[TT][IP] A Very Severe Winter

...

BANG.

"God-damn it all! What the actual FUCK!" The enraged Battle Mage shouted loudly, boots thumping heavy and deep as they planted into the snow; stepping down from the creaking vehicle. Not even two paces were taken before the hunting rifle found itself shouldered towards its another target.

BANG.

His ears returned to the familiar ringing state he'd taken to recognize as the new normal. That said, the battlemage knew none of this was normal.

BANG, BANG, BANG.

The shots rang out, one after another.

"Jake! You specifically told me, to tell you, to not do what you're doing right now!" His companion jumped out of the passenger's side, slamming the door loudly behind her. "Three days ago you said you don't have the Am-You-nit's-son to waste on just anything!"

"Does this look like just anything to you Sola?" Jake shouted, aiming at the next approaching targets, strange creatures now growling with hunger as they prowled closer.

Behind him, the rest of his adventuring party stumbled out of the vehicle more formally known as the "High Undying," each with hands over their ears- faces wincing painfully with every following shot. One refused to get out at all, content to sit and watch from the car window.

BANG, BANG.

If not for wonders healing magic, Jake was entirely certain he would be deaf by now. As it stood, the ringing would probably never go away completely.

"Just die already you fucking bastards!" Jake shouted angrily as the final beast fell, chest blown clear through as it collapsed into the dirt. "I mean, just look at this Sola! Look at this!" Jake waved a free hand to gesture towards the surroundings as he stomped over the snow crested ground to deliver a fierce kick to the bloodied shape of a fallen monster. Its large head flopped backwards, revealing blood-stained teeth and the unmistakable scent of death.

Half buried under the recent snowfall, human corpses littered the ground with terrified expressions. Any eyes wishing to look closer could see gruesome wounds, bites and slashes through strange clothing, and flesh. Men, women and children. It seemed to have made little difference to the predators that hunted them down. Blood lay frozen across ice, wood, fences, even the sides of buildings where it had been sprayed- freezing and adhering to the walls of the homes around them.

One of the large creatures growled as Jake approached it, hissing and spitting from rancid jaws as it clawed its way back to standing. A bold of hissing flame flew past the man's marching steps, smashing and enveloping the creature just as the rifle was raised once more.

"They are Demons." The man spoke deeply, hands still smoking with the flare of magical energy as he nodded with respect towards Jake's direction. "Strange things have been slipping in through the instability of our reality, ever since the Dark Lord began his twisted experiments. These creatures hail from the space between worlds."

Jake turned back to face the newest additions to his ragged party, eyeing the man who had just shot fire in close proximity to his current position with a healthy expression of irritation. "Eron, I thought I told you three to stay in the car with Lars unless I called for you."

"Lars thought that you and the Elf might require assistance." The man bowed deeper, bald head almost aglow in the afternoon light of reflected snow. From behind the car window, Jake saw a guilty expression and two hands upturned.

Beside him, a woman glared daggers and a younger boy looked nervous, eyeing the scenery as through more creatures might burst from each and every snowbank around him. All three were wearing recently purchased clothing of wool and leather, and each of them now had weapons as well. Long swords were sheathed across their backs, though from the tiny fire still burning in the snow Jake seriously doubted they were necessary.

"I get stabbed three times, and now suddenly they have to baby me... Fine. Look, I know you're trying to earn my favor or something- but I told you already that your debts don't matter now that Congrad is going to write me a very large check. Saying he makes it home alive, and we make it home alive- any repayment plan you once needed to worry about is obsolete. There's no obligation for you to be shooting fire at things," Jake pointing the the smoldering husk of the creature beside him, "Or doing that weird bow you keep repeating. I honestly don't care for that much either."

"As you say, Master." The man stood straighter, arms crossing towards an unfamiliar gesture of apparent alternative formality. "We will try to find other ways to serve you. Lightning perhaps."

"Jesus Christ... Sola, are all Western folk this bad?" Jake turned towards the Elf, who was now prodding the corpse lightly with a long shovel. It rolled slightly, casting off an odor not unlike rotten beef-jerky.

"Most of them." She shrugged, letting the beast fall back into the snow.

"You're not though."

"Why do you think I left?" The shovel settled deep into the snow and ground with a thump. "What's the deal with this place anyways? You drove us off the main road for this instead of going East, and the buildings are weird." She stared at their surroundings. "Everything is a bit weird, actually. The air tastes funny."

Around them all, Sola's observation held weight. The air did taste funny. As if it were lacking something that had been there unrecognized prior, but was now unmistakably absent. Even the sky and clouds above looked odd, a deep blue and white where gray and smolder often crested. Each building looked far too perfect. The wooden cuts that made up walls and frames, even the bricks of the snow covered chimneys seemed immaculate. Nothing in the ruined village seemed wealthy beyond that of ordinary, but neither did they seem typical of village level poverty. They even had windows of glass.

"Eron." Jake turned back towards the three waiting figures. "If you want to help, go through those houses and look for things we can use." Carefully his hand felt through a coat pocket before coming up with a single metal piece and throwing it towards the waiting man. "Take anything and everything that even remotely resembles this."

"Very well." The man caught the piece with ease, staring at it with intensity- as if imprinting the image of its shape permanently into his mind before handing it to the woman and boy beside him. "We shall do as you say."

"Hey, and if you find any humans: Don't set them on fire."

"As you command, Master." The man bowed once more, leading the trio off towards the closest building. Jake fished through his pocket, pulling out several more metal cartridges to feed carefully into the rifle, watching with Sola as the three walked off.

"They're such a weird bunch." Jake mumbled.

"Says you, of all people."

"Well, you're the Dark Elf with a magic shovel- Hey Lars!" Jake shouted, cutting of her next retort. "Watch the High-Undying for us, we'll be back in a bit!" From behind the glass window, A young boy nodded, throwing a wave of acknowledgement, sound of music slowly cranking up from inside the cabin.

"We'll be back, huh?" Beside Jake, a questioning look waited instruction as the bolt of the rifle slid forward with a resounding Click. "Where to, exactly?" Sola asked, smile sly as she retrieved her shovel.

"To the-" He stopped with a deep sigh, free hand rubbed thumb to pointer on his temples. Slowly, his breath frosted out with a long white cloud before Jake regained composure; expression serious as he could possibly force himself. "We're going to the top of that building."

He pointed with his towards the largest structure as the rifle settled heavily against his shoulder.

"I'm going to try and make a call."