Winter Camp - Part 7

Noctis awoke to the sound of Gladiolus rummaging through the shelves in the hut. He seemed to be looking for anything that might be useful on the hike and had so far dug out an ice augur, a few cans of some greens that might be edible still and a length of rope.

"Morning Prince Snoring," Gladiolus said, lightly jabbing Noctis with his foot.

"What time is it?" Noctis groaned.

"7 am. We let you sleep in," Gladiolus replied. "Iggy's out back using the last bit of charcoal to grill us up something for breakfast."

Noctis rolled over and out of his sleeping bag and saw Prompto still lying where had been. Without being told Noctis knew this wasn't just ordinary sleep. He stood up and began packing his sleeping bag.

"I can go out and try to catch another fish," Noctis suggested.

Gladiolus shook his head. "No point really. The slough is long and deep, we'll be by water until we're right on top of the Wiz Chocobo Post. And if we delay our journey much longer we might not back it there before sundown. Then we'd have a real problem." He pointed the ice augur, a large hand drill for creating post holes in the ice. "But if it comes to that I'll be bringing that along to make the job quicker. Let's just hope you catch a fish that can fit through it."

Ignis stepped back in the hut and set a plate down on the edge of the stall. As he brushed more snow off his hair, Noctis observed his latest inventive meal - flame-roasted toast with a side of peppered gysahl greens.

"I thought we had potatoes?" Noctis asked.

"They've gone south," Ignis shrugged. "Fortunately the hut had some canned greens and some in-season bread."

Noctis prodded at the mealy looking greens. "Isn't this for Chocobo consumption only?"

"It's packed with vitamins and will hopefully keep you alert enough to get us where we are going," Ignis said. "We still have Prompto's leftover fish if you would prefer."

Noctis took a look at his friend and then hastily took a bite out of the sandwich. Ignis nodded and the three of them ate hastily. When all was said and done, they were now officially out of food, save a single can of the gysahl preserves.

"How deep is the snow?" Noctis asked.

"Chest high for you two. I'll be taking the lead again," Gladiolus said. "And I've got Prompto on my back."

"In a way we're fortunate to be running low on supplies," Ignis observed. "Less to carry."

"Look at you, Mr. Silver Linings," Gladiolus grunted, lifting Prompto onto his back. "Prompto if you can hear me thank you for losing all that weight in high school."

The group set out through the snow, this time using the frosty warning signs as an indication to stay off the ice. The wind shrieked through the plains and the snow was still falling. Even wearing every article of clothing they had that was dry still barely kept them warm.

"As soon as we make it to Lestallum," Noctis griped. "I'm buying a fur coat."

"Too bad the Garula are sleeping," Gladiolus grunted. "I'd skin one of them in a heartbeat."

"You'd probably need a Garulessa wouldn't you?" Ignis joked.

The joke wasn't that funny, but both laughed heartily. In a way talking served the dual purpose of letting them know that they were all still awake and present. Noon came and went as they carried on in relative peace - only broken up by the occasional passing of one of the overhead imperial dropships heading towards Lestallum, Coernix or Longwythe.

"They're getting desperate now," Ignis observed. "Won't be long before they send interceptors to star scouring the wilds."

"Let's just hope we're someplace safe by then," Gladiolus said.

The day flew by, even though the actual travel was a frosty hell. The sun was beginning to set, barely visible behind the thick cloud cover, and Noctis could make out the distant chimney smoke of the Wiz Chocobo Post.

"Maybe an hour away now," Gladiolus said. "Keep your chin up boys."

Suddenly, there was an all too familiar low growl the echoed out from across the slough. The three men turned their heads to see once more the behemoth. It was still limping from its previous encounter with the MTs and appeared to be walking on the dry land between the Alstor Slough and some secondary ponds. It must have been out hunting for food and right now they were the only ones making tracks.

"We've nowhere to run," Ignis said.

"The beast is wounded. Let' disable his leg and try to make a break for it," Gladiolus suggested.

But seeing the beast that had all but begun the chain reaction which ended in his friend facing death, Noctis was unable to control himself. He flung his sword to the top of one of the nearby windmills. His body warped to his sword and he now hung over the behemoth. The beast stood on its hindlegs planning to make a swipe at Noctis. Noct moved first, leaping from the post and bringing his sword down on the monster's shoulder.

The behemoth swiped but Noctis phased, dodging his paw entirely. He followed up with a greatsword slash at his belly, which was met with Gladiolus's own blow.

"Noct!" Gladiolus yelled. "Don't be a fool!"

The behemoth lurched back and lost its footing on its injured leg. Ignis joined the other two.

"Do you have a plan or do you mean to simply finish us all in one fell swoop?" Ignis shouted.

"We can't continue with this thing stalking us," Noctis shouted. "We have to finish it now."

The behemoth lunged forward. Noctis dove out of the way and Gladiolus met the beasts fury with his massive shield.

"We're no match for this thing in a fair fight!" Ignis shouted. "And we're down a man in case you've forgotten!"

"Then come up with a plan Specs!" Noctis yelled back leaping onto the monsters back. He tried to summon a polearm to impale the beast with but the monster was quicker throwing him off his back. Noctis hit the side of the windmill and landed in a heap in the snow.

"Noct!" Gladiolus shouted sliding under the beast and sticking it deep in its uninjured front paw. "Iggy! Get to him!"

Ignis was quick to oblige, pulling Noctis out of the snow. Noctis was bleeding - badly - but he didn't seem to care.

"Think of anything yet?" Noctis asked weakly, summoning the polearm he attempted to earlier.

Ignis looked at Gladiolus pushing the behemoth back onto the ice. The creature's hindlegs began to slip.

"I have," Ignis nodded. "Look at that!"

Noctis saw the beast reaching the edge of the ice and knew what Ignis meant to do. "Leave it to me!"

Noctis warped straight to the monster, jabbing it in the eye with its polearm. The beast roared in furious agony as Noctis leapt back.

"Over here you bastard!" Noctis shouted as he ran out on to the ice.

"Noct what the hell are you doing?!" Gladiolus called back.

Iggy patted Gladiolus's shoulder. "Trap," he managed to breathe out between gasps.

The behemoth, blind with fury followed Noctis onto the ice of the Alstor Slough. It didn't go far before its massive weight crashed through the ice. The sheet tilted down, flinging Noctis into the air as the beast submerged.

"Drown you son of a bitch!" Noctis yelled as he flung an ice spell over the surface of the water, trapping the behemoth below.

He landed hard on the surface, hitting a barely concealed rock and the next Noctis knew everything went black.