It was unusual to share the Inn with someone else besides the elderly couple who ran it. The man was already up by the time Mikhail came down and the pair walked to the west gate together. Neither of them talked and no matter how awkward it was Mikhail kept walking until they reached the end of the bridge. The theoretical border is meant to keep outsiders out. Mikhail turned to the man observing his fins once again with a little hesitance.
"Are you sure you want to try?"
"Why not? Are you unable to guide me?"
"No, it's just that…I'm sure you heard what happens to people who try to enter Lyukan."
"They spontaneously combust correct?"
After a moment of hesitation, Mikhail spoke again. "If you know that why do you still try to enter?"
"There's something that lies in the heart of Lyukan that I must see for myself" The man replied before speaking once more. "Plus, I don't need to drain my wallet commissioning you every time I need something."
"What do you want to see?"
"The Walking Fortress of Izhutin."
Mikhail stared at him in disbelief. "No one's been able to access it since Korovina of the 18th hero party"
The man looked surprised. "You know your history well then."
Mikhail nodded "I also know that Izhutin's Fortress can not be easily found you'd have to go way farther into Lyukan than just the Yeti corpse."
"I'm sure you can guide me" The man dismissed Mikahil's worries and walked further getting closer to the barrier.
"If you're not gonna go move it!" Another voice yelled and the man who was being rude to the desk lady from earlier showed up. He pushed past Mikhail and stepped around the black-haired man. The rest of his party followed him with the girl bowing slightly to apologize for his arrogance.
"Wait!" Mikhail yelled. "Don't take another step further!"
The arrogant man turned around. "What are you gonna do about it kid? This is the Dimond-eye party and in case your head is as thick as your hair we are an A-class party" He spat and walked passed the barrier and took a few steps before turning around to mock the others who were watching with bated breath.
"See I'm fine that whole myth about burning is just a ploy to keep adventurers ou-" His sentence was cut off as his tongue evaporated. Slowly a fire raged over his body catching flame to the very essence of his being leaving nothing but a black pile of burnt flesh and bone. Only a beat of silence passed before screaming took place. Mikhail and the man seemed to be unfazed, but the members of the Dimond-eye would not stop the hysterics.
The girl went to retrieve the man's remains, but the other members stopped her. The waterworks came and the group of people huddled pitifully together next to Mikhail and the man. With a sigh, the man stepped forward closer to the barrier, but as he was about the step in Mikhail reached out and grabbed his hand. The man took another step towards the pile of flesh going passed where the man had been able to go before being burned alive. Mikhail still held onto the man's hand and even he was surprised when the man didn't burn. The man seemed to realize that he hadn't yet burned and turned to look at Mikhail who was still clutching onto the man's hand.
The only difference between the man who had burned and the man whose hand Mikhail was holding was the fact Mikhail himself was there. The man tilted his head and examined the boy. The creasing of his eyebrows at the grip in which Mikhail held his hand, the confidence and comfort he stood despite the incredibly low temperatures. The man opened his mouth to say something but then closed it before it could leave his mouth. The man turned his attention back to the pile of burnt flesh and reached out a hand. A Magic circle appeared under the pile, in response the pile glowed a purple hue before a small ball of purple magic appeared gathering in the palm of the man's free hand. Mikhail watched in silent awe as the purple balls sank into the palms of the man's hand and were absorbed into the body.
"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO LEON?!" the girl who was in previous tears was now up and close to Mikhail and the man. "WHY CAN YOU ENTER BUT LEON GETS BURNED ALIVE?!" She turned her verbal attacks onto the white-haired boy. " IF YOU KNEW HOLDING YOUR HAND WOULD MEAN LEON WOULD BE SAFE WHY THE HELL DID YOU NOT GRAB LEON'S HAND?!"
"I-I didn't know grabbing his hand would do anything!"
"THEN WHY DID YOU GRAB HIS HAND?!" She pointed at the finned man with an accusatory tone.
"I don't know!" Mikhail tried to refute but the woman turned her previous waterworks into an uncontrolled rage. She was taken away along with the other members of the party and they were halfway down the bridge when the man stopped them.
"You're forgetting something"
This time the shielder of the party came over. The finned man flicked his fingers and the burnt pile of flesh and bone gathered and were wrapped in a water bubble then handed to the dwarf. The dwarf gave a mumbled thanks and then left with the rest of his group.
"Now then." he turned his attention back to Mikhail. "Where was that yeti corpse you mentioned?"
Mikhail nodded and took the man across the tundra. Making note of the Jackal rabbits and moving around them guaranteeing the safest route possible. Mikhail would glance back occasionally to see if the man had burned, yet every time he looked back the man was still there. It took them 30 minutes to go back to the yeti corpse using the safest route Mikhail could think of. A chunk of its hide was still missing from when Mikhail collected it, though it would appear that he wouldn't get any more as the ice around the Yetti was still broken and unsafe to walk on. Mikhail was about to say something when the man stepped forward. He walked off the ice and onto the water like it was the firmest thing in the world. Mikhail looked in awe at the finned man walking on water but quickly reasoned it was because the man was a sea person.
Not wanting to be left behind Mikhail hopped around on the floating ice chunks and stood close to the yeti and by proxy the man.
"You have good balance." The man commented not batting an eye at the boy. He held out his hand again and like the burned pile of flesh before, a magic circle appeared under the corpse and it emitted a purple hue before gathering in the palm of it was absorbed by the man.
"What's your name?"
The man turned to the boy who was standing on the floating nice next to him. "You may call me Ascl."
The boy nodded. "You already know my name, but it's Mikhail"
"I think a Thanks are in order Mikhail."
"For what?"
"It was you who kept me from burning alive like that Leon figure."
"Really?" Mikhail stepped forward subconsciously before the ice wobbled under the shift of weight making Mikhail quickly reposition himself. "How?"
"Well like the girl said, you were the only factor that changed between me and that Leon meaning you did something. Maybe not consciously but something nonetheless so I thank you." Ascl turned his body so the two were facing each other. Ascl's eyes examined the boy taking note of how far his cloak reached on his legs and the fur his boots were made of. He took note of the various items wrapped around Mikhail's waist and the way he held himself like he was completely at home in an environment that would kill most people. The fact the weather always seemed calm around Mikhail but you could see the fierceness of the wind anywhere else. The fact that it only snowed lightly when Mikhail was around when you could see a blizzard happening meters away.
The more Ascl stared the more he was intrigued by the boy. "Will you guide me even further? Will you help me find Izhuti's Fortress?"
Mikhail stood on the floating ice chunk in awe. Going deeper was no problem and he could survive on his own no problem, but he had never guided anyone before. He could handle himself, but handling someone else's safety seemed too much, yet the idea of chasing a place every child born into Lyukan dreamed about was just too tempting. With a deep breath, he agreed and the man started heading back to Bayfire.
"Where are you going?" he asked.
"We are going to need supplies if we are going to be staying out here for a while." The man waved his hand and Mikhail hurried after him. They walked back to Bayfire together and turned onto the Market area where the merchants collectively gathered. The man looked around and pointed at the stuff he wanted spending more coins than Mikahil had ever made. All of the supplies went into a bottomless bag. Mikhail followed quietly until they stopped at a tailor parlor. They walked inside and Ascl pulled out the Yeti fur he had bought from Mikhail prior.
"Can you make me a cloak using this hide and replace the old fur on my friend's cloak with this too," Ascl explained to the attendant gesturing for Mikhail to hand over his cloak.
"My cloak is already made from Yeti fur, and so are my boots."
Ascl looked surprised but accepted the explanation and turned back to the attendant. "Just mine then and if you have an extra make me some boots as well."
The pair sat down in the lobby as they gathered materials to make Ascl's cloak. "Do you come across Yeti's a lot then?"
"No, I try to avoid them but they aren't hard to take down. Just run on the ice and eventually, it will lose interest or the ice will give out."
Ascl nodded before being called over so the tailor could get his measurements. After that Ascl left to go stock up on food. He put more and more stuff in the bottomless bag and Mikhail couldn't help but wonder how much stuff could fit into the tiny pocket dimension inside the bottomless bag.
"What do you fight with?" Ascl asked suddenly. Mikhail held up his pocket knife and Ascl looked surprised. "A knife? Interesting…"
"How so?"
"Oh, nothing I just envisioned you being a mage of sorts I suppose."
"I can't use magic," Mikhail responded but as the words left his mouth Ascl looked as if he had heard the most offensive lie in his life but did not comment on it. The sun started to set and after all their shopping they picked up the cloak. It matched Ascl well it was black with a white inside to help keep him warm. He quickly paid and the pair returned to the inn and Mikhail paid for his room for the day once more.
"We leave tomorrow Mikhail eat and sleep well," Ascl said while walking up the stairs and disappearing into room 7. Mikhail nodded and did as he was instructed stepping into his room. He held his bag and packed what he would normally bring into long stays in the tundra. The next morning they were back at the bridge Mikhail watched as Ascl crossed the border despite not being a snow elf. He looked down at his hands and wondered what he had to do with the fact that Ascl wasn't burning.
"Do you know where Sergei's tower is?"
Mikhail nodded and started walking. It was an old mage tower that dated before the great fires. They walked on the colorless fields for hours, yet not once did the snow pick up. The majority of their stuff was in the bottomless bag so they didn't have to worry too much about the ice cracking. Not a Jackal rabbit in sight nor Unum-wolves. It was just Ascl and Mikhail walking along the flat and endless ice of Lyukan.
"So why do you want to go to Sergei's tower? I thought you were after Izhutin's moving fortress."
"I am but going to Serigei's tower is a necessary step."
"What do you want inside the moving fortress?"
Ascl didn't respond and Mikhail had thought he overstepped a boundary before he followed Ascl's stare. They reached the edge of the colorless plains and to continue they would need to go into the forests. Mikhail looked back at Ascl not sure what the problem was.
"If you're worried about getting attacked you'll be fine as long as you follow me."
"It's not that…I sense a large amount of mana gathered in that forest."
Mikhail followed his stare once again standing at the tree line before stepping in going in a straight line to the center of the forest. Ascl hesitated but followed the boy curiously. They walked until they came into a clearing where Mikhail looked up and around. To the left, he saw someone lying on the ground and Mikhail approached it.
"Mikhail stop!" Ascl yelled. Mikhail stopped where he was as the person got up slowly. It was a girl but she had birdwings on her back. She lept at Mikhail but fell over thanks to her limp. Mikhail hurried back over to Ascl's side and stared at her.
"What is that?"
"I'm a harpy as you people would call us and I have a name. It's Celalin." The woman on the floor grumbled.
Mikhail stepped forward bracing himself and looked back at Ascl. Both Ascl and Celalin watched as Mikhail stepped closer and tossed her a roll of bandages he had shoved in his bag. Celalin watched and stared at the roll of bandages for a moment before taking them and wrapping her wound up.
"Why are you here" She asked her gaze directed at Ascl.
"Why shouldn't I be here?"
"You know why. The will of Izhutin burns all foreigners who dare enter Lyukan. Consider it payback for the fires you foreigners caused that killed most of the natives."
Mikhail frowned at the mention of the great fires. A devastating event that wiped out most of the life in Lyukan and angered the god Izhutin so much that his brother Rida gave him the power to burn any foreigner who entered Lyukan passed a certain point. That's how the story went at least, but Ascl was living proof that it may not be true.
Celalin turned her attention to the boy. She narrowed her eyes taking in his appearance. "Where are you from?"
"The Zlastal region but I live in Bayfire."
Celalin thought for a moment before narrowing her eyes. "Let me see your Status screen"
"I don't have one."
Both Ascl and Celalin looked confused at this. "Everyone has a status screen. You unlock the skill when you turn 15."
"I'm not 15" Mikhail explained apologetically.
"What the fuck is wrong with you making a kid guide you in this climate!" Celalin accused Ascl already limping toward him to attack him.
"I didn't know he was 15 plus I asked him if he wanted to he could've said no!" Ascl retorted backing away. "Mikhail, how old are you, then?"
"12"
Both Celalin and Ascl looked at him. "You're pretty mature for a 12-year-old. Most 12-year-olds would've run if they saw me."
Ascl stared at Mikhail almost impressed like he saw something in Mikhail he couldn't see himself.
Celalin signed and backed away. "Not my circus, not my monkey's, I don't see a slave crest on the boy so I'll leave you be." She turned to fly away but her right wing wouldn't spread out fully leaving her to fall back onto the ground. She groaned as she flopped back into the snow and glanced at the pair once again.
Mikhail looked around and frowned. "Ascl can we go back the tree line I don't know where Sergei's tower is from here."
"Why are you trying to go to Sergei's tower?" Celalin asked.
"We're trying to find Izhutin's moving fortress."
Celalin scoffed and sneered at them. "Why do you want to find Izhutin's fortress?"
Mikhail turned to Ascl who had been observing them from behind.
Understanding the que he sighed. "I want the tomes hidden in there. I wish to learn the ancient magic of the snow elves"
"AHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAH" Celalin started crying at the statement. "YOU? A FISH? Your trying to learn the ancient arts of the snow elves and Izhutin's legacy? He would never let you in let alone find it!" Ascl did not share her disposition and stared at her which made Celalin laugh more. "Oh my your serious AHAHAHAHA Good luck you're going to need it"
"Let's go Mikhail this Harpy does not wish to be with us."
Mikhail nodded and turned to leave. The harpy watched them go a loud thump was heard and she limped after them. "Hey wait!"
"What" Ascl looked at her.
"Take me with you. You can't just leave a beautiful girl like me all alone in the forest with no one to protect her"
"I'll pass."
"YOU ASSHOLE! Fine…I will guide you to Izhutin's fortress but getting in is all on you. In exchange, I expect to be fed, kept warm, and protected." She huffed.
Mikhail looked at Ascl and saw him sigh and reluctantly agree. "Start leading then."
The three of them started walking north west going passed the forest and into the glacier plains before Celalin decided she walked enough and plopped down on a rock.
"Let's set up camp here. Fishy you'll take watch" she commanded.
Ascl scowled at the nickname but set up came pulling out the materials from his bottomless bag and handing them to Mikhail to set up.
"Ew this is gross," she said spitting out the dried pork.
"We can't make a fire that's practically asking for animals to attack us."
Celalin scowled but when she saw Mikhail happily munching away she ate the dried meat begrudgingly. She was the first the fall asleep taking up most of the space the tent had. When they bought it they didn't expect to be sharing with a 3rd person. Ascl crammed in sleeping under Celalins wings and Mikhail laid on top of them both.