RISE UP DEAD MAN

BEAR GHOST: PART 1

URSUS, XXXX

[For the sake of consistency, previous chapters have been edited and updated (I'll update Wattpad's previous chapters later. Check out the FFN version for latest chapters). Also, there are a few messages at the end.]

"Goooooood morning, Ursus! This is Janosik radio; my name is Juro—but you already knew that—and I will be bringing you your daily weather forecast." A radio nearby broadcasted a boisterous and charismatic voice.

"Now, the weather for the southwestern landship cluster is at a 70% chance of heavy snow with a meagre rating on the current C.E.I., which stands for 'Catastrophe Exigency Index' for the little listeners out there." In the landships, the children would brighten up in reaction to being referenced by their favourite host, having their workload freed up as school was rendered inoperable due to severe snow.

"However, if you are planning to travel near the Bathoric region, be aware that an Imminent Catastrophe Warning is in effect. Now, instead of travelling near Bathoric, I heavily urge you to take a detour through—"

A passing mercenary silenced the radio with a swift press of a button, as the rest of the information that Juro had been ranting about soon became irrelevant to them.

Nearby, another one of Ferrok's mercenaries was rummaging through their current supplies.

"That should be the last one." He muttered as his hand pressed against the container's lid with a click. After checking their now-organised current stock of supplies in the back of one of their trucks, the mercenary hopped out of the back and down onto the snow with a soft crunch.

After glancing around, he sighs and reaches into one of his coat pockets, pulling out a bone-white case of cigarettes. And just as he was about to light it, a white blur sped past him, and the force that followed knocked everything out of his hand while sending him spinning. The result? A flurry of ruffled feathers, that's what.

"Everyooone~!" The white blur sped past the rest of the mercenaries around the new camp they'd set up for a quick, warm breakfast, a temporary luxury as contracts and clients seemingly dwindled.

They said something else, but the mercenary missed it due to the rapidly increasing distance between them. He didn't care, though, as he gazed down at the still-open case of cigars, facing directly into the snow.

"...FU—"

~⁕~

The sound of a curse reaches my ear. What the hell are they doing over there? I watched as a grey and white blur—oh, that's Gilliean running around at what seemed to be the same speed that knocked me over when we first met.

The trucks were stopped around a lightly wooded area; the abundant wood no doubt made for an optimal campfire to warm or cook food. Everybody was given tasks and jobs while waiting for the fire to be set up. I myself had to help unload crates for an inventory check.

Sparing Gilliean no mind, I returned to my task of unloading crates and supplies.

Some were wooden, some were metallic, but some were unusually smooth, made of some sort of light, glossy material. Their colours ranged from tan to green to black.

These ones probably contained weapons or sophisticated equipment. Not wanting to expose them to the elements, I carefully placed them near a mercenary who was tasked with going through its contents.

With a passing "thanks" from the mercenary, my attention was drawn to something else in the distance.

Gilliean, shifting excitedly in place, in front of the spear-wielding, cloaked woman from earlier, Gari, if I recall. She said a few hushed words to Gilliean, probably a greeting, but she was too quiet and far away for me to pick up on anything significant.