The cold wind cut through the white, desolate landscape as the caravan moved on, the Shaccares pulling the wagons with determination. Valthorn, Kaizen and Xisrith were immersed in their own thoughts, each dealing with their own concerns and dilemmas.
Valthorn reflected on Kaizen's words, feeling a heaviness in his heart. He had never fully considered the consequences of his actions before, but now, looking back at the village of the ice dwarves, he was beginning to understand the impact of his choices. The human's words echoed in his mind, triggering a whirlwind of doubt and remorse.
The dark elf Valthorn had an aura of seriousness, his eyes fixed on the horizon as he pondered what fate had in store for them.
Kaizen, on the other hand, remained focused on the journey ahead. He was determined to protect those around him as much as possible.
Meanwhile, Xisrith was on her guard. She didn't fully trust the members of the caravan, including the dark elf woman driving the wagon she was in. Her survival instinct was sharp, and she was prepared to act the moment any sign of danger appeared.
The group advanced in silence, each lost in their own thoughts, when suddenly a roar echoed across the icy plain.
Valthorn and Kaizen looked at each other urgently, realizing that they were facing an imminent threat. The Shaccares began to fidget, their pointed ears raised as they sniffed the air in search of hidden danger.
From the top of a nearby hill, sinister, monstrous figures emerged, covered in thick fur and with glowing, hungry eyes. They were wild creatures, beasts that inhabited the frozen lands, hungry for fresh meat.
"What are those things?" asked Kaizen, with a mixture of surprise and fascination. Those things didn't look like anything he had ever seen, nor did they have a similar shape, some of them were standing, others were quadrupeds, while two had two heads, the shapes of the only heads of the others was strange.
"Snow walkers!" shouted Valthorn, his voice laden with gravity, to alert the rest of the caravan.
"Snow walkers?" Kaizen questioned, pulling on the reins of his frightened Shaccar.
"Creatures that hunt only at night, always on the lookout for their next prey. They are dark elves and monsters who have died and been corrupted by the Niflheim snow which, as you may have noticed, even seems to have a will of its own."
Xisrith clutched his knife tightly and climbed down from the carriage that had stopped, ready for the imminent confrontation. "Kaizen, what are we going to do?
Kaizen looked around, quickly assessing the situation, and noticing the presence of Snow Walkers not only in front of the caravan, but also to the sides. "We need to defend ourselves! We can't let them catch us off guard!"
However, before they could execute a battle formation or plan, with a battle cry the Snow Walkers advanced down the slope with their fangs bared and sharp claws ready to strike.
The Shaccares neighed nervously, but stood firm, ready to protect their companions.
Valthorn drew his sword, his heart pounding with a mixture of fear and determination. He was ready to fight, to protect those around him whatever the cost.
Kaizen took a spear from his inventory and kept his gaze fixed on the rapidly approaching creatures.
When the Snow Walkers were too close and the battle seemed about to begin, suddenly all sounds became muffled, including the sound of the cutting ice storm.
Valthorn, confused, looked around and said:
"What's going on?"
Kaizen looked back at where the carriages were and saw a golden glow coming from inside one of them, then he smiled. "Just the mage in my group doing what she does best."
The mage Alina had conjured a protective spell in the area, and soon the Snow Walkers began to collide with this translucent magical barrier around the caravan. They crashed and bled, so rigid was this barrier, but the Snow Walkers were no ordinary monsters, some of them already elves.
As if they could break through the surface tension of the water, some of the Snow Walkers began to make their way through the magical barrier, which quickly regenerated itself.
"Sorry, guys! Looks like that's not enough to stop them!" Alina said, her voice echoing from everywhere inside the barrier.
"That's more than enough to give us some advantage!" said Kaizen, twirling his spear.
The caravan found itself caught up in a whirlwind of action, with members fighting side by side against the wild creatures that were slowly making their way through the barrier. The air was charged with the sound of metal against metal, grunts of pain and fury, as the battle raged under the cloak of the night sky
Valthorn spun his sword deftly, slicing through the enemy ranks with dexterity. His heart was pounding with a mixture of adrenaline and determination as he struggled to hold his ground against the onslaught of the beasts.
Kaizen advanced with his spear, his combat skills impressive as he cleaved through the creatures with quick, precise blows. His face was a mask of concentration, his eyes serious as he defended the members of the caravan. The dark elves were stunned by the speed with which Kaizen, Andrew and Xisrith fought, while Jayaa was patiently playing his lute.
"Aren't you going to fight?" Og'tharoz asked the bard.
Jayaa denied it with a smile. "Alongside those monsters? Nah, I'd rather just watch~"
Xisrith launched herself at her enemies with ferocity, her knife cutting through the creatures' thick skin with ease. At that moment, she didn't even look like the diplomat of the group. Her expression was a mixture of fury and joy.
The battle roared around them, every moment a fight for survival. Finally, after five minutes of fierce fighting, the remaining beasts retreated, defeated and demoralized.
"Is everyone all right?" asked Kaizen, his voice laden with concern.
Valthorn nodded with a tired smile. "Yes, thanks to your ally's magic. Thank you."
"Thank her, not me."