Lukas's POV

The sun going down had made a big difference in temperature, and I wasn't too sure if we would be able to spend the night there. I was wondering if it would be too cold to sleep there, but that was the best we had. Petra and I were both noticeably trembling, and I didn't even have my cloak anymore.

Maya came back a little later with an armful of wood and sticks.

"Boom, firewood," Maya said, dumping them in front of us.

"Thanks," I said.

"Now, how do we start a fire?" Maya asked, "I don't really know how to with what we've got."

"Maybe if we had the f-flint and steel, we could start one," Petra grumbled as she adjusted my cape that was around her.

"Come on, even if she hadn't given it up we still wouldn't have it here," I said, "We'll just do it... the old-fashioned way."

"Alright then, let's clear away some snow," Maya said. She began to dig it up in her hands and toss it away. I crawled over and did the same.

Once we had a little circle of exposed grass, Maya set up the firewood. The sticks leaned against each other in sort of a tent style.

"I feel like I know what I'm doing when I set the wood up like this," Maya said, "But I don't think any of us actually know how to start a fire without flint and steel."

"Petra," I said, turning around, "You used to travel alone a lot, did you have to make any fires?"

Petra shrugged and said, "Not without flint and steel."

"Well, great," said Maya as she wrapped her arm around my back, "Now we can plan on our demise. Lukas, it was nice knowing you."

"We're not gonna die!" I said, throwing it off, "W-we'll figure something out."

"Okay fine," Maya said, "The average human temperature is 98.6 degrees. Let's all just wrap ourselves in our capes and try to absorb each other's body heat and pretend it's not weird."

"Fine," Petra said.

As we began to settle down, I heard the sound of footsteps walking outside. I lifted myself from the ground to try to hear it better.

"Lukas," Maya said, "What are you--?"

"Shh..." I hushed, holding my hand out, "Something's out there."

The snow crunched outside like footsteps moving at a normal pace.

"Come on," I said, getting up. Maya and Petra followed.

Outside in the snow was a darkened figure, hunched over and trudging through the snow.

"Hello?" Maya called. The figure jumped and looked over. I could see now that it was a girl with pale skin and shoulder length black hair. Her face had a tired look to it as though she had been traveling for some time.

"Oh, didn't see you there," she said, "Who are you?"

"Maya, Lukas, and Petra," Maya said, pointing to us.

She studied us dubiously.

"I don't think I've seen you 'round here before," she said, "People call me K."

"K... does that stand for anything?" Petra asked.

"N-no, just... just K," she said, "Might I ask what you're doing here? You've ought to be freezing." She started to walk over to us, stumbling slightly in the thick snow.

"We were just preparing for tonight," I said, "We couldn't find our way home, so we figured we'd just camp out here."

K shook her head.

"With no fire? Don't do that," she said, "It's too risky. Too cold."

"But it would be dangerous to be exposed at night, right?" Maya said, "It's just gonna get colder."

"That's better than sleeping in this weather. At least your blood will be pumping more."

She paused for a second, then said,

"I can help you get back if you'd like. I've been around here before and pretty much know where everything is by now. Besides," she shrugged, "I've got nothin' better to do."

"You'd do that?" I asked.

"Sure," she said, "I offered, didn't I?"

"Right."

"Okay, now where're you headed to?"

"Caenis," Maya said, "You know the guy?"

K swallowed hard.

"Yeah, I know 'im." She stepped outside and looked around. "You guys are way off."

"Aww, really?" Maya groaned.

"How is that possible?" I asked, "I-I could've sworn we were just going straight back..."

"Yeah, what happened?" Petra asked.

K paused and thought.

"You haven't been involved in any magic, have you?"

"Do magical quills that carry you through different dimensions count as magic? Or how about enchanted flint and steel used to open other portals?" Maya asked. K gave her a confused look.

"No..." she said slowly, "I'm talking about, I don't know, deals with someone with magic, or casting a spell on something, or... y'know, things like that. I... don't think dimension traveling counts."

"I don't think so," I said, "Maybe we just took a wrong turn somewhere by accident?"

"Yeah, that's probably it," Petra said softly.

"Luckily for you I still know where we are," K said, "Come with me."

Petra's POV

We trudged through the snow that was almost knee-deep by now. I shivered under my cloak as I gritted my teeth. Each step sent a surge of pain up my leg and through my body, making me feel weaker and weaker. I thought it'd be best not to complain, though; I'd just go back to the castle and rest there. Besides, there was nothing we could really do about it anyway.

Maya tapped me on my back.

"Petra," she said softly, "You're limping."

"I'm fine," I said, "I'll tell you later."

As we were walking, I couldn't help but wonder if Aiden was worried about me. Or if he noticed how long I've been gone. I wondered what he thought about me, anyway. Why did I care anyway? I wasn't sure.

He's nice, I thought, And if he ever kissed me again like he did... I wouldn't mind.

"So, where're you from?" K asked as we walking up a small hill.

"A humble little village," Maya said, "At least I do. I live pretty far from here."

"Yeah, we're not from around here," Lukas said.

"Then what are you doing around these parts, anyway?" K asked.

"Accidents happen," Maya said, "How about you? Where're you from?"

"Places. Not from around here either, I guess. I--um... places. So... what do you do?"

"We're part of this group," Lukas explained, "C-call ourselves the Order of the Stone."

She chuckled. 

"Funny name."

Lukas shrugged.

"We didn't come up with it."

"How about you?" Maya asked, "What do you do?"

"I've always been into art," K said, "Painting was my favorite. I used to do it every day."

"Sounds fun!" Maya said, "I can't draw a stickman to save my life, though, ha."

"Wait, you said it was your favorite," Lukas said, "Do you not paint anymore?"

"Not really," K said, "I... well, I liked someone, and we would always paint together." She smiled as she remembered. "Good times. I... wanted to get closer with him, so painting was how."

"You liked someone?" I asked, trying to sound casual, "What... what did it feel like?"

"Why do you ask?" K smirked.

"I'm just wondering," I said, "How did you know?"

"I always wanted to be around him," K said, "It's been a while, though, I haven't really thought about him much."

"Was he cute?" Maya asked.

"Cute?" K asked, "Yeah, you could say that, I suppose. He was more of a... strong, silent type. He... wasn't 'cute,' per say."

"What was his name?" Maya asked.

"Okay, why are you so interested in my previous affair?" K asked, "But, since you're wondering, his name was Cheshire."

"Cheshire? Hold... hold on, Cheshire?" Lukas asked, "That Cheshire?"

"Do... you know someone named Cheshire?" K asked.

"Yeah," I said, "He's probably not who you're talking about, though. He wouldn't like art."

"What does he look like?" K asked.

"I'm not sure," I said, "Always wearing that cat mask. I think he had dark hair and—"

"Cat mask?!" shouted K, "You know him?!"

"We were just leaving his castle!" Lukas said.

"He has a castle?!"

"Apparently!"

"You liked him?!" I asked, "He kidnapped me and almost killed my friend!"

"Yes, well, I never said he was cute, did I?!" said K, "Where is he?"

"Back that way... I think..." Lukas said, pointing a thumb behind him.

"Okay, wow, he must have changed," K said, "I'll still take you back, but gosh, I've got to see him again! I wonder what he's like now."

"Listen, you don't want to meet this guy," I warned, "He's crazy! He doesn't play nice."

"He never did," K said, "But still, I want to see him sometime."

"Maybe someone at Caenis's castle knows how to get there," Maya said.

"That would be great to see him again," K said.

"Maybe you can convince him out of his world domination thing," I said.

"Huh?" K asked.

"You'll see," I said, "Augh..."

"You okay?" Lukas asked.

"Yeah," I said quickly, "Can we just... sit down a second?"

I felt like a pansy for asking to rest, but it felt like my body was ripping itself up on the inside.

"Yeah, of course," Lukas said.

"Let's just hurry," K said, "We don't want to be out here for too long. It's too cold to be sitting around for long."

"It'll only take a second," I said, sitting down in the snow. I rubbed my sore legs to try and ease the pain. Lukas looked at me with concern.

"Okay," I said, getting up, "We can keep going."

I wasn't entirely better, but I hoped I could carry on the rest of the way back.

Whatever was going on, I had to figure out how to make it end.