Chase yawned, as his backpack lazily swung side to side on his back.
Lithica and him were walking in the front of the group, as they passed by several large bears that continued to aimlessly claw at the ginormous trees of The Dark Forest.
"My lord, we are almost there..."
Chase nodded, being drawn from his thoughts by Lithica's notification.
Behind him, Equan and Michael were quietly chatting about their weapon arts, and behind them, Poppy and Neveah had been discussing matters of music tastes.
Walking in the far back of the group, was Onyx, who had refused to converse much during the long and enduring journey.
Chase looked forward, scanning the forest for their destination.
And sure enough, ahead of them lied a river of ice, where the elements of fall weather and ice cold snow were meeting in a flurry of convulsing forces.
On one side of the river, a blinding blizzard pushed forward, but didn't dare threaten the warmer side of the river where it was only early fall.
The scenery was truly stunning, as red and orange leaves covered the ground on the dirt pathway that had led them this far, but on the other side, it was a winter wonderland where ivory snow filled the air for as far as the naked eye could see.
Chase frowned, tightening his leather coat. Not because of the cold they would face, nor the endeavors that they would soon face.
He had been here before, he had stood on this bed of ice before, he had fought in these lands among his friends and enemies.
He had killed here...
Equan ran up beside Chase, and jabbed him in the ribs with the edge of his bow.
"Ow! What the hell was that for?!"
Chase yelled, drawing the attention of the peaceful giant bears as they groaned and slowly trotted away from the path.
"Really?"
Poppy muttered annoyingly from behind the group.
Equan chuckled and slung his bow back onto the backside of his armor.
"You looked down..."
"So you hit me?"
Chase frowned.
"Is that really the way to cheer my lord up?!"
Lithica lifted his eyebrows as he scratched his chin in wonder.
"Absolutely not!"
Chase threw his arms back in a fit of anger.
"Yes angel-dude, if you want to make him really happy, just shock him with lightning while he is asleep!"
Equan laughed with little care in the world, as Chase grabbed him from around his neck and tried to strangle the archer.
And so they continued on, crossing the river where that same archer had once slain the giant serpent of frost, and eventually passed a small pile of burnt twigs where they had once set up camp before treading into battle.
They passed several more landmarks like this as well, bringing back both happy and sad memories for more than just Chase.
As the air got colder, Chase moved back toward the back of the group, and Onyx took lead as he led the group through the blizzard veiled forest.
Poppy also fell back toward the end of the party's formation.
It was slightly awkward as the two walked side by side, Chase had been sure that she was still mad at him for the several foolish decisions he had made in the recent months.
"Are you okay?"
She asked as she looked away, her ivory coat of fur flowing with the powerful gusts of wind of the evening frozen forest.
Chase shrugged.
"As okay as I should be..."
Poppy fidgeted with the straps of her gloves as they continued to follow the group.
Chase lifted an eyebrow and pondered for a moment.
"Why are you even with us? Shouldn't you not be trying to overthrow one of the eleven kingdoms? Like family-wise?"
She scowled.
"My family is of no concern of you... I simply wanted to avenge the man that had taken me in like his own daughter, and treated me with no grudge even if my family is of the same blood as the people who had destroyed his entire clan..."
Chase looked forward, studying his allies one by one.
"Well said..."
All Chase had was a dagger on his torn leather belt, and a novice level of spells and primis arts at his disposal, yet for some strange reason... He did not fear Rider, and in fact he found strength being surrounded by so many people that he cared for.
"What was he for you?"
Poppy asked quietly, blinking with heavy eyelids.
Chase almost choked on his own words, as he remembered what Leander had told him about his family.
"I guess, he was my godfather. But he did more than enough for me, and he deserves to rest easy. He trusted that we could finish the rest, and so we will..."
She smiled.
"Well said..."
In front of them, Onyx lifted a hand and signaled that they were soon to arrive at the familiar village within The Frozen Forest.