Chapter 294

The mountains of the dwarves loomed so large that even craning her neck all the way back Evileye could not see the peaks. Clouds drifted by and the endless snow kept the stones forever buried. The wind swept down over the stones and brushed against the bodies of the party and cloaks were either clutched tighter to the bodies of the travelers or billowed backwards like they were going to be carried away. Gagaran, Lakyus, the twins, Lupu and Momon immediately clutched the heavy cloth closer to their bodies.

Evileye however, did not, not right away. 'Shit!' She cursed when she saw that the others did so, they shivered a little in the snow chilled wind of the mountains, but for the undead, what was the coldest wind? Nothing, just another breeze. She clutched the thick red cloak to her body and pretended to shiver like the rest of them.

"Are your clothes not enchanted against the cold?" Momon asked the party, and Lakyus shook her head, her teeth chattering just a bit.

"N-N-No… magic items are expensive, our gear is enchanted against cold wounds, but against e-e-everyday weather? N-N-No, it's n-n-not. S-Simple comfort is-is-isn't worth it…"

"Betcher second guessin' that choice now, eh?" Lupu said with a chuckle. The cleric's own nature as a werewolf provided natural resistance to weather such as this, and she couldn't help but feel more than a bit smug, stretching out and letting her cloak billow and flap behind her for a moment.

"How come you're so damn comfortable?" Gagaran asked, shivering like a leaf but without Lakyus's chattering teeth.

"I'm used to a lot worse weather than this, we haven't even climbed up that thing yet. Adamantite adventurers, huh? You'd fight a dragon and call it a day, but a little nip in the air and you're all shivery and want nothin but a warm beer and a hot fire… which actually does sound kinda good… let's go." Lupu said and pointed toward the top of the mountain.

"Go where?" Evileye asked, "Do you know the way?"

Every head collectively turned toward Lupu and the red haired cleric shrugged and said, "If you plan on pointing dramatically, you do not have to point in the right direction." She cackled and laughed and the entire party raised their eyes to the sky and groaned with exasperation.

"But yes, I do." Lupu added, "The path is overgrown, but it's this way."

"How do you know, evil cleric?" The twins asked at once, they wore their typical blank expressions, but they had a tiny hint of curiosity in their voices when they bestowed Lupu with their new nickname for her.

"Simple, dwarves dig deep, but they always put their entrances up high. This is the only path going up, and dwarves tend to build 'around' nature. Kinda like elves that way I guess." Lupu said with a shrug. 'Okay, that was bullshit, but easier than explaining that I can smell them on the path here.'

She flashed a V for victory sign at the two who traded questioning looks at one another before they gave a collective shrug.

"Go on, evil cleric." The pair said, and Lupu took the first step on the hard dirt path. The dirt crunched underfoot and with nothing else for it, the group wandered their way upwards along the long and winding path.

Evileye held herself back behind Momon as they went upward in a single file. The freezing wind got worse as they continued the steady ascent but, much to the relief of the party, there were 'alcoves' dug into the mountain side with thick oaken doors. Not large by any means, but large enough that they could all sit down. The walls of these alcoves were coated with a shiny dark substance that reflected the light of the embedded glowstones which were embedded in all three sides.

"What is this stuff?" Momon asked and removing his glove, he touched it and rubbed the smooth substance between his fingers. It was smooth and had the faint odor of wood.

"Sleepseed oil." Lakyus answered, "It's used for insulation in some places, it helps hold in the heat, not much gets through it, I've heard some tribes even use it to harden vines which they turn into armor… but that's way, way far away from here, or must be because I've never seen it myself."

"Hmpf, interesting…" Momon said, and sat down with the others.

Whatever it was, it worked, the heat of their bodies began to rapidly warm the alcove.

"Clever of them to use it like this, making a safe rest spot for travelers." Evileye said and inched closer to Momon.

"Yeah, no need for body heat close by, or even another person." Lupu said with a smarmy little grin on her face when she shot Evileye a look, the vampire girl stiffened and inched no closer.

"It says a lot that they provide these." Lakyus said as her body relaxed when warmth began to return comfort and feeling alike to her limbs. She rubbed her hands together to accelerate the process while she spoke, the chattering of her teeth was gone, and she sounded much more herself. "They must be really looking to be more open, that explains the influx of dwarf goods on the market."

"So you think they'll welcome outsiders?" Gagaran asked with a downward glance at her leader.

"Probably. You don't think so?" Lakyus looked up beside her and the square-headed behemoth of a woman thought it over.

"I dunno, I mean, people who hide themselves under a mountain can't exactly be the most neighborly… you know? I'm just not hoping for too much, better not to get our hopes up about a warm welcome." Gagaran answered with a blank expression, but otherwise, she gave it a relaxed half shrug.

"The Allfather supposedly rules there, he's supposed to be very open minded, I think we should be more than optimistic. He's alleged to be a genius of magic, some even say he's like a god. And if he's really capable of the spells I've heard he uses, then he's no different than one." Evileye countered her 'big sister' immediately, but Lakyus was quick to throw in as well.

"A god? I don't know about that, and I've heard he's actually using undead labor in some places, the undead are vile, disgusting creatures that have to be put down… using them, consorting with them? I've heard he's very impressive, but I think it's better to be cautious. Anyone who tolerates necromancy is deeply suspect at best." Lakyus said with a sharp nod, and Evileye went silent.

She felt herself deflate completely. It wasn't the first time her beloved sister had said something of that sort, a priestess of the Water God, Evileye knew all too well the stance her sister had toward the undead as a whole and necromancy in particular.

Lupu's eye was on her, Evileye could feel it even though she wasn't looking. 'Tell them? How can I tell them… how do I reveal something like this to people who have helped kill my kind for so long…?'

She had no idea.

None at all.

But as she felt Momon's warmth so tantalizingly within reach, Evileye knew, and resolved, one thing for sure…

'I will find a way.'