The Four Nations

Part One

The Four Nations: Alessia of Frost

The harsh, biting, cold-ridden winds of Frost were always worse on the waters and glaciers north of the nation. This was the thought of Alessia as she pulled her furs closer around her. Alessia was a short, petite girl of nineteen. She had long dark hair and beautiful emerald eyes. Not overly curvy, and not much up top, the only thing that made her stand out were her eyes.

Standing next to her on the small water craft was Thomas, the High Scholar of Religious Studies at North Frost University. The high scholars were men and women of great renown in the areas of academia, religion, and magic use. Thomas looked good for his sixty-three years with white streaks cutting into his dark hair. He had dignified wrinkles that bunched up when he smiled. He had twice as many layers as Alessia.

A horn blew on the vessel to announce to the passengers that they were just five minutes from the docks and their destination, Gran Glacier. The sixty passengers gathered on the main deck. Thirty young women with their guardians. Alessia was one of the younger ones and still did not know why she had been summoned by the High Shrine. All she knew was that she stood with twenty-nine other ice witches on a boat after a mysterious summons.

The High Priestess stood on the docks waiting for them. Without saying a word she motioned gracefully for the group to follow her. She led them past the main gate and into the all too familiar courtyard where all the young ice witches gathered each morning before their daily classes and chores. Alessia had been there up until her seventeenth birthday when she had become a recognized ice witch. They walked across the courtyard and into the massive building that served as the central meeting place for the ice witches. The build was tall with angular towers and sharp points. The stone was white marble. Intricate snowflake designs covered the floors and walkways.

As they entered the main wing Alessia could not help but stare at the chandelier that she had always admired as a young girl studying at the shrine. With diamonds and sapphires cut like icicles and snowflakes, the candle casts eerie, yet breathtaking lightshow across the walls, floor, and three story high ceiling. Alessia snapped back to attention when Thomas nudged her forward.

Witches ran every which way in an organized frenzy. Never before had Alessia seen such chaos among their order. She started to wonder; which led to worry. The High Priestess took them through the atrium and to the massive double doors to the sanctum. As the witches enter they were motioned to stand fast. The old, grizzled Glacial Warrior Commander and the High Priestess both stepped unto the raised dais set in the center of the room where they addressed the group.

“For many years we have lived in peace. Our strong people have conquered the northern waste and made it our home as testimony to our endurance and strength of will. We have mastered the waters and the ice. We live in great harmony with our southern neighbors and have for generations prospered along side them.

We have been invaded before, but no army has ever last as long as two or three seasons before retreating or falling beneath the combined might of the Four Nations. I will not sugarcoat the issue at hand. The Four Nations face an enemy unlike any other. They have mastered metal and used to create machines of war like we have never seen before. They have the ability to punch straight into the heart our nations and spread like an infectious disease. They command the oceans, land, and skies. We are clearly no match. We could hold them, for years, but eventually they would lay waste to the lands we draw our power from.

One of you must go on a pilgrimage. One of you must become our champion in a war that will leave our ice covered in blood. One of you must sacrifice all they have for us. One of you must seek out Glacia,” the Glacial Warrior Commander bellowed out to the witches. Gasps spread out from those gathered and many even fainted. Alessia looked to Thomas who was pale.

“Will no one go to our Goddess! She gave us life and no one will go to her when we need her most,” the High Priestess yelled.

Thomas shook his head, cocking an eyebrow, “I will go,” Alessia called out timidly. The room went silent and the witches stared at her including a bewildered Thomas.

“I will go. I may not be the strongest here or even the most confident, but if it will help my people I will go,” she said again her voice more steady and confident..

“The child who never spoke a word unless she had to. The shy little witch who had such potential. I wondered when you would step out of your shell Alessia. Come child to the Inner Sanctum. There are things you must know,” the High Priestess took her hand and led her, alone, towards the only other door in the room. The diamond cut sapphire within the silver ring was inlaid into the door.

The fear and curiosity Alessia followed her former teacher past the door. As the door closed the sight before her was stunningly beautiful. Sapphires and diamond covered the walls in thousands of snowflake patterns. The white marble floor had a single blue strip in it leading to a stone table with a single, unadorned, wooden chest. Both women walked up to the chest. As the High Priestess open the chest snow began to fall in the room. Inside was an egg like stone with carvings all around it. It had to be the size of her own head at least.

“It is not for me to hold Alessia. He is yours. Take him,” Alessia was commanded. With gentle hands she reached out lifted the surprisingly light egg from the chest. Alessia ran her fingers across the egg rubbing the snow in it as she did so. The carvings began to glow and soon the whole stone. Alessia did not let the stone fall, but she wished she could have. Cracks formed across the surface. Alessia let a gasp escape her lips as a small white, furred head popped out of the egg. With wonder-filled eyes Alessia gazed upon a small arctic fox.

“Foxes don’t come from eggs though,” she said to the other women.

“This one does. He will be your guide and one of your companions. He will grow quickly and as your bond grows, you will find that you will experience some changes in your magic. His will grow as your bond does. Now come. Carry the pup with you Alessia, he looks far too tired to walk on his own. A two young men await you. They will accompany you and Mr. Thomas. They are Glacial Warriors assigned to you by the Commander. The Goddesses do not reside within the Nation‘s themselves. To go where they are you will have to find the gate. I do not know where it is. All I know is that you must seek out the Gatekeeper. I do not even know who that is. I can not give you much except that that little fox in your arms is the key to finding the gatekeeper,” the High Priestess said to Alessia as they walked out of the Inner Sanctum. The sanctum the witches had all gathered in was quite empty except for the commander, Thomas, and two tall, lean young men. One with shoulder length blonde hair and blue eyes. The other had short cropped black hair and was clearly older than the other by several years.

They both wore the furs of the Glacier Warriors. They had black leather breastplates with the shoulders cut off with polar bear fur over that. They wore seal skin pants with fur lined boots. Alessia thought they both looked quite warm.

“Allow me to introduce Captain Daton and Lieutenant Lucas, young witch,” the commander said introducing the two warriors, “The Captain can work a spear like no man I’ve ever seen and Lucas, though young, can match most ice witches in magic ability and cunning thought. The young fox yawned loudly catching everyone attention.

“And who is this,” Thomas asked her.

“His name is Flurry,” Alessia said with a smile.

“Very fierce name there,” the Captain said with a laugh. It almost looked as if the fox glared at him when he opened his stunning little blue eyes.

“Careful Captain Daton. I think he heard you. I think it is a great name little guy, Lucas she rubbing the fox behind his ears. Flurry barked happily before pressing his head closer into Lucas’s fingers.

“Well now that the introductions are all over. It is time you be on your way,” the High Priestess said, “I hate rush you, but time is of the essence here. Now go!”

The four looked at one another and then turned. They walked out of the shrine and an ominous feeling befell them. An win they could not win stood on the horizon and their only hope lay with a Goddess who had not shown her face in centuries. They had no idea where to go and had no clue how to get there.

When they exited the temple Flurry’s head popped up and he barked several times. Alessia looked down at the fox who was intently looking south. The three men looked at her in question.

“We go south,” She told them.

“How do you know,” Thomas asked.

“I don’t. He does,” Alessia looking down at Flurry.

“Oh for the love of the Goddess! We’re taking directions from a bloody puppy! This is ludicrous,” Captain Daton yelled.

“Well its good enough for me. We don’t know where we’re going so its certainly a start,” Lucas said with a shrug. With that he started forwards towards the docks. A middle-aged, balding man who more or less waddled when he walked met them at the docks gates. He introduced himself as Captain Horas of the Ice Runner.

“If ye’ll follow me m’lady I’ll, ah, show you to the Ice Runner,” Captain Horas slurred. The Ice Runner was a breath taxingly beautiful vessel. She was painted light blue with floral and tribal designs across her sides. The decks were pristine and all her rigging looked brand new. Captain Horas might not be a looker, but his Ice Runner certainly was.

“Captain. Set a course to the South somewhere. Sorry good man, I‘ve honestly have no more direction or information than South. Just sail bloody south.,” Captain Dalton said as the group headed below deck, leaving a very fluster sea captain in his wake. Captain Dalton tossed his spear on his bed and dropped his bags nextto his younger counterpart. The two would share a room while Thomas and Alessia had their own rooms. Allesia’s room was across the hall. She sat on the edge of her bed while Flurry sniffed around the room.

“Why would we be headed south. Why would the Goddess of the Winter Nation, Land of Ice and Death’s cold breath be in the south? Oh! Flurry no! You expect me to go there,” Alessia had been thinking about what waited down south. Then it dawn upon her. Past the heat was another icy world. The Southern Glacier’s were uninhabitable. Flurry stared intently into her eyes and she knew it to be true. They were headed to the coldest, most hostile wastes ever created.

“Suddenly I find myself exhausted. I’m going to sleep flurry.”

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“Dear Alessia. Do not fear my child. I am with you, but this journey will not be easy for you. Come to me. Come receive my blessing.

Reviews

[Arctic Fox]

more to come, more to come

[Kiba-chan]

Ohhh do I smell the sweet arouma a short series? I think I do! This is wonderfully planned Fox, it's as if I can picture each nation