Aaron looked over the sea of ice, from the battlements of the steep cliff. Snow, and ice were all he could see. It was impossible to tell where the ice and snow ended, and where the sky began. Gloomy white was all around. He must cross this vast desert, to reach his homeland. This was not the most treacherous task of his voyage; that lay on the other side of the unforgiving sheet of ice.
Aaron remounted his ivory reindeer. He had not named the beast, for it was bad luck to name anything this far north, as reindeer had a habit of dying from the cold. His mount was sure footed, as it descended the crisscross path that was cut into the face of the grey cliff. The beast made it to the bottom without fear of falling, but when Aaron urged it onto the sheet of ice, it hesitated. Reindeer are used to being on solid ground. With encouragement, the animal stepped forward onto the ice. There was a grumbled groan from beneath their feet. Unperturbed, Aaron ushered his beast forward. His father had told him long ago that the sound of the ice was the god of evil, who was trapped under the ice by Aga, the great mother in the sky. He looked up to the great mother; she was a blank cold, as she was most days. Sometimes she would bless Aaron with warming rays from her immense golden eye, but not today.
He travelled across the immaculate baron waste for many day rides. He grew bored of the seemingly endless cycle; ride, eat, sleep, ride. He was stuck traveling, with only his unnamed beast for company. He had packed himself much food, but only as much as he needed, as the great mother curses those who waste. He ate dried seal meat, and huddled next to his reindeer for warmth. When the first circle of the moon had passed, he knew he was nearing what he had come to find. After another four days journey, he woke up to find the sky clear and warm. He saw his final challenge loom from the distance, a huge mountain range leapt from the ice, as some epic killer whale.
