A Warlock's Ascent

Grump understood that they were in big trouble, that group drew their weapon as they came closer, if this were a group of normal adventurers then they wouldn't have minded them, they would have left them alone.

Adventurers dont attack people out of the blue, especially when they are not being paid for it, considering their situation, there was a possibility that Carlin could have hired them to kill them, and judging by the strength of the group, there was a strong chance that she was the one that sends them here…

Before he could make any plan for action, one of the mages in the group conjured a big ball made of fire in its hands and threw it at him. The ball landed on the tree behind which he was hiding, the ball was able to instantly light the tree on fire. He then ducked down and rolled over to the side, taking cover behind another tree.

"COME OUT NOW HAMEL! We know that you are here!" a woman from the group yelled. Hearing this Grump didn't have any doubt in his mind that these guys were sent here by Carlin.

"RUN!" Hamel yelled to his grandson who was petrified by his side. As he saw his grandson's petrified face, he immediately casted a spell making a smoke screen around them, hiding all of them from the eyes of the group.

As the smoke screen hid them, Grump immediately turned around and started running, Hamel and Ricardo did the same, but as they made some distance, an explosion took place in the smoke, destroying everything in the 10 radii.

The explosion was so strong that it shook the earth, blew away the smoke as well as sent a shockwave across that almost tripped them. Grump turned his head around, while running, the sheer destruction that the explosion made a chill run down his spine.

While running he looked around and saw Hamel and Ricardo, running not too far away from him, but it is then Ricardo fell down. He saw it clearly, an arrow struck him in the back, making him trip.

'There was an archer amongst these people.'

He then immediately took cover behind a nearby tree, he peeked out and saw Hamel trying to drag Ricardo towards safety, while the group was approaching them slowly as if they were confident that they would not be able to run away.

He found it very odd, this group clearly had an advantage, if their motive was to kill Hamel, then they could do that easily right now, that old man didn't have his guard up and they could kill him easily, and it would only take an arrow to the head.

But they were playing with them, were they really there to kill them, or they were just there to have fun beyond him, he could tell that these people are very dangerous. The group was moving towards the grandfather and son duo, seeing that he started contemplating whether to stay or not.

He may be of higher rank than all of them, but he was old and far weaker than his prime, even if he wanted he cannot take that group on. Now as he has a chance, it would be logical to make a run for it, abandoning the mission.

It is then he saw one of the members of the group shoot a blue light in the air, the light transformed into a bird, similar to the one that he destroyed, that bird was bad news, it could spot him.

He kept back his ax, and tried to take out his bow, it is then he remembered that it got destroyed during the fight with the tribal chief, he cannot shoot down that thing. Sure enough, soon the bird spotted him, and then three people from the group started walking toward him.

He had no choice now, he had to fight, or otherwise, be killed. He immediately took his ax and started running the three people making them towards him. He deliberately tried running slower, trying to mask his actual speed and strength.

The three people also started running towards him, brandishing swords and spears in the air, as they got close, he smiled, he would show his hand now, but it is then, a red lightning bolt fell from the cloudless sky, onto him.

The shock from the bolt, made him stumble and fell on his face. The bolt fell on his ax, burning the hand that held it, as well as burning half of his chest as well. His vision started spinning, his senses started going haywire.

Slowly darkness started taking over his vision, and eventually, he lost consciousness…

***

Ganesh had seen the view in front of him many times, but no matter how many times he had seen it, he couldn't help but get fascinated by it. It looked majestic and beautiful, exactly like the day when he was born. It is one of the few things that have not changed since his father breathe life into him.

His eyes then looked up, his head was covered in ice, and he was so lost in the view that he didn't feel the snow covering his head. He then moved his long trunk and it took one strong blow from his nose and all the snow flew away.

Now standing here again after a long time, he couldn't help but be reminiscent of the past, he missed those days. It is then he heard footsteps approaching, he turned around and his two twin brothers climbing up the steep and narrow steps of his father's snow mountain.

His muscular and half-monkey brother, Hanuman, smiled seeing him. "Ganesh, I thought we would only see you above." His other brother, Son Wu Kong, who was also a half monkey but leaner than his twin, smiled when he saw him.

"I was waiting for you guys."

Wu Kong chuckled. "Were you waiting for us? Or were you lost in your thoughts again? Did the sunset make you cry again?" his teasing didn't have any effect on him.

"I missed this." With a small tear rolling down his eyes.

Hanuman smiled. "We missed you too." Wu Kong on the other scrunched his face. "Oh come on, we are meeting after a century, not a millennium. Snap it out, you two cry babies."

Hanuman and Ganesh didn't mind his attitude, instead to tease they grabbed him and included him in a group hug, making him angry…

After their reunion was over, they started climbing the mountain again, their father had called for them, probably to strategize about the game, and they were excited about this one. This season of R3T was pretty difficult, but the makers have done a very splendid job.

No one was at the top, nor no one particularly powerful at the moment, which meant this was an ideal time to strike and secure a leading position…

As they reached the mountain, one the coldest places in the world, their father was already there, meditating in lotus position with his eyes closed, his trident by his side, Vasuki, his pet snake hanging from his neck, and his sword and his loyal confidant, the strongest minotaur of the world, Nandi, standing behind his back.

His father was sitting on his throne, made of bones of many animals and beings alike, in front of him three chairs, for them.

"You guys are late." Nandi barked.

"Well these two, both of them got really emotional from their reunion." Wu Kong said. He then took one of the chairs and sat down. Hanuman and he also took one of the chairs and sat down.

It is then Shiv, their father opened two of his eyes. "My sons, you are here," he said with his deep ancient voice.

"We are here father." He said.

"Good…" Shiv then shifted in his seat. "I have called you here, to discuss something. I am about to take a step, which would lead us to a very very dangerous path. And I wanted your help in this matter."

"What do you have in mind father? Hanuman asked.

"God-Hater contacted me, with a proposition." Everyone shifted in their seats.

"Father, he cannot be trusted." Ganesh quickly added.

"Yes, father, we cannot trust that man. He is far too cunning for all of us." Wu Kong also added.

"That he is, but his proposition is very beneficial for us. And it could improve our standard of living."

"But father, even if he puts the world in your feet, even then we cannot trust that guy. You do know that he hates all the gods, not only Aesir and Vanir." Wu Kong added. Both the brother nodded their head.

"My children, I know that man better than anyone. But I am not calling you here for you to discuss whether or not we should consider his proposition. I called you here, because I already accepted his end of the deal, and now I need your help to get everything out of that deal."

All of them didn't like that their father made a deal with Loki, but alas they couldn't complain now, what was done was now done. Now they could only help their father to minimize the damage.