Lina responded "You mean we spent the day trying to find out about you, of course. Oh yes. It seems you are quite well thought of around here, Mr. Argentus. Everyone knew you and thought highly of you. However, no one seemed to know much about you when pressed. You're a real man of mystery aren't you? Well, I don't think I like mysteries."
Argentus' eyes shone with mirth. "A sorceress, not like a mystery? Come on, Miss Inverse, whom do you seek to fool, me, or yourself?"
Lina recoiled as if stung. "Do you read our hearts?" she asked, fear in her voice.
Argentus replied, very gently "Lina, I observe. I have never met, nor even heard of, a sorcerer who didn't have a profound curiosity about the mysterious. And you seek the Silver Lord, perhaps the greatest mystery of all, with the possible exception of the Golden Lady herself. And you tell me you don't like mysteries? I don't need to read your heart to know better than that Lina."
Lina shook her head, then nodded, then shook it again, and finally turned to Zel and said "I'm confused..."
"Nah, he just caught you in your own trap Lina." replied Zel. "Okay," he continued. "You want to be our guide you say?"
Argentus smiled. "I didn't say I "wanted" to be your guide. I offered to be your guide because you need one. I trust you realise I am observant, and somewhat quick of wit by now. Trust me, on the ice, those are not boasts, they are survival skills. Perhaps it is my way of wording things that puts you on edge?"
Zel shook his head. "We were on edge to begin with. You are uncanny, I'll give you that, Argentus, but, as Lina was saying, you seem to be well known, and unknow. And that is something that bothers us. We know we are in trouble, and will need a guide, but we are not sure if it should be you."
"Oh, found someone else did you?" Argentus asked, in a matter of fact way.
"No." replied Filia. "It's too near fishing season, or something. And I suspect you knew we'd get no one. How is it then that you aren't fishing? You don't need to make a living?"
"Not everyone fishes, dear Miss Filia!" said Argentus with a pleasant laugh. "And did I say I work for free? On the other hand, as with the rest of the world, not many here have heard of the Silver Lord."
"But come, let us be reasonable. You have no time to send away for my references, and you have not told me how I may prove I am utterly trustable. Nor do you have time to devise a test like that, not in the time left before you must go. And go you must, to do this properly you should have been on the ice for weeks now. Summer is coming and the ice gets more treacherous as the weather becomes milder. Ironic isn't it? In winter the ice is safe, but the weather will kill you, in summer it is the other way around. So, you don't know if you can trust me, but you have no one else. what does your gut tell you?"
After a minute of silence, in which the gang glanced back and forth between each other, Lina finally replied. "it tells me that you are not as you seem, but yet it doesn't think you are an obvious enemy. So I don't think you are out to do us any harm. That doesn't mean you won't harm us. As for whether you know the ways of the "ice" as you call it you have us at a disadvantage there, and we don't deny it."
She sighed. "Here's the deal, if it's money you want you shall have it, beyond the dreams of avarice. If it's something else, please tell us now and we shall see if we can accomodate you. I can't be more blunt than that." She looked sad. "If you mean us harm, well, I'm tired of fighting, just get it over with, please?"
"Lina!" said Zel with obvious concern. Filia looked at her, worried as well.
Lina broke down. She started weeping quietly and turned to Argentus. "The truth is, we magic users have all been a bunch of stupid fools! For generation after generation we have been using spells handed down from time immemorial. They work wonderfully well, and I have been one of the best at it. Some have said I'm so powerful I'm going to be the sixth sage after Rezo the Red himself. I don't believe it myself but that's what's been said." "Well, all magicians want to make big discoveries and I've worked really hard at it and made lots. Them by accident I made my most important, and scariest discovery."
She gulped and went on. "We all accepted the words of the magic spells at face value and never thought about them. It turns out we have all been pledging ourselves to the dark forces of the universe. They don't mind giving us their power in this life because then they own us for eternity after death. We have all pledged ourselves to go to hell! As their absolute pain slaves! And they have no mercy!"
She cried a bit more then went on. "My sister is a Knight of Ceiphied. She was able to tap into his memories and she found out about the Silver Lord. A power at the south pole equal perhaps to the Golden Lord of Chaos herself. I don't know how to reach the Lord of Nightmares except through magical spells of the most terrible sort. So I am grasping at the last straw I have left and going on a desperate fools errand to the south pole, or my death, to ask an unknown power that might not even exist if he or she will help. I don't know what else to do, I have to try something. Not just for me, for all the people who were fooled as well. We were so stupid, we didn't know, and yet the words were plain enough, we just didn't pay attention." She sobbed some more.
Argentus put a gentle hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him. For a flash she thought she saw... no, it had to be the tears... Yet she could see deep concern in his eyes. She took a deep breath and made up her mind. "I trust you." she said simply. It was decided.
"Well just a minute" said Zel. "What do you want in exchange?" he asked of Argentus.
The man smiled at him and said "Tell you what, after we conclude the mission successfully I will tell you what I want. And just so you don't get suspicious, I will leave it to you to decide at that time if I have earned it, all three of you. You have the option to say "no", will that be okay?"
"No." said Zel."But we have no choice. Okay, you are in, I guess. Filia?" he asked turning to the blonde dragon girl.
"I don't know either, but if Miss Lina will trust him I know I trust her. Yes, alright, we will follow you, Mr. Argentus." Filia replied.
"Then listen to me. You will never make it now if you try to cross the ice the usual way, you'll need to wait till next spring. But, if you are willing to fly..." Here he looked at Filia. It took her a second, then she nodded.
"We won't be able to take much with us for supplies." said Zel doubtfully.
"I've already asked around out of curiosity." said Argentus. "Nice try but most of your stuff is junk. This isn't like the snow you are used to, the kind that falls every fall, and melts off in the spring. Oh no, this stuff falls and stays. Some of it has been there since long before the first, never mind the second, war of the monsters fall. Even before the battle when Ceiphied defeated Shabradnigdo. It is like nothing you are used to. And it is cold. Spend enough time on it and you will never call your winters cold again. I will see you are outfitted as best I can. Miss Filia, you will have to be ready to carry three people and the sled with the supplies. Will you be able to do it?"
Filia looked frightened, but bravely said "I will do my best. My very, very best. I too need success."
Zel added "As do I. Command us."
"Command?" said Argentus softly. "Oh no, I only guide. But I will guide you truely. Now, I will get the supplies ready, you be ready to sail with the dawn, the tide will be turning then, and it will be a good weather day." The other's nodded as he got up to leave.
Lina followed him. She tapped his shoulder and asked "Excuse me, Argentus, I have to know. Were you sent?"
Argentus looked at her with surprisingly gentle eyes. "Sent? I came of my own will, Lina." With that he turned and went out, leaving a puzzled and strangely hopeful Lina standing there.
