I can’t believe it... i just can’t grasp my head around the event that happen today. Everything was going so well. Cynv start speaking, most of the group was starting to get along well. Our work here was doing great, then POOF In like what. 10 minutes, maybe 15, everything change... I just can’t believe it... In slightly hard to write it, but... I most... Irlen as pass away... She died only a few meters from us with little to no warning in a place we thought safe. I mean, yea, I know the cold is dangerous and all and with the big storm that is raging today. It can add a more danger... but, even with that... I never saw anything like this...

But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let start the story from the beginning. Like I already said, there were a big blizzard outside, so we were all inside. I was in the attic when I heard someone coming up the stairs to join me. That's when I turned around, to see with pleasure that it was Cynv... I thought this was going to be a good day, but at this moment, I didn’t know the gravity of the situation.Oh Cynv, a little bored, so you decide to hang around the attic with me?

No, I wanted to tell you that there's something strange about Irlen

Vix turns to look at her, his eyes wrinkle of interrogation

Strange? Is she sick or something?

No, she's locked in the study. She can't open the door, and neither can I. The door seems to be locked. Do you have the key with you?

The fox laughed as he straightened up to join her on the steps, nonchalantly.

It seems she found a way to lock herself in I see! I know it would happen! But sadly, no, I don't have the key. She should have the only copy as the study is her room for the day, but I can try to pick it, we can deal with the missing key afterward

Cynv didn't verbally answer, only doing a little “yes” with her head to acknowledge that she did understand the plan. But as soon as the two of them left the storage room to enter the corridor. A cold wind made them shiver. Stopped on their track, both of them look at each other, puzzled, as they move once again closer to the locket door of the study. Behind the closer door, they could the weak banging from the other side as someone's was hitting his fist again the robust door.

Hey Irlen, It’s Vix. Cynv told me you lost your key. I’m going to get you out but, you better give me double portion of meat today to compensated my extra work here! Not doing charity you know!

Say the fox with amusement in his tone, but the answer he got from the other side didn’t reflect his own. The voice of Irlen was shivering, weak but still with enough energy that let the foxes understand that she was panicking

Vix!... Oh goodness, it's you!... Quick!...open the the door!... It's so cold in here!... I I I don't want to freeze in in here!...

Once again, the foxes look at each other. Puzzled as why the young rabbit was panicking like that, but still. A job as to be done, so Vix went to work, pulling his lock-picking kit out of his pockets to try to unlock the door.

Calm down Irlen. You're not going to die in there. It far from being my first looked door... In fact, when I was young, I always forgot my keys! So I had to improvise...

But as he was speaking, Cynvia put her hand on his shoulder, causing him to look up at her as she points him the upper part of the door. A longer and longer layer of ice was forming from the top of the door. Slowly going downward. Sealing it inevitably with ice. Surprise, the young fox get up to get a closer look at the ice that was forming, but directly as he does it, a new layer of ice started to form from the lock. Jamming is tool in ice. Inevitably, when he looks down, back at the lock, he saw the ice that was forming no from one place but two. An expression of confusion and fear rose on his face as he step back. Looking at the door.

What from the abyss is that! By all the damned, what is happening to that door!

The vixen, in a neutral voice that still show some trace of confusion, turn to face the disturbed fox.

It's freezing over and if we don’t do something, she's certainly going to die in there. Do you have a way to break the door?

The fox stay motionless, looking at the door with extreme attention

VIX!

Yell the vixen to make him react

Euh... oh... Serenna's axe... It's the only weapon we have that can break down that door. We need to find her and quick! Irlen, we are getting more help, and we get back here to get you out in no time, I promise! Hang on!

Please… Hurry… It… It is so cold in here… I… I just want to lie down… And rest... rest... Hurry...

Weakly said the rabbit before the two foxes left the scene in search for the bear axe

Go in the basement. I will check the first floor. We meet back here quickly!

Said the fox before the two separated. Each of them loudly asking if Serrena was in their proximity, but it didn’t take long for the vixen to find her in the basement and joint the fox on the first floor with the rest of the inhabitants of the manor as they all run upstairs to the now almost totally frozen door. Without a moment's delay, the big bear armed with her axe began to hit the door again and again, making little but progress in the heavy sturdy door that was in front of them. Looking over Serenna shoulder. Sorda look at all that ice that was still forming.

Irlen is in there? But where did all this ice come from?

If her windows are open, with the heat inside and the freezing blizzard outside. Some ice can form fairly quickly

The black cat turns around to look at the vixen who was standing a bit back.

And tell me, have you ever seen a door almost total frozen like that because of the contrast of cold and heat that you're speaking about?

No, I haven't.

Whatever the reason, we have to get her out of there before she freezes to death... Hey! Irlen! Are you still alright in there?!

Silence fell, only interrupted by the repeated banging of the axe against the wooden door, as everyone waited for a answer that never came.

... The window! Cynv! You gave me an idea! If the windows are indeed open, maybe I can pass through it with the makeshift grappling hook!

And if the window is not open?

You said that it happen they are opened. They will be be open! There is no way it’s that cold with the window close! It’s going to work, I’m sure!

The fox rapidly said as he quickly leaves the group to go outside by the front door, taking a very little detour to take Serenna's makeshift grappling hook from her bag, but as soon as he was out. He felt the cold passing through him as if he was made of nothing. His clothing, his fur, nothing seem to give him any form of warm in this blizzard, but driving by a mission, he forces himself against the fierce wind to move forward. His body becoming more and more numb every step he takes tower the study windows. But as he finally reaches it. He saw, with amazement, that the two sets of the three windows had been broken. Once he was underneath them, he tried to throw the hook through the windows, but the intense cold gave him tremors, greatly diminishing his accuracy, and the strong wind didn’t help either. Which make him miss his target. But not losing hope, he tried again, and again, and again. Always to no avail as the more he tries, more time have pass and the more cold and numb he was getting. On his last try. He was barely able to trow the hook up in the air now making his task impossible to accomplish. Unwillingly, he has no other choice than to abandon the idea and get back inside. In the safety and warm of the manor. The return journey was even more difficult than the start as his vision started to become more and more blurry as he finally and weakly push the entrance door open and fall on the floor. The manor was silent except the banging on the door as Cynvia, that was waiting for him next to the door, look him fall exhausted on the floor. She quickly close the door behind him and help him get up. Finishing by removing the ice that to start to form on his cloth and fur.

I will guess that you didn’t succeed.

Slowly warming up, he only did “no” with his head as an answered.

After his failed attempt, they both got back upstairs to get a look at the progress Serenna had made in their absence.
With this added time, she has been able to make a hole in the door. Small, yes, but big enough to have a good look in the room. Vix took the opportunity and took a little peek inside between two swing of the axe, but what he saw was only the horror of their failure. It seemed that they were too late to save the poor prisoner as Irlen was lying on her side, eyes closed, motionless and covered with a thin layer of snow. Lifeless.I’m going to cut the quill here. Despite the sight, we wanted to be sure if she was indeed... death. So Serenna continued relentlessly to break down the door. It took her a good ten minutes to make a hole big enough for me to get inside and check how she was doing... and it wasn’t good. Even though she didn’t show any sign of life, we couldn’t just... Let her die like that, so we try to save her, and we try our hardest at that. After all, Cynv have come back from the worst, so we tried everything. We try to reanimate her, which didn’t work. We try to warm her in front of the fire for a few hours to see if she would warm up but even if her body was, indeed, warmer, it never gets... how can I write it... “Normal” warm if it makes sens. Furthermore, we check her pulse and any other sign of life countless time without anything... Even if it was quite a toll on everyone, we were obliged to call it a defeat and realist that she was past saving at this point. We were too late and now, there was nothing we could do for her. She was gone for good... It was a gloomy moment, but the next wasn’t better... Now we add to dispose of her remain... We didn’t ant to just... throw her outside, as some said. Therefor, after a quick meeting, we decided to give her a proper burying, but only tomorrow as the blizzard is still raging outside and... You know what... True be told... I am not feeling good, and I’m forcing myself to write all this. I don’t want anymore.... Some detail can be left forgotten for all I care... I just want to rest and end this stupid day... Serrena and the other are at work patching the hole in the door, so the wind don’t come through... They going to do fine without me...It’s a new day and it starting quite grime as, during the night, the storm have finally pass, so we were able to remove Irlen body from the cellar and finally put her in the ground. A more fitting resting place for her... Not the best, but better than on the ground of the cellar with our salted meat and fresh water around her...
For her burying, we did quite basic. After all, none of us really have any knowledge on how to perform a real burying ceremonies... Except the “put in the ground” part, I mean... I was the only one that seem to have any basic knowledge as I remember that you're suppose to put a mask on her face, but we didn’t have any, so we put gold instead, I think I have read somewhere that is a good substituent. I hope I’m right...
In the end, it was me and Sorda who dug the makeshift grave in the ground, under the large layer of fresh snow. Cynv did propose to help, but I didn’t want her to worsen her wound, so I refuse, but she did make a small cross out of the wood of the broken chair that was next to Irlen, to mark her grave. It was a good idea, so we use it and engraving her name on it so if someone pass by one day, this person would be able to find her resting place.
To remember her, we also decided to take on a piece of her possessions. Burying the rest with her. I took her bow and arrows. I also engraved her name on the bow to remember this day. As she didn’t want anything, I also gave Cynv the fur coat. It will help her stay warm when we leave. Sorda took the deck of cards from Irlen. He already has one, but I think it was more as a reminder than a necessity. He just wanted something without robbing her blind. With no surprise, Serenna did it without heart. She wanted to take her gold. Which I of course refused, but in her audacity, she took it anyway without our consent. In the end, we didn’t physically stop her, but I think she underestimated me... Tonight, I will steal her gold and give it back to Irlen. She may need it, and that useless bear can starve for all I care. For Sortor, I don’t think he has taken anything, or at lest, I didn’t see him take anything. Not astounding, she didn’t carry any book or scrolls and those two are the most of what he has and want.
After that, we made a little speech, but nobody had much to say about her. Sorda and I were able to mention a little more. She had spoken to us more than to anyone else after all but still. We didn’t know her for very long. Therefore, we mostly mentioned her vigor and her pleasure to discover new things. To have finally been able to go off on her own and discover the world, even if she had to pay the ultimate price for it. Additionally, she brought a certain youthfulness to our little group and for that she will be missed. I believe that, despite everything, all of us will miss her one way or another.

But now. To write the truth... I’m stating to hate this job... Now I just want to be done with it, so I can get my pay and go with Cynv to the Abastas port. It’s going to be better that anything in this hellhole.