Author's Note:

Hope you're enjoying the story. We're properly off on our adventure now, so here we go!

I decided to give Ean a bit more difficulty in traversing the mountains, as well as giving the ice amulet more prominence. As always, tell me if something sucks :)

-Tangent

The little boat sailed onwards, heading northward to the kingdom of Shaenlir. Ean was thinking about what he would do when he got there. If the Snow Queen was evil, he should avoid her. But what if she kept Iya next to her? Would he be forced to fight her? It wasn't a fight he thought he could win. He had eaten one meal so far, and he estimated he had enough for two more days of food.

The rain had long since been left behind, and he was now sailing past mountains that lay to the west. Suddenly, something on the shore caught his eye and he turned to look at it properly. There was an entrance carved into the side of a cliff, flanked by two burning red torches. The cave inside was dark, and he felt slightly uneasy.

"I should probably check that out." He muttered, and steered the boat towards the shore. Beaching it securely so that it would not drift away, he leapt out of the vessel onto the sand, grabbing his shield. He advanced towards the cave, not knowing what to expect. Ean reached the entrance and peered in. It was dark, but he could make out a faint red glow that illuminated stone steps that vanished into the darkness. He took a hesitant step inside, then crept down the stairs stealthily. His steps echoed slightly in the oppressive silence. He reached a corner and peered around.

He leapt back with fright, crashing into the opposite wall, and dropping his shield. In front of him loomed a massive figure, made of flowing grey robes and a hood that disguised its face. Its fingers were ancient and shriveled, and it reached for him, beckoning. He froze, half-expecting it to lunge, but the creature stopped, merely holding its arm out, palm up.

Does it want something? He backed further away, and that's when he noticed that there was a gaping black hole in the wall behind the creature. It exuded a sense that turned his bones to jelly and his brain to mush, and he did the only thing he could think of: run. Snatching his shield, he bolted out of the cave, his footsteps echoing on the stone staircase. He burst into the daylight and sprinted for the boat, not looking back. The boat crashed into the water as Ean leapt in, rowing for his life.

When he was out in the middle of the river again, the elf turned back, but there was nothing following him. He rounded a bend and the cave disappeared from view.

Whatever that thing is guarding, I'm not going back there any time soon. He relaxed, his shoulders slumping as he placed his shield back in the bottom of the boat. Glancing back up, he saw that new mountains had come into view, this time to the north. There was snow on the peaks, and he smiled.

An hour later, he got out of the boat at the base of one of the mountains. The river had turned to the east, where it appeared to open into some sort of bigger body of water. Seeing a small pass between the icy peaks, he had beached the boat, dragging it up to the tree line and disguising it in the bushes. He brushed his hands together to free them from snow.

"That'll have to do." He said, turning away from the boat covered with snow from the ground. Hitching his pack onto his shoulders, he strode forward and into the icy pass.

At first, the climb was relatively easy, sloping upwards gently into the mountains. However, the snow became deeper and deeper, and he was forced to move a bit slower. His jacket, not all the way dry, was of little use. As he struggled through the snow, he noticed that the clouds overhead had become thicker and darker.

I really hope that it's not far to this Shaenlir. Otherwise, I'm toast. He had not encountered any travelers so far, something he found odd. He had just passed between two trees when he heard a strange sound. It was a deep, croaking noise, something that sounded like a toad. It repeated itself several times, and Ean moved towards it as quietly as he could. He pulled back a couple branches to see the largest frog he had ever seen in his life. It was icy gray, and covered with spots. It spotted him and let out another croak, hopping towards him.

Is this thing hostile? He moved away, but the frog began to move quicker, leaping after hi with surprising speed. Suddenly, it let out a loud croak and leapt straight at him. It caught him on the shoulder, knocking him to the side.

"What the…" He spun, pulling out his knife and facing the frog. It leapt at him again and he dodged, jumping to the side. As it landed, he thrust his knife down into its back, digging deeply into the soft skin. It let out a muffled noise and collapsed onto the snowy ground. Breathing hard, Ean sheathed his knife and examined the frog, only to find that it had disappeared. In its place was a small leather bag, and he picked it up. The chinking sound of metal came from inside, and he opened it to find a small number of coins inside. They were the same as his own, and he shrugged.

"I'm not going to question anything after what I saw earlier." He deposited the coins in his purse and continued walking through the pass. After a while, he noticed that there were large flat stones on the ground that marked some sort of path. A strange symbol was engraved on them, shaped like a crown. The elf shivered as the wind picked up, and new flakes of snow began to fall from the sky.

I'm not going to last long out here. Perhaps I should find shelter. Making a decision, he continued along the path to look for a cave or overhang that he could rest in. After 30 more minutes of walking and climbing, he was thoroughly exhausted and freezing. Suddenly, he saw that the path he was on branched off to the left towards a cliff face.

Maybe there's something over there. He had just stepped off the path when he heard more croaks from behind him. Two more frogs were advancing on him from behind, clearly upset about the fate of their friend. He reached for his knife, but his hands were nearly frozen, and he dropped the blade into the snow. With a triumphant noise, the first frog leapt at him. He stumbled to the side, narrowly avoiding it, but the second frog crashed into his legs, knocking him over into the snow. It pouched on his chest, opening its mouth to reveal several sharp fangs. It bit down, and Ean thrust his arm in the way of the bite, shielding his face from harm. The teeth pierced his clothes, and he yelled in pain, his other arm scrabbling in the snow for a weapon.

He felt the handle of the knife in his palm and he seized it, stabbing blindly at the frog until it stopped moving. Pushing it off him, he managed to crawl to his feet, looking for his other foe. The second frog was either very stupid or very brave, because it charged directly at him, teeth bared. It glanced off his leg, causing him to stagger, but he managed to stab the blade into the frog's head, killing it. The act done, he collapsed in the snow, his energy spent. He was almost warm now, and he didn't want to move. He raised his head slowly, the snow coating his hair and cheeks. There was a cave in front of him, but he didn't know if he could make it that far.

Sorry, Iya. Guess I'm not coming for you after all… An image raced through his head, of Iya bound and helpless in some dungeon, and the thought sent a blast of energy through his veins. Crawling forward, he dragged himself through the snow, inching closer to the cave.

I won't let that happen to her. Never! He crossed the last few feet into the cave, and he promptly collapsed onto the hard floor.

When Ean awoke, the first thing he noticed was the cave around him. It was composed almost entirely of blue crystal that sparkled in the light of the fire burning in front of him. Stalactites hung from the ceiling, with sharp jagged points.

"Who…" He said, sitting up and looking towards the light. An old woman sat on the other side of the fire, calmly crocheting something in her lap. She had brown hair and was dressed in furs. She looked up at him. Her ears were covered in a wooly hat.

"Oh, you're awake. How do you feel, young man?"

"I… fine, thank you. Who are you?" She chuckled.

"I should be asking you that. Ears like yours, there's no way you're a man. You're too… handsome." She cackled at this, and Ean felt his cheeks grow hot.

"Don't worry, I'm just teasing you, boy. I don't have no name. Not anymore." He nodded.

"And how did I get here?"

"I pulled you inside after you killed those two frogs and almost froze to death. Your skill is impressive, but what were you thinking, coming here during a storm?" She scolded him, a frown on her face.

"I… need to get to Shaenlir. Do you know where that is?" She nodded.

"Oh, yes. It's a couple miles more north of here. What do you need there?" Ean paused, unsure of how much he could trust the strange woman.

"It's urgent. My friend needs me."

"Your friend, hm? How strange. Do they look like you?" The question was very pointed, and Ean saw her eyes flick to his ears.

"Why does it matter to you?"

"I've heard that the Queen has adopted a new princess, one who is apparently very exotic looking. She'll be presenting her to the public this week, probably tomorrow." Ean bolted upright, unable to contain himself. The woman raised an eye, but said nothing.

"I should probably go." He said, moving to grab his belongings.

"In the middle of the night? In a blizzard?" The woman asked. "Why is this so important?"

"It just is. I can't tell you more right now." Ean said, moving towards the entrance.

"Wait!" said the woman sharply. "Even more foes are out at night. You'll be killed, and that's if you don't freeze to death first. Don't be stupid!" Her words gave the elf pause, and he stopped, looking at her.

"What do I do, then?"

"Wait until morning. The storms should abate by then. Besides, the city gates are only open during the day." Ean let out a sigh and plopped down next to the fire.

"Fine." The woman smiled sympathetically.

"I know it's not easy to sit and wait, but that's the wisest course of action. Your friend is lucky to have you there for them." Her voice had softened.

"Thank you. She's my only friend in the world."

"She?" The elderly woman sounded interested now, and Ean cursed himself mentally. "And this is just a friend?" He knew full well what she was implying, and he reddened again.

"Just a friend." He said firmly, and she nodded, smiling.

"I don't believe you at all." He grunted and rotated so that his back was facing the fire. She chuckled again. "It's been so long since I've had proper company. I only get down to the town once or twice a month. I'm in the mountains the rest of time, gathering materials."

"Gathering material for what?" Ean asked curiously, turning around.

"This." She reached into her bag and pulled out a silver and sapphire necklace. It gleamed in the light of the fire, and she passed it to him. "Put it on." He hesitated, and she nodded encouragingly. Sliding it over his head, he placed it on his neck. Instantly, he discovered that any chill in the cave had vanished, and he felt much warmer. He looked at the woman, astonished.

"Is this magic?"

"Yes, but not mine. The jewels in the mountains have their own sort of magic, and these are ice resistant. You'll find that they make traveling in the mountains much easier. It's an ice necklace."

"Wow." said Ean, thoroughly impressed. "Can I buy one from you?"

"No need. You can have it." She waved her hand dismissively. He looked at her, smiling gratefully.

"Thank you so much." She nodded, and looked into the heart of the fire.

"You should rest a little bit. Dawn is in 5 hours." He acquiesced and laid down next to the fire, closing his eyes. He heard her shuffling around, tinkering with something, and then he fell asleep, tired beyond belief.

A couple hours later, he awoke at the touch of her hand on his shoulder. Sitting up and pulling his pack over his back, he saw that she had extinguished the fire. Without it, he realized that the cave was a much lighter blue than he had thought, the crystals sparkling with their own hidden light.

"Have you eaten?"

"Not in a while, but I've got my own stuff." Ean responded, reaching into his pack and pulling out some bread and cheese. He devoured it hungrily, realizing how long it had been since he had eaten. The elderly woman chewed on some bread she had baked in the fire. Finishing his meal, the elf brushed the crumbs from his lap and stood, shouldering his backpack and shield.

"Follow me. I can show you a shortcut." The woman said, moving towards one of the side passages. "It has monsters in it, but I'm confident that you can deal with them." Ean nodded, pulling out his knife. They crept along the crystal passage until the woman held up her hand.

"There's an ice bird up ahead. See it?" Ean peeked around the corner, and he saw that there was indeed an icy bird soaring through the caverns. It had long, pale wings and a sharp blue beak. He furrowed his brow in thought. If he could disable one of its wings, it would be relatively helpless.

"Wait here." He whispered, and stole off through the cave. When he got within a couple feet of the bird, which had landed on one of the crystals, he raised his knife. Covering the last few feet in a rush, he stabbed the bird through the wing, sending it to the ground. It cawed loudly, writhing in agony, and he finished it off with a slice to the heart. It vanished, leaving more coins behind.

"Be sure to take those." The woman advised, and Ean nodded, depositing the coins in his pouch. He had a decent amount now, although he did not know the prices of this country.

"Come on, there's more ahead." The woman stated, and they moved off through the caves, with Ean dispatching any monsters he found and collecting their money. He noticed that not every monster dropped a reward when it was slain, and he wondered if there was any way to tell which ones dropped coins.

He had just dispatched the last of three frogs when he noticed that instead of the usual bag of coins, a small white scroll with an orange ribbon around it had appeared. He picked it up, examining it.

"Oh, that's a flame scroll. They're quite rare, but very useful." The old woman said. "You can throw it on an enemy, and it will burst into a giant ball of flame."

"Wow." Said Ean, surprised. "More magic?"

"Yep. The land is filled with it, and not all is evil." Suddenly, she pointed to a hole in the wall which had daylight shining through it.

"There is your exit. Take the path north and you'll reach the city in a couple hours." She turned to go, but Ean called out after her:

"Wait!" She stopped. "I… Thank you so much for everything. But why would you help me, even though I'm not like you?" She turned back to face him, her face solemn.

"I can't bear to see people hurt in these mountains. They used to be calm and peaceful, but something changed. Our queen changed."

"Your queen?"

"The Snow Queen, ruler of Shaenlir. She was a marvelous queen, but her heart has hardened in recent years. It's unnatural. And if the foreign princess has anything to do with it…" She paused, thinking.

"I see." Ean said softly.

"I'm not sure who you are, boy, but you're important. Perhaps by helping you, I can help us all. Good luck." Pulling off her hat, she tossed it to Ean, who caught it.

"Disguise your ears, young one. It will make you look human." He pulled it on gratefully. "Now, get out of here." She smiled, and he returned the gesture.

"I won't forget this." He promised, and he strode through the exit of the cave. He emerged into sunlight and a biting wind, blinking a few times to clear his eyes. The exit of the cave was hidden behind some trees, but he could see the path up ahead. Crunching through the snow, he stepped onto the path, looking north. In the distance, he could faintly see the outline of a city.

"There we go." He said, and he set off along the trail. The amulet protected him a lot better, and he was able to make quick time. Unimpeded as he was by the cold, the monsters provided little threat, and he dispatched them one by one. The trail sloped higher and higher, and the air began to grow thin. Around noon, he entered a small clearing and decided to eat another meal. From his vantage point on a log, he could see the city in the distance. It was quite large, with a high wall around it. As he munched on his bread, he heard several sounds from behind him. He spun around to see a bird and three frogs entering the clearing.

"Oh, come on!" He pulled out his knife as they charged. The bird swooped at him, its beak flashing, and he dove out of the way, slashing at its wings. It let out a cry and dropped to the ground, but he had no time to finish it off. Dodging the first two frogs, he stabbed his knife into the third one, dropping it instantly. He kicked out at another frog, knocking it backwards, and pivoted to thrust at the first one, which died with a mournful croak.

He was about to finish it off when he heard a rush of air behind him. He dove to the side as the bird slashed past him, flapping furiously. One of its wings was limp, but it still had an angry look in its eyes. It shot forward, but Ean smashed his shield into the face of the monster, and it flew into a tree with a loud crack. It collapsed to the ground, dead. The last frog, seeing the fate of its comrades, croaked loudly, and hopped away as fast as it could go. Ean let it retreat, sheathing his knife and breathing hard.

"That was… pretty good." He panted. "I'm definitely getting better at this monster-killing thing. Retrieving his pack, he collected the loot from the monsters and set off down the trail once more.

Two hours later, Ean emerged from the pass and saw the city of Shaenlir properly for the first time.

"Wow…" The city was massive, with a large stone wall that wrapped around it, decorated with various colors of marble. Inside, he could see tall buildings that stretched upwards, with pointed, colored roofs. Even from his distance, he could hear the chatter of people and children inside the walls. Stepping forward, he walked up to the gate set into the wall of the city. Two guards in thick metal armor and green clothes stopped him, spears pointed at his chest.

"Halt!" One of them ordered, his eyes narrowed. "Who are you?"

"I am Ean Okho." The elf answered, figuring there was no harm in revealing his name. It sounded normal enough. He was glad that the hat covered his pointed ears. "I'm here to visit a friend."

"A friend, huh? Where are you from?" the guard asked. Ean paused, unsure.

"The south."

"The south? You mean Ravenwood?" Ean had never heard of that place, but he nodded, and the guard seemed to relax slightly.

"Alright, you can come in. Don't cause any trouble, and enjoy your stay." They stepped aside, and Ean entered the city of Shaenlir.