[ ––––––––– ֎ Day 118 ––––––––– ]

Noemi ended up with a hangover, so the travel had to be delayed by at least a day. The girl couldn't recall the events from the night of the wedding, but it didn't bother her. She was glad that she had fun, no matter how long it lasted.

All people, except Arath, wanted to stay as long as possible in their dreamland, so the party decided to stay as long as food still hasn't run out. Arath had to empty all aquariums before it was time to get going.

Our four explorers dressed in fur clothes, opened the frosted gate in front of them and moved inside a glacial tunnel. A current of cold air surged inside the underwater location, heralding a harsh and merciless struggle that was yet to come.

“Brrrr...” - Noemi wrapped her arms around herself. Contrary to all of her comrades, she couldn't stop shivering. - “I h-h-hate this pla-c-c-e.”

The first few kilometers were spent by Noemi on nothing but admiring the smooth, deep-blue walls of the tunnel. After a few more steps, she stopped and looked at her feet. There was a white powder that Hyacinth was speaking about.

“Is it that?” - Noemi asked. - “The snow?”

Hyacinth smiled and nodded. - “Go on. Make the first step.”

Noemi moved and was delighted by the wonderful sound of crunchy snow. She grinned from ear to ear and hastily ran ahead until she noticed the end of a tunnel.

“Hey! There is a room here!” - She shouted to her team, who was left far behind.

Hyacinth, Pavaja, and Arath caught up. The chamber was also made of ice, with a floor covered in a very thick layer of snow, with exception of the center, where there was a large, orange, obelisk-shaped crystal. It was surrounded by an area of gray stone, devoid of ice or cold of any kind. Continuous pulses of heat emitted by the crystal kept the surroundings at room temperature.

Noemi rushed to the warm monument and glued herself to it. She caressed it with all four of her limbs, all while moaning with satisfaction.

Hyacinth took off his bag, sighed with relief, and sat next to the crystal. - “Finally, some good news.”

Pavaja sat next to the man and rested her head on his shoulder.

Arath wasn't approaching, instead, he looked around.

The elf girl noticed it and asked. - “Why won't you join? It's so pleasant right here...”

“I prefer to stay cautious. This dungeon is riddled with danger. For all I know, the crystal might as well explode in the next five seconds...” - Arath responded.

Hyacinth almost laughed. - “Five... four... three... two... one... it's safe! Come over!”

Arath pulled his cart, together with Noemi's heavy armor and crouched next to the obelisk, warming his hands.

“Lunch...?” - Noemi lazily moaned, still clinging to the crystal.

“No supplies.” - Arath replied in a flat voice.

“Find something... Arath, please...” - Noemi moaned again, this time in a pleading manner.

“Not my job.” - Arath responded.

Noemi sighed, she was disappointed that her charming voice was completely shrugged off. She had to abandon her cozy place.

There were two available paths, she took the one on the left.

“Arath, you seem to struggle with politeness.” - Hyacinth spoke after Noemi left.

“Nobody pays me to be polite.” - Arath responded,

“The payment will come by itself. Consider it an investment.” - Hyacinth made a suggestive wink, but it flew over Arath's head.

Instead, Arath thought about it purely economically. - “You might have a point there, but I would rather be true to others and myself.” - He paused and thought for a moment. - “You two just want to be left alone, right?” - Arath guessed... - “Whatever. Cold doesn't bother me anyway.” - ...and left.

“That's not what I meant...” - Hyacinth sighed to himself.

[ ––––––––– ֎ ––––––––– ]

When Arath arrived, Noemi was crouching a meter away from a soft, white ball of fur, the size of a watermelon. All creature's facial features and limbs were hidden under its fluffy fur, with exception of two black beady eyes.

Noemi overheard how Arath is coming, turned, and waved for him to come. Arath approached, then crouched next to the girl.

“Look, how cute!” - Noemi whispered, trying not to startle the animal. - “It's very timid, don't come any closer or it'll run away.”

Arath nodded.

“We can befriend it with one of your snacks. Did you save anything?” - Noemi replied.

“No, but I've still got this.” - Arath took out a jar of cherries.

Noemi's were wide open, in excitement. - “Give me one... pleeease!” - She was eagerly expecting to make an animal her pet.

“...and what are you planning to do with it?” - Arath asked, unsure.

“I will lay it on my hand and let it approach.” - Noemi replied, smiling confidently.

“Congratulations. You've just lost your fingers like our partner back then.” - Arath responded bluntly.

“Arath! That's not a kind thing to say.” - Noemi was disappointed by the boy's behavior.

Arath didn't care. He simply said. - “Let me do this, cover me.”

“Cover me?” - Noemi giggled.

Arath moved closer and tossed a fruit close to the animal, then put his hand on a handle of the scepter.

Fluffy furball smelled a treat and curiously, yet cautiously crawled towards it. It was about to lick a berry with its soft tongue, when a flanged mace crushed its torso-skull. Animal's eyes flew out of its eye sockets and the brain matter splattered all around, staining the chaste snow underneath.

Arath lifted the bloody, messed-up body and examined the inside of its tiny mouth. - “Not dangerous.”

Noemi rose on her feet. At first, she was in disbelief, then her face turned red, she was boiling from anger, but Arath was oblivious to what's going on.

“WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU!?” - Noemi yelled, with all her strength.

“I was trying to be polite.” - Arath replied. - “By finding us food, just like you wanted.”

Noemi wanted to scream at Arath, calling him the worst of names that she could come up with, but instead, she bit her lip and kept it tightly shut. The girl was fuming and her face twitched, but she restrained herself. Noemi didn't remember being as angry ever before. The fluffy creature resembled her fox and it's what caused her to feel even more miserable.

Noemi felt like she wanted to vent off all of her past and current frustrations by repeatedly bashing Arath's skull into the ground. Her mind was foggy and her arms were willing to act on their own, strangling the perpetrator, but she didn't let them. She would love to, but she didn't.

Noemi's eyes teared up and she turned back on her heel, rushing out of a room, back to the camp.

[ ––––––––– ֎ ––––––––– ]

Noemi returned to the camp, it was obvious that she was mad.

“Noemi, what happened?” - Hyacinth asked, concerned.

“Nothing.” - Noemi replied.

Hearing how Noemi sounded, Hyacinth decided to mind his own business.

Noemi sat with her back against the orange obelisk and buried herself in furs, avoiding everyone's sight.

Arath returned to the camp, but Noemi paid it no attention. The boy didn't seem to be concerned about her state either. Instead, he sat down and started a fire, skinned the slew animal, tossed the pelt aside, removed inedible organs, cut the meat in thin slices, and added leftover herbs.

Not even a dozen minutes had passed and the dinner was ready. Noemi, however, was sulking and didn't join.

“By the heavens, where did you find it?” - Hyacinth munched on the meat. - “Tender... moist... and the taste...” - The man couldn't believe it, in all years of his existence, he never ate better meat.

There was nothing too special in how Arath prepared the dish, it was simply the taste of the animal itself. Even Arath, who was usually skeptical about treating food as anything other than necessity, couldn't now stop himself from digging into the meat. It was perfect.

Hyacinth looked at Noemi, who kept hiding in her cocoon. - “You've got to taste it, Noemi! Why aren't you eating?”

“I'm not hungry.” - Noemi responded.

“Oh, dibs on her portion!” - Hyacinth reached for a slice with his drill, but Pavaja slapped his arm, while silently nibbling on her dish. It was a warning to think with his heart and mind, not the stomach.

Noemi finally got up, since she was annoyed by the commotion. She tried to mask what she has considered being a weakness, by trying to act normal.

She looked at Arath, he was eating in peace, unbothered by the cruelty of the world. Then she looked at Hyacinth, who had just lost arms but was as cheerful as never.

I will not be weaker. - The girl thought to herself, picked a slice of fried meat, and took a bite.

“Great, isn't it?” - Hyacinth asked.

“Good.” - Noemi instantly became addicted to the taste and didn't want to admit it.

An hour later, she returned from a lone hunt, with six new carcasses.

[ ––––––––– ֎ ––––––––– ]

After taking a closer look, Hyacinth realized that ancient sigils were carved into the surface of the heat crystal.

“Noemi, would you like to look at that?” - He asked.

Noemi checked the symbols out.

“It's a map... but it's incomplete.” - Noemi pointed at the few of the markings. - “These should be other heat crystals.”

There were at least twelve locations similar to the one where Noemi's party was currently at, placed in a fashion of a ring.

Noemi kept reading. - “We are not alone, other groups of adventurers are supposed to start at these points...” - She looked at the inside of a ring, inside of it were more markings. - “...and these, inside, are resting spots.”

“Wait, does that mean we have to compete?” - Hyacinth was distressed at the news.

“Yes.” - Noemi replied. - “It's even stated right under the map. It was also called 'Battle Royale'. The first eight people to arrive gets to kill the boss. The respawn time is two months.”

“That's... messed up.” - Hyacinth was disgusted, but inside he was even more scared, since the ice was Möljar’s domain and although the man recovered his powers, he couldn't let go of an uncanny feeling that it might be an elaborate trial.

“We just have to hurry and get there first.” - Pavaja replied. - “That way we'll avoid the conflicts.”

“Agreed. Let's set off immediately!” - Noemi voiced her support.

Meanwhile, Arath was thinking it out behind. After he heard that everyone was eager to rush to the center, he stepped in. - ”I'm against it.”

Everyone looked at Arath.

“Why?” - Noemi asked.

“The soldiers in the front are usually the first to die.” - Arath answered.

“Be more clear. What's on your mind.” - Noemi crossed her arms and asked seriously.

“I suspect that the leading parties will have to deal with all the dangers and clash into each other, suffering heavier loses.” - Arath explained.

Hyacinth realized that the boy might be right.

Noemi still preferred Pavaja's idea. She wasn't afraid of a challenge, but she wanted to hear more of Arath's insight, just in case. - “What do you suggest, then?”

“We can allow other parties to pave the way for us...” - Arath replied.

“...or survive two months necessary for the boss to respawn.” - Hyacinth suggested.

“Two problems.” - Noemi declared. - “We don't know If it's possible to survive two months here, so we also can't risk anyone making it to the boss first. We have to give it our all, whatever the danger is and whatever it takes.”

Arath disagreed, but he didn't argue his point.

Noemi looked around, to confirm that there're no further objections. - “Then, it's decided. We're aiming for the first spot.” - She approached the obelisk and checked it again. - “Based on the map, we won't clash with any party until after the next stop.”