Kat PoV


    The rest of the journey traveling to Pris City was rather lucrative for all parties involved; the hunts continued on day three, while day four was spent simply traversing the edges of the Rimnds as we came closer and closer to Pris City.


    In all, I managed to gain quite arge haul of goods to sell at Pris City to procure some funds for myself; some ivory, mammoth pelts, Pr Bear pelts, meats, bones, and some random fangs, talons, and ws...


    The money would be needed to buy myself a map or at least some more materials to replenish what I''ve lost.


    Potions, foodstuffs, clothing, armor, weapons, and so on.


    I would need to make some upgrades for what I currently have, though maybe it''d be best to go check the system shop for that; I do currently have around 1,600 SP to utilize...


    Maybe I could find some rather potent weapons and armor inside the shop, or some useful potions for the journey ahead - maybe speed potions or stamina potions?


    It was the middle of the fifth day of walking that we reached our destination, the bustling trade city that was Pris.


    Our first glimpse of Pris City was a singr towering statue of a woman holding up a dazzling blue stone, which radiated light all over the surrounding tundra.


    Her sped hands and bowed head gave her a somber look, contrasting the bright, vibrant blue glow radiating down onto her chiseled features.


    The statue was easily hundreds of feet tall, and that chunk of stone in her hands was definitely two dozen feet wide and tall, the surfacepletely smooth.


    "That right there is Pris, Maiden of the Northern Stars. ording to legend, she - and her three other sisters - made up the four quadrants of the night sky. In her hands is a Starstone; something that fell from the sky eons ago, and the catalyst of her power. If the legends are to be believed, she utilized the intense Water Mana inside the Starstone, alongside her own impable Wind Mana, to submerge the Rimnds into eternal frost, so that she could lock away a terrible evil that lurked somewhere nearby."


    Turning towards Eyoli, I saw her smiling softly as she stared at the statue of Pris, the warrior sounding slightly wistful as she continued on.


    "The Arese believe that she was trapping the original Fiends that roamed around the Cimmerian Mountains. The Nevrokopi State believes she eradicated a dangerous group of women known as the Skadi with her magics. Finally, the Hoarfrost Sect believes she used the magic to increase her and her sisters powers, iming thisnd as their own... Either way you cut it, that''s why thisnd around us is perpetually shrouded in snow; Pris there deigned it to be so."


    Sighing, Eyoli gave the statue ones look before turning towards me, adding "Personally, I dislike what she did, but what''s done is done. Now, ''what about the city'', you ask? Pris City was built around her statue, and they benefit from the protection her Starstone provides; no monsters roam near here. The southernmost city inside the Nevrokopi State, Pris City is arge trading hub for international trading.


    Here, the Arese, Hoarfrost Sect, and the other small groups of nomadse to trade with the sprawling Nevrokopi State for more refined goods, while we provide them raw materials. The rest of Nevrokopi hates us, but Pris loves us since we line their pockets with coin; not to say that we get ripped off, since we get more than we ever could need in return. As such, the city itself is a diverse hodgepodge of cultures, which makes it a rather unique ce! I think..."


    Nodding, I stared at the city as it camepletely into view.


    Large walls made from blue grey stone rose to forty some odd feet into the air, with various parapets and soldiers adorned in cold, silverish metals.


    A giant gatey open at the base of the walls, allowing various people to enter and leave the fortified city.


    Situated around the city walls were small farms nestled into the snow, fenced off areas free from the white powder and sprouting with pale green shoots.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Tighten up! Let''s not make a repeat ofst time, alright?!"


    Priestess Liana looked back over the Arese, who all nodded as we began to shuffle into a single line.


    Adjusting the pack on my back, I remained beside Eyoli as she dragged a sled behind her, while Vka returned from the front and stood near us, her own pack bursting with her spoils.


    "What happenedst time?"


    Hearing my curious question, Eyoli smirked as she looked around for a moment, while Vka chuckled slightly.


    Therge warrior leaned down and began to regale me with a tale of how a few of the Arese got challenged to a fight by members of the Hoarfrost Sect, resulting in a brawl between the two.


    Since they couldn''t utilize their magics, the Hoarfrost Sect members lost, before they began to try and charge their spells.


    At that point, the Pris City Guards stepped in and kicked them out, before issuing a warning to the Arese, threatening to ce a year ban on trade with them.


    Eyoli found it amusing because the Pris Guards wereughing the entire time that the Hoarfrost members were getting beat, only to try and act tough with the Arese, even though they both knew they weren''t at fault.


    Vka added that the prices were better that trip, since many of the citizens of Pris were getting tired of the Hoarfrost Sect''s attitude, so there had been some hopes that something simr would happen again.


    This time, nothing of the sorts happened - thankfully - and we reached therge gate of Pris City, where a cluster of Guards stood waiting, leaning on the silver staves they wielded as they looked us over.


    One - in armor far more detailed then the rest - approached the Priestess and grinned at her, the woman resting her staff on her shoulder as she shouted "Priestess Liana~! Good to see you again love~! Everything good out in the Rimnds?"


    Quieting down to a normal volume, the two women exchanged pleasantries as the remaining guards moved down the line, examining the sleds and asking to look into the packs of the Arese, doing swift checks for...


    Actually, I wasn''t entirely sure, since everyone was very clearly armed with rather good weapons.


    When a guard approached us, he frowned when he saw me amongst the Arese, approaching and asking "Are you with the Arese?"


    Nodding, I gestured to Eyoli and Vka, saying "I paid for an escort to Pris City."


    "Ah. Alright, well, we need to check your pack for any kind of magical crystals or contraband potions or poisons, which includes the ingredients for them. Too many incidents revolving around them recently..."


    Shrugging off my pack, I opened it up and showed him the contents, the man nodding to himself as his eyes scanned the contents, before he began to inspect the sled Eyoli was pulling.


    "All set. Enjoy yourself inside Pris City, and don''t cause trouble."