An Inferno of Ice

An Inferno of Ice - Part 4

As outer villages turn into larger, more populated settlements, I keep my eyes peeled for the mysterious masked stranger. I'm equal parts wary and eager, half of me terrified at what seeing him again would mean. The other half, however, wonders if he could turn out to be a secret ally. Either way, I have no more time or attention to devote to this dilemma than I'm already putting forth. My main goals now are to avoid discovery and find a believable way to get people to evacuate as quickly and quietly as possible. If the assignment hadn't included the stipulation that the Frost family could not be made aware of the fleeing of their people, I could have anonymously reported a sighting of an Infernal. That would frighten them to be sure and undoubtedly convince some to leave altogether since there's no bigger threat than fire to a planet of ice. I sometimes wish tandem missions hadn't been outlawed by Infernal Court policy. It is true that more than one undercover agent drastically increases the risk of unintentionally revealing ourselves, but I think I'm almost to the point that I would be willing to take the chance. At the same time though, I wouldn't have been chosen if there had been any doubt that I could be successful. The idea comes to me one evening as I sit before a cooking fire in the city of Icebloom. The guards that stand silently observing wear the very same purple and blue masks of ice that the stranger had. When I had first spotted one lurking from the corner of my eye, I had jolted in shock, only to relax a moment later. His hair had been red instead of darkest black with white streaks. Even now, several towns and cities later, I can't help but carefully scan the guards each and every time I encounter them. In the process of doing this tonight, I overhear something incredible. "I swear, no King has ever been as paranoid as Rudolph! This is ridiculous, making honest, hard-working people cook to serve their families out in public." The man rants to a circle of companions that gather around one of the outer fires. Even with how bundled up he is, I can still see how agitated he looks. Moving as inconspicuously as I can, I edge closer. "Right!" another adds. "Does he think we're all secretly Infernals or something?" A round of laughter ensues around the circle. "At this point, I wouldn't put anything past him if I'm being perfectly honest." the first man mutters. "I've been considering a vacation for a while, and maybe now's the time. Just pack up the wife and kids and get out of here. Hopefully by the time we make it back, Rudolph will have come to his senses." Murmurs of agreement sound from several people, and I even catch a few more surreptitious nods from some nearby fires. "Or maybe longer than a vacation," I say as they all turn to stare at me in bewilderment. I offer a sheepish smile and shrug. "If the king has been progressively getting worse, chances are that he's going to need a bit longer than the average vacation to realize that he is the one in need of change. Make a holiday out of it. Take your family and your friends and get out of here. I've heard the planet Tropicala is lovely around this time." The circle of people appraises me with curiosity, obviously wondering where I came from and who I am. I give a little self-deprecating laugh and begin to retreat even as I continue. "That's what my husband and I are doing. We're tired of the needless caution as well. As soon as his guard shift is over in Iceglint, we're leaving." They all seem to simultaneously relax at the mention of the city I'd just come from. Back at my fire, I cast glances at the group from time to time. They continue to talk amongst themselves for a short while longer, then begin to disperse. "I'll let you guys know about coming once I talk to my wife!" the main speaker calls after his companions, and I feel myself smiling. Perhaps I've just found a way to free the long oppressed planet of Icelandia. Excellent!