Chapter Thirty-Eight—Azurbadan

Shiro pulled his cloak tighter about himself. It was freezing, especially now that they were caught in this blizzard. It was hard to see very far ahead, and even with that lack of visibility, he could tell that Azurbadan was a foreboding place.

The wind howled and a chill went up Shiro’s back, both from the eerie nature of the rocks, jagged, like malformed souls, and from the cold.

Before them a set of snow-covered stone steps fell, and statues of hideous monsters on each side with claws and scales peered down at them. At least, as far as Shiro could tell through the snow and ice covering them.

“Is this it?” Ali asked.

Shiro look over at him. “I think so,” he said. Glancing to his right, there was an overhang of rock that kept a part of the cliff there sheltered from the snow. “We can get the animals over those steps,” he said. “Let’s tie them there.”

After leaving the animals, Shiro lead the way to the dungeon entrance by travelling up more steps. There were hundreds of them. Luckily the blizzard had just begun and up until now was rather tame, other than the heavy snowfall.

“Shiro,” Ali said. “If we get trapped in the dungeon because of the blizzard, I worry for the animals.”

Glancing back and down the steps, Shiro felt almost dizzy at the height. If he slipped and fell, he would go all the way down on these icy rocks. But Ali was right. “What else can we do?” he asked. “Do you want to turn back?”

Ali shook his head. “No.”

“We are not far from Azu,” Debaku said. “If the animals die, we can walk if we must.”

Shiro nodded. He didn’t much like leaving them there, but they were all at risk, most of all Jessamine. They had to do this, to work toward saving her, even at the expense of their animals if they must.

“Ah,” Ali said as he made his way up, “they’re Urutai pack animals. They should be fine with their long fur, yes?”

“Indeed,” Debaku said. “Let us move on.”

Shiro nodded and continued climbing.