The giants stared blankly for a moment before then another snowball smashed into one of them, and their stunned silence exploded into action.
The cavern filled with an ear-splitting collective roar that made the entire root system tremble. Reinhard laughed at the roaring sight of the giants. Before he then immediately began rushing forward as the first ice axe rushed through the air.
The weapon smashed through the ceiling where he had been crouching just moments before, sending chunks of root and bark flying in all directions. But Reinhard kept on laughing as he heard more weapons being hurled through the air. An ice spear punctured through from behind him, then a club smashed apart the area where a hole he passed was, then another axe smashed through the roots.
Reinhard continued running across the root network as multiple ice weapons crashed into the area behind him, each impact sending tremors through the natural bridge. The giants' roars echoed from below, growing louder and more furious with each passing second.
As he ran, he could hear the thunderous sound of dozens of heavy footsteps echoing through the caverns. The giants were moving, and from the sound of it, all of the other ones were being notified before joining the hunt for him.
He pushed himself to run faster, his boots slipping occasionally on the snow-covered bark but managing to maintain his balance. Behind him, the sounds of the giant's footsteps echoed as they began focusing on chasing.
When Reinhard reached the entrance area of the cavern, he stopped moving and lay down on the snow-covered roots. He pressed his body as low as possible while still maintaining a view of the cavern opening below and being quiet as he waited.
Three seconds later, the first giant emerged from the cavern entrance and began looking around for him. The other giants followed, pouring out of the cavern with their weapons clutched in their hands. Then one of them spotted the trail of footprints in the snow and pointed while grunting something in their language.
The entire group oriented on the tracks, and within moments they were rushing forward along the path Reinhard had so carefully laid out for them.
Reinhard watched as dozens of giants rushed through the snow and followed the trail which led them upwards. Their heavy footsteps shook the ground, and once the last giant back was fading away.
Reinhard quietly dropped down from his hiding spot and began following behind the group at a safe distance. He moved carefully, using the cover provided by the root formations and rocks to stay hidden while keeping the giants in sight.
Everything was proceeding exactly as he had hoped.
The giants followed his trail, their rage making them careless about their surroundings. He always finds it amusing that rage could turn any intelligent being into a stupid being making mistakes. As he continued following the group, an ear-splitting roar echoed across the winter landscape.
The dragon.
Reinhard moved to the left, using a cluster of ice-covered boulders as cover while continuing to track the giants' progress. Just as he wanted, the giants had followed his trail towards the area where the dragon was.
And most likely, it will lead to a clash.
Another roar split the air, this one definitely from the dragon and much closer than before. He then heard the roars of the giant, which made him smile as he continued moving.
Then came a familiar sound before a piercing beam of light blasted out across the middle of the path, which blasted the snow away. Reinhard pushed the white sword into the ground to stop himself from being blown away. Then he continued walking as the combat rang out in the area ahead, and the thunderous impacts of massive bodies collided.
Reinhard continued walking while staying crouched low, as he got close enough to see what was happening.
He saw dozens of Frost Giants clashing with the black dragon!
The dragon's six wings beat furiously as it maneuvered between the giants' attacks, its breath producing a beam blasting through them. While its claws and teeth were chomping on the giants close to it.
The giants fought back as two of their axes hack down on the dragon scales, leading to blood slashed out. While four other giants' bodies glow before they smash their weapon on the ground with ice bursting out and coating the parts of the dragon wings.
While the two forces were completely absorbed in destroying each other, Reinhard spotted his opportunity. He quickly grabbed onto the roots and began climbing, moving near to the top where the snow and ice was.
As he climbed, the sounds of roars, crashing, explosions, and the shaking of the area rang out. He occasionally glanced back to see flashes of the ongoing battle through the swirling snow.
After reaching the point where he could see the snow and ice above, he then began moving horizontally across the roots. The sounds of combat were growing more distant now, though they still echoed across the winter landscape.
He dropped down on the far side of the battle zone and immediately began rushing upward along a snow-covered slope that curved around the tree's massive circumference. The path was steep and challenging, but his legs found strength.
It was then he heard an ear-splitting noise!
Reinhard glanced behind to see a massive spiraling beam of light that sent a shockwave sweeping out. He stabbed his white sword into the trunk next to him as the wind rushed past him. He gritted his teeth before pulling his sword out and continued rushing, using the wind to help upwards.
Have to hurry before the dragon or giant wins!
Reinhard continued rushing upward, following the curve of the ascending path as it spiraled around the great tree. The air seemed to be getting thinner, and the wind was picking up but he ignored all of these.
Once again, he heard another ear-splitting sound with a massive ice pillar forming from behind. It was tall enough that Reinhard could see it as he glanced behind in surprise.
He then continued running before stopping as he found a cliff, but he didn't mind. As he glanced to the left to see roots going up, he quickly began climbing up the roots.
He quickly grabbed onto the roots and pulled himself up before he began climbing up. But as he was climbing, he could feel how tired it was from how much energy it was taking to pull himself up now.
If that wasn't enough, the roots spaced farther apart and coated with a layer of ice, making it even difficult to get a hold. Regardless he pushed through it and after twenty seconds he hauled himself up over the edge and found himself in a wide-open snow area.
It is easily several hundred yards across and completely flat except some of the small hills in the snow. To his surprise, there was no tree trunk visible anywhere in this space too and making him think this was the top.
And there, in the exact center of the vast snowy expanse, stood a weapon that made his breath catch in his throat.
It was a black-blue jagged sword, its surface covered in intricate streaks and engravings that seemed to shift and flow in the pale light. Black-blue wisps of energy trailed off the weapon like flames.