Garett struggled through the deep snow. The wind blew ferociously, unnaturally. Like it was warning him and his six companions to go back. He wouldn't go back.
He would explore this unexplored part of the world no matter the cost. No one knew what was here, anyone who did was probably dead. This place was truly uninhabitable, but he and his companions came prepared for anything.
It was too cold, and the food would occasionally be frozen but occasionally they would find a cave manageable and they would rest and make a fire that threatened to go off every time the wind lashed out. They began to use spare clothing to start the fires and they used the wood they brought to keep it alive.
One week here and they had found no living thing, not even a plant. Doubts occasionally crept in that there was much here to explore, and on the ninth day he would have given up had they not come across a cave so large it seemed inhabitable.
The top was high and there were three thrones made of ice on a dais at the center of the cave.
"What in the world?" Said Sharaya, the most trusted of his companions. Her beautiful face stark with amazement.
"You May yet be unto something after all Garett." said Roudog who never believed in this mission but would follow Sharaya to the ends of the earth.
"Come, let's make a fire then explore this place." Garett said eagerly.
They made to proceed but suddenly heard a voice.
"Mortals." Garett turned in shock to find three persons sitting on the three seats.
Their bodies feeble but tall. Their faces pure white so that even their white hair seemed part of their face. They had no pupils, just a white eye socket.
Now this was progress, Garett thought. The rest of his team looked like they were about to bolt but Garett simply approached the dais.
"Dead gods." he heard Blue whisper behind him.
"What in the world are you?" Garett asked the strange looking...beings.
"We are not of the world." they all said together "And you are not of this place. You must leave."
"Leave? Why? If there are more like you then I must meet them."
"There are no more like us mortal!" They said impatiently
"You call us mortals, what exactly does that make you? Immortal?"
"Do not test me mo..." They stopped abruptly.
Then whispers filled the room, great whispers that Garett and his companions had to cover their ears. Then the whispers also stopped.
"You fools...you have led them here."
"Led who here?" Garett asked
"The evil." They said "Your lives mean nothing to us mortal, but perhaps the mass of your race has value."
The one in the middle stretched his hand and a small ball glowing a light blue appeared there making three or four of his companions gasp.
"Take this mortal." They said "We can no longer protect it for the evil now knows it exists and it is no longer safe with us but with the one who it is destined for."
"You're not making any sense." Garett was saying, a bit of panic now creeping into him. "What is the evil and-"
"Take this staff." They said and a gray staff appeared at Garett's feet. "Go far out into the brewing storm and stamp it in the snow. It will take you all as far as the border of these lands. You must find the one destined for the ball lest your whole race fall to the evil."
"But—" Before Garett could speak, they had faded into snow.
"Garett." Sharaya spoke. "What do we do?"
"I believe our mission has come to an end. Come on, we must leave now." Garett said.
They all hurried out and into the wild storm, covering as much ground as possible. Something made Garett feel like they were being watched, and it was unsafe. The wind was relentless, no matter how much they wanted to get out of here, they needed to rest, they needed a cave, and they needed to -
"Guys!" They heard Blue call out in the harsh wind from behind. They turned back to see to see him looking behind too.
"What is it Blue?!" Asked Garett
"That rock just blinked at me!" Said Blue
"Well that doesn't make any sense!" Retorted Roudog.
"Well that's why I called you!" Blue said.
Garett stepped forward and peered at the white rock a distance away. As he looked at it, the rock opened up and had arms, then stood tall.
That was no rock. It had the form of a human and had red eyes and fangs. Then it took a step forward, then another and another.
"Run...RUN NOW!" Garett yelled as everyone began running.
The foot steps behind them began to sound more like it was running towards them. Garett turned back to find two more had joined the initial one, running like deranged people. They were fast.
"Drop anything slowing you down." Garett shouted over the wind.
They dropped the bags of wood and other non important things as they ran. Then Abe who was running in front of them was suddenly jacked sideways into a part of the storm they could not see clearly.
They all stopped abruptly, and so did the three things who were running behind them, as though they enjoyed the hunt. Abe's head flew out and thudded in front of them.
There were screams, then more running. Garett turned back to find that Blue had been jacked back by one of the things attacking them. Grief hit him for the people who he had brought into this. Camren was picked off next, her screaming was louder than the sound of the wind.
When Garett knew the creature was close to getting another one of them, he stopped abruptly and whirled around with the staff given to him by the more friendly creatures they met earlier.
It connected with the face of one of the things and startled the remaining two that they stood and watched for a minute. That was all Garett needed.
"Huddle around me!" He shouted to what was left of his companions.
They circled him and then he struck the staffs end on the snow. Lightning struck on their position and then they disappeared.
******
Kai woke up on a soft mattress in a room, sweaty but invigorated. The nightmares didn't seem to care that he had a rough day. He had climbed down the castle through the window yesterday and then he had sneaked past the guards. Nothing he couldn't handle.
But then his wound had ripped open due to all the stress. He was bleeding and was weak and the last thing he remembered was him crashing in an alley, hugging his sword tight.
The room had a wardrobe, a table and a chair, and two doors. He tried the first one which was the bathroom, it looked like it had good plumbing and it was neat. He tried the other door which led him to the living room of the house.
"Oh you're awake." someone said behind him. He turned to see a young man wearing an apron and mittens.
"Where's my sword?" Kai asked
"Good morning to you too." The young man said but Kai had no need for formalities. He needed to move. If they found him...
The young man sighed and pointed to a corner where books had been piled. Kai's sword lay against the wall looking comfortable so he was at ease. He looked at his abdomen that had been restitched neatly.
"I'm a healer." the man said "I saw you in bad shape on an alley while coming home so I decided to help."
Kai looked into the kitchen where the aroma of stew and other delicacies came from.
"Thought you'd be hungry." the man said "have a seat and give me a minute"
Kai stood there considering how much time he had already spent, then decided he wouldn't get far without eating properly. He was starving. He sat down and five minutes later he was digging into food. For desert he had strawberries.
This man was quite hospitable. He sat across the table staring at Kai in wonder as anyone would when they saw him eating as fast as he did. He got himself together and spoke.
"I'm Abel...What's your name?" He said. Kai didn't reply, he just got up and grabbed his sword then settled on the sitting room sofa. Abel got up, and came to the sitting room.
He had brown hair and dark eyes. He was a little small in stature but was what you'd call pretty and not handsome. A pretty man. Kai chuckled in his mind.
"I stitched you up, housed you and fed you. I deserve your name and a thank you at least." Abel said.
"I am Kai. Thank you" Kai said reluctantly. He then stared at a painting on the wall of Abel and someone else who looked just like him but older. Brown hair but gray eyes and a more muscular build. Abel noticed him staring.
"That's my brother." He said "His name is Garett."
"Does he stay here?" Kai asked. Maybe small talk would make this man let him leave here easily.
"No. He's on an expedition. He went to the other side with a group of people." Abel said with a hint of pride in his voice.
"He will not survive." Kai simply said which made Abel flinch a bit.
"He will Survive" Abel retorted indignantly. Kai just grunted. "Who cut you that bad?" Abel asked
"A man with a sword." Kai said
"I mean who -" Abel was cut off by a knock on the door.
"Are you expecting anyone?" Kai asked
"No one" Abel replied. He walked to the door while Kai stayed in the sitting room, gripping the hilt of his sword in preparation of anything he didn't like.
Abel walked in a minute later and Kai sighed tiredly. For with him he had two royal guards and the princess of Arocelli.