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Wilhelm sheathed his blade. His grip on it was tight. The fury in his eyes was rampant.
"Back on the Drakes we have no time for this." He snapped to his men. They nodded and hurried back. One had a black eye and the others all muffled clothing. Wilhelm seemed to look through the Y'kish. "Now move!" He says once everyone is mounted. The Y'kish pant and look rather surprised they weren't killed. They suffered minimal injuries. A couple bruises and black eyes like the soldiers. Due to physical strength but the soldiers training they were about even in damage.

The first Y'kish to speak had a briefly scared look on his face, before it was replaced by anger. "We don't need swords to fight these apes." He said getting to his feet, smoke emanating from the corners of his mouth and nostrils. He inhaled, before letting out a powerful blast of fire from his mouth, sending it flying at Wilhelm.

Jackie shot into action with her sword drawn. She stabbed it into the ground before bellowing "ICE WALL!". Magic shot from her hand, through her sword and into the ground, before a massive wall of ice shot out of the ground between Wilhelm and the Y'kish. The ice wall took the blast. The fire melted through it but quickly lost too much heat to stay ignited, leaving the half melted ice wall between the Y'kish and Wilhelm.

Wilhelm started to lose his temper. This whole mission, its implications, the people on it were all driving him mad.
"We don't have time for this!" He barked with a voice which caused even the Drakes to back down. "If we didn't need to be here we wouldn't! I'd prefer to leave this land and never look at it again. We don't want to be here any more than you want us here." His mouth foamed with saliva as he sucked it back in. The Drakes were put in motion as the Y'kish seemed still in surprise. The soldiers began moving. Silent and frankly afraid of Wilhelm's outburst. His face was surprisingly red despite the cold.

"It would be best if you stood aside." Aldick said. "Despite the sudden show, we are not here to cause any harm. And as Sir Lupen just said, we'd rather not be here right now. So please, allow us to continue on our way." Alrick explained, before moving for his Drake to continue on. Finally the farmers stepped aside, allowing the soldiers to continue on.

"Traitor." The head farmer hissed at Jackie, smoke still coming from the edges of his mouth and nostrils. "Least I'm not dumb enough to pick a fight with a Paladin." Jackie retorted as she continued on. "You better run you cowards!" Shouted one of the other Farmers, who clearly had more anger than sense.

Despite the cold wind the air cracked with warm tension. Wilhelm looked annoyed and in no mood to remain here. However they had a mission which could put the whole Empire at risk. The soldiers silently followed along. He turned to Alrick as he moved past.
"I'm sick of this frozen hell. This better hold up." He glances to Jackie. "That was too close for my liking."

Alrick was quiet as they continued on, not having much to say. Jackie was quiet aswell, alongside the soldiers.

It was a tense trip. No one spoke for over an hour as they made their ways through the snow cloaked landscape. it had a subtle beauty to it. One that Wilhelm couldn't truly enjoy given his history here. Soldiers soon started to speak and by the time a bit past noon. Around two they stopped for a moment as the Drakes snarled. Pulling up the beasts were unshackled and moved over into the side of the road. A slump of meat was thrown to them as they started to have a small meal while they waited. Some soldiers handed Jackie some rations. They were like jerky.

"Thanks." Jackie said, taking the jerky and beginning to eat. "So how long are we gonna be stopped?" Jackie asked. "Long enough for the drakes to eat and have a rest." Alrick said.

"The Drakes can go longer without stopping. They're just defecating." Wilhelm says sniffing the air and scrunching his nose in revulsion. "But we're taking it as a chance to have something to sustain us in the cold." He says leaning against a tree and scanning over the soldiers.

"Regardless I'm certain they wouldn't mind a break to do more than just relieve themselves." Alrick said, as he took some rations as well. "How close are we to the capital?" Asked another soldier.

"These Drakes can travel for about eighteen hours without rest. They're durable animals and were fed earlier." Wilhelm says adamantly. As the soldier asks he tosses him a stern look. "About four hours." He adds looking back to Alrick.

"Closer than I thought." The soldier said, mildly surprised. "Well, like I said, I doubt they're upset about the rest. And further more, we're only four hours from the capital. I think we've got a few hours longer than four left in the day, so I seen o reason to rush." Alrick said.

"Need I remind you of our mission? Sadly we're not here for a pleasant stroll. We're here to investigate something which if our suspicions are correct could ignite another war." Wilhelm says abruptly to Alrick. "This place is also hostile enough without the locals attacking. Last thing we need is an ambush."

"I'm positive our Drakes would notice an ambush long before it happened. Drakes are predatory animals after all." Alrick said. "And whilst I understand our mission, that doesn't mean we should we can't take breaks. As I'm sure you've noticed today hasn't been the best. I'm sure the men would like to have some time to catch their breath and treat what wounds they have." Alrick said.

"You always were soft on the men." He looks out into the forest. "Something isn't right here." His stare was focused and scanning. Like an animal searching for prey. Wilhelm was more on edge than usual. But he could feel something wrong with the air. Could be his emotions and opinions of this place or something else. Something unnatural.But before Alrick could get in another word a cry came out from the trees. It was a deep below likely belonging to a Troll of some kind. Wilhelm immediately drew his blade with liquid like fluidity and stood at the ready.

Jackie jumped at the sound and quickly drew her weapon. Alrick stood and placed a hand on Wilhelm's shoulder. "Put the weapon away." He began. "That sounded like a Troll, and whilst I know people like to make them out to be these massive vicious monsters, they are just animals looking to survive." Alrick said. "If it nears I will calm it and try and have it leave." Alrick said.

Wilhelm kept his stance but allowed Alrick to move in front. The Drakes snarled and troopers took up their weapons. In the trees a large figure. About nine feet tall lumbered out. It looked humanoid but bulbous and deformed. Not as bad as the necrotic chimera but certainly not pleasant to look at. The creatures skin was an icy blue and horns came out of the forehead giving it a faintly demonic look. It had jagged teeth and it's body was covered in patches of white fur. It let out a growl as it saw them and moved forward. Behind it about two others were seen all slowly wandering out. "Frost Trolls? The mountains are a good two miles away. Why would they be here?" Wilhelm asks looking to Alrick. The Trolls move forward seeming to hungrily stare at them. Wilhelm and the soldiers remain ready as the Drakes are heard growling as their fur fizzles up.

"I don't know..." Alrick said. "Hunters possibly. I don't imagine Y'kish use they're magic only for war." Alick said, before he drew his staff. He spoke in an unknown language as the jewel on his staff began to glow. The Trolls stopped and looked down to Alrick as he spoke. One of the Trolls let out a deep rumble. Alrick moved, motioning for the soldier's to move out of the way as the Trolls continued forward.

The soldiers looked to each other and moved out of the way. Wilhelm took a step to the side. He eyed the beasts as they wandered past. It was a tense moment as the trolls began to wander past them. Heavy and rather short strides as they moved by. Drooling into the snow. Their smell was revolting. Like an unbathed mule carrying dead flesh. Wilhelm wondered why he didn't smell them before he saw them.

"Perhaps they were chased down here by a Dragon? Or a flock of Gryphons?" Alrick asked. "After all, if a Dragon lives long enough it could easily get nearly three or four times the size of a troll, and Gryphon flocks are notorious for being territorial and stubborn." He added, as the trolls lumbered on forward. Alrick glanced into the forest, eyeing the trees suspiciously. Something wasn't right and he could feel it. "Our rest's over. I doubt whatever scared those Trolls is pleasant." Alrick said, moving to his drake, as the soldiers packed up the food they'd gotten out and mounted their drakes. Alrick paused "Wilhelm, come here. I need to speak to you." Alrick said, seeming focused on the ground.