Nancy
After the unpleasant way he was transported, Abstral had to take a few seconds to catch his breath and readjust his eyes to being able to see light again.

When he was finally capable, he stood up and took in his surroundings.

His immediate surroundings seemed to just be that of more, seemingly endless, snow, but as he set his sights further he saw silvery lights and the outlines of structures far off in the distance, particularly that of what seemed to be a palace.

That was likely the city to which they would be travelling to.

Abstral remained where he stood, waiting for Kuouo and Taash to follow him beyond the wall.

It was standing there that he noticed the vague impressions of **Footsteps**, the snow seemed to cover up most of them here or there surrounding him, but it was... Interesting nonetheless. Perhaps the footsteps belonged to those they would face ahead? The defender of the wall that he had vaguely heard about previously?

Whatever the case, he waited.
Cindy
*``'That doesn't seem too bad'``*, the bandit thought, watching as Abstral was midway through the wall. Instead of worrying about the possible pain this process could bring to him, he was instead enamored of the blessing Taash utilized and its practicality. Moreso, he was anxious to get it over with so he could see just *What* Lied behind such a well-constructed wall. With the first fifteen seconds over with, Kuo took a deep breath and relaxed his body as Taash took a moment or two to prepare herself for the second utilization of her shared blessing. With her palm planted softly on Kuo's damp snout, he began to become enveloped by the tenebrous once more, the wall of darkness slowly pressing down on every centimeter of his body with a teeth-clenching pressure. He squeezed his eyes shut, attempting to furl his paws in an intrinsic response to pain, but the atmosphere within made it feel like he had to desperately claw through molasses in order to do so. He attempted to calm himself once more, grunting a bit before forcing his body to go limp. For the next few seconds he waded through the darkness, eventually falling onto his back, landing on the cushion-y snow that awaited him on the other side.

```fix
"Yeowch."```

The bandit glared at the moon above, blinking at the lunar body that stared at him for a second or two before hopping back up onto his feet. He glanced to his left, ensuring Abstral was okay with a thumbs-up before staring back at the amorphous void in the wall, waiting for his third companion to make her debut beyond the gate. Thankfully, it wouldn't take long at all. Not taking a moment to recover from both the continuous utilization of the blessing nor the pain it entailed, Taash stepped out without a moment to spare.

```fix
"Alright, yer good and Abstral's good too. Where're we headed to next?"```

Kuouo replied with similar determination, a smirk donned on his face as things were finally about to get started.
Kimber
Taash, emerging on the other side with only a little trouble, stretched her limbs once she had emerged, now standing between and slightly behind both Kuouo and Abstral. First, she stretched forth her arms, her armor slightly scraping as she extended both arms forward, and then she stretched them up, and down, and forward again. Finishing, the knight bowed her head in slight, closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and finally opened her eyes to stare forward, toward her goal; toward her dream; toward the village, off in the distance; toward the palaces, even further yonder; toward the most towering of towers, the one which extended to the sky beyond; toward *Freedom.*

Hope glittered quietly in her spirit. 
—but in the presence of light, there is always a shadow.
She couldn't help but feel doubt, if only for a moment.

*`"Tokko is the first of whom we will meet."`*
*`"The Princess of the Commons—`* She said, with a step forward, and a subtle pause,
*`"—is her nickname, because she doesn't reside in the palaces."`*
*`"She's located in the village along the path northward."`*

The knight squinted, as she progressed along the snow-strewn path northward of the group, hoping to lead them forward. Yet, as she only barely approached the distant form of the village, far off in the distance, her senses were piqued — surely, in the light of the full moon, she should be able to see it from here. Right?

*Wrong.*

The village's form was especially obscured; it was vague, as if covered by overcast skies and entranced in fog. The knight stared intently, her eyes piercing with a subtle glow, and she took two more hesitant steps forward. Then three, and four, as she tilted her head to gain better sight... To no avail.
_ _

*`"..."`*
*`"That's not right..."`*

Taash hesitated, and turned over her shoulder to view both Kuouo and Abstral.

*`"You..."`*
*`"...Where did you two come from?"`*

Unsettled, but not visibly or audibly in either posture or tone, the knight's fingers shifted at her side, subtly furling about the sheath of her silver blade. Her shield clattered against her armored right grave, and fully turned to the two, questioning:

***`"Who else is here with you?"`***