In the heart of the Albweiss cold,
Tales of frozen guards unfold,
Who in the frost their purpose found,
And to the guild their lives had bound.
In the snows our stories live,
Legends of the life we give,
Guilds of old and gilded lore,
Keepers of the mountain core.
Excerpt from a song of those who guard the Albweiss Mountain Guild.
BUILT INTO THE MOUNTAIN, the Albweiss Mountain Guild was a stone fortress nestled in a natural gap, a strategic shelter of five storeys offering relief from the unforgiving weather of the Albweiss. Its imposing structure featured towers and lookouts that rose from the rock like an extension of the mountain itself, a testament to both ingenuity and necessity. The stone walls bore the marks of centuries of wind and ice.
As Yu had heard, the guild was a lifeline for the lost, a sanctuary for weary, and a haven for the brave. It served as a refuge for travellers, a bastion for adventurers, and a hub for minor trade, marking the midpoint between the Barnstream Harbour Guild to the east and the Midland settlements farther south. Its reputation stretched across the Northlands, renowned for offering food, lodging, and supplies to those who braved the Snowtrail.
“This can’t be safe!” Yu had exclaimed, when his shirka had so smugly informed him of the arrangement she had made to fucking ruin his life. She had intruded into his room, as always without knocking, and then dropped her decision on him without any pause or consideration. Yu had jumped out of his loft bed immediately, screaming for her to get out and attempting to shut the door in her face.
“Well then, I’m sure you will make it much safer,” she had snapped, her tone laced with sarcasm and that insufferable superiority. By the time he was on his feet, she had already crossed the room, thrown back the curtain and ripped open the window. “By Diamos, it stinks in here!” She wielded insults like a blade that knew no sheath.
“Well then, leave, why don’t you!” Yu waved one of his stumpy wings at her and shielded his eyes with the other. With the midday sun surging in, it was much too bright.
“The one leaving is you,” she continued before he could interject further. “It is a respectable occupation. One that might finally turn you into a respectable adult.”
“Respectable?” Yu spat the word like it was poison. “We both know you only want to get rid of me!”
“Will this be another tantrum?” Her eyes narrowed. “When did you last take a bath? When did you preen yourself? Your feathers are dust grey!”
“You’ve wanted me gone ever since Padera broke!” he shouted, frustration boiling over.
“What I’m trying to get rid of,” she retorted coldly, “is the whimpering infant that should have left this wizard’s body a decade ago!”
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