"Sir Faulkner III: Ice Drift (part 1)" by Lyn LJ Jackson

Chapter Four: Ice Drift

Part One

Arch Edgewood with his falcon on his shoulder stood on a cliff over looking the ice fields behind the town of Ice Drift. It had been two weeks since the first appearance of the Woolly Men, yet they had not been successful in over taking Ice Drift. Arch had heard of a warrior that was defending the town. Presently the Woolly Men were camped out on the ice fields as their commander was trying to figure out a new strategy to defeat the warrior that slaughtered all the Woolly Men that he sent in to Ice Drift. Arch knew that it was only time before the warrior was out smarted by the learning and intelligent Woolly Man commander and soldiers. Arch turned around and descended the cliff to the town of Ice Drift.

Arch Edgewood entered Ice Drift unnoticed. He was in a region of Shinoir that did not know much of 'Sir Faulkner III'. He was enjoying walking through the town with out people following behind or calling him Sir Faulkner III. He walked in to the nearest pub he saw, the Silver Snake, to gather information. Once in side he found a seat at the bar. He sat there while he listened to one man relate the tale of how the warrior slew three Woolly Men in stroke.

"Hey look!" cried a voice with in the Silver Snake. "There is Daniel Zephyr, the warrior!" Arch the falconer turned his head to see the protector of Ice Drift. What met his eyes surprised him. A lady around his age entered the pub. Daniel Zephyr had pale orange eyes, long dark blue hair, and pale skin. Her height matched Arch's 6'1", and she wore vambraces, armour over her chest and lower legs. She had on thick leather boots, dark pants, and a leather tunic.

Daniel Zephyr stroke in the bar nodding to those who spoke to hear and took an empty seat at the bar next to Arch. She ordered port from the bartender and pulled her elbows up on the counter.

"So... you are the warrior of Ice Drift who slays its enemies, the Woolly Men," spoke Arch to Daniel.

"Yup, that is me," responded the dark haired lady. "And what might your name be, stranger-with-bird-on-shoulder?"

"Who I am is irrelevant. I am here in Ice Drift to defeat the commander of the Woolly Men," said the grey eyed Arch.

"Ice Drift needs no help. Ice Drift has me to protect it."

"Sooner or later you will be defeated by the creatures of Rainne. Do you not notice how they get smarter every time you fight them?" Daniel was quiet for a bit. Her orange eyes narrowed.

"Yea, I did notice it..." began the warrior, "But I did not think much of it."

"They are an intelligent and learning breed of monsters. And they have advanced healing systems. Which ever ones you do not fully kill will rise again in perfect health."

"You seem to know a lot about these creatures," observed Daniel Zephyr. "You would probably go out to kill the Woolly Men even if I kept denying your help."

"Yes I would. Now since you are the warrior for Ice Drift, I would not mind working with you to exterminate those beasts. So you not have to worry about me taking your place, I am only here to get rid of those things."

"Even if you cannot relate your name, will you at least identify yourself?"

"I am wrongly known as Sir Faulkner III. I am the UeHuman that fights against the master mind Rainne for the sake of the people and a new age. That is who I am," informed the white haired falconer. "I am also a falconer."

"Ah, I have heard of you," said Daniel the warrior. "Though not many around these parts know who you are."

"That is because Rainne has not shown his face a lot in these icy parts, and when he has, the trouble is usually not attributed to him," spoke Arch. "He decided to attack here, thinking no one would notice the infiltration until it was too late. But I fortunately knew ahead of time where Rainne would strike Shinoir first."

"Well, what should I call you if you do not have a name, my new temporary partner?"

"You can call my Falconer."

"Okay then, Falconer. I am going out to wait for the Woolly Men once darkness falls. Let us meet here at the Silver Snake," spoke Daniel as she sipped on her port.

"Understood. But one more thing, Daniel," said Arch as he climbed off his bar stool. "The Woolly Men might know how to speak... but they definitely do understand human speech."

"Oh? I shall keep that mind for the future then," acknowledged the warrior. Arch stepped out of the pub and back in to the cold misty air of Ice Drift.

Arch Edgewood's eyes were glowing gold as he walked invisible across the ice fields. He had a fire shield extended over himself and his falcon Seheir. The white haired falconer planned to do a little spying on the Woolly Men. He soon approached their encampment. As he got closer, he stepped behind the Woolly Man who appeared to be the commander. The monsters were all dining on a pile of raw fish that was at the center of their camp site. The UeHuman waited to see if any of them would speak.

"Araaaaag..." growled a Woolly Man. "Fishhhhhh..." The Woolly Man Arch was behind spoke next.

"Stop growling like some stupid creature, Kevchau," began the beast. "Speak in a civilized manner. Though we have these disgusting bodies, we are still humans."

"But Commander Shendril," said another monster. "We do the bidding of Rainne and attack the village like we are monsters."

"That is because we are under the power of Rainne. You saw what he did to Genna with that Heratic Flu. It is better to follow his command and die in battle than by that horrible concoction," reasoned Commander Shendril.

Interesting, thought Arch the UeHuman, A very interesting in sight indeed. So these beasts are aware that they were once human. I still have to eliminate them though, if they keep attacking the town. I cannot spare them if they still follow the will of Rainne.

"So our next goal is to get rid of that girl warrior," spoke Kevchau.

"Yes. Once she is out of the way, we can devastate Ice Drift as we were told," confirmed the commander. Arch stepped away, and made his way back to Ice Drift. He had heard enough.

He would tell Daniel Zephyr of the things he knew of the Woolly Men, and what he had just learned...aside from the fact that the Woolly Men were once human. He did not need the warrior of Ice Drift to falter in her job of protecting the town because of what the Woolly Men once were. The past lives of the Woolly Men were ones that no one would be able to return to them.

The sun had set, and Arch found Daniel Zephyr waiting out side the Silver Snake. No towns people were out side. All of them were afraid of what could happen if the Woolly Men ever caught some one who was unfortunate enough to be out side.

"Ready?" asked Daniel Zephyr.

"Of course, but a few words first. Let me inform you on what I know about the Woolly Men," began Arch. "Their green eyes see well in the dark, and their claws are metal. They could attack from under water covered ice, for they can survive long hours under water. Their fur repelled energy attacks, and their bones can with stand lots of pressure."

"Hmm... No wonder some of my attacks did not work that other night..." said the warrior.

"And... I went and scouted out their encampment in the ice fields," informed the UeHuman. "It seems that they can speak."

"Oh... Can they now? Wow," said Daniel. "But... how did you get to their camp out?"

"I walked across the ice fields."

"You walked? Do not you know there are pockets of thin ice waiting for some one to fall in? I do not see how those heavy Woolly Men can move around out there with out falling through the ice every other day."

"Yea, I saw the thin ice," said Arch. "I just walked around it."

"Must be your UeHuman abilities that let you see the thin ice," said Daniel. "But what about the Woolly Men."

"Most likely they can sense the dangerous spots." Daniel Zephyr shrugged.

"Ah, well. Enough words on the air. I say we move in to position for the arrival of the beasts." The falconer followed the warrior to the end of town. The wall of Ice Drift had been broken down by the Woolly Men. The hole in the brick looked out on the darkening ice fields. Blue shadows reflected off the all the ice, and a whispering wind carried dread on its voice. "Hmm. Where is your bird, Falconer?"

"I left him in the town Inn, Schulen. He cannot take this cold as long as I can."

"As long as he is well," said Daniel. "Here, hark! Do you hear those cries? The Woolly Men call out before they strike the town. Now than I think on it, it always sounded like 'Ready? Charge!' Since you confirmed they speak our tongue, that is probably what was said." Arch looked out the group of Woolly Men that were approaching. He noticed that three of them were not advancing, but still at the encampment.

"Those three out there," began Arch as the march of the Woolly Men's feet filled the night air. "One of them is the leader, Commander Shendril. He must give his men instruction and let them do the attacking."

"That is how it goes," said Daniel. "Get ready for battle, Falconer." The vambraces on Daniel Zephyr's arms began to glow. Her hand radiated a pale orange light. "My ability is to summon spirits to aide me in battle. Yours?"

"Fire, lightning, and wind," informed Arch. "Along with some other fancies."

"Then let us watch each other's back," said Daniel. The two fighters hid behind some rubble near the broken wall. Soon all the Woolly Men were entering the town of Ice Drift. Arch and Daniel waited until they were all lumbering out in to the main road.

"You go out first, and I will go out second," said Arch. "The Woolly Men might have some kind of new maneuver the Commander Shendril might have thought of." Daniel nodded and ran out of their hiding spot to meet the Woolly Men.

The warrior's body took on a green glow as she summoned an earth spirit to aide her. Thick vines shot up from the ground and snared an unsuspecting Woolly Man. Daniel Zephyr drew her two short swords and cut the next of the trapped Woolly Man.

"Three at once! Three at once!" screamed Kevchau, "Get her!" The lithe warrior easily dodged their attacks. She leaped up in to the air as the earth broke apart under the feet of the nearest monsters. Four creatures were swallowed by the earth, their howls faded as the ground closed up over them. Soon Daniel was thoroughly preoccupied in the battle, and she was starting to wonder when the falconer would come help her. Suddenly ten more Woolly Men burst through the hole in the wall.

More?, thought Daniel the warrior, The falconer must have known some thing like this would happen. Soon the orange eyed lady saw a Woolly Man dancing around, screaming on fire and she knew the UeHuman was in the battle.

Arch's eyes blazed gold, and some of the monster shrank from his gaze. He flamed his entire body, lightning shooting from his hands. Two Woolly Men approached him, and he kicked one in the head with a flaming foot. He sent flames to engulf the other. Lightning flew from his fist and struck a monster that was sneaking up on Daniel. Its head exploded, sending its dark black blood flying.

Daniel Zephyr sent sharp boulders up from the ground, throwing Woolly Men high in to the air only to fall impaled on the sharp stone below. As vines trapped more of the beasts, her swords danced in her hands cutting Woolly Men throats left and right. Earth unexpectedly split in random places, devouring the slow footed monsters.

 Five more Woolly Men poured from the hole in the wall. They all moved to surround Arch. Claws scratched and pulled and grabbed at the UeHuman, ignoring the pain from the fire. The white haired falconer lashed out with his powers, but the Woolly Men became too persistent and pushed closer in to kill the UeHuman.

Err! How did I put myself in this position? I should not have been so easily surrounded!, thought Arch. Where is Daniel? I need her help! His head turned to look for her, but all he could see were bodies of shaggy Woolly Men fur.

"ZEPHYR!" called Arch, his voice thundering as more lightning sparked off his hands. The warrior heard his call, but was fighting a swift handed Woolly Man at the time, and one wrong move could mean the lost of an arm.

Arch expected some of the Woolly Men around him to fall, by Daniel's hand, not in the way that they did. As he had called the name of the west wind, some thing deep inside the UeHuman was stirred. A violent, rushing wind formed around Arch, screaming threats of pain at all around him. The wind took his fire off his body, and transformed in to a tornado of liquid flame. The night was on fire as the tornado sucked more and more Woolly Men up in to the twirling column of fiery death. Arch found he could control the flaming tornado, and soon all the Woolly Men were exterminated.

Daniel used the earth spirit to return the land back to its original state. The fire column dissipated, and its energies returned to Arch. He fell to his knees, exhausted from the fray. Daniel strode over to him and stood in line of his sight.

"Sooo... I am assuming those wind powers are new? Once you learn to control them better, and discover the full extend of their powers, then you will be one powerful UeHuman," said Daniel Zephyr.

"Yea, I hope so," said the falconer. "If I keep getting worn out like this, I am going to fall before I can ever hope to reach Rainne."

"You need a Zephyr Healing Tank... and maybe some more training," said Daniel.

"You would not happen to have one of those tanks, hm?"

"Of course I have a Tank. I have lots of them. My father was the one who invented, designed, and constructed the original Zephyr Healing Tank."

"Oh? Ah... no wonder the name. Next you are going to tell me your father trained you in the manner of fighting, and that he could train me too."

"Well...yea. That is what I was going to say... How did you know?" asked Daniel as she helped the UeHuman to his feet.

"I just do not know..."

Commander Shendril stood next to two other Woolly Men, Menshrir and Fdrel. A small pile of raw fish sat in the middle of their small circle, remnants of the earlier meal.

"So they were all killed? Again?" asked Commander Shendril.

"Yes commander," spoke Fdrel. "There was another person they were fighting. An UeHuman."

"I see..."

"If it had not been for the UeHuman," began Menshrir, "The troops would have been successful."

"I see..."

"Do wish me to send for more men?" asked Fdrel.

"Hm... Not yet. I need to think of some new ways to defeat those defenders of Ice Drift with out the noise of troops in my ears," said Commander Shendril. He sat down on the ice, and thought of new tactical maneuvers. Menshrir and Fdrel busied themselves by picking at the first and piling them up in interesting ways. They knew better than to disturb their leader when he was thinking.

"I think I shall join the next group of Woolly Men to Ice Drift," said Menshrir. "I just want to die. I am tired of sitting around useless in this bag of fur."

"Yea me too. I guess I will go die with you. Death will release us from this life," agreed Fdrel.

"All this fish might go to waste. You want to eat it?"

"What is the use? We are going to die any way. Ah, well... just pass the fish."

Arch sat up on a course cotton bed. The wooden room was empty expect for a Zephyr Tank that stood humming a few feet away. The falconer stood up and looked inside. Daniel Zephyr was laying inside.

"She decided to get some regeneration done after you," spoke a voice. The UeHuman turned around, and beheld a man holding a lantern standing in the door way of the room. His eyes were orange and his hair a chestnut brown. "I am Daniel's father."

"Nice to meet you, Sir Zephyr."

"Daniel told me about the battle last night. She told me I should train you a bit."

"Well... I have to get rid of the Woolly Men first. Ice Drift's warrior will not be able to hold them off on her own with all the new strategics the commander keeps thinking of."

"Yes, of course. But at the time being, no new troops have been called in the remaining three Woolly Men. They have been sitting out in the ice field unmoving for hours now," informed Sir Zephyr.

"So I do have the better part of the day to train, then. I had better call my falcon," said Arch. He called Seheir's name twice, and soon the peregrine falcon flew through the door and lighted up on his master's shoulder.

[I saw the conflict last night, Arch. You had better take this old man's training. I do not expect you to die before you get to Rainne, UeHuman,] said Seheir.

Daniel's father led the falconer to another room. Shelves lined each wall, and a flat bad sat in the center of the other wise furniture-less room.

"Up on the bed," commanded Sir Zephyr.

"Oh, but I just go off a bed," said Arch in a mock whining voice as he climbed on the bed. Seheir flitted in the air for a second and landed on the edge of the cot next to Arch's head.  "I thought you were going to train me."

"Oh, I am," responded Daniel's father. His orange eyes smiled as he pulled a stamp off the shelf. He open it, and dipped it in to a orange ink pad. Sir Zephyr stamped it on to Arch's bare lower arm. A picture of a dove was inked on his arm. "That is for the sea faring wind powers you have." The  chestnut haired man picked up several more stamps and inked them all on his arm. "That is for that materia blade in your right arm, that is for some new hand to hand combat skills, and that is for some new combos you can do with your UeHuman abilities."

"How do you know I need all this?" asked Arch Edgewood. Sir Zephyr tapped a small box that was strapped on his arm.

"Meet the Scanner 1900. It analyzes people of all types in accordance with what stamps should be given to them," answered Daniel's father. "Now you just rest. You are going to fall asleep with all those stamps, and when you wake up, your brain will contain new knowledge it has never known before."

"You just love inventing things, do you not?"

"Hehehh... you just rest there, Falconer." Arch's grey eyes closed as Sir Zephyr stood smiling over him.

Daniel Zephyr stood on the cliff that over looked the ice fields. Down below, a line of at least forty Woolly Men was marching across the ice toward Commander Shendril, Fdrel, and Menshrir. Arch stepped up to the edge of the cliff next to the warrior. He had left Seheir with Sir Zephyr.

"Has it ever been that many?" asked Arch. Daniel shook her head.

"They usually stayed in groups whose numbers remained around twenty. I guess...this next battle will be the deciding one. They must be calling every Woolly Man they have got left in one final attempt to get past the protector of Ice Drift and destroy the town."

"So it seems. Do you think we can take those numbers?"

"No, I do not think so. Not even with your new training," began the warrior. "They get smarter, like you said. And the more of their fellows that fall, the more savage they become."

"Well, I was thinking, that if we went out to the ice fields to fight them, we might have an upper hand," spoke the grey eyed falconer. "It would catch them unawares, and the commander would have to think on his feet for new strategies. And I bet if we manage to kill the commander, the rest of the troops will not fight us. They will have no leader to follow. Only the commander is the one that is actually trained in strategic warfare."

"Then his soldiers will be guarding him well. There has to be a way to get close enough to the leader with out immediately attracting the attention of his fellows..."

"Oh there is," said the white haired Arch. "It is called an Invisi Herb. But it is only good for traveling in. It would drain the effectiveness of your powers if you decided to fight while you still had it activated."

"Interesting... And this herb came from a real plant?"

"That is right. It grows in Jshair, so they might become extinct. My falcon and I used to take trips there to get the herbs, and on the last journey we stocked up on a bunch," informed the UeHuman. His eyes flickered gold momentarily as he held out his hand and a herb appeared in his palm. "Take this. Eat it when we are ready to cross the fields. Did you figure out a way to get across the ice yet?" Daniel nodded.

"My father stamped me a new spirit. It is a ghostly type whose ability happens to be in sound," responded the warrior. "I believe it might break up the ice..."

"That will be fine."

"What are you going to do? Balance on the floating ice? If I use the ghost's abilities, the unstable parts of the ice field out there will break up."

"Yes, fortunately, I can fly."

"Oh, due to your wind abilities? Yea, my father's stamps and sundry other inventions work wonders..." said Daniel.

Sir Kestel and Sir Rendal were nearing the town of Ice Drift. Once they had found out the first attack on Shinoir was launched, they took it up on themselves to find out from Subparr where the attack was. The two spliced commanders had had no previous success in their hunt for the rogue UeHuman, but they were sure to find him at the source of a major attack on Shinoir.

"And when we get to the town, I am the one who will do the talking, understand?" reminded the fair haired Sir Kestel to his partner.

"Yes, I know. How many times have you told me that already?"

"More than enough."

"See? Then you should stop saying it."

"But you have a habit of giving off an evil air when you speak," reasoned Sir Kestel. "And then townspeople decide not to speak to us any more. And Rainne said we could not kill them, because he needs them for labour once Shinoir is taken."

"Well, maybe I do..." agreed the dark haired Sir Rendal. "I promise not to speak as long as I get to fight some thing... any thing..."

"Fine. Their are going to be Woolly Men around here. You can kill some of those," consented Sir Kestel. The gate to Ice Drift was soon before them. "Here we are, now compose yourself with a shut mouth."

The two entered the town with out a problem, as they had exchanged their rust coloured capes with dark green cloaks and gotten rid of their dragon shaped helms. Sir Kestel asked around here and there and soon found out that the Woolly Men were camped on the ice field beyond the town. He also discovered that Ice Drift had a protector, who had been aided in the last battle by the rogue UeHuman they sought after.

"Come, dear Sir Rendal," said Sir Kestel. "We are going to have a little conversation with the Woolly Men." Sir Rendal rubbed his hands together. Not only would be be able to kill some of the monsters, but he would hopefully get a hand at the UeHuman as well.

Commander Shendril stood anonymously in the middle of the group of Woolly Men that had gathered at seeing two people in flapping cloaks crossing the ice field. The monster could see that the men were fighters from their armour, the rapiers at their belts,  and the way they carried themselves. Some of the Woolly Men began to wonder what business the men had with them. Soon the two spliced commanders were standing before the crowd of Woolly Men.

"Now? Can I do it now?" asked Sir Rendal.

"Yes, if you must..." sighed Sir Kestel. The dark haired commander suddenly rushed at the unsuspecting Woolly Men. Rainne's commander drew his rapier with stunning speed as fire rushed down his arm to cover the blade. Sir Rendal cut through three Woolly Men bellies with one strike. He had angered the Woolly Men now, but none of them moved to help their doomed comrades. They were smart enough to tell he had targeted those three, and only those three. Sir Rendal came back around his victims, and felled them in another strike that cleaved their heads from their shoulders. Three lifeless Woolly Men bodies fell to the ground as their head rolled away. Dark blood poured out on to the ice.

"Meet my partner, Sir Rendal," said Sir Kestel as he addressed the group of shaggy Woolly Men. "Do not mind him. He does not mean any harm to the rest of you that are living. He was just itching for some thing to kill. We came here only to get answers to questions that we have on the UeHuman that attacked you with Ice Drift's protector the other night." A few Woolly Men pushed Menshrir and Fdrel forward. They were the ones who had watched the battle. They would be able to answer any questions.

"Hi nice Woolly Woolly People," said Sir Rendal as he wiped blood off his face. The Woolly Men shifted uncomfortably under his gaze.

"Rendal, I said not to talk to--"

"--townspeople." Sir Kestel was about speak against that but decided not to work himself in to another useless argument with Sir Rendal.

Meanwhile, high on the cliff over looking the ice field, Daniel Zephyr and Arch Edgewood watched with interest the events that occurred below. Arch was contemplating what he saw displayed by the dark haired commander. He recognized both of the green cloaked men as the ones that had followed Rainne during his visit to Subparr and Shinoir. Daniel was using one of her spirits to spy on the conversations going on far away to the east in the ice fields. They had both used the Invisi Herbs once they saw unexpected visitors walk out on to the ice. They could not risk being spotted.

Back down on the ice, Sir Kestel had commenced his questioning to the two chosen speakers of the Woolly Men.

"So," began the fair haired commander. "I want to know first and fore most what powers you saw the UeHuman display."

"Well, he used fire a lot," answered Menshrir. "And some lightning here and there..."

"And then he called some column of liquid flame," added Fdrel.

"Called?" inquired Sir Kestel. "Are you sure he called it?" The two Woolly Men looked at each other, turned back to the questioner and shrugged.

"We do not know, we were only observers of the battle," informed Fdrel.

"Next question. Do you think the warrior will interfere in our mission to capture the UeHuman?"

"She probably will," answered Fdrel. "She is a defender of all that she can see."

"Then we will have to get rid of her as well," whisper Sir Kestel to his partner.

"Are you going to destroy those pests? Are you?" asked Menshrir.

"Well we are going to try. We do not know how strong they are."

"Excellent," grinned Menshrir. "The siege of Ice Drift can finally go through. Our purpose will be fulfilled, and maybe Rainne will give us some thing better to do. Some job where were we all die quicker..." Sir Rendal smiled.

"Are you guys really that miserable? Do you want me to end your lives for you?" asked the dark haired commander in the nicest tone possible.

"No thank you, kind sir," spoke Menshrir. "We still have our duty to complete the task given to us."

"Yes, yes, that is all good and well," said Sir Kestel after thinking up some more things he wanted answers to. "But tell us about the powers of the girl warrior has."

"A lot," responded Fdrel. "She uses many powers on us. It is some thing different every time."Sir Kestel pulled his partner to the side.

"So the UeHuman has fire powers like you, and we do not know what abilities the girl has," began the fair haired commander. "I say you fight the rogue first; wear him out. You will not get too much damage because you can with stand fire. And I will be fighting the warrior. After he is slowing, then we will switch fighters."

"What? I want in on the final blow that will bring the rogue UeHuman to his knees!" whined Sir Rendal.

"Of course. You can be the one to chain him in preparation for meeting Rainne."

"Really? Thanks Sir Kestel."

"Now, Woolly Men," began the saner of the two commanders. "I want you to give me a detailed account of the battle you saw." Menshrir and Fdrel retold the battle with perfect captivating story telling skills. The two gene spliced commanders of Rainne had fell in awe of the one they would get the opportunity to catch.

"Wow, what an interesting fellow," commented Sir Kestel. "I bet he went and trained after that battle too. To die in battle against such an UeHuman will not result in shame."

"I agree," spoke the dark haired commander. "Come on. Let us go to the Schulen Inn in Ice Draft. I am starting to hear my belly."

"Good day then, my once human Woolly Men friends," said Sir Kestel as he turned to leave the group. "I might come back, I might not. Depends on if I still need answers..."

"When are you going to kill the pests?" asked Fdrel. Sir Kestel thought for a moment.

"I think the best time would be right after your last raid."

"After? But these are our last numbers," informed Fdrel. "If you have come to help us, then you should--"

"Please do not tell me what I should do," said Sir Kestel, his voice turning cold. "I follow the agenda that benefits me, Sir Rendal, and Rainne...in that order. Your attack will most surely tire them of at least a fraction, if not more, of their strength. My buddy and I will strike immediately after, and they will have no choice but to fight us. I am sorry my good Woolly Men. But maybe you are happy. You will find that awaited death." He turned and strode after Sir Rendal across the ice, wishing he had a Vhansir beer to celebrate their sure set upcoming victory.

Arch's grey eyes fell to the ice covered grass beneath his feet as Daniel related to him all her spirit had heard the Woolly Men and Rainne's commanders speak. He wished the the hunters did not find out about his abilities so soon, but they would have eventually fought him and discovered what he was able to do.

"I do not know what they might plan ahead of my clash with them," said Arch, "But I do hope this new training will prove useful in the inevitable conflict that I will have with them."

"Do not worry," assured Daniel Zephyr. "I will help you fight them. We already know what they expect. Let us not disappoint them. Also, since they do not know what my powers are, the ghost spirit I will utilize cannot be anticipated. They even do not know of your sea faring wind powers. And, by the way those commanders carry themselves and their attitudes, I do not believe that they will plan anything ahead of time. They are too confident of their abilities and how they will fare against you."

"I do not want to draw you in to my problems, Daniel. Those two will still be after me when I leave this place," said the white haired man. Daniel only laughed.

"I think I am going to help you any way, for if they attack right after the fray with the Woolly Men, I do not think I will have a choice," said the warrior. "I bet at least one of them will be watching the Woolly Men's encampment at all times."

"Hm, this brings a new light to our plans to ambush to Woolly Men on the ice fields," began the UeHuman. "I wonder how the battle will go with Rainne's men once the ice field is broken."

"Well no one will be able to predict it for us," responded the warrior of Ice Drift. "I say we go get a drink from my father and return to the ice fields ready to finally rid my town of those horrible Woolly Men."

"That weird concoction of your father's that you called a 'drink' is probably not a drink at all."

"Maybe..."

"Then let us not waste any more time," spoke Arch Edgewood. "We will have to eat another Invisi Herb when we return, since the last were used to keep us from the sight of the commanders' eyes." The two fighters turned away from the icy edge of the cliff and returned to the town of Ice Drift.

Commander Shendril stood before his troops, and looked at each of their furred faces. Most of them knew they were going to die, and most of them could not wait for death's embrace. It would be a coldness that the Woolly Men would actually be able to feel.

"You Woolly Men who once were human," addressed Commander Shendril to his company. "It seems that our mission to destroy Ice Drift will not come to pass. We all will die at the hands of the warrior and the UeHuman. Maybe even by the hands of the insane Sir Rendal, if any of us survive the fray with the defenders of Ice Drift. We tried our best to follow Rainne's orders, so we have no regrets. Forget every thing of the past that your mind knows; forget any thing you might think of for the future. There is only the present, and once we are dead even that will not matter any longer. Death will be the peace that our monstrous hearts have longer for. So fight bravely and strongly till your end, my good soldiers. We will not see each other again after the battle."

Commander Shendril finished his speech, turned away from the Woolly Men, and sat down on the ice. He stared out across the icy field in to a distance that seemed to lead to nothingness, and cleared his mind in preparation for his coming death.

Arch Edgewood and Daniel Zephyr were standing beside the broken wall of Ice Drift. The drinks Sir Zephyr had provided for them would boost their stamina, endurance, and defense for the next twenty four hours. It was just a small aide that Sir Zephyr wanted to give them for the battle that would occur that evening. Already the sun was gradually setting, and the sky had dressed itself in the colours of red and orange. The two defenders of Ice Drift had eaten their Invisi Herbs and soon powered up their abilities.

Daniel Zephyr's vambraces glowed an ghastly violet as she summoned the ghost spirit her father had given her. Her long dark blue hair began to floating mysteriously in the air, and her orange eyes turned a dark purple. The warrior's leather booted feet rose off the ground as the weight distribution in her body changed to match the spirit's. The air around the warrior began to distort as deadly sound waves echoed from her body.

Arch Edgewood decided to flame his body and utilize his fires first. He would fight the Woolly Men only with flames and electricity; he wanted to keep the fact that he had wind abilities hidden until his battle with the gene spliced commanders. Arch's eyes turned gold and his hair caught fire as flame quickly consumed his body. A little lightning sparked here and there, turning some flames in places blue. Small cracks of thunder sounded near him every now and then. His body lifted a few inches off the ground, as the wind ability added a new technique to his repertoire: Vlucht, the ability to fly. He decided to use Disperse with his battle with Rainne's commanders if necessary. His feet seemed to walk on the air as he turned toward Daniel and nodded. They were both ready.

The two fighters walked invisible, seemingly on air as they moved through the hole in the wall to the ice fields.

"You strike the commander first," spoke Daniel Zephyr to the UeHuman. "I have not used any of this ghost's abilities yet, so I do not want to make a mistake and utilize the wrong power."

"Then I will try to harm the leader with a bolt of lightning. Fire will be seen too quickly, and it might do an inefficient job since there will be many Woolly Men around him to put the flames out," responded Arch. "Though lightning has a higher chance of missing..."

"The encampment is nigh," said the warrior as the group of Woolly Men grew closer as they approached. They could hear voices coming from the mass of shaggy fur.

"I am tired of waiting for darkness to fall for the attack to begin," spoke a Woolly Man. "I say we go to Ice Drift now."

"This sitting around is starting to make me go to sleep," said another random monster.

"And I am hungry."

"I am starting to get comfortable waiting."

"Okay, let us sing a song for our deaths."

"Oh, do be quiet and stop complaining," ordered Commander Shendril as he raised his arms to settle the large group. "We shall go out at night as usual."

Now!, thought the golden eyed UeHuman, While his hands are raised, the lightning will have a better chance of hitting the proper target. A bolt of lightning ripped the air and aimed for the commander. But his hands lowered far too soon and the lightning veered off to some other tall Woolly Man who stood near by. He fell dead instantly.

"Those pests must be here among us!" exclaimed Menshrir, who had been standing next to the lightning struck Woolly Man. The creatures began to look around them and amongst themselves, trying to figure out where the attack had come from.

"Now, Daniel!" cried Arch. They switched their invisibility off and the Woolly Men found their enemies positioned on either side of their encampment. Woolly Men troops started to scatter, deciding which target they would prefer more: the purple, ghostly glowing warrior, or the stern visage of the flaming UeHuman. Order was slowly making its way from the scene. Commander Shendril was looking around quickly, trying to make sense of what was going on. This was not in his plans. He had not thought of any strategies for this sort of situation.

"Daniel! Move inward as you go. Get the confused ones first!" instructed the white haired Arch. The fire on his body grew, flames fell from his shoulders on to the ice and Woolly Men around. The hot, greedy flames moved to consume the shaggy furred beast near by. Howls could be heard from every side and the smell of burning fur and flesh hung on the air. Monsters succumbed on every side as the fiery tongues of the dancing red flames devoured any thing combustible.

The warrior of Ice Drift's eyes started to brighten, and high level sound waves burst from her palms. Ice broke around the feet of the Woolly Men as their legs were broken from beneath them. She pulled out her short swords and cut up the Woolly Men she had damaged. She moved among the furry beasts, sound waves echoing around her. Daniel broke bones and ruptured organs, her sharp blades flashing in an out of Woolly Men flesh.

The ice field was beginning to break up around the area of the Woolly Men's encampment. Loud cracks sounded on the frosty air, and freezing waters gushed up from the breeches in the ice. The Woolly Men cared not for the freezing water, but they did fear the growing instability of the ground on which they stood. Some of the thin ice that had hidden water pockets underneath broke away completely, leaving open patches of water for unwary creatures to fall in.

Ice Drift's two defenders kept their gravity defying bodies close to the ground to give the semblance that they could float, but not necessarily fly. Both of them did not have to speak that they felt eyes on their backs. Arch and Daniel knew the spliced commanders were watching their every move. They tried to keep to general modes of attack and defense, so that the spliced commanders would not know any thing specific about their fighting styles and manners.

High above the ice field, Sir Kestel and Sir Rendal were standing on some rocky out cliffs of the Sage Mountains that bordered the east side of the ice field.

"Just look at them down there," said Sir Rendal. "They seem nothing like the descriptions those Woolly Men gave us."

"Hm...I know," agreed Sir Kestel. "They seem like average fighters to me."

"Well do not under estimate them," warned Sir Rendal. "All their moves are sure placed and expertly planned. We will see the true extent of their powers when we are pitted against them."

"Hm. It is a good thing we happened to be here when the fray commenced. Other wise we would have missed part of the action."

"At first I thought that the lady warrior would be no problem, but that ability she is utilizing is some thing not to be taken lightly."

"Yes I know. And her powers might change if what the Woolly Men said is not false."

"Well I do not think we have to worry," began Sir Rendal. "Rainne has done a good job on our genes to give us these abilities, and has had us trained by the best."

"Remember what Rainne said," reminded the fair haired commander. "Some kind of side effect might occurred if we over exert ourselves past our limits. They are high, but we still have limits, and we know exactly what they are. So do not push it if the UeHuman is indeed strong."

"What? Are you saying that we are going to pull back and retreat if they prove too powerful?"

"That, or allow yourself to be killed. Do we retreat for another chance at the UeHuman? Or do we die with honour in that we tried to accomplish this mission that Rainne has set out for us?" spoke Sir Kestel to his partner. Sir Rendal remained silent. He stepped forward closer to the edge of the mountain's out cliff. "The choice is yours, Rendal."