For Halcyon (Vainglory)

Icicles

On top of a glacier, somewhere...

There was a low grunt accompanied by the sounds of dragging footsteps, a chain clanging against the iced ground and another set of heavy footsteps walking atop the giant glacier located at the far north of Catherine's camp.

It was Krul that was grunting, this unusual cold did not bother him, not one bit, but what did was Rona's continuous whistling of the same tune since they've set foot out of camp. He was getting real sick of it and he was sure his ears would've already bled if he had any blood left in his dried up veins.

Glaive on the other hand did not mind the whistling of the cavewoman, he liked the tune. It was peculiar but soothing, well—at least for him it was. The occasional annoyed grunt of the old man at the back said so otherwise. Catherine had sent them out on a side quest to speak with a legendary mage that lived on top of the steepest mountain formed by icicles. If the Grangor recall correctly the mage's name was Reim.
The captain of the stormguard was hopeful that they could persuade the old man to join her side so she ordered them to go. Glaive personally thinks that Catherine's decision to send Krul and Rona out on this mission was unwise, not that he was saying that he is better at speaking with other people but to send a man with a bad temper and a doltish cavewoman to talk to a legendary mage? What was the captain thinking?

"Will you quit whistling that stupid tune?" Krul finally broke his silence.

Rona's whistling began dying down as she gradually stopped on her tracks. She was walking ahead of her companions, it made Krul and Glaive pause at the same time. The cavewoman turned to face them with an unamused look. Krul prepared himself in case the girl attacked but instead of doing that, Rona scratched her head.

"I don't know where we're headed now." she announced.

Glaive's brow raised questioningly. "Then have a look at the map."

Rona immediately slipped her hand into the animal skin bag that hung down her body. She felt inside for the piece of paper that Catherine had provided. Her hand bumped against the pack of meat she brought along for a meal and a few other unnecessary things she had shoved into her bag earlier this morning. The woman continued digging inside a minute more before she looked at her companions. "Do you uh, have a copy of that paper?"

This time a long grunt of disbelief came from Glaive.

***

Walking against the crisp cold wind on an icy location wasn't what Rona expected her weekend would be like. She was feeling a burning sensation on her skin as the sharp wintery wind blew angrily at them. The cavewoman wondered if this wind was coming from the mage's power. Catherine had explained that basically, this old man they were going to meet was the frosty the snowman version of Krul. She was hoping that he isn't sour like their undead companion at the back who she is sure had been shooting deadly glares at her with his iris-less eyes ever since they began this journey.

"It's night soon. We should look for a cave to camp in." Glaive suggested.

"It's better if we continue." Krul said. His haunting voice echoing from his mouth.

"No, Glaive's right, let's rest. My skin hurts and we won't be able to see at night," Rona countered the old man. "I brought some food too and it's a waste if we—"

"It's because of your stupidity that we will be wasting time in a cave." Krul scolded.

Rona pursed her lips and turned her gaze to the ground, he was right. It was her fault and she does not have the right to complain.