Chapter 92: Location of the ice
1644 Words
It was Saturday and there are no school for Yuna. The four friends were outside of the city. Shun and Noah as usual get firewoods on the need by warded forest. Yue was placed under the big tree with a storybook in her hand. Flipping pages with a smile.
Exhausted the two boys laid their back to the thick moss-like they always do. Under this big tree. The scenery was quite relaxing The weather is nice same as the wind breeze.
If they have their guards down. They will fall asleep.
“What are you two being lazing about?”
Yuna said facing her grumpy face to Shun and Noah.
“We’re not lazy…”
“Did you ever try cutting woods? It's exhausting.”
“Hmm…”
She averted her face for a brief moment and turned back. She then continues…
“I find out something interesting yesterday. I got curious about where the block of ice came from and checked the map. I find out that the river was flowing to the nearby mountain located west on the city.”
“That mountain isn’t warded. Also, that mountain was said to have goblins on it.”
Shun said with a worried tone.
“Just goblins… Goblin's strength was just the same as the five-year-old child they said. It's a super weak monster. I heard that adventurers can defeat them in a flash.”
Noah added.
Shun never knows about it because he doesn’t think he will encounter this monster sooner. All he thinks is making money for him and Yue for now.
After hearing Noah, Shun got curious. He had this dream of being an adventurer. It's not just a dream it's only the way for uneducated people like him to earn so handsome amount of money in the future.
Adventurer is a job that requires almost nothing after all. The only requirement was the person must be in 15 years of age and ready to face the danger this world has to offer.
Shun is now 12 years old same as Noah and Yuna. Three years from now they have to decide their paths as adults.
Shun excitedly stood up and said:
“If they are that weak then let's check it out… We’re going to be an adventurer right? Then practicing will make sense.”
“Oh, that’s a great idea Shun. I can practice the swordsmanship I’m learning from my brothers right now.”
“You’re brother is an adventurer.”
“Yeah, he's in other continents right now. He's my role model. I wanted to travel in the world like him.”
Noah’s eyes are always glimmering when he talks about his brother.
“If they are weak as five-year-old kids then this ax is probably fine. Let's practice killing those goblins.”
Yuna turned her glance to Yue.
“How about Yue? Should we take her home first?”
“No, I wanted to see them… The goblins.”
“They are scary creatures are you going to be fine?”
“When my brother became an adventurer. He will also take me with him. He promises me, that he will stay with me. So this will be my practice. Three years from now, I won’t be scared of them anymore.”
Yue said with a dignified tone. Her face was full of determination. Like her brother, Shun can’t let his little sister's determination fade.
“Then, let's take her with us. Only the boys will come for battle. Yue and Yuna can carry ice fragments on the basket.”
“I was thinking about that… I don’t want to battle. I don’t know any offensive arts yet.”
Optimistic with their venture. The group of friends has their first journey to uncover the location of the ice.
The four kids cross the warding area. Tracing the river toward the said mountain. Since this is their first time going this far from the warding area. The children are exponentially happy with what they're seeing. They can see the city of Stella from afar their position. They can see how tiny it became and chuckled with a laugh.
An hour of walking. Yue notices glimmering fragments floating in the river. She tapped Yuna’s shoulder and pointed out.
“Everyone looks so many ices are floating on the river. The ice location is nearby.”
“Yeah… This part of the river loos too deep. I don’t want to swim and get it.”
“Let's continue in walking we might see its source.”
They increased their walking pace and excitedly trace the river. It take not too long before they reached the mountain. Surprisingly the river changes direction from the mountain. They got confused about where the ice came from.
“Are we lost?”
“That’s not it… Whoah! It's cold the breeze.”
Turning their heads they saw a giant cave. Another wave of breeze comes out from it putting chills on children's shoulders.
“Whoah… That was ice cold.”
“It must be it… The ice came from this cave. Let's check it out.”
Shun said and stepped forward with an ax in his hand.
Yuna’s feet are shaking as she looks toward the dark cave. Yue was the same.
Noah immediately followed Shun’s back.
“What’s the matter Yuna? Are you having cold feet?”
“No! I’m a genius… Darkness is nothing to me.”
“M-Me too.”
It was obvious that they are scared. But The two boys just let it go and didn’t tease them further.
“Yue can you hold the basket for a while.”
“Yup.”
Yuna get a flower from the basket and then chanted.
“Create luminous energy… Attached…”
The flower’s petals glow.
“Amazing…”
Two boys look in awe.
“Of course I’m a genius after all. I didn’t go to scare art school for nothing.”
They advance toward the cave. Yuna and Yue are in the middle. On the back was Shun and in front of them was Noah. As they further deep down the cave. They felt the coldness in the air.
Then they find the location of the ice.
Ice blocks of ice crystals were found everywhere.
“What the heck is this? With this amount of Ice, we can have ice for an entire year and share it with people in slumps.”
“Woah, they are glowing in blue color how magical.”
“I was expecting of fighting goblins but nothing approached us. Maybe they are living in the upper mountain. We’re still on the mountain edge. We’re still safe here.”
“Don’t think about that… More importantly, we manage to see the location of the ice. With this Ice, I can drink Ice cold juice and maybe make the food cold for them to last longer.”
Yuna said.
She place Yue down to the ground. They used the basket and gather as much ice as possible. Checking their life it was in 500. It will last until tomorrow.
While gathering ice. Noah noticed a huge wedge on the cave wall. It stretches up to 10 meters in length and is about 3 meters deep.
Noah gulped his saliva.
“Look this wedge… Seems like something used a blade and strike this wall.”
“It looks like it… But what kind of weapon can cut that deep in a rock wall.”
Shun was nervous about it.
“Stop, goofing around… We should go back home now.”
Noah and Shun look at each other and just ignore the wedge on the wall.
Yue was carried by Shun this time changing position with Yuna. While walking inside the cave they notice something odd.
“Is this the way?”
The cave has many paths inside of it. The children forgot to mark their path and continue their adventure inside the cave.
They all have anxious feelings already. Yue was getting scared her hand tightly wrapped on Shun.
“Don’t worry big brother will never gonna leave you.”
Wondering for a while, Yuna saw light coming from directly ahead of them.
“The light is over there… We find the exit.”
They made a wide smile at each other and run toward the light.
But…
Entering the light, they find themselves in an area unfamiliar to them. The tree’s withered all around. Opposite to the forest where they came from. There is no river. Only dry cracking soil.
“Such evil land… This place is part of the dark territory.”
“How did you know, Yuna?”
“Our town is located on the edge of the continent. The border to another territory is near our city. While we’re lost inside the cave. We accidentally reach this point.”
A dark territory is a dangerous place. Extremely dangerous monsters were living in this territory and many adventurers died in this area. It was common knowledge for anyone not to step in this land without the proper equipment of the team.
The children turned their backs immediately and run as fast as they can back to the cave.
While running in the cave. They stumble upon giant red eyes.
It turned its pupils toward Shun and Yue.
In a split second. The children suddenly flew because of heavy force. Noah slams toward the ice crystal. The crystal broke and smash Noah’s legs.
“Ahhhhhhhh!”
She cried in pain.
Yuna’s shoulder was bleeding. Yue flew away from Shun. Shun’s head has some minor injury on it.
Shun turned his gaze to the creature approaching them. Two huge bat-like wings. Dark scales all over its body, long neck, and sharp claws. A creature resembling a lizard but a thousand times bigger than a lizard.
“A dragon…”
- Writer
