-Break-
Continent: Northern edge of Terrafide.
Location: Fimbulwinter
Φ Feeling a tap on my head, I hear, “Guāng wake up.”
Immediately opening my eyes, I see our leader Casandra staring at me with an annoyed expression.
Embarrassed, I ask, “Did I fall asleep?”
“Like a storybook princess.”
Beside the leader, the large man known as Thorgrim laughs and then says, “I thought one of us would have to kiss you awake.”
Even more embarrassed, I say, “Sorry!” While bowing.
Beside me, the girl, named Anouk says, “In all honesty, you being asleep made all of us have a better ride since your shaking was bothering the hell out of me.”
“Sorry.”
“Could you stop fucking apologizing?”
Scared, I say, “SORRY!”
“DIDN’T I SAY STOP.”
Thorgrim says, “Well who could blame him Anouk, you are much worse than any beast we’ve fought. Don’t worry Guāng you will eventually warm up to her.”
Under her breath, she mutters, “I swear why do we have to bring this rookie along?”
I say, “Being quiet doesn’t work if you are right beside me.”
Even more enraged, she shouts, “MAYBE I WANT YOU TO HEAR IT.”
“AHHH, SORRY!!”
Laughing, Thorgrim says, “Taking back to Anouk you really do have some balls.”
Grabbing me by the collar, Anouk says, “Well if he has any, I am going to cut them off.”
Casandra says, “ANOUK CALM DOWN.”
“But boss.”
“No, buts, and didn’t I tell you not to judge people so fast? He isn’t a rookie in the slightest.”
“What do you mean?”
“I will explain later because we are almost at Fimbulwinter so now we need to go over the details of our mission.”
Both Thorgrim and Anouk immediately compose themselves, so I sit up straight as well. Then moments later Casandra says, “When we arrive at Fimbulwinter we are to escort a scholar from Cordum through the forest until we find proof of the existence of people living there.”
Irritated Anouk says, “SO]o we’re taking this mission because of the rumours?”
“Yes.”
Confused, I ask, “I thought no one could survive on Fimbulwinter?”
Casandra says, “So did everyone until recently. There have been rumours flying about that Fimbulwinter has secretly been hiding a group of people within it.”
“How is that possible? Aren’t their place on Fimbulwinter that hit absolute Zero!”
“It is said that these people live on the lower level of Fimbulwinter, so they possibly could survive down there, and now a scholar has asked us to look for them with him.”
“Still, I don’t see why these people are so important for us to do this mission, I know the scholars from Cordum want every single sprinkle of information they can get their hands on but isn’t this a bit too dangerous?”
“Apparently the people who live in Aplos are direct descendants of Magnolia of Celestial vision.”
Jumping up, I say, “The pupil of Basileia, the one who built the Elpída platforms and revolutionised technological advancements worldwide.”
Knocking me back down, Anouk says, “Sit the hell down!”
“Ahh, Sorry!”
With a smile, Thorgrim says, “You’re right Guāng, and some people now believe that these descendants have all of Celestial visions lost plans.”
Casandra says, “Now a bunch of people have been going directly to Fimbulwinter to look for them, and where next.”
As the carriage comes to a stop, Casandra says, “Looks like we are here?”
We all step out of the carriage, and Casandra pays the coachman, saying, “Thanks for the lift.”
“It was no problem, but one bit of advice is that you turn back. I have given quite a few people rides up here in recent months, but none have returned.”
“You don’t have to worry about us, because all of us are pro adventurers!”
“Well then, I hope to be given you a lift back. See you.”
“See you.”
Turning around, Casandra says, “We are meeting the scholar here so we should just sit down and wait for a bit.”
“YOU DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT,” We hear behind us.
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Turning around, we see a very young man in what looks to be white and gold church garments, but they are modified as if they are made for winter.
Walking up to him, Casandra says, “You must be Christopher.”
Energetically, shaking her hand, Christopher says, “You’re Casandra Neverlunar. Height; 177cm, weight; 58kg, favourite food; bananas, favourite colour; orange. Has two daughters, named Mary and Annabel. Had a husband who was kidnapped a few years ago but miraculously he escaped and returned. When you wake up you preheat the milk for every member of your family, then yo-.”
Breaking free of his hand, Casandra says, “You scholars are as creepy as ever.”
“We are simply children of god, what is weird about appreciating all his other children.”
“And being religious psychos doesn’t help your case.”
“Hey we aren’t religious psychos, that’s Gevurah; we're the nice ones!”
“Yeah, yeah, that’s what all you religious types say. So did you bring what I requested?”
“Yes, I did,” he says handing me a bag.
Turning around with the bag, Casandra throws it at us and then says, “Here you guys go.”
Looking inside the bag, we see clothes so I ask, “What is this?”
Christopher says, “Those are special clothes I procured for this trip for you all.”
Anouk says, “Oh this looks cute.”
“Is this why we all came with light equipment?”
Thorgrim says, “Exactly.”
“But will these even be useful against the extreme cold of Fimbulwinter?”
Christopher says, “These clothes are all made from wonderbeasts of islands close to Fimbulwinter. So, they should have quite a bit of cold resistance, though only up to a certain point. Actually, the specific wonderbeasts they are made of ar-.”
Cutting him off, Casandra says, “We don’t have time for this, let’s get dressed.”
“RIGHT!”
-Break-
Holding the clothes close, I say, “This is really comfy!”
Anouk says, “Stop acting so childish.”
Thorgrim says, “Stop being a spoilsport these really are comfy, but I do feel like I might overheat within these.”
Begrudgingly, she says, “I guess your right Thorgrim.”
“But I just sai-.”
“SHUT UP!”
“YES, MA’AM.”
Christopher says, “Now let’s head inside!”
Casandra says, “No before that I will give you a breakdown of our team.”
“No need for that since I am familiar with all of you. Casandra is a front-line fighter who specializes in fighting animals and wonderbeasts. Thorgrim is a man who is known for his expert balance between solid iron defence and manoeuvrability, the walking wall they call you.
Anouk the free, known for her ability to take accurate shots in unstable territory, all three of you have very high approval ratings in the adventures guild.”
Anouk says, “Well, you seem to know your stu-.”
“And Guāng the winner of the Cordum heroes tournament this year. In all the rounds you weren’t even touched once, a sword prodigy they say. One who may even be greater than Bradamante.”
Feeling elated I rub the back of my head and say, “People are really saying that, how embarrassing!!”
Kicking me, Anouk says, “Don’t get cocky newbie. If Bradamante competed, you would have lost!”
Bowing out of fear, I say, “YES I WOULD’VE.”
Hitting Anouk on the head, Casandra says, “Calm down fool. Now everyone let’s get going.”
As we all walk towards the forest, I start to feel fear overtake my heart. Right now, we are about to travel into the storm of the apocalypse, a place many have never returned from.
Will I be able to fight well? Will I be able to perform as a member of this team effectively?
Casandra beside me says, “Don’t be scared Guāng.”
“But what if I mess up as part of the team?”
“Don’t worry about such things, we brought you on to this team because we need another front-line fighter and I believe in the skill I have seen. So don’t be afraid.”
Looking down, I say, “Ok.”
Φ Beside me Anouk says, “Why is the boss warming up to that kid?”
“I suggest you stop your childish hatred of that boy.”
“I CAN’T!! Ever since he won the tournament people have been calling him a greater swordsman than Bradamante, and as a Brady, I can’t allow such slander to persist.”
“You fans are just as crazy as the scholars.”
“Did you say something Thorgrim!!?”
Laughing, I say, “Your ears must have mistaken you.”
Upset, Anouk says, “Bradamante when will you return to Cordum and kick the butt of that foolish child!”
Anouk doesn’t like Guāng at all, but his skills are the real deal; the entire carriage ride here despite being asleep his muscles never relaxed and were always active, not only that but his spirit energy kept flowing fiercely throughout his body as well. What kind of training allows that to even happen?
-Break-
Φ As Anouk shiver behind me she says, “This whole fucking place is bullshit. I am head to toe in cold-resistant clothes and I still feel like my tits are about to freeze off.”
“Stop complaining Anouk.”
“Unlike the rest of you two, I don’t train my body to stupid levels.”
Pointing at Christopher, Anouk says, “How the hell is he doing alright!”
Turning around, he says, “My excitement has raised my body heat beyond what you normal humans could possibly achieve. GOD TRULY IS GREAT!”
“Well then what about the twig over there,” Anouk says pointing at me.
Confused by her statement, I say, “The cold is simply a construct of the mind.”
“THE HELL IT IS!”
Casandra says, “Anouk complain again, and I will tell the church where the cult of Bradamante is located.”
“We're not a cult, we’re just fans!”
Casandra turning to Christopher says, “You can find the location of the cult nor-.”
“Ok, ok, I’m sorry!” She says getting up.
As we continue to walk through Fimbulwinter, Anouk says, “Why the hell does this place even exist.”
Christopher with a light in his eyes asks, “DO YOU WANT AN EXAPLNATION?”
“No, I don’t because it is a rhetorical question. Everyone knows how Fimbulwinter formed.”
“Then would you please enlighten me?”
“Around 2000 years ago, during the 4th human-beastkin war the beastkin lost, and using a power unknown to us they froze the continent of Victoria as revenge. Due to the fact that Vicotria was the main hub of mankind at the time, the entire world was devasted with a continent essentially disappearing, so they decided to end the 2nd cycle of history and transition into the 3rd to show the giant change of the state of the world.”
Christopher says, “I am surprised you know so much.”
Anouk says, “Why would you? It is quite a common story to be told around the world.”
I say, “I think he was saying it is surprising that YOU know it.”
“MOTHERFUCKER.”
“Sorry!”
Christopher says, “Well at least that’s the popular theory as to why Fimbulwinter was formed. But in actuality, none know how it popped into existence.”
“Ehh, but I where thought it was because of the beastkin?”
“That’s simply a theory people have constructed due to the fact of how close the 4th human-beastkin war was in relation to the incident, and personally I do believe that does play a factor but in terms of proof it is non-existent.”
I ask, “But haven’t some dragons lived through such an event?”
Thorgrim says, “Dragons don’t involve themselves with humans, so I doubt they even know what happened till after it froze.”
Christopher says, “The only person who might have an idea is the nightmare queen who is said to have lived through such an event. But she isn’t receptive to humans either.”
I say, “And since Victoria had most of the documents of the time.”
Christopher says, “When it froze most of those records vanished forever, and since Cordum was only recently established during that time we are completely out of luck. So that’s why this discovery is much more important than one would believe, these people might have records of what actually happened during that time are much more important than simply the remnants of Magnolia’s work.”
Jumping up and down like a child, Christopher says, “They might finally answer all the questions we have. Why did Fimbulwinter and the sandstorm around Jedidiah form at the same time? Why was the 4th human-beastkin war so secretive? And most importantly, why was another name for the 4th human-beastkin war the destruction of light? Oh how exciting this all is!”
Suddenly Casandra shouts, “GET READY!”
Behind Christopher, a wonderbeast appears and rushes towards him, taking a moment to look around I see we are surrounded by wonderbeasts. Have they been hunting us!?