russian fishermen were shocked!
Because they are not only fishing here, each hunter also received a key mission.
The sled that appeared on the ice attracted the attention of all the fishermen. They all stood up and moved towards the sled spontaneously.
Rurik undoubtedly saw this, "Haha, brothers, the other brothers have come to visit us."
Rurik was in a very good mood, the sled pile stopped, and the ice surface There were also more than ten fishermen who had gathered above.
"Haha, are you here to welcome me? How about hunting? I saw you...fishing?"
A fisherman's mouth trembled, he didn't have any He saluted and reported a very serious event in a vulgar and cautious manner.
"Lord Rurik, something big happened in Fort Ross! It's very serious."
"Big thing? What a big thing!" Rurik's smile suddenly disappeared, and his mind was buzzing again After a moment, "It can't be that Otto... died after drinking too much strong alcohol?!"
Rurik's words were also very rough, and the fisherman hurriedly explained, "The Duke has always Very good. But the high priest, she is dying!"
"Vilia?"
"Yes!"
"Okay, I understand..." Rurik said no more nonsense. He lowered his head and gasped, "My people need to get supplies quickly, and I want to travel to Rossburg all night long." ."
"Sir, come with us."
Is High Priest Vilia really going to finish his life? Or was it that the news had come to him a long time ago, and he was in the extreme and didn't know it at all. After learning this, Vilia's previous will had been turned into ashes as scheduled?
Vilia is already too old. It is a miracle that this old woman who has witnessed so much can persist until the end of the polar night.
Encountering a major incident, Rurik ate some grilled seabass in a low-key manner at Fort Fiskele. The group only rested for one night. After replenishing the reindeer the next morning, they started running towards Ellon again. Fort ran wildly.
A group of people stranded in Fort Fiscolle were ordered to search for the missing Rurik. Some people had pessimistic thoughts, but many people cheered up and were convinced that Odin would not let his world die. The heirs died.
Rurik came back, and the people who stayed behind were shocked by the large amount of prey they brought back! The leather piled up layer by layer made it hard to tell what kind of prey it came from, but the ArcticEveryone knows the ferocious head of a bear very well.
Master Rurik managed to survive the terrifying cold snap and hunted countless bears! What a hero!
Only at noon of the next day, Rurik, who no longer needed to care about animal power, arrived at Ironburg, where he also learned today's clear date.
The time is already February 10th in the Julian calendar, and it has actually entered February!
Seporava once again fell into the arms of her father Mechasta and told her father and brother Terravis about her experience in the "Sea at the End of the World".
That was a lot of legendary experience, and the sea itself is a miracle. The so-called coldest world must be the Russian god who keeps the sea from freezing.
But Mechasta had no intention of listening to his daughter's description for the time being. As the "Governor" of Ironburg, he must clearly explain to his master Rurik that something big happened in Fort Ross.
The dinner was sumptuous, including wheat porridge, wheat cakes, barbecue, fish stew, mushroom stew and carrots, and a small amount of spirits.
Brothers Biyoni and Floki, they had never seen the high priest Vilia and could not understand the sacred status of this old woman among the Rus. They immersed themselves in eating just to entertain their weak bodies. .
Rurik really couldn’t eat, so he hung his head and ate some wheat cakes and some soup.
Mechasta said regretfully: "Any mortal, or saint with a mortal body, will eventually leave this human world. The body of the High Priest of Ross has reached its limit and can no longer maintain a great The stop of the soul. The blizzard had just ended when I received the news, and it has been a full month now. Maybe Vilia's soul has left her body like a dead tree, and she has become your Valkyrie."
Mechasta tried to speak tactfully. He knew the relationship between the old screw woman and Rurik. A woman who worshiped the gods already regarded Rurik as her grandson. He was worried about Rurik. Ke will cry until he faints.
Rurik did not cry. Perhaps the greatest sorrow for a man is to remain silent like a piece of wood.
There was a whole bottle of vodka on the table, which was obtained by double distillation of ordinary ale. The capacity was only two taels. Rurik grabbed it and pulled out the cork and drank it in one gulp. The empty glass was directly Throw it hard onto the wooden floor.
"Sir! You..."
The spicy taste stimulated Rurik's whole body to tremble. He regained his composure and said in a low voice: "I know everything, I I have to go back immediately and leave tomorrow."
Rurik's pain was fully reflected in the strong drink. Mechasta felt very uncomfortable. He hoped that Rurik would cheer up a little. He also reported other things.
There is also about the production of ore and ironware, as well as the two giant spruce trees that were initially processed and hoisted onto the sled, and the trunks used as masts must be transported to Fort Ross.
Including those for staying here as a guest (a certain sense of residential surveillance)Supervision by the family of old Eric, a Danish traveler.
Rurik nodded: "I'm glad that these things are working normally. Do you have anything else to report?"
"I..." Mechasta was stunned for a moment. , "I also want to know, where have you been? Many brothers are looking for you, including the deer herder who was ordered to herd."
"Let your daughter talk about this. We went along the glacier I have seen many miracles in the northernmost ocean. I am tired, I want to rest immediately."
Rurik is indeed a little different from Otto. He gets drunk easily, but he sobers up faster than ordinary people. Faster.
He soon fell into a state of drunkenness. He had no intention of taking a shower and lay down in the warm mansion. He forgot all his worries and fell asleep while the world was spinning.
At night, he sweated profusely and returned to normal. Rurik, who changed his clothes the next day, continued to run with his men regardless of whether they were well rested or not.
Rurik has more deer pulling sleds, and the sleds are so powerful that running a hundred kilometers a day on offshore ice is not a problem.
He took all the prey, as well as Kawei and Kamne who were continuously stationed, as well as the Danish travelers who realized that the Russians had been strong and stationed in Ironburg for several months. They spent three days running. Returned to Roseburg.
A wooden pole was propped up on the sled, and a small Russian flag was hung on it.
The hunters who dug vents offshore to guard the caves waiting for seals were the first to meet their Lord Rurik.
Rurik asked everyone he met: "Is Vilia okay?"
People excitedly shouted that the high priest was still alive but in a very bad condition, and then in extreme surprise In surprise, I watched the sled team full of ferocious bear heads leave.
Russian Castle is already very lively at the moment. After all, it is February, and there are still fifty days left before the sea thaws.
The climate is still very cold, and the life of the Russian people is becoming more and more lively day by day.
Especially the shipbuilding factory in Hotra. After the mast wood they were looking forward to arrived, with the order of Duke Otto and the help of the messengers, they had used the scaffolding built last year to install the two masts. On two large hulls.
Rurik Qingyi saw the huge masts of two new ships that were eager to be launched. It was naturally not a problem for them to successfully launch.
The news of Lord Rurik's return spread wildly. When the sleigh arrived on the frozen coast, Rurik jumped off the ship and ran towards the priest's longhouse with his mercenaries.
He didn't care about anything anymore, for fear that Vilia would leave before he said a few words to her.
The thick leather curtain was violently split open by Rurik. He rushed into the warm long house and shouted, "Grandma! Are you okay?"
Rurik walked straight away. Entering Vilia's bedroom, he ran into Rumia, whose eyes were red from crying.
After the snowstorm ended, the bad news of Rurik’s disappearance was reported here in Roseburg. Otto was very worried about Rurik's safety, but on the surface he pretended to beIf you do this, you will be protected by God, and there is no point in worrying.
Niya subconsciously thought of the two sons she had lost. Now that Rurik had also encountered disaster, she had been crying for some time.
Rumia regards Rurik as my own brother and her only man. As the next high priest, she is also suffering from Vilia's death.
The good news came suddenly! Rurik made his triumphant return carrying a large number of bear heads and bear skins?
After the messenger finished speaking, Rumia cried with excitement. She was about to go out to greet him, but she collided with Rurik indoors.
She rushed forward and held him in her arms.
Rurik was shocked by such a performance: "Lumia! Vilia..."
"I'm so worried about you...I'm afraid you have..."
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"Get out of my way!" Rurik pushed Rumia aside with force, and then broke into Vilia's bedroom.
An old man who looked like a dead tree was being taken care of by a group of female priests. The old man had white hair and was dressed in simple clothes.
"Is it... Rurik? My Rurik is back?"
Hearing Villya's hoarse voice, a line of hot tears welled up from the corner of his eyes, leaving Rick burst into tears. He hurried over, knelt down on the leather cushion where Vilia was lying, and held her dead branch-like hand tightly.
"Grandma, I'm back. What's wrong with you?"
Villa laughed in front of her, "I'm about to leave, and I finally saw you before I left. ."
"Don't be silly, grandma. Everything will be fine."
"Don't be silly, child. Why should you be sad."
"I..." Rurik forced a smile, but tears were still pouring out.
The priests, including Rumia, gathered in the room, with tears hanging on their cheeks.
Vilia muttered angrily, "Rurik, where have you been? Why did you come back so late? It was a snowstorm..."
"I went The sea at the end of the world, the northernmost ocean, is protected by Odin and the sea will not freeze."
"That's right!" A smile of satisfaction appeared on the face of Vilia's dead tree, "It's beautiful there. ”
“It’s so beautiful! Odin told me that the Russians were going to build a fortress there called Moorman Castle. I built a camp according to God’s will and spent the coldest time there. "It's great. I have to go and thank Odin in person." Vilia took another long breath and stared at Rurik gently, "Let me see you." . Ouch, you have lost weight, you need to eat more..."
Then the gentle cheeks calmed down, and he breathed out, everything became calm, everything was over...
Stay Rick squeezed his lifeless hands hard, realizing that this great man was gone.
She is dead.
The priests were all crying, and Rumia cried the most painfully.The longhouse wailed.
"Quiet, everyone!" Rurik roared, causing the cry to turn into a tiny sob. "Rumia! Does the high priest have any last words?"
Rumia hurriedly brought a wooden board full of words, "These are her last words. She has been holding on to her last breath, just for See you."
Ryurik took the board and examined it, nodded in depression, and suppressed his sorrow and solemnly ordered all the priests: "You all heard that it is only Willy who is lying here. Ya's body. Her soul has gone to Valhalla. She is now the Valkyrie Sperosvilia, a Valkyrie who only belongs to us and will only protect us according to her will. The body was cremated and the ashes were stuffed into the ocean."
Speaking of excitement, Rurik turned around with tears in his eyes and pressed his hands firmly on Rumia's shoulders, "You are the high priest. I will hold a grand funeral for Vilia, and you will become the real high priest! Now, tell the people about Vilia’s funeral.”