Alex noticed a particular calm in the forest as he followed his host through a labyrinth of frozen trees and snow. He still felt a little discomfort with every step but it was progress from laying paralyzed.
"We're here squire." She says as she abruptly stops at a stone marker in a clearing. Alex watched her clean the stone marker, before kneeling it front of it "Dean you piece of shit, it's me again." She says as she slowly wipes the stone with a cloth. Alex merely stood there and watched her converse with the grave stone, it was a very familiar sight, very often when he was younger he would follow his father to the monument of the Redwood heroes and talk to the ghosts of his fallen comrades. It infuriated him back then, but watching her he felt he understood it a little better. A coping mechanism for those left behind, he thought.
"I suppose moving on isn't as simple as just getting stronger." He said
"Oh no, I moved on while he was still alive," she answered "The love I have for him isn't romantic...its hard to explain, its more like appreciation"
"Appreciation?"
"Yes, I appreciate him for who he made me, I wasn't sure growing up if I was strong enough to be alone, but his absence long since proved I am. The people we meet often shape who we choose to be creatures of light or darkness." Alex remained silent, and watched her polish the stone for the next half an hour as he thought deeply about what she told him.
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There's discourse is large hall, as a crowd of villagers all aired out they fears and concerns all at once to the village elder who sat at a great table, with his eyes closed.
"What are we going to do about the King of Winter?" cried a desperate soul.
"Who's going to save those it stole!?" yelled another. This went on for quite awhile until the doors of swung open and a hooded figure entered the building. Every person fell silent as the cloaked person made their way to the elder's table.
"You're the knight from the capital?"
"Yes, I am." She said as she pulled down her hood revealing long red hair. "I take payment in advance." The elder nods, and at this signal a small boy walks towards her with a pouch. She quickly snatched the pouch from the child and shakes it against her ear carefully listening to it's metallic song. "How much is this? Its doesn't sound like my usual fee"
"Are A-rank knights no longer being paid sixty pieces?" asks the elder, upon hearing the question she immediately pulled out a rifle and pointed it at the old man.
"Fuck the rank system, my services are worth more then sixty pieces. I find your offer insulting."
"How much are your services?" he asks
"one hundred and fifty gold coins" she answers
"This wench is out of her goddamned mind!" Yelled a random voice from the crowd of onlookers,
"We wouldn't pay that much for Lord Letholdus himself!" Yelled another as the hall burst into a riot of discontent. The knight's face twisted with anger, and her eyes shone with fury. She twirled her rifle and shot a fire bolt that completely incinerated the roof over them with a thunderous explosion. The room went silent again.
"Take it or leave it"
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"I thank you for, everything but I need to find my mentor." Alex said bowing his head. "The curse hadn't taken full affect so my magic just about nullified it" The old lady blew out a cloud of smoke from her pipe as she kept her grey eyes fastened on the squire.
"The monster you're hunting is called the Winter King, The Yeti of Frostwood mountains, If you believe in folklore."
"Please any information you have is vital." Said Alex.
"According to the legend it wakes every one hundred years to hunt for food for the next one hundred years, my ancestors belonged to a tribe of the first men to stay in these parts they fought against the monster way before Frostwood village was founded.
"The people its taken are still alive" responded Alex
"I'm afraid alone you probably can't defeat it , but if you go talk to the elder in Ashwood village he may allow you to raise a hunting. " She said.
" I wish you fortune in your hunt." She res Alex bows, and begin to walk away but he hears her call out. "Healing takes time, don't rush it squire" Alex smiles
"My name is Alexander Broinson, I didn't get your name" the old lady smiled as a cloud of smoke escaped her nostrils
"Ashwood, Freya Frostwood."
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"Besides the slightly chilly weather the forest is completely normal," Alex thinks out loud as he touches the earth. "No signs of ice or snow a further indication that the Yeti's powers have a limited range." He rises to his feet and follows the elders direction to a creak that led towards a wooden gate. Alex walks through the gates and what greets his eyes is the sight of destroyed cottages with massive spikes of ice emerging from the wreckage,
"Mama" squealed a frail little white haired girl wandering aimlessly along the wreckage, her coat is tattered and bloody, her eyes where unfocused and lost searching frantically for any sign of comfort as she collapsed onto the ground sobbing uncontrollably , but to Alex's horror the building behind the child began to creak and sway and he realizes the little girl will be crushed if it falls.
"Little girl get out of the way!" He shouts, but his order fell on deaf ears, she looked at him with vacant eyes, she didn't care if she was going to be flattened. Alex ran towards her as fast as legs could take him , I won't make it in time, he realized as he watches in horror as the debris fell. Not again Alex screamed in his head , with an earth shaking stomp of his foot he sent a surge of emerald magic that raced towards the child and manifested as four massive spikes planted around the girl which ripped and sliced through the debris mid air. Alex finally reached and gave her a comforting embraced, "Everything will be fine, I'll find her for you." he vowed.
Alex and the child walked around the ruined village hand in hand, it wasn't long till the squire noticed a group of men going pulling out the injured from some wreckage far ahead.
"Big brother!" screamed the girl before taking off running towards the group, the largest man built like a buffalo with long silver hair reaching his waist, dropped the large wood beam he had been carrying over his shoulder and ran to meet the child lifting her into the air with one scoop. His shoulders where broad, his body was muscular and hardened, he was easily the largest man Alex had seen, despite the soft facial features shows that this behemoth was not much older then he is .
"Freya I thought I lost you!" he cried
"That knight saved me, Derrek. He said he'll find mama." The man gently placed on the ground and walked towards Alex with his arm outstretched.
"From the bottom of my heart I thank you for looking after little Freya for me. My name is Derrek Frostwood"
"Frostwood? By any chance do you know a Mariah Ashwood that lives in a cabin not too far from here?" says Alex as he shakes the Derrek's hand. Derrek's eyes widen with emotion
"I'm glad she's safe." He sighs with relief, "After we hunt down that abomination, we'll go see her."
"And rescue mama right?" Adds Freya. Derrek looks down at his sister with teary eyes.
"Freya mama is...."
"still alive" says Alex. "My father's journals spoke about how Yeti's could hibernate for decades. Most likely all the people its captured are being kept as food for later."
"I'm glad to hear that, thank you" a teary eyed Derrek smiles
"But saving them won't be easy I need to speak with your elder."
"I don't know if that's a good idea, he maybe a tough nut."
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Alex stood in a great wooden hall surrounded by concerned looking villagers facing a middle aged man seated at a great oak table under a massive hole in the roof. He had two large grey stubs of hair sticking out of his face, a meaty thick neck and a short but wide body frame.
"I understand what we face, what I don't understand is what you want from us." He said with a gruff voice
"A hunting party, to kill the yeti." Retorted Alex blankly
"A hunting party ey." Snapped the chief, as his bold round face flashed red. " We already paid an A-ranked knight from the capital to deal with the Yeti. Now you're asking the few able bodied men we have left to fight, absolutely not! Villagers will not do the knight's job!"
"Please uncle," pleaded Derrek from the crowd of onlookers.
"Nephew if you fit yourself a hero why not go with him ey?"
"I'm no hero, but how can we sit here like cowards when that abomination stole our loved one still lives?" Derrek yells. "If they fail and our family members are lost forever we only have ourselves to blame. My brother's if you're able please lets join this knight and save those lost in winter." The hall remains silent as all the men look down cast in shame.
"Forgive me, it was wrong of me to ask you lot to risk your lives." Apologizes Alex. "I will go alone." With that Alex leaves the hall and makes his way to the exit gate.
"Broinson!" a voice calls out to him, Alex turns and see's Freya and Derrek running towards him "I'm coming with you."
"This a knight's work" Alex responds with a polite smile.
"I'm stronger then I look." Says Derek as he pulls out his axe that was fastened to his waist and casually twirls it. Alex looks up at the youth he was a good deal taller and physically imposing then him. Alex stares deep into Derrek's eyes measuring up his conviction.
"fine."
"Thank you Sir Knight" the little girl says with a bow. Alex pats her head and smiles warmly at her, causing her cheeks to flush red. Alex and Derrek leave the gate and with one last look at the village Derrek calls out.
"I'll bring back mum so make sure you make something delicious for us." Tears swell in her eyes as she waves good bye to her brother and Alex.