Chapter 5

Permafrost

Part 1

The sun sets and rise once again, signaling every living things that a new day already began. Instead of birds singing, the violent sound of wind blowing in the northern mountains can be heard. Sol let out a breath of air as she stare at the same mountain she visit yesterday.

It's still the same. She still can't lay a single step on that mountain. But this time, there is a slight difference. The force that pushes her back was not as strong as the force that sent her flying yesterday. Maybe you can blame the disappearance of the red cube guarding it.

"Only one Dark Seal remaining..." Otenko's voice break the long silence between them while staring at the remaining blue colored cube in the front of them.

"Only one more and I'm going to find Mani..." she whispered to herself, clenching the red apple that rest on her hand.

"Let's go, Sol. To west, Ho!"

The young Solar Girl who only nod in agreement as she took a bite on the apple on her hand and ran to the west with Otenko following her.

Part 2

- Permafrost -

- May 20, 8:03 AM -

- Time before sunset: 9 hours and 57 minutes -

"ACHOO!"

Her loud sneeze echoed throughout the open field as she took her first step. Surely, while she was on Firetop Mountain yesterday, she can still ignore the hot sensation of those lava and flames but here in Permafrost, there is no way she can ignore the coldness.

As its name suggest, everything she can see is nothing but ice. From the frozen sea, frozen rocks, frozen puddles, everything is frozen! The sun maybe shining from above but the heat is not enough to warm her whole body up.

"Are you okay, Sol?" Otenko asked. Her reply was nothing more than a mare nod, though. "I can see that you're having a hard time dealing with the temperature but... Sad to say, this is not the Permafrost yet."

"H-huh!? What do you mean, master!?"

"The Permafrost lies in the middle of the frozen lake. We have to cross somehow. There are two paths here; the path in the west and the path in the north."

"Good thing that I don't have to swim over there!" This comment of hers made Otenko chuckle.

"The path we will take all depends on you. Even in your condition, always be alert for undead. May the Sun be with you!" And with the said, he suddenly disappear in the thin air, leaving the Solar Girl alone.

Sol took another deep breath, forming a white smoke in the front of her face. The strong wind blew pass her, almost making her lost her balance. She tried to bury her chin inside the Crimson Scarf she always wore, seeking for any warmth but out of luck, it didn't gave her too much. Taking a small step forward, a thought escaped from her head.

'Come to think of it, how can Master Otenko survive the frozen venue with that body?' She thought.

Well, he is pretty small, and had an appearance of a sunflower so how? Maybe he can absorb the sun's rays to warm himself up during the time like this? She haven't touch him even once so maybe he feels warm... Just thinking about those stuff made Sol wanted to call her Master and cuddle him on her arms. But on the side note, he might reject it if she said it directly...

'Great. I'm thinking useless stuff again...' Removing that thoughts on her head, Sol continue on pressing forward.

Part 3

As the time flies by, her attention start to shift from her surroundings to the temperature that continuously drop every minute pass. She even think that her blood were freezing inside her veins. But thank goodness, its not. After taking yet another step, a strange noise welcomed her ears, snapping her back to reality.

The sound was not too far... To be serious, it feels like its getting closer to her. Rumbling sound like there is a giant snowball rolling right behind her and the small ice covered pebbles down on her foot start to shake wildly. She doesn't like the sound of this. Taking enough courage, the blonde haired girl looked behind her without twisting her whole body. She later regret her actions.

"You gotta be kidding me! They also exist here!?" Sol shouted and started to run, ignoring the pain of suddenly moving her stiff legs.

There, right behind her, there are three golems in their ball form, charging directly at her. It's a little different than the other golems she had seen before. Instead of clay, or iron in Muspell's case, the golem that was chasing her were made from snow and ice.

"Wait a second." She said to herself without cutting her speed. Digging her hand on the small bag clipped on the back of her belt, she pulled out the vermillion colored glass that she found after Muspell's purification back in Firetop Mountain.

'This thing is called Flame lens right? And those thing are made of ice...'

She had to equip that lens in order to beat them more faster. But on the side note, she forgot that she doesn't know how to do it. Grabbing the Gun Del Sol with her left hand, she tried to figure out the way how to change the lens. After a minute of examining and running, she finally saw a tiny little button that opens the lock that holds the yellow lens of the gun. Smiling at her new discovery, Sol removed the yellow lens and inserted the vermillion one before locking it down again. The lens of the gun glowed in orange color, signaling that she did it properly.

Without cutting her own speed, Sol twisted her upper body from behind, trying to lock on at the enemy. Satisfied on their angle, she clicked the trigger of the gun and to her surprise, it didn't release a Solar Shot. Rather, it releases a ball of fire. The ball of fire hit the first golem, instantly turning it to a puddle. She withdraw her Gun Del Sol and stared at the gun's golden frame with an amazed expression painted all over her face.

"Oh man! Who thought that you can also split out Fireballs!?" She said and fire another fireball at the direction of the second ice golem, melting it in an instant.

She was about to fire another but she tripped on her way. Looking at the ground below her, she then gasp. The ground was frozen like an ice rink. She tried to stand up but then, she fall down again. The distance between her and the golem keep on getting shorter and shorter. Without thinking, she shut down her eyes and hold the Gun Del Sol in the front of her with two hands. As she felt that a part of the ice golem hit the tip of her gun, she accidentally tap its trigger.

*BOOM!*

A slight explosion can be heard. Opening her eyes, she saw some shards of ice every where and nothing more.

"What just happened?" She asked herself. Looking at her gun, she finally notice the black smoke escaping from the tip of it. Her surprised face was later covered with pure curiosity.

'I see... The Gun Del Sol showed me a new kind of attack once again... Seriously, how on earth I'm doing that?'

Giving up from her unanswerable question, Sol just stood up and tried to walk away. However, it only result for her to fall back down to the icy floor. Rubbing her sore head, she glared at her reflection in the mirror like ground.

"I should study how to skate..."

Part 4

It's been an hour since Sol defeated those ice golems and after an hour of walking, and falling non stop as she try to skate through the numerous frozen ground, she finally reached the Permafrost.

It's much more colder inside than the outside. The walls, floor and pillars inside are all made of ice. Good thing that the sun is shining down at them, warming her a little bit. But she know that the sunlight won't give her anymore heat when she walk further inside.

Sol turned her head left and right, analyzing the area with both hands holding her scarf. She and Otenko are in a very open area, no surprise, still covered with snow. Up above them is a giant hole from the second floor that let the sun rays enter.

"This place should be wide enough... I'll summon the Pile Driver here then. TAIYOU!"

The usual rumbling noise and bright white light covered the room. As the light died down, the Pile Driver appeared in the ground. Sol knelt down and use her right hand to touch the southern emblem of the Pile Driver, sending out a light that travels around the whole circle like ripples.

"Are you sure about this, Master?" She asked with a frown, making Otenko stare at her.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I don't know... It's just my insides told me that this is not a good idea..."

"I don't really know about your insides but it looks like this is the only place here with an open area and sunlight."

She didn't reply. Or maybe she had nothing to reply? Taking a deep breath, Sol stood up from her kneeling position. She don't know why. But for some odd reason, she felt that there is something wrong about to happen. Ignoring that for a while, she climbed the stairs going up to the second floor of the Permafrost.

Part 5

It's strange...

She's been walking for 30 minutes straight but Sol didn't see a single undead on her way. Not even another golem, ghoul or that blue klorofolun thing that she once saw in the monster guide book and said to be commonly found in icy areas like this... Chillnun if she's not mistaken. Her expressions are now mixed with both happiness and curiosity. Happy since there is no undead trying to kill her, curious that this undead absence is a trap.

She entered the next room and to her surprise, it was an open area like the entrance, minus the sun rays.

'The thick ice above must be blocking all the sun rays to enter this open room.' She thought while staring at the sun behind the thick ice.

Suddenly, she felt something from her insides once again. She quickly lowered her head and saw a ice block sliding at her direction. Sol quickly reacted. Grabbing the Gun Del Sol from the gun case clipped on her belt, she pointed it at the incoming ice block and hold down its trigger. Since the Flame lens were still equipped, the supposed to be Solar Spread turned into a Flamethrower that melt the ice block before it reach her. It may not look like it but she can feel that the Flamethrower attack eats a lot more energy than a regular Solar Spread.

'I have to refrain myself from using that attack...'

Staring at the attacker of that surprise attack, she gasped. It was a silver white wolf. Not just an ordinary wolf but a large wolf. It's height can reach her eye level and its length were twice of her own height, tail counted. It's crimson red eyes stare at her angrily and its fangs made of ice can be seen clearly as it send out a rather angry growl at her.

"What is that...?" She asked herself. Sure even if she memorize that monster guide, she haven't see a undead like that... Unless...

"Sol!" Otenko's voice snapped her back to reality but she didn't look at him and still had her focus on the silver wolf. "Be careful! Garmr's ice claw can slice almost anything."

"Garmr?"

"Yes. Like Muspell, he is the one guarding the Permafrost. But right now, it looks like he is also guarding the other Dark Seal in the northern mountains. May the Sun be with you!" As he said that, he disappeared in the air once more, leaving Sol on her own again.

Garmr hurriedly charged at her with his icy claws ready to slash the young Solar Girl. She quickly notice this and dodge by rolling to the right side of the field. That action actually made her shiver in coldness but right now, she have to focus on the battle unless she wanted to be a icy wolf snack.

Grabbing her sword from behind, she charged at the silver wolf, trying to slash him. Using his icy breath, Garmr tried to freeze Sol before she can even continue with her attacks. Obviously, its effective. She stopped on her tracks and used her arms to shield her eyes from the icy breath. Looking down below her foot, she let out another gasp.

Her boots start to get covered with thin ice. Having no other choice, Sol jumped back twice and tap her feet to remove the ice.

'Okay... This is a lot harder than I thought... I can't get close at all!' She thought while sending a glare at the silver wolf. She was left with no choice. She have to use her Gun Del Sol until it ran out of battery even if she hate it or love it.

Pointing her Gun Del Sol on his direction, Sol fired Fireball after Fireball at Garmr's direction. Garmr dodge the two Fireballs but the third and fourth one hit him hard.

Sitting on the icy ground, Garmr wag his tail a bit before letting out a loud howl. That howl call out a violent blizzards that made Sol fall on her knees. She stabbed her sword into the ground and hold it as tight as she could so she won't be blown by the wind. Sure she can fight the force of the wind but the only problem now is her body itself. It looks like her body won't last another minute on that icy blizzard. She can feel her eyes start to close on its own and the coldness start to pierce through her brain.

'No! Sol, wake up! You can't die here!' She shouted inside her head.

Lucky for her, the blizzard stop. Garmr now rest in the middle of four ice blocks right in the middle of the room. Thinking that it was her chance, Sol pull out her sword from the ground and stood up. As she got back on her feet, she quickly charged at the direction of one of the four ice blocks. Garmr let out another loud howl and his body were covered with light. Because of the surprise, Sol accidentally pushed the ice block to Garmr's direction. He growled in pain before the other ice blocks melted.

Before he can even leave his location, Sol quickly pulled the trigger of the Gun Del Sol, sending out another Flamethrower that hits directly at Garmr's face. Garmr let out a loud cry before his body start to turn to a snow and black smoke came through it.

Realizing that it was over, she grabbed the blue card on her pocket and raised it in the air.

"ELEFAN!" Sol shouted. And in the matter of seconds, Garmr's now snow body was sealed inside the coffin.

Sol let out a large amount of air making a white smoke right in the front of her face. Looking at her hands, she noticed that it start trembling due to the cold weather and the venue. She really need to find any source of heat as soon as possible. Or worse, she might lost her consciousness again like what happen in the Bloodrust Mansion.

Seeing that the Battle Drive is the only way for her to get some warm sunlight, she put her sword back in the sword case behind her back and start dragging the coffin where the Pile Driver is summoned.

Part 6

Another hour have pass on and Sol reached to the location where the Pile Driver is. On the way it looks like it, she seems to be okay now after she bathe in the sunlight back in the second floor. Good thing that even in a mountain of ice, the sun is still hot during the midday.

"Okay. This is it. Purify Garmr and we can finally go to Sol City." Otenko said.

Sol was preparing to say something but before she could open her mouth, Elefan start shaking wildly. She quickly ran on the direction of the living coffin with a worried face.

"What's wrong, Elefan!?"

"P-pao..." Was its weak reply.

She tried to hold the cover of the coffin using her right while her left hand still holds the chain attached to it. But once her palm and the cover made contact, she immediately withdraw her hand back.

It was cold. The cover is too cold like she just touch a solid ice. As seconds goes by, Elefan continue to shake more until finally, a loud roar can be heard. It was Garmr's same roar from before. Even while inside a room, the violent blizzard hurled up forcing Otenko to disappear and Sol to close her eyes.

The blizzard last for about 3 minutes before it finally stopped. The same time that the blizzard stops, Elefan also stop its rapid shaking. And when Sol opened her eyes, the first thing she notice is the Pile Driver.

"Oh no!"

It's gone. The mark on the ground is gone. Looking up the ceiling, she notice that the large hole that make the sunlight enter from the second floor is covered with thick layer of ice.

"This is bad!" Otenko's voice made Sol looked beside her. "Without the sunlight, we can't start the Pile Driver!"

"Then how are we going to purify Garmr?"

It takes a minute before Otenko can reply. But once he do, he points his nose (?) at the exit of the room.

"Back in the entrance of this dungeon, there is an open area, right?"

"Oh no... Don't tell me I have to drag this coffin all the way there!?"

"We don't have any other choice, Sol."

"Fine... I'll do it." Letting out another heavy sigh, the Solar Girl stood up from her seat and began dragging the coffin once again. "I knew this is a bad idea after all..."

Part 7

Another countless of minutes have pass on, Sol finally dragged the coffin in the entrance of the dungeon. Right at this very moment, she's now shivering and her whole body was trembling because of the coldness. Not just about the venue, but also because the half of her body is wet.

"I HATE this!" she cursed as she stomped her feet in the snowy ground, trying to fight the numbness of her legs. "First I got burned in the Firetop Mountain, now, I got the half of my clothes drenched in a mountain covered with ice!"

"I did warn you about octopuses, though…"

"But you didn't say that they can actually grab your legs even if you're five meters away from it!"

"Well, experience is the best teacher."

"Good thing that only the half of my body is drenched or else, I'll die in coldness! Time to add another Undead in my most hated undead list."

Otenko just smiled at her comment. Trying to change the previous topic, he move forward catching the attention of the Solar Girl.

"Solana, I know you're still angry but are you ready to Pile Driver Garmr?"

"Hmm… Okay. Let get this thing over with so we can leave. Beside, Battle Drive is one of the best way to bathe in sunlight and dry some clothes!"

"Alright then. TAIYOU!"

Like the same thing that happen earlier inside the Permafrost, the ground start shaking once again and the same bright white light covered the area. As the light died down and the ground stop shaking, the same mark from before appeared in the ground.

Pushing her numb legs to move, Sol dragged the coffin in the middle of the Pile Driver. Four green generator appeared in the four corners of the Pile Driver. Pulling out her Gun Del Sol and changing its lens back to the yellow one, Sol fired one Solar Shot in each generator, activating.

*WHEEN, WHEEN, WHEEN*

The usual sound rang on her ears. Moving to the southern glowing emblem, she raise her hand up to the sky before she let out a shout.

"TAIYOU!"

Part 8

The Battle Drive ended pretty fast compare to the other Battle Drive she already experienced. Maybe because its already midday and the Sun is on the highest peak of the day? Or maybe because Garmr was easy to purify? She don't care, actually. As long that it end up fast, then its good.

She walked on the middle of the Pile Driver, picking up the blue card. As she lift up the card, she then notice another piece of glass under it. It had the same design as the Flame lens and the Sol lens. The only difference is this lens's color. Instead of being amber yellow or vermillion, its color is blue as the sea. Because of its color and venue, she can easily tell that the lens on her hand is the Frost Lens.

"Two Guardians purified, two Dark Seals gone." Otenko's voice made Sol's attention shift from the lens on her hand to him. "With the two Dark Seals gone, we can now cross the northern mountain and fly to Sol City. I don't have any idea why Count easily split out Mani's location to us."

"I know. There is a high possibility that all of this is a trap. But if what Count said is true, then I have to go there." Gripping the blue lens in her hand as tight as she could, Sol took another deep breath.

"Let's go. We are one step closer learning about the truth."

"Right." And with that said, both Solana and Otenko leaved the Permafrost.

Part 9

"So she made it this far?" Black said while staring at the whole Istrakan from the window of the highest floor in the Sol City.

"Are you going back to the castle?" the young woman behind him spoke in such a emotionless tone of voice.

"Maybe later. The Queen is rather angry once again. I don't like hearing her booming voice all the way down to the very first floor." He said before leaning on the glass and crossing his arms. "Her actions are getting a little out of hand ever since she freed Gaea's Son. Even I'm getting a little irritated by all this event."

"… Do you want me to dispose of her?"

"She beat the Count and the two Guardians. Are you sure you can handle her?" Black asked the young woman.

Putting a hand on her chest, the young woman bow a bit before staring at the Vampire Prince with her crimson red eyes.

"I'll try to the very best of my ability… Master."