The Path of the Adventurer

Chapter 25

The sun was setting as Frostine guided the company to Yggdrasil.

"No one really explores this place these days, aside from the local nomads." Explained Frostine, holding the MagiMap. "I personally don't find myself exploring that much. I usually spend my time indoors building devices or reading books - usually the latter."

"What kind of books do you like?" Asked Erion.

"Adventure, legends, epics - you know, the good stuff." Replied Frostine.

"Do you have any particular favorites?" Magon inquired.

"Have you ever read the story the guy who could change his hair and become a god simply by screaming?"

"Sounds like a bunch of silliness to me." Commented Norder. "And can barely read myself."

"I also like to read about adventures and their personal exploits - because of that I'm kind of an adventurer myself."

"You are?" Asked Erion.

"I sometimes explore this place, albeit rarely. But you definitely have more experience as an adventure than I."

"Yeah. But you're lucky to not have been captured by a tyrant or chased by a killer dragon. In fact, Magon almost lost his life at the hands of a dragon. It was a miracle that we were able to survive."

"And it's safe to assume that those miracles were performed by you, Huffey. Did you? You look like a cleric."

"Oh, no. I've only been healing flesh wounds for a living ever since these orcs came along." Replied Huffey. "I know I should do more, so I sometimes make jokes to compensate. But some don't seem to catch on to my jokes. Probably because they have a bad sense of humor." Huffey said, smiling at Norder.

"Maybe it's because you often do them in the wrong place at the wrong time." Norder stated.

"Jokes?" Frostine gave Huffey an intrigued smile. "Tell me one of your jokes, Huffey. Don't be shy."

"I know a dwarf back home who would play the bagpipes for all to hear. But as of late, he's become so heavy's he's been falling through the floor. But it doesn't worry me at all, the poor lad's just going through a stage! He'll get better eventually."

Frostine paused, before bursting out in laugher. "Where do you come up with this stuff - that's hilarious!"

"I've studied the art of jokeology outside of my time serving as an acolyte to the Deity."

"Jokeology? You should come down to Pelegia and join the magical crafting class! It's fun!"

"Arcane magic is not my specialty. As a cleric, I tend to rely solely on my divine magic - which I believe is all I'll ever need."

"That's fine. You do you!"

"Hey, Frostine? Do you know how close we are?" Asked Tikana.

"We're almost approaching a cave that will lead us straight to Yggdrasil. Keep in mind that this cave will take about three days to cross."

"At least we won't be sleeping in an actual storm." Replied Tikana. "Honestly, it surprises me that you were able to come up here to live. I bet you must have froze your ass off."

"I actually rode a broom up here. Although that really didn't make it any better." Frostine checked the MagiMap. "According to my MagiMap, the cave is actually straight down this hill. We're almost there!"

"Three days in a cave, huh? At this point, it's kind of normal." Erion joked.

Frostine led them up to the top of a hill. On the hill, they could see nigh endless freezing mountains in the distance, surrounded by jagged groups of smaller mountains. The hill had one single snow-covered spruce tree alongside a sign that read 'COOL COOL CAVE UP AHEAD'. Down the hill was a cave leading into another hill. It looked like any ordinary cavern, but its entrance was way smaller than Ixis's cave.