The group rounded the lake and walked up the mountain’s foothills that were covered in sheets of ice, which increased in thickness the higher they climbed. Several layers of clothing were donned to fight the chilling wind that raced down the mountainside toward them as a winter storm rolled into the valley.
Bundled and cold, the members slipped several times on the icy slopes. They had been walking the better part of the day and were only a little over halfway up to the pass. Frost built up on faces and exposed skin while backpacks and supplies stiffened like bricks. Their fingers began to burn from the freezing temperatures to the point that they were of little use anymore.
All of Gluic’s decorative feathers and plants had frozen or blown off. Survival was their only concern as the storm intensified.
Unsafe for flying, Ambrosius ordered Draq to fly above the storm and wait for them on the far side of the mountain’s ridge. It was not without an argument from the silver dragon, but the E’rudite’s orders were clear and were followed.
Although he had not been in this part of the King’s valley, the general terrain was familiar to Thorik. He was able to keep them on the buried trail.
Ambrosius had been using his powers to create a shield of energy. It held off most of the wind, but hours of sustaining this level of focus exhausted him and the shield was shrinking in size and strength. It had been too long to continue such a task and Ambrosius began slowing and stumbling. Thorik moved to his side for support.
Reaching the pass before nightfall was not going to happen. Everyone was tiring out with each painful step, as feet began to feel more like blocks of ice, and toes lost total feeling and movement.
Brimmelle, who had been complaining most of the day, finally yelled out, “We’re going to die on this mountain unless we turn around and go back to the city of Kingsfoot. It’s our only hope!”
Grewen disagreed. “It’s too far.” He looked at Gluic and Emilen struggling to keep their legs moving. His eyes lowered to Avanda, who was already curled in a ball between Grewen’s massive hands and arms. “We’ll never make it back down and I don’t think we can reach the pass.”
Ambrosius intensified his powers to block the mighty winds. “Pushing forward is our only option.”
“No!” Thorik yelled over the wind. “We will have to find shelter here, right now, if we wish to survive. This entire mountain range is filled with small caves. We just need to find one for the night.”
The group continued to walk for another painful half-hour as they looked for such an opening in the rocks.
“Over there!” shouted Thorik as he pointed to an angled crack in the mountainside. “I’ll bet there’s a cave in there. We should stay the night in it, if there is.” Walking toward it, he stopped at a tree near the entrance in order to remove a few layers of bark before entering the opening.
Nobody argued or commented. Physically and mentally drained, they followed Thorik’s instructions to the temporary shelter.
Ambrosius, Gluic and Brimmelle were exhausted and immediately dropped onto the rock floor inside the crack in the mountain. The cave was not large, but it provided substantial shelter from the wind. It had a moderate sized opening to the outside and just enough room for Grewen to crowd into.
With everyone in, Thorik began directing their survival. “Grewen, break off a few limbs and then move that boulder in front of the cave so it blocks most of the wind, but leave a gap at the top.”
On a normal day it would have been an easy task for Grewen, but with hands trembling uncontrollably from the cold, it would be difficult. “I’ll see what I can do.” He set Avanda inside the cave prior to trying.
“Do your best.” Thorik turned to see his shivering party sitting along the walls of a small triangle-shaped cave. With shaking fingers of his own, he removed a flask of oil and some flint from his backpack.
“Wess, pull the weeds and dead brush out of the ground and stack them over there,” Thorik pointed at the wall near the entrance. His upbringing prevented him from telling Brimmelle and Gluic to help, so he continued without them, “Emilen, grab a few of your hair ribbons and start fraying the ends.”
Wess looked around at the brush near the entrance and began his duties while Emilen worked with Gluic to unravel the cloth.
Ambrosius used his weakened powers to help Grewen move the boulder in front of the cave. Afterward, Grewen began breaking down the limbs for firewood as Ambrosius used his depleted energy to hold off the cold winds from blowing into the cave.
Thorik made a clean area to work and prepared the piece of bark that he had stolen from the tree. He placed the unraveled cloth into the now curved bark holder. He sprinkled some oil on the wood to help it get started.
With his hands still shaking from the frost, he struck the flint to create a spark over the oil stained cloth, but instead caught his finger in the process. The numbing pain shot through his hand and he wrenched away in agony. His nearly frostbitten fingers were already sensitive and this process was becoming too much for him to handle. Clutching the flint in his unsteady hand he tried again in vain to get a spark.
After Thorik’s break from Brimmelle’s years of domination, a new found determination had welled within him. By the time they had reached the cave, he was fully in charge of the party. He was also fully responsible for their lives. Thorik had to succeed. He had to save everyone. He had to prove that he could be a leader when a leader was needed the most.
Again and again he tried to start the fire, but his inability to control his exposed fingers made it impossible. He refused to give up as he continued his effort, even though his fingers and knuckles took a serious beating. The burning sensation of the frostbite had already started.
Wess reached over and grabbed his wrist. “It’s okay Thorik, let me have a go.”
It was the first time Wess had called him by his first name and Thorik hoped Wess was actually sincere. As a Sec, he knew from the Runestone Scrolls that leading was as much about giving directions as it was about knowing when to ask for help.
Reaching out with stiff clawed hands, Thorik dropped the tools into Wess’ hands.
Wess had been warming them inside his clothes for the past several minutes and they were much more flexible. After a few quick strikes, the shower of sparks lit the fire. Wess blew on it. Small at first, cupped in the bark tray, they slowly added more fuel until they had a controlled fire with the smoke leaving by way of the gap left at the entrance. Smiling at his accomplishment, he winked at Emilen.
She nodded in appreciation.
Ambrosius finally released the wind shield once he was comfortable that the fire was strong enough to fight it on its own.
After warming up a little, Grewen broke the rest of branches to be usable as firewood. As he snapped them down to size, Wess stacked them along a wall.
Thorik located a dozen fist-sized rocks and placed them near the fire, along with all of his Runestones.
“Not you too?” Brimmelle commented. “Now mother has you cleansing stones?” Glancing at Gluic, he shook his head.
Thorik finished with his work, ignoring Brimmelle’s words, and allowed the rocks to absorb the heat of the fire. Reaching over with a mink skin, he grabbed the first rocks that he had placed near the fire and handed them to Avanda, Gluic, and Emilen. “Place these between your layers of clothes and in your boots to warm you up. Then place your hands near the area as well.”
After taking care of them, he handed warmed stones out to the rest of the party before enjoying a few for himself.
As the stones lost their heat they were set back near the fire and replaced with hots ones. The rotation of rocks went on all night as they slept for an hour at a time.
Chapter 20
Del’Unday
Fate of Thorik Page 25