This world is full of adventure and danger.

Monsters and magic.

Angels and demons.

Kings and castles.

Dungeons and Dragons

Adventures thrive on what lies behind the next clearing of old trees, atop the summit of the icy mountain, around the corner of the dark cave.

Welcome to a world where anything can happen.

Path of Ice and Snow: Part 1

"A cave?"

"Yep."

"A crystal cave will tell me everything I want to know?"

"Uh-huh, but you only can ask three questions."

"How do you know that?"

"Been there myself, found my answers, only got three for three."

"Why is tha-"

"Nope! No more questions. You only get three, remember?" She deadpanned him. "Hey don't look at me like that, I'm invisible. People will think you're weird, glaring at the air." That damn grin. She hated that damn, self-satisfied smirk that almost always played at his thin lips.

"This town is weird enough," Elsa said, sighing and turning away from her 'companion.' Elsa had never been outside of Arendelle Castle before, so she didn't know if this was the norm for the surrounding towns and villages. Black was the theme color on the shops, houses and inns. Art of horses shrouded in shadow decorated black banners. The style was interesting enough for Elsa to pause a few times.

"You want to get to the crystal cave before dark?" Jack asked, balancing on his crooked staff a few feet in front of her, "then we better get moving. It's best not to linger here."

"Why so?" Elsa asked, moving to the side to avoid a large beefy man with a powerful mustache. "We could rest here and continue in the morning."

"Bad idea," Jack replied, standing up straight on his staff, looking around. "I'll tell you why once we leave." Elsa opened her mouth to respond but a hand clamped over her mouth. Something sharp and pointy was pressed into the small of her back. Hot breath whispered next to her ear.

"Come now pretty lady," the wheezing voice muttered. "Time to go where I tell you."

"See what I mean?" Jack said, sighing and hoping down. He moved rather nonchalantly despite the wide fear in Elsa's eyes. It was taking all of her will power to hold the pressure building up behind her finger tips.

"I told you," Jack said, as he walked up to stand beside Elsa. She could see him if she strained her eyes. She nodded and the man grunted, edging forward with Elsa awkwardly trying to find her feet. The temperature began to drop and the man holding Elsa froze. Ice literally coated the hand over Elsa's mouth. The pressure of the knife on her back disappeared and she ducked under the hand, and spun to get a better look.

Jack spun his staff once, then casually poked the ice statue before him. It fell to the dirt road with a soft thump. "Men like him make my skin crawl." His voice was even and his face as impassive as ever. However, there was a coldness to his crystal eyes, a temperature that matched the ice coating the man now frozen on the ground. Elsa took a deep breath, trying to calm her heart. The pressure in her fingers was still building. Jack raised and eyebrow at her, then looked down at her hands.

Elsa raised closed fists to her chest and closed her eyes.

Conceal, don't feel.

"Enough of that," Jack said, walking forward and placing a hand over Elsa's. She opened her eyes in shock when the pressure vanished.

"Wha-what did you do?"

"Dispel magic," Jack said simply, patting her closed fist. "I can do more than just play with some snow. And after we get to the cave, I'll teach you every spell I know." Elsa nodded, gulping again. She lowered her hands and Jack smiled. It wasn't his damn grin, but a genuine smile, a smile that calmed her. She returned it, thankful for his intervention before and the knowledge that one of them knew what they were doing. For a moment, they stood there, smiling at each other. Then Jack stepped back, looking up over Elsa's head.

"We can stay the night here if you want," Jack said. Elsa hesitated. She looked down at herself. She was wearing a green cloak over one of her formal dresses from the castle. "And it'd be best if you decided to change into something less…"

"Less eye attracting," Elsa finished. Jack nodded. "We can get a change of clothes but I want to make it to the cave tonight." Jack blinked in surprise, then nodded, grinning. Damn that grin.

Four hours later, Elsa was walking away from the village feeling very odd. She wore a dull brown leather tunic, loose around the chest so as not to accentuate her bust, and a shin length leather skirt, slit up to mid-thigh for travel convenience, with comfortable yet worn boots. Her green cloak was still around her shoulders and a small pack was slung down her back.

"That took longer than expected," Jack grumbled, walking beside Elsa. The sun was beginning to dip below the horizon.

"I needed to find the right clothing," Elsa huffed, making sure her hair was still tied up in a bun. She pulled her hood up then, and felt slightly more comfortable knowing that her platinum blonde locks were now hidden. They drew unwanted attention, as earlier in the afternoon had taught her that. It also taught her she could trust Jack. Just a little, but it was something she could do. Her insecurity over leaving her home, her prison more like, had been high.

But there had been a rush when that dagger was pressed into her back. Adrenaline had pumped through her veins and she had been slightly tempted to let go of that pressure. She had power. She wanted to use it for more than just building snow forts, snowman, and having fun with her sis-

She stopped, halting on the path.

"Elsa?" Jack asked, giving her an odd look. She shook her head.

"It's nothing," she said, grimacing. She started walking again.

"Didn't seem like nothing," Jack muttered. Elsa humph-ed and continued on down a steady slow towards a thicket of trees. She frowned slightly as she felt a small tug from Jack. His hand wasn't grabbing her cloak, he wasn't physically tugging her, and yet, Elsa could feel a pull from Jack. It felt so odd that she tried to push it off.

Jack stumbled to the side, gasping in shock. Elsa jumped, looking at him with concern. Jack rubbed his head and glared at her.

"You didn't have to push back that hard," he grumbled. "That hurt, you know."

"What do you mean push?" Elsa asked as they kept walking, though Jack kept a wider distance between himself and Elsa. He sighed.

"I tried to read your thoughts," he said, taking another step away as if afraid she would hit him.

"My thoughts?"

"Yeah. Simple spell, but it gives the one under assault an opportunity to push off the attack. And you just did, nearly blasting me off my feet in the process." Elsa opened her mouth then closed it again.

"Oh," she said simply. "Are you okay?" She had only met this guy two days ago, but he had already protected her, guided her in what to wear and buy (though he wasn't so fashionable) and shown her a great deal of kindness. She was concerned for his safety. Seemed like the 'good person' thing to do, anyway.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," he said brushing dirt from, her blue tunic. His brown pants were ripped and worn and he was shod with no shoes. His bare feet and skin were pale as the stars above, which were visible as it was a moonless light. Their light was little, but enough.

"We are close," he said, pointing to the thicket of trees. "Just in there." As the approached, Jack held his staff at the ready. Elsa hesitated. She had bought a small dagger from the blacksmith earlier. She pulled it out hesitantly and… was she holding it at the ready?

"Sadly, I don't know how to use a dagger," Jack said, glancing back at Elsa and smirking at her stance. Damn that smirk. "I'll show you how to use a staff later if you want." Elsa scowled, looking past Jack into the trees. Something caught her eye. It was the glimmer of something shiny beyond the foliage.

"Careful now, princess," Jack teased, stepping in front of Elsa, "you never know what might be lurking in the woods of this world." Elsa shook her head, but followed Jack, secretly grateful that he was braver than she. They passed the bushed and under branches and came to a clearing. Or, what used to be a clearing.

"You ever have those days where things are going good, you're walking along, then BAM! A meteorite, right where you need to go!" Jack shook his head, muttering curses in languages Elsa couldn't understand.

She didn't join him, but stared at the massive stone sitting in the middle of the crater that was now the clearing, or had created the clearing. Holes dotted the oddly shaped rock, but Elsa could tell it wasn't normal rock.

"Shall we enter therein, your majesty?" Jack asked, bowing with exaggerated finesse. He was gesturing to one of the larger holes in the rock, large enough for a bulky orc to pass through. "Cause this isn't just a random rock," Jack said, grinning with excitement. "It's a den of something."

Damn that smirk.

"Something?" Elsa asked, gulping back some fear. It just became stuck in her throat. Jack approached to rock and placed his hand on the stone.

"Oh yeah," he said, his grin becoming wider, if possible. "Mind-flayers." He jumped into the air, clicked his heels together, then danced into the entrance.

"Damn him and his smirk," Elsa muttered. She needed to work on her language. It was not fitting for a princess to be cursing like a sailor. Then again, it wasn't fitting for a princess to be wearing such leather clothes, and walking through the forest after dark with a stranger. The pressure in Elsa's fingers grew as she took a deep breath and followed Jack into the darkness.

So, I love DnD(Dungeons and Dragons). I played it with some friends and I was the DM(Dungeon Master). Creating a whole world based off some rules in a book, a set of dice and my own imagination was awesome!

I had already posted a different beginning to this story, but I couldn't find it in myself to continue that bead, so I restarted. Hopefully this will go on further than three chapters /:

Also, I don't know how many of those who read this have played DnD before, but in practically everything, you roll dice for the result. All the dice rolls for action results are based on a dice with 20 sides, or d20. When Jack moved to freeze the guy who held Elsa, when Elsa 'pushed' back against Jack's spell.

For all of those, I rolled a d20. That's how this story is going to work

Also also, I really enjoy writing like this, with the unknown of what will happen to the characters as a result of dice rolls.

Also also also, Jelsa will be a thing, along with other pairings in the ROTBTFD fandom. Jelsa is why I started this so that is set in stone. Other pairings will be up to you, the readers, and the dice, hehe…

So many possibilities for the Completely Predictable Yet Unexpected Journey Where Anything Can Happen!
wow, that's a mouthful… and the post thing is almost as long as the chapter itself! I'll stop talking now