Crystal Bloodlines

Chapter Three: Unforgiving Road

As the two followed the floating spirit down the natural path in the forestry, the cold wind nipped at them. 

Cyrus shivered in the cold and Dell despite trying to act tough, looked as blue as the bags of the two young men carried. Neither person had brought warm enough clothing for this, even the extra shirt they had each put on in their scramble after Ice Cube seemed like it barely helped. Near the top of the mountain path where the mine was, it was relatively warm even though it was near the top, but now they were travelling on the natural paths and it felt like it was no warmer than five degrees Fahrenheit.

"We've been travelling through the snow for nearly an hour and this thing keeps going, I vote we should leave it and just find somewhere to hole up in for the night. It doesn't seem practical to travel at night. OR IN THE WINTER.", Cyrus trudged forward behind Dell in the knee deep snow. 

"It isn't so bad. I kind of regret coming here now but not really. It's an adventure. A chance in a new world.", Dell didn't look back as he spoke, but he seemed to curl inwards a bit. 

"Well if you don't regret it, I won't as long as we don't die.", Cyrus focused on using Dell's skinny frame to block the wind. "You're not fat enough, put on some weight. I'm still feeling the wind Dell."

"Screw you ho.", Dell moved forward following the blue floating spirit that had consistently kept the pace at a slow walk as it looked for the best path. 

"Hey!", Cyrus charged forward and walked next to Dell momentarily. Suddenly pausing to look at the night sky. 

The wind blowing through the giant snow covered trees made ghostly sounds in the night.

"Even the clouds look different in this world, the orange-pink color is very different.", Cyrus mumbled quietly and was about to say something else when a deep howl could be heard far away on one of the mountain peaks they could see through the trees. The lack of leaves on the trees made everything very open but even so the distance was too far away to even make out a shape. 

"Probably better we-", Ice Cube tugged at Dell to follow it faster. "Don't know what that was."

"I'm thinking you're right."

Back in their home world of Earth, humans were the invading species. Having that be so, in rural areas it wasn't uncommon for wild animals to explore the rural areas at night. It wasn't so much astonishing that they heard something in the night, as it was terrifying that the howl was so loud and ferocious. As if an apex predator was announcing it's presence and challenging all to come find it. 

"Dell, we never really talked about it before. But i really want to know, what made you agree so quickly to come here for the long term?", Cyrus continued talking in a whisper after hearing the howl. 

"I'll tell you when we get to the settlement. It shouldn't be too far away, the mine had to have homes for the people that worked there even if the mine looked aged."

"Kind of a, it's pointless if we die so I'll tell you if we live, kinda thing?", Cyrus grinned. 

Dell laughed, "Something like that."

After about another twenty minutes they found a beaten cobblestone road that made Ice Cube somewhat excited, not to mention the two young men. "FINALLY!", they announced in unison. Strangely runes seemed engraved on the stones and the snow melted immediately when it touched the stones. Even the two adventures felt warmer immediately even though the cold nipped a little.

"Can't be far off n-", Cyrus stopped speaking suddenly. 

Dell turned  his head back and looked at Cyrus who looked like he had seen a ghost. "What?"

"I.. I could've.. I could've sworn I saw something shadowy in the bushes back where we just came out of. It looked like it was part man, part bear and at least twice our height." 

"You were probably imagining it.", Dell said worriedly as if he didn't believe the very words he was saying. 

"But i swear I saw something!", I blinked for a second and it was gone. I know the bushes look ruffled from where we came through them, but they look more ruffled than they should be."

Ice Cube squealed as it started getting ahead of them. "We have to hurry, say something if you see it again. 

They sprinted along the path after the floating spirit and changed to jogging once they caught up. The pace became much faster now they they didn't have to push through the snow and saw hope in sight with the cobblestone path now lighting up the way. Strangely enough though, the cobblestone had a green tint the two didn't see in the dim moonlight. 

Together the adventuring duo flew through the night covering an incredible distance, but after only a couple more miles along the winding path, they saw a bright light up ahead. 

Glancing at each other, they thought the same thing. They had to get to the town. 

Sprinting again, Cyrus thought back to the figure he had seen in the forest. The figure that was only several feet away at the time sent chills down his back again as he thought about it. 

Or maybe that was the cold.