Travelling through the forbidden region - Day five

Waking up they are prepared to start walking through the forest and search for the flower, the only thing that they know is that it grows at high altitudes and it needs a cold climate hence the rumours that it grows within the northern forbidden region as it has the highest mountains in the continent and has the cold climate as it is covered in snow and frost 24/7.

To save time they decided that instead of wasting too much time they will just travel for the highest mountain and then hope that the flower is growing there. Running at the fastest pace they can they officially enter the forbidden region and start to feel the effects of the climate, Tian Long just shrugs it off as he has a dragon's endurance and vitality therefore it doesn't effect him as much as Jian. When they entered Jian started shivering but continued on and eventually acclimated to the environment as they ran.

The climate was getting closer the more they travelled further into the forbidden region which affected their speed more as Jian was eventually slowing down more and more however he persisted to run to both keep warm and not waste any more time.

*Heavy breathing SFX*

*Groan*

Slowing to a snails pace an hour into the frozen forest Jian eventually collapsed as he shivered on the snow covered gorund within the forest as he could no longer bare the cold. Tian Long sighed to himself as he admired his friend for even making it this far, in fact, the only reason Tian Long could make it this far is because of his species near immunity to the elements.

Stopping and making sure Jian was 'fine' Tian Long then makes sure there are no beasts around. Luckily no beasts were nearby, after finding out they were alone he used his azure dragon's flames to make a little bonfire with it which should warm Jian up until he is able to go back.

Two hours later Jian had finally stopped shivering enough that he could hold his sword properly and was ready to start running forwards again when Tian Long stopped him.

"Jian, your will to helpis commendable but it would be unwise for you to continue unless you wish to endanger yourself. Why don't you go back to where we landed last night and wait for me?"

"What do you mean? I have as much right as you do to continue forward. You are not the only one worried and wants to help Sarah so ... PUT DOWN THAT EGO AND LET ME HELP!!" Jian frustratedly shouted back at Tian Long.

Scrunching his brows Tian Long sighs and then answers back to Jian unhurriedly as he didn't want to fight with his friend right now.

"Jian, that is not what I mean and you know that. And my ego is in check, I know for a fact that if not for myself being a dragon I wouldn't have made it either. I am worried as we are only this far in and you are already collapsing from the cold, I don't want to play with your life while trying to save another. How do you think Sarah would feel if she knew that your life was forfeited for hers to continue?"

"I am doing fine now aren't I?" Jian countered adamant on continuing however Tian Long was not having it.

"JIAN!!!"

"ENOUGH!!!"

"You know for a fact that if not for my flames you would still be a shivering mess on the floor if not dead. Get a hold of yourself, I know you are worried but the more time we waste arguing about this THE LESS TIME WE HAVE TO SAVE SARAH!!" Tian Long lost his composure at the end of his explanation as his worry for Sarah increases for every second he is not at her side with her awake and fine.

"Hmph, fine. But if you so much as fail to find that flower I will come for your head" Jian threatened as he finally assented to leaving.

"Don't worry, I would have taken my own head if I had failed to save her" Tian Long answered back with determination in his voice.

Running away back to the directio they came from Jian disappears amongst the trees. Seeing this Tian Long sighs and then firmly heads towards the highest mountain.

Hours later tired and battered Tian Long finally made it to the bottom of the mountain he needed to climb. Tian Long although had a fire of determination in his eyes collapsed before the mountains.

Frost gradually covered him and although the frost itself couldn't affect him he gradually fell asleep as his tired body could no longer support his body. Looking back on his fights with the beasts he knew that he could have transformed into his beast form but he didn't want to risk it. But even with that disadvantage he made it here however he knew that he could have also fought smarter but his worry and urgency clouded his mind as he just wanted to get to the mountain as soon as possible.

Tian Long on his way here had fought a myriad of different races such as frost apes, snow leopards, snow lions, frost bears and frost wyverns. Normally any race that was descended from dragons wouldn't dare to fight their higher ups even with a level or rank advantage however wyverns although one of the most powerful species descended from dragons it is but a mindless beast that would even attack its own kin in the hopes to evolve further.

Frost apes should have been an easy beast to beat as all they have is their great strength which can easily be avoided by using a superior speed however in his urgency Tian Long just merely tanked the hits and returned them back. Although this method was a lot faster than the kiting method it was also a lot more dangerous as if you didn't have the required endurance you would end up dead or with internal injuries that would slowly kill you over the years shortening your life span.

Tian Long with his new method also took a lot of injuries from the snow leopards and lions. The snow leopards largely relied on their speed however they also had a sufficient amount of strength which he learned the hard way as he ended up with claw marks over his body. The snow lions were the opposite of the snow leopards as they relied mostly on their strength whilst they also had sufficient speed which he also learned as he also ended up with both claw marks and bite marks as unlike the snow leopards that rely mainly on their claws the lions use both.

The frost bears and frost wyverns weren't that difficult as the frost bears although had an extremely strong strength and defence was too slow to do anything substnatial therefore Tian Long just kept hiting the back of their neck to break the bone connecting to their spine. Frost wyverns were even less of a problem as in front of someonw with the blood of the ancestor of all dragon species lost nearly all of their strength which gave Tian Long the edge which he just annialated them as the wyverns were considered the disgrace of the dragon species.

Conciousness finally closing down he doesn't hear the bushes rustle next to him as an old man appeared apparently also on his way up to the top of the mountain was surprised to see that such a young man could make it this far into the forbidden region as they had long passed the forest region of this frozen land. The nothern forbidden region began with the dead mans land that spanned for miles that sepeareted the humans and the beasts, next was the forest which was where the weaker beasts reside and usually attack all who enter wihtout permission. After the forest is a snow plain which would disorient any normal person as all they would see was snow for miles as a fog unnaturally covered the plains, further past that is the mountains which they had ignored for the biggest one. On top of those mountains are different powerful beast families that defend the forbidden region from the humans.

Although no one knows why, even the beasts don't know why they defend these certain regions. However whenever they know of an invader something deep within their instincts drives them to protect the region.