The UH-60L Blackhawk helicopter touched down in the heart of the village, fitting snugly into the open space. Its presence instilled confidence in Bell, who marveled at the idea of using this remarkable machine for transportation to the base. Bell referred to the helicopter as 'that thing' because it was his first encounter with such a marvel. Its deafening noise and remarkable speed, perhaps rivaling that of wyverns, left a lasting impression on him.
Lisa informed Bell that they could reach the location Eldrin had marked on the map in under an hour, an impressive feat given Bell's limited experience with faster modes of transport. He fondly remembered the rare encounter with a fire dragon, a creature he had lost contact with after leaving the military to pursue a political career.
Inside the helicopter, four soldiers from the Air Assault unit occupied the seats. Two of them skillfully piloted the aircraft while the other two assumed the roles of door gunners. Bell felt a hint of anxiety as he took to the skies once more, but as he securely strapped himself into the helicopter's seat, he couldn't help but feel that he was exactly where he needed to be.
As the rotors of the UH-60L Blackhawk helicopter roared to life, a powerful gust of wind stirred the surrounding area. Villagers paused their tasks, gazing up in a mixture of awe and apprehension at the machine ascending above their tranquil village. Inside the aircraft, Bell, Lisa, and Eldrin were securely strapped in, unable to hold a conversation over the thunderous roar of the engine.
Bell gazed out of the window, his eyes locked onto the shrinking village below. What had once sprawled out before them now resembled a miniature model, its intricate details fading with each passing moment. Eldrin, though visibly uneasy, remained fixated on the swiftly changing landscape below.
Lisa, the consummate professional, diligently checked her equipment, ensuring that everything was securely in place for the journey. The two door gunners, ever vigilant, scanned the horizon, their hands never straying far from their weapons. The pilots expertly guided the helicopter, their blades slicing through the air with rhythmic precision.
As they soared over the northern plains, the scenery transformed from the familiar village sights to the untamed wilderness. The landscape blended shades of green and white, with occasional glimpses of sparkling streams and fleeting shadows cast by passing clouds. The treelines gradually receded as they entered the northern plain. Bell couldn't pinpoint the helicopter's exact speed, but it was undeniably swift.
Eldrin, still silent, wore a pensive expression, likely due to his distrust of the demons. For all he knew, he might be walking into a trap where Bell and his demonic forces seized control of the village, leaving him to perish in an obscure cave. These well-armed demons could easily assert their authority over the villagers.
As the helicopter approached its destination, the terrain below became progressively rugged and unwelcoming. Snow-capped peaks and frozen rivers dominated the landscape, a sharp departure from the village they had left behind. The air grew colder, and anticipation filled the helicopter's atmosphere. When the helicopter hovered above the ground, Bell took the leap first, followed closely by Lisa and Eldrin. Bell consulted his PDA; it appeared that the cave wasn't far now.
The helicopter lifted off the ground, briefly returning to base for a refuel before embarking on its journey to find the cave hidden in the vast wilderness. Snow fell steadily from the sky, and it was only a matter of time before they needed to seek shelter from the biting cold.
This location appeared to be in an elevated region, situated on the border between the northern continent and the desolate no man's land, an area where the undead were most concentrated. Ironically, this no man's land had once been inhabited by people before the plague and the rise of the undead. Scattered trees dotted the landscape, but overall, it was a vast mountain range separating two equally unwelcoming regions.
"I can't quite picture you trekking up this hill, Eldrin," commented Lisa, her balaclava concealing her face from the harsh cold.
"It's a habit, and I don't really understand what you two expect to find here," replied Eldrin. "Besides, she's mortally wounded, and this snow is the only thing keeping her alive."
"What?" Lisa asked, puzzled by the connection between the cold and the ice spirit's survival. She wasn't entirely sure how the ice spirit's biology worked in the first place, recognizing that it likely differed significantly from that of a human.
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"Fire spirits thrive in heat, and ice spirits in cold. Place a fire spirit in this climate, and it would perish before realizing it," Bell added.
"Got it, elemental preferences," Lisa responded, grasping the concept.
After a brief hike, Bell and Lisa couldn't ignore the chilling fact that it was getting even colder as they ascended. Bell was certain that the source of this bone-chilling cold was the ice spirit they sought. He glanced at his PDA, which displayed a temperature of -25 degrees Celsius. While it wasn't uncommon for the northern plain to reach such extremes, if this was the daytime temperature, they could only imagine how frigid it would become when night fell.
"Does she always reside here?" Bell inquired.
"Most of the time, she roams all over the northern plain, but if you're looking to find her, she's consistently here because this is her home," Eldrin explained.
As Bell, Lisa, and Eldrin pushed forward through the deepening snow, their breaths formed visible clouds in the freezing air. They approached the entrance of an icy cavern, a massive opening in the mountainside. Its edges were adorned with icicles that sparkled like diamonds beneath the pale sunlight. The wind howled around them, creating an eerie chorus that seemed to emanate from the cavern itself.
Eldrin led the way with unwavering confidence, navigating the slippery terrain with ease. His voice barely carried over the howling wind as he spoke, "This is it—the abode of the Ice Spirit."
Once inside the cavern, they found themselves in a mesmerizing world of ice and snow. Clear ice stalactites and stalagmites protruded from both the floor and ceiling, forming a winding labyrinth that led deeper into the mountain. The entire cavern was enveloped in white and, on occasion, transparent ice, making it an ideal dwelling for an ice spirit. Bell couldn't help but gape in awe, his breath escaping in visible puffs as he shielded himself from the biting cold.
As they ventured deeper, the temperature plummeted even further, and their breaths turned into mist before dissipating. Lisa wrapped her arms tightly around herself, despite her thick clothing, shivering as she muttered, "How can anything survive in such frigid conditions?"
[-35° Celsius]
Suddenly, they rounded a corner and stepped into a vast chamber, the Ice Spirit's dwelling. The chamber held simple furnishings, including a throne for the Ice Spirit and additional items like chairs crafted from soft snow. At the center of the chamber, resting on an ice bed, lay the Ice Spirit herself.
She was a vision of ethereal beauty, her skin as white as snow and adorned with a faint blue luminescence. Her hair resembled strands of frozen mist, and she wore a dress that emitted a gentle, blue ethereal glow. Bandages were wrapped around her chest, but it was evident that water seeped from beneath them.
In the heart of this icy chamber, the sight of the comatose Ice Spirit and the lifeless demon beside her stirred a complex mix of emotions in Bell and his companions. The presence of the demon hinted at a sinister plot, confirming Eldrin's suspicions. The demon wore an Empire's army uniform, similar to the one Bell had worn before receiving his system. He also clutched a rifle that Bell couldn't immediately identify.
Bell approached cautiously, his gaze shifting between the Ice Spirit and the fallen demon. "This isn't one of ours," he stated, closely examining the rifle. It turned out to be the Empire's bolt-action rifle, and there was a large, gaping wound on the Ice Spirit's body. "This is the Empire's bolt-action rifle, but this isn't a demon from our side."
Eldrin's frustration and anger were palpable as he confronted the grim scene. His voice quivered with a mix of sorrow and fury. "Your kind!" he spat at Bell, his eyes burning with intensity. "You talk of healing and saving, but it was one of your empire's soldiers who did this! This is my wife! Do you understand how I feel?"
Lisa, her eyes locked on the ailing Ice Spirit, added with concern, "She's barely holding on. This cold is keeping her alive, but it's not enough. Damn, I never studied the anatomy of ice spirits. Bell, do you have any idea how to heal her? My healing magic is too slow." Her hands emitted a soft yellow ethereal glow, attempting to mend the wound, but the water slush continued to leak from the Ice Spirit's body. Lisa couldn't identify any internal organs in the spirit's icy form, making her question the feasibility of surgery.
"Don't look at me, my crimson flame would kill her outright," Bell replied, scratching his chin as he contemplated the situation. Ice spirits had an affinity for extreme cold, and this one was of higher rank. If they could find something even colder than this environment, there might be a chance to cure her, without risking exposing her to warmer temperatures at the peak of the mountain range.
"My ice magic is also ineffective. Utterly useless!" Eldrin lamented, turning away as he wrestled with his emotions.
Lisa hypothesized, "What if we place her in a tank of liquid nitrogen? She doesn't seem to possess any internal organs or a need to breathe, right?" Her eyes lit up with the idea. "It's significantly colder than the environment here, and if what you're saying is true, wouldn't the extra cold temperature be advantageous? Liquid nitrogen is extremely cold, around -196 degrees Celsius."
Bell considered the suggestion carefully, assessing the potential risks and benefits. "It's a plausible idea, especially considering she's an ice spirit."
Lisa nodded in agreement. "It's worth a shot. While we prepare the liquid nitrogen, we should do our best to keep her stable. Eldrin, could you use your ice magic to maintain the current temperature around her? We need to prevent any further deterioration."
Eldrin, his anger now giving way to resolute determination, nodded firmly. "I'll do everything within my power." He began to channel his ice magic, creating a steady, frigid aura around the Ice Spirit to prevent any further decline in her condition.