• Outside, the Kushala Daora sniffed the snow blocking the cave, tentatively. The creature was bewildered, it did not understand what had happened and why the white ground had covered the cave. It stepped back and opened it's wings, flapping them as hard as he could. The snow did not budge so he opened his jaws wide and let a beam of wind strike the snow. Shards of ice flew out and deflected off the dragon's silver scales. The spot which it had blasted with the wind and been compressed to an opaque ice. Knowing that it would never be able to break apart the obstruction, it opened it's magnificent wings and flew off to the tip of the mountain to see if there was another entrance.
    I spun round quickly drawing my sword. I relaxed a bit as I realized that the sound I had heard was the melting ice stalactites echoed off the walls. I placed my sword back in it's holder and continued on through the cave. I had found many holes and cracks in the walls where miners had come here for rare ores and precious gems. Upon examining these, I found that all the ores and gems had gone and they were months old. The miners must have abandoned when they couldn't find anything else, or maybe they realized the land was owned by the Kushala Daora. I also found some of the special herbs that only grew in caves like these, these could be sold for a high price, if I got out alive. I climbed up the umpteenth ledge and found, waiting for me, a huge bug hovering over a pool of freshly melted water. It curved its abdomen towards me and I saw the 5cm long sting on the edge of its body. I ducked quickly as the Vespoid swung it's body forward. I drew my sword out of it's holder and swung it across its body. Instead of cutting it clean in two, the sword merely pushed it aside. I suddenly realized I had forgotten to sharpen my sword after hitting the Kushala Daora. I ducked again as the sting was jabbed in my direction. My sword's blade was completely flattened but the point was still sharp enough to pierce the insect's shell. I dodged another attempt at stinging me and stabbed the bug. Purple blood squirted all over my sword and the Vespoid fell limp to the floor. I took the small time I had left before more came to sharpen my sword and to drink another hot drink. I got up and continued on my way easily slicing any more vespoids that got in my way.