Casting Shadows

[Mini_Bert]

Chapter 13 - Chilled Wind
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Gaia layed on the bed, staring at the ceiling. It had to be nearly midnight, and he seemed to be the only one in bed. The yells and laughter of the villagers, and Zent, were still active not far away. Gaia blocked them out, and let his thoughts flow out. Gaia had many questions, just like every other night. Who is it on the mountains? How will they help? Why did DarkFire run away? his thoughts dragged on, until his eyes grew too heavy to stay open. He pulled a blanket over himself, faced the wall and shut his eyes. The laughter of Zent and Iiar came closer, away from the crowd. As they came in through the door, Zent wobbled slightly as he stepped inside, and Iiar laughed.

"I had no idea small villages were so busy." Zent said as he fell to his bed, Iiar smiled and laughed.

"We're not busy, that's what gives us such a positive outlook on life." Iiar said happily as he walked over to Gaia's sleeping body. "Sound asleep. He's not much of the positive type, is he?" Iiar asked sarcastically, Zent sat up.

"Nope. I don't really know him well, but he seems to always be serious. I don't think it's possible for him to lighten up either." Zent fell to his bed and pulled a blanket over his head.

"Ha, you're such a wimp, Zent. If I didn't have to take you guys up the mountain I'd sit here and laugh at you." Iiar said as he climbed into the third bed, leaving a fourth open. Zent finally noticed the amount of beds.

"Why do you have four beds in here anyway?" Zent asked curiously as he removed the blanket from his head. Iiar sat up, smiled pathetically and laughed quietly. Zent shook his head, and drifted to sleep. Iiar did the same.

Zent rose from his bed, to see that Gaia had already gotten up. He also noticed a girl sleeping next to Iiar, he shook his head. "How does he do that...." Zent said as he grabbed his claws and threw on his robes. As he stepped outside, the sun beat down on his sky blue hair. Zent stared into the sky for a moment, then began to look for Gaia. He walked around the eerily quiet village, looking for Gaia, until he saw him standing by the forest, looking at the mountains. Zent walked next to him.

"Not morning people, are they." Gaia said quietly, still fixated on the mountains. Zent nodded, and before he could open his mouth, Gaia spoke again. "Go wake Iiar, and tell him to leave his girlfriend behind." Gaia commanded, his gaze still unmoved. Zent nodded and headed back to Iiar's house.

A few minutes later, the girl stormed out of Iiar's house, followed by Iiar chasing after her, followed by Zent who caught Iiar by the collar with one of his nails. Iiar still scrambled to catch her, arms flailing, until he gave in and fell, depressed. He stood up and hung his head sadly and walked over to Gaia. "Let's get going...." Iiar said sadly as his spear, strapped to his back, passed by Gaia. Zent and Gaia followed the pathetic Iiar through the forest, until reaching the base of the mounatin, a cold and desolate field, where the grass was yellow and a chilled wind blew softly. Iiar took the depressed look off his face and regained his normal care free look.

"That was fast." Gaia said, not suprised. Iiar turned and put his pathetic smile back on.

"Yes...well....Moveing on!" Iiar said, trying to change the subject. He began to walk up the side of the mountain. The mountain wasn't very steep, at least for the first hour. The chilled wind blew harder as they progressed up the mountain, and the easy walk soon became much more tilted. After another half an hour of walking, the three companions ran into a straight up vertical wall.

"Oh god no...." Iiar sad to himself, "I've never been up this high....sorry, I didn't know. Guess we can just head back." Iiar said pathetically and turned around. Gaia stuck out his arm to stop him, then pointed to Zent; he had his claws dug into the side of the snowy wall, and began to climb up one step at a time. Gaia pointed to a rope tied around his waste, then held up the end for Iiar. He laugh quietly, hung his head and tied the rope on.

The chilling wind was now more of a gale, piercing the clothes of the companions and chilling their skin. They were almost to the top of the vertical wall, and had gotten there with Iiar only falling twice. Iiar lost his footing and dangled from the rope, three times. Zent was straining himself to move forward, slowly. Gaia looked at the exhausted Zent, who could barely hold on.

"We're all going to die." Iiar pestered, Gaia looked down at him angrily as Zent tried to hold on.

"Guys, I'm slipping...." Zent said, his voice strained. Gaia tried to think, and Iiar held on.

"Like I said, we're all--" Iiar started to whine, Gaia interrupted him.

"Oh shutup Iiar! I'm trying to concentrate!" Gaia said, as he closed his eyes, and let go of the wall.

"What are you doing?" Iiar yelled as Gaia dangled, the sudden excess weight strained Zent who let out a yell of pain, and lost grip. They all began to fall, but their fall was cut short as a large sound, like shifting rock was heard, and they landed on a large plate. "I don't remember this being here..." Iiar said, Zent lay down, exhausted. Gaia still kept his eyes close, clenching his fists. Iiar stared at him in wonderment, thinking, what the hell is this guy doing? But his thoughts were cut short, as the sound of shifting rock resounded, only this time it was above them, and happened multiple times. Iiar looked up, too see plates of rock just like the ones they were standing on. He shifted his gaze to Gaia.

"Well, better get moving." Gaia said, as if it was nothing. He got up and boosted himself onto the closest rock plate. Iiar shook his head, and began to wonder who this guy was, and why didn't he do that in the first place? Zent was thinking similar thoughts, but he continued gasping for air. Gaia was already far ahead of the other two, and as he jumped up to the top of the wall, he stood looking at the log cabin with lights burning inside. Zent and Iiar pulled themselves up onto the ledge, and watched as something came.