Jack was led through the settlement, his mind racing with possibilities. The village was unlike any Ice Age settlement he had imagined—organized, thriving, and structured like an early civilization rather than a scattered tribe. Smoke curled from chimneys, and thick wooden walls surrounded the perimeter. The people here were skilled, hardened by the elements, yet their level of advancement was centuries ahead of where they should be.
As they reached the largest structure in the village, the guards signaled for him to enter. Inside, a fire burned at the center of a vast chamber, illuminating the faces of five elders seated in a semicircle. They were dressed in elaborate fur-lined robes, their eyes sharp with intelligence. The gray-eyed leader, who had introduced himself as Eirik, gestured for Jack to kneel before them."You stand before the Elders of Vinterhold," Eirik announced. "They will determine your place among us."
An elder woman with silver-streaked hair leaned forward. "You came through the light. You are not the first, but you may be the last. What is your purpose here, traveler?"
Jack took a deep breath. "I didn't come here by choice. I was pulled through the portal. But if there have been others before me, I need to know—what happened to them?"
The elders exchanged glances before a bearded man spoke. "The first traveler came long ago. He claimed to be a warrior from a world beyond. He taught us many things—how to forge metal, how to hunt more efficiently. But his heart was full of greed and conquest. He sought to rule, not help. We cast him out."
Jack frowned. "And the others?"
"Some were like you—lost, seeking a way home. Others sought to manipulate time itself. Each left their mark. The timeline has been broken before, and it is fragile."
Jack's pulse quickened. "If the timeline has been changed, I need to fix it. I have to find the portal again."
The elder woman nodded slowly. "There is one who might help you. A seer, an oracle who speaks of time. She lives beyond the ice cliffs. But be warned—the journey is treacherous, and not all who seek her return."
Eirik stepped forward. "If you go, you will not go alone. I will send warriors to guide you. But know this, traveler—if you bring ruin, we will not hesitate to end your journey here."
Jack met his gaze firmly. "I have no intention of bringing ruin. I just want to set things right."
The decision was made. The next morning, Jack would set out toward the ice cliffs, toward the seer who held the answers he needed. But something in the elders' eyes told him that the past was far more complicated than he realized—and the dangers ahead were greater than he could imagine.