The thick snow helped cover our scurrying as the wind began to pick up. The howling was beginning to ring throughout the area. Snow was beginning to fall again, rich sheets of it covering the streets.
Caen’s hands swung open and we stopped. Noises. Did they finally pick up our descent down the mountain? I felt my hands tense, squeezing on my hatchet as Aria looked around nervously. More voices, then another hand gesture. It was time for Aria’s fog.
Aria gave a playful little jump as she began her craft. While she had conjured water from snow, this was the first time I had seen Aria use magic that was truly impressive. I thought that mages needed to declare their use of magic, as she had shouted ‘By the Pact!’. Giving it some more thought, I realized that was nothing more than a public display. Showmanship. Real magic needed no introductions.
A massive wall of mist sprung from nothing and the air grew thicker by the second. Slowly, the area around me faded into blistering cold mist. The air was so dense that I could feel my nose standing up, desperate for any kind of warmth. A hand reached through the mist, and grabbed my glove. It was Aria. I tried to make out her features, and if Caen was behind or in front of us, but the fog was so thick that I couldn’t even manage that.
I felt Aria drag me as I realized in horror what was happening. The wind was blowing away our cover. I heard the crunching of boots in front as she picked up the pace, beginning to run. Then I felt the whizzing of a crossbow bolt. Another. Another. Three more. Another.
They were blind firing into the mist.
“I thought you said this was safe,” I whispered to Aria. It was hard to even speak with air so thick.
“L-Look! I wasn’t thinking about the crossbows…haa!” She let out a tiny yelp as a crossbow bolt whizzed precariously close to my nose. The wind was picking up now, as my vision began to clear. We were only going to have this for half a minute, max, as holes began to open in our wall of fog.
I shuddered as I heard the gurgling of blood escaping a human. Luckily the mist kept me from having to see it. I felt my feet stepping into something wet, probably warm, but I powered through it. It’s not blood if you can’t see it. It’s not blood if you can’t see it…
With a sigh of relief, we returned to the comforting cover of a wood cabin. It wasn’t over yet. The blizzard was beginning to rage, with blankets of snow obscuring our sight. We were running now, as the whizzing of another volley of crossbow bolts filled the mist wall. Shouts to stop firing, mixed with screams of pain. They were willing to fire on their own people for the chance to stop us.
“Keep running.” Caen didn’t need to tell us what to do, as Aria ran by my side.
Despite her frail appearance, she could actually keep up the pace. Her eyes glowed brighter, the many crystalline sparkles forging together into a single white star. Fierce determination with room for little else. There was something comforting, knowing that despite how she acted, when push came to shove, she was no pushover. That gurgling sound was going to haunt my nightmares though.
“Charlotte, lead the way,” Caen shouted, pointing a glove for me to get up in front as I snapped out of my daze.
“Right.” I surged forward as my eyes scanned the area, searching for an exit. Caen and Aria weren’t far behind as a third volley rang behind us. The wall of mist was gone by now, blown away by the powerful wind.
There! I had to raise a hand to keep the snow out of my eyes, but I could see the path out of the village. We passed house after house as the screams of friendly fire faded behind us. We were so close.
Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw one of the inquisitors emerge from the edge of my vision. The world slowed down as his eyes turned to meet mine. I drew my axe. He raised his poleaxe. I saw him beginning to shout as my own eyes widened with fear.
I was planning on running around, but I couldn’t have him alerting the rest of them. So I did the only thing I could and charged straight for him. I gritted my teeth, rushing forward on the last little bit of speed. Shoot. I didn’t have anything to block his spearpoint. Before I had more time to panic, his eyes went wide. His weapon dropped into the snow, a silent indent in the quickly rising snowbank.
I watched in awe and horror as his shouts came out as muted gurgles. Little droplets began to coat his face, his lips, and as he scratched at his throat. His eyes were wide, a mute, tortured scream.
I turned back at Aria to see her focused, palms extended. I could hear her soft and focused breath as the storm swam around us, blanketing the two of us with snow. There was no mercy in those silver eyes of hers. There was nothing at all.
“Go!” Caen snapped and I ran forward again, making our way out of Oakhenge.
I couldn’t help but take one last glance at the terrified soul, his entire face covered in an orb of water. He lay on the ground, scratching at his throat, air bubbles escaping onto the surface as he did so. This is when I realized the scope of Aria’s capacities and a cold sinking feeling enveloping me. She could be a monster.
“Got a plan for the storm?” Caen shouted through the howling blizzard as I shuttered back into reality.
“Yes! There’s a makeshift shelter about a thirty-minute trek from here.” I bit my lips as the storm raged around us, causing my cloak to flitter and snow blew all around us. Aria gave a protesting groan as the snow was now reaching far past her boots would allow.
“A little help!”
I rushed over to Aria’s side, gritting my teeth as I felt snow enter my boots.
“Aria, get up on my back,” I shouted at her as she stood there, dumbfounded.
“What?” She was in disbelief as I kneeled, waiting for her to climb up on top.
“Come on!” She must’ve lost her snowshoes in the shuffle. We had to make a break for it now or we would get buried. This area was low, and the snow would funnel down if we stayed too long. That icy mist earlier did not help with the whole not freezing to death thing.
I felt Aria climb up on my back, using my pack as a foothold. I got up again as I felt her arms wrapped around mine. For someone who constantly ate double or triple rations, she was light. Almost too light. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say she ought to eat more.
“All right, let’s move Caen!”
He didn’t need prompting as we rushed forwards, breaking through the storm.
“Aria,” I tried to find the words and she looked down at me with a faint smile. Despite the terrible conditions, and her merciless expression a few short minutes ago, she was her cute self again. Almost as if nothing happened.
“Yes?” she replied, her chirpy voice cutting through the wind.
“I…” I began, but I didn’t have a complete thought. She didn’t owe me an explanation. She’d saved my life.
Yet it left a profoundly empty feeling in my gut. It didn’t feel right that the person I was carrying on my back casually and effortlessly murdered someone, and that was that.
“You want answers, I’m guessing.” Her voice was soft and apologetic, as I felt her hands cling tighter to my cloak for comfort. “I like you, Charlotte. I didn’t want to see you hurt.”
I sighed, shaking my head. That wasn’t a real explanation, but it’ll have to do for now. Silence lingered for the remainder of the journey as my back screamed louder and louder for relief. Then with an exhausted sigh, I saw a ring of pine planted like a barrier against the snow, burnt-out fire pit and all. We had arrived.
* * * *
The snow shelter was a grove of trees specifically planted to break blizzards. It was a ring of pine, with a fire pit already assembled. A natural shelter to sit out a storm in an emergency.
Everyone relaxed and loosened up as we took shelter in the grove. Caen began work on the fire while Aria took her time setting up some tents. I got to nap a bit, letting my back take it easy.
