Chapter Two: Indomitable
Nyxian
Nothing could have prepared Nyxian and Wren for the freezing temperatures as they make their way closer to Icewind Dale. The pair were forced to stop in Luskan and purchase fur clothing and other essentials, which were not readily available in their town. The wind wafts around them, and Nyxian's teeth chatter as he holds the edges of his fur-lined hood closer to his face. Daytime wasn't as bad, but they were fast approaching night and decided it was set up camp. Howling in the distance, carried by the winds, echoes around them. They bought a yurt from town but had to reinforce it with tree branches and packed snow to help damper the wind. Something they almost learned the hard way as the tent was close to tearing apart on their last rest. It was over an hour of gathering materials and packing the snow before they could get cover. They immediately took off their outer layers to warm next to the fire already lit inside. Nixian's hands burn from the rapid change from cold to hot. Jaeda spreads out next to the fire, her body not used to the fridge climate. Wren opens a pack on the ground next to him. He tosses Nyx, a waterskin, and a dried fruits and meats pouch. Nyxian didn't realize until now just how hungry he was. He downs the whole bag greedily, then chugs the water. He looks to Wren, who sets out a collapsible bowl with water and food for Jaeda. Wren was always like that, thinking of others before himself. Blue tints his friend's lips, and Nyxian could guess he looks the same. Howling rings out again louder this time.
"I'll take first watch, Nyx," Wren says softly.
"Nay," he points to the sleeping bag. "You look as if you're about to fall over."
His friend smiles lazily as he lies in one of the empty sleeping bags placed about the yurt.
Nyxian stretches out his feet. He realizes that it's been days since they left home, and not once has he thought about it. He loved his village, but the politics of it were getting him. As a noble of the First Five, there was a lot of pressure on him to make sure his family stayed relevant in the city's affairs. Nyxian would have instead been out exploring and helping people with hands-on experience. The temperature gets noticeably colder, and he rubs his chest, the fire now barely providing warmth. A few hours go by before he is relieved by Wren.
Wren
Jaeda snuggles close to Wren, sapping as much of his heat as she possibly could. He sighs. He knew they sent him away on this mission because of his brothers. He never understood Wexlyn and Wiv's anger towards him. Nyxian always said they were jealous of him, but Wren didn't have anything to be envious of. They were popular. Strong. Normal. Outside of Nyx, his only other real friend was Jaeda, though his parents told him that animals didn't count. Wren subconsciously rubs the scar on his neck then catches himself. It never healed properly since he didn't get the care he needed right away. It was always a reminder of how powerless Wren thought he was against his brothers. Two years later and he could still feel the searing pain. He could still see the hatred in their eyes. Wren closes his eyes. Dwelling on the past did him no good.
Howling followed quickly by yelping, then silence broke through the air. Wren moves to open the entrance flap and peers outside. He smells deep, the crisp morning air irritating his nose. Faintly, he could smell wolf and something else unfamiliar to him. Wren wakes Nyxian, and the two continue towards Bryn Shander.
Conner [Several days later]
Conner makes his way down the precarious steps of the mountain leading down to Bryn Shander. The icy wind blows so hard at points that he is pushed into the jagged rocks of the side of the hill. A cut instantly freezes, though Conner still wraps it with a piece of his cloth tunic. He was grateful for the traveler's gear the monk elders provided for him. Conner held back a smile of excitement as he said his goodbyes. He would genuinely miss them, but something kept pulling him to adventure out in the big world. There is so much for him to see, do, and taste, and Conner couldn't wait. The trip down the mountain took all day, and he made it just before nightfall. Frost coats strands of his hair and his hands and feet are numb. The climate and altitude difference make him all the more tired.
Conner approaches the gates of the town. The city is still bustling, and many people enter a well-made albeit frostbitten wooden tavern. Music and laughter escapes as patrons come in and out. Conner has never heard such loud noises, much less music like that. The monastery bells and chants were gentle and soft. Someone bumps into him, and she smiles warmly as she bids her pardon. He bows slightly to her. The monastery only boasted men, and he only came upon women who were part of the caravans that brought goods. She headed into the tavern. The sign was frozen, mid-swing, and read 'The Northlook .' Conner gapes at all the people as he enters the crowded building. A stage to the left provides entertainment by way of fast-paced music. A dozen or so men and women dance in front of it. A man falls down before him, and he stumbles back to his feet. He slurs a series of words, he and others laugh. He takes a swig of something another man hands him and slams the glass down.
"Hey baby, you look new here?" A stout, dwarven lady says. Her words are just as slurred as the man earlier, and her breath reeks. "Wanna buy me a drink?"
Conner holds up his hands to gently push her off him. "No, thank you."
A giant of a man grabs the dwarf by the waist, and she falls into his lap. "Come play with a real man." She laughs and plunges her hands into his hair as they start kissing passionately.
Conner approaches the bar, a reddish fish hanging above.
"That be Ol' Bitey." Says a man behind the counter. The man's face is heavily scarred, and part of his ear is gone. "Payback for what he did to my ear." He laughs.
Conner has no idea if the man is serious or joking. He clears his throat. "Have you a room, sir?"
"You got money?"
Conner took out a pouch of gold. "Is this enough?"
"Careful boy." He leans in to whisper. "People 'ere have no problems relieving you of your coinage." the barman takes a few of the coins.
Conner looks around and spies several of the patrons looking in his direction.
The man slams a mug down in front of him. "The first one's on the house, boy." The man continues filling others' drinks. "Name's Scramsax, by the way." He shouts over in shoulder.
"Conner Trimace." Conner takes a gulp of the gifted drink, violently coughing from the strong taste.
The patrons at the bar laugh while one claps him on the shoulder. "How old are you, Conner?"
"27 winters, sir."
"Pretty young out here on your own."
"Leave him alone," a woman says behind him. It is the same one who bumped into him earlier. Comparatively speaking, she is way prettier than the dwarf woman, and she smelled better too. "Come. I'll show you to your room." The beauty led him to the third floor. He was completely enamored by the way her hips moved as she made her way up the stairs. She opens the door. Conner feels right at home in the sparsely decorated room. A single bed, a small fire pit in the center, and a wooden table that looked to be repaired several times.
The woman closes the door behind her, and Conner looks at her, confused. "Are you gonna get undressed?"
Stuttering, Conner asks, "P-pardon?"
The woman smiles that warm smile again, and Conner's heart races as she moves forward and places her hands on his chest. She slowly unfastens his heavy coat, tossing it onto the bed. She looks at him a moment and laughs. "You're a monk?"
Conner nods and randomly points in a direction. "From the mountains."
The woman reaches behind her, and the velvet dress she wore pools at her feet. She is naked, and Conner's heart starts to do somersaults. No training prepared him for this. She steps out of it and begins to undress him.
Nyxian
By the indications of the map, they weren't too far from Bryn Shander.
"Nyx!" shouts Wren. A wolf jumps off a craggy rock towards Nyxian.
Jaeda slams into the wolf's side as two others circle the adventurers.
Nyxian unsheathes his sword as another hound pounces at him. He slashes the creature deep into its shoulder. The creature yelps and snarls. Its blood dripping to stain the stark white snow.
Electricity crackles through the air as two wolves are hit by lightning. One dies instantly as the other howls, badly injured. The last two turn away from them, growling at something in the distance before cowering and running off in the opposite direction.
"Something is there," Wren says, sniffing the air. Jaeda rolls around on the ground, chittering. A looming figure approaches. The snowfall is too thick to identify something so far away.
Nyxian notices movement to his left and turns to see a rock chunk being hurled at a giant creature that had been sneaking up behind them.
"Yeti!" Wren shouts.
"Keep your eyes front, Wren." Nyxian rushes to the yeti that has been behind them, "Watch my back." The yeti waves its meaty paw slashing down at Nyxian, who dodges and moves to make a slash of his own. A tear across its chest appears, and the yeti stumbles backward.
Another piece of rock is hurled at the creature and smashes into its face. It shakes its head and claws at Nyxian twice. He manages to dodge for the first one but gets hit by the second claw. Bits of his armor shredded. The freezing air rushes in, and blood sullies the fur freezing it in place. There are grunting, and chittering sounds behind him, and Nyxian looks over his shoulder quickly. Wren has the yeti tangled in a mass of vines, and Jaeda jumps off them to claw at the creature's face.
A similar mass of vines halts Nyxian's opponent. The helpful stranger shoots something towards them, and a small explosion goes off behind him. Once. Twice. Three times.
Nyxian thrusts his blade into the yeti's chest and twists. The vines slowly retreat back into the ground, and the creature falls, snow crunching beneath it. He turns to see Wren shoot flames from his fingertips. The beast bellows its pain as it falls to the ground and writhes on the floor. It dies in seconds, and Wren bows. "I'm sorry, friend."
Nyxian knew every time Wren had to kill a creature, it caused him pain. But what needs to be done has to be done. He grabs an extra dagger from its sheath on his leg and begins to skin the yeti. "We are close to Bryn Shander. Perhaps someone could use this to repair my armor." The stranger moves closer. A mask covers their face. A sweet voice yells over the heavy winds, "You're on your way to Bryn Shander too?"
"Aye," Wren says with a nod. He touches Nyxian, and he can feel healing energy coursing through him. "Thank you for your help." Wren also adds.
"You would have done the same." the woman says.
Nyxian looks up at her. "That is a lot of faith you have in strangers."
She shrugs, or what he thinks is a shrug. "Your friend until proved otherwise."
Nyxian finishes his task. "Too much trust could get you killed." He wipes off his blades and sheathes them. "Especially for a lone woman."
"I can take care of myself," she says, hands on her hips. The thickness of her snow gear makes this gesture look ridiculous.
Wren smiles. "So, you can. Would you like to accompany us just in case we run into any more trouble?"
She nods. "Three's better than one... or two in your case."
