"Is he a phrenomancer? I could have the matter investigated and have you freed." Diana mused, her words with an edge of worry as the two kept on trekking up the snow and frost. Diana dealt with the snow, melting it with her light affinity and clearing their path while Callista dealt with defense.
She was the one who held the fort when the avalanche cascaded down the slope with her crystal domain that was more than enough to protect the two. "It's not phrenomancy Diana, he's simply above the game toying the pawns." Callista's words cryptic as she kept on waking.
"This is so annoying. Since when did you get so mysterious?" A joke that fell flat as it was greeted with silence. "Geez you didn't have to give me the cold shoulder if you didn't want to talk."
And with that the two kept on walking before an issue raised itself. Hunger as Diana's stomach grumbled. Callista however kept on marching. Thanks to the refinement of her soul with Karlshhein, she had grown far above the limitations of the mortal ceiling.
Hunger and slumber was something she did not out of necessity but out of choice however her partner didn't have such an edge. "Damn it! There are no beasts around here that we can hunt!" Diana cursed, looking at their surroundings.
Jagged rocks, thrashed thicket and haphazard snow stared back at her as if mocking her. Callista came to a pause, her eyes darting around. "Yeah you still need to eat." She sighed as her mind recalled the situation.
'With such an avalanche, it would be hard to find any creatures lurking about. We would have to go back for some food.' As much as she hated that prospect, she knew that it was the only feasible way.
"Never mind, it would seem that we should get some help from them." Diana beamed a smile as she saw a pair approaching them. It was Brose and Grazilla who wore warm smiles.
"Ladies, I never thought that we would find you so far high." Grazilla mused, his smile warm as his eyes darted between the two ladies. 'I would have never thought that these two would be so beautiful. Especially Diana.' In his mind all kinds of thoughts swirled.
"Well you shouldn't underestimate us." Diana beamed a smile as equally warm as the one shot by Grazilla. The two shook hands, their smiles persisting as their partners remained in the back. "What, do you two know each other?"
Grazilla was the one to ask as he noted the look of apathy Brose had when it came to facing Callista. Diana also realized Callista's gaze was much sharper when it came to Brose. It was clear that there was some form of cold past between the two.
"Let's just say it's someone she's associated with." That was all Brose gave the two, Callista remained persistent in her unnerving silence. "If you say so." Grazilla already thinking that Jarren was the cause for this.
'And here I thought that it would be hard to alienate Jarren. He's making my job so easy and if I can have Diana on his bad side, then it would be even better.' In his mind he went back to the first night.
From Brose he had come to know that Jarren had some form of pride, far too high to mingle with the group. And so far Jarren played his role perfectly with him leaving the main base at the bottom of the mountain. However when it came to Callista, he had yet to figure out his relation with her.
It was clear that it wasn't that of a relationship of lovers but not that of friends either. "I know that this may come off as obnoxious but do you have some food?" Diana smiled through her shame as the princess of Reuthar.
"We should have some for you to eat, however it won't be enough to fill your stomachs but it should suffice." Grazilla pulled out a small bag and from it some roasted game was revealed. Diana though of royalty didn't bother with etiquette as she dug into the meat.
"We have some for you to." Grazilla mused, gifting Callista who merely brushed it off. "I'm good. However you can give it to Diana as she seems hungry." Diana didn't bother restraining herself as she dug into Callista's intended ration. "Suit yourself." Grazilla didn't want to force Callista as something about her unnerved him.
'Is it her calmness or her gaze? Regardless she isn't as helpless as she seems.' With a mental note, Brose finally spoke up. "How about we team up? After all Eric didn't say that there was anything wrong with banding up." Grazilla and Diana seemed thrilled with the prospect, Callista still apathetic.
"Sure, with my affinity with light and your resources we should be able to make it to the top with minimal effort." Diana mused finally sealing the deal between the two. Callista merely followed, shards of black-water obsidian orbiting around her.
*Two Hours Later*
"Hey!" A call from another party rang through the air, the owner worn out as they finally collapsed onto the snow. It didn't take long before the party made their way and offer help.
The size's party kept on growing however the rations didn't match it. "It would be better if we find something to hunt." Grazilla sighed, glancing at his pouch. "If we want something to hunt then I do recall a cave not far from here. Some ice bats claiming the place but we were way too spent to venture into the cave."
The party's mood lit up hearing this. "Then what are we waiting for, let's make our way over there." Diana perked up as she started to envision herself feasting on the meat to come.
…
"Alright, I've surveyed the place and it's quite clear that there should be some other pair here thanks to the melted snow. Probably fire so we should be prepared to face Jarren." Grazilla sighed as he saw the cave a few feet away from him.
The sun now hung right above them, it's rays piercing through the clouds making their bodies heat up thanks to the heavy coats they donned.After some revision of their plan, they finally made their move.
Grazilla took the lead alongside Callista, Brose and Diana flanking to the side and the party they had recently found at the back. "I hope that you're as powerful as Diana frames you as." Grazilla snarled hoping to evoke some from of reaction out of Callista.
"If you want to know how powerful I am you should ask for a spar. I hope that you don't die as fast as I think you will." Her words flat making Grazilla fall into thought. He came to know that Callista was much more powerful than Brose thanks to Brose himself and between Diana and Callista, Diana would rave that she was much slower in terms of reaction and glyph.
His eyes landed on the glyph that ticked at her feet, never once had it shattered since they had come across. At first he thought that she was exhausting herself at first however not only had the glyph persisted but also she didn't seem at the very least tired.
"Well you definitely have an impressive stamina and malcore reserves but don't think that taking me down would be so easy." Grazilla's words haut making Callista scoff. "Don't lose your head." And with that the party of six dove into the cave.
Diana illuminated the cave revealing the stalactites that dripped with water. A barrier prevented the group from dousing with water. And with their high altitude, a cold wouldn't be easy to deal with. Not life threatening but an annoyance that would snowball into a bigger issue overtime.
"Some one was here." Grazilla mused, his eyes landing on the walls that were scorched and still simmering with residue heat. 'Damn itt Jarren! How dare you mess with my food like this?!'The more she thought about it, the bitter she grew about it.
"There!" Grazilla pointed at a bat screeching at them. However it was clear that it wasn't that focused with them as it was too absorbed with flying away from the core of the cave.
*Thud*
Before Grazilla could make his move, the creature fell to the floor. Its' body pierced with a black-water crystal shard leaving no chance for the beast to recover. Callista kept on walking, unfazed with the cries of the bat.
Diana took a closer look at the bat. It's body bathed in a sleek blue fur coat with a thin silver lining running across the bat's neck before trailing down to its lower abdomen. It's size the girth and width of a dog as its fangs shot out of its' mouth.
As for the crystal, I embedded itself deep into the bat's eye jutting out of the skull. Cold, clean and surgical. "Okay I'll admit that you do have qiuck senses." Grazilla chuckled as they walked past the bat carcasses
The deeper they went, the more they saw the bodies callously strewn about. It wasn't just function that Jarren exercised, it was more like of mindless indulgence. "Damn you Jarren!" Diana cursed, her words filling the cave.
It wasn't long before the party found the end of the cave. A massive bat lay hung, it's body still dripping with blood as strips of flesh were hung to the side and the one behind it all his hands pocketed.
He didn't bother looking back as he broke into a light laugh. "I was wondering how long it would take you all to get here." Not far from him was Kaelin who was lost ub her world of dreams.
He made his way to her before offering her a strip of freshly cooked meat. "Huh?" Rubbing her eyes, she mindlessly took it before falling back to sleep. "Look Jarren I'll make it quick, it's clear that you can't eat all of that so take your share and leave the rest to us."
Jarren looked at the party before looking at the game that simmered at the flame. "I'm a fair person so I guess I should share with you." His hand flickering his glyph as a shadow scythe cut the beast in half and swallowed by the starry maw.
"There, don't say that I didn't offer a helping hand." Cracking his knuckles, he took a bite of his meat making the party drool. The section left by Jarren was massive however Diana couldn't help but muse.
"Jarren, there's no way that you'll be able to finish all of that meat by yourself or with Kaelin so make a much fitting cut of the rest if us." Jarren sat unbothered as the rest started digging into the suspended game.
With such a high abundance of food they had now, the new pair were more than pleased with what they had. "She's right Jarren so there's no need to be such a hogger." Grazilla further taunted however Callista and Brose fell silent.
One out of awareness of what Jarren actually was and the other still recalling the fight between Jarren and Ingrid. "Well if you want more then you'll have to pry it from me. So do you want to challenge me?" Brose and Callista both tensed already drearing of the fight that would transpire.
"It's enough." Brose was the first to muse hoping to defuse the situation before it got out of hand. Callista merely fell silent as she made her way and dug into the game already presented to them.
Diana and Grazilla grit their teeth as they realized the problem they would have on their hands. His glyph was similar to Callista and from her alone they knew that he already had an abundance of malcore to burn. Not to mention that their bodies craved for sustenance thus running the risk of losing it now was rather damaging to them.
"It would seem that you may have won now but only because that what you've offered is the bare minimum." And with that Diana took her leave.'Oh how cute you privileged bitch. I'll enjoy flaying you and making you wish for your death.' Jarren chuckled inwardly as he enjoyed his meal.