Chapter 10: Found At Last

Light gentle clouds blanketed over the vast wintry landscape. The snowflakes fell like light tiny feathers brought down by the heavens, peaceful and without hurry. It was calm and quiet unlike the burning anger from within Moulin's chest. His eyes snapped at Snow annoyingly, threatening the little creature. He really hated being interrupted.

A tiny whimper sounded from a furry ball of white, hiding in the deep snow and his small eyes peeking out, aggrieved. He felt wronged and regrettable. Moulin was about to reprimand Snow when his eyes met the white fox's teary and adorably eyes, seeking his master's comfort like a wronged baby. This familiar tactic almost made Snow throw up blood. This little brat doesn't know anything but making trouble and flashing his cute face. But Moulin couldn't have the heart to scold those pitiful eyes. Finally, swallowing his irritation, he surrendered to those eyes and gave Snow a gentle pat. "You scared me. Next time warn me before you go all crazy again, alright?"

Snow yipped happily and moved to snuggle on Moulin's silk-covered lap. Helplessly sighing, the silver-headed youth realized his empty hands. The bow must have disappeared after he fell on the snow. But the arrow...

He wondered where it landed. Where ever it was he wished it didn't hit anything alive.

Looking down at the beautiful white fur of the fox curling lazily on his thighs, he couldn't help but wonder if the two people had safely crossed the river. But he knew they would be alright, they were two grown men after all. A small smile was plastered on his face as he caressed Snow's fur. Calling his weapon was a success, he will try to practice harder without exhausting his mana. Then it would be easier to call it again. Remembering his trembling hands when he called upon his weapon, he was motivated to exercise the control of his energy when summoning his weapon again. He was tempted to take a short nap, however, the sky was bright and it was time to cook himself some food. He decided that everything would come after he ate his fill.

Noon came immediately during Moulin's daily routine of cultivation. Unknown to Moulin, deep within the woods, miles away from the lake and the Moulin's icy cave, heavy black boots pressed into the snow hurriedly. A man wearing a long black winter cloak ran in difficulty through the deep snow, panting out chilly puffs of air as he made his way towards a thick tent covered in heavy snow. A small base settled in an open area surrounded by thick trees and deep snow.

The man barged inside the tent guarded by two bulky men in uniforms bearing the Fraunces family crest. "Y-young master!" He hurriedly saluted the man before him.

Deep grey eyes looked at the knight under his eyelids and snapped irritably "What ". A few papers laid on a wide wooden table with a single black ink bottle. Maxille kneaded his forehead while he stood up from the chair and returned his stare at the knight before him. Exhaustion layered his handsome face with visible dark circles under his eyes. "Speak...".

Swallowing down his fright he spoke, "The search team has discovered a sudden anomaly while scouting the southern part of the woods". He moved forward to hand over a folded note to the young Lord sent by the leading knight of the search team. Gloved hands received the letter and Maxille unfolded it to read it's contents. His eyebrows drew together expressing his confusion and irritation. However, somewhere deep in his mind, there was a faint suspicion like a drop of black ink in clear water spreading out in his head, overwhelmingly him with curiosity.

Narrowing his eyes, he clenched the note in his hands and adjusted his black-furred cloak with a Sapphire clasp. "Lead the way" he ordered, roughly.

"Y-yes, Young Master" The knight nodded and hastily rushed out to prepare the teleportation pearl.

Shortly afterwards, Maxille stood in front of a long vertical pole made out of alabaster. Its body was carved with symbols from the elven language and at the top was a transparent sphere powered by a single blue mana crystal. This type of device was mainly used for transporting a large group of people. However, it requires two teleportation pearls for transportation to happen, one for the current position and one for the designated destination. Maxille and three knights entered the circle appearing on the snow with the light energy of the sphere. Their bodies faded with a flash and they were gone the next second.

After a few seconds, The young heir with his group emerged in front of an identical teleportation pearl. "This way young master" The informant knight with him led him towards the leader of the search team with quick steps knowing the young master was very impatient.

"Young master..." The leader saluted to him, his momentous posture noticeable. He gestured the lord to follow him as they walked with unhurried steps. "We have encountered an unexpected oddity. We were scouting the area towards the south when our spirit seer perceived a faint mana reaction a few miles away. We proceeded towards the direction of the reaction when we discover...this" His hand motion towards a startling sight a few meters away from them.

What met Maxille's sight was a tall tree or what previously was a tall tree, currently, It looked to be an explosion of concentrated enormous spikes of white ice skewering the tree and even freezing its splinters. The pointed spears of crystal ice struck the ground while its body mercilessly impaled the pitiful tree. Like large needles piercing a green twig in all directions. With one look, Maxille knew it was the work of an ice wielder. He glanced at the leader "Who..."

"We do not know, our seer had lost the direction of the user as if she was being repelled" The man shook his head, disappointed.

Maxille stared at the horrendously violent ice. It was completely different from his or other ice wielder's ice. It was faintly white with flashes of various colors like a crystal diamond. A soft glow of blue visibly gleamed at each intersection of the spears. Brutal and elegant. Who did it? This wielder might be extraordinarily strong.

"Jonac..." The young lord called out for the informant knight.

"Yes, Young master..."

"Go back and gather the men. We will set out towards the north" Pressing his lips into a thin line, he looked up in the sky, noticing the approaching sunset. Finding the person responsible was better than finding nothing at all. It was almost a whole month since he joined the search for his younger brother. Burying the clawing pessimistic thoughts into the pit of his mind, he pleaded to the gods for hope. He refuses to stop unless he found Moulin's body, be it dead or alive. Hopefully, he wished he was somewhere out there, heart beating vigorously.

"AO!"

"What is it, Snow?" Moulin asked with frosted hands after putting out the fire. The little fox kept eyeing the distance, even ignoring the roasted fish in front of him, catching the youth's attention. He was about to pacify Snow when he detected a faint irregularity with the snow a few miles away. He stood up straight with narrowed eyes. ????ℎ???????? ???????? ???????? ????ℎ???????? ????????????????? He had just finished sending off those two people. Are there more? Perhaps....were there other assassins left? No, there shouldn't be. Maybe a few big animals were battling or rutting at each other. That was a big possibility.

"Snow..." Moulin crouched to stroke the white fur of the little fox, who nuzzled his head on Moulin's palm. "...Go and see what it is".

After licking the youth's palm, Snow obediently dashed towards the woods. The fox was quick and small, his fur could camouflage with the white snow effortlessly. Moulin was sure Snow would be alright.

Cute little paw prints on the snowy earth trailed deeper and deeper into the woods. Sharp haunting silver pupils searched like the eyes of an insatiable predator. The little creature could hear the sound of footsteps pressing into the snow growing louder and louder as he neared. At the time the show had dyed into the shade of the sunset sky, Snow had slowed down his pace and leisurely closed in towards the lights in the distance.

Glowing orbs circles around the group of people, lighting their way as they bravely ventured deeper into the woods. The worsening coldness not only caused the knights to hesitate about advancing towards a destination they weren't sure could be worth their while but also aroused the thoughts of the third young master's possibility of being alive in this harsh cold wintry landscape. They knew the spoiled young master was frail and sickly that even the simplest cold could make him feverish for a whole week. And with this severe everlasting coldness in this territory, there was no way he could survive here for a whole day! They pitied their Noble Household for withstanding the troubles this child always cause.

" Milord! We've found something!"

Maxille whipped his head behind him and the two guards behind him followed the informant, who was pointing at somewhere. The freckled-cheek informant knight widened his eyes at a single creature with two glowing silver pupils in the dark. As if the eyes of death were reading the end of his life and choking the soul out of him. "Y-y-young m-master...". His pointer finger trembled.

Maxille and the rest also caught sight of this. The young heir wanted to ignore it and proceed forward but the glint of the creature's eyes felt familiar for an unknown reason. Unconsciously, he took a few steps forward. And Snow growled menacingly at him, his teeth showing. With the Light orbs revealing Snow, the fox could not help but be threatened and turn hostile. "Grrr..."

Jonac sighed in relief at the size of the little fox in front of him. This white fox was quite cute and was even less intimidating. The eyes of the fox were astonishingly silver and its size was abnormally small than regular Northern Snow Foxes. It was very strange. Perhaps, it was a mixed breed?

Snow stared at Maxille with the intent to attack. The latter, however, had not the slightest idea of why this small creature seemed very aggressive with him. He really had done nothing wrong. Realizing that he was wasting valuable time with this little animal, he glanced at the fox one last time before turning away. "Let's move forward..." He told his men.

The group of people started to set out when out of the blue, A wave of soothing and pleasant pheromones enveloped them. Maxille was the first one to notice this. Only a handful of beasts have the ability to release pheromones, particularly Mystic ones. Unlike other beasts, these Mystic beasts release pheromones to make other beasts compliant. Moreover, they can also wield these pheromones to communicate with other creatures, especially maeruthans. And this little fox possessed this kind of unique ability, it couldn't possibly be a Mystic beast! It was too small and it looked too vulnerable!

Maxille halted his steps and swiftly walked over towards the previously hostile fox, who was now as docile as a kitten. Silver eyes met Maxille's grey ones. The knights watched in anticipation. This little animal was a possible Mystic Beast, it was just too unconvincing. Snow blinked his eyes perceiving a small knowledge after closely looking at Maxille's face.

"Ao.." Snow turned around leisurely, glancing at Maxille. After a few seconds, the little fox rushed into the woods unhurriedly.

Maxille stared blankly "..."

"Young Master? Are you alright?" One of Maxille's guards asked.

The young lord glanced at him briefly "It wanted me to follow him". The fox was sitting in the distance as if waiting for him. Its eyes were gleaming vibrantly in the dark, waiting for Maxille to stop hesitating.

Without wasting time he hurried to follow the fox calmly. Raising a hand, his men obediently followed their master. Trick or not, the young lord felt that he had to follow the fox or he would miss something very important.

Meanwhile, thousands of silver strands danced elegantly with the wind as a young man wearing a white bear fur cloak stood in front of the lake impatiently and worriedly waiting. His eyebrows furrowed as he clutched his cloak tightly. He wasn't cold, just very worried. Did something happen to Snow? The sky had already darkened, at this time Snow would whine hungrily and would continuously rub on his legs, pitifully. His emotions were too disturbed to detect any possible movements on the snow. Should he go after him? Yes, he probably should just in case. Normally, he wouldn't even step foot into the woods at night because of the wild beasts and the dangers lurking within but this time he had to go for his small and bratty fox.

With steady breaths, his bare feet began to walk on the lake towards the part of the woods where Snow had entered. He hoped that he wouldn't stumble upon any scary things while searching. Opening his palm, a small diamond-shaped ice crystal gave out a soft blue light. Shadowed by a blue glow in the dark the youth walked carefully across the lake. Hopefully, that little fox won't be all mangled and blo-- just thinking about it made him shudder in concern. Okay, let's stop thinking about that...

Suddenly, he halted his steps when he felt the familiar scurry of small legs on the snow. "Snow...." He saw the small fox happily running towards him as if he did something that should be praised for a thousand lifetimes over and over.

"Look at how dark it is! Do you want to starve throughout the night? Is that what you want? What were you doing out there for so long?!"

The sound of Moulin's loud voice almost scared the soul out of the little fox. Snow's delighted aura immediately dissipated after seeing his master's eyes seething with anger. He lowered his head and whimpered at Moulin's feet.

Sighing heavily, his thick eyelashes fluttered as he eyed Snow out of concern. Seeing that this little brat was playing his typical pitiful look, Moulin smiled faintly "I was really worried. What if something happened to you out there? I'd have no one to talk to anymore if you were harmed. You understand that, right?".

Snow nuzzled on his palm, taking soft licks. Master, is still very good...

All of a sudden, the frigid wind around Moulin stopped. He stiffened as he felt multiple gazes strike him down like heavy boulders. There was someone else in the area. His cautiousness immediately triggered the gears in his head as he stood erect watching his front warily.

Indeed, there were people. Dark figures, one by one stepped out of the trees into the open area. One particular person stepped out of the dark, his eyes strained at the familiar frame of the youth on the lake. The young man wore thick white fur but it couldn't hide the deep sense of familiarity that hooked the stern young lord. His heart beating so fast, he could not suppress the emotions in his heart as his grey eyes moistened.

He is alive... He is alive...

These thoughts repeated itself in his mind as if afraid it was all an illusion he tricked himself. His younger brother is still alive. He wanted to shout, to move his legs and to grab him but his body was stuck to the ground, emotions running wild. In the end, he only managed to call him...

" Moulin?... "