Wintery Consolation

"You have a handler and yet you're still out here against the wishes of the Order?" Vladimars asked in bafflement, shivering against the wind. 

Markos sighed. "Yes." 

"Fascinating." The mage added. They trudged through the dense trees and snow, the distance seemed longer than when Markos had come out to the perimeter of the barrier earlier. In a few hours his whole perception of the world overturned. All his plans for when he returned home with Sintija temporarily suspended until crisis after crisis was handled. 

It was surreal but the pulse of the soulstone in the pouch on his belt reminded him that what happened in the hidden cache and forge was real. Everytime he tried to remember what he sacrifice the thought slipped away. Markos focused instead on what they needed to grab from the cabin before they fled north. Riding would cut down their travel time but they had three horses and four people. It could work but it was not optimal for such a long distance.