Leaving the young recruits to bond and dream about the tasks ahead, Flayke retired to his quarters first.
The next dawn him and Flake awoken early, likely due to Flayke’s lack of specified waking time and the sun’s imminent rise. Silently descending the stairs, Flayke busied himself with preparing a hearty breakfast of local fruits, meats, and bread, ensuring they had ample energy for the day ahead. “Hey, youngsters, rise and shine! Breakfast is ready,” he called out, waiting for signs of movement before returning to the food with a contented grin.
"I’ve got boiled roasted Corenuts, a tea brewed from Strolis’s finest herbs, and Firn milk,” he offered this time, accompanying his words with sign language as he noticed one of the pair focusing more on his mouth than his speech. [“My apologies for not realizing your deafness earlier; I’ll incorporate sign language from now on,”] he added, combining speech with gestures. [“As for our plans, I want you both to venture outside of town and explore the surrounding areas. We suspect Flurris may be somewhere near the forest, the lake, or the mountains. We need to find him. I’ll join you later in the day after visiting both his parents and the injured friend’s family. Additionally, I plan to inquire with his tormentors about their actions toward him,”] Flayke explained. [“If you do encounter him, please refrain from startling or attacking him. I’m unsure of his mental state, and I’d rather not agitate him further. Try to calm him down and help him regain control,”] he concluded their brief briefing.
Afterward, they readied themselves to depart.[ “I’ve provided some extra clothing to help you withstand the cold. Should it start snowing at any point, return immediately; you’re unfamiliar with the area, and I’d hate for you to become lost in a blizzard,”] Flayke cautioned, peering outside. [“It can get quite perilous when the weather turns severe,”] he added.
With those words of warning, Flayke bid farewell to the duo and ventured out into the wintry landscape. Just beyond Tore, amidst the towering peaks of the frozen Mountains, a vast snow-covered forest stretched endlessly. Here, ancient trees bowed under the weight of snow, their branches laden with frost. The air was thick with the scent of pine, and the sound of their footsteps echoed through the silent woods.
Yet, beyond the forest’s edge lay the true marvel—a vast, frozen lake that shimmered like a mirror in the sunlight. Here, the sky and earth met in a breathtaking display of natural beauty, the sun’s rays painting the ice with a myriad of colors. Yet beneath the surface lay a realm unseen, a darkness where myths and legends were said to dwell, hidden from the world above.
As snowflakes drifted gently from the trees, cloaking the land in a soft silence, one couldn’t help but sense the magic that permeated the air.
_
@OhSumana - yuuta
@idiot.exe - Rhydal
for now I will let you both explore, I’ll do an Narration when something important happens.
try exploring the woods, the lake and the mountains. I’ll add more details when your characters arrive at one of the locations