The Everlight party spend a week walking before arriving at the tundra. The tundra is a range of snowy mountains that reaches high up in the sky, making it very cold then regular high mountains. They bought outfits suitable for the snow. Raye wore a blue coat, representing the Kingdom of Hiden's colour scheme. A black mittens, long black pants for the harsh cold weather and brown boots to insulate his hands and feet. Al wore a red coat, a long black pants, two black mittens and a brown boots too. For Will, he wore a violet coat, a long dark blue pants, two black mittens and boots. Amethia wore a white coat that reaches until her knees, a pair of red mittens and a pair of brown boots. She wore a long bright purple pants within her coat. Auoun wore a large red coat because of his size but it is also too long for him, making the Everlight party pay extra for tailoring it.
The Everlight party climbed up one of the mountains of the tundra. Despite being called a tundra, there were still many trees despite the cold weather. As they were climbing the mountain, they came across a small hut in the forest. It was made out of wood and a small steam came out of the chimney, showing signs that there is someone living in it. Raye decided to pay that hut a visit and also take a break there from the cold weather.
He went up and knocked on the door once. The hut was small but was enough to fit the size of a dwarf.
"I'm coming I'm coming,"
A gruff voice came from the inside of the small hut. The door was swinged opened as Raye took a few steps back. The voice came from a short, old man. He has a white beard and white hair, there were wrinkles on his face and he wore a armour helmet. He did not wear any coat nor sweater like the Everlight party, just a black singlet and a blue jeans.
"How may I help you? No, please enter, the harsh cold weather must have gotten you,"
The short, old man, or a dwarf to be exact, led the Everlight party into the small hut. Despite looking small from the outside, the interior is big enough to fit the dwarf and the whole Everlight party. The interior does not have much in it. Some woods for the fire beside the small chimney, a desk and a table for one person.
"Now then, how may I help you?"
The dwarf asked once more.
"My name is Raye Winston, we are the Everlight party that so happen to pass by your small hut and is requesting a short stay, just an hour from the harsh cold weather, we will pay you if needed,"
"It's alright, you don't have to, my name is Daden Frorinberg, do you lots want something to drink?"
Raye looked at the rest of the Everlight party and back at Daden.
"Please do,"
The dwarf went beside the chimney and took a few cups on the desk. He made hot chocolate with a touch of marshmallow and gives them to the Everlight party. They drank it and warmed themselves up. Frorinberg clan, it is a small clan besides the Doreinberg clan. Though there were not many of them in this current day and age but dwarf lived for 500 years or even more so meeting them would not be rare. The Everlight party stayed for an hour in the hut. They shared their stories with the dwarf and so on. During the meantime, Daden helped Raye polished and sharpened his sword and help Auoun make his hammers firm and better, teaching him on how to forge a better hammers.
The Everlight party thanked Daden and left the small hut, resuming their journey upward the mountains. There weren't any beast when they climbed up the mountain. After another hour, the Everlight party has arrived at a small city in the tundra.
The houses of the city were all made out of wood. There is a wet market that sells all kinds of seafood caught near the river and their lake nearby so the Everlight party decided to visit that first. Large octopus tentacles and huge fish caught from the river near the city. The Everlight party ate the octopus tentacles that was grilled and put with sauce with umami flavour.
"Delicious~"
Amethia chew on the tentacle as her face beam in awe. Raye bit the tentacle on his hand and said the same thing as Amethia. After visiting the wet market, the Everlight party went for the guild to accept some quest while also hoping that they would reach B rank.
"Is there any quests that could elevate us to B rank?"
Raye asked a female attendant which she looks through the lists and took one out, placing it on the counter. Raye picked it up and looked at it. It is about ice bears that lived near the city. It has said to be scaring the people from getting the minerals from the ice cave.
"I have go through your records and clear this B rank quest and you can come back to evalate your rank, but I must warn you, there are a few packs of them, it won't be easy,"
"We'll do it,"
The Everlight party followed the direction given by the female guild attendant. They arrived at the location not long ago since it is near the city. They hid behind a lump of snow as the bears roared and roam around.
"Alright, Will and Amethia, attack them from the air while Auoun and I will face them head on, as for Al, you help assist us from the behind,"
They all nodded and did their parts. Will and Amethia flew up first, trying not to draw the attention of the ice bears yet. Will and Amethia both casted a huge fire ball from the above. The ice bears heard the flame and look up. They saw two fire balls coming towards them. A huge explosion occurred near the cave, shaking the whole area. Raye and Auoun leaped from the lump of ice and drew out his sword. All the ice bears ran towards Raye and Auoun but before they could get to them, the sudden and violent shake earlier made the snow from above of the cave fall and covers the whole ice bears. The snow was so large that it is too thick to get through.
"Well, one thing is settled, though the entrance of the cave is blocked,"
"We did what they want us to do didn't we? Let's head back,"
Al suggested which Raye made a face that look disappointed.
"We can't do sloppy jobs and return to get reward, that would ruin our party's dignity and ourselves,"
Raye walked forward to the lump of snow and stopped right at the blocked entrance. Raye held his sword in an angle, using both hands to hold it where the tip of the sword is aimed at the snow.
"Hyaaah!"
His sword beam in radiant colours as he pushes his sword forward, barely touching the snow. Suddenly, a huge power was released through the tip that blasted the snow, creating a hole to the cave entrance. Although this create a temporary entrance, the snow above topples down and blocking the entrance once again. Raye just swings his sword, creating a single slash that made the whole snow explode, removing them from the cave. The ice bears were dizzy at the moment due to the immense cold. Seizing the chance, Auoun and Will take them all out.
"Since we are here, why not explore the cave?"
Raye suggested which they all agreed. They enter the cave to be met with brilliant light shining from each side. Inside the ice cave are full of minerals inside and outside of the ice. This reminded Will of the sight they found in the mining site when they first entered the Kingdom of Ferria, except that this sight is much beautiful. Will touches the wall of the ice cave. it is cold but smooth.
They then returned by evening to attain their reward and to elevate their rank.
"Congratulation Everlight party, you are now rank B! Here are the reward for taking out the ice bears,"
She handed three pouch of silver coins which Will gladly accept. They then slept in this city for a night inside an inn made out of wood and resume their journey the next day.