《Through the Waves》 Chapter I - (The Northern Land) The time was well past midnight. However, the sun continued to blaze blindingly in the skies. No clouds drifted over, nor any winds blew to bring it in. No bird sang either, they had long left, favoring the warmer south against this glaring white world of desolation. The world was as still as could be... Until a figure sauntered in. It was covered in black fur, scars littered its thick arms and broad back. It was the image of a bear. Strangely, the figure pulled a sled carrying a fur covered luggage secured tightly by a rope. This load was massive, easily twice the size of the figure pulling it. After walking in circles, it stopped before a wide trunk that rose higher than any in the forest. The figure grunted and crouched facing the leafless tree, then , unexpectely, ran and leapt towards its branch! This branch was a good two metre higher than the figure. However, a hand hanged to it then used the created momentum to drag its body up, balancing with a one hand stand atop the ten inch thick branch before backflipping into a stand. All in a single motion. Then, it proceeded to remove its head. No, it proceeded to remove the skin of its head. Wrong, it proceeded to remove the makeshift hood,made of a bear''s skinned head, that covered the figure''s real head. Lifting this confusing hood up, a pointed ear spiked with his short jet black hair. His eyes twinkled mischievously as he bowed to invicible audiences. "Ahahah!" He laughed. His voice sweeping through this quiet world. Lack of response didn''t bother him, in fact, if even a squirrel chipped in he would be too embarassed to get out of his room ever again. He shrugged, sending his earring to bouy back and forth. It was blood red in color, effectively duplicating the shade of his irises, a gift he wore for all his life, a long while. The image of a bear clambered up, deftly maneuvering his way through a maze of snow laided branches and outreaching twigs. Considering that his hands are gloved with paws and that he wore a bulky costume, any tree climber would appraise his climb with admiration of his skill and experience, and form a small question on the side of why he things hard to begin with. He reached the last branch capable of supporting his weight and balanced precariously atop while surveying what comes after the Leafless Forest in his way further north. A strong blizzard rampaged a day ago, bringing in pieces of ice crystal to scatter like twinkling stars in this white universe. It sprinkled amongst the wave of fresh snow that piled high and low, creating dunes that easily stretched twenty feet high and trenches that were deceivingly low. The truth was, everywhere were at least ten feet above solid ground, one step in this white washed world could literally drown anyone to death, with a promise of starvation if the former was incompetent. He knew this. In fact, he had always lived knowing that. Desolate they called it, he see nothing but home. A backyard to be exact, his family and their ancestors had lived further north, claiming this vast barren region theirs. He knew this place like that of his hand. Pointing out the rise and fall in every stretch is child''s game for him, so he usually have a rough idea where to step. Usually. "I''m screwed, aren''t I?" He said with a sigh. Knowing this land like the back of his hand is one thing, but covering that hand with layer upon layer of gloves would not get him anywhere. He wanted to scratch his head out of annoyance, but removing his bear suit will be too inconvenient so he made do by massaging his itch through his soft, baby pink paws. "Curse it!" Though, the action only irritated his itch further. He started to punch away blameless twigs, scaterring debris of twigs and snow over his load below. Then he started throwing snowballs at random direction. When he finally realised his temper only kept him atop a tree, pointlessly kept cold and still miles away from home, he calmed down in a puff of mist before expertly hopping his way down. He picked up a rope and dragged the sleigh attached to it. Up north, supply hated demand while demand cherished supply. This loved-hate relationship prompted the family to assign someone go south and bring the supply up, and this young man drew one of the short straws, tasked in stocking up for a family of a few hundred. Additionaly, his two partners was supposed to share his pain, but they suddenly sick called, leaving him alone to do a job meant for three. He replowed his way through the fresh snow while cursing with every heave. The nearest town is Yulid, a quarter day away from his present location. He didn''t like the place, but other cilization were at least a fortnight away, and he only needed to wait one week for the snow to solidify enough and travel on it. "Oh my Lord . . ." Using innate strength, indomitable will, and endless grumbling, he reduced his travelling speed by two hours. He was walking for more than half a day already with a load thrice more heavy than him, so he craved a healthy sleep in a comfortable bed. If not for his Blood''s blessings, then just pulling this luggage would be an impossibility to start with. Upon entering the wooden fences of Yulid, eyes immediately gravitated towards him. He disliked this town. Their scrutinizing eyes were the reason he gambled in just this last trek to start with. He judged the odds of finding a path after a blizzard were worth trying for, far more better than staying another hour in this boring town. He did not relish fueling their gossip. Then again, his sloth won over pride as other towns were a week away by foot. He would gladly choose sleeping peacefully than be bothered by gossips. Rather than a town, Yulid could be more accurately reffered to as a small settlement. Made for hunting purposes, many elves gathered this far north to satisfy, what was considered, their barbaric hobby. They hunted not only for living, but also for the pure thrill of the hunt. He like these kind of elves. His bear suit a testament to that. However, his unique bloodline kept others at bay. Anxiety and fear were triggered by the unknown that is him. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Nevertheless, he was used to it. He heaved his luggage ungracefully on the streets. The snow was shoveled nicely, so he was quite grateful. It was stacked at the side of the road, in front of the unique houses. Infrastructures here were built with a base made from blocks of ice. Wooden landings topped it so another walls of ice could be built then closing the wall to a dome. The crystal, egg-headed buildings had its own charm. It made him reconsider to dislike the city rather than hating it. Before he could reach the inn, however, trouble found him first. A man blocked his way. His exquisitely tailored silken attire that covered a cotton-layered insulation inside stood out against the usual attire of the town, a full bear suit actually blended more. For a hunter hunts, wearing frivolous clothing would not make sense when rabbits waited to be skinned. The stranger''s fancy attire simply did not match the pragmatic town, in contrary, however, the swords at his waist and bow at the saddle of his elk did not look like a decoration, earning him nods of approaval from a gathering crowd. Reasonably, the haggard young man pulling a sleigh before him concluded he was not from town, and most definitely don''t want some quick chat. This smelled trouble, so he altered his path to make way. "Are you the one from the House Lispien?" The man asked as he took a closer step. His attire covered everything except his eyes, like everyone else from the village. However, his grey gaze were piercing like no other. "Name''s Ivril, and I really love eating and sleeping until past noon, with sun or no sun." He replied through his bear suit shamelessly while tugging the ropes of his sleigh. He tried to emphasize that he would be very happy to rest, now if by choice, undaunted by the other''s commanding stare. The other just raised a brow, before bowing slightly as he apologized, "Then, please, follow me." --- "A spicy grilled venison meat, corn sourp, slice of cheese, two loaves of bread, bottle of milk, and apples." Ivril ordered as the waitress dutifully wrote it all down. Nobody had ever treated him with a meal before, so he was determined to make the most of it. The waitress looked at the other man, but just got waved away. She left, leaving the two surrounded by boisterous laughter and exclamated chattering. The two initially stood out, but the onlooking hunters soon lost interest as Ivril indifferently ignored their inquiring eyes, determined to dump cold water in their curiosity. The man with piercing grey eyes removed his cloak, revealing pointed ears and very pale tone of blonde hair. "Pardon my late introduction. My name is Regal Kasaril-" ". . . Wow, the so called Silver Death of frontlines? Why are you here out of all people?" Ivril interupted as he nonchalantly removed his own cloak, finally remembering some manners. Eating with paws than palms was not how he was raised. His dark night hair contrasted harmoniously to his crimson eyes. On closer look, his pointed ears are uncommon. It jagged briefly, on the edge behind the high point, making his ear look like a baby''s cutting saw, made to fell grass and weeds. Jagged ears, dark hair, ruby eyes, and a personality to match. Such descriptions are attached to all members of the House Lispien. Regal paused. He had been informed, but seeing the information first hand is different from reading it. To simply put, this bloodline had always made others anxious, the Blood Elves. They had lived in this part of the world even before orcs first started their campaign for world domination.They were an exotic race full of secrets, detached with their own society. However, the wind of change was blowing. A hushed rumour reached the chieftain''s ears about the existence of the Albino Orc, an existence hailed to undoubtedly rule the world by its savage kins. "That is a name I rather would not be called." Regal answered whilst hiding his wariness towards the other. "And what does the great general, hero of the elven front, so an so, want from the humble me?" Ivril wasn''t really thinking because he was hungry, so he just spout whatever comes to mind and sank back in his creaking stool. "Your help." Regal asked blatantly. "Ehhh? Rejected!" Is what he replied without a sliver of hesitation, but he didn''t show any signs of leaving. He was waiting for his meal. However, this caused Regal to misunderstand and interpret that his purpose was being tested. He leaned in. "The council is willing to listen to any of your demands, should you name it. The rest of the elves badly need your . . . family. We may have betrayed you once, breaking your confidence on us. We understand. Though, you were sent as a representative, the rest of the elves would undoubtedly be delighted should you help under no one''s command. That would benefit us so, true, however . . ." He rambled on with with occasional hand movements. Fierce resolution in eyes was so intense it could send any on their knees in worship while nodding blindingly to anything he says. Ivril blinked a couple times. He got lost after the ''representative'' part. Before he could open his mouth to speak and intervene, an ominous roar resounded through the whole town, effectively interrupting him. The ground vibrated intensely, creating cracks on crystal walls. "Avalanche!" The word swiftly changed the village''s demeanor. Residents here are hunters, and hunters so far north were gamblers betting the highest stake. Their lives. Danger was a weapon to sharpen the five senses. Everyone scampered to survival. "What is going on? There are no adjacent slope around, let alone a snow to crumble down!" Regal stood up and rewore all his clothing, not bothering with fineries like tying his belt with a perfect braid. "Uh, my fault, probably . . ." Ivril panicked as a thought crossed his mind. ''Lily isn''t that hungry, right?'' Chapter 2 - (Aberration) Ivril and Regal rushed out of the bar. They followed the rapid stream of thudding boots and sure steps to safety. Outside was no different. Everyone abandoned what they were doing as they poured out of shelter. Regal anxiously looked about. The forest surrounding the village ominously moved as one with the quake, like a marching army headed for war. Then, his eyes caught the blood elf beside him. Ivril was shaking his head then nodding in succession. His dark brow furrowed, only to untangle right after. Regal frowned when he remembered Ivril''s previous words. Surely, how can any mortal cause the ground to quake? Regardless, the two moved with the flow of the crowd, heading south east of the town. Regal was still confused, where was the avalanche? Ivril patted his shoulder. "I''ll talk to you later, see ya!" He took off without waiting for Regal''s reply, leaving the latter in stunned silence. As he watched Ivril disappear against the flow of crowd, his eyes finally drifted up where it did not before, catching a sight that made his breath get caught in his throat. An opaque, white rain was falling over him. It began to cover the sun, casting great shadow down the small settlement. Night descended in this supposedly six months of continuous sunlight. Regal''s heart sank in despair. However, he grit his teeth and followed Ivril. He was not going home without completing his mission. As he took further steps, the rush of figures began to thin out, leaving him alone in a ghost town. The mass of white colored his vision black. Regal walked blindly with forlorn heart in search of Ivril. Why Regal did not ran like the rest and faced doom instead, he did not know himself. Instead, he just ran, because by this time, his life was on the line. Slowly at first, Regal felt crisp coldness creep on his face, to his neck, reaching down his back as the powdered ice found its way through the crevices of his regal clothes. Weight slowly piled over his head and shoulders. Moments later, he could not even walk through the waist high snow while battling cold futily. With eyes closed and lashes lidded in white powder, his purpling lips quivered to uncharacteristic smirk, a smile he never thought he would ever make, escaped in face of imminent death. ''A gentle death, it is. Who knew it was worse than a sword''s?'' - "Lily? STOP!" Ivril shouted at the top of his lungs. He faced the endless land outside the Yulid forest. The land was still barren, but the previous dunes were gone. It migrated south in an elegant arching swirl, a graceful death bringer towards the nearest settlement. A bridge of swirling snow reached out towards the small village of Yulid. "Stop being unreasonable!" The great arc quivered slightly, but continued uninterrupted. Vein seemed to pop out of Ivril''s forehead in frustration. "Don''t you know you''re burying the damned supplies?" The statement froze the swirl, then speedily reveresed back. Soon enough, a new mountain was made in less than a minute as desert of snow gathered under a single point. Ivril sighed with relief. He sprinted to the freshly made mountain''s foot. A figure sat with a twig in her hand. Her long dark hair draped contrastingly to the glaring snow. She was drawing a flower on the snow with surprising detail. Her little stick did not sketched lines, but dug out snow. The uneven depth created shadows, made aestistically to outline the flower of her namesake, a lily. Ivril stood behind her, watching as the young girl expanded her work from a single flower on the ground to a blossoming field on the base of the snow mountain. It was a surreal sight, mere snow becoming a priceless work of art. The image told of her dream. To see what she considered the epitome of life, flowers. After the last chisel of her fragile twig, she regarded Ivril. She looked so small, surrounded by her fictitious dream with pleading eyes. "Please, take me with you." Confusion struck Ivril, then he remembered his conversation with Regal. Everything became much clearer to him. The family was sending him down, and he had no say about the matter. The last time anyone of them went down was at least a thousand years ago, yet all of a sudden, Ivril was assigned in a task many of them consider a great fortune. Ivril did not mind the cold north, though not everyone shared his comfort. They wanted to see the world, but an unwritten law had hindered them from doing so. Considering thus, he could not understand why him out of many. Lily was one of these many, and her ability would indisputably be more helpful than he ever could. Ivril knelt, and tucked a loose stray of her hair behind her pointed ears. "You weren''t permitted?" She shook her head dejectedly. "My dear sister!" He exclaimed. If Ivril feared anything, it would be their parents. Just the thought of disobeying them sent his knees shaking. Add the fact that this was his sister, Lya Lily, an abnormality that the whole family tirelessly hid, and now she asked to see the world. "Brother, I beg of you. I am tired of just looking at the flowers inside the canvas! I read enough of their scent, felt them enough in my dreams, had enough of grandmother''s stories that she, herself, could no longer remember!" Tears streamed down her pale cheeks, looking miserable with her crumpled dress and bare feet. "Brother, I am tired of relishing from someone else''s experiences. I want to understand what they felt! I need to. Because living, I do not understand . . ." "Lily . . ." If his parents were his greatest fear, then his sister was his fatal weakness. He sighed in surrender. He took her hands, and escorted her to her bare feet. Ivril knew she was not cold. Really, neither was he. Like that, a bear and a young girl walked hand in hand towards a leafless forest. - Regal opened his eyes. He saw nothing but a blur, so he closed them again to dream about dragonflies. "Hey!" Suddenly, a hard jab hit his side. He heard his rib groan, and his throat mimicked the gesture. "If you''re awake then get up! You need to eat or you''ll really would die soon." The unfamiliar man kept nudging his aching side, leaving him no choice but to abandon the dragonfly''s epic battle. Regal swatted the malignant hand away as he carefully stood up. When he did, he realized how much his body hurt. He felt like a charcoal, thoroughly burnt. After a couple of laboured breaths, his vision stabilized and saw an unfamiliar scene. He was in a brightly lit room. The crystal walls reflected light, doubling the radiance that hurt his still, hazy head. Beside the bed, a table and chairs were the only furnitures present. He looked to his right and saw an unfamiliar man. His eyes were fiery red and his hair stood peculiarly, reminding Regal of the hedgehog that gave him bitter memories in his childhood. He continued staring at those red eyes, thinking why his memory wass prickling. With a jolt, he suddenly stood and pointed a finger. "You!" He accused loudly, forgetting the fire in his limbs. "You, you . . ." Regal could not finish. He cannot even think why he felt anger towards the other, let alone shoot his slanders. The other just stared, then howled in laughter, audaciously slamming the bed, making Regal flush in anger. In his life, he had experienced many treatments such as respect and fear, but never as a laughing stock. He never knew humiliation could stir such rage from within. Before he could holler in agitation, a figure came in carrying a steaming pot. In Regal''s eyes, an angel mistakenly walked on earth. Her dark hair were long and unnaturally silky, eyes were mysterious shade of red, a mix between milk and rose. Her nose tilted perfectly to match her soft cheek bones and pointed chin. Also, her graceful steps- The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. His thoughts continued while his eyes grew wider. Noticing this, the man with red eyes balled a blanket then threw it on Regal''s face, diverting his attention. "You look dumb." He remarked malevolently. Regal blinked, and immediately composed himself. A commander of thousand men cannot lose his calm under any circumstances. He sat down and cooled his head. Recent events flashed by his closed lids, making him shiver from far existent cold. Opening them, he saw two dark haired elves feasting a steaming pot. He knew the man, Ivril, but he could not possibly forget if had ever met the young woman beside him. She was too beautiful to forget. Her long lashes flutters like a butterfly''s, and those eyes, he would gladly drown into them- He shook his head. Again with calm mind, he concluded, that girl would nothing be but trouble, someone he best should ignore. His mission was to bring Ivril Illian Lispien to the capital as willing as could be, and the girl was just a distraction. Regal stood up and joined the two for meal. His whole body ached, but eating was a must for recuperation. He forced himself to eat meat, an option normal elves would avoid with distaste. With tearing eyes, he swallowed a spoonful and silently said goodbye to his normal days. - ''Was it that bad?'' Lya''s heart shrank. Her brother had always praised her cooking, but then again, he was the only one who ever ate her carefully prepared meals, and that brother spoiled her as much as she was ignored by the family. This was the first time someone else ate her cooking, and that someone looked like he was spending the day in a torture chamber. She decided to ignore him. If he does not like it, then he can scavenge the forest for all she cared. "What''s the matter?" Ivril gently asked her. She looked up and saw an ever familiar pair of worried eyes. Lya knew she had burdened her brother enough with her request, so she resolved to become more independent and solve her own problems. "I just remembered, why did you mention your luggage when stopping me back then?" She initially asked to point him on another direction, but as she did, his words actually disturbed her. "Huh? You didn''t stop because of that?" ". . . Why would I?" "Well, I was late wasn''t I? The supplies were delayed, so I figured you were angry because you were hungry?" Lya reddened almost immediately. She loved her brother, but his mind tend to stay in the clouds leaving her to her own device with embarrassing events. She slammed her hand down the table, making everything on it jump a thumb higher. "So that was why you called me unreasonable! Brother, what were you thinking! Do you see me as some sort of pig? Incapable of waiting, so wailing was all I could think of!?" Ivril frantically tried to pacify his sister, soothing her with various claims Regal did not bother listening to. He just silently ate, trying to persuade his mind that the clump rolling on his tongue were carrots. When the pot was empty, Lya finally calmed down. Ivril sighed in relief, while Regal concentrated to keep everything down. "So what''s the plan?" Ivril asked in attempt to change the mood. His sister was still pouting, but did not interrupt. "You agree to help?" Regal asked hopefully. "You never explained what you want from me, and why me." Lya eyed her confused brother. Everyone knew. Even she, who was isolated by everyone else, had heard about it. She looked at Regal who had the same confusion in his eyes. "Let me explain." She did not wait for confirmation and talked ahead. "They want to break the stalemate with the humans on their border. They asked us for help, but the family was reluctant considering what they did to the previous aid we gave." "What aid?" Ivril stared hard to his sister, evidently experiencing a hole in her explanation. Regal was flabbergasted. This matter was not a secret, it was the great shame the elves will carry in their history forever. "Brother . . . how did you pass to advanced level of studies?" Ivril just grinned sheepishly. Lya sighed, feeling the weight a mother feels when her child was fooling around too much for his own good. "The family granted them their first demon along with the knowledge of how to access the ether. However, just after a few thousand years they lost every single one of their familiars, and with that, the ability to summon." Regal was silent in shame. He could not deny Lya''s words, instead, felt thankful for the lack of malice in it. Ivril nodded solemnly, then asked Regal, "So you want us to give you another demon?" "I would not deny, that would be most ideal." "But the family refused." Lya intervened, not liking the flow of conversation. She felt like her brother was being tricked by a scammer. "They had wasted our trust once, and it would not happen twice." "And so is where you come in." Regal continued, paying absolutely no attention to Lya, slightly upsetting her. "You were chosen to represent all blood elves. By coming with me to the capital, from then, you are to judge whether we are worth the second chance." Lya scoffed. "Yet they also fraternize with their so-called enemy. The family is just their supplementary plan in case the former failed, one reason or another." "Humans are not the real threat, but what is behind them. When they fall, the bloodiest war would fall on these untainted soil, and there are no longer other lands to run away to." "Yet they war these humans." She retorted. "For liberty, a chance to fight for our own." He said promptly. "Yes, because too much peace result in fights between their own. This was proven by a mere couple hundred years of bloodless history." Regal and Lya were on a heated debate while facing the innocent Ivril. "So, Lily, you don''t wanna go down?" He asked out of confusion from her sister''s quick-tempered ripostes. Lya paused, then glared at her clueless brother. She received confused eyes in return, making her stop and realize that she was, indeed, confusing. Sometimes her brother could point unintentionally cutting remarks, making her frustrated more to herself for turning her anger on her perplexed brother. She looked at Regal to condone her words, but what she saw just infuriated her further. Regal was beaming from ear to ear. His face was so bright of glee, Lya seriously thought about freezing him, totally, this time. She looked away and breathed in calmingly then breathed out the pent up tension in her nerves. "Brother, let us go. Surely, one less company cannot possibly change anything. The two of us will do just fine." "Ivril, I received orders to escort you, nothing less, and definitely nothing more." The two silently glowered at the other inside. "Brother!" "Ivril!" ". . ." Ivril was tongue-tied. Lya glared as mightily as she could, but she could sense a dogged combativeness beside her. "Um, why can''t the three of us just go together?" ". . ." ". . ." Responding to his question would require Lya to grudgingly acknowledge the blonde elf''s existence, and, apparently, this is also true for that man, making her snicker despite her recent rage. "Okay, I take your silence as a yes. When tomorrow comes we''ll set to the journey south." And so, three elves made preparation to the capital city, carrying mixed feelings of unsaid animosity, uncertainty, and anticipation. Chapter 3 (Journey South) It was noon. However, the group of three traversing through the endless tundra had long since lost track of time. They had been walking for hours, days maybe. Their bodies ached for rest, but they could not succumb to it. They shouldn''t. Thick mist rose high from the ground to dim the sun''s rays, fatally impairing their vision. Its coldness slicked its way through their boots, lulling their dull conciousness away from below up, dangerously leading to the tempted''s eternal rest. If only there were wind, then this mist could not possibly settle for long. It seemed to had stopped blowing since the blizzard that repainted the region had passed. But having it now would feel like a death sentence. ''No, anything but that.'' The mere thought brought new shivers down Regal''s back. He cast the desperation away and tucked his arms tighter to his chest, preserving every heat that this place kept sapping away from him. His back was hunched protectively while his stiff boots ploughed through snow. Regal was currently wearing every bit of clothing he owned, added with the rabbit scarf Lya handed him. He felt something burn inside his chest everytime he remembers her pitying eyes. He was frustrated. The siblings kept stimulating something he thought he already drowned. For a long time, he conditioned himself to wear a stoic mask. Soon, he fused as one with his pretentions and became what was known as the detached and cold reaper of the battlefield. ''Cold, was it?'' The irony made him smile bitterly. Here he was, waging a banal fight against the identity everyone see him as. The picture was so ridiculous, Regal felt cracks in his soul, a sign that everything he ever was was crumbling down. He escaped from his thoughts by looking at his side, only to be disappointed as they were in far better condition than him. Ivril had not slowed at all despite hours of carting his humongous sled. He still wore his previous attire. At first Regal found this costume ridiculous, now he could only look in envy. Behind Ivril was something, or someone, even more ridiculous, Lya. In his eyes, he saw a spoiled princess sitting comfortably atop the fur covered luggage. Her simple white dress draped down to her long, elegantly crossed legs, while her hands fiddled with fibrils of yards and needles. The sight was so ridiculous, Regal felt his pride was crushed from his weakness. Perhaps due to weariness, he didn''t notice that Ivril was shaking with fatigue and Lya''s lips were closer to purple than her usual pink. "How much further?" Ivril broke the silence with his hoarse voice. "Ten more minutes." Lya answered in a coarse whisper. "To where?" Regal asked, as far as he knew, they were closer to death more than anything, and he would rather not die within ten more minutes. No one spoke for a few moments. Regal felt it was hours. Then Lya answered, devoid of anything but exhaustion. "The peak." Her imperfect voice gained his attention, and finally led him to notice something was wrong with his companions. Regal began to look back, but a searing light ahead intercepted his attention. The thick clouds parted to deliver a silver lining. It lit down on them, conquering the mist to pierce through Regal''s white hazed mind. The beacon showered his world with recognition, and he saw what the journey still had in store. The sight, however, was painful to bear. Endlessly, he saw ice. The group stood tall atop one of the many pointed mountain peak which dotted numerously to grid a great span of tundra. Beyond it was an ice field, beside this were glaciers. Just a little more further were where icebergs hinted to existence. Of all this, the path Regal previously trekked in his way north was nowhere to be seen. Not a single tree stood to comfort his journey in this desolated land. "We''re lost." He said hopelessly, wondering how in the world did he even survived going to Yulid. "Why did you even deviate from the path I threaded before?" The siblings steered the group''s course half way through their journey, saying they knew of a faster route. Regal believed, reasoned how it would only be logical to know your way around your home. The said siblings, however, have never been as far south as they currently were. "Down west is where the sea is. The current will run down south, so we just need to ride with it." Ivril explained as he surveyed the path they had to take. Regal felt his life drain out of him from Ivril''s reasoning. Everyone knew that the north was cold, add water in the pot, and you cook a dreadfully slow acting poison that torturously kills. "Do you have a vessel?" Regal held onto hope. "None." ". . . " Now he felt so stupid for ever trusting this man. "And you plan to swim thousands of kilometres?" Lya giggled. "That would be smart." "You figure?" Regal snapped to her. Though before he could stay on glaring a moment longer, he froze on the spot. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Lya''s lips were visibly purple and her skin perfectly blends with snow because of her alarmingly pale complexion. Her eye lids droop low in exhaustion, and her hands minutely shook the fabric she''s knitting. She noticed Regal''s stunned face, and raised a brow in reply. "What now?" Regal felt conflicted. He was previously ordered to not ask questions regarding ''their'' unique capabilities. His superiors feared the blood elves would recluse further because of their impatience for information. Hence, he could not ask how she was fine or how serious her condition was. He could only look worriedly. - They had been walking for days, nine days in exact. They rested for only four hours a day, which includes sleep and meals, the rest were a non-stop treading through ice and snow. Needless to be said, they were exhausted. Regal once mentioned it took him a month with his elk, which unfortunately died from Lya''s recent outburst. With the party''s current pace, it was estimated that their journey would take a week less. However, that was until the sixth day. For unknown reasons, thick mist veiled the world, and this was especially fatal for Lya. It was part of being special, as her brother called it. Knowing this, Ivril insisted of making her sit over the luggage as he pulled. She would just smile sadly. Lya was dismayed that she was weighing her brother down. She always did, but she thought that this journey would be her chance to reverse their roles. Lya wanted to change for the better, not only for her brother but also for herself. She had enough of about just everything in her life, and she resolved to believe that change have to start in her. However, the world just seemed to be against her wishes. First the unnatural weather, now, Regal, who detested her since they met, was looking at her with same worry she knew too well from her brother. ''Am I that hopeless? If the first stranger I meet already sees me as incapable, then what does that say about my future?'' Despair was not enough of a word to convey what she was feeling over the concern, pity, and annoyance that Regal''s face was showing. Unwillingly, tears began to swell on her eyes and fell tumultuously. She immediately swiped it away with the scarf she was making, but only more cascaded down rebelliously. She shamefully covered her face with both hands then bent down to her knee. Hiccups rose to her throat as she muffled her sobs.. "Li- Li- Li-" She heard her brother''s voice, but did not dare to look up. She knew what his thoughts were already. How her tears were somehow his fault, how useless of a brother he was, how could he have failed to notice. Numerous thoughts would swirl his mind, but Lya knew, none were blaming her. This only stabbed Lya deeper. She would rather bear his accusations than burden him further. Her body racked hysterically as sobs and unsuccessfully suppressed hiccups trespassed repeatedly. Eventually, she did not care any more and let everything she kept bottled burst out. She wailed rampantly at the peak of the mountain. Nothing but her weeping voice wrung to her ears. When her throat was dry and tears ran dry, Lya finally felt the warmth of her brother''s arms. This time, she welcomed it and placed all pessimistic thoughts aside. She looked up, and saw her favorite eyes. Strong and confident, yet gentle and delicate. Those red eyes were always what kept her sane. "You feel better now?" She nodded meekly and wiped remaining tears clean, a weak smile leaked to her lips. She stood up and walked to a sharp edge. Looking down, the world seemed to have become much brighter, ice twinkled, snow were a gentle coat, even the white peaks looked beautiful rather than the redundancy it was before. She looked back, and saw her companions eye her inquiringly. "Sorry for making you worry." "Never mind that, what happened? Does it hurt that bad? Do you want to go back? Maybe, let''s rest for a whole week? Yeah, that-" "Brother, we do not have to. I am fine, and I will remain fine." ". . . Then why did you cry? I never saw you cry ''till this day." Regal''s previous face uncomfortably bubbled to her mind. She just frowned, and immediately popped the thought aside. Lya just smiled embarrassedly, before turning around and absorb the faint sunlight around. ''No. I have to stop getting ahead of myself. I just barely started. I cannot lose against myself.'' With a new found resolution, Lya looked back to her companions. "I apologize. I just suddenly felt really useless, the lack of sun finally is affecting my morale. But since I already cried a rivers worth, I am fine now. I have never been better." The last sentence was a lie. However, it was Lya''s first offense against her bleak outlook in life.