Chapter 2 - Drastic Measures and Drastic Changes
From a bird's eye view, the crew marched, or in their case, trudged as slow as a herd of woolly mammoths. Considering the amount of gear they need, the crew could not travel as quickly as they would have liked. The cold and stinging wind bit at the small amounts of bare skin visible through the bulky fur coats. "How far have we even gotten?" wheezed Serith, exhausted by all of the walking, "I can still see our house on the horizon!" Kerrick snapped back, " Nowhere if you keep whining like that!" Garrow frowned at Kerrick. "Kerrick! Leave him alone!" He looked back behind the group, and Serith was clearly right in his complaint. There it was on the horizon behind them: their old home. They had only left a day ago, and they had still not fully left behind the warm home they were bidding farewell to while on their journey. "Even if he is right, we keep going, and ford ahead." stated Coltanis, "There is no need to linger around here and not admit what we are all feeling. We all don't want to leave this home. We don't know what we will be running into out there, but it's better than just letting this Sub-Zero group continue what they are planning to do. We have to figure out where they will strike next." Diamera pointed ahead, her face shuddering from what could only be stated as a fear of the unknown, at something the bickering others did not see. A cloud standing out from the others crowding up the sky, was beginning to rumble in the sky to the west, in the direction of the homes that meant something even more to everyone. They were the homes of their parents and siblings.
While the crew had seen storm clouds before, this storm cloud looked different from others. It was a shade of grey they had never seen in a storm cloud. As it loomed across the sky, it was heading on a direct route towards the homes. With no quick way to catch up to it and no knowledge of what is contained, there was no telling of what would come from this storm cloud. In an instant the footsteps of the crew sped up, no matter the weight of the gear. They were going to save them. They were determined to not lose those closest to them. Unfortunately, the cold air drained them of their speed and energy quickly, causing them to slow, yet still be filled with determination. Garrow led the group, and because of this, he was at the front. He could hear the sound of his friends behind him, and soon heard the sound of struggling yet swift footsteps coming up on his right. He turned and looked, and saw Regal had been trying to catch up with him. When the young hunter finally caught up to him, he was out of breath. With the cold weather, Garrow understood this. He wouldn't admit it, but he felt the same, and pretended that the cold air didn't affect his breathing in order to look tough. It was all he had ever learned growing up, and he knew he had to keep it up for the others so they would have someone to look up to. "Do you think our families are going to be okay?" asked Regal, with a worried expression on his face. Regal was one of their newest, and ergo, youngest members. He had not been away from where he grew up for that long, and because of this, he wasn't the most experienced fighter. Nevertheless, he was good at crafting weapons. The group hadn't had someone as creative with weapon-crafting until they met Regal. His weapons helped make hunting easier, as well as making sure the weapons didn't break as easily. He looked at Regal, and tried to convey a sense of hope in the young member of the group. "I'm sure they will be fine. They have weapons to defend themselves from any threat, and they can still fight despite their age. No need to worry." Of course, if it was the Sub-Zero, Garrow wasn't sure what to expect. In a world where familiarity and experience helps one to survive, a new threat can easily overcome someone not prepared.
It wasn't until a day later that the group finally arrived back to their home village. At first, it seemed like nothing had changed. The town was messy, but in a way that was more than they were used to. The amount of loose materials scattered on the ground had doubled. "If there had been a fight here, wouldn't there be patches of red in the snow?" asked Andros. He was right. There was no sight of a fight whatsoever, which both scared the group and filled them with some hope that their families had fought off the threat. "Search for survivors! Fan out and find people!" ordered Diamera. She could tell something was awry, and she could sense the others knew this as well. After searching a few houses, no one could be found, so they chose to visit the village center's house. It stood out from the rest due to its size and clear fortified walls, intended to withstand any snowstorm or wild animal attacks. "Alright everyone," said Garrow, "Keep your eyes open. Look out for any survivors, enemy or ally. You find any enemies, you know what to do." Kerrick smiled. "You mean stabbing time may be near?" he cheekily remarked. Garrow rolled his eyes, but chuckled at the comment. As they entered, their faces because as pale as the snow outside. They had found the villagers, except there was something a bit different about them. There were nothing but ice sculptures in the room, and they all looked human-shaped.
"No." muttered Ellwyn. "That can't be them. It can't be." Garrow walked around taking a close look at the sculptures. He saw nothing but familiar faces. Faces he used to see everyday around the village he used to called his community. "I'm sorry Ellwyn. But it's them. I just...I just found yours." he stuttered to say. He stood there, looking at a couple holding themselves tight, frozen in an embrace, with it appearing that her father had attempted to protect his wife by sacrificing himself. But it was to no avail. Ellwyn walked slowly over to them, and as soon as she recognized them, she ran over, and hugged the statue tight, sobbing. "I never visited them enough. I took them for granted." she said through tears flowing down her face. In that moment, Garrow knew this could only have been done by the Sub-Zero. There was no other enemy they had known who would be this clean with their kills, and leave behind such a gruesome sight of defeat of the unprepared villagers. As they continued to look around for their family members, no one saw a figure step into the house. It was a figure in white, with armor made of ice, and a blade of pale white ice, with a visible vapor coming off of it. Distracted by their loss, the figure in white threw what appeared to be an ax with a white blade at the statue Ellwyn was still hugging. The target he was attempting to hit was a spot on and direct hit. Fortunately for Ellwyn, the target wasn't her. Unfortunately for her, it was the statue she was hugging. To her horror, she had to watch the statue shattered into a million pieces in front of her very eyes, watching what was once alive shatter into oblivion. Everyone turned around to see this figure, including Ellwyn. They didn't know what this figure was, but one thing was clear on everyone's mind. Even if they didn't know whether or not this figure caused this to happen, he would pay for what he had done.
It wasn't until a day later that the group finally arrived back to their home village. At first, it seemed like nothing had changed. The town was messy, but in a way that was more than they were used to. The amount of loose materials scattered on the ground had doubled. "If there had been a fight here, wouldn't there be patches of red in the snow?" asked Andros. He was right. There was no sight of a fight whatsoever, which both scared the group and filled them with some hope that their families had fought off the threat. "Search for survivors! Fan out and find people!" ordered Diamera. She could tell something was awry, and she could sense the others knew this as well. After searching a few houses, no one could be found, so they chose to visit the village center's house. It stood out from the rest due to its size and clear fortified walls, intended to withstand any snowstorm or wild animal attacks. "Alright everyone," said Garrow, "Keep your eyes open. Look out for any survivors, enemy or ally. You find any enemies, you know what to do." Kerrick smiled. "You mean stabbing time may be near?" he cheekily remarked. Garrow rolled his eyes, but chuckled at the comment. As they entered, their faces because as pale as the snow outside. They had found the villagers, except there was something a bit different about them. There were nothing but ice sculptures in the room, and they all looked human-shaped.
"No." muttered Ellwyn. "That can't be them. It can't be." Garrow walked around taking a close look at the sculptures. He saw nothing but familiar faces. Faces he used to see everyday around the village he used to called his community. "I'm sorry Ellwyn. But it's them. I just...I just found yours." he stuttered to say. He stood there, looking at a couple holding themselves tight, frozen in an embrace, with it appearing that her father had attempted to protect his wife by sacrificing himself. But it was to no avail. Ellwyn walked slowly over to them, and as soon as she recognized them, she ran over, and hugged the statue tight, sobbing. "I never visited them enough. I took them for granted." she said through tears flowing down her face. In that moment, Garrow knew this could only have been done by the Sub-Zero. There was no other enemy they had known who would be this clean with their kills, and leave behind such a gruesome sight of defeat of the unprepared villagers. As they continued to look around for their family members, no one saw a figure step into the house. It was a figure in white, with armor made of ice, and a blade of pale white ice, with a visible vapor coming off of it. Distracted by their loss, the figure in white threw what appeared to be an ax with a white blade at the statue Ellwyn was still hugging. The target he was attempting to hit was a spot on and direct hit. Fortunately for Ellwyn, the target wasn't her. Unfortunately for her, it was the statue she was hugging. To her horror, she had to watch the statue shattered into a million pieces in front of her very eyes, watching what was once alive shatter into oblivion. Everyone turned around to see this figure, including Ellwyn. They didn't know what this figure was, but one thing was clear on everyone's mind. Even if they didn't know whether or not this figure caused this to happen, he would pay for what he had done.
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