Golidu, the seemingly infinite, frozen landmass that spans the entire north of Mazica and greater in size than three nations. A land with such extreme, vicious terrain and weather you'd believe it wished to be nothing more than a desolate wasteland where no life got to embrace the light of day or bathe in the moonlight of a northern night. However, despite all odds, like in the scorching deserts found in southern Belaxus, life did find a way to breed and thrive, well … at least in some areas. Scattered across the artic plains and mountainous tundra vast and various species of fauna and wildlife can be found roaming the winter lands, each species perfectly adapted to their deadly home, as any less would mean extinction. And it wasn't just furry, insulated mammals and birds and grand woodlands of alpine trees and vibrant vegetation that filled the lands. For many millennia the indigenous tribes and races have remained scattered across their white plains in their villages.
Throughout his youth, Kyan had read hundreds of scriptures and literature that described the frozen nation the same way. And to his dread they'd all been completely right. In fact in his opinion they actually understated the environment of Golidu.
To think he'd desperately desired to come to this hellscape all those times he read in that library, Kyan thought has he steadily brute forced his way through the raging snowstorm and crossed the mountainous tundra. He'd been an idiot.
A deepening dark, navy blue sky hung overhead, and from his weeks of travelling through the nation, Kyan knew that an artic night would soon be upon him.
Kyan's grey, thick, wool and pelt cloak billowed violently, as he trudged forward through knee deep snow, failing to protect him or any of his possessions from the rampaging winds, which bit at him with icy fangs. His tightly gloved hand held a glass encased lantern high in attempt to shield his hooded face however, except for the iota of heat it emitted, the device was practically useless, the snowstorm being so thick the lantern's flame barley illuminated more than a few metres ahead. Around his waist attached, securely, over his rippling shirt and pants, with straps and chains, both his tome and sheath rattled aggressively against his thighs and hip.
Kyan continued to push forward, attempting to distract himself from the raging weather with why he was truly here. Instantly, his annoyance festered.
'Me and my big mouth. I just couldn't help myself could I.'
His mind travelled back over a month where he wandered through halls and vast chambers of Petos' guild hall of archaeology. He'd just claimed his bounty after turning in another relic, this one a jet-black curved blade he'd sneakily, recovered from a tomb in western Petos. Not even a half hour had passed before the division's guild master had found him and offered a bounty. To even his surprise, the bounty was ranked five stars, the greatest and rarest ranking you could find, and had been in the guild's records for centuries, many archaeologists and explorers had tried their hand but had all failed, returning utterly defeated or never seen again, instead now food for the frozen wasteland. However, this danger had no effect of Kyan instead, he instantly saw it as an opportunity to advance his golden and legendary track record, Kyan accepted the bounty without hesitation. In his defence for his haste, the money it offered as a reward was also no laughing stock, more than he'd earned combined in the last two years. It also didn't help that Neyra excitedly squealed in his ear and spurred him on to take the quest not even a moment upon hearing its brief description. After taking on the bounty he quickly discovered, all the quest had to give them was the general vicinity of southern Golidu on the border between the nation Iremia and the mountain range, and that the relic may be demonic in nature.
And now here he was, once again following a ghost trail, lead completely by Neyra's strange feelings and senses that somehow nearly always miraculously led him to their desired relic. In fact it was this unique talent Neyra possessed that led to Kyan having such a successful career as an archaeologist, since he began seven years ago after turning fifteen.
Suddenly a powerful gust of freezing wind struck him ragging his hood down an exposing his thick, coarse ash blond hair to the weather. It was tied back in a small, low ponytail, which when not being ravaged by the weather, hung down to shoulder blades, and his two thick, wild and parted bangs beat bashfully against his face until he could finally reclaim the shielding of his hood.
"I think the storm's beginning to die down" the feminine voice of Neyra emerged along the screaming winds, soft and unbothered as ever.
"Is it?" Kyan grumbled, unconvinced.
He glanced to his right to see she had begun to stroll beside him, a joyful smile upon her face as she traversed forward completely unaffected by the storm or any of Golidu's brutal environment. Surprisingly if a traveller came across them now Kyan doubted that would be what stopped them in their tracks. Kyan guessed it would be more the fact that her body subtly glowed and emanated with the vibrant magenta and violet hues of Kyan's magic that constructed her corporeal body. Neyra took the appearance a beautiful woman in her early twenties, with pale skin, you just make out beneath her violet glow, and flowing, wavy brown hair. While she couldn't alter her physical manifestation, her attire had no limitation. Like most days, Neyra had dressed herself his boots and a long, vibrant dress which as always complimented the magic glow that engulfed her entire body.
"Yeah! Ky, have a look around, it's growing clearer by the second," Neyra said, while twirling around in the storm.
"Doubt I'll be doing that," Kyan admitted, "every time I expose my face I fear a razor-sharp snow flake will blind me."
"Suit yourself," she shrugged, wandering forward her legs swinging high in the air like a toddler playing in snow, although she was unable to physically interact with the environment.
"This relic better be worth it," Kyan muttered.
"Of course it will be. It's a five star. How many people can say they've completed one of them?" Neyra asked.
"Not many," Kyan admitted, "but it won't matter if I end up a frozen monument lost up in these damn mountains."
"Well I'm not going to let that happen. Come on keep forward were not far now," Neyra said, "We'll go somewhere hot and tropical next time. It's been forever since I got to wear a swimsuit."
"Are you sure your actually tracking it this time?" Kyan asked. An uncontrollable grin formed upon his face beneath the cloak. "I don't want to travel for over a month for nothing again."
"It was ONE TIME!" Neyra snapped. She stormed off ahead, huffing with each step.
Kyan stifled a laugh. Bringing that up never failed to annoy her. He didn't know why. If you link it with her other strange behaviours, his best guess was she feared that if he felt like she had no longer had a use to him he'd abandon her or some other nonsense. When in reality, she could fail or mess up as many times as she wished or continue to be one of the most irritating people he knew he'd never leave her, she was the only family he had. A deep down he assumed she knew that, as he was pretty sure she could read or at least 'feel' his thoughts, and instead just liked to a pain in his ass. Plus even if he did wish to part ways, he didn't even know if it was possible. How did one leave an existence eternally tied to his bloodline?
Kyan risked glancing up to discover the storm truly beginning to slowly subside. Neyra had stopped at the peak of the steep incline where the ground plateaued out. He estimated they were now around 1000 feet up.
Kyan joined his companion on the flattened ground to see her staring out at the sights, now slightly visible as the field of rampaging slowly began to calm itself.
"I think it's amazing after everything we've seen the world can still surprise us with scenes like this," she stated.
Kyan nodded.
As the snowstorm continued to settle a vast, vibrant aurora engulfed the night sky that had already begun to birth stars upon its plain. The bright, colourful lights illuminated the entire mountainous tundra. Bouncing off miles of woodlands, fields of snow and reflecting off crystal lakes and rivers.
"Be nice if it wasn't trying to kill me though."
She turned to him and grinned. "Could be worse, remember that jungle in the Tropis Isles. Everything and its lineage wanted you dead, even the plants tried to make you dinner."
Kyan chuckled and allowed his grip on his cloak to loosen as the winds continued to die back down to a manageable level. "And it was all just for some worn down, incomplete set of armour. Had a few jobs like that now. But hey, at least we still get paid."
"It's your own fault," Neyra shrugged, "I warned you that revealing you're a mage, would put you to the top of everyone's watchlist. You're a rare, ancient and powerful species working in a field were everyone's obsessed with unique antiques and ancient relics. What did you expect?"
Kyan grimly nodded, ever since the day he revealed his heritage and unveiled his abilities everyone had requested him for their jobs whether the quests were supposedly impossible or just simplest one star. It had made things complicated and definitely more annoying, but in his defence the day he was uncovered he'd been left with no choice.
"Anyway, what's your plan?" Neyra asked. "We're still a bit off from the relic but days falling to night. Time to set up camp?"
Kyan nodded. "It'd be my best plan of action. But let's keep going forward for a bit, see if we can find a cave or gap in the mountain side, save me having camp exposed in the open."
He carried on forward, his gaze remaining distracted on the view, the aurora dancing across the sky and caressing the tundra in its light. He suddenly came to an immediate halt.
"What's wrong?" Neyra asked. When Kyan didn't respond her stare followed his out across the view. Her head tilted curiously.
If it wasn't for the bright light of the aurora it'd be invisible through the falling snow, but not too far in the distance where thick, large clouds of black smoke.
"A wildfire?" Kyan asked, speaking his thoughts aloud.
"Highly doubt it," Neyra said, "Probably natives."
Suddenly, carried by the howling wind, distraught and pained screams could be heard echoing throughout the tundra.
Kyan's hands instinctively found the pommel of his straight sword and the spine of his tome.
"Let's go."
Kyan traversed the tundra's landscape. Originally starting out at ask a brisk but cautious walk down the mountainous terrain and alpine woodlands, Kyan was quickly forced into a hasty sprint as the panicked screams and cries grew horrifyingly intense. He clamped his lantern to his waist sacrificing the safety of light for greater momentum, both his arms now tearing through the air throwing his weight forward.
Kyan charged through the tundra utterly blind, submerged in the woods darkness, completely trusting his pathway to Neyra, who'd phased back out of reality and into his magic once again. He obeyed her every direction and command with question nor hesitation. If she told him to turn he turned, duck he ducked, jump he jumped.
'Just a last-minute check. This definitely isn't some creature imitating distressed cries to lure in travellers for an easy meal right?' Kyan thought.
*No,* Neyra's voice spoke in his mind. *There aren't any creatures or monsters of the sort in Golidu. Those cries are people.*
'I was worried you'd say that.' Kyan pushed his body even further as he rushed into the oncoming carnage.
Soon the scent of smoke and burning wood grew pungent in the air and then the smoke soon began to cloud the air and burn at his eyes.
*Just a little further Ky. Keep straight ahead,* Neyra directed.
After covering miles of woodlands without rest, Kyan gave it one last push of speed and burst out from the woodlands.
He came to an instant stop. His eyes strained as they shot wide. Neyra reappeared beside him, completely stunned.
"Oh … shit," they both murmured in unison.