The next day they woke up in complete darkness. At first they thought the time at the Mountain is messed up, but it was moments before they found out that the entire Hut is covered in snow, the blizzard last night must've pilled up so much that it covered the entire hut. Without any option left, the two men start working, shoving the pilling snow. After nearly an hour of work, they finally create a safe pathway.
They left the hut and continue their trip.
The weather seems to be a lot nicer though, the blizzard is gone and the sky finally clear up. They could finally see life on the icy kingdom. As reindeer herd graze and roam around the area, mountain goats ramming each other for their mate and animal of different kind lazing around a hot spring. The scene boosted them as they started to head towards the tip of the mountain. According to their situation, they might arrive before dusk, and set their camp on top of it. The trip from that will be a piece of cake since getting down is always easier than getting up.
But then, something doesn't seems right.
"Guys, I fell something." Brine said. The group came to a halt as they stare at her. "I sensed it. Something approaching us." She may be blind, but that also enhances her other senses, she could heard footsteps coming from all sides, as well as an icy, minty, rotten smell. "How much." Hero asked as he took out his obsidian saber, the rest follow and circle up, preparing for anything to strike. The beautiful, peace scene in front of them suddenly turn hazy, then twist, turn and twirl before disappearing, revealing the true icy scene. The thick mountain fog blocked their view, but there is one thing for sure.
There is no life.
There is no reindeer.
There is no mountain goats.
There is no hot spring.
Illusions.
The gang gear up as their eyes scanned the surrounding area, hoping found person behind all of this. "They are approaching." Brine mumbled. "Ten of them. Are approaching." As if one cue, an arrow shot through the fog, followed by more. Hero jump in front the team and flashes out his brand new iron shield, the wooden one was constantly broke, and it was until last night Norman told him about this better variant.
Just like he expected, the arrows were blocked off easily. But something was happening. "Hero, your feet!" Rose shouted. Hero looked down, hands were coming out from the icy floor, dragging and pulling him down. "Strays!" Upon seeing this, Rose immediately realizes what they are facing against. "Don't get hit or block the attack! They will slow you down!"
The gang nodded as they started to counter. Brine let out a barrage of arrows from her bow, her ultrasonic like senses enables each of her shot to be a direct hit.
Two down.
Norman took out her pole as he start his spell. The buff gave Hero immense speed and strength. The slowing effect is also gone, what is left is immense amount of power within him, waiting to be let out. Another arrow was shot, hero sidestepped and dodged it fairly easily. "Found you." He let out a grin as he dashes towards the direction where the shot has been taken. As he break through the fog, he finally see their enemy clearly, face by face. It was a skeleton like monster, holding a darkly colored bow while some prefer an iron sword. Except from the variety of weapon, all of them almost look identical. Rotten body parts, withered gray clothing, destroyed and un-complete armory as well as icy blue eyes. The moment Hero approached one of them, the rest let out a scream and targeted Hero, firing arrows at a faster rate the closer he approaches. Luckily Rose throw out a splash of regeneration potion on him, if not he would be skewered by now.
Hero held his shield and advance. The moment he gain enough range, he swing his saber, slicing off three stray head at once.
Five down.
The remaining four Strays took the place of the fallen as they try to outnumber Hero, firing arrows relentlessly. Hero crouch down with his shield up, ready for the impact, but it never came. "Go!" Hero looked around, Brine was covering for him, shooting arrows as she shouted again. "Go!!" Hero smiled and dashes towards the remaining strays. The stray shot out more arrows, but Brine is able to knock the off midair with hers, allowing hero to close up the gap unscratched. He crouched down and twisted his waist, his arms stretched afar before bursting out, spinning like a tornado, slicing through the remaining Strays like butter.
"Sick move mate." Norman snickered as he put his banner back. "Wonder you did break your waist from that." Hero rolled his eyes as he walk back to the rest of the gang. "Nice cooperation Brine." He said as he put his saber back to the case, but Brine was still in full alert as she aim her bow towards a direction. The rest of the people follows her and stare towards it.
"There is still one left."
A figure walk towards them from the direction as the fog sea parted, creating a path for him. As he gets closer, Hero and the others can finally have a clearer look. He is an illager, witch an appearance similar with Norman, with the only difference in appearance is the blue markings on his face. He wears a blue coat with white outlines around the hood and cloak as well as a cape in the back, combine together with light bluish pants with black leather shoes. Unlike normal illagers, though, he possesses red-brown eyes, which differs from their green or blue eyes.
"Looks like we have a champion." The figure said blankly as he approaches, "after almost a decade-" Before he could even finish, Brine has already let go of her arrow. But instead of a direct hit, the arrow froze midair before dropping down to the ground, the tip of the arrow has completely frozen into blocks. "Come on girl, for crying out loud at least let me finish my speech." The Iceologer complaint. "We don't do the talking first." Hero took his saber back out of his case as Norman place down his banner once again.
"Hey, hey, hey. Put that sword down will ya." The Iceologer wave both of his hand as he tries to stop the fight, "I come in peace!" "Yeah, your "friends" almost try to took our lives." Norman scoffed. "I can explain. Just calm down all right? Just calm down, we don't wanted a fi- "Before he could finish his sentence, he is rudely interrupted, again, as Hero dashes forwards and swing his saber. The Iceologer stomps the ground beneath him as an ice wall dash out from the snow, blocking the hit. "Can't you guys just stop fighting for 10 seconds?!" He was getting impatient, so do the weather as the blizzard grew larger and larger.
Hero take another swing of his saber, the Iceologer forms a gigantic ice block and smashes towards him, pushing him blocks away. "So you wanna fight huh." Two more giant ice blocks form beside him. "Then let's fight!" He dashes towards Hero as an ice reaper forms in his hand. Hero was about to advance but it was at that time that he realized that he was unable to move. He look down and found out that his feet were fixed completely to the ground by ice. The first ice block was launched, Hero has no idea but to raise his shield up.
The ice block shatter upon impact, he could feel the force as if a hundred pound bull smash right into him. When the second ice block was yeeted, the ice fixing him to the ground gave up and it threw Hero back as he slam right into the rocky side of the mountain. Before he could even take a breath, the Iceologer is already standing right in front of him, striking his reaper, Hero barely manage to deflect the first strike, but fail to block the second as it penetrates through the armor and right through his shoulder. A sudden strike of pain filled his body as he cut off the ice reaper with his saber, and knocking him back with his shield, giving him some gap and time.
He wrap his fingers around the edge of the shard and pulled it out of the wound, the rest of the gang dash towards to protect him. "A tough fella huh. I like you." The Iceologer chuckled and stares at the gang for a while before turning his head away. "There is a cave not far away, stay at there for the night. I will be there too, together with the answer you needed."
The night they arrive at the coordinate where the Iceologer gave, and just as they expected, there is a cave inside them. The only thing that lit up the damp cold cave was some lanterns. It was ice cold inside the cave, as blocks and chunks of ice filled the interior of the cave, a few Strays were resting on the ice cubes. The group seems to be alerted by the presence of the strays that they've fought earlier on in the day, but they didn't seem hostile, some even greeted them and they even recognize some of the Stray that they've killed, and they seem perfectly fine.
"Ah I see you've come." The Iceologer greeted them as he walk out from the depth of the cave. "Welcome to our base, I know it's a bit chilly here but you know people like us don't like heat." "What is with the Strays, why are they friendly all of a sudden?" Norman asked, the series of events that happened today is too much information for him to handle. "Come deeper, let me explain to you one by one."
The gang look at each other for a while before deciding to believe him and dwell deeper into the cave. The moment they hit the end of the cave, what roll into their sight was a red book, somehow similar to a journal, that was fixed on a glowing item frame as it glows dimly. "Here is the thing, my very own diary, about the process of hiking the Howling Peaks." He took the book down from the item frame as he open the cover carefully and read: