At the suggestion from Fyldren that it was just an avalanche, the dwarf, wizard, and ranger headed inside along with their apprentices.  They never realized that there was a giant outside of the castle, or if the ranger did she didn't say anything about it.  They trusted the elf's abilities to understand nature, and if she said nothing was strange Acamen wasn't going to argue that something was.

Acamen held a small feast for all the heroes, and aside from some small exchanges of dialogue the dinner was mostly silent.  Partially because they would be setting out early the next day, and partially because a bloodthirsty vampire sat at the table, but mostly because they were all hungry after a weary journey through the endless wasteland.

The night passed without any incident, and when morning arrived the party set off.  The heroes made with haste northward, knights of darkness and paladins of light guarding the left and right sides of the caravan respectively.  In the middle were several carts containing supplies, along with a seemingly massive stock of strong ale.  When questioned, Acamen stated that he carried the alcohol with them because 'they would need it later'.

The skies continued to snow endlessly, with two small figures watching from above.  The Angel and Phoenix seemed to be at odds with each other still, probably because they were both proud creatures by nature.  But no further conflict had occurred, which her father was thankful for.

[h3][color=gold]Acamen Hopsfield[/color][/h3]
The adventurers topped the crest of a small hill, but Acamen couldn't see beyond the inside of his wagon.  Engrossed in his books, he still sought a way to strike down two of the challengers.  He hadn't been lucky so far, and his sources were becoming less and less reliable.

The black flap of the wagon opened, and his daughter stumbled in, collapsing on the floor immediately.  The sound of snoring filled the wagon, and Acamen couldn't suppress a small grin.  [i][color=gold]This is probably where I'm supposed to call her an angel, but this is probably the only time she acts like one...[/color][/i]  Still, he was impressed.  Checking his watch, the mage of light noticed that his daughter had been up there for twenty two hours straight.

The Brilliant gold peeked his head outside of the tent, checking on the other flying party member.  [I][color=gold]She's still up there.  Do phoenixes really possess such endurance?  Maybe I haven't been paying attention, but it's been ... thirty six hours for Malaena?[/color][/I]  The scholar made sure to jot that down in his notes, wanting to pass down this knowledge to the future.  He would be doing the same for the dark prince, but Acamen had already gathered knowledge about them during his fights in the Shadowlands.

Before Acamen could return to his books however, a Paladin strode into the wagon.  [color=lightyellow]"Exemplar, the Phoenix says a few thousand people are approaching from the north, probably barbarians based on their appearances.  They are about ten to twelve miles ahead of us ... what are your orders?[/color]  Before responding, Acamen quickly wrote down that the phoenix had unbelievable eyesight, far beyond that of his daughter.  The mage wasn't surprised though, as he knew birds of prey normally had superior vision.

Acamen stepped outside, his feet trudging in the cold snow.  It wasn't comfortable here like the southern lands, and if it was his choice someone else should have handled this expedition.  Still, this was his job.  The caravan had already halted, and Acamen shot a signal of light upwards to gather the other champions.  [color=gold][i]These barbarians are probably going to raid lands to the south.  That could be my parents.  If I can, I'd like to turn them home, at least for now...[/i][/color]  However, he would like to hear the other's opinions on this issue.  Starting internal conflict here could mean surrendering the world, and Acamen knew his selfishness should not go ahead of the needs of Corthan.