Free Book - Prequel of The Chronicles of Canes Venatici

Boreas Planet 2 (Part 2.2)

Part 2.2 – The Frozen Lakes

After hours of marching through the frozen plains, the group arrives at one of the legendary Frozen Lakes of Boreas. These lakes are vital to the survival of Frosthold, providing fresh water and fish, the latter being a rare and precious commodity on a planet where the ground is too frozen to farm and the wild game is scarce. The lakes are hidden beneath thick layers of ice, their surfaces smooth and glassy, reflecting the sky like enormous mirrors. It is as if the lakes are windows into another world, one where the harshness of Boreas is replaced by the stillness and serenity of the depths below.

The surface of the lake is deceptively calm, a stark contrast to the brutal cold that surrounds it. Beneath the thick ice, ancient creatures are suspended in time, their bodies preserved for millennia by the cold. These Ice Beasts are relics of a time when Boreas was not yet frozen, when the planet was lush and teeming with life. Now, they are nothing more than frozen shadows, reminders of a forgotten era. The sight of them sends a chill down your spine, a reminder that even in death, Boreas is a planet of extremes.

The Ice Hunters set to work quickly and efficiently. They unpack their drills and begin the slow, laborious process of boring through the thick ice. It is a painstaking task, one that requires both skill and patience, for a single mistake could crack the ice and send the entire group plunging into the freezing water below. The sound of the drill cutting into the ice echoes across the lake, a sharp contrast to the eerie silence that surrounds you. It is a reminder that on Boreas, life is always precarious, balanced on the edge of disaster.

As the drill digs deeper, you begin to hear the faint, haunting sound of the Frozen Whispers. These whispers are a strange and unsettling phenomenon, a chorus of voices that seem to rise from the depths of the lake, carried on the icy wind. Some say the whispers are the voices of the ancient creatures trapped beneath the ice, their souls still searching for a way to escape their frozen prison. Others believe the whispers are the voices of long-dead hunters, their spirits wandering the frozen plains in search of the prey they never caught.

The whispers grow louder as the drill breaks through the final layer of ice, revealing the frigid water below. The hunters quickly lower their lines into the water, their movements precise and practiced. Fishing on Boreas is no simple task. The fish that dwell beneath the ice are swift and elusive, and the cold makes it difficult to maintain the dexterity needed to catch them. But the Ice Hunters are experts, their hands steady as they work to bring in their catch.

As night falls, the temperature drops even further, and the wind begins to howl across the lake with renewed ferocity. The hunters work quickly to finish their task, knowing that they cannot afford to linger in the cold for too long. Once they have gathered enough water and fish, they pack up their equipment and set up camp on the shore of the lake. Small fires are lit, their flickering flames providing a faint warmth against the biting cold.

The Northern Lights begin to appear in the sky, their vibrant colors dancing across the heavens in waves of green, blue, and purple. The lights are a breathtaking sight, a reminder that even in the harshest conditions, there is beauty to be found. The Ice Hunters sit in silence, their faces illuminated by the glow of the fire and the lights above. It is a moment of peace, a brief respite from the constant struggle for survival.

Future Glimpse!
Beneath the still waters of the Frozen Lakes lies more than just ancient creatures. In time, Frosthold's scholars will uncover relics of a long-forgotten civilization—one whose mastery over the cold will make the people question their own origins on this frozen world.

Olav J. Insight:
"The surface of the ice hides much. We often see only what is immediately before us—yet it is in the depths, the unknown beneath, that we find the secrets that reshape our understanding of the world. The same is true of human nature."