Ch 15 The North's Protection

Prince Alexander and his group of Hunters had made it back to the Fortress of Cadmium. The winter storm was subsiding almost as if the heavens had greeted Alexander's victory over the noble Griffon. At first, they were stalled by the soldiers at the gate but when the Prince revealed himself they were quickly let in. The only exception was that his father had demanded to see him as soon as possible. Prince Alexander and his group were escorted to see the king in the main building of the fortress.

                "We're going to see the King!?"

                "I can't believe it! Did he find out we killed the Griffon!?"

                "Maybe he'll knight us or give us some rewards!"

                "I hope it's money!"

The group of Hunters was elated at being given an audience with the king.

They were all young men and women of noble blood. Families of upstart nobles who sought to be in better positions under the Free Nation State. Those families who were ranked considerably lower in other territories and dreamed of being in the good graces of royalty. When the Free Nation State was formed, those noble families quickly left their former territories and flocked to King Alastair's banner. All of the young Hunters had found their way into Prince Alexander's inner circle one way or another.  Much to the pleasure and satisfaction of their own families.

Diane from the merchant house of Charlotte was a fiery red-haired vixen and a second in command to the group of hunters. The burly young man next to Diane, was Duke, the warrior of the Hunters from the family of Garber, a lineage devoted of Knights. Sarah, a starry-eyed girl with golden locks and a voluptuous frame was from the noble Wynn family made up of famed educators. And lastly, the sick frail looking man, Reginald, from the house of Quincy, made up Prince Alexander's group of Hunters. They had never met with the King in person even though they were part of Prince Alexander's entourage. King Alastair was a very busy man who had many duties to attend to.

Did father really find out what happened so quickly?

Alexander was pondering as he was in the lead of his entourage as the soldiers were walking with the young men and women dutifully. His yearning for his father's love and support were the things that drove him. The legacy that his father had was almost a burden for him. Alexander did not want to be known as just the son of King Alastair Lyon. He wanted his own legacy, his own honor, his own legend.

The prince knew at an early age that he had to use the advantages he was given to gain any and all strength he could. To be an expert in the fields of his father's realm. Alexander studied the arts of combat, tactics, and strategy. He did his best to learn with a bow but it was not to his liking compared to a spear that fit perfectly in the palms of his hands. He also did not want to be a copy of his father and tried his best to stray from his father's shadow. Prince Alexander was exceptionally well educated, had the manners befitting royalty and the fine etiquette defining noble mien compared to his father. He, however, was not skilled in the art of magic like his sister Gwen who went to study in the North Grove.

To be a great Lyon was his dream.

The bloodlines entrenched in the Lyon family reached back centuries to Heroes, Scholars, Kings, and Queens. The current generation had seen two Lyon families in the position of royalty without bloodshed. The Heroic King Alastair of the Free Nation State and his older brother the Gentle King Gareth of the Kingdom of Or'Vale. Alexander's raison d'être was having a legacy that reached even greater heights. 

To make his name known throughout history.

Alexander is a half-Elf and he knew very well the loathing he would have received if not for his royal background. His fairy-like appearance is much attributed from his mother's Elven side. He received praise from others for his looks but this dissatisfied him greatly as he thought he did not look very masculine. They called him beautiful and handsome but not rugged or manly. Alexander did not want to be known as the beautiful prince. This was one of the reasons why he had grown attached to his "cousin" Maude. She knew very well the plight of appearances.

The soldiers had stopped the group near a large building and guarded the outside.

There were other guards and knights nearby that were on duty as well. The reason being that both the King and Queen were inside the building. Alexander was calm on the outside but inside, his heart was beating. He knew of his father's exploits of killing a Griffon that led to him creating a new Kingdom. Alexander wondered how his father would react to him having accomplished the same feat. He couldn't wait to tell his father of his exploits.  

A knight appeared to suddenly greet the young prince.

                "Prince," the Knight bowed. "You've returned."

Alexander looked at the knight and recognized the captain insignia on his breastplate.

                "Ah, Captain Arthur," Alexander greeted back. "Yes, I was just out hunting."

Sir Arthur was Captain of the King's guard. A very close friend and loyal retainer to King Alastair. A man in his late forties with a sturdy frame and gray mustache. His armor was silver and red with the family arms of a wolf on his mantle. He spent his time looking after the royal family and enjoyed his time watching over Prince Alexander and Princess Gwen. His daughter Rachael also followed his footsteps as she is the exclusive bodyguard and loyal follower of Princess Gwen. She is also currently with Princess Gwen at the North Grove.

Captain Arthur heaved a sigh.

                "Please, Prince Alexander, don't run away from me again. If you need to go out during a winter storm gather some men with you. There are dangerous beasts out there and who knows what might happen. Queen Fiona would kill us if something happened to you!"

                "I'm sorry Arthur," Alexander grinned. "There're thing's I have to do without having a babysitter."

Captain Arthur gave another sigh.

                "Prince, at least inform me where you are going!"

                "Next time Arthur, next time."

The guards opened the doors to the building to let Prince Alexander in but his group of Hunters was stopped behind him.

                "What is the meaning of this!" Diane said. "We're with the prince!"

                "The King only requested to see Prince Alexander, not you all!"

Guards and knights shielded off Alexander who could only shrug.

                "I'm sorry everyone, I'll tell my father of your deeds!" Alexander said with a wave.

                "But prince!"

The Hunters could not go near the Prince nor the door.

                "Give space away from the door!" The guards yelled.

The young men and women could only shake their heads in dissatisfaction until the prince gave them a dazzling smile, at which, calmed their hearts.

Prince Alexander entered the building and found the pathway that led to the second floor. He had not been to his father's study much compared to his younger years. Alexander always told his father of his accomplishments to which his father would only nod his head and smile. Almost as if his father saw them as frivolous things. If his father had praised him more as a child, perhaps his fate would have been different.

This time! This time he'll recognize me! I killed a Griffon ten years younger than he did!

After a firm knock, Alexander entered his father's study. King Alastair was quietly musing things next to his wife Queen Fiona. When Alexander entered both his parent's eyes were on him. King Alastair beckoned him to come in and Queen Fiona went to go lovingly mother her son.

                "Alexander! You've come back! Don't you know how worried we were about you!?" Queen Fiona began dusting off the snow that covered Prince Alexander's clothes. "There's a winter storm going on dear."

King Alastair leaned back in his chair and sized up his son with guile.

                "Yes, mother, I've returned and the winter storm happened while we were out taking a stroll in the mountain," Prince Alexander said trying to justify his whereabouts. "And I-"

                "We?" Queen Fiona remarked. "You and your little playmates?"

Alexander gave his mother an indigenous look.

                "No, mother," Alexander said with a smile. "We call ourselves, 'the Talon of the Griffon.' We're a group of Hunters! And we just-"

                "You were out to play hunting again weren't you?" King Alastair said with a smirk as he was not amused.

King Alastair didn't take privy into young children calling themselves hunters.

                "No, father, I was out hunting," Prince Alexander stood tall to look back at his father.

                "You're a Prince you know," King Alastair scratched his chin. "You shouldn't be doing that anymore."

                "Didn't you when you were a lot younger father?"

King Alastair immediately looked at his wife and then sighed.

                "I didn't have the responsibilities as I do now and as you do now. I was a free wanderer. I was an actual Hunter."

                "I'm a Hunter now!" Alexander interjected.

                "You're just playing with other nobles," King Alastair waved his hand in the air.

                "I'm more skilled at hunting than you ever were!"

The atmosphere between the two men became tense.

                "Boy, this is the thing," King Alastair sat back straight up on his chair. "You're not a hunter because to be a hunter, is to survive. I was not out gallivanting playing as a 'Hunter'."

Prince Alexander had a furious look in his eyes.

                "To be a Hunter is a noble profession, and I am going to be the best at it!"

King Alastair gave out a hearty laugh and was almost in tears.

                "A Hunter, a noble profession? To sleep out in the woods with only the clothes on your back? To crawl in the dirt and shit, and be paid meager wages? To take up the most odds of jobs, whilst risking your life? Noble?" King Alastair laughed again and Queen Fiona gave out a slight chuckle.

                "Hunters are known throughout the land," Prince Alexander retorted.

                "Listen, foolish boy, the fame of being a hunter are for those who want to die young, alright? There are two types of hunters, those in it for the money and those in it for necessity. There is no glory in being a hunter."

Prince Alexander was fuming and Queen Fiona crossed her arms at the scene.

                "Why must both the men I love always fight when they are together?"

Queen Fiona looked at both Alastair and Alexander only to sigh herself.

King Alastair was not understanding of Alexander's goals. He saw his actions as nothing but a young boy playing around. Prince Alexander thought that his father would never approve of whatever he did. Queen Fiona was not complacent compared to her daughter at calming both father and son down when they were together. She only saw their speeches and gripes as the acts of male testosterone, much like when Alastair is with Scar.

Alexander reached into his pocket to present his trophy to his parents.

                "Look father! Look!! I defeated a Griffon just like you did twenty years ago!" Alexander proudly showed his accomplishment with the large talon of the Griffon. "I did it faster and younger than you did, old man! Now, what do you have to say?"

King Alastair and Queen Fiona were stunned beyond belief.

                "You did what!? Are you an idiot!?"

Alastair slammed his fist on the table and stood up.

                "No...dear....what have you done?" Queen Fiona covered her mouth with a gasp.

                "Check it, Fiona! Is it real!?"

Queen Fiona took the talon from her son and looked it over.

                "It's...real."

Dread covered Queen Fiona's face as she laid her gaze towards her husband.

Prince Alexander had a proud look on his face.

                "What? Did you not think I could do it? I killed the beast just as you did father. Now everyone will know of my deeds just the same as you!" Alexander said with pride.

                "Shut up! You foolish boy!" King Alastair roared.

King Alastair's face was filled with fury and it took all his might not to strangle his son.

                "DID YOU NOT KILL A GRIFFON BY YOUR OWN HAND FATHER!?" Alexander fired back.

The young Prince did not want to be ignored.

                "WHY IS IT THAT MY DEEDS ARE SO TERRIBLE!?"

Queen Fiona slapped her son before he could go on another tirade.

Prince Alexander was shaken and could see his mother staring at him with cold eyes. He had been slapped twice today by two people he cared about. King Alastair was almost trembling with rage but he kept his composure. The news of Maude's canceled engagement had disappointed him and the letter from Scar filled him with despair. But the actions of his son caused him to boil over in fury. King Alastair knew very well what the consequences of his son's actions might entail.

King Alastair walked over to the sulking Prince and calmly spoke to him.

                "I killed a Griffon because the God of the North asked me to! A Griffon corrupted by darkness from vile Demons and treachery! Why would I go around proclaiming the fact that I killed a noble beast!? Don't listen to those stories and rumors you hear from those mercenaries that pretend to be hunters! Have I ever once told you about it? Never? Because it was a dark chapter in my life that I would like to forget! That Griffon had saved my life numerous times and even in death it has still saved me! To kill a noble creature such as that? A friend? A partner? It pains my heart!"

Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

Alastair was saddened to know that his past had come to haunt him.

The tale of the Heroic King Alastair who rode and slew Griffons was a known folklore to many Hunters. To be able to tame such a noble beast and even kill one is the stuff of legends. Yet it was a truth known to all those close to King Alastair. Outsiders did not know that the Griffon which King Alastair rode and killed was one and the same. The Griffon had been corrupted and plagued by dark magic to which it went on a wild rampage. It tore Alastair's heart to having killed the Griffon but in doing so he had garnered the protection of a powerful being.

                "Darkness? Gods and Demons? You talk about those things as if they were real!" Prince Alexander laughed.

                "You boy, have much to learn," King Alastair said with a heavy tone. "Get out."

                "What-"

                "I said go! Leave now!"

Alexander looked towards his mother who could only shake her head.

                "Leave Alexander," Queen Fiona said. "Your father and I have much to discuss. You are forbidden from going out anymore."

                "But-"

                "Alexander!"

A pit of disappointment welled up within both father and mother. Only a festering resentment built up inside Alexander's heart over his parent's actions. He didn't believe in Gods and Demons, he thought of them as only stories. For Alexander was only living in the bubble of his own world much like young men do. Queen Fiona quickly went to her husband's side who looked to be having a migraine.

The young Prince could only leave his parents in a huff as they contemplated over the matter at hand.

                "We have to find Arcas," King Alastair said with a grimace. "Explain it to him."

The King looked weary as he walked back and slumped down into his chair.

                "You know that no one can find Arcas," Queen Fiona said with worry. "He only appears when he wants to."

                "We were only able to build our kingdom and survive here because of him. What if we lose the protection from the God of the North? What will happen to us all?"

                "I don't know dear," Queen Fiona gazed out to the winter storm. "I don't know."

                "The Griffon Alexander killed was probably Doge's..."

                "Mate..." Queen Fiona said softly. "They were the only Griffons on the North Mountains."

                "To kill Doge's family brings much shame to me...from one bad news to the next..."

King and Queen were left to stew in the mess their son had made.

If the God of the North had revoked his protection then the Free Nation State would succumb to the woes of the outside world.

---###---

On top of the North Mountains, near the Fortress of Cadmium.

A glowing light of Gregor was watching over Maude and instructing her on how to save Nero. Gregor had already deduced the pair were in the North Mountains. When he appeared he didn't think that it would be in such dire circumstances. Maude quickly filled Gregor to the blanks of their journey up the North Mountains and their protection of the Griffon.

Gregor wasted no time in telling Maude what to do with the items in Nero's knapsack. Maude knew Nero would have potions in his knapsack but she, of course, would not know what any of them would do. Luckily, Gregor had appeared there to help Maude and ordered her to take two potions from Nero's bag. If he had not appeared she would have just tried her luck with various items.

                "A-are you sure?" Maude was pouring the two potions into an empty vial.

                "Of course my dear," Gregor said as he looked at the process. "Mixing these two potions together will create an elixir to help Nero. Just be careful to not over saturate one over the other. A slight variation would do much harm."

Maude followed Gregor's instructions earnestly as she sought to save Nero.

                "What are they?" Maude said with worry.

The smell was horrendous to Maude's senses.

                "A sturdy potion of regeneration and a minor potion of vehemence."

                "What is it made out of?"

                "You don't want to know my dear," Gregor said with a laugh. "It'll heal Nero's wounds and give him a kick to wake up."

Maude carefully was sizing up the portions in the vial shaking in the cold winds.

Nero was still unconscious but he was sweating with a fever. Worry and frustration were mounting on Maude but she tried her best to create the elixir. Maude was mixing the two potions together with care and fright. She knew of Gregor the Great's fame but she had not known that he had become an ethereal being of light. Nero had only said that his father was gone and Maude never knew the circumstances surrounding Gregor. She did not know that this Gregor was only an imitation made from the Book of Knowledge.

 The golden glow from the Book of Knowledge was waning unbeknownst to Maude and Gregor.

After much inspection from Gregor and a heavy stirring of the two potions. An elixir was created that looked green in color and had a vile odor about it. Gregor urged Maude to continue with his chin while he watched. Maude lifted Nero's head and poured the green brew down his throat. The vial was emptied quickly and Maude hoped that she did not fail. What happened was unexpected to Maude's eyes.

Warmth returned to Nero's face in a matter of minutes and his wounds were slowly vanishing.

What of the Four Gods is this...  

                "It actually worked...then...you really are Gregor!" Maude looked to the faintly glowing Gregor with joy. "Can you also save that Griffon?"

                "Pii! Pii!" The amber spider called out from Maude's jacket.

Maude pointed over to the deceased corpse of the noble beast.

                "No, my dear, "Gregor said shaking his head. "I cannot."

Gregor looked down at Maude and then to the body of the Griffon.

                "I can save lives from the brink of death and I can cure many ailments, I've done it before. But I cannot bring back the dead. Least they return as foul undead creatures. Many have sought such things only to delve into madness. I'm not a healer like those in legends, I'm just an old alchemist."

What Gregor said had daunted Maude. There was no potion of resurrection in the current age that they lived in. Many Alchemists journeyed and studied to learn of such things to bring back dead loved ones but they all could not tempt fate. Some fall to the dark side and create undead abominations. While others were driven into madness. Even Clerics and Priests were not the old healers of past legends. Only a few had the powerful bloodline to do such possibilities.

Gregor observed Nero in quiet contemplation.

                "Ask Nero to do what you seek," Gregor said with a sigh.  "But be weary, do not tell anyone of his secret."

Gregor gave a stern stare to Maude while stroking his beard.

                "Nero?" Maude gave Nero a glance.

Gregor was about to walk closer to Nero but realized his body was disappearing.

                "It seems my magical energy is about to run out," Gregor said with a sigh.

                "What's going on?" Maude said as the particles of light separated from Gregor.

                "Listen, my girl, tell Nero if he ever needs help he can look in the book. Also, while here in the North Mountains if you ever see a white bear under no circumstances should you-"

Gregor vanished without a trace as the glow over the Book of Knowledge had disappeared.

Maude was trying to figure out what Gregor was saying and during her confusion heard heavy coughing. She quickly looked at Nero to see him gasping for the cold air. Colorfully returned to Nero's face and all his wounds were gone. Nero woke up to see Maude next to him with tears almost forming in her eyes. The winter storm had subsided greatly.

                "Did you...uh...save me?" Nero said while wiping the snow from his face and ruffling his hair.

                "Yes! You idiot!" Maude tackled Nero and gave him a hug.

Tears of joy began to flow freely from Maude's eyes.

                "Pii!" The spider called out from Maude's jacket squeezed in between the two.

                "Thanks?...I'm sorry?..." Nero said confusingly. "I was worried too..."

Nero was taken aback but felt comfortable in Maude's arms.

                "Wait! The Griffon!?"

Nero searched for the Griffon with hazy eyes and soon his sight came upon the dead body of the noble beast.

                "No..." Nero slumped over with Maude.

Maude slowly separated herself from Nero and wiped her tears.

                "I'm sorry Nero," Maude said with sadness in her eyes. "I couldn't save the Griffon...but Gregor said you could help."

                "My father?...then..."

Nero looked to his side at the Book of Knowledge still tightly bounded by the leather straps. The faint glow it once gave had disappeared. What did Maude mean that father said I could help? An idea instantly appeared in Nero's mind. Nero then knew what Gregor had meant and he quickly struggled to get up. Nero exerted his renewed strength to reach the dead Griffon. The young Griffons kept their chirping even with their dead parent by their side. When Nero had reached them, they hissed and squawked at his approach.

Nero gave the young Griffons a bitter smile as he put his hands on the Griffon.

A magnificent white light started to erupt from Nero's hands as he channeled his magical energy toward the Griffon. Maude was in utter awe at seeing what Nero was doing and she quickly went to him.

Nero had a mysterious bloodline with a magical affinity for light. Of the six magical affinities, only light and darkness were scarce in the world. Fire, Water, Wind, and Earth were the four main magical affinities in the known world.  Light and Darkness were the only affinities heard of in legends. Maude began pinching herself at seeing light magic being used. She didn't know what it was but she did know it was powerful.

Gregor had always told him to never used his magic in front of others. Since Maude had mentioned it to Nero, he believed he had Gregor's approval. He had used his power once before to save Maude and he would use it again to save this Griffon. Nero didn't know how much time he had to revive a Griffon that had passed and if he could raise the noble creature from the dead. What was the time limit he needed to bring back the dead?

Nero didn't falter in other thoughts as he continued to use his magical energy.

["...Resurrect!"]

More and more of his magical energy was pouring into the Griffon and its body began to twitch. The wounds that covered its body began to heal itself. Skin, bone, and feathers were mended in a fervor of white light. The talons of the Griffon returned as if they were never gone. Slowly but surely the Griffon was revitalized and the light magic evaporated. The Griffon began to breathe life anew in its' lungs and awaken as if from a deep slumber.

Maude held her breath at witnessing the miracles that were before her.

Potions that heal wounds like nothing and magic that revive the dead? Am I dreaming?

Maude tilted her head as she wondered about the nature surrounding Nero.

                "You saved the Griffon!" Maude bounced up and down and hugged him again. "What did you just do!? How? Why!? It's unbelievable!"

Nero ruffled his hair with a wide smile and red face.

The young Griffon's chirped again in excitement as the noble beast returned to life. The Griffon watched over its children with joy and had admiration for the young pair next to them. A mighty screech erupted from the Griffon and it spread its' wings out. The screech echoed throughout the North Mountains. Nero and Maude looked with happy faces as even though they could not protect it had given it back its' young and life once more. The Griffon bowed its head to Maude and Nero as a light emitted from the noble beast. A mark appeared on the back of their hands close to the mark of their familiars.

The Griffon took its young on its back and after another screech of gratitude to the pair, flew away to disappear in the North Mountains.

                "What's this?" Nero said as the pair looked over their hands.

                "A Mark of the Griffon," a voice resounded next to them like echoes and whispers."It means it will answer your call."

Maude and Nero were startled and looked around them to see that they had been surrounded by a vast storm.

                "What's going on!" Nero said. "How did the weather get out of control!?"

                "This is bad! The winter storm is going crazy!" Maude said in a panic.

The young pair were encircled by a dangerous hurricane of ice but they were not touched by the storm at all.

                "Don't worry young ones," A white bear emerged from the storm. "I just came to see you."

                "A white bear?" Nero tried to examine the monstrous bear.

                "W-who are you?"

The white bear titled its head for a moment as it thought it would be easily recognizable.

                "My name is Arcas," the white bear said. "You mortals always call me as..."

Nero immediately recalled the name and the figure.

                "The one who knows all..." Nero gulped. "The God of the North."

                "By the Four Gods..."

Maude was frightened and Nero was shaking at the tremendous pressure the God evoked.

                "W-w-why are you here? H-h-have we offended you in any way?"

                "No, you've done well in saving the life of a dear friend." Arcas seemed to inch closer to the pair.  "I know what you are thinking. I try not to meddle in the affairs of mortals, good or bad. If I do there might be dangerous consequences, so, I thank you."

The white bear gave a simple bow of its head.

                "Do you need anything of us?" Maude said as she felt like kneeling on the floor.

                "No young ones, I'm just offering simple words of advice as a reward for your deed."

Nero and Maude gulped at the idea of receiving advice from a God.

                "Young one," Arcas looked over to Nero. "You should not use your power lightly. Using it would only draw the attention to those dark things to the east and its followers. Be careful."

                "Um, sure..."

Nero nodded his head in agreement as to not offend the God of the North.

                "And you who smell of Roux...her chosen," Arcas said while smelling the air around Maude. "Try not to be caught up in her machinations. My wife is a...trickster."

Pii the amber spider in Maude's jacket was quivering in fear.

                "I thought to slumber to not be caught up in a new war but it seems that they've all chosen their champions. So it befalls on me to choose last and in doing so, will unleash a calamity on this world. I cannot think of a greater folly that we still continue."

Infinite stars and space seem to appear around Arcas.

                "I will give you five years to prepare yourself young one," Arcas said as he looked at Maude. "That's all the time that the others will suffer through."

The white bear turned around and was about to disappear when it realized something else.

                "Tell Alastair he need not worry about me young ones," the God of the North beckoned to them. "The North's protection will stand until his dying breath as I had promised him. Goodbye, young ones."

The white bear had disappeared in the raging storm and both vanished as if it were never there.

                "And tell Kogar to stop getting lost in the mountains..."

The last whisper fell on deaf ears.

Nero and Maude slumped over in sync together. The winter storm had disappeared and only a cloudily night sky was before them. They only looked at each other and dared not to say another word. Being greeted by the God of the North after such an arduous journey up the North Mountains was too much to bear for the two. After some time and silence, the pair got up to finish their journey.

                "I-I-..." Maude stammered still trying to make sense of things.

                "Let's just go," Nero said with worry as he looked around. "We need to look for Kogar and Bal after we get to Cadmium."

                "Right."

The pair quickly gathered their bearing and belongings and headed for the Fortress of Cadmium.

It was not a long journey but it had taken nearly the whole day for them to reach their destination. It was an enormous fortress to Nero's sight and as white as snow. The Fortress of Cadmium was as tall as any building Nero had ever seen. Soldiers halted them with bright lights as they drew close to the door.

                "Who goes there!?" A guard called out to them.

Maude took off the hood from her head and proudly declared herself.

                "My name is Maude Jeanne Strongsong, daughter of Chieftain Scar to the tribe of Southscale, blood brother to King Alastair Lyon! There should be notice of our arrival!"

Nero was quite taken aback from the long-winded titles that Maude proclaimed.

                "Hold!" A guard called out.

Some time passed and then the doors opened. A bright light shone from the doorway on Nero and Maude which blinded them. Suddenly a body blocked the light before them at the door. Slowly the body moved towards them as the pair tried to adjust their eyes. A red Orc in black armor appeared before the pair and they fixed their sight on him.

                "Finally you made it!" Kogar bellowed a laugh.

                "Kogar!?" Nero and Maude said in unison.

                "Gahahaha" Kogar patted the pair on the shoulders. "What took you so long?"

                "We thought you were lost in the mountains!" Nero said.

                "During a winter storm!" Maude said.

Kogar then patted his own chest.

                "I told you! I'm a rare being! I cannot be lost for long!" Kogar said with a laugh. "Come now Maude, uncle is waiting for us. I only arrived before you two and hadn't seen him yet!"

Bal the King wolf pup appeared and trotted over to Nero.

                "Bal!" Nero said. "Thank goodness you're safe!"

                "Pii!" the amber spider called out to its comrade in arms.

Kogar quickly leads the pair into the Fortress of Cadmium.

The trio had been suddenly reunited in the Fortress of Cadmium. They had reached their destination and could finally let out a sigh of relief. They were safe and together again. Traversing the North Mountains through a winter storm. Battling Hunters over its cold slopes. Defending a Griffon and then bringing it back to life.

Fatigue set on Nero and Maude as they wanted to rest their weary bodies at the ordeals they had just overcome.

Maude smiled warmly at Nero and he returned it back.

New feelings were being unearthed between the two. Ones that they could not both describe. They had just survived another perilous journey together.

The words of Arcas and their future had not yet resonated into the pair.