Frozen Hell (Part 2)

The road which the carriage was moving across would eventually come to an end, quickly forcing its passengers to travel across uneven terrain. As time went on, bumps made of ice and snow would erratically appear to hinder the carriage's wheels.

"Have they not established a proper road system?" Alex asked after they hit the twentieth bump.

"Considering the conditions of this land, I can imagine that it would be the least of their worries," Judy responded as she observed through the carriage's window at the snowy fields. "There is hardly anything out there."

"The beastmen living here must have it quite tough," Alex commented.

After a moment, he started thinking about the butler who was steering the front of the carriage.

"Do you think that the butler is alright?" Alex asked in concern.

"He should be okay," Leo answered while still observing his magic orb. "I've learnt that different tribes of beastmen tend to adapt to their environments after settling there for a few generations."

"Huh, I see. Well I guess it wouldn't make sense if he was chosen to be our driver."

The ride continued on as the group gradually remained silent, allowing Leo to reminisce on the short time he spent getting to know his teammates in these last few days.

Alex was the most sociable of the group; he often had the aura of a compassionate guy who enjoys taking care of his closest companions. There were times where Leo would associate him with a big brother figure.

During their chats together, it was surprisingly revealed that Alex actually came from noble descent. He was initially born under the Orion family, a somewhat inconspicuous noble house that generally distinguished themselves through knighthood. Alex's father, who was the head in charge at the time, committed heinous crimes that eventually cost the whole family their lands, wealth, and honors.

Before the decline of their house, Alex once trained at a private academy that mainly raised warriors from noble heritage to become successful knights of the kingdom. But when the emergence of his father's actions came to light, Alex was forced to resign from his school and soon became barred from entering any other academy in Bavalon.

In the present day, the Orions are no longer considered a part of the nobility, Alex's father is serving a permanent incarceration in prison, and Alex himself is forced to make a living to support his remaining family members.

Since he never received a knighthood due to leaving his academy prematurely, becoming an adventurer was one of the few options he had available in earning money. Alex actually could have gone on to become a successful mercenary, as this long-standing career possessed more potential prospects, but his honor wouldn't have allowed it. When Leo curiously raised this question, Alex revealed that he felt the job of an adventurer was much more honest.

Judy was the more expressive member. She often liked to speak her mind (especially when angry) but never stopped to show her more caring side to the team. Leo found her to be the most reliable person to count on in protecting her friends.

Despite this however, she rarely ever talked of her own past history, and has consistently kept quiet about her familial circumstances. Amongst the group, Judy was the most mysterious member, yet none of her friends appeared to be troubled by this. Each of them have already given their tacit consent to respect her privacy. Although Leo was still a bit curious, he also held back his questions out of consideration.

Lastly, there was Sarah.

Of the remaining team members, she was the only one who Leo couldn't help but find himself being instinctively wary against. While he never once viewed her as a potential enemy, Sarah's enigmatic tendencies have often made him unsure of how to judge her character.

There were moments where she liked to act completely free of all worries, as if nothing in the world was of extreme concern. Albeit strange, Leo still found this part of her to be a little endearing, and even sometimes admired her carefree attitude towards life.

Sarah's past wasn't very complicated. By her own account, she'd been an orphan given anonymously to a church as a baby, and later grew up aspiring to become an official priestess under the caregivers' guidance. According to Sarah, part of the reason why she became an adventurer was to hone her skills in healing during stressful situations. She claimed that a priestess must be very adept at handling whatever burdens come their way, and must be prepared to face the unexpected.

Leo personally felt that her reasons were a bit unnecessarily reckless, but he nonetheless kept his objections to himself. This was a sign of respect towards her own life choices.

As these thoughts circulated through his mind, Leo began rummaging through his belongings. For this quest, it was stated that their group would likely have to stay in this territory for a couple of days. Hence, Leo had decided to pack some other miscellaneous items for this occasion.

While going through his possessions, he also checked the contents of the traveler's pouch around his waist. With time passing by on this desolate trip across the icy tundra, having nothing else to do, it soon became a habit for Leo to observe all the magic items he was carrying.

Opening the pouch, he immediately noticed a faint ember-like glow coming from one section: the phoenix feather. Due to the potentially long quest, and considering that his residence would be empty for a few days, he felt that it would be more secure to keep certain materials near his person. Though he still has yet to discover the feather's true value, Leo still felt it would be interesting to bring it on this journey for further study.

After a few more hours, the carriage finally stopped moving; it appears they have arrived at their destination.

Outside they could hear the butler stepping off and calling out to them.

"We've arrived at my chieftain's manor. Adventurers, please prepare to set off."

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The quest provider for Leo's team was a beastman of considerable status among those living in the Frozen Plains.

While beastmen are a separate species, many of their customs and traditions resemble that of humans with only minor differences. Instead of using the word 'nobles', the beastmen that held authorities in a nation were more commonly referred to as 'chieftains'. Interestingly, the title of chieftain wasn't limited to only those who descended from elite families, and could actually be gifted to members of their race who possess strength that was widely recognized and respected by their people.

In beastmen culture, the word 'chieftain' was sometimes synonymous with 'hero'.

After donning their enchanted fur coats, the group stepped off the carriage to walk to the chieftain's mansion. As soon as they headed outside, a gust of cold wind swept at their faces.

'It's a little tickly,' Leo thought as the wind blew onto his face. 'But I don't feel any different than when I was in the carriage... Seems like the expensive money we paid for these coats was actually well worth it.'

Just as he admired the amazing effect of the temperature-regulating enchantments, the group was led by the butler towards the direction of the manor's doors.

Taking several firm steps across the piles of snow, the team eventually reached two beastmen warriors with wolf-heads guarding the front doors.

When they approached, one of them growled in their native language to the group, which prompted the butler to quickly reply in the same mother tongue.

After getting past the guards, everyone eventually made their way inside the manor. Once they stepped in, they immediately noticed the enormous, red-carpeted stairs that faced directly towards the entrance.

"Welcome, dear adventurers," a polite voice with a hint of a beast-like accent greeted them atop the red steps. "I hope the trip did not make you too weary for the task you'll be assigned."

Standing a few feet above them, the chieftain of the residence suited in exquisite clothing was attended by a group of servants as he welcomed the adventurers.

A few seconds later, Alex was the first to respond, "We thank you, my lord, for the quest you've provided us. Rest assured, the trip wasn't too taxing and we're more than ready to help you for whatever you need to find."

Hearing the reply, the chieftain nodded in gratitude.

"That is good to note. While I would like to be more courteous today, I'm afraid that this matter is of extreme urgency for me, so I would like for you to meet me upstairs quickly. My servants will take care of your clothes and luggage and direct you to the living room."

With that, the chieftain quickly gestured towards the butler before making his way up to the second floor without another word.

Alex glanced back at the rest of his team, evidently surprised about the quest giver's hasty attitude.

"You can take your coats off right here," the butler who guided them said. "This room has enchantments to help keep the cold out."

"Uh, yes, thank you," the group members each replied.

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In a refurbished living area, Leo and his companions found themselves seated on comfy sofas as they listened to the chieftain sitting behind a desk table.

"I am Chieftain Namur Boreas. As with human customs, you can also address me as 'my lord'," the chieftain introduced himself. "I apologize for the rudeness of not stating my name earlier. You see, I have a great many responsibilities to handle as a chieftain of the Frozen Plains."

"Not to worry, my lord." Alex reassured politely. "Our team understands the importance of your position."

"Yes; the tribe of this desolate country often must rely on the strong leadership of the select few in order to prosper," Chieftain Namur agreed. "It's just unfortunate that not many opportunities can be presented to us."

Taking a moment to sigh, Namur continued, "Based on the notice I've sent to your guild, I'm sure you all understand that your group was sent here to help with a search request."