The Last Blood Mage

Ice Shelter And Future Plans

By the fourth day of their relentless trek toward the Cold Mountains, the landscape had shifted dramatically. The once dense forests had given way to open, windswept plains, and the mountains themselves loomed ever closer, their peaks shrouded in ice and snow. The weather had turned bitterly cold, a sharp contrast to the relatively mild conditions they had left behind.

Xander, wrapped in as many layers as he could manage without impeding his movement, was visibly miserable. Every breath came out in a frosty cloud, and he kept rubbing his hands together in a futile attempt to generate warmth. "I hate this," he grumbled, his voice muffled by the scarf wrapped around his face. "Why couldn't these damn monks live somewhere tropical? Somewhere with sun, sand, and maybe a nice beach."

Atheria, leading the way with a map in hand, couldn't suppress her amusement at Xander's discomfort. "Oh, come on, Xander. A little cold never hurt anyone. Besides, think of it as... character building," she t