A Fog rolled over the mountain, the tall trees and low valleys cast in eerie grey shapes. Icy mist drew over the land like a blanket, covering it in frosty dew. This obscurant weather was the very sort that led lone travellers over crevices and ravines to their death. The road ever winding and treacherous was empty except for two shadows traversing along it.

The first was a tall horse pounding the ground with its hooves and sounding ringing steps across the mountainside. The other was a stout pony following behind obediently. The owners of the horses were in many respects quite like their equine compatriots. The bold and proud Yuki, with her short white hair and dark icy eyes. Followed by a strange blond gentleman, held down by a hefty backpack.

Alexander looked up to the sky, his eyes scanning the grey morass, the noon sun that had shone so brightly was now nowhere to be seen. Yet it was not dark, although he could feel the blackening of the world around him.

“It’s starting to get dark” he suggested trotting to Yuki’s side, she glanced to him then back to the road.

“We should have reached the temple by now” she muttered. She had set off two days ago from Ryuji castle, it was planned for her to reach Nakamura temple by the end of the first day. In fact, board and provisions had already been prepared. It was from there that the main road through the mountain range started.

It had been her minimum requirement. But ever since the Inn she’d lost her way, and now there was this damnable mist. She wanted a nice safe rest at the temple, dammit!

She shook her head; this was no way for a warrior to react. Scolding herself. No if she couldn’t handle such a short trek, she wouldn’t ever handle a military campaign. Sighing she brought her horse to a stop.

“we’ll rest here tonight” she said relenting, dismounting she led them off the path up from the road until a small clearing could be found. It wasn’t dry, but neither of them expected it to be as they promptly made camp.

…

The red coals of the fire smouldered in the dark, patches of white snow fell lightly dusting the hard ground. Yuki rolled in her soft furs; the millet porridge sat uncomfortably in her stomach. She shivered; her breath steamed out under the canopy of the tent. It was a small tarp held up by Alexanders walking stick and pegged down on three sides forming a small triangle open at the base. Through here a cold draft blew, Yuki tossed and turned before finally opening her eyes.

Shivering she sat up, even though the deerskin bedding and her thick linen sleeping roll the cold ground was noticeable. Yuki hissed a curse, then fumbling looked for another coat to keep her warm.

The tent was enough for two people, or at least it would be if half of it wasn’t taken up by her arms and armour. Metal and bow sinew were complex and delicate, she’d reasoned. It wouldn’t do for anything to rusted or be stolen, besides last night was proof enough that she needed her weapons at hand. Her eyes adjusted slowly until finally she felt her hand over her warm Kimono. She hugged it close to her, feeling the soft fabric against her skin.

She felt a twinge of guilt, Alexander had drawn the short straw. Being forced to reluctantly sleep outside placing his bedding as close to the fire as he dared. Yuki thought for a second, and slipping out of her sleeping bag went to the fire. It was a smouldering pile of charcoal hissing with each snowflake that landed inside. Socks and the pony sat around it, their large bodies acting as living windbreaks.

However, the linen rolls that were supposed to hold Alexander were empty. Yuki stood there for a second looking at it. Her brain went stiff, and then a flurry of thoughts flew through her head. The strongest was anger, mainly towards herself.

For being so stupid as to take his word, for letting him out of her sight, for thinking about how sad and cold he must be when he was now laughing at how easily he’d duped her. Repressing a scream Yuki rushed back to the tent grabbing her sword, then dashing back hurriedly looking for any trace of a trail.

The damnable snow was starting to fall thick now, soon it would obscure any footprints he could have left. Wasting no time she inspected the grass; it wasn’t long till she had her clue. He didn’t seem overly careful she thought looking at the disturbed grass. It was new. Maybe an hour at the most, if she followed now she would catch up with only a light jog.

Springing down past the trail she wound through the trees, he had wandered up and down, almost at random. The excitement and panic sent a shiver through her, the snow forming in her hair. The fire was only just visible now through the dark sea of trees, unseen roots and branches snatched and grabbed at her. But a hole in the foliage was clear to her, someone had smashed through recently.

Now almost blind she stumbled forward, tripping over an exposed root she caught herself on an aspen. Looking up from the trail she saw something that defied all her worldly experience. Before her was a clearing, but it was full of a blue light. It wasn’t bright, any true fire outshone it. But it came not from one source but all around only absent in one spot. There a single figure stood casting no shadow, bent crooked over the ground she heard a raspy voice gibbering a language she couldn’t grasp. She could feel a tension, a pressure emanating from within the light. And realised the pale glow was growing in strength, the gibbering becoming louder and more pained.

It grew and grew, frightfully bright and unnatural, it illuminated the glade. The figure stood up; Yuki screwed up her eyes. And realised with a shock the source was not some demon, but Alexander.

He fumbled briefly with his hands before pulling out a slip of paper, in the blue light she could make out strange symbols scrawled upon it. shining unnaturally in the mage light. He paused his incantation; the light was now as bright as a bonfire but stable and still like daylight.

Then the parchment was dropped, and the glade went dark, Yuki blinked wondering if she had let out a gasp. Before turning and running back to her tent, to the normalcy of the campfire, to the comfort of sleep and dreams.

…

Dawn rolled around and Yuki crawled out of her tent, eyes heavy with bags. Her sleep had been disturbed with blue light and cryptic whisperings. Alexander meanwhile had restarted the fire with some dry wood and was busily cooking a porridge of millet. Yuki looked around, the heavy fog had remained and now a fine dusting of white snow coated the ground.

Everything however, seemed completely normal. No blue fire, no strange incantations. And Alexander although looking tired seemed rather chipper for someone who had slept outside in the cold.

“Good morning” he said without turning “did you sleep well?”, Yuki shivered slightly in the crisp morning air.

“Perfectly” she muttered looking around for her fur Kimono.

“Yea it was a bit chilly last night, had to restart the fire a few times. But thanks for the Kimono anyways it was very insulating, sorry if it left you a little chilly”. Yuki’s head swivelled to Alexander, watching him pull out the blue overcoat.

So, it hadn’t been a dream? Yuki realised a cold chill creeping up her spine. Alexander handed it to her. snatching it from him she looked at his fingers. On one was a copper band, when did the foreigner get a ring?

Locking eyes, she met his smile with a glare before turning her back on him.

“I’ll be packing away our belongings, we’re burning daylight and are already late. I want to be at the temple before sundown.”

Shrugging he returned to the pot,

“You do that, I’ll get food ready. You’re not you when you’re hungry” he chuckled. Yuki rolled her eyes,

“Don’t pretend to know me foreigner” she said sharply. Alexander returned the look with one of confusion and annoyance. He made to retort but thinking better of it returned to his cooking pot.

Turning to their luggage she rooted around, inside she found the snuff box which consisted of small slips of dry paper and tinder. Except now it was just tinder, the paper had been removed confirming her suspicions; he had taken the parchment and used it the night before.

But why? Was the thought that ran through her head as she returned to the fire. What had been the purpose of his ritual?

Tentatively she sat down next to him, ladling some of the porridge into a bowl. Blowing on it she watched from the side of eyes. What had Alexander been doing last night. Disappearing into the middle of the night? a blue light without any source or heat? a ring he shouldn’t have? Was he, as Goemon claimed, some Yokai in human guise? Or a sorcerer with foul intent? Was this meal some kind of Poison to take her out of the picture?

These questions and more rang through her head as she watched Alexander take the first sip of porridge, cautiously she copied. At least she could trust he wouldn’t poison himself as well.

The hot liquid poured down her throat and into her empty stomach, she would have to eat well, but lightly. It would be no good feeling bloated now; they needed to find directions at this rate. She just hoped they weren’t too lost.

Alexander, however, was wolfing down his food, draining it like a man starved for a week. Yuki stared with slight disgust and began wondering if he had enchanted himself to be able to eat without breathing.

Shaking her head, she finished her bowl; she would need to be cautious. Clearly, he had lied about his true identity and likely purpose, she felt a tinge of betrayal; even if she had barely known him the deception robbed her of even this small source of companionship.

…

Yuki rode down the mountain road, she kept Socks at a walk. Trotting occasionally before halting for Alexander and the mule to catch up. She felt impatient, she was already behind schedule, what kind of impression would the clan have if she travelled too slow?

Looking back, she cast a suspicious glance towards Alexander leaning on the walking stick as he followed behind. Wearing a rather blank and impassive smile that neither revealed nor hid. She didn’t trust it, clearly, he was a user of the dark arts. She would put him back on his leash when they reached the temple, she decided.

Looking back ahead she saw a dip in the road and then built almost into the mountainside a little cottage. It was ramshackle and crooked at an odd angle yet still smoke poured through the chimney. It was occupied.

Spurring Socks on she cantered down with a yell, the crashing hooves echoed off the road pounding down in front of the peasant hut. Mustering as much authority into her voice as possible Yuki commanded the occupants to open the door.

A minute later the shuffling of feet approached, and the door was opened revealing a wizened old woman. Her eyes scanned Yuki, her horse, and then the heavy armour with its signature blue and white patterns.

Quickly the peasant woman fell to her knees whimpering softly.

“Oh, forgive my lateness oh great Ryujin, I’m only an old woman. I can’t pay my taxes yet; my son is still out fishing- “

“I’m here for directions peon, where’s the Nakamura temple?” she demanded ignoring the hags’ pleas. The old woman shuffled to her feet and with a shaking hand pointed.

“Follow the road it’s on the other side of the mountain but be careful the way is perilous this time of year”. Yuki spurred Socks to a trot leaving the old cottage behind. Alexander followed hurriedly jogging up behind.

“Hold up you could thank the poor old thing” he said with disapproval.

“Thank her? She knew her place, she was serving me as she was meant to. Besides we don’t have time to waste on frivolities, I want to be at the temple before nightfall” she glared at him. Did this foreigner have no sense of social class? What did this old woman mean to him?

Turning away she increased her pace; she wanted some distance between them. Between her and that ring.

They travelled at a brisk rate, passing up and down many slopes and crevices. The land passed them by like a rolling curtain. Lonely valleys and steep cliffs kept them company, occasionally a waterfall spraying frozen water upon the rocks. Seldom stopping and only then for a cold snack of pressed rice wrapped in seaweed.

Slowly the path rose and rose, ascending slowly and with each step the cold crowded down more and more upon them, soon snowflakes began to fall. Uncontrollable they shivered. And then the Snowflakes fell like hail covering them as they travelled. Soon the visibility decreased, and their world became that of white rain falling everything about them.

Yuki pushed Socks onwards, the cold a burning chill across her fingers. The pain throbbed with each twitch and movement of the reigns. Blinding snow struck Yuki’s eyes, she shivered, she hadn’t ever felt such all-encompassing pain before. But they had to make it to the Nakamura temple.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

However, even as the snow piled onto the ground around them there was no sign nor sight of Nakamura temple. And the short winter day quickly began to wane, the dim cloud veiled sunlight fading with every passing hour.

In the distance wolf howls echoed off in the mountainsides, a shiver of fear passed over Yuki.

“They sound far off” Alexander said hopefully. Yuki shook her head; wolves were wily creatures. Responsible for many attacks, especially on lone travellers in the dead of winter. If they didn’t reach the temple by nightfall, well then foreign sorcerers wouldn’t be her only concern.

The snowfall continued unabated even past midday, dancing on icy winds that pierced like daggers even through Yuki’s thick armour. Breathing on her finger she tried to flex some feeling back into them. Looking behind her she saw Alexander trudging from behind, shivering uncontrollably as the chill breeze whispered past him.

Returning her eyes to the road ahead, Yuki strained her eyes to peer past the wall of snowflakes. Having become seemingly impenetrable in the increasing gloom. Stopping Socks, she jumped off,

“Are we having a break?” Alexander wheezed out hopefully. Yuki glared at him.

“Didn’t you hear those wolves? We need to reach the temple before nightfall or those howls you think are far off might get a lot closer.” She scolded as she headed to the pony behind him. The pack pony unperturbed by the mountain cold had begun foraging in the grass the minute it stopped moving.

Opening its pack Yuki rummaged through the supplies.

“What are you looking for?” Alexander asked.

“it’s getting dark, and we need light” she said her roaming hand failing to find the faggot she’d placed inside.

“Ah, sorry but it’s in my pack” he said dumping it on the ground, reaching inside he pulled out the bundle of sticks. A flicker of annoyance crossed Yuki’s face. Here he was moving everything, but what was his aim? What was his true goal?

Snatching them out from his hand she pulled out a reasonably sized stick and tied some tinder to its end. Bringing out her flint and steel, she ran them across each other. Sending showers of sparks onto the makeshift torch. After a minute one of the embers caught the tinder and glowing red it began to light, gently nursing the flame it grew bright as the sun dimmed.

Triumphantly Yuki held the fiery brand aloft as she continued to lead Socks along the path, the path ahead illuminated by the ruddy glow. Her sandals sunk into the snow, the creaking crunch of ice crystals as she stomped forwards. The sun continued to set, and the sky darkened, soon only the firelight illuminated the path ahead.

Images flickered in the darkness as her mind began to play tricks, she shook the illusion off and glanced back to her escort. He was visibly shivering, even under his heavy overcoat, at least this told her that his magic didn’t make him immune to the cold.

Again, questions formed in her mind, about the ritual from last mind and the missing slips of paper; she glanced around half expecting to see some blue fire emerge in the distance. But all she saw was the pitch black of night surrounding her. In the distance the howl of wolves came again, Yuki could feel Socks tremble at the sound, but to her relief it sounded more distant than previously.

She urged herself on, her feet had become as numb to the cold as her fingers, but she trudged through the snow which had piled almost up to a foot. Again, she glanced back at Alexander, he was lagging, clearly, he was trying to secret away to perform some dark rite she reasoned.

She wondered whether to wait, but Socks had made the decision for her, suddenly refusing to move. Yuki stared at her horse, and then in frustration kicked the snow, the white clod sparkled in the torch before arcing down into the void.

Staring after it she waved her torch into the darkness, and with horror saw that the road suddenly stopped. The path she was taking dropped away into nothingness, stepping back she shook her head.

“Hey Alex” she shouted back, he looked up his haggard face chattering.

“w-ww-what?” he asked.

“The roads dropped away into a cliff; we can’t go any further, were going back and finding another way around the mountain” she said watching her breath stream out into the air.

He looked at her, horror dawning on his face “In this weather? No! We’ll freeze to death before we get anywhere.”

“You dare refuse an order from me?!” she shouted “We were expected days ago! We must reach the temple before-“

“Before what!” he shouted back cutting her off “Before nightfall, before we get lost before we freeze to death? We need to make camp, light a fire, find shelter or we’ll never reach the temple!” he said.

Yuki stared at him for a moment, then back towards the cliff edge, that was now a swirling eddy of falling snow. She sighed “Fine! We’ll make camp, but if I see you doing anything suspicious, and I do mean anything. Then I’m throwing you off the cliff edge.” She said pointing to it and watching his face. He had planned this, clearly, she’d known exactly where she was going until he cast that spell. That must have been his aim, to get her lost and abandon her in the mountains.

She wouldn’t allow that.

Feverishly they looked for a place away from the wind, finding a small alcove they set up the tarp and again propped it up with the walking stick to create a makeshift tent. While Yuki did this Alexander had dumped the remainder of their firewood into a pile, gathering the horses to either side of it to protect any fire they hoped to make from the wind.

Yuki rolled out her sleeping skin, the water-proof deer hide being placed on the ground, and layer after layer blanket placed on top. She put her bow and quiver in the back, strung just in case. She’d always been sensible enough to not camp this high up in such cold conditions, would she wake up tomorrow? The fears she’d ignored climbing so far through the mountains now began to consume her, would she freeze? Would wolves devour her in her sleep? Her mind raced distractedly until she noticed a blue flash in the corner of her eye.

She spun around searching for its source, her eyes landing on the bonfire that was crackling into life. The foreigner warmed his hands beside it, his fingers were crimson from mild frostbite, and entwined in them were some slips of paper.

“You what did you do?” Yuki said her eyes narrowing, she hadn’t heard the telltale scraping of flint and steel.

“I used some tinder to start a fire” Alexander said wincing in pain as he thawed himself.

“That was quick I didn’t notice you building it up” she said almost casually, she’d considered it a good hour of work to get a fire started in these conditions. And he’d seemingly been at it for less than a minute.

He shrugged “sailor’s secret” he said glancing down at the tent “So can I sit beside you?”.

Yuki stared at him as if he’d suggested she fly “Of course not, you have your own sleeping roll, you can use that” she said pointing to one of the horse’s saddle-pack.

“But mines not waterproof! And don’t expect me to sleep outside again, I’d die in this weather.” He said locking eyes with her, Yuki stared at him, who did this foreigner think he was? She asked herself, was he oblivious to why a woman of high standing wouldn’t want to share a tent with a strange man? Let alone some insidious sorcerer.

But then again, she considered, she couldn’t afford him dying, not until she completed her duties to her lord. Sighing she swallowed her pride and shame.

“Fine! We’ll share the tent, but if you do anything I’ll “.

“Throw me off a cliff?” he asked.

She scowled at him, unwilling to confirm his suggestion. Quietly he unpacked his own sleeping role and shunted it into the tent, planting himself next to her, leaning forwards to the fire for warmth.

Yuki watched him in silence, shivering quietly as she warmed, staring into the burning wood as it cracked and splintered; she wondered what her father was doing. She hoped he wasn’t worrying too much, he was probably staring at the mountain path right now, wishing her good luck and safe travel.

“So why are you doing this?” she heard her travel companion say.

“Doing what?” she could feel the warmth of the fire beat against her brows, she could almost imagine it was summer.

“I mean why are you going on such a dangerous journey? I do not see why you want to get me to the capital so bad” he said feeding another log into the fire.

“Because my lord has bid me to take you, I’m a Warrior of the Ryuji clan if he orders me, I shall carry it out without question” she responded automatically.

“But why you specifically, there was that rude fellow, I am certain they would like him to be gone for a while”

“You mean Goemon, no they couldn’t risk the heir to the clan; besides he’d die from alcohol withdrawal if he went a week without sake” she said watching the log char in the flame.

“Does he not have a brother or a sister or a cousin” he asked.

Yuki fidgeted in her seat “ah yes, he does actually” she said glancing out to the snowy darkness.

“Then why didn’t they send them? Where they an even worse drunkard?” he asked, one of the larger logs split apart.

“I’m hardly a drunkard!” Yuki snapped “But yes we’re cousins” she said turning to him.

“Oh, so you’re the lords… daughter?”

“Granddaughter, but yes that is my standing in the clan, my father is the younger son of Lord Hatamoto… Goemon’s was the older”.

“Was?”

“Yea, was, he was the eldest till he was slain by a demon. My own father barely survived the encounter… it’s how he lost his arm. I think that’s when Goemon started drinking.” She said talking to herself.

They stared at the campfire silently for a while.

“So why were you sent to take me to the capital?”

“Because my lord believes you are an omen and that the court diviners will be able to determine what kind… once I do this, I will have proved myself a warrior.”

“Do you want to become a warrior that bad? I’m rather surprised you aren’t already married.”

Yuki stared at the fire for a couple seconds.

“What?” she said staring at him interrogatingly.

“Well, you are rather pretty so I figured you would d be married already” he said looking at everywhere except her.

“My father does say I look a lot like my mother did” she muttered to herself, fiddling with her hair. The defining trait of the Hyuji people that lived in these mountains.

“Then she must be rather lovely”.

Yuki thought back to the paintings, that were all that remained of her mother, that were the closest she’d come to seeing her.

“Yea, she was beautiful” she agreed, wiping an errant tear from the corner of her eye.

The fire continued to burn, the logs slowly reducing to ash and charcoal; the bright orange flames turning into a red furnace. Yuki stared at it, and beyond it into the darkness.

One of the horses whinnied. Yuki stood up slowly, watching the darkness just beyond the flames edge. Two glowing eyes watched her in turn, orange as they reflected the firelight.

“Foreigner, my bow is on my sleeping mat, pass it to me” she said in a low voice. Her ears perked up as she heard something padding in the snow behind them.

“Pardon” he said far too loud for comfort.

“Now!” she hissed through her teeth. A moment later there was a rustle in the tent, and she felt the tip of her bow brush her fingers. Closing around it she brought it to chest height, it was as tall as her, seconds later she found an arrow quill by touch.

In a single fluid moment, she drew back the bow and sent the arrow darting into the darkness, its bright blue and white patterned feathers streaked through the air. Snowflakes danced in its wake and the arrowhead blazed as it reflected in the eyes of the wolf. In less than a moment it disappeared into the darkness between the wolf’s eyes.

Instantly she heard a yelp of pain and a whine, in the darkness there was a chorus of growls and the soft padding of feet. Behind her she heard a snarl, whipping about she shot another arrow past Alexander who recoiled back.

At the other end of the campfire, the arrow buried itself into another wolf, its paw having just come into the visible light.

Alexander stared at the grey figure limping away into the night with a pale face “I nary perceived them.”

“Well, you’re lucky they sent me with you and not that drunk Goemon or you’d have their fangs around your neck” she said shivering, but not because of the cold. Unstringing her bow, she laid it by her side.

Alexander fed the last and largest of the logs into the fire, Yuki eagerly watched it catch, she wasn’t sure she could sleep. So, she sat there, yawning as the fire grew. The flames began to dance as her vision blurred, and as her eyes became heavier and heavier they seemed to change colours. From yellow, to an unnatural blue.

Yuki shivered. It was cold and dark she realised, that wasn’t right, the fire had been roaring just a few minutes ago. She stared at where it should’ve been, and all that remained was a smouldering pit of coals.

Her breath steamed out from her mouth as she realised, she’d fallen asleep, she made to move but realised something heavy and tight was covering her. Wriggling she realised she was covered in blankets, the same that had covered her sleeping skin. It had to be eight or nine layers of thick linen she realised, but even that was only an impediment to the cold. Thankfully there was something quite warm and comfortable right beside her, in fact it felt almost as warm as the fire.

She glanced over to the foreigner sidling over to him, so long as he didn’t realise, she reasoned; curling next to him. His skin was much warmer than she’d expected, it was almost like sitting beside the fire.

She stared out from the tent half sitting half laying as she watched the night outside, she watched Socks himself huddled beside the pack pony, the snow having covered him on both sides.

It had stopped snowing she realised, glancing up she saw the sky wasn’t full of stars, but the faintest shade of dark blue. It would be dawn soon, she told herself. She didn’t want to get up, to leave the warmth, but the idea of this foreigner waking up and seeing her clinging to him was too humiliating to bare.

Carefully and slowly, she crawled out from the shapeless mass of blankets, making sure not to wake up her fellow companion. Finally stepping out onto the cold grass, she watched with some amusement as Alexander rolled into the now empty space.

“Geeze, how can you sleep like that when there are wolves about” she said, quietly to herself. Looking about she tried to find the carcasses, but they had vanished, all signs of the wolves last night gone. Not even tracks or blood. She frowned, cursing herself as she wondered if this was some new spore of black magic.

Shaking her head she wandered back over to the cliff edge, wondering if she should make good on her threats from last night. With the air clear of both fog and snow she stared across the clear ravine that dropped into a mist covered abyss, before rising on the other side a wooded mountain slope. Standing there was a red gated temple, a large complex of impressive wooden houses and tiled rooves.

Stretching away from it a bridge connected it to her end, but at a much lower point, and to a wide road she recognised as leading towards her clan’s castle. The road she’d been aiming for, and investigating the cliff, she saw a thin stairway cut into the mountainside, just wide enough for a horse.

With a sigh she returned to the tent, it had been just within reach the entire night, she realised.