Shadow in a Winter Wonderland, Open

A blizzard tore at Val's face as he trudged through the snow. The cloak he had brought wasn't enough to stave off the biting cold, and what flesh was exposed was mercilessly hit by freezing winds. He regretted not coming better prepared, but he couldn't take it anymore; MÄR's forces were moving to slowly. He decided that he needed to get into Crystalis lands himself, and see what damage he could do as a solo agent.

But no matter of preparation could have made Val ready for this weather. He kept muttering through chattering teeth, "Damn it all, stupid cold..."
He sincerely hoped he wouldn't run into any Crystalis agents while he was here; his hands would be too numb to hold a sword.
-------

A few hours after leaving the Warp, he thought he could finally see something in the distance. He was disappointed to see that none of the buildings had lit windows or smoking chimneys; it looked like a ghost town. As he got closer, he got a weird feeling up his spine; he didn't like it.

Astra kicked a puff of snow, holding herself with chattering teeth. If witchy witchy wasn't chasing me I would of never come here... She grumbled mentally before stopping and hunching her shoulders against a cold wind that had just decided to make her life more horrid than it already was. She glanced around, then saw what looked to be a town. The girls eyes lit up and she took off toward the town to find a building she could huddle in, even for a little while, just to be out of the wind.

After she had sunk up to her knees in puffy white powder, fallen a few dozen times, and gotten snow under her clothes, she had finally made it. At this point she just wanted out of the wind and out of the god damned snow still falling from the sky. As if this place doesn't have enough already! Astra thought silently before nearing a house. It was dark, and she rubbed away ice on the window. Abandoned. Great. Astra glanced around before spotting the door. She tried the handle, with no luck. Finally she snorted. "Wimpy pathetic door! Move it." She activated her ARM, then happily smashed the handle on the door off. The door swung inward harmlessly and he laughed before walking in, and shutting the door again.

Val approached the eerie ghost town cautiously, making his way down into the main street. He peered into windows as he walked by, spooked by the emptiness of each cottage.

He was startled when he heard something, the sound of someone breaking into a house. Val hid himself, and quietly shuffled himself over to the house. The doorknob was broken; is there anything here worth stealing?

He peeked through the window, and saw the silhouette of the intruder. He bent down low to stay hidden, but watched carefully to see what he or she would do.

Astra blinked, then crouched down infront of the fire place and looked inside. No wood... just ashes. She sighed and stood again to leave, there wasn't much point in staying here if there was no wood. She'd have to go find some.

Astra pulled the door open and looked out into the frozen snow, then exited, holding herself with her arms to try and keep warm. She didn't see the other person who had been watching her, had no idea they were there. Yeah... that damned hunter won't find me here... but i'll most likely freeze to death before she can think of looking in a savage place like this.

Not one to let an opportunity slip, Val sprung up from his hiding place and drew his sword. He got close and brought his blade up to Astra's neck, threateningly touching her neck with its sharp edge.
"Stop right there. Who are you, and what are you doing here?"

Astra froze, brows drawn together. "Get your damn sword off my neck." She barked somewhat angrily. "And why should I tell you my name, its not like you've told me yours." Astra snorted before looking to the side slightly. "As to why i'm here, thats none of your concern because it doesn't involve you. Now if you'd please..." She said with an icy voice, looking down to the blade at her neck. "Honestly, its just like the people of this world to be paranoid at all times." She muttered.

Val sighed with some relief. "So you're not Crystalis."
He pulled back his sword, though not satisfied with her answer, he was glad to know that he wouldn't have to kill her, unless she tried something stupid.

He said, "Very well, I am Val, here on... personal business. I'm sorry for that, but I didn't want to take any chances."

"Take chances with what? Not agrivating someone who wasn't bothering you?" She turned around and eyed him narrowly. "I'm Astra." She said in a dry tone. "Personal business eh?" She grinned and placed her hands on her hips, forgetting about the icy cold window blowing the snow around for the moment. "I see..."

"Take chances with what?"

Val raised an eyebrow at Astra's question. He asked her, "Do you not realize where we are? This is Crystalis territory, in case you haven't noticed."

He waved his hands around to indicate the frozen landscape around them. "I'm actually expecting somebody from this world to find us and try to kill us eventually. Now," he sarcastically added, "Do you get why I might be on edge?"

Astra put her hands on her hips and grinned. "No." She commented briskly before laughing. "Boy, being scared isn't my style, so how do you expect me to understand it?" Astra glanced around then, forgetting what she had set out to do. "Although, you look the type to be like that." She shrugged again and hoped he was taking offense to what she was saying; she needed something to do and arguing was always fun.

Val scoffed at Astra. "Psh, I'm not scared. Just cautious."
He checked up both directions of the street, making sure again that no one was around.
"We shouldn't stay out here; this place gives me the creeps." He said, "I have a feeling that this place isn't completely uninhabited, but it feels... still."

Astra rolled her eyes. "Whatever. If there IS anyone around here, I doubt they'd come outside." She glanced at him before feeling a shiver coming on and hugging herself. "Either way, I'm getting out of this wind." She nodded towards the house she had come out of, the reason she had left forgotten. Astra turned and moved to walk inside, pushing the door open again.