77 Chapter 77 The Fog (1/2)
They had a big breakfast while Joseph went about stealing mana from the fog touched creatures to keep the fires going. The whole day pa.s.sed quietly. Way too quietly. He hadn't seen a living thing except Stella all day. Even the ice trolls and winter wolves they had seen were already frozen solid. It looked like some of the monsters tried to eat some of the frozen or freezing barbarians that were afflicted with the fog, and it continued to affect the monsters.
When they went to stop for the evening, they were getting close to the northern highlands. The traveling was so much worse. The snow was piling higher and higher. As an adult, this would be challenging, but as a kid its monstrous.
It happened about midnight. Suddenly, a sound like distant thunder rang out over the landscape. Joseph watched the mountainside heave. Frost heaves caused an avalanche and it was headed right for him and Stella. They had no chance of out running it, so he created the tallest and hottest CREATE FIRE that he was capable of right in front of them.
The avalanche was vaporized but the steam hit the rest of the snow and exploded, blowing them both back. They were drenched in water that quickly tried to freeze again. Fortunately, the avalanche stopped but they had to strip their wet clothes off and dry them.
Creating a ring of fire around them by using the selective area on CREATE FIRE, Joseph made sure to face away from Stella. Fortunately, the fire stones had just finished.
Suddenly, he began to smell something.
”Stella?”
”Yes, Master Joseph?”
There was a sizzle.
”Are you cooking something?”
”Yes,” she said in a small voice. ”We lost the pack in the avalanche.”
”Stella, what are you cooking?”
”I found an owl-bear frozen over there.”
Joseph turned before he could think, and saw that she was fully dressed. He was still naked, and his clothes were soaked.
”Stella how did your clothes…”
Her clothes were laid out, drying near the fire. But she's wearing clothes?
”Stella?”
”Oh, these were in my purse.”
”Your purse?”
”Yeah it was 2 points from the system. It stores about a suitcase worth of items.”
'System?'
(YOU'RE A GUY. I WON'T DO MAN PURSES. DON'T ASK.)
'That's not fair.'
(YOU CAN PEE STANDING UP. LIFE ISN'T FAIR ANYWAY.)
”Stella, do you have any clothes I can wear?”
”Of course, Master Joseph. Why didn't you ask?”
He knew his mouth was open, but no words were coming out. She must still be mad about the ice thing. He closed his eyes for a moment, and decided that he would ignore the fact that she had jumped over the five foot flames to retrieve a magically frozen piece of meat, in order to return inside his magical fire to cook it. The energy was better saved for later, he was sure.
It was another long day of trekking across the snow. The cold was enough to hurt their faces when the fire stones started to get weak. The snow was frozen so hard they could walk on it again, but the fire to recharge the fire stones melted several feet of it.
The fog was approaching. Joseph had just finished charging the fire stones, so they waited. He gave Stella's hand a squeeze.
”I'm really nervous.” She just nodded at his words.