The Forest

First topic message reminder :

Unowned Territory that few dare to venture through because of those that inhabit it.

"This place is just down right creepy with all the dead, snow covered trees. Wait...the ice is...spreading. The White Queen isn't just trying to take Soleste...she's going for the whole region!"

Ben: Hmm... now which way to go...

Alina, while at first sleeping blissfully, starts to moan and starts breaking out in a cold sweat

"What are we going to do, once we reach the city?" Aria asks suddenly.

Lucas checks Alina's forehead once more and still no fever. Then he notices Ben in the distance. "Hm?

_________________________________________________________________________

"What better place for me to learn more metal magic than an Industrial City?" Hela says confidently.

"I'm going to look into this White Queen issue."

Ben: Oh look, people! *walks to them*

Alina stars to squirm in Lucas' arms and she awakes with a scream, clutching Lucas' chest

"Hmmmm.... In that case, I think I'd be happy if I could just look into some new water spells."

At first Lucas sees this strange boy and raises an eyebrow. "May I help you, sir?" Then he yells when he feels his torso being torn to shreds. "Gah! What in blazes?!"

____________________________________________________________________________

Hela shrugs. "I dunno how much use you're gonna get with water spells unless you know how to melt an Ice Soldier because this place is pretty scare on the stuff."

Alina is clutching onto Lucas, eyes wide with fear, her whole body is practically coiling around him

Ben: What's wrong with her?

Aria shakes her head, "No, but there is water in the air, and water underground.... And I've been meaning to get a pouth so I can carry water with me at all times..."

In the distance, she sees Ben, Lucas, and Ali, and slows down a bit.

Lucas looks back at the kid "What the bloody heck do you care? What do you want, kid?"

"Hm? Hey, there are people over there," Hela says.

"Let's see if they know where the Industrial City is," Crescia chimes in.

Aria puts on a false smiles, but her fear is still preasent in her eyes, "A-all right. Let's go then..."

Upon finishing her sentance she picks up her pace, although her hands are visibly trembling.

Alina starts to calm down but she's still clutching onto Lucas as if her life depended on it

Ian: Just wondering what's wrong.

Lucas glares at Ben for a moment. "Nunya." He then sets Alina down and starts to try and snap her out of it. "Hey, Ali, you okay. Come on, it was just a dream."

"Excuse me!" Hela says as she pops up behind Lucas.

"Gah! Attack of the little people!"

"No...no...not a dream.." she whispers as she falls back into a blissful sleep, tired out from the sudden rush of adrenaline

Ben: A nightmare, then?

Aria awkwardly stands back a ways from the group, her hands still trembling a bit and her eyes still filled up with fear.

Lucas turns his head to Ben in a glare then put him in a headlock "Will you shut up, you little brat?!"

"Excuse me, Mister?" Crescia says.

"Hm? What's up?"

"Do you know how to get to the Industrial City?" Hela adds.

Lucas drops Ben and thinks for a minute. "Yeah, it's just in that direction but I don't know a shorter way than that. It's about a week from here, walking."

Aria nervously steps forward and closer to the group, putting on yet another obviously fake smile, and hols her hands behind her back to hide their trembling, "Th-thank you for the help, s-sir."

Hela ponders for a moment. "Well, we're all going there, are we not? Why don't we just go together?"

Lucas hoists Alina up once more and looks at her for a moment then nods. "Sure. What's could possibly go wrong?"

Alina suddenly wakes up and grabs one of Lucas' swords, "Look out!" she takes the sword and sends it flying with perfect precision into an ice spear that was headed straight toward the group, deflecting the weapon into a tree, "Not a...dream...", she whispers as she fades back asleep

Aria snaps her head towards the ice soldiers that Alina had just saved them from, and turns in their direction, "Not good.... Aquarious."

A spout of water erupts from the ground infront of the ice soldiers, and even taking one up with it. When the water stops coming, the soldier falls to earth and smashes.

"Too many!" Lucas yells, backing up. "Okay, we're going to have to-"

Suddenly the entire front line of ice soldiers stops and falls over, split across the middle by a blade at blinding speed. At the end of the blade that's done this is Ven. "Proceed," he says. "I will maintain these and catch up to you."