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Following the next hint from Ceres, Kuro and his party travel to what remains of the frozen continent. It sits sadly in the sea, nothing more than rocks and a few snowy peaks, the place could barely be called an iceberg. But this was in 1049. Kuro had gotten a keen sense for finding Magiliths, Velvet nearly jumping for joy at discovering a new one. He holds the odd controller to the pillar causing a now familiar blue light to emerge and pull them through time.
This time, they awoke on ground that was frozen rock solid. Ice and snow now covered the barren landscape, “949.” Velvet was quick to note, “The frozen continent is still just that, in this time.”
“It feels odd to be back in my era,” Menos speaks, “And to not be near Demonia.” he shakes his head, “No, we tried. We failed.... Forgive me, Father, Reno. I should not dwell on that. Let us hurry and find this key fragment.”
Fina turns towards the exit of the cavern, “For being a frozen continent, it feels warm in here. I hope this place isn't already melting.” Kuro doesn't speak and joins Fina in leading the way out of the cavern. “Ah!” Fina cries out suddenly hugging her arms close to her torso, “Forget what I just said! It's freezing out here! Brrr!”
Kuro shivers and rubs his arms, “Just keep moving, and we'll stay warm. Maybe there's a village. Velvet? Menos? Any history you can offer?”
Velvet shakes her head, holding her arms close to her body, “There was never any mention of natives on here. Only of the explorer Largo mounting an expedition. Maybe I'll get to meet him!”
“Let's focus on getting out of this cold f-first,” Menos shivers rubbing his arms as well.
Kuro nods taking the lead once more as they trek through the snow and howling wind. The icy ground proved to be a hazard in its attempts to trip anyone who placed their foot incorrectly. They took what little shelter they could in the tree line but the wind was growing merciless, seeming to pour from the mountain peaks. Snow starts to fall and sticks tightly to anything exposed and leaves an icy bite.
“I th-think a blizzard is t-trying to hit!” Fina calls out walking with her head bowed into the mighty wind, “Kuro! We n-need to find some shelter! We won't last out here.”
“Miss Fina is correct,” Menos calls over the wind as he walks with one arm shielding his face, “We will freeze in these conditions!”
Kuro looks over one shoulder at them, “I-If you see something, I'm open to s-s-suggestions!”
Fina yelps again as a powerful wind forces them to stop and brace against it, “This is getting insane! Velvet! C-can't your ice powers d-d-do something!?”
“They can make this worse!” she answers, “I c-can only control the ice I make, not what nature th-throws at me!”
“S-s-solid S-snail!” Menos shouts, “To your r-right! I think I see some form of sh-shelter! Just beyond those trees!”
Kuro nods and turns, bowing into the wind as he walks, trying to protect his face from the ice shards the rising blizzard carries, “C-call me crazy! But I think something, or someone doesn't want us here!” He looks up and squints through the blizzard, “There! Menos! I see it! Everyone! Follow me!”
“K-Kuro!” Fina calls out, “I can barely see you!”
Kuro reaches behind himself and grabs Fina's hand, “I'm right here! Don't let go!”
“F-Fina!” Velvet calls out and reaches to grab her other hand, “D-don't leave me!”
“I g-got you Velvet!” Fina answers.
Menos reaches forward and grasps his large hand around the handle of Velvet's backpack, “F-Follow Solid Snail! He will g-get us to sh-shelter!”
Velvet calls back to him, “Don't let go Menos!”
“I do not intend to!” he answers as Kuro half pulls half leads his friends into the cave and out of the rising blizzard.
Inside the cave, it was still frigid, the howling wind whistles across the entrance and deposits a line of snow and ice as it passes. They retreat further inside, and Fina finally drops to her knees and hugs her body close, “Brrr! Cold! Why did it have to be s-somewhere cold! I hate the c-cold!” she shudders and shivers as she rubs her arms, “My whole body is n-numb!
Kuro knells next to her and begins to brush the snow away from her clothes and hair, “You'll warm up in a moment. Don't worry.”
Velvet shakes the snow out of her hair and quickly brushes it off of herself before shuddering and breathing into her hands, “W-we need a f-fire! Oh s-so c-cold. I should have worn something warmer!” After getting partial feeling back in her hands, she reaches into her backpack looking for any sort of fire making supplies, “All I have is flint but no fuel. We can't get wood in this blizzard.”
Kuro looks up and around the cavern, “Up there! There's some fire wood. Someone must have left it.” He runs for the wall and jumps but falls just short, “Oh come on.” he growls and makes the running jump once more, “Come here!” he shouts at the precious fuel stays just out of reach.
Menos violently shakes his head and shoulders then shivers as he knocks the snow from his exposed torso, “L-let me try.” With a nod, Kuro back away allowing the demon as much space as needed for a running start. Menos takes a moment to line up his attack before racing at the wall and jumps. With a sweep of his right hand, he bats the fire wood down, causing dried pieces of tender to fall with it, “T-there we go. That will be enough f-for a s-start.”
Velvet nods, “It'll do.” She moves quickly to start the much needed fire, managing to coax the crimson flames from the wood.
“Alright right V-Velvet!” Fina cheers and quickly moves to sit by the fire, “I thought I was going to freeze for sure!”
Menos was still shivering madly, “Cursed guards s-stealing my shirt in the name of s-sport!” He snarls as he teeth chatter.
“Alright big guy, get close,” Kuro had to walk behind and practically shove Menos towards the fire, “You're the most exposed out of all of us.” He then moves to sit between Menos and Fina, a shudder engulfing him as well.
“It's amazing you didn't get frostbite,” Velvet notes as she flexes her hands, “Always hurts when the feeling comes back to your hands.”
Menos shakes his head, “I have l-little worry for f-f-frostbite. Demons have significantly tougher skin than a human.”
Fina turns to him, “Tough skin or not you are the only one out of us not wearing a shirt! Your body is exposed. And I don't care that demons do run hotter than humans, walking around in a blizzard in our summer clothes is a horrible idea! You could defiantly get frostbite in a blizzard!” Menos was caught off guard from the sudden snap in his direction but doesn't respond, choosing to focus on the fire instead.
They sit and try to get warm as the angry blizzard howls just beyond the entrance. Velvet turns to look behind Kuro and Fina, “I don't think this storm is going to stop anytime soon. We should sleep here the night.”
“In here?!” Fina was quick to protest, “But... but it's still cold! Even with the fire. I can't sleep when its this cold. Not without a lot of blankets.”
“We have blankets,” Kuro notes, “Remember? We found some in my house from 1050.” He pulls out his own back pack and fishes out some blankets, “See? We'll be fine.”
Menos shakes his head, “The ground is still cold, Solid Snail. It is foolish sleep without something between it and us.”
“Then use a thicker blanket for a mattress and we bundle up in the rest of them,” Fina answers with a smile, “It'll be like camping!”
“I have a feeling we have two different very ideas of camping, Miss Fina,” Menos answers.
Fina groans, “It's not a war camp, Menos. It's camping, for fun! Sleep in the wilderness, watch the stars at night. My dad and I used to camp when I was little. But I always woke up back home, never in the tent.”
Velvet moves to help Kuro sort out the blankets, “This heavy blanket will make for a good barrier. Looks like it's big enough for all of us to sleep on as well. Although, we will probably have to bunch up some.”
“But that'll keep us warmer if we sleep close together under the blankets,” Fina notes, “and we won't freeze.”
Velvet nods, “Good point.” Her and Kuro stand up and spread the large heavy blanket out closer to the back side of the cave while semi close to the fire, “Ta-da! Instant bed.”
“That's a blanket, not a bed,” Menos points out.
Velvet disagrees with a shake of her head, “A blanket, sleeping bag, or a patch of grass. Any of those can be a bed if you are tired enough. I doubt you had actual beds in the army.”
Menos was silent for a moment as he ponders her statement, “Well... they were stuffed with dry grass. They were not just a blanket on the ground.”
“Details, details,” Kuro remarks, “We have a place to sleep. And it is warm. That is what matters.”
“Exactly!” Fina chirps, moving to sit on the heavy blanket turn bed, “And this will keep the cold off of us. At least, the ground cold.”
Kuro digs through his sack some more and pulls out a lighter blanket which he then teasingly throws it over Fina with a smirk, “Here you go. You still look cold.”
“Hey!” Fina shouts as she pulls the blanket off then re-wraps it around herself, “Thanks. I'll be warm in a bit.
The red head grins, and in turn offers Velvet a similar blanket before going to Menos and holding out one for him as well, “Here. It'll help you get warm.”
Menos politely takes the blanket and drapes it around his shoulders, “Thank you, Solid Snail.”
The three humans shuffle on the heavy blanket some as they lay down and Kuro drapes another blanket over the three of them. Velvet looks up to see the lone demon hasn't moved, “Menos? Are you going to come sleep? Or at least get warm?”
Menos shakes his head, “Someone should keep watch.”
Fina laughs, “Who in their right mind would try to attack in this blizzard? No one that's who.”
“Sneak attacks can happen, Miss Fina” Menos notes in a grim tone.
Kuro shrugs, “Suit yourself.”
“Kuro!” Velvet speaks up in complaint.
“What?” he asks, “I'm not going to force him.”
“I will be fine, Miss Velvet,” Menos replies, “I have the fire and a blanket. I will keep watch. You three sleep.”
Velvet sighs as she joins Kuro and Fina in a slight cuddle pile, “You're going to freeze.” she groans as they drift into sleep.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Night falls and the blizzard doesn't let up. Menos sticks to his words and stays by the fire, watching the cave entrance for intruders but only observes a build up of ice and snow. But as the sun drops below the horizon, the temperature plummets as well and the blanket was no longer sufficient to keep him warm. He kept adjusting his orientation to the fire but any side that was previously warm, quickly chilled once turned from the heat. At one point during the night he heard Kuro get up and grab another blanket to cover himself and the two females with. Kuro had gestured for Menos to join them but the demon refused once more.
Hugging himself tightly, Menos shivers, his teeth chattering as he tries to simply will himself to be warm. His shuddering sounds don't go unnoticed. Velvet stirs from her sleep upon hearing him and softly speaks, “Menos?”
He turns at his name to find Velvet awake while Kuro and Fina were sound asleep. Fina was curled tightly between Kuro and Velvet; Kuro, in turn, had one arm wrapped around her and Velvet. They were not shivering and it looked like a warm setup. It looked familiar but Menos couldn't place how or why.
With help from the fire's low light, Menos watches as Velvet first replaces her glasses then rubs the empty spot on the blanket meant for him. He shakes his head in protest once more and pulls his own blanket tighter around him but another shiver betrays him. Velvet then lightly pats the spot and gestures for him to come over with a smile. Once again, he shakes his head. She frowns at him then mimes his shivering before cuddling herself closer to Fina and pulling the shared blanket against her. Menos shakes his head a third time followed by pointing to Kuro and Fina then miming them being asleep followed by crossing his wrists in a 'x' shape. Velvet glares at him, pointing one finger at him then pointing at the spot meant for him. Once again, he shakes his head, then quickly buries his face into his elbow to muffle a sneeze. She narrows her eyes and points at his spot on the blanket again in a threatening manner.
Menos shivers again but this time, he nods and moves over to join them. Velvet smiles and gives him a moment to curl onto the blanket bed before tossing a portion of the shared blanket over him. His body felt like ice next to hers, she tugs on his arm to get him to cuddle closer to the three of them, which he does so without complaint.
A short, 'brrr' escapes Menos' throat as he tries to warm up. Kuro blinks and looks up at the noise seeing Menos had finally taken his spot. With a smile, he grabs another blanket and tosses it over to him. Menos gladly takes the end of the blanket and pulls it tight around his frigid frame. With some time, the cold begins to melt away and feeling returns to his body. He suddenly feels Velvet shiver. Of course now she was cold, he was almost frozen when he joined. Menos pauses in thought then cuddles his now warm frame closer to her and drapes one arm over her and Fina. Velvet happily accepts as she warms back up and removes her glasses once more. At last, the four of them were able to sleep soundly through the night with their combined warmth and shared blankets. The blizzard didn't stand a chance at freezing them.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
As was typical with each morning, Kuro was the first to wake up. The fire had nearly died during the night, leaving only a few lonely embers glowing under the white ash. As much as he enjoyed the warmth of the blankets, they had to keep searching for this Magi key fragment. Taking care not to disturb Fina or the others, he slides out from under the blankets and gently tucks his end back around Fina. The green haired human shuffles slightly but remains asleep.
With a nod, Kuro turns to the dead fire and begins to bring it back to life. He first inhales deeply then exhales near the bottom of the smoldering charcoal. The white ash flies away and makes for the cave entrance as the embers begin to grow brighter. With the aide of some tinder, the fire ignites once more and happy eats the dried wood.
However, the popping and crackling wood was enough to wake Fina. With a groan then a yawn, she stretches out and looks around the cavern, “Morning....” she mutters before rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
Velvet was the next to stir, habitually fishing for her glasses and replacing them before stretching as well. But her efforts were cut short as Menos, still asleep and softly snoring, suddenly hugs her tighter against his side. A bright blush crosses Velvet's face as she turns to look at him but Menos didn't acknowledge his motions.
A snicker was heard from Fina and Kuro was trying his best not to laugh. Velvet simply gave both of them a glare as she tried to free herself. But, his hold on her, even subconsciously, was far to strong and the human remained stuck in his affectionate embrace. “Help...” she finally whispers after a few more attempts.
Menos finally speaks in a very sleepy tone, “Go back to sleep, Reno.”
Fina's eyes sparkle with an idea as she gets up and lightly pushes against Menos' back, “Dad? Dad come on. Get up.”
“Not yet, Reno,” Menos answers in the same sleepy tone, “Wait for the Sun....”
“Come on Dad!” Fina speaks continuing her charade, “The Sun is up. Come on! You said we were going on an adventure!”
Menos yawns, “Okay... okay...,” he answers, lifting one hand to gently stroke Velvet's hair which caused her blush to burn brighter. He finally opens his eyes and turns to look over his shoulder. But instead of finding his energetic son, Fina greets him with a smile, “Miss Fina!” He narrows his eyes at her as she backs away from him, “That was cruel.”
“Sorry, Menos,” Fina answers, “But you weren't waking up.”
“Can you let go of me, please?” Velvet speaks up trying to free herself once more.
“Huh?” Menos questions then looks down to see himself holding Velvet in a protective embrace, “Ah!” He leaps from the mass of blankets a deep red blush now crossing his face as well, “Miss Velvet! I- uh...um.”
Fina suddenly bursts into laughter as Velvet gets up and moves away from him, “Aw come on you two. That looked rather adorable! Don't you think so Kuro?”
“Yes,” Kuro answers with a nod as both of them laugh at their friends' expense.
Velvet couldn't seem to fan away her blush fast enough, “Alright that's enough out of both of you. Let's go find this key fragment, shall we?”
“Yes, of course,” Menos answers eager to move on from this embarrassing state of affairs.