The snow, despite its small innocent appearance alone, was devastatingly heavy once piled up. If it weren't for the beast of the night roaming or living around the snow breaking its building blocks, it could cost the lives and warmth of many.
Troops walked upon the snow under the freezing air its climate gave off, every step erupted a crunch and every crunch left a footprint of snow.
There were many footprints in the snow mostly from the beast that roamed other's from troops who ascend a snowy hill.
The soldiers ascend under the influence of their commander Lily Percival. Her figure had a height of 5'10. She was fit and firm with her skin smooth deep reddish-brown. She had black fluffy texture hair in form of an afro pom pom.
She and her soldiers were dressed with armour such as vambraces, chest plates, and greaves or shin guards. Some gathered other equipment of their own like helmets, pauldrons, or finger tabs for archers.
Nonetheless they each possessed a weapon some on their waist, backs or shoulder's.
Lily had her specialised axe on her back. It was vastly bigger covering her back whole casting a shadow bigger than it should be. The blades on each side crystallised at the tips forming a blueish hexagon pattern.
Having successfully ascended the massive snowy hill with no difficulties they begun searching around. Footprints of beast were replaced with a reddish liquid which tainted the innocent feel the snow gave of.
Lily went towards the liquid. From up close she could see the streaks of a gooey icky black within it. She picked the black goo up as she brought it to her nose for a sniff.
The soldiers watching her from the side-line could feel themselves gag some expressed their hint of disgust other's remained calm.
After her small investigation on the gooey substance Lily walked back towards her soldiers as she took her place in the front. The soldier standing beside her expressed his confusion with a whisper.
"Why bother smelling the goo if you already know it isn't our beast?" His voice deep with a intimidating feel yet also smooth. He could scare and calm. Among the troops he was of the one's who remained calm despite their commander's actions.
"Obviously to weed the good from the bad. You should know that Einar you are my right hand man after all." Her voice raspy and deep enough to still sound feminine and pleasant.
Einar Raygor, her right hand man.
He stood tall at 6'3 with a bulky lean physique. His skin was light white while his hair was soft and slightly puffy like a sheep, it descended down his scalp ending by his hairline with soft or wavy edges. His eye's a soft sky blue, his jaw boxed in a nice manner with a faded light beard.
He himself carried a long sword on his back and a dagger on his waist. Unlike his commander Lily Percival's weapon he himself wasn't lucky enough to attract the attention of a master class forger.
They continued to move atop the massive snowy hill searching for something when they stumbled upon a fully made wooden hut. Lily sent a male scout ahead the scout acted as stealthily as he can with his Spirit.
His Spirit Conceal as the name applies, allows him to conceal his presence and any noise he makes within a 10 metre radius making her good enough as a scout.
He made his way to the hut which at the front door he found markings. The first two markings where both spread diagonally from the top right to the bottom left but the third marking was inscribed with the letter "L".
Taking mental notes and a lap around the perimeter he returned to state his findings.
"Commander Percival." The scout did a ninety degree bow before lifting her head to speak. "There is nothing dangerous around the perimeter, only beast blood has been gushed at the back of the hut."
"I see, anything else." Instead of the commander speaking Einar took her place. It was a way to show the male scout what value he held in the face of the commander. The only thing he did was scout, if Lily wanted to she could've asked anybody else.
The Spirit Conceal can only do so much on the battlefield especially with a measly radius of 10 metres. So naturally to Lily the male scout was nothing but a sacrificial lamb ready to be used at any time.
"Y-yes vice commander. I saw three markings on the front door. Two were diagonal from the top right to the bottom left but the third one was and inscribed 'L'".
Lily and Einar glanced at one another, they knew damn well what that "L" stood for. The gushed blood at the back of the hut begun to make even more sense. Seeing their satisfied look on the report the scout returned to her position in line awaiting orders.
Lily's body tilted her once firm standing figure into a resting state with her elbow bent and hand on her waist having her hip out holding her weight. On the other hand Einar continue to stand firm with his arms crossed.
He watched in silence on his commander's actions. A chuckle erupted from her mouth as she flicked her hand at Einar then brought it to a half with all five fingers straight and firm.
With a nod Einar commanded, "Rest!"
The soldiers slowly dispersed half cut down nearby trees as seating's the other's along with some scouts went out looking for food. It had been some time since they ate anything.
A kilometre beyond the snowy hill was a shimmering river surrounded by meadow which had been piled up on by the snow even the weather was freezing the river still ran although it's speed decreased.
Floating along the river was a rowboat with a boy too old to be child but too young to be considered an adult. He wore black vambraces tied on his forearms, a black half robe it's length reached down to his waist and sealed tight around his top half and thick.
His pants were slightly loose but tight around his ankle. The white scarf of wool wrapping around his neck gave a sort of contrast and feel to his outfit.
His skin black caramel with an nice face. His eyes brown and his hair black thick and textured, the top curly with the sides and back short.
He rested on a rowboat his other sense's heightened as he closed his eyes letting it flow down stream. He had no weapons insight all were hidden. He was feeling peaceful.
The chirping birds singing to one another, the air freezing yet excitingly warm. His breathing unbothered on this river of time he felt nothing could slip his grasp yet the more he flowed the more time passed.
Time was the only thing slipping from his grasp, he was running out.
Before he knew it the sun position moved, it was inches from the horizon line.
A deep sigh left his mouth before he picked up the oars and directed himself toward the nearby land. He exited and pulled the boat out of the water leaving it at it's position.
He knew his way throughout the snowy forest he even made a mind map of which areas where dangerous or safe and at the moment he stood at the foot of the massive snowy hill.
He stared at all the footprints that ascended it. If he could he would turn back now yet he felt himself being watched. He could leave in a struggle but the fact the person had yet to attack gave him some sort of suspicion.
And plus his house was on the hill he didn't feel like letting bunch of strangers roam through it so he ascended the hill.
Even though it was a small hill only massive in width the air lowered in temperature he could feel his body lower more into the snow.
The more he ascended the more tree's had been cut off it was surely a big group. Finally reaching atop the hill he saw a camp stationed near his hut. He immediately noticed most of it's members especially...
"Lily." His voice was young but slightly deep, it had a clear feeling but it lacked much emotion.
"Adeus." Lily replied with a soft grin.
Adeus stared daggers at Lily, completely ignoring Einar.
He stared at her armour which was slanted and smooth showing no signs of battle. It was pressed up against her shadowy coarse wool making a turtle neck, it provided warmth and wasn't too heavy for her battles. Most of her soldiers wore similar warm things beneath their slanted armour.
His neutral stance shifted, his right foot glided across the snow putting it behind him as he adjusted his ankle so he's toes faced to the side. His left foot stood still its toes facing Lily. He had left enough space between his feet to bend both knees for a jump or dash.
His torso including his right foot turned to the side, his head continued to face Lily. His right hand was brought to his back in a position making it quick and easy to defend or attack. This was a suitable stance for him. He was sure he would make a couple of dents in that armour of hers
Lily exhaled letting out a puff of air that looked like smoke. "I wouldn't do that if I was you."
Einar stood next to her bringing his fingers to his lips resounding a loud but quick whistle. All the soldiers stood up with their weapons prepared for battle. In the middle of the group Lily was the only one sitting. She rested her elbow on her knee with her chin on her hand leaning her body forward.
No matter the age all the soldiers had a lust for blood in their eyes. It wasn't as strong as Einar's nor Lily's non the less it was still a sign of experience.
"Hmph! You wicked hag!" Adeus calmly exclaimed. Despite Lily's look's she was actually forty-five yet she never looked a day over thirty due to her genes and fit look.
He removed his hand from his back and lowered his stance. He strolled toward Lily slowly as he didn't feel the need to further alarm the soldiers. Once he got closer Adeus stood face to face with Einar who moved in front of Lily.
This time he looked at Einar who wore a refined flowy thin aketon top with black gloves of leather. Of course he wore a slightly thicker chest plate on top due to his physique and combat experience.
Adeus wasn't close to the height of Einar, he was maybe 5'9 (175cm). So he still had to tilt his head upward to face him.
"Something wrong?" Adeus gestured towards Einar yet no reply.
Einar lowered his head towards Adeus's ear. "If you even come close to hurting Lily I will bring it upon myself to pummel you. Understood?" His deep voice threatening.
"Don't you worry I won't get caught." Adeus whispered back into Einars ear.
"Enough with the threats Einar." Lily interrupted.
"Hmph." Einar pulled back his head and moved aside allowing Adeus through. They had one last glare, both sized each other up.
"You know I can't get him to stop the more you rile him up right?"
"Then find a spellbinder, that'll fix his tight ass"
Lily exhaled with no reply. She gestured to the log right beside her. Adeus took a seat facing the fire with Lily on his right-hand side.
"Care to explain." Adeus leaned closer towards the fire.
"We're hunting the Blackening Owl nickname BO. We heard he can be found in this terrain and hoped a local..." She gestured to the wooden hut. "Could help us out."
Adeus sat in thought. Lily is someone he met in a cavern down by Favela. She taught him the ropes of surviving, accepting deals or rejecting them and in due time he became an infamous thief due to her teachings.
Their relationship wasn't out of love or pity, it's more like a deal. Lily only taught him the ropes cause he paid her. She thought of the benefits, losses and saw nothing to lose so she accepted. It is the same for him.
"What's the down payment?"
"One."
"One?" He replied.
"One Aureate." Lily corrected her response.
"Aureate!" His voice turned loud in shock, attracting attention.
Whispers begun amongst the crowd of soldiers that were now sitting down. They knew there was a huge payment, they just didn't expect it to be in Aureate, they mostly assumed it would be in silver.
The currency goes: Crycies, Silver, Aureate then Valerion. Valerion being the highest currency.
five hundred Crycies equals one Silver.
Three thousand Silver equals one Aureate.
Ten thousand Aureate equals one Valerion.
Lily glanced around seeing the faces on her troops. "Well thanks for telling my soldiers."
Adeus remained quite. His facial expressions changed, he was serious. He was no longer in thought nor was the shock there anymore. He had made up his mind the moment he heard the down payment.
"All right then we should get to work." He stood up. "Tell them to get rid of any source of light." He gestured towards the campfires that were placed near teams of soldiers as a source of warmth.
With a satisfied face Lily stood up gathering many looks from her troops. "Get rid any light source you possess, obviously that includes the campfire."
She let out a heavy breath upon her campfire turning it's once warm burnt logs cold as ice. Adeus stared at the once warm campfire as he remembered her Spirit.
[Name: Lily Percival]
[Spirit: Hielo.]
[Category: Transformation.]
[Information: It allows her to conjure or transform massive amounts of ice into any shape that is solid.]
[Weakness: Ki drainage will depend on the mass of the object, the more it weighs the more Ki she losses.]
Once the troop had all light sources around them removed they stood in rows awaiting their commander's order.
Soon the moon bested the sun with it taking it's rightful place within the evening. The forest that seemed harmless with it's silence had now taken a turn for the worse.
Birds that once fluttered and chirped all 'round escaped into their dens. Beast of no sound begun to waken.
With the moon shining down onto the forest, its silence reply only served as a source of fear. Many monster roamed and walked within the night yet none dared to make a loud sound knowing the consequences.
The wind hummed letting it's existence be known. With the amount of trees surrounding them anything could happen especially in the dark. The soldiers had no trust in Adeus and why should they?
He was someone their commander is acquainted with but he is not specifically known to them. For all they know he could be a Cucuy luring them into a trap.
They tried to put their suspicions about him on halt and focus on the mission. It was then that one soldier decided to have a passionate look at the surrounding tree's.
The trees were obviously dark with only shades to tell which is further than the other, but the more she stared the more darker things felt.
As sounds slowly faded she noticed something odd and stared at the ground, the snow was there but her foot left no print. There was no footprint, no puff of smoky frozen air, no one around her not even her weapon.
She glanced toward the trees again. Red eyes responded to her gaze this time. It looked her up and down. She felt naked the gazes of the red eyes were sharp going to every curvy edge that was carved onto her body, she felt not even clothes could save her.
Finally it stared at her face, eye to eye. A line appeared below the red eyes. It gradually opened and spread wide until it reached a full on satisfied grin salivating from its mouth.
That's when she realised its red eyes wasn't undressing her due to her appeal. It was only seeing if she met it's standards as its prey. And with a satisfactory smile, she knew she was a goner.
Feeling something amiss Lily, Einar and Adeus came to a halt. Their eyes scanned around the dark forest before they heard a flying thud near them. The drop sounded like a body that had fallen from a great height. Realising such Adeus glanced up seeing the flying beast.
"ABOVE!" He shouted.
All eyes stretched to the sky.
They had encountered the Blackening Owl. Nickname BO.