The morning had come too slowly, the voidful sleep he was so used to did little to contain Adam’s excitement. Today he was closer to seeing a giant. He had no idea what giants looked like, or their culture, or their relation to the rest of the world. What was their history? Their different races? Their gods?

Adam had the quickest bath he would allow himself, though he made sure to enjoy the feeling of comfort, before he dressed and donned his heavy chain. He grabbed onto his trusty blade, unsheathing it a few inches to check the blade before he sheathed it once more.

Breakfast was dragon meat again, the deliciously fatty meat melting against his tongue. Andal had continued to pay for their room and board.

‘I still haven’t had the quest complete screen…’

He decided against speaking about it for now, there must be another step or two for Andal, or perhaps there was another step for him? Andal hadn’t yet said anything about it, so Adam remained silent about it. With the meat done, Adam double checked his items to see if he had everything.

“So you’re off then?” Jay said, reaching out a hand. “It was a pleasure adventuring with you.”

“I am,” Adam replied, shaking Jay’s hand. “It was. I wish you the best of luck on your quests too. Next time we meet I hope it’ll be when we’re both steel.”

Jay smiled wide. “It’ll be a while before we’re steel ranked, but we’ll be sure to do our best.”

“Take good care of yourself,” Imma said.

“You too. Once you have more spells we can swap again.” Adam chuckled.

Kay nodded at the half-elf. Though Adam couldn’t see her face behind her helmet, he could gather she was wishing him well. Adam returned the nod and turned, leaving the group behind him. He almost walked into another party, though as they noticed one another, they stopped.

“Good morning,” Adam said.

“Good morning,” Lady Elowen replied. “Did you sleep well?”

“About as well as usual,” Adam nodded. “I was just about to meet you at your inn.”

“How fortunate,” she replied. “Are you ready to leave?”

“Yes, let’s.”

The group turned their way northward, leaving the confined that were the walls of Ironhall for the vastness of the wild. Rather than follow the path to the tunnel, they veered slightly eastward, and instead followed the mountain range.

Ylra’s was their scout, moving up ahead to check for danger or animals, whereas Redboulder kept a keen dwarven eye on their surroundings. It seemed that the dwarven eye for smithing worked well for finding any dangers too.

“How long will it take before we meet with the giants?” Adam asked over their lunch.

Lady Elowen paused for a moment, thinking on the matter for a moment. “A month if we’re unfortunate. Sometimes the giant clans roam the land, so we could come across them sooner.”

“Are you planning on staying with the giants for long?”

“We might have to remain there for a few weeks, perhaps even a few months. Giantfolk move at their own pace, and we will have to follow. I am used to such a pace, living with elves my entire life, but I can understand how it may grate others. Rojer is getting on in years as well, so we will do our best to remain no longer than needed.”

Adam smiled, glancing at Rojer who seemed too preoccupied in his own thoughts to register the joke. He would bring out the child in her bundle whenever she would act and stir, which she would do often now.

“Has the princess healed completely?” Adam asked, staring at the arm which was no longer blackened by the curse.

Elowen followed his gaze to the bundle. “She is, but her growth has been stunted from the curse.” She frowned, her eyes glued to the tiny princess.

“How long was she cursed for?”

“She was cursed for almost a year.”

“A year, huh? Damn… that’s awful.” Adam frowned. “Who did this?”

Redboulder cleared his throat and Elowen caught his look. “We have our assumptions, but we aren’t completely certain. The council members are studying the situation to see who it could have been.”

Adam realised that they couldn’t say much more so he dropped the subject. They finished with their break and continued along, though often stopped whenever she would cry or require attention. They had continued to walk for the entire day, taking many breaks whenever the baby cried. It had taken fourteen hours in order to walk what they typically would in eight.

“Would you be willing to summon your tower?” Elowen asked. “It would reassure me if the child slept within it.”

Adam nodded. “That’s no problem at all,” Adam replied.

“It’ll take us a while ta get ta tha north,” Redboulder said.

“Yes, we didn’t take into consideration the princess’ behaviour after she was healed,” Elowen replied.

“Perhaps it is time to acquire some horses?” Rojer asked.

“Horses may not be able to handle the terrain, unless we switch to the roads.”

“The roads will allow us to move even more swiftly.”

Mana: 40 -> 37

Spell: Tower of Adam

They fell quiet as Adam summoned his tower, the grey landscape melting away behind it. The tower shadowed over the group, proving them with its comfort as it always had. Adam made a bathroom and a bedroom, since they could all snuggle together, and the bath kept up their morale.

Redboulder cooked up the mountain deer Ylra had hunted, filling the area with the smell. Rojer fed the child with some of their food too, keeping her quiet. She fell asleep soon after, leaving them with silence.

“You can sleep for the night,” Lady Elowen said. “We’ll keep our watches.”

“I’ll take watch with Rojer, just so there’s also someone up who can see through some of the darkness.”

Elowen bowed her head, allowing the pair to take watch together. Elowen took the first watch, then Adam and Rojer took theirs.

The next few days passed by the same way, with them taking multiple breaks to look after the baby. Sometimes they would see beasts in the distance and wyverns above them, though they remained along the mountain tops.

Eventually they could see a large city against the mountains. The giant walls kept most of the city hidden, but there was a second layer within the city, which was raised many feet above the outer ring. The entire upper section was extravagant, with so many temples and pyramids, each with tiny little ants who walked around and through them.

“Damn…” Adam whispered.

“That must be Skorpp,” Ylra said. “The pyramids and the walls, it must be.”

“Would they sell mountain yaks?” Elowen asked.

Ylra nodded. “They should. Mountain yaks drive their economy, but we could buy a few.”

“Will you be able to do that?”

Ylra nodded.

They moved onwards, passing by the thick stone road, where Ylra and Redboulder followed it to the city, and the rest continued on to the mountains nearby.

Adam summoned his tower, keeping it out of sight from the city so they didn’t attract any unwanted attention. Ylra and Redboulder finally appeared, returning with three mountain yaks. They looked like a combination of a bull and a ram.

“You have returned with only three?”

“One for each of us, plus one to carry out gear, or that’s what we told the seller,” Ylra said. “Any more and we would have brought too much suspicion to ourselves.”

Elowen bowed her head, understanding why that would have been a bad idea. “We will need to pair up with one another.”

“I’ll be fine without one of those mountain yaks,” Adam said. “Though I’ll need some time tomorrow in the morning.”

The group turned to look at Adam with their questioning eyes. Adam just smiled nervously and then turned around.

“I’ll go shower first…”

Adam slapped his face whilst he was submerged within the hot water. “Why did I say that?” He sighed and shook his head. “I need to stop being such a damn idiot…”

Eventually he returned to the party to eat, and after eating with them, he retired for the night. He took his watch in the evening, and then morning came.

Adam was off by himself, down on one knee. He had changed a few of his spells around in order to allow him to move swiftly through the land. Then an idea came to mind. He didn’t need to use such a powerful spell, he could just use Longstrider multiple times a day and…

No.

This spell would allow him to travel for many days for the single spurt of Mana, and not that much considering how long the spell could last.

Mana: 40 -> 37

Spell: Find Steed

He prayed for a long while, calling forth a spirit in the form of a mountain yak. He stood up and saw the creature ahead of him, those curved horns, thick fur, a strong body.

He turned to see the others stare at him. His eyes flashed between them all before he walked back to group, his mountain yak following right behind him.

“Since you trusted me with your secrets, I’ll entrust you with one of mine.”

“This is a second gate guardian spell…” Elowen said, looking at the yak.

‘Now you’ve done it…’ Bandlor thought to Adam.

Adam shrugged his shoulders. “It is,” he replied.

“Third gate arcane, third gate divine, second gate guardian…” Elowen stared into his eyes. “You are something,” she said.

Adam shrugged his shoulders. “A secret for a secret. Let’s keep that between all of us.”

Soon they were all upon their Yaks. Elowen and Rojer rode a yak, Redboulder carried the child, and Ylra rode solo, moving off into the distance now and again to scout. They moved so much quicker on their mountain yaks, which were not slowed by the terrain like the people were. Their new speed allowed them to make up lost ground due to the crying child.

Soon the air became cold. As they approached the north, they found a chill begin to set through them. The mountains at their west remained their guide as they continued.

“Here,” Elowen said, offering Adam a thick cloak.

He accepted it graciously, wrapping the white cloak around himself. He looked out to the north, where rolling hills waited for them. When they rested, they would rest for a little longer, making sure to feed their yaks to keep them happy, and to relax their weary souls.

The hot baths filled them with great warmth and renewed their vigour. They also began to bathe in the morning too. Adam and Redboulder were far more joyful about the cold weather.

Adam had always loved the cold, the feeling of coolness through his body. The coolness allowed him to feel the warmth even better, and he appreciate both even more.

Redboulder, a dwarf, was able to handle the cold much better than his other companions. His thick beard provided him with decent insulation as well, a luxury no one else enjoyed.

Soon they could see the white of snow in the distance, off towards the mountains which awaited them.

During another break, Adam decided to take a short walk around. He would often take short walks, partly because he needed to take a leak sometimes, and with no tower, he didn’t want to let everyone know what he was going to do.

He sighed as he relieved himself, making the snow slightly yellow. When he was done, he kicked some snow over his mess, and then began to return to the party.

‘What is that?’ Bandlor thought to Adam. The half-elf stopped and then looked up at the bird atop his head, before then glancing aside to follow Bandlor’s sight.

Perception

D20 + 5 = 18 (13)

He squinted his eyes as he saw a blurred figure blending into the white snow in the distance. They held a large stature, and they trailed along towards the mountains.

‘To me!’ Adam called to his yak, which rushed off beside him. He hopped on and then began to ride towards the being, squinting his eyes again.

‘Is that a…’

Adam slowed down towards it as the stranger finally noticed him, before dropping down into the snow. He waited for a short time, and when he realised they were not going to stand.

“Hello there,” Adam called out to them. “I am Adam, an adventurer.” A moment passed by. “Would you like to speak?”

The figure stood up, revealing their large form. They were dressed in completely white clothing, and were a little taller than Adam, but so much wider. He wondered if they were a powerful warrior, considering their powerful stature. Were they an Iyrman? Were they a mysterious warrior from a distant land?

Adam buzzed with a deep excitement, which slowly fell away as the stranger revealed themselves, pulling their hood down to reveal a young face and teary eyes.

“Dand hatmi!” the being said, though Adam could barely understand what they were saying. Their language sounded slightly dwarven. “D-don’t hurt me!” they quickly added, eyes darting from Adam to someone else.

Adam turned to look at Ylra, who had her bow out, an arrow nocked. He raised a hand, staring at her with his wide eyes. As a moment passed, Ylra pulled her bow aside.

“Little one, what are you doing here?” Ylra asked.

‘Little one?’

“Am lost…” the stranger said.

Adam looked at the figure. That baby-ish face and that large figure. “A giant child?” Adam asked no one in particular.

“It seems so,” Ylra replied.

“Am lost,” the giant child said.

“Alright, it’s okay…” Adam said, hopping off his yak. “What’s your name?”

“Jon,” he said. He were a pale boy, with bright blue eyes.

“Are you a frost giant?” Adam asked.

The boy nodded his head, wrapping his cloak around himself. Adam doubted it was because of the cold, but rather for the comfort of the action.

“How long have you been lost?”

“Mmnn.” Jon fell into thought. “Two days?”

“That’s a long time.”

“Mhmm.”

“Uh, well…” Adam turned to look at Ylra. Ylra’s eyebrows were raised, and she held her face in a way to think.

“It’s fortunate that we met, frosted one,” Ylra said. “Let us return to our camp. We have need to speak with your people.”

“You want to talk with my people?” Jon asked.

“Yes, it is of great importance.”

“Okay…” Jon looked to Adam for support, but Adam just shrugged.

“Are you hungry?” Adam asked.

“Yes,” Jon said.

With that, Adam and Ylra escorted the giant child to the camp, where the rest of the party remained.

“A frosted one’s child?” Elowen said, looking to Adam.

“It seems so,” he replied. “He’s hungry.”

“Then let’s eat,” Elowen said, offering the boy a bowl.

‘I think he’s going to need more than that.’