When we stepped onto the vast expanse of ice and snow, our bodies quivered as the cold seeped into our veins threatening to freeze the blood that flow through them.
The landscape stretched before us, a pristine and desolate wonderland; lit by a melancholic glow cast by the lonely moon in the sky.
We were like ants dancing around in a hurricane.
" You should save your strength," I said to Hassan who barely had the energy to walk for himself. "Let me walk for myself"
I released my grip around his shoulders and proceeded to release my legs from his firm grip but he held them tighter.
"You walk slowly," He said "And we need warmth and to walk fast"
Sky was walking glued to him for warmth, but that wasn't enough against the maddening cold air that blew at us from all directions.
The relief we had felt a few minutes ago was completely replaced by a sense of desolation that seemed to envelop us in an invisible shroud. We had long forgotten about our last battles and were currently plagued by the new one that faced us: a nature fiercer than anything we had experienced.
Our movements were slow and labored as if the very act of walking had become a monumental struggle.
"Stop... w...wast...wasting... y...y...your en...energy" Hassan quivered and stuttered as he spoke, his words escaping shivering lips in short bursts of icy breath.
Energy?
"I can deal with it. You guys have done so much already" Sky wasn't shivering. It was as if she was experiencing the cold differently from us.
A small spark of curiosity lit deep within my downtrodden mind but wasn't enough to motivate me to speak.
I watched her as though I could just gain answers to their obscure conversation by observing her countenance.
I hadn't noticed the soft, warm light emanating from her palms.
"Hey," A weak hoarse groan escaped from my lips. The curiosity seemed to take over as I watched the light burn brighter in intensity as we moved.
"What's that?"
"It's to keep us warm"
Warm?
Whatever it was that she intended to do it wasn't working because I felt colder as time went by
"You're going to feel it soon" She responded almost like she had read my thoughts.
The light intensified, creating a soothing golden atmosphere that enveloped us. The aura was visible, almost palpable, and covered us like a large balloon.
As she looked forward with her focus on the energy surging from her, the temperature within the balloon of aura started to rise and the air became infused with a comforting warmth. The snowflakes fell through the balloon of aura showing that it wasn't tangible.
The energy worked its way through our systems, gently coaxing our body temperature to rise.
Sky's breathing became more deep and irregular as we trudged forward with each step more energetic than the last.
Gradually our bodies became warm and with each labored breath, our chests expanded as if drawing in the very essence of life itself, revitalizing lungs that had struggled to draw in the oxygen we so desperately needed; except Sky whose breath grey more hoarse and labored as time went by.
"That's okay for now," Hassan said to her as he stopped at a spot to place his hand on her hands. The cold had been diminished but his voice quivered slightly, carrying a hint of unmistakable concern.
"No," She said her voice solid and unyielding.
Sky wasn't one to shy away from dilemmas when she knew she could contribute in some way. She hated being shoved to the sidelines and I admired that about her because that was my unsaid mantra. "Only engage if it's inescapable"
I was always a wimp and a coward back at home. I'd always avoid any responsibility that came my way by coming up with a lot of excuses. But the cold lands found a way to force that out of me.
With each passing moment, I found myself willing to put my life on the line for total strangers.
"Look," I said after what felt like an eternity of walking through the snowy landscape.
Several meters ahead of us was an abrupt start of a river that led further onward with a few trees scattered on its sides. The river had no source and at the start, there was a large stone.
The waters glistened, reflecting the trees on their sides.
These trees, a vibrant collection of evergreens, seemed to defy the intense chill of the air with their vital and unyielding leaves which shimmer with a lustrous emerald hue.
Its waters, though they rushed with a swift and determined current, carried a tranquil stillness and give off an ethereal vibe.
On reaching the river it seemed more enthralling than it was from afar. The mystical river found a way to fend off snow and the cold that came with it. Surrounding the river was a large area of tiny green plants that brimmed with energy and vitality.
The golden aura that surrounded us like a round balloon was gone exposing us to the river atmosphere. We barely felt any difference when it was gone. The river bank was as warm as the atmosphere within the aura from Sky.
"Let's rest here," Sky said and without waiting for any reply she walked up to the nearest tree to rest on its trunk. The broad shade it provided was such that it almost seemed like it was calling out to us.
Hassan followed her and when he got there he carefully placed me on the ground and lay on the tree trunk, away from Sky and me.
As soon as they found a comfortable position they drifted into sleep.
I wasn't going to join them because every fiber of my being was still terror-stricken by the mental battle I had with the king, and because the last time I had slept, I woke up in a terrifying creature's lair.
I watched Sky and Hassan for a little while observing their worn-out bodies as they moved with each respiratory cycle.
Hassan looked even more skinny than he was the first time I had met him; with his cheekbones screaming for liberation as they were visibly outlined under the skin of his face.
Emerging from the grip of intense cold, he resembled a figure arising from the depths of the icy abyss.
Sky looked even paler than she usually was and her face wore a frown, telling tales of the battles of the recent past.
One thing we all had in common was grumbling stomachs that protested for food but there were no sources of food within my eye's reach.
The trees as potent and bountiful as they were bore no fruits. And even if they did, I had no energy to reach out to them.