Arron couldn't believe for what he saw, making his body sprang out from lying on the grass. Still, his reaction says it all as he carefully scanning the figure standing in front of him.
It has a human figure like him and has exactly as his height. However, few differences can be spotted between them as it has unusually pointed ears, a pale gray eyes and a long grayish white hair with a hint of blue in which not even a single human possess. On the top of it, the figure has undoubtedly got the majestic and ethereal beauty even in its stone face that surpasses the average visual of men and women from the noble family.
"You. What are you?" Arron asked with a stern look on his face. His eyes were telling that he doubt himself by such an obvious question but the young man couldn't help uttering those words.
Arron almost mistaken it as a woman if not because of its cold voice as its appearance is far more than a human. Yet, he can guess that the figure is a male elf judging by the tone.
"As you can see, I have pointy ears. What do you think am I?" The elf man answered with his calm yet cold voice that undoubtedly were the one who command the scorpion just earlier.
Arron can feel the sarcasm by the question from the elf that makes him crossed his arms and slightly raise his brows, "Are you really the so-called ancient race? The elves? Or just stereotyping yourself with some props, huh?"
However, the elf man just stared at him blankly without a response. Getting no reaction, Arron just sighed and went to the direction of his clothes when noticed that one of his apple is gone. But then, he acted like he doesn't care since he hadn't paid for it after all and walk away.
Seeing the young man took the leave, the elf cast his gaze to him and was surprised when Arron stopped, turned to his direction and asked one more time, "Are you familiar with this place? I can lead you the way out."
But as usual, he just responded a stare. As if analyzing the young man—trying to recall whether he once crossed his path with him or just mistaken. Although, despite for how many millennium since he acquired his new form and living as an elf, all he could remember was roaming around the world in times where even the first human species does not exist after Ygdrassil was destroyed.
——— ° ———
When the sun sets the horizon, Arron decide to stopped at the tavern. After entering, he looked around and as expected, it was crowded and all of the tables were occupied with some people laughing while drinking. Ignoring the noise, he went to the counter where the bartender, wearing the ragged apron was busy with dealing drinks to some people who came at him and ordered a ginger beer.
Not long enough, the bartender handed him his order and at the same time, the young man handed him the six pence that is made of copper as his payment in the table before taking a gulp.
As the cup was still on his mouth, Arron subconsciously took a glimpse in his left side when he spotted a familiar figure sitting alone near the corner of the window as his pale gray eyes were fixed at him.
It was the elf man wearing a silver hooded cape to cover up his appearance.
Arron took a one final gulp before standing up and went to his direction without cutting their gaze off to each other. As he reach the table, he calmly put the beverage in the middle and spoke, "I see you still manage to come up with here. I thought you're totally lost by now." He chuckled then massage his chin as though looking at someone across him with judgement.
"Anyway, based on your clothing, are you from the capital? There's no one who wears like that in this town. What brings you here?"
"I was sent by the saints to assist those apostles to capture any stray beasts that roams every villages and ensure the safety of civilization." The elf answered with a cold voice before grabbing his cup of warm tea and took a sip.
"Ahh, the saints?" Hearing his response, Arron immediate gesture his right hand vertically and whispered a thankful greetings, "Dear holy, divine saints of celestial heaven, protect us and blessed us with your grace."
"Hah hah, send my regards to them."
"Why won't you do it instead? They would be really pleased, we're just following orders."
"Is that so? Well, that's good since I'm planning to head the capital too."
"Can you tell me about this place?"
"Well, sure. Actually, people here was having a normal living. Like selling, trade or anything. However, our lives can be affected by the weather."
"Hmm..." The elf nod his head.
"Especially when the temperature will start to change. As you can feel, the atmosphere was slowly getting cold, a sign for the winter season." As Arron was explaining, he was observing the elf man's reaction when he didn't respond this time. Despite it, the young man still continued.
"Even some bizzare phenomenon can be occurred here like for example, ice spread—"
"Sshhh..." To his surprised, the elf man gesture his index finger to his lips, telling the young man to be silent.
Arron got confused by his sudden action.
Looking around, same goes as the people who were yapping constantly became silent as they all tried to sense the environment. The winds are getting heavier, as though the hurricane was swirling outside.
When suddenly, ice frost started creeping on the floor into the tables. At first, it was slow until later on, it thicken as it was producing ice spikes.
"It's here." Utter the elf.
Before everyone inside the inn could even run, the ice quickly spread and envelopes on their bodies and as they fall on the frozen floor, their bodies shattered into pieces like a statue. As witnessing the horrifying scene, people inside starts 4screaming as they were heading to the exit.
Seeing the floor they stepped on wrapped by the ice, the elf quickly grabbed Arron's wrist and jumped out the window and heading to the forest to escape the disaster.
They were running through the forest as fast as they could, with the wave of violent ice several meters away from behind them. It seems to follow them relentlessly, freezing everything in its path.
"Aren't you supposed to kill it?" Arron yelled before taking a leap above the fallen tree trunk.
"No. As I could remember, the saint only said it was an exotic beast with mild destruction. But I did not expect to be this much more powerful. It must be huge enough to inflect severe damage to any mages."
And to the young man's surprised, his weight went lighter as if being carried by the wind and just found themselves above the branch within a second.
Realizing the surface they stepped on, Arron almost fall off when the elf man quickly thrust the dagger into the tree while his other hand was gripping the young man's waist to prevent him from falling. Afraid of heights, Arron desperately cling unto his body with eyes shut tightly.
"How did we even ended up in here?" He mumbled with his voice trembling.
"Don't talk, we still need to run away. Or we'll freeze to death."
Just as the elf man said that, the ice quickly spread to the body of the tree and without thinking much, he pulled the dagger and carried the young man and jumped into the other branches effortlessly.
As quickly as he moved, the stronger the storm came approaching them. However, the way came reach to an end as the peak of rock were blocking the way. With nothing left to do, he put down Arron and confronted the coming bizarre. Sensing the hopeless survival of the two, it is the moment the storm has slowed down.
Before the elf's faded gray eyes was a vast of mist. Then slowly, a figure emerge from the surface.