Theurgy: The Journey's Dawn (Book One)

Chapter 53 The Camp

"You seem perfectly fine don't you," Edlund commented as he pulled on an extra set of gloves from his kit, shivering as a sudden breeze buffeted his hood. "Damn you Thirians, warm-blooded through and through."

"Don't be such a child," she told him. "This is merely discipline and focus. Even you can do the same. One would think knights to be able to endure such trivial challenges."

"To be fair," Lyse said. "We've been traveling for hours, and not once have you seem bothered. You must have indeed trained a lot for this, haven't you?"

She cocked her head to the side and looked towards the two of them. "Listen for a moment. Tell me what you hear."

They both looked at each other, a bit confused, for a moment before complying, closing their eyes and letting the buffeting winds carry away their surroundings. They could hear the march of feet and hooves through the fresh snow, the branches that slid against one another like violins playing a haunting sound. There was a bit of chatter, but it was against as everyone kept to themselves against the winter that hailed them.

They relayed all of this to her, and she nodded. "There's a bear 30 feet to our right."

Lyse's eyes burst open, and he immediately zipped his eyes in that direction. Edlund followed suit. And sure enough, a white bear caught in these awful conditions looked upon them as their past, on the outer edge of a cave. They were astounded just how well it blended into its surroundings and how little sound it actually made it, loved by the forest.

"If you pace your breathing correctly, and focus on things other than your coldness, things like this won't alarn you. Survival means knowing your surroundings and yourself," she said. "Wanna learn how to handle the cold, even if your, not a Thirian? Learn to focus on other things."

"And how long before we learn to do that?" Lyse asked jokingly.

She shrugged. "You are smart, lads. Just trust your instincts."

"Yeah, and mine says it's sick of this cursed blizzard," Moxie bit against the wind. "Let's set up camp already and hope for this storm to go over us, yeah?"

Makyra sighed, looking up at Lyse, who looked back at the other men. "Let's settle till all this to go over. We'll move right after," he shouted.

There was sparse energy even to celebrate the special occasion. The troop at large just found the nearest suitable clearing and began pulling up shelter to protect them from the weather. A welcomed advancement for most. Edlund and Lyse set their tents up near where Moxie and Makyra planned to stay for the night, near the center of the camp. Watches were set at the perimeters, scouts who could alarm them when Frostlanders or other like creatures descended upon them. It most certainly wouldn't be ideal to be caught in such a storm, and Lyse suspects that Frostlanders fight rather well in these sorts of conditions. He planned on good sleep, to put his frantic mind to rest after what happened at that battle. He'd rather forget entirely. But before he was able to comfort himself, Makyra approached their tents.

"What's the occasion?" Edlund asked. "I think we all need the rest, don't we?"

"Moxie wants a bit more celebrating," Makyra said."You know, still having an arm and all."

Edlund considered. "Wouldn't mind some spirits. You Lyse?"

Lyse took a deep breath. "Fine, I'll join, but don't expect me to break loose."

"Just a harmless drink, Lyse; what harm can it do?" Edlund prompted as they followed Makyra to Moxies's rather large tent compared to everyone else's.

"From what mother have told me," he said. "People used to worship the state of intoxication. It liberated them. But it also notably drove men insane who delved too far in."