Ice covers the castle town. The snow reaches your knees as your party trudges through. It looks like there's no one left in town anymore. If they are, they're snowed in, trapped behind the mounting frost.
The wind would have knocked Renee off her feet had she not had her staff. It kept her balanced despite her weaker constitution compared to her companions. Her teeth grit, she led the charge. The castle was in sight. Their journey was almost over, and the fates seemed to be on their side.
The gates came into view. It had been frozen shut.
I'm gonna try to break through.
Roll for strength.
April took the hilt of her sword and bashed it against the icy gate. The cold had weakened the metal enough for it to shatter upon impact. The pair continue forward, finding little resistance other than the weather.
You march through the castle courtyard. It's buried in snow, but you find the steps. You hear a groaning voice from the top of the stairs.
“Always for her,” the voices said in unison. “Always for her.”
“Careful, everyone,” April instructed, taking the lead.
Renee nodded and followed close behing. Scott lagged behind and guarded their flank. The trio rose up the stairs as the blaring winds threatened to push them back. Snow hit their faces, but that did nothing to stop or even slow them. They were so close.
“Always for her.”
At the top of the steps, they found the source of the voices: two golems made of ice. They blocked the entryway to the throne room, each holding lances with the finest point made of frost.
“Let us pass!” April called, tightening her grip.
“Always.” Their heads cocked. The male spoke up. “You’re… not… her… You're just a child.”
"Just a child," they said together, firmly rooted in place.
“Talking ain’t workin’!” Scott rushed past Renee, dragging his hammer behind him. “Who wants ice chips?!”
Scott swung the hammer high over his head and brought it down, using its momentum to carry its force.
Eighteen. Scott's swing breaks the upper half of the male golem. It shatters beyond recognition. A frozen crown rolls down the stairs and chips with each step it descends.
“You’ll never be her,” the female golem groaned.
Renee threw a quick cantrip at the creature. The fireball hit, and the golem began to dissolve, erupting into cries of pain as steam flew from its skin. It's form dwindled by the second and quickly became unrecognizable. "Why can't you be more like your..."
"That's it," April said, dissapointment in her voice as she sheathed her sword. "Now, we just have our audience with the queen."
Scott planted his hammer to the ground. "Can't wait to give her the ass kicking she deserves."
"She needs saving," April countered. "She needs us."
Scott gestured to the surrounding blizzard. "Yeah, classic damsel in distress, right here."
They turned to Renee. "Well?"
All that was left was to enter the throne room.