"I will bring her back to you.  I have heard that Alignak will have her attacked at any cost because she had left, but if that means I must take on every dragon to bring her to you, I will do that.  You deserve to see her, as well as Corazzon.  If I can, I will also see if I can let you see her.  I cannot guarantee it, but I will try." she said quietly.

"Thank you, I do not expect anything of you, but if you succeed, I would be eternally greatful," she said before standing straight. "Now, please come in out of the cold. The snow has made it dangerous to be out for too long," she said, stepping aside so Goldenscale and Midnight could step in, "Alignak is in the back cleaning himself up after his work today."

"I will do everything I can to succeed." she said with a nod.  She then stepped inside.  "Thank you.  We do not do very well outside in the snow for very long." she said, looking back at Midnight.  She then gave another nod.  "Thank you again, for letting us see him." she said before she started following Alignak's aura to the back room.

Stepping out of the back room, Alignak stopped where he was when he caught sight of Goldenscale and Midnight. "Who are you and what you want. Strangers are not  welcome here. If you do not have important business here, leave," he grunted, a strong sense of pride eminating from him, "This village is supposed to be hidden from the world. How did you find this place."

Goldenscale had felt how strrong his pride was, and she felt a bit of irritation at it.  "I am Goldenscale and she is Midnight." she replied.  "We are aware that you do not like strangers coming without your knowledge, but we are in need of your assistance.  We are on a journey to find the runes so that we can bring together the elemental deities and bring back Kyne.  We need you to open the door to the Fortress so that we can find the rune.  We found this place with help from one of your citizens." she said calmly.  If she so wanted to, she could match his pride, but she knew that it wouldn't help her.

"I closed the Fortress of Ends due to the dangers that lurk within. Yetis and other dangers have made the place unsafe for anyone to enter. Mions of the Shade have taken residents there," he said, circling around the two. "I sense the smell of a traitor. Where is she," he asked with a growl, "If she is here, then she must be removed."

"We are well aware of the dangers, and if we come across them we can dispatch them quickly.  I know for sure I can get rid of them because I am much stronger than I look.  We have been offered help from one of your citizens to help us get around inside and avoid these dangers when possible." she said.  She then closed her eyes and looke at him.  "She is outside your borders.  Midnight and I set out on our journey only a couple days ago and the traitor you speak of is back home where we reside, nowhere near here." she said.  Alignak certainly was trying her patience with what he was doing, though she didn't let it show on her features or in her aura.

"I will lift the barrier, but be warned, even with my brother's help, the dangers within are still able to reach you. With you being as unused to the cold as you seem, the cold inside the Fortress is much worse than it is out here," he said, taking another breath, "I doubt she is outside the village walls. Her scent is to fresh on your being to be days old. She's either inside the village, or just outside the gates. If I find her, she is dead."

Taking a step back from Alignak, Midnight held her wings close as she watched the leader emit a cold mist.

Goldenscale nodded.  "I understand the consequences of being inside the Fortress, and I am willing to risk my life to get the rune." she said.  She then gave a soft exhalation.  And if you try, you will have to go through me, and it won't be pretty... she thought after he spoke.  She would protect Ahnah, even if it meant humiliating the lader in front of his people.  Once she had something to protect, she would protect it until her final breath.  "Could you also show us where the Fortress may be?  We did come here to get the rune and we were able to find this village, but we do not know where the Fortress lies..." she asked.

"My brother would be more suited to lead you there. I can break the seal from here, but he would be better at leading you there. With the snow this thick, he would also be better at keeping you warm within the Fortress," Alignak said, looking to Midnight briefly, "I would wish you luck, but anyone associated with her do not deserve such."

Goldenscale smiled, even though she didn't think he deserved it.  "He will be the one to lead us, and I am sure that we will do fine in the Fortress while we are there.  I have confidence that we will succeed." she said.

"Why do you wish for me to fallow you to the Fortress if I'm not going to be taking you in," he asked, "Your confidence could get you in a dangerous situation, regardless of what you are. Nature spirits have died before because they thought they could take on anything."

She sighed.  "I am aware of what my confidence can do.  But I have years of experience as well.  I have destroyed demons, a litch, as well as countless dark spirits and corrupted beasts.  Every time I have survived and I had won every one of those battles.  By now I know what my limits are, and I assure you that we will come out of that entrance again." she said.  "If you will not take us to the Fortress, could you please show us where we could find a store to restock in case we do not have something?" she asked.

"I will show you to our supply stock. Should you return from the Fortress, I expect whtever you didn't use back," he said, looking between Goldenscale and Midnight, "What do you need for supplies?"

"Healing herbs, just in case something does happen and I don't have enough magic to heal it.  Maybe some provisions in case we are there for a while, and a bit of fabric to wrap the rune in if we get there." she said.  She couldn't think of anything else, and she wasn't sure just how much longer she could stand Alignak and his pride.