"Alright, here we are.", Sydney said as we came to a halt."This is as far as I'm willing to take you. Just over the ridge to the west there is the North Whitehorn Station that was attacked, and if you continue northeast from here, you should come across the Killova Mountain Range."
"Alright, thanks for the ride here.", I said as Elt and I dismounted our respective Whitehorns."We'll try to be snappy, but if we're not back within a week, assume the worst." With a final nod, the two Whitehorns wished us safety before running back the way we came.
"Okay guys, you heard them. Let's head towards those mountains.", I said before adding."My compass has the main entrance to the domain marked, but we may not be able to use it, so keep an eye out for any alternative entrances."
"I still can't believe that entire thing on your wrist is just a compass…", Anastasia said to herself as we began to walk.
"What do you mean?", Elt asked before continuing."Six told me it was like a portable scribe that can keep track of things li-" I clamped my mouth over Elt's mouth to shut him up before looking to Anastasia, but it seems the damage was already done. She was looking at me with a smug grin on her face, causing me to sigh in defeat.
"Real nice, Elt.", I said before adding."You just gave an enemy valuable information."
"O-Oh, I'm sorry.", Elt said."I just thought you guys weren't enemies anymore. You seem to speak more fondly towards each other."
"While I may be kind of conflicted on my feelings about him, I don't see him as an enemy like he does to me."Anastasia responded.
"And I still think you'll sell us out the second you can get back in touch with your dear princess.", I countered with a wave of my left hand, causing Anastasia to roll her eyes."So, if we're going to feed her any info, it's going to be hand-picked by me, got that Elt?"
"Yes, Six!", Elt said, standing at attention.
"You don't need to salute me, man.", I said before adding."I'm not your fucking CO, just don't get in my way or fuck us over, yeah?"
"R-Right!", Elt responded, immediately relaxing. With that, we began walking towards our destination.
"Also, remember to keep your eyes peeled for any signs of movement.", I said, watching our surroundings with a careful eye."It's very likely we'll be ambushed by Glacies, and it's guaranteed when we reach the Ice Queen's domain, so stay alert." They both nodded, but Anastasia had a few more words for me.
"I hope you don't plan on killing any of them.", she stated, trying to elicit a response.
"And if I do?", I asked, to which she gave me a stern glare."What? If these girls get a hold of us, we'll lose our minds and become sex drones seeking warmth or whatever, so forgive me if I'd rather retain my coherence."
"That doesn't mean you have to kill them.", she responded before adding."Can't we just subdue them non-lethally?"
"Unless they plan on listening to reason, which I doubt they will, no.", I said before explaining."Elt's weapon, as well as all of my own, are only capable of killing. To subdue them with such weapons would only leave them in excruciating pain like what happened to Ender."
"Then give me a chance to subdue them with my magic.", she offered, gesturing to her cane.
"Explain.", I asked before adding."If Elt and I are going to bet our sanity on your plan, we should at least know what you intend to do."
"I will use a similar trick on them that I used on you when we first met.", she said before explaining,"I will make their allies look like you two, but with thousands more clones backing them up. They will be so overwhelmed by the illusions that we will be free to get in close and knock them out."
"...Fine, but if you do that and it has no effect, we're going lethal. Got it?", I asked, to which she nodded.
As we walked, I kept my eyes out, and it didn't take long for us to start being followed. Weirdly enough, though, they didn't attack. They simply followed at a distance until eventually we reached the location specified by my compass marker.
Looking at the location, it was a flat plain at the base of the mountain range, just as we suspected. There were windows in the mountain at various places and multiple pillars and designs had been carved into the mountainside. The entrance was a large, wooden door sealed shut by a humongous block of ice more than a couple yards thick. Around the entrance was around 8 Glacies, and 4 more Glacies that had been stalking us filled in from behind, trapping us in a large circle.
Looking at the Glacies, they all surprisingly looked the same, with only slight variations in facial features, body shape, and hairstyle. The one surprising constant, however, was that they all shared the exact same, emotionless glare. They also all had blue skin with shiny-blue bras and gloves with snowflake armbands, and pointed icicles for legs.
"You are trespassing on the Ice Queen's domain. The punishment is imprisonment. Submit.", one of the lead Glacies in front of us said without any deviation in her neutral tone of voice.
"Um, Six…", Elt whined quietly, seemingly getting rather nervous, as was I.
"Anastasia, if you want these girls breathing after this, you better do your thing quick.", I whispered to her, to which she nodded and began to exude an almost imperceptible light as a large, runic circle manifested from the tip of her cane.
"Cease your cast at once. Submit.", the same lead Glacie said before a flash of light erupted from Anastasia's cane. The second it did, Elt and I covered our eyes to avoid getting blinded. After taking our hands away from our eyes, we saw all the Glacies stand back and begin to fight amongst each other, flailing around icicle spears and ice spells with reckless abandon as they tried to take each other down, as well as many imaginary opponents.
"Huh, not bad.", I said as I went ahead and began to use my [Sneak 100] to grab Glacies from behind and began to choke them out. It was a slow process, and I could already feel myself getting colder and colder regardless of my very warm clothing. It was a strange feeling. I was warm, yet I also wasn't.
With a bit of assistance from Elt and Anastasia, we had knocked out all of the Glacies without much issue. Once they were all out like a light, we reconvened in front of the large icicle before discussing what to do next.
"Alright, everyone fine?", I asked while checking my Pip-Boy. Navigating over to the effects tab, I saw that I had gotten a new one, as expected given my strange feelings of coldness.
Frozen Heart: You have been exposed to the Demonic Cold of the Glacies or Ice Queen. Effect: Severely increased sexual urges and decreased body heat. Can stack.
"N-No, I feel...dirty.", Elt said as he looked around."I'm getting all these dirty thoughts in my head out of nowhere with this strange feeling of cold, and it's starting to scare me."
"I feel the same.", Anastasia concurred, panting slightly,"It's taking all of my willpower to not just jump you right here, Six."
"Well, better rein it in since you know exactly what will happen when you do.", I said, shaking off my own dirty thoughts about her thanks to this stupid cold. Although, judging by how they look, this seems to be hitting them a lot harder than it is hitting me. That's strange because I was the one who did most of the knocking out, so I spent the most time around the Glacies.
"Oh yeah, well how come you aren't looking any worse for wear?", Anastasia asked through her sensual breaths. That's a good question. I suppose it's probably because of my [Artificial Heart], but I have no real way of proving that since it isn't identifying this Demonic Cold as a toxin. Maybe when I get back to my Autodoc, I can configure the thing to automatically filter out Demonic Energy and Demonic Cold. That'd be rather useful.
"Couldn't tell ya, but if we're this worse off after one encounter, we'll probably want to run with stealth for the time being.", I said as I walked up to the icicle."At least until we reach the Ice Queen."
"But how are we going to get in?", Elt asked as he looked at the massive block of ice."There's no way we're going to be able to move or break that." Anastasia nodded, looking to me for a response.
"Move or break, no. Now melting on the other hand…", I trailed off as I materialized a Flamer, a massive flamethrower that can cook a man alive in seconds."That we can do." As I said that, I let loose a torrent of fire onto the ice block. The effect was instantaneous as I kept pelting it with hot fire. The ice began to melt around the hole I was almost drilling into it. Before long, we had a large hole through the ice block and to the now slightly singed front door.
"W-What is that thing!?", Elt yelled in shock as he beheld the massive flamethrower.
"It's a Flamer, or more accurately, a flamethrower.", I responded, digitizing it and turning to look at both of their now shocked faces."And keep it down. We're doing stealth now, remember?"
"I think if anyone was going to hear him, they would've also heard that...flamethrower thing as well.", Anastasia responded. Fair enough.
"Why don't you use that thing more often? It looks insanely powerful!", Elt asked, causing Anastasia to look at him like he was crazy.
"Because it's insanely inhumane.", I answered before explaining."When I kill people, I generally try to make it quick and painless. While the Flamer can be quick sometimes, it sure as shit isn't painless. Burning alive is one of the most painful things someone can experience, believe me." Anastasia nodded solemnly at that as Elt just looked downtrodden.
"O-Oh, I see…", Elt responded in understanding. At that, my Pip-Boy beeped signifying that the quest "Frozen Hearts" updated with a new objective.
}Find and deal with the Ice Queen.
"Regardless, we have a way inside now. I suppose you plan on sneaking to the Throne Room to confront the Queen?", Anastasia asked me.
"Hmm, no.", I answered, causing her to tilt her head in confusion."I'd like to figure out just why the Hell she's doing all this in the first place. Something about all this seems strange to me. I suggest we first sneak our way over to the Ice Queen's Bedroom and search for clues as to why that might be." With that, my Pip-Boy beeped again, signifying yet another new objective to the "Frozen Hearts" quest.
}OPTIONAL: Investigate the Ice Queen's Bedroom for clues.
"Oh? Trying to sneak into the Ice Queen's bed?", Anastasia asked with a coy grin as her pale, slightly translucent face blushed red."I thought we had something special, Six."
"Oh, shove it up your ass.", I said before turning and beginning to move away.
"Gladly.", Anastasia responded, flushing even further.
"I...You know what, I don't even know why I bother.", I responded as Anastasia lightly laughed. With that, we began to sneak our way through the ornate, ice-filled halls of the Ice Queen's domain.
"That…was too close…", Elt panted as he dropped to the floor as we reached our destination, the Queen's Bedroom. We managed to reach it with a few close calls, but still undetected all the same. I also had no reason to use my [Stealth Nanobot Implant] or a Stealthboy on Elt, thank God.
"Yeah, remind me to help you improve your stealth tactics as well when we get around to training.", I said as I gently closed the door behind us."Hiding behind a corner is really not that hard."
"Sorry...The Order never gave me any kind of stealth training…", he said as he slowly lifted himself up.
"I don't know what the big fuss is.", Anastasia said as she peeked her head through the wall on our right.
"Well, sorry that not all of us can phase through walls, woman.", I responded, causing her to giggle before fully phasing into the Bedroom."Alright, getting back on track, let's look around and see if we can't find anything that might hint towards her motives." With that, Elt and Anastasia both nodded and we began to search.
Elt went and searched her nightstand while Anastasia searched a dresser. Seeing that there was a door that likely led to a closet, I opened it and found many ornate, expensive looking dresses. In the back, however, was a small lockbox on the ground. Walking up to it, I went to open it only to find that it was held shut by a sturdy lock, and would have to be picked.
"Hey, Six?", Elt asked from behind me, causing me to jump for a second before immediately realizing it wasn't a threat.
"Jesus, Elt. Don't sneak up on me like that.", I said before asking."What is it?"
"Well, it's just that I found an Order Brooch in the nightstand.", Elt responded before adding."Not just any Brooch, either, this is one only high ranking heroes of the Order are given."
"That's strange. Why would she have something like that?", I asked myself."Let me see it." Elt handed the Brooch to me for me to examine. Upon closer inspection, it also looked like the Brooch was well worn, as if someone rubs and caresses it often.
"What are you two doing in the closet together?", Anastasia asked cheekily, walking into the large closet with us. Elt began to stammer slightly.
"Nothing that you're thinking of, that's for sure.", I said with a sigh.
"Oh well, I just had a question for you.", she said before asking."The Whitehorns told us the Ice Queen was single, yes?"
"Yeah, I recall them saying that…", I responded, to which she showed me what she found. It was a man's underwear.
"I found a bunch of men's clothes in the dresser as well, which is strange since many of them also bare the Order's Insignia.", she explained, allowing a clearer picture to be painted in my mind.
"Hmm, that is useful information. I think the evidence that will seal the deal might be in this lockbox.", I stated, to which Anastasia and Elt both leaned over my shoulder to look at the lockbox. With that, I materialized a screwdriver and bobby pin to begin picking the lock with [Lockpick 100]. This would only take a moment.
"I agree, Six, but I highly doubt you can pick a lock of that quality.", Anastasia responded.
"Just watch. He's got this.", Elt reassured her.
"Sorry, but I just don't see anyone being able to open a lock that stu-", she was interrupted by the click of the lock coming undone and the box opening. With that, I digitized my implements and began to search the box."Six, I'm scared to ask, but how do you know how to pick locks so well?"
"Experience.", I answered while still looking."I like being places where I don't belong. That's where all the goodies tend to be the most abundant."
"Well, at least it means you're good with your fingers.", Anastasia replied with a sigh, causing Elt to begin stammering again. After a bit of searching, I went over what I found with my companions.
"Well, we've got quite a bit of jewelry, some coins, and...a diary?", I spoke, getting their attention once again as they leaned over to see it.
"A diary?", Anastasia asked before continuing,"I'd normally be against this kind of thing, but it may explain why she's acting the way she is."
"Agreed.", I concurred as I opened up the diary and we all began to read it in silence. Their seemed to be several entries rather spaced out.
Entry 1
The warmth of my life has suggested I start to keep a diary in order to memorialize our times together on parchment. I was hesitant at first, but his reasoning makes sense. I don't ever want to forget his warmth, so this diary is my best way to do so.
Entry 2
Today, my dear Walter and I went and visited some nearby hills for a picnic in the snow. It was magical. We shared our warmth on the snow-covered blanket as the sun hung high above us, and I was reminded again of just how wonderful he makes me feel.
Afterwards, we went to the nearby Whitehorn station for some drinks and merriment with other humans. To be perfectly honest, I do not care too much for most humans, but if the warmth of my life does, then I will try to as well. I will admit, we had a grand time and the humans were, surprisingly, very polite. There was one human girl who tried to get a little too close to my husband, but he rebuked her before she could try anything. I'd rather he not have shared her drink, but it's not that big of a deal. The Whitehorns were magnificent hosts, as expected, and we were escorted home after dark without issue.
Entry 3
My love has become rather unwilling to share his warmth with me as of late. It used to be that he and I made love every chance we could, but now he has become much more reserved, and he even claims to be feeling unwell occasionally. It was especially bad tonight, as he had to leave bed, before we could do anything, in order to use the bathroom. From what my Glacie servants heard, he had gotten rather sick and vomited rather profusely. We will be seeing a doctor in the morning to try and help him.
Entry 4
The doctor could not determine what was wrong with him. His symptoms, behaviors, everything amplified overnight to the point where he is too weak to stand without support. The doctor suspects foul play may be involved, as there is no known ailment that would cause the state my love is in. He told us that there was nothing we could do, and to seek magical counsel in dealing with curses and the like. It seems the doctor forgets I am the Ice Queen, one of the greatest magic users in the world. I sense no such traces of magics or curses on my beloved. I worry greatly for my love, but he always puts on a smile for me to make me feel better. I don't know what to do.
Entry 5
My love has grown too weak to leave bed. Myself and my Glacies are doing everything we can to take care of his needs and treat him. I've sent for tomes on cures for every kind of disease imaginable and I have been working nonstop to introduce various treatments to my husband, but nothing seems to work. The only thing my medicines and magic can do is ease his suffering. He can no longer speak, yet he looks at me with eyes of love and acceptance. He does not despise me for my efforts, in vain they may be, but I hate myself for being unable to doing anything to save him.
I have also sent for Magicor's best alchemists in order to help my searches for a suitable cure, though I worry they may not make it in time. I'm scared.
Entry 6
Walter died.
"Oh my…", Anastasia said under her breath as I closed the diary. We all sat there in contemplation as to what this means. It seems that my hypothesis was correct, the Ice Queen DID have a husband that seemed to be a part of the Order. She also seemed to have loved him very much, and he loved her, but he ended up dying. I would have had to have seen the patient in order to determine if foul play was involved, but it seems like his passing was the catalyst for the Ice Queen's attacks. With a tinge of respect, I put the diary back into the lockbox with the jewelry and coin before closing it back up and standing up.
"Well, we may not know her motives exactly, but we got a pretty good starting point.", I said as I walked out of the closet, my companions following close behind, but very silent."Alright, we should head to the throne room and deal with the Ice Queen. After that, we'll find the kidnapped people and free them." With that, my Pip-Boy beeped to signify the completion of the optional objective in the quest "Frozen Hearts".
We had left the Bedroom and began to sneak our way to the throne room based on my compass marker. We were nearing it when we began to hear noises coming from our left. It sounded like moaning. Taking a second to stop and see what it was, we ended up coming across a barred door covering a staircase going down. It was kind of hard with the angle, but we were able to make out through the bars what was happening. As soon as we did, Elt got red in the face and covered his eyes as Anastasia's face simply flushed red again.
Down there was a massive, ice-filled room where a bunch of humans and monsters, presumably the kidnapped ones, were having sex with each other and a bunch of Glacies non-stop. It seems this is what happens to the people that were taken.
"Come on, no time to gawk.", I whispered before adding."We've got a throne room to find."
After a bit of searching, we found the main hall again that leads straight into the throne room. Upon entering, we were greeted to a breathtaking sight. It was a massive room, much like the one in the Lescatie castle, but this one was much more ornate. Ice chandeliers and icicles hug from the ceiling as various ice carvings lined the walls and ice statues filled the room.
At the end of the room was the Ice Queen, sitting on her throne and flanked by two Glacies. On either side of us were two more Glacies that flanked us as we entered the room. Upon entering, the Glacies immediately sprung into action before they were stopped by a call from the Ice Queen.
"That's enough, girls.", the Ice Queen stated in an emotionless voice as she sat still on her throne. She was a very beautiful woman with an icy, jewel-encrusted dress and medium length, dark blue hair and light blue skin. She had a tiara made of ice, beautiful ice slippers and a large staff with a snowflake design on the tip made of, you guessed it, more ice.
Another thing to note was, immediately upon entering, the sheer atmosphere was permeated by that same Demonic Cold as before. It was as if merely being in the same room as this woman was the same as standing right next to a Glacie.
"I was told there may be intruders. Who are you and what do you want?", the Ice Queen asked in her same neutral tone.
"You've been causing that massive snowstorm in the center of Fenrim, right?", I asked, to which she nodded."Well, I'm here to ask you to stop that as well as release all the humans and monsters you've imprisoned."
"I see.", she stated before responding."To come so brazenly into my home and demand I do as you say is rather stupid. I will not stop. I cannot stop."
"My apologies, your Majesty.", I responded in order to correct my brash approach before continuing,"Although, may I ask why that is?"
"I do not understand why I should have to explain anything to you, human.", she responded coldly.
"Indeed, I am but a lowly human.", I began, using my [Speech 100] to negotiate and get on her good side."However, I believe I can help you with whatever is troubling you."
"While I appreciate your humility and concern, there is nothing anyone can do now…", she responded with a solemn droop of her head.
"...Was it your husband?", I asked rhetorically, causing her head to snap up and for her to display emotion not yet seen in the conversation.
"How did you know that?", she asked. As she did, her eyes widened and the room suddenly became much colder. Looking back to my companions, it seems they were already starting to really feel the effects of the Demonic cold. It would seem like they would be unable to do much in this encounter. I was still somewhat fine, but the lewd thoughts were starting to become more and more prevalent.
"Why I know doesn't matter, what does matter is why you are ruining the lives of others for the sake of your husband.", I responded, causing her to flare up in anger.
"You don't understand, human!", she yelled in anger,"I NEED warmth in my heart! If I lose that, I'll lose all memories of my beloved! My heart will be frozen again, and I will lose the one thing I hold dear in this wretched world!"
"So you kidnap humans and feed off their warmth through your Glacies?", I asked, to which she nodded.
"I am the Ice Queen! They should be thankful that I am even willing to let them into my home, let alone feed off their warmth.", she responded angrily yet again."If you merely came to argue about why I should give into my frozen heart, then I will not hesitate to make yours frozen as well!" With that, the room suddenly erupted in a blizzard. The room began to get colder and colder, making Elt and Anastasia become paralyzed in a mess of lust and yearning. The winds of unnatural cold whipped at my duster and helmet as the Glacies in the room also started to be blown back by the insane winds.
"That's not going to happen!", I yelled over the loud rush of winds as I began to approach the Ice Queen, my body wracked with cold as my thoughts became more and more lewd. "You think your husband would want this? Did he not wish for you to get along with humans as well!?"
"What the Hell would you know about my husband!?", she yelled back."How are you even still standing!? You should be on the ground begging for sex!"
"I know that your husband loved you very much!", I responded, getting closer and closer to her."I know that your husband would want the best for you! Ask yourself, would your husband really approve of all the things you've done here?"
"What does it matter? He's dead!", she screamed, the blizzard getting more and more intense to the point where you could barely see your hand in front of you. As she screamed, she began to cry tears that immediately froze upon leaving her face."He's dead, and he's never coming back!"
"He may be dead, but think of his will! He wouldn't want you to cry and become desperate over him. He'd want you to move on with your head high because he loves you! That will never change!", as I said this, I began to walk up the steps to her throne. Of which she was now standing up in front of.
"But if I stop what I'm doing...I-I-I'll forget about him! I'll lose everything!", she was in hysterics now. Crying freely as tears and snot ran down her face and onto her dress before freezing. Her arms now covered her eyes in an attempt to wipe away the wetness that freely blew away and froze in the raging blizzard.
"He had you write a diary, remember!? No matter what you forget, the memories you wrote down will never fade!", I yelled back, to which she let loose another large burst of cold that almost knocked me down for good. It was taking all of my willpower to just keep standing and walking slightly. However, I didn't stop. I knew that if I stopped here, it was all over. I kept going. I struggled and made my way over to her, and once I was in front of her crying figure, I did something I really don't do normally. Something that shocked even me.
I hugged her.
As soon as I did, her crying slowed as I brought my covered mouth close to her ear.
"No matter how much you forget, no matter how much your heart freezes, Walter will always love you. This world will never forget that.", I spoke to her in a calming voice with [Speech 100] as I patted her on the back. In an instant, the blizzard in the room vanished. The Glacies were finally able to get up, and Elt and Anastasia started to recover. As the room went back to normal, the Ice Queen looked me dead in the eyes before she teared up again and began to loudly cry into my shoulder. She would call out Walter's name every so often as she choked on her tears multiple times.
If I had a nickel every time I met a crybaby, I'd be a rich man. Although, I can't exactly blame her. I was pretty much a wreck when Veronica and I parted ways, too, though I expressed it through a ludicrous amount of alcohol rather than crying. I don't know why, but I get the feeling that one of those methods is more healthy than the other. However, now that we hugged each other, the effects of the Demonic Cold, while still intense, were calming down. I still wanted to throw this woman down and fuck her brains out, but I held myself back with my [Big Brained] self-control.
So, with the Ice Queen hugging me close and crying into my shoulder, the Glacies and my companions all started to surround us until the Ice Queen finally cried herself to sleep in my arms. It's not exactly certain yet, but I think we can go ahead and write this one down as mission accomplished.