The trail after the Shiver Ridge was no kinder than the usual.
Steep, jagged terrain awaited them, and the cold had become almost a living thing, gnawing through their cloaks and thick boots to bite at their skin.
Their breath fogged the air with every step, the sound of crunching snow beneath their boots echoing faintly off the cliffs around them.
They walked in silence for a while, but Dario, ever the talker, couldn't hold back for long.
"Wow. My mind is still on that lion." He said, striding with his usual carefree gait. "That was something, huh?"
"Contessa with the light show, Nero with the uppercut of darkness. Beautiful work. Haven't seen a team fight like that in years."
"Actually, this reminds me of the time I saw a pair of warlords duel a mountain drake. It was a sight to behold. I'd have described it for you guys, but you just had to be there. Words are not enough to paint the picture of the artistry I saw that day. It was something else."
