Thick fog covered the snow-capped peaks of Drustvar, blanketing the land in a dim frozen twilight. The wind howled with a primal fury, slinging sleet and snow alike against anything hapless enough to be caught in the frigid storm. Deep within the tempest, however, glowed the dim light of a lantern accompanied by eerie flickers of blue and white, outlining the silhouette of an armored horse and rider.
Both creatures were sturdily built–the horse a heavy draft and the rider much the same, as much as a human could be. A thick fur-lined hooded cloak protected the rider from the elements, though a generous layer of snow and rime coated the clothing and armor that was exposed. Given the cold light in both creatures’ eyes, the protective clothing was more for utility than for comfort, as neither were counted among the living.
Morician squinted, peering ahead into the blizzard as Steel continued to plow through the deep drifts of snow. The storm reminded him much of those that occurred in Northrend–swift, unannounced, and filled with a deadly, impartial wrath. Normally, he would be tucked away in a warm corner of an inn or barracks, with a mug of good ale and bowl of hot stew to warm his belly. That was not the case tonight due to an emergency rescue mission. The locals often liked to hunt this range due to the abundance of deer that liked to graze the alpine meadows. As fate would have it, one of the hunters had been injured, taking shelter in a cave while his companions went for help, though the storm had hit before they were able to return.
Thus, it fell upon his shoulders to locate the victim and bring them back to safety. A gryphon would have been much faster, but the conditions were ill-suited for flight. Thankfully, Steel was well-equipped for traversing the difficult terrain, with visibility being the only limitation. Morician continued to search for signs of the cave or one of the described landmarks, holding aloft his lantern to act as a beacon.
His answer came soon enough as a flare lit up the mountainside ahead–sparking for a couple moments and fading just as rapidly. A moment was all that was required though. Having his bearings, he squeezed his heels to Steel’s flanks, prompting the charger to surge forward.
Morician reined to a halt in front of the cave, quickly dismounting and ducking inside with the lantern. The cave, if it could even be called that, was not deep–little more than a pocket large enough to shelter a man from the elements. A figure was curled up just inside the entrance; the hunter’s right leg soaked in blood and the lower part bent at an odd angle.
Wasting no time, Morician knelt to check the man’s vitals, breathing a sigh of relief as he felt the faint thrum of a pulse and hint of breath. Having confirmed the hunter was still alive, he began to check for other injuries. Thankfully, the hunter seemed to be in decent enough shape for travel, though he would need to be moved soon if he was to survive. The broken leg was a problem though, with a large rip and bit of bone poking through the fabric of the hunter’s pant leg.
Morician pulled a roll of bandages and wad of gauze from the satchel at his side, quickly dressing the wound in a tight cocoon with a looser portion over the break itself. Once the bandage was secure, he began to concentrate, working strands of frosty runic magic over the affected area to encase it in a thick shell of ice to serve as a splint. While a thin branch would be more preferable, there wasn’t time to search for one in the storm without the hunter freezing to death.
Having seen to the man’s leg, the death knight stood up, removing his cloak and wrapping it securely around the hunter for protection and warmth. Hooking the lantern to his belt, he picked the hunter up, securing the man to the back of the saddle before mounting up himself and riding with haste back towards town. Though the wind howled and sleet and snow stung his face, Morician couldn’t help but smile, knowing the storm would not claim a victim this time.
Author's Note
Cut it off a little shorter than I originally intended because it’s late and I have to get up early tomorrow.