"So. Tell me what you know about the Glaciers, Arthur," Shivam said, munching on a chicken sandwich.

The trio, along with Took and Arthur, had travelled relentlessly for the last few days. They were now closer to the Glaciers, as they could tell by the morning mist and the chill that came along with it. So they sat huddled together--well, not really, for Tiyasha kept an honourable distance--and ate their breakfast as the sun shed its weak morning light.

"It's a cold place," Arthur said, looking gloomily at bowl of boiled vegetables. "Say. Can I borrow one of your sandwiches? I mean, you got, like, ten of them."

"O sure. Go on. Only one though. It'll be some time until we stop to lunch and I don't wanna be hungry," Shivam said.

Arthur greedily grabbed one of the sandwiches from the pile near Shivam's feet (they were all nicely wrapped and everything), and it turned into smoke in his hand. He sighed. "I wonder what I have done to deserve vegetables all the time."

"Man I sure would hate to be in your position," Josh said, chuckling. Took chuckled along with him. The Trickster Tiffinbox had given Took roastwd ducks to feast on.

Tiyasha didn't smile. She was looking at Shivam. As they came closer to the dreaded Glaciers, she wondered what lay in store for her in the future. How would she survive amidst all that snow and frost in a saree was one of her pressing problems at the moment. Strangely enough, none of the men seemed to be bothered about their obvious lack of proper garments for hiking through chains of snow mountains and frozen valleys. Men. God bless them. Or blast them. She couldn't really care.

Or maybe she did? Now Tiyasha found herself wondering once again what would happen to her if Shivam found the Shadowblade, defeated Blikrot, turned the Imoogi dragon back into Aparajita by using the Shadowblade, and went back to wherever he came from holding her hands and kissing her lips.

Where was her place in such a sequence of events?

In Arthur's bed. Who would then become the next king. Probably chained down and gagged too, for good measure. Yeah, that sounded promising.

Tiyasha shuddered and looked at Arthur from the corner of the eye. She didn't like the way Arthur looked at her sometimes. In fact, Arthur had begun giving her the creeps ever since she proclaimed her love for Shivam back in the MediMen's Town. Of course, stupidest Shivam still seemed to have no fucking clue about that, and he was busy being dead back then. Blast him.

Maybe she shouldn't feel so horrid about Arthur, as she did, at times. Yes, he was a power hungry freak, and yes., he seemed to be turning into a woman-lusty power hungry freak, but still, he had journeyed with them for long enough, and he had never really done anything that could be criticized. She should be trusting a fellow traveller, shouldn't she?

Tiyasha shook her head. Blast them all. Specially Shivam, who had only become more irritating with his habit of unpredictable forgetfulness. Maybe she should just summon the skulls of Medusa and get rid of them of all. All save Josh and Took, maybe. They didn't do nothing.

"....Winter Dragon's lair," Arthur was saying.

"Ah, another dragon we have to meet, I guess?" Shivam said.

"It's not so easy to get a glimpse of a Winter Dragon," Took joined in the conversation. 'Professor Took, the specialist on Dragon Lore,' Josh thought to himself and smiled.

"A Winter Dragon, unlike other Dragons, never leaves his or her habitat. They are extremely shy, yet extremely powerful. They control the Winter seasons on Heart," Took informed them further.

"And legends say only a Winter Dragon can take you to The Temple of Eclipse, which, of course, houses the Shadowblade," Arthur said.

"Wait, wait. So we'll have to ride a dragon or something?" Josh wheezed, face round with anxiety.

"No. They will ride a dragon if necessary. You are gonna walk. With me," Took confirmed.

"Ok guys. Let's get going. How far are we from the Glaciers?" Shivam asked.

"At the pace we are travelling, it shouldn't take more than a few days to get to Weaver's Residence, the nearest human habitat to the Glaciers. From there, it would take maybe half an hour. God bless those popcorns," Arthur said.

"And we'll just run into the Glaciers, in these clothes, and freeze to death," Tiyasha said, breaking her long silence.

"I've thought about that. Comfortably, though, the people in Weaver's Residence weave clothes," Arthur said nonchalantly.

"And they'll have something that can resist the cold of the Glaciers?" Tiyasha asked pointedly. Arthur remained silent.

"Let's just go, folks. We can't fear cold now. It's a bit late in the day for such things. We should be worried about Blikrot, if anything," Shivam said.

So they used their magic popcorns, and went flying with the wind.

*******

Thoughts?

**************

PLEASE VOTE! THE RANKING OF THIS BOOK NEEDS A BOOST!