(13B) The Lands of Ralosia: The Ichino Tundra (7k Words)

The Masked One strikes again!

Aero has lived with the tribe of wolf riders around Lupine Lake for some time, and their chief deems it time that he joins their ranks proper, but the boy doesn't feel that he's ready for such a commitment. When Aero hears of the prison break of the outlaw Cook, he heads towards the snowy Ichino Tundra to bring him back in.

(2/8/21) Self edited, Audio Edited, and Peer Edited

Peer editing by @mikrokosmostae

Peer editing by Mikrokosmostae

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~Chapter 1- Prison Break~

~Age 990 B~

         The Masked One looked down at a peaceful lakeside community of people who live off the lands. The tendrils of the full face mask wrapped around the boy's head wriggled vigorously. He wore a hood to hide them. They were reacting to his proximity to the village surrounding Lupine Lake and what was there. Their teepee homes were stitched together from animal pelts.

         The Masked One dug into his pockets and pulled out several orbs, some conjoined together, others hanging loosely on their own. There were two blue orbs, three green ones, a pink one and a yellow one. The duplicate orbs were of no use to him - he needed the complete set of five for these to be of any use. All he needed was a red one. There was one lying in wait in that community in the hands of a 15-year-old boy named Aero.

         After weeks of watching, the Masked Boy determined that Aero always kept the orb on him. He considered going down there, attacking him, and finally completing his set. But the black-haired boy was strong, and the tribe of wolf riders was truly fearsome, with many great warriors. There was no way he'd be able to handle all of them. Either he'd have to separate Aero from the tribe, or he'd have to find another orb.

         The Masked One jumped into the air and began to drift through the air. He flew north, towards the Ichino Mountains, a region yet unexplored by him. There was a shrill in the air as snow started to form in the air.

         The boy landed near a home that had a clothesline of garments splayed out. He looked for the warmest-looking clothes and took it for himself before flying back into the air. The coat was oversized for him, but it would help him stave off the cold.

         As he drew closer to the turbulent and freezing weather of the Ichino mountain range, the tendrils of the boy's mask began to wriggle slightly, becoming more vigorous as he ventured. There had to be an orb nearby.  He flew in the direction that produced the strongest reaction from the mask until he came upon a large snow-covered mountain. He circled the mountain until he honed in on the orb's location.

         The boy walked across packed snow towards a cave, and the mask's tendrils chaotically moved around him. Another orb must be inside. But with the cold, he needed to be quick; it wouldn't be safe to stay in this weather for long.

         He came upon the mouth of the cave, which was completely covered in a thick sheet of ice. He flew through the air and delivered a stern kick to the wall, and it cracked at his impact. Yet, the wall withstood his strength. He stood back and pointed his finger, and a bright purple beam burst from it and struck the ice, yet it still stood.

         The boy punched at the air several times, and bursts of purple light emerged from him each time, striking the ice wall. It certainly damaged it, but only slightly. At this rate, he'd be at it for quite some time. By then, he'd freeze.

         He grimaced; he'd need help to get through the ice. But he smirked as he thought of one who might be able to help.

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         In the eastern region of Ichino, there was a prison embedded in one of the snowy mountains dotting the region. A facility that detained the strongest of the land's criminals, those too powerful to be held anywhere else. The cells and handcuffs were built from a powerful metal forged in the Weld Mountains to the south, and the guards were all trained to combat these prisoners. Nearly all of the staff there were either the rocky Densius or the Mecarne, with their reflective-looking flesh. Both people were immune to the cold.

         Among the many prisoners, there were two Mecarne known as Cook and Chill. The teal-colored Chill had learned how to store cold within his body and release it at will, while the bright orange Cook learned to do the same with heat.

         Chill was detained at the lowest floor of the prison where the furnace was kept hot all year round; the prisoners there would have to sweat it out. A place where Chill couldn't use his abilities. Meanwhile, his brother Cook was imprisoned like any other criminal. Brisk winds from outside openly passed into his cell.

         Cook led the guards to believe that all of the heat he stored into his body had been expended, but he was saving a small store of it for the day he would escape; he just needed the proper opening. He was biding his time.

         The first thing Cook would do once he escaped was pay to kid Aero a visit, the one who defeated him, and put him in prison in the first place. But with Warden Celcius's command over the prison, that would be difficult.

         Cook whistled to himself from within his cell, hoping it might annoy one of the guards enough for them to come around, to provide him with some entertainment.

         Cook heard a struggle outside of his cell, but couldn't see what was happening. A boy wearing an oversized coat, a featureless full face mask, and a leather hood sauntered in front of Cook's cell. His face was almost completely concealed. Only the green glint of his eyes could be seen through the hardened white mask. He couldn't have been more than 15 years old. Cook looked to the boy's hands and saw a series of keys on a metal ring which he jostled around.

         "You want this?" The boy taunted him, running the keys across the bars of his cave. Cook lunged for them, but the Masked One pulled the keys away before he could grab them, "You're Cook, aren't you?"

         "I am," Cook growled.

         "I've heard you're able to expend heat at will. Show me," The boy said.

         "I don't have much stored in my body right now. I don't want to waste it," Cook explained.

         "Very well," The boy promptly began to walk away.

         "No! Wait! Wait!" Cook grasped the bars of the cage and called out to the boy. The Masked One halted and turned back to Cook. The orange-tinted Mecarne procured a small wick of fire at the tip of his finger, "I can do much more than this. But I don't want to waste what I have now."

         The Masked Boy stared coldly before tossing the keys unceremoniously into his cell. Cook clambered for them, and one by one, tried to unlock his cage until he finally found the correct key. He stepped out and saw the guards who would be manning the hallway lying unconscious on the floor.

         "How did you get in here?" Cook asked.

         "That's none of your concern. I'm getting you out of here."

         "We need to set my brother free," Cook insisted.

         "You'll be captured if you try. If you actually want to escape, come with me."

         Cook thought for a moment. He couldn't afford to waste this opportunity. He'd come back for Chill later. "Let's go."

         Cook followed the young man through the halls of the prison. Oddly, he led him up the floors of the prison.

         "We just need to get outside," The boy claimed as they entered a stairwell.

         Cook didn't question him, figuring that the kid must have some plan. In time, the prison guards figured out he had escaped. A loud horn bellowed through the facility. Cook could hear the bustling of steps following behind them in the stairwell. Several guards appeared in their path up the stairs, as did a few behind them.

         Cook cracked his knuckles and faced the three guards below him, each of them had cuffs ready. As long as they didn't manage to cuff him, he should be fine. He darted forward and struck one of the guards square in the face, toppling them down the stairs. Although these guards were well trained, they couldn't match his raw strength.

         The other two grabbed him and he struggled to get out of their grip. While one wrapped his arms around him, the other finagled with handcuffs and tried to force them on.

         A purple burst of light came from above, struck the guard holding the handcuffs, and knocked him down the stairs. Cook broke free from the one grabbing him, delivered a powerful punch to his gut, and tossed him down the stairs as well. When Cook looked towards the source of the light, he saw the Masked One, surrounded by unconscious guards.

         "How did you-" Cook began as he looked at the unconscious guards. He didn't even hear a struggle.

         "Hurry up!" The Masked Boy said, rushing up the flight of stairs.

         Cook and the boy came to a roof where turbulent and snowy weather surrounded them. The Mecarne could see the prison was in unrest at his escape.

         "Okay? What now?" Cook asked.

         The Masked Boy gripped his wrist and began floating into the air. Cook's feet left the ground, and the boy flew through over the prison with him in tow. Cook watched as the distance between him and the prison grew. Who was this boy who appeared from nowhere to save him?