Erik and his companions had been journeying through the winter wilderness for two weeks.
With each passing day, the village that had once been their home got more and more distant, giving way to an endless expanse of frost-covered trees and ice-covered paths. The cold was a constant, but they were used to it; their bodies resisted the biting chill thanks to their clothes and the fires they started at night under the protection of Erik's wooden domes.
Thaid sightings became more common as they moved further away from the Frantian's military encampments. It was clear that the soldiers did something to the thaids around the village since there were almost none there. The beasts appeared to be drawn to the remote wilderness by primal instincts.
Despite the increased Thaid encounters, the group could hold their own. Erik's dual abilities and his companions' seasoned skills proved to be more than a match for these creatures.
Marcus absorbed the brunt of the attacks with his mana shield, his axe slicing through the creatures with brutal efficiency.
Alexia's mana arrows were unerringly accurate, while Ava's agility and dagger skills dealt significant damage. Garrett's wind-infused sword slashes were lethal, and his tracking abilities were invaluable in anticipating potential encounters.
Their confidence grew with each Thaid they defeated, solidifying their faith in themselves and each other. Unexpectedly, the experience brought them closer together, forging them into a team.
Even as the Thaid encounters became more frequent, the group's rest periods were surprisingly comfortable, providing a welcome respite. Erik's Plant Master brain crystal power enabled him to manipulate the surrounding flora to create protective shelters quickly.
Erik's deft control transformed the seemingly barren and snow-covered wilderness during the night. Strong pine trees would bend and twist at his command, their branches intertwining to form protective domes with a wave of his hand and a flicker of mana.
To provide insulation, moss would grow, and undergrowth would shift and rearrange to form a padded floor.
These plant-made sanctuaries not only provided a physical barrier against the snow and wind but also effectively hid them from view, as the domes themselves blended in with the surroundings.
This ensured the group's safety while they slept or rested, making them less vulnerable to surprise Thaid attacks, preventing them from becoming cold, and, most importantly, making them usable when they returned.
This ability was crucial in their journey, providing physical comfort and safety and providing the group with a brief respite from the constant vigilance that their journey required. The much-needed rest reenergized the team and gave them the energy to continue.
***
In the middle of this particularly harsh winter, the group discovered they had found themselves on the banks of a frozen river. Once, it must have been a serene cascade, carrying the mountain's bounty through the valley, providing nourishment for the verdant flora and myriad creatures that called this wilderness home.
But now the river was still and motionless, its flow having been stopped by the chill and transforming into a vast plain of shimmering ice.
The surface of the frozen river, which reflected the surrounding landscape like a mirror, was stunningly attractive. It grabbed the sunlight and scattered it into a kaleidoscope of glittering specks, which resulted in a radiant display that belied the bitter cold.
When Garrett looked up at the vast landscape before them, he wore an uncharacteristically intense frown that etched deep furrows into his normally unruffled face. His expression was gloomy. His pupils contracted as he concentrated on the heavy blanket of snow covering the ice and everything nearby.
A chilly wind blew across the landscape, picking up a few snowflakes here and there to create a spooky dance of white particles in front of the icy scene.
The barren trees that lined the riverbed were covered in snow, creating a striking contrast between the once-vibrant greenery of the trees and the stark black and white of the landscape. The strain on the branches caused them to creak, and their skeleton-like shapes swayed gently in the breeze, providing an eerie melody to an otherwise silent world.
Garrett cautiously moved along the riverbank, the snow muffling his footsteps and the chilly air clouding his breath.
He'd always been attuned to the wilderness, a silent observer who could read nature's subtle signs like an open book. But his instincts were screaming at him now, a dissonant alarm in the quiet stillness. Something was wrong.
The man stopped, raising a hand to signal the others to stay back. His gaze was fixed on the frozen river, his eyes flickering with a worried undercurrent. His boots crunched on the frost-kissed ground as he moved closer to the edge. His gloved hand reached out from the ice.
He stood for a moment, his silhouette stark against the white expanse, his figure shrinking in the face of the impending challenge. His mind was clouded by anxiety, with the unknown dangers of the icy passage weighing heavily on his mind.
Turning back towards the group, he finally broke his silence, his voice carrying an unusual edge. "We've got problems, guys," he began, his words heavy in the frosty air, bringing an onset of concern that seemed to chill the atmosphere even more.
Garrett's attention was drawn to a troubling detail against the stark backdrop of the frozen river. His gaze shifted from the icy river to the snow nearby, where minor disturbances marred the otherwise immaculate surface. There were footprints, almost invisible due to the wind and snowfall but unmistakable to the trained eye.
People had recently come here. It wasn't a promising discovery, being so far from any known village. That only left one possible conclusion: Frantian soldiers were nearby.
He ran his gloved fingers over the rough-sketched map, pausing over the illustration of the frozen river.
"I found signs of recent activity in the area," he continued, holding up a handful of snow.
"Footprints, almost completely covered by the falling snow. But they weren't left by animals or villagers; they're human."
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