Frozen Fragile Fragments

Chapter 4: The Seal of the Martagdsan

Out of the void and the flickering of torchlight, a young man in his mid-twenties appears in view.

His clothing looks to be thousands of years antiquated, yet abnormally beautiful and relevant. His long obsidian hair is pulled back into a braid. Thick snow leopard fur lines the inside of his deel, spilling outside and lining the edges of his neck and sleeves. The color of his deel is a deep blue with elaborate designs that resemble snowflakes, and frozen cracks cover the fabric. A thick white sash wraps his waist, and attached to it holds a sheathed sword and a pouch with several tools ranging from iron steeles to start a fire to a small dagger sheathed and hanging next to it. An abundance of silver hangs around nearly every possible location; the neck, waist, hair, and ears. All of this shows that their new company has significant power and wealth.

Being scared out of his wits, if he has any, Okin latches on to Khachi's back. His shaking racks Khachi, making him appear almost as frightened.

"Welcome," the man's voice is soothing and commemorating. "I don't mean to alarm the two of you. Let me introduce myself; I'm an ongon of the Martagdsan," from the moment he started speaking till now, the man never takes his eyes off Khachi. Deep in the man's voice, Khachi notes that it was higher and not as deep and passive as the one from earlier. However, because the cave's depth is enormous, Khachi passes it off as a trick of the cavern vibrating and deepening the man's voice.

"Right...because seeing a ghost isn't terrifying..." Okin stutters under his breath behind Khachi.

The man chortles, and a soft smile lightens his face. "That's true," he agrees, which must have been a gentle enough response that Okin curiously peaks over Khachi's shoulder.

"KHACHI! OKIN!!" Khaliun's voice echoes through the passageway they had traveled through moments ago. The words vibrate and bounce off the rock walls, making the owners of the names look behind them.

"JUST AHEAD!" Khachi answers.

An exhausted-looking Khaliun stumbles through the entrance, looking as if she will collapse at any moment.

"Oh my god! Are you okay?" Okin rushes to Khaliun's side to help her.

Khaliun politely declines Okin's offer to help her with her hand. "I'll lead the two of you to somewhere warm," she announces as she straightens up.

Only as the words leave her mouth did Khachi become aware of the freezing temperatures in the cavern. On the other hand, Okin hadn't been shaking just from fright this whole time but also from the cold invading the protection of his clothes. Clothes which weren't equipped for the harsh winter temperatures like the Martagdsan.

Khachi opens his mouth to gesture towards the unknown company just as Khaliun makes her way past him, only to turn around and the cryptic ongon vanish.

Okin also notices that the ghost disappeared and runs to latch himself onto Khachi again. "Where'd tha ghost go?" Okin whispers, his accent slipping into his words.

"Are the two of you coming?" Khaliun pauses to look back at them, waiting. "Is something wrong?"

"Th-th-there was an o-o-ong-ongon just n-now," Okin stutters, pointing to where the man once stood. Which happens to be where Khaliun is standing now, next to the human statue.

Khaliun contemplates something or rather attempts to avoid a series of thoughts. "Don't-"

"I-Is it-t j-j-just m-me, or is-ss it g-gett-ting c-c-colder-er?" Okin asks the two, interrupting Khaliun. Barely able to get a word out between chattering teeth, Okin's energy depletes the more prolonged the cold clings to him.

"We should hurry. There's a safe place up ahead," Khaliun states.

Khachi nods in compliance, but the moment he steps forward, Okin, still holding on to him, nearly collapses. In a panic, Khachi catches Okin, who weakly thanks him. "What's wrong?" Khachi questions, but Okin isn't able to respond.