Chapter 8

"I don't know what we're going to do." Tino uttered as he found a lone stone bench seating himself down. Old brambles of once lively hedges circled around the cobblestone and old chiseled broken statues. He barely had a moment of gazing into the sunset sky before Behr spoke up once again.

"What do you mean? I thought you said you were going to ask Ivan to borrow a boat. You are in his good graces after all."

Tino bit his lip wringing his gloved hands together. "Yes that's true but…"

"But?"

He looked down at his wringing hands staring at the material. "I wasn't expecting this. Him. He's so…I don't know." The Finn hugged himself tugging his cloak around his shoulders to shelter his exposed skin from the chilly wind blowing his way.

"I tried to tell you." Behr scolded him tenderly. "You had to have it your way."

"I know…just…I don't need this right now Behr." Tino's voice wavered noting the light was growing dimmer and dimmer by the minute. With the light fading came an even more unbearable cold.

The bear sat still a moment keeping the shivering boy in his sights. "You're really scared of him aren't you?" The Finn wouldn't dignify that with a response but the way he winced and looked away gave everything away. "It's…alright to be scared Tino."

"You're not scared of him." He accused the Swede.

"No but I don't like him. And now you know why. He isn't the kind of man many would socialize with. He's an eccentric and also very dangerous. I've already heard Lükas tell you this." Tino nodded. "I realize he...acts gentle with you." Behr hissed out. "And I don't know him all that well. All I know is I don't trust him and I certainly don't like the way he touches ya."

He had to smile after that. Tino came to learn in a short time whenever Behr was feeling particularly at ease his Swedish accent became evident. Apparently it comes out when he's protective too.

"What?"

"Nothing..." The Finn shook his head smiling. "Thank you Behr."

"For what? Mh." He grumbled feeling the smaller hand rub his skull, even tickling behind his ear. His blue eyes watched as the other rose from his seat walking around him and down the way Lükas had gone just moments ago. "Tino?"

"For listening." Tino smiled back at him, cloak billowing as he continued down the path lined with old dead bare trees. For just another moment Behr sat there in the silence to look around. He never traveled any further into Russia before, not without his father or an army. Yet every time his travels brought him into part of Russia all he saw was exactly the same. Dead. Barren. It was as though all the rumors surrounding the Braginsky family were true. A family name sold to hell. He thought on it not another minute before getting up and hobbling down the way the Finnish boy went knowing he'd meet up with his friends at the end.

Purple eyes gazed in wonder as Tino watched the mage stand at a cliff overlooking the ocean. His form against the wide water looked so lonely. Tino even noticed that his shoulders looked a little slumped as well. "Lükas?" He wasn't perturbed in the least, remaining quiet and still his cloak billowing and swaying with the lightest stir of wind.

"Yes Tino?" He murmured.

"How is it?" He stood beside him inhaling heavily and letting out a heavy breath ignoring the swirling cloud of mist.

"Whatever it was I felt earlier is gone now. Now it's just the serenity." Lükas looked up and turned his head to one end of the horizon slowly panning to the other end. He could see land and the arch of the sea from this single point. "This is the highest point in this region, did you know that?"

"No…" Tino answered meekly, looking with him. "Is it higher than the mountains in Norway?"

"No." Lükas' gaze came back around to Tino. "But we are still very high up. Have you been getting your sleep?" That last sentence was a little random, for the Finn at least.

"What? I…suppose yes. Mostly during the day." He chuckled softly.

"I see. You should try to sleep tonight as well. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow." He turned his back on the ocean but almost instantly turned back to face him. "Are you alright?" A blink of his violet blue eyes blinked back at him in question. "Being left alone. I know I said we shouldn't leave you alone but out here I can't feel any threats and I was curious to know if you felt safe out here without us."

"Oh…it's fine." He laughed softly. "I'll be fine. Besides Behr won't ever be far behind."

"This is true. Very well." He nodded his head to the boy before he began walking back up the anointed pathways back to the castle when sure enough he noticed the bear watching them from afar. "Hello Behr."

"Lükas." He greeted before turning his attention to its previous place.

"If you wanted speak with him we finished our chat." The Norwegian murmured following his eyesight not at all surprised that it ended at Tino.

"No I was just…" He sighed. "Is he alright?" Lükas joined him in looking back at the Finn. He was a little short to begin with but he seemed that much smaller against the ocean, his shoulders hunched if not a little tense. Tino never got to see the ocean like this every day, not of the Arctic Ocean as his people called it. This time of year glaciers and great walls of ice were prominent far off of shore

"If he is having a hard time he isn't showing it. He holds a lot inside of him," The Mage murmured. "the fear most of all." He reached out and ruffled a hand through the coarse fur of the bear hiding a smirk when he heard the displeased grumble. "I think I will resign myself to sleep."

"Goodnight then." Behr gruffed, walking back to Tino before stopping suddenly in his steps. 'What am I doing?' He asked himself mentally. 'We just spoke not ten moments ago!...I just feel like I have to stay close to him.' In the middle of scolding himself he failed to notice the Finn had left the cliff edge and begun sneaking up on him.

"Hey Behr, there you are." He giggled rubbing his ears just as Lükas had done however earning a pleased groan.

"You say that as though you expected me." Behr frowned up at him.

"Well maybe I did." Tino smiled and tried a new place, rubbing under his chin biting back the laugh when he saw the Swede's eyelids flutter.

"Mmmm… mf, well maybe I didn't come this way to follow you." He huffed, pulling away from Tino's touch.

"And yet here you are."

This was true. Here he was. Tino's eyes were moist and bright as he smiled at the bear. The moon was already rising, the pale white light mixing with the pink and dusky blue of the late late evening wrapping around the Finnish boy. With his fine attire he donned he looked like a different person to Behr, not that clumsy pauper that foolishly followed him into this mess. Clothes couldn't change who he was though, he'd still be Tino. A poor son of a poor man. Despite this however, fondness for the boy…

A deep rumble shook the land making both boy and bear look up and around in alarm.

"What was that?!" Tino looked all around wildly for the source when up ahead they saw Lükas running back towards them. "Lükas?!"

"Get down!" He shouted turning back around holding his hands out. Shards of light shimmered and gathered in his hands forming a dense glowing ball. As he threw the ball of light, friction from the air struck it igniting it ablaze striking the ground like lightning. Upon contact with the ground great walls of fire rose and spread around the trio to enclose them inside a ring of flames. "Stick close." Lükas warned backing up some. Around them on the other side of the fire scratching and hissing could be heard slowly enveloping them. The Norwegian watched with trained eyes all around catching dark forms circle around their sanctuary like feral wild felines on the hunt.

Tino stuck close to Behr as instructed and struggled to see through the walls of flame. Through the billowing fire he caught sight of just what Lükas was protecting them from and gasped in horror grabbing tightly onto the bear's fur enough to make him grunt in pain but they had more pressing matters to address. "Wh-What is that?! What is that?!"

"Skuggar helvítis…" Behr whispered. "Keep your voice down."

Around them the scratching grew louder as Lükas kept fueling the fire to keep the shadows at bay. "I can't imagine why we'd encounter them here." He murmured feeling the magic starting to drain all too fast. "Damn, they're eating the magic!"

Tino panted sweat from the fire making his clothes stick tighter than a second skin. "Skuggar helvítis? Wh-What's that?"

"Shadows of hell…"

"Shadows of hell…o-okay...wh-what do they do?"

"At best? Disembowel us." Behr growled. "At full strength you don't want to know. Lükas keep the fire up as long as you can."

"I am…" He began to pant. "We have but minutes until my magic is stifled."

"Behr…" Tino whispered.

"Behr." Lükas turned back to look at him fatigue clearly showing. "I can't hold it."

Through the panic Behr had to think. The distance from here to the castle, could they make it? In Russia's castle…when they didn't even know where the damn things came from in the first place. With he as he was, Lükas weak and Tino…they wouldn't stand a chance but… he looked behind them at the cliff they were being pushed to.

"We have to jump."

"What?!" Tino gasped back at Behr.

"It's either jump or be strung up by our entrails!" He snapped. "How much longer- Lükas!"

The mage bowed over slowly, his arms trembling. Slowly the fire walls lowered down until nothing but a smoldering ring of burning embers was left imprinted in the grass and in the pale moon Tino could still see their hunters. The features were unclear even under what little light the moon provided. They seemed to warp shape, black tendrils wisping from their bodies like dark smoke and tattered linen with two beady blood red dots sitting in wide sockets barely fit to be called eyes. Lükas fell to his knees tired out when a shadowy form lunged at him with a screaming hiss.

"Lükas!"

"TINO!"

The Finn threw himself in between demon and mage when the former jumped back shrieking in anger. 'What?..' Behr took the opportunity to lift Lükas onto his back, pulling Tino with him. If the demons weren't angry before they were certainly furious now. Quickly they closed in pushing them back further and further precariously to the edge. "Tino, jump on the count of three! One!"

He couldn't get their red sunken eyes out of his mind.

"Two!"

The way they hissed sounded like laughter.

"Three!"

There was a moment's hesitation when all was silent, all was numb but he felt the tugging of the bear at his sleeve pulling him out of whatever trance the unearthly beings put him under. The ringing in his ears grew louder as he found his feet moving. His eyes remained glued on the demons in horror as he took that last step.

The step that sent him careening over the edge. The three of them plummeted in free fall. Still numb and feeling the blood rush in his ears he couldn't hear Behr shout something at Lükas who clutched onto the bear's fur. What? It sounded like…rocks?

"Lükas the rocks!"

Tino's eyes turned down and widened in horror. They were falling into a bluff of water eroded rock and ice, faster and faster. Lükas was worn and used up from his last spell, from the demons leeching his reserve. The shouting once again drowned out due to the ringing and rush pressuring his heart. It became hard to keep his eyes open, much too hard. And then unconsciousness swept over him.

He didn't know what he was feeling. First there was a piercing pain, then freezing cold, so cold. He must have died. His body hit the rocks and now he was dead. Why else would he be this cold? His limbs were so hard to move, death was claiming him, robbing him of his ability to move his own body. Then he heard voices. Voices, maybe angels?

It will be for the greater good, my darling.

My sweet princess.

You will save us all.

Then the voices ceased to be when he felt something tugging at him. He felt like lead but something was pulling him out of the dark abyss back into the land of the living.

Tino! Tino can you hear me?!

Slowly he found himself able to open his eyes or an action somewhat reminiscent of doing so. His lashes fluttered gently. Pain behind his eyes, he wasn't dead. Death wouldn't hurt so much would it?

"Tino!" A bear stood over him.

"…Behr?" He croaked back squeezing his eyes shut as his body wracked with coughs, small amounts of saltwater spraying from his mouth.

"Thank the gods he's alright." Behr exhaled a breath of relief turning away to speak to someone else, no doubt Lükas. He flinched with a start as he felt a force prop his back up to recline up against something firm and solid, something warm firm and solid. He shivered leaning into the warmth.

"Where…are we?..." Tino mumbled with a whispering groan still feeling weak.

"A boat." Lükas murmured back at him just as weak and soaked, him being seated beside the Finn. That warm support moved and pressed a cold nose against Tino's hand.

"Behr." Tino smiled feebly and closed his eyes letting his weight lean back on the bear knowing he wouldn't mind it in the least.

"You can rest easy, we're safe now." Safe. That sounded good, like music to his ears. The last time they were saved from a perilous situation they ended up the guests of the Ruler of all Russia. What will this good deed take them next?

"A boat…where?" Tino turned to look at Lükas and immediately regretting it, feeling a pain shoot down sore muscles in his neck.

"A fishing vessel that happened to pass us by. The gods smile upon us once again it seems." Lükas turned to look to the deck of where they were resting. There they lied propped up against the side of the boat watching a few men unfurl sails, tie rope and shout out orders to change course. Sure enough the stench of fish invaded his nostrils both making him hungry but sick.

"A boat…" Tino repeated. "Can they take us to land?"

"I'm sure they will but don't worry about that right now." Behr nudged him gently.

"So gentle, Behr." Tino whispered once again letting Behr hold his weight.

"You had me worried." He whispered back. "I'm sorry. For making you jump."

Tino furrowed his brow, gently turning his head so he could look back at his friend, or the best he could manage. "We had to."

"I'm still sorry." Again he pressed his nose to Tino's hand only partially surprised to feel the hand squeeze back tenderly rubbing the cool wet snout. The steady heavy thuds of thick boots brought both boy and bear's attention up towards the owner of said boots.

"You were lucky you didn't drown!" He boomed, resting hands on his waist. "Truly lucky indeed! We do not fish out this far you know! I have to admit, we were surprised to find a bear on the other end of our fishing lines! And a talking one at that!"

"I know the feeling." Tino chuckled. "So if you normally don't come out this far, what brings you out here?"

The large bearded man pulled up an old rugged barrel worn from overuse to sit on. Seems like this was going to be a long story. "Our hunting waters are around the borders of Sweden and Norway, and yet we can't get near the place."

"What do you mean?"

"The waters are rough. They churn and toss, it would make splinters of my vessel!" He boomed. "So instead we try to fish in the outlying waters surrounding the cursed waters but there are no fish. Whether they be gone or migrated elsewhere I don't know. But there is no life there I swear on my beard on it. So here we are, trying our luck in Russia's waters."

"We can't go into Sweden's ports by boat." Lükas sighed.

"What will we do now?" Tino whimpered. "If we can't get into Sweden by land or sea, how will we ever get over there?"

"Can we go around the rough waters and sail into Norway?" Behr grumbled.

"Not this time of year." The man shook his head. "The north wind blows something fierce and the sea has already begun to freeze further up. After we pick up this haul there'll be nothing left for us to do but go back home to Finland." Through out the explaining Lükas held a focused expression before sighing heavily.

"There is no choice then."

"Lükas?" Tino blinked.

"Will you take us to Iceland?" Lükas looked at the man and wasn't surprised in the least to hear him shake the whole boat with his raucous laughter, gaining the attention of his crewmates who perked their heads up to see just what was so funny.

"Take you to Iceland!" He echoed joyously wiping away the tears. "Boy, no man or beast alive in any vessel but Norwegian can make it alive to Iceland! The mists that surround the island make sure of that! If we set sail into that fog and we'll be lost forever!"

"You won't." Lükas muttered calmly.

"You sound so sure." Once again the fisherman's voice took on a serious tone when he realized Lükas' face didn't express anything but the honest truth.

"I'm serious. If I promise a safe voyage, will you take us to Iceland?"

"I-I..." He stammered, hands combing through his beard as he weighed the options. "Er…well sure, I wouldn't mind taking you the way but that's only if we can actually get there!"

"I promise you." Lükas' cold-blue eyes stared back into the brown eyes of the fisherman. There was just a few more seconds of hesitation before he stood up and turned his back to the trio.

"Unfurl the main sail! Set course for Iceland!" He was met with a chorus of exclamation and confusion, with another powerful shout and stomp of his boot the crew didn't question orders and prepared to do as asked. "What should we do then?"

"Nothing, the hard part has been taken care of. You leave navigation to me." The Norwegian sat up gingerly letting the bearded man lead him to the bow.

"Behr…" Tino began. "Can we really go to Iceland?"

"As long as Lükas is onboard we can make it." He nodded. Upon looking at the confused look on the Finn's face he decided to elucidate further. "Norway and Iceland are partners in trade. Actually Norway is the only partner that Iceland has, and for good reasons. It has remained unchanged since ancient times and it guards sacred secrets. There are enchanted mists that surround the island to keep invaders or otherwise out to ensure that only their partner can find them. It's heavily sheltered from the outside and as I understand it, no Icelandic people have left the island. Only the magic contained by Norway can make the journey to and from Iceland."

"Because they're partners right?" Behr nodded. "So that means they don't trust anyone else?"

"Exactly so. They have a very different way of doing things than we do on the mainland. The two countries share similarities and have achieved a state of peace. Due to having a rich relationship and their sharing of common interests they have managed to keep a balance, a system of harmony. So what the fisherman said is true, be it for good intentions or not, no vessel outside of Norway can journey into the mists and emerge into the land of fire and ice."

"Oh…" Tino had heard many tales from his father who also was a fisherman of Finland. There was an abundance of tasty herring and salmon around the coasts of Norway and Sweden, occasionally his father would receive a few spoils for his hard work and bring home some fish to the family. This wasn't affecting just a few countries anymore, maybe even further.

Tino sighed heavily and flopped his head back on the bear staring up at the sky. The sight of the twinkling stars lightened his spirits some at least. "Hey Behr." He nudged the bear making him grunt.

"Mm what?"

"The sky's awake."

"Mm, yes it is. You however should sleep."

"But I can't." He pouted, turning his head to the side some to catch sight of the bear in his peripheral vision.

"Then try. Omf!" Behr grunted as Tino pushed back on him to prop himself up further excitedly. "What? What is it?"

"I just saw a falling star! I should make a wish!" His eyes twinkled all as bright as the sky over his head as he thought of all the things he could wish for.

"Wish for riches then." 'So silly…' He grunted, closing his eyes trying to sleep when he was nudged again this time purposely. "Mh."

"Behr, I don't care for riches. I don't have need for that."

Behr sighed heavily showing he was growing irritated but had learned to get a better grip on his anger since meeting Tino. "Then what do you want?"

"More than anything in the world?" He leaned back comfortably curling his knees up to his chest. "I want to save Prince Berwald." The bear's eyes slowly opened and tried to catch Tino in his gaze without moving his head only able to see him out of the corner of his eye. "I've always liked Berwald. I've never seen him before but father had. He'd tell me tales when he'd travel to Sweden about the king and his family and how courageous and strong Berwald was."

"You've never met him and you still like him?"

"Of course I do! The Finn smiled. "He protects us. He's good to us. We may be poor but we get enough to eat day after day."

"Suppose so…" The bear mumbled

"I know some people in the village belittle him saying he doesn't know how to rule."

Behr sighed, that was a familiar tune. His father had always told him he had many necessary contributes to being a wise ruler but he lacked certain qualities and Berwald hadn't been keen on slowing down to find out what they were. He always used brute strength and his smarts to get what he needed and to get by. Intelligence and strength was good. Strategy to battle even better. But when it came to the welfare of the people…he lacked the compassion. He heard them, he heard them chastise him saying he wouldn't be a good and fair a king as his father was and it made his blood boil. He tried! He tried to care but they wouldn't give him the chance to believe in their loyalty. He couldn't hold a candle to his father for sure and he couldn't begrudge him, he loved his father very much. To hear he wouldn't be any good, it wounded his pride. It felt like no one believed in him and yet…this boy he somehow befriended believed in him.

"And you heard Lükas, when he heard those men started the invasion he ran to our rescue! I bet had he known it was a trap he would have come anyway! Just to beat them back!"

"…He would." Behr muttered, squirming around a bit to get more comfortable. "At the time he may have been thinking about battling but he knew he had to save the people…Tino?"

"Yeah?" He beamed smiling back at Behr.

"Want to know a secret?" The Finn nodded then squeaked as his furry support moved to lie on his side enveloping Tino in a hug. "You're my first friend too."

"Omf!" Tino hugged back grinning. "Really? What about your bear friends?"

"I have no bear friends, no one wanted to be friends with me. No one ever wanted to get to know me either."

"Well I'm here now." The Finnish boy grinned.

"Yes you are." He nodded and released the boy from his hug as he turned his head up feeling a strong gust push the boat along faster. "If we continue at this pace we can reach Iceland in two day's time."

Even though he let go, Tino cuddled back into that familiar warm belly. "That fast?"

"You'd be surprised. Try to get some sleep while it's calm." Behr pressed his cold nose against Tino's cheek making him squeak yet again.

"Very well, goodnight Behr."

"Goodnight Tino." There the two of them lied curled up sharing warmth while Lükas stood watch with the fisherman at the bow of the ship. It didn't take long for the water to rock the boat. Not enough to cause alarm, but it seemed just as a warning. Lükas' eyes narrowed as he looked out over the way that should be the direction of the shores of Sweden and Norway.

"These are the waters you spoke of?"

"Indeed so." He nodded sighing heavily, his burly hands resting on his waist. The two watched the water swirl and sway in such a hypnotic way.

'Then it was him.' Lükas gave the water a glare, the image of that Kirkland man in his mind's eye. 'I should have known he would have been behind this. Between these invaders and the demons we encountered in Russia, we will have a big problem on our hands.'

Author's Notes: Sorry it took so long to update, Pokemon had been stealing my time. That among other things. Work zaps the life out of me so I never have the inspiration needed for my fics anymore. I think I know how to get this story back on track, bear with me :3