[Open by request]
"Blast!" Adelaide cursed loudly, her breath coming out in a frosty cloud. For the past two hours she had been wandering around the Sionad Tundra, trying to find her way to the village of Hyoite with little luck. This was the third time she had passed by that barren dead tree, and she knew it was the same one as there was precious few trees in this place, regardless of whether they were alive or dead. The black gnarled tree branches were jagged and with sharp pointy edges, its very presence seemed to mock her lack of direction with its desolate appearance. Or perhaps she was just letting her frustrations get to her too much. Why she couldn't find the darn village was something that was puzzling her. The mage never had this much trouble before, why now?
She was debating about whether to turn around and try to retrace her steps, when suddenly she saw a white beastly shape running towards her, its fierce claws raised above its head and letting out a bone chilling howl of rage and hunger. It was a Yeti. Adelaide had only come across two of them before now but none of those had noticed her and she wisely kept out of their sight. This one however came barreling towards her, looking for all the world a dangerous beast determined to find its next meal.
On instinct, Adelaide focused her icy energies within her and quick as she was able, formed a block of ice at the beast's feet, encasing them in ice. The creature roared at her, and struggled to break free of the makeshift prison its feet were trapped in. Finally, the Yeti managed to break free of the frozen block and once again, came charging at her. But Adelaide was ready. From her outstretched palm, an icy projectile came soaring through the air and headed straight for the snowy creature's left eye. The bolt embedded itself there, making the creature roar in agony and frantically claw at its damaged eye trying to get the projectile loose. Blood was now coming out of the wound and running down the creature's arms and chest. Adelaide didn't waste any time and kept flinging magical ice bolts at the beast as it struggled with its injury and kept trying to advance on her. After what seemed like hours had passed but was probably only a few minutes, the Yeti fell down face forward into the snow, blood continuing to pool around its head soaking into the icy terrain beneath it. It did not get back up. She waited to see if it would, but the creature continued to lay there, unmoving.
Cautiously, the ice mage went over there and prodded the beast with her snow boot. Nothing. No movement. She kicked the yeti over on its back. It eyes open wide unseeing, her icy weapon still partially embedded in the creature's eye, blood continuing to ooze out. The creature was dead. Adelaide let out a shaky breath. That was rather close, she thought.
Sighing she turned around away from the now dead beast, and continued on as before, trying to find her way to Hyoite. The icy wind whipped around her, blowing her hair in her eyes and making her eyes slightly water from the sheer coldness of it all. If she could manage to find her way she was going to make a stop at the inn there, rent a room and rest and recover her magical energies. Her mana reserve was more than halfway depleted, and she felt tired after the fight too. Adelaide needed rest. She wasn't going to risk resting here in case anymore of those creatures decided to attack. The mage would not give them the element of surprise. Another hour passed with Adelaide still searching for the village albeit unsuccessfully.
Today was just NOT her day.
