==========

  [Sigurd]

  Sigurd awoke with sleep still fresh in his eyes. His back sore and arms leaden. A rough night for sure. He took a few deep breaths of the crisp air. Surprisingly fresh for air in the deep dark of a dungeon. Usually, it had a stale dry quality that you’d imagine for a place so far underground. Like a crypt perhaps. Sigurd wouldn’t know as he didn’t tend to spend his free time skulking around crypts. Kael though? He might know. Sigurd thought he seemed like just the sort to frequent crypts and other uncivilised places. Not like him, the noble dwarf. He smiled at the image.

  Strapping on the last of his equipment, he slid out of the doorway and into the corridor. It was a rough-hewn wooden floor, like big tree trunks had been split down the middle and shaped with a rough hand before being forced into place. Not the work of a master craftsman like you would find in the capital, but it was a pleasant surprise and it suited the environment very nicely. As he shuffled down the corridor and descended the stairs his body creaked and protested. The hard work yesterday had worn him out, his body not used to the rigors after a few years retired. Though, decades at this adventurer lark had told him that as soon as the rush of battle fell over him, he would forget all about the aches and hurts.

  In fact, as soon as he stepped out of the little log cabin that he had spent the night in, the pains of the previous days battle faded away like a small puddle on a scorching hot day. The scene that greeted him that morning was so unlike a dungeon that he almost had trouble believing he was even underground at all.

  Rather, it felt like he imagined it to be standing in one of the sacred groves of the dryads of Bel’na’noir or perhaps a nature mage’s secret hideaway.

  He was still contemplating the idea that everything so far was a strange hallucination, dream or that he was in fact slowly going insane when a heavy clap on the back shattered that thought process as the big man stepped up next to him.

  “A sight eh” Jackson asked in his deep cheery voice, a slight echo as it came from underneath his silvery steel helm. Sigurd had no idea how on earth he’d snuck up on him. He was bedamned twice the height and wider still than a healthy dwarf and clad in clinking metal armour. Unnatural I tell you. Unnatural.

  “Yes, I’m finding it hard to believe we’re underground at all,” he replied, telling the man what had been on his mind.

  “It’s the wind that gets you, or at least it does me” Jackson responded. “I’m never expecting it, and it surprises me to have a breeze when we’re hidden away like this.”

  “Yeah, that’s a thought” Sigurd said thinking about it, “how astute mate, I hadn’t thought of it but that is something that I don’t think I’ve felt in other dungeons before, at least not ones where it is not part of a trap.”

  Sigurd said in surprise. He hadn’t taken Jackson for the type of man who would have spotted that. But then he also wouldn’t have taken him for the kind who could sneak up on him either. It seemed he still had plenty to learn about his new companions.

  The rest of them joined a few minutes later and without a word they all set off to the next level. They didn’t need to speak to know what to do and naturally arranged themselves as they had before. The soft squishy mages protected in the centre with the big man up front. Ready to take the hits.

  Sigurd fell into step beside them, happily.

  The steps, as always with this dungeon, went on for far too far and as the anticipation climbed, they all naturally sped up as the end of the slowly grew closer.

  A dark doorway loomed at the end of the staircases. And as he descended a bluish white light seemed to emanate from it. Sigurd felt a series of shivers creep up his spine as they drew nearer. He glanced at the others as the chill intensified. A moment of silence elapsed as the feel of the dungeon loomed overhead. A metaphorical cloud that seemed ready to burst, like a thunderstorm waiting for that first piercing crack of lightening and without a word spoken or sound made, it popped as a fierce wind blew from the doorway, carrying with it a biting cold and shining pinpricks of light that floated on the wind like little razor blades.

  Following the gale that slammed into the walls the cold set into his bones, his teeth chattering and making clack clack sounds as he shivered stiffly. Great.

  “Shit I’m cold” said Kael as nonchalantly as anyone could and they burst out laughing at the ridiculousness of the statement.

  “Same” he said sighing as the foreboding gloom that had settled over the group disappeared.

  “Bah, you’re both just pansies,” said Lore with mock distain as they shivered. Glancing over, he saw her wrapped in a soft red glow as her fire magic kept her warm. A ball of fire floating above her hand. She turned to look at the fire.

  “Don’t you think my darling, they just don’t have the fortitude to deal with it, not like us: we’re superior to these foolish men. Aren’t we? Yes, stupid I know. It’s only a bit of a cold room. Ridiculous? Yes, just what I was thinking. I suppose we could help them out a little my friend. No?

  Sorry guys, but fire... uh… fire...y says we can’t help you” she said carrying on a perfectly innocent conversation with her little fireball.

  If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  She then pretended not to notice his glower, nor the glares of the rest of the group. By now they had reached the doorway and with a silent look they all knew what to do.

  “Lore…” Kael wined putting as much childish pain in his voice as he could manage.

  “Yes” she asked turning to him.

  “Nothing, I was just trying to distract you” he said smiling like a little scamp.

  “Wha…” she started but too late as Seb and Jackson grabbed her and chucked her headfirst into a snow drift just by the door.

  As she popped her head out of the snow little bits sat, perched on her ears and nose and no-one could hold back the laughter any longer. They were in a dangerous place, but it was too funny, and they collapsed around in fits of giggles.

  “I’ll get you lot back for this…” Lore swore with a barely hidden smile.

  ==========

  [Lorelei]

  Getting chucked headfirst into the snow may have been what she deserved, but it wasn’t any less unpleasant. And though she tried to hold onto any semblance of anger, Jacksons squeals of laughter were so out of character for the normally stoic deep voiced man that she found it impossible and started laughing too.

  “I’ll get you lot back for this…” she said in a huff, trying to be intimidating. Since they started laughing again, she figured that she had failed.

  Standing up, she spotted another snow pile, one not destroyed by the sexy body of a fire mage and a devious thought crossed her mind. Snowball fight here we come!

  With a little help from her trusty fireball and she would get them soaking wet. Hahahahaha, she cackled internally, letting her inner evil witch out. Oh, they would get it, and get it bad.

  She advanced on the unsuspecting snow pile subtly, - trying to keep suspicion off her - with thoughts of revenge on mind, sneaky, sneaky.

  One step, two step and on her third step a loud roar split the sound of girlish laughter as the snow drift seemed to come alive. Glancing down she saw that the snow she had stepped on was not snow after all. She stumbled back in shock as a huge shaggy monster stood up, its icy blue eyes glowing with rage.

  As she retreated, it took a step forwards, and roared again, its vicious horns glinting in the pale light as they framed a jaw that bristled with sharp black teeth. Thin wispy claws slid out of the tough black skin on its hands. Though delicate looking she was sure they could tear and rend as good as any sword.

  Sliding back on the ice, Lorelei unleashed a fireball at the monster with a shout.

  “Yeti!!!” she heard Sebastien call out. “Ready yourself”

  The fireball did disappointingly little against the yeti’s tough matted fur and snow-covered form, melting off the ice and snow and burning through a small section of its fur. The nauseating smell of burning hair filled her nose.

  As the others got over their laughter and settled into the fight, she slid back behind the protective wall of Jackson and Sigurd. The stocky dwarf an excellent fit with their party as shown by the fight with the boss last evening.

  The two of them rushed forward in perfect synchronisation, Jackson slamming his shield into the battering arm of the yeti and Sigurd slashing into the chest of the creature as he ducked under the deflected arm. It was impressive co-ordination from the two of them.

  Roaring in fury, the yeti slammed its other arm down trying to squish Sigurd. But the little dwarf managed to deflect the blow and Jackson slammed the sharp edge of his shield down on the arm hard before bringing it up into the creature’s jaw with a slamming crunch. He knocked out a couple of teeth.

  The Yeti stumbled back at the blow and the two warriors split to either side for a few moments, allowing Kael and her to send bolts of steel and plumes of fire towards its chest. As it stumbled back under the barrage of attacks, Sigurd chopped into its knees with his axe and Jackson knocked it over its wounded legs. Crippled and defeated Jackson finished it off, by heading the monster with a single powerful blow of his axe.

  Hmm, she thought appreciatively.

  They were a good team, in fact all of them had performed in perfect harmony. Glancing over at Seb, she saw him nodding appreciatively as well. Sigurd was fitting in well, and if he wanted to pick up this adventuring again then she was sure they could find a fit for him, just tackling that yeti with Jackson showed how he worked so well with the group instinctually and personality wise he was golden. He made them all smile and there was none of that na?ve foolishness of newbie adventurers.

  “Ooooh, there’s a chest here” Kael said as he scampered over to where the yeti had laid sleeping.

  “A few coins and an ice mana crystal, not bad” that was quite a good haul for a simple fight. The yeti had been easy to beat with the group though it was always hard to know just how dangerous a foe was unless someone got hit by it.

  “That’s pretty good.” muttered Sebastien as he jotted it down in his ever-expanding notebook.

  The battle rush of a good fight had warmed their spirits, previous snow bank related grievances forgotten – for the moment, but not perhaps forever – under the adrenalin. It was time to warm everyone up.

  Lorelei set about warming everyone up with the fire aura spell, it drained her mana pretty quickly, but it was better than everyone freezing in the frigid air.

  “It’s taking most of my natural recovery to keep up the spells guys, so I’m going to be limited on how much I can contribute with damage spells, especially without taking potions or long breaks to recover.”

  “That’s ok Lorelei, we’re just glad not to be freezing our asses off.” Sebastien said. “Just make sure to let us know how you’re doing, we don’t wasn’t to push on with you unable to defend yourself alright.”

  “Sure, will do.”

  “Great, alright look sharp, the yeti was hidden as a snow bank and was right next to us as we mucked around. That is not good, and who knows what else this level has to offer, standard formation.”

  “Shit, yeah, Sorry Seb.”

  Seb nodded.

  She took her place in the centre of the group, and as the others took their places around her and Jenna, she quickly took a look around. It was a beautiful landscape, with twisting shards of ice jutting abruptly from the floor and a soft blanket of snow falling over everything. But with how cold it was, and the unforgiving ice so harsh and deadly, she knew only the hardiest of creatures would call it home. They would have to be careful. Anything that could live here was sure to pose a threat.

  As they took careful steps through the land of ice, they encountered many more yetis, but with the good teamwork of Seb, Sigurd and Jackson they had no trouble. The yetis went down just as easily as the first one, netting a few more coins and mana crystals as rewards, well worth the fights.

  Many, many times as she marched along, Lorelei thought that she saw something zip in and out of view between the cracked and battered ice boulders and stalagmites. But she never managed a solid look at it.

  Whatever it was, it didn’t seem to be very hostile as it left them well enough alone. Flitting around in the higher vestiges of the ice chamber were little pinpricks of light, that swam and danced in the air like sprites. They fluttered to and fro with ease and when they drew closer, she could see they were a type of butterfly. They looked like they might be worth a lot, but Sebastien said they didn’t have the time to be wasting, chasing everything in the dungeon. A shame, she thought as they were ever so pretty.

  “Wow” everyone exclaimed as the central piece of the room fully came into view. An exquisite dragon with an immaculate precision to its sculpture stood proudly under an arching beam of ice. It’s very presence seemed to exude an undeniable chill that sank into her bones despite the fire aura she held trying to warm her up.

  She stood stock still as they stared at the outstanding dragon. Predictably Kael was the first to get over the shock of finding it and braved taking a few steps closer. They followed moments later, despite the chill.

  The dragon seemed to have a heart, some sort of gem that sat in its breast radiating out a faint warmth that gave the dragon its ethereal presence. It sung out at her, tendrils of magic curling around her.

  Lorelei felt her breath hitch as she struggled to take in in. With a gasp, she turned away and took a few steps back, feeling the magic retreat from her: whatever that was it wasn’t something they should mess with.

  “No one should touch that, it’s powerful. I… I can’t explain it, but it calls out to me. I think it’s some sort of magical artefact.”

  With her warning heard, they set off again, getting through the rest of the level in short order. She was relieved to see the stairs come into view.

  Fortunately, unlike normal, there were only a few stairs going down before they reached the next level.

  “What in the hells is this then?” Jackson said. Lorelei found she couldn’t disagree with him.

  “I’m confused” said Jenna mirroring her thoughts.