Nafız, putting her heads together with her student Kitapkurdu, put what was on her mind into text, then ensured it was learned by the orcs under their control. As always, there were those who didn't want to follow the laws, but since the punishment in Genghis Khan's laws was generally death, the majority had to bow their heads silently.
They would be much more at ease while going to conquer a new region; they had established the order of the orcs they left behind with their own hands. While setting off towards the lake taking an army of fifty thousand people with them, someone stood in front of them.
"Do you think you can leave me behind?"
When Yarmagül appeared in front of the army, her son also took his place beside her. The duo's goal was to join the forces capturing the Glacial Region.
"Daughter, you haven't fully recovered yet; wouldn't it be better if you rested a little more?"
Alyon, getting out of his vehicle, was extremely polite and mild-mannered thinking forcing the situation wouldn't be beneficial.
"Let no one doubt about that. I am as good now as I was in front of the Parthenia ramparts!"
Even if the end of the sentence touched Çekiçdöven, the young commander had no thought of speaking; retreating to a corner of his wagon, he let things take their course.
"Hop in; enough with this fuss!"
Nafız would say the last word; she knew the mother and son's situation best. Leaving Yarmagül behind now would open an unhealing wound inside her; more importantly, there was a possibility of casting a shadow on the prestige of Alyon's lineage.
After forces spread to two regions, a wide communication network was established; news of a bird flying within the borders came to the regional tribe fastest, and from there to the main headquarters. Captains other than Sangre would stay behind as authorized commanders and undertake the defense job.
"Here we are at the shore of this strange lake. Let's see your invention, Mr. Scholar!"
While getting out of their wagons, Nafız was teasing her student walking in front by patting his back. She was in high spirits knowing the most important part was with her.
"Master, I need Lady Dilber's large shell. Can we borrow it, please?"
"What a polite boy; try saying no to this!"
The Blood God was in high spirits; there would be a war where they were going, how could she not be happy?
"Here, take it, my pasha; you've already set up the system beforehand. Get us across quickly!"
Kitapkurdu had created a line with pulleys; the only thing needed was a material that would withstand the water's temperature. The nature of this lake had been very different since time immemorial; although it scorched the objects it touched, the air above it wasn't that hot.
While drying the whole region by heating the lands on its shore, nothing would happen to the orcs traveling with Dilber's shell. The giant shell had taken thousands of orcs packed like sardines; after dozens of trips, the army was able to step onto the frozen waters.
"What kind of cold is this, friend? What a great loss that we won't be able to use mechanical vehicles!"
Machines used for transport would remain on the opposite shore. Even if they passed the hot side, their use wasn't possible because they would lose their functionality after a while in the cold.
"Don't get hung up on the weather this much, you'll get used to it in a moment. How is it, it's as much as I described, isn't it Nafız? Ah, my memories surfaced; my master had saved that idiot orc somewhere near here!"
They were in the lands where Little Piggy, nicknamed Ayıboğan, took the White Bear King's fur. Since there was a long way ahead of them until the tribe here, they started walking immediately. While the trade city was located in a position relatively close to the main tribe, the regional orc tribe was established at the foot of the mountain ranges.
"You are sure we crossed from the closest place, right, kingfisher?"
Kitapkurdu would receive his nickname that would stick to him until he died from this moment on; this was a small gift from his master to him.
"Master, don't you trust me? I don't like this weather at least as much as you do; I adjusted our route accordingly!"
Nafız was just noticing her student's clothes from getting hung up on the surroundings. Kitapkurdu was wearing a white coat with fur collars extending from his head to his heels.
"Well, well, where did you find that thing on you, let's see?"
Upon the question asked, the thin orc would take his hands out of his pocket as if to show them especially; Kitapkurdu even had snow-white gloves.
"I did a little research about the region's condition. Knowing this day would come sooner or later, I had already placed my order with a few merchants in Nikonya!"
Nafız didn't know whether to praise her student's idea or feel sorry for her own state. She couldn't wear such things because she couldn't destroy the image she created; Kitapkurdu had no reservation, his weapon was his intelligence. Since he always wore things completely different from an orc's clothes, his current state didn't even attract attention.
"Sir, the vanguard reported that we would reach our target within half a day. Shall we take battle formation?"
While the person giving his report breathlessly rested, Sangre was conveying the news to Chief Alyon.
"No need; let's complete our way first. Let's see how they will welcome us?"
While the army of fifty thousand advanced rapidly, the quietest person was Çekiçdöven. He hadn't spoken a single word with either his wife or his son after crossing to the Glacial Region.
"The groom is in trouble, Alyon! What do you say; I hope he doesn't flake out at the last moment?"
Since this state attracted Nafız's attention, she opened the subject to her friend.
"He is one of us now; let's let him solve his own problems as he knows!"
Alyon's trust in Çekiçdöven was full; all his doubts were erased when he embraced his son that day. As said, half a day later, tents looking like ice flowers opened in the snow were everywhere. The weather was clear; Chief Alyon and his army saw a group of orcs coming towards them.
"Sir, Chief Beyaz Ayı asked me to convey that he would be honored to host you and your commanders in his tent!"
The arrivals were a welcoming team; only those who hadn't set foot on these lands before would be surprised at the offer made. While the army of fifty thousand started setting up their tents silently, strange feelings were sprouting inside them. They had returned as invaders to the place where they lived all their lives.
"After our army settles, my friend and I will be there!"
Alyon's answer was very short and clear; he showed no sign of fear. This was an event he expected; the man they would face was an old-fashioned orc. He had to clash his courage, not his armies, with him first.
"Are you sure? They might lure us into a trap!"
Although many people wanted to ask this question, only Nafız's position could be sufficient.
"I know the person we will face at least as well as I know you. If he invited us to his tent, we can go without fear. Orc pride is enough to prevent him from doing any villainy!"
There were no words left to say; the duo, watching the situation for a while, was advancing towards the inside of the tribe with slow but determined steps. The structure here was completely different from the other two tribes they saw; every individual was only a warrior. There were no logistics orcs; newborn warrior candidates were responsible for doing these duties.
"It feels like inside the tribe is colder than outside; look, these have turned into zombies!"
Since she made a comparison with reference from her previous life, Alyon wouldn't understand anything, but the gloom of the environment was suffocating even him. After a short walk, they reached the chief's tent; the Glacial Region tribe had a completely different understanding in this regard too.
Contrary to chief tents that always dazzled with their magnificence, the only difference of the thing they saw from the others was that the space it covered was twice that of normal tents. When they opened its leather door and entered inside, they found a gray-haired orc sitting cross-legged waiting for them opposite them.