The path wound through rough ice peaks that rose toward the gray sky, leading the group deeper and deeper into the uncharted territory of the island. Sliske carried the strange corpse, which began to glow with blue light.
"We're close now," Zaros said.
"True," responded Azzanadra, holding up his vial. The red vial was almost completely white, while the blue was as strong as ever.
The path wound through a canyon, with tall ice walls rising on either side. They entered the canyon, and the path carried them upward. At the mouth of the canyon, they saw a path that would lead up to an ice spire, the tallest point on the island.
"I think that's it," Azzanadra said. "The gate should be up there."
"Let's see," Zaros replied, and the group continued toward the mouth of the canyon. They were at about the halfway mark when the wintery silence of the island was suddenly broken.
"Who goes there?" called out a voice from the rim of the canyon. All three heads spun to find the strange visitor. It was a tall man, looking down on them with bright blue eyes. His skin was dark gray, and his hair was white and shining.
"No humans may pass," he croaked, and he leapt into the valley, falling in front of them.
"We are Mahjarrat," claimed Azzanadra. "Allow us to pass."
The man's eyes seemed to widen, but he spoke calmly. "No humans." He then pulled back his arm, and thrust it forward. As he made his movement, a chunk of the ice wall separated and broke into hundreds of tiny shards, which then shot at the group like bullets.
Azzanadra, Sliske, and Zaros jumped away, just as the spot where they had stood was bombarded by ice. "You like ice?" asked Zaros. "Then eat this!"
Zaros held out his arm, willing the ice to spring forth and trap the strange Mahjarrat before him. However, the ice wouldn't emerge. He tried again with shadow, and once more with blood, but nothing.
"I can't use my magic," he said.
The Mahjarrat looked him right in the eye. "Die, human."
27-Dec-2008 04:18:04
