A Search Through Runeterra (Arcane)

"I don't have dark secrets; I have bright ones!"~ Lux, Spam Q+R , The Lady of Luminosity

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"Stick together at all costs. Don't venture out alone. And please.... keep your warming stones on you at all times. It will be extremely cold." Gregori ordered. "If you see anything out of the ordinary, point it out. That is the difference between life and death in this land. I say this because, the land itself is dangerous. It is harsh and unforgiving. A single misstep and you will not make it through." 

Sydell nodded with his back straight, exactly as a soldier would.

The others also nodded. A little serious.

"Rell... do you plan on bringing all the metal with you?" He asked the girl.

She nodded.

"Will it drain your magic?" He prodded.

She shook her head.

He raised an eyebrow before shrugging. "Then fine."

"Next. Our journey will take most of the day. That means you will have to walk a lot. Do not use your magic. Do not chase after each other. Move at your own pace. The later you tire out... the more distance you can cover. And let me tell you this..... You DO NOT want to spend the night outside." Gregori warned. "Is that clear?"

All nods.

"Finally..." He spoke turning around. His hands scooped up a large amount of snow. In front of them, me molded the snow into balls and lined them up. One for each child. "You are too serious. Just because we are travelling does not mean we cannot have fun." As he finished the snowballs launched toward each child. exploding upon impact.

THOFFF

The kids looked up at him in surprise and then launched themselves into the snow staring to a snowball fight.

Somewhere down the line, Annie used her fire to melt the incoming ball of snow. That signaled the end of the fight as Gregori reprimanded her for using magic.

But the point was made. The rising tension was squashed and they began the journey all smiles.

Gregori's weaker state had been improving over the travel. But it still wasn't there yet. He still felt extremely lethargic and tired. His body had cramps all over. Muscles burned as he walked. But everyday... the pain lessened. Him pushing on was a result of his willpower alone.

"What is this?" Briar asked while pointing to the snow. "It is cold."

Gregori stilled and fell into thought. He had not considered that he would need to teach her all of this.

"It is called snow." Gregori replied, "Water becomes ice when it is really cold. And powdered ice is basically snow."

"This is water?" Briar asked.

Gregori nodded.

She looked to the others for confirmation before turning back after receiving various nods. Her face put on a wide grin with lots of teeth before jumping into the snow face first.

His eyes widened at the scene.

"NO!" Faye yelled rushing to pull her out. "You shouldn't!"

Briar looked up, "Why?"

"Because its dirty!" Faye said. "You shouldn't eat things from the ground."

Annie nodded sagely, "Daddy always told me not to eat dirty things."

Briar looked to him, "Please daddy?"

"No." Gregori replied. "It is not healthy."

"But-"

"No buts Briar." Gregori told sternly.

Briar's head fell down.

"You can focus on other things instead." Gregori was now trying to distract the child. "There are lots of different creatures that roam around this land. Try to spot them as well go through."

Suddenly, forgetting her earlier sadness, Briar's eyes darted left and right in excitement at spotting a new creature.

After a couple hours of walking and admiring the scenery, Briar stopped and following her Daani did so as well.

"What is it?" Gregori asked.

"Something is there." Daani pointed in front of them.

Briar did not reply with her eyes focused on the target.

Following their line of sight, Gregori spotted a black dot ahead of them. Some sort of large creature.

"Walk at our own pace." Gregori calmly replied. "Once we get a proper look at the creature, we can plan our next course of action."

And walk they did.

Gregori quickly noticed that the dot was going in the same direction as them. Only, it had no star to point it in the direction. 

The continued following behind the creature but it was a lot slower than them and would easily be caught up with. The creature's features came into view.

Gregori squinted and spotted something. The creature was large.... rotund.... It lumbered forward.

But every few moments it would stop and stand still. Raising something and then continue.

As they got closer they heard the sound.

BURRRRPPPP

A loud burp echoed through the frozen wasteland.

That was enough.

It was a man. A man with bright orange hair. Ginger. He shimmied through the snow while taking swigs off the barrel held to his side.

The barrel itself was massive.

The way he lugged it around made it seem like it was incredibly heavy. And with the way his arms moved afterwards.... the barrel was probably full of some liquid.

"That is a man." Gregori told the kids. "And if my memory serves me right... then that man is an Iceborn."

"Like Daisy?" Annie asked.

"Exactly like Daisy." Gregori answered. "He is probably very physically strong and from what I know... he probably isn't that dangerous.." Gregori continued but was still not a hundred percent sure of his belief.

This man might be the one Jorde had mentioned at the start of their journey to Rakelstake from Naljaag. The Iceborn who used True Ice to keep his ale cold. Gregori had hated the thought of the man then. Now, he just looked at that moment in sadness. He had hated a man simply because he had something Gregori wanted. That was a low point for him.

He was grieving. He was afraid. And above all his daughter was sick.

Those were good enough reasons to hate someone. But it seemed out of place. He had been very emotional during that point of his life. Nowadays he seemed to have that under control.

Even going as far as to keep the cold mask of his on during most of the mission to retrieve Annie.

But with the children.... he dropped that mask. He showed emotion. He received emotion. It made him happy. His children made everything better.

That did not mean that he did not feel regret for acting as if the man in front of them had harmed him personally. It was a man who did something peculiar and was not afraid of how he would be shown.

Soon enough, they had come close to the man. He turned around and noticed the group. The man's arms and bare chest sported the Freljordian tattoos.

"Who're you?" He asked before letting out a burp. An action that got giggles from the younger kids.

"I'm Gregori and I am taking my children to Rakelstake. Would I be right in assuming you are heading there as well?" Gregori introduced then asked.

The man nodded. "Aye. Rakelstake's my destination."

"Would you mind us coming with you?" Gregori asked.

"No." He answered in his gruff voice. "But I'll take a break now and I will sleep for the night soon."

"Oh." Gregori raised an eyebrow. "We'll go on ahead then."

He did not reply but waved his arm forward.

Gregori took a step forward before turning around, "I didn't catch your name."

"Gragas." He replied.

"What is inside that?" Briar asked him.

With a wide smile, he answered, "Drink!"

"Can I have some?" She asked.

"Me too!" Said Annie.

And that got more of them kids looking at Gregori expectantly.

"No." Gregori stepped in. "That is not drink you should consume at your age. It is harmful for children. And Gragas here is an Iceborn." Gregori pointed to the man. "The drink is probably very alcoholic and would easily knock out anyone but its effects are lesser on him."

Gragas nodded pridefully, before slapping his belly with one hand, "The best ale in the Freljord." He claimed.

"Daddy.... but its the best...." Annie whined.

"No." Gregori turned to the man. "Well Gragas, we apologize for stalling you. We'll be out of your hair now." Turning back to the kids, "Come now, lets leave the good man alone."

Reluctantly, the kids waved at the man and continued following Gregori through the snow filled land.

"Why is he so round?" Asked Daani once they got far out of earshot.

"Drinking that much has effects on your body." Gregori answered without looking back. "Most of those who drink a lot get big bellies." 

They trudged through the snow.

"I want to try his drink the next time." Sydell stated.

Gregori gave him a glance, "The next time better be in ten years. Children are forbidden from taking alcohol for a reason. Your body still isn't strong enough to process it. Once you grow older it will be. But now? If you drink it... it is the same as drinking poison."

Sydell flinched.

Gregori noticed that asking, "Does poison mean something to you Sydell?"

Sydell dropped his head. 

"Sydell." Gregori comforted. "You can tell me... us... anything. Don't be afraid."

"My father was poisoned." Sydell said, tears forming in his eyes. "We were eating and he drank some wine and then.... then..." He couldn't complete his words.

Gregori reached for the boy and pulled him into a hug. A hug that the others piled onto. Rell included, though she stayed on the far side of the hug.

After comforting the boy, the journey continued till they spotted the large gates of Rakelstake.

As the sun finally set, they stood underneath the gates.

Gregori took a deep breath as he stood in front. "Get ready to meet your sister." He told the kids.

His mind relaxing as he finally completed his search.

His promise to Leanna and Amoline was now fulfilled.

He could rest now.

They all could.