5

~Akara

Snow laced wind whips against my face, as I nudge my horse on.

It took me a day to prepare. Fran pointed me in the direction of someone who could lend us horses and enough gear to take us partially up the mountain. We also attained a map, which thankfully highlights that the Snow Demon territory is relatively close to the base of the mountain.

Marek should be there. He will be there.

"Do you have any idea how dangerous this is," Nakoa yells over the wind as we continue our trek upward, our horses sludging through the thick snow. She was wary about this yesterday, and now, she seems to be moments away from turning back around.

"If it's so dangerous, why did you agree to come with me?" I ask over my shoulder.

I feel bad dragging her up here just to find a man she still distrusts. I spent all night encouraging her to stay behind, to look out for herself, but she insisted. Part of me wonders if it's because she thinks I won't make it back, or that I'll turn into a Tani before I get a chance to lay eyes on Marek again.

"There is nothing for me back at Tai's estate," she exclaims, pushing her horse to line up with mine. We are making slow progress, but it's steady. We should be where we need to be by tomorrow evening. "There is nothing for me anywhere."

I watch her for a moment, sad. So much of her life has been destroyed too, including when she lost Evolet.

"Do you have your weapons?" I ask.

"The sword?" she asks, dark eyes widening slightly. She was apprehensive when I passed it to her this morning. I couldn't let her come up this mountain, where a Tani lurks, without something to defend herself if it ever comes down to it. Unfortunately the man who gave us our gear only had a sword to offer Nakoa. "Yes, but I have no idea how to use it."

"I'll protect you," I assure her.

Leaning down, I grab the dagger I have stored on my horse, showing it to her. I'm hoping I still know how to wield this thing, since it's been awhile since I've needed to. And since I drank from the river, I've been weaker...

"He taught you how to use that dagger, didn't he," Nakoa breathes, shivering. I can hardly see much of her face considering ow much of it is covered by thick layers and a covering.  But I can see her eyes, more curious than ever.

"He gave me the dagger," I admit. For some reason I could never bring myself to get rid of it, even when I hated him.

Now I'm hoping it will bring me right to him.

"Are you ready to kill the Snow Demon, if we have to?" Nakoa asks anxiously. The trek up here doesn't unnerve her, the Tani does. I can't blame her, I'm scared of coming across it too, since Marek lost his sister to it. But Marek could be up here for a long time if we don't go, and there is a chance, no matter how small, that the Snow Demon can, and will kill Marek.

"I'm hoping wherever the Snow Demon is, Marek is," I say surely, trying to give her hope that he has already killed it, and we won't have to worry about that part, even if I don't believe it myself. "So on that logic, we shouldn't have to kill it."

Nakoa doesn't say anymore, so we just ride, silent as we stare at the endless amounts of snow and rocky outcrops. Eventually our horses tire, and it becomes so cold I can't feel my fingers and toes, so we pause for the night in a nearby cave, and eat by the fire.

We don't just stay there the night.

Upon waking, we are met with a cold, white wall of a blizzard. We creep back into the cave more with our horses, and do the best we can to keep warm, until all our food has been eaten, and the only way we can keep warm is by huddling close to each other.

By the third day, the dark realisation that neither Nakoa or I are cut out for this hits, as we sit at the mouth of the cave, staring out through the valley.

"This isn't worth it anymore, Akara," she mutters hopelessly. It feels strange hearing her voice, since we haven't spoken in hours, opting instead for the constant soundtrack of wind whipping past the mouth of the cave. "Let's just turn back before we are no more than corpses in this snowy labyrinth."

"The map says we are in the Snow Demon's territory. He's got to be around here somewhere," I say.

If we leave...Nakoa and I both know that means I may never see Marek again.

"We could be looking for days...Akara, I'm hungry, and I'm-" Nakoa breaks off, narrowing her eyes, she looks out toward the edge of the valley. I follow her gaze, tilting my head to see past the rock in my way. "Oh, it's him."

It could be anyone, stalking through the snow with their head bowed, layered in black clothing, a large weapon strapped on their back. But I know exactly who it is, in this part of the mountain, looking like that.

"Marek!" I yell out, stumbling to my feet.

He pauses, quite awhile away, although my voice echoes through the valley, catching his attention. For a moment, he doesn't move, as if he can't believe that he's seeing two people standing at the mouth of a cave with two impatient horses pawing at the ground. I call out again, waving my hands excitedly.

My heart is racing, as he turns and starts jogging towards us. Nakoa stays with the horses as I rush out stopping as he does, right in front of me, gaping. For a moment there is just silence, neither of us moving.

"I'm just imagining you..." he breathes, looking over me with widened eyes.

It's been so long since I last saw him, I almost have forgotten how beautiful he is. He wears a face covering, so only above his nose is visible, but it's enough to have my heart fluttering. His blue eyes are so much bolder than I remember, which may be because his silvery blue marking is back, raining down his forehead beneath wispy bronze hair.

"No, it's me. I'm alive," I assure him, stepping forward to grab his arms, shaking him slightly. He is staring at me like I'm a ghost, meaning he truly did believe I had perished in the river.

He looks as though he could collapse. "How?"

I can't wait a moment longer. I fall into his arms, letting him embrace me so tightly it almost hurts. All the cold within me seems to vanish, a warmth unlike anything physical overcoming me.

"I survived the river, Marek. I lost a lot of my memory because of it, but I'm alive," I explain. For the first time in a long time, I feel something near to elation. I thought Marek was dead too, so seeing him, feeling him makes this entire trek and hours of near starvation worth it. 

He pulls away, and I'm almost tempted to not let him, until I see the concern written all over his face. "Are you..."

"Tani? I don't know yet, I don't feel much different, but I'm not sick anymore," I note, motioning to my stomach. By now, I would have collapsed if I did, meaning whatever happened in that river, it healed me of Tai's magic. "We came up here to find you. Vaia destroyed Tai's estate, and now he's missing."

He breathes out his nose, before he embraces me again, resting his hand against the back of my head. He smells like pine and spice, like old memories, good and bad. But through all of that, he smells safe. Even if there is plenty more to worry about, none of it matters in this moment.

"I thought you were dead," he breathes into my hair.

"You look horrible," I note, trying to sound amused to lighten the mood as I pull away from him, examining him. His hair is slightly more overgrown then when I last saw him, making him look so unkempt. He would almost look feral if it weren't for those soft eyes of his that are nothing but grateful to see me.

Will Tai have the same reception...I mean, he should do, but will I feel the same way about reuniting with him as I have with Marek?

"I...I can't believe you're alive," he stutters, as if he is still trying to make sense of it in his head. I can't imagine what he's been through these past few weeks. "I intended on killing the Snow Demon, but now...Now I don't know what I want."

"Come back down to the village with me. Let's get our bearings and come up with a plan, I insist, gesturing for him to follow me further up the hill some more toward the cave, where Nakoa watches on.

"Okay. Akara, I-"

I raise my hand, already knowing what he wants to say. I can't hear anything like that right now, about how he feels about me, or anymore about what has happened these past few months. With what has been revealed about Tai on Evolet's deathbed, I have a lot to think about.

"We will talk, alright?" I assure him. And we will, when we aren't up a mountain in the snow, with Nakoa right here.

Marek nods his head, glancing up at Nakoa who smiles tightly, still uneasy about the hunter. He expression falls, however, as she looks over our shoulders.

"Uh, guys," she says shakily. "I don't think we are leaving this cave."

Both Marek and I turn to follow her gaze, and I realise with overwhelming dread, what I'm looking at...The Snow Demon.

And it's holding Tai.