"Wa-hoo! You guys foun' the first part of the catapult!"

Slam Bam, Eruptor and Chihiro's eyes all went wide as Haldor's voice resounded out across the snowy plains. Their eyes then trailed over to where something was materializing out of nowhere—Haldor himself! When he finally materialized, Haldor cleared his throat and made a fairly toothless smile.

"I knew you whippersnappers could do it!" Haldor proclaimed as he waved his staff. "Now, follow me and I'll show ya where to put it!"

With a final turn of his staff, everybody around was enveloped in light! When the light faded, they found themselves at an area that was surprisingly light in snow, but bone-chillingly cold nonetheless. One could make out some stone walls and other structures all dusted by powdery, fluffy white snow, but they were of no mind—what was most important was the giant, snowy wall that loomed over everything around.

"That must be the ice wall, right?" Chihiro asked as her eyes gazed over to Haldor, who only made a nod filled with tranquil rage.

"But, when this catapult here is finished, we can send that ayesore packin'!" Haldor shouted as he tapped a clear area before them with his staff. "Just place that part here, kiddo!"

Chihiro nodded and skipped over to the place Haldor mentioned before she gently laid the broken catapult piece down on the ground. As she stood to her full height and looked down, she couldn't help but frown—now that she'd had to chance to look it over more, it did seem awfully run-down. Could it really support the weapon they needed?

"Now, this is where ah come in."

Haldor rubbed his hands together, then waved his staff and shot a bolt of magic at the part! The magic completely absorbed the catapult part, and faded to reveal a pristine catapult bottom with rich brown-colored wood and shiny, most definitely working wheels!

Chihiro gasped as she gazed down at the part, and the fires in her soul stoked up once more. "So, where's the next part, Haldor?" Chihiro smiled widely and balled her hand into a fist.

"If I had to take a gander, I'd check out that really icy pond!" Haldor pointed towards a giant pond that was covered in thick ice and located south from their position. "After that, there's a teleporter on that there pond that takes you to the southmost part of the island! Based on where I saw those parts fly off, that's prolly it!"

Chihiro, Slam Bam and Eruptor all beamed and nodded in agreement, but as they nodded they all heard something that sounded like… Marching?

"The ice ogres!" Slam Bam exclaimed as he looked over the eastern side of the platform they stood on.

Paired with the sound of stomping was what appeared to be a platoon of soldiers dressed in blue and armor, and though they were a good bit away, they were closing in—fast!

Haldor gasped as he looked over at the oncoming platoon, waved his staff, and shot a bolt of magic at the in-progress catapult! Within moments it disappeared completely from view, and only plain snow visible to the naked eye.

"Invisibility spell!" Haldor tipped his hat and smiled. "Now, since those ice ogres are a'comin, I'd better be a'goin now!" Haldor waved, cleared his throat once more, and gained a wild gaze. "WA-HOO!"

And with that, Haldor vanished and left nothing but magic dust in his place.

Chihiro just blinked and shook her head before she turned back to Eruptor and Slam Bam. "You heard the wizard! We need to get going!" Chihiro ordered as she caught the ice ogre platoon drawing closer!

A sense of urgency enveloped her mind as she closed her eyes and clasped her hands. When she opened them, a round, cyan-colored slide formed down the side of their platform. "C'mon!" Chihiro smiled and waved as she jumped on the slide and slid down with a cheer.

Slam Bam and Eruptor shrugged and followed Chihiro down soon after, screams echoed all around as slid as the fastest speeds known to living beings! With a smile, Chihiro slowly reached the bottom and hopped off, then watched as Slam Bam joined her.

However, just as Eruptor nearly reached the bottom, the slide completely vanished and dropped him into the snow! Eruptor grunted as he landed headfirst into the snow piles, sat back up and shook his head.

Chihiro peered up to find the ice ogre platoon at their former spot, and the soldiers mumbled among each other for mere moments before they left in a stomping fury!

"Phew, that was a close one!" Chihiro exclaimed as she placed her hands on her hips. "Now let's get going! Those parts can't wait on us all day!" Chihiro looked over to where Eruptor sank in the snow and frowned. "C'mon Rupty! You heard what I said, we can't wait around!"

"I can't go," Eruptor replied as he sank further into the melting snow, "I can't get up."

"Now don't say that, Rupty, I'm sure you'll be fine," Chihiro snowshoed over to Eruptor and placed a reassuring hand on his back—only to burn her hand instead.

"No, I literally can't get up."

Eruptor knitted his brows as Chihiro blew on her hand with a tired frown. To prove his point, he stood up—but the snow was already up to his mouth. When he tried to take a step forward, he ended up collapsing back into the snow and sank into its cold depths once more.

"See what I mean?"

"Yeah, I see where that could be a problem." Chihiro giggled, clasped her hands together and focused on Eruptor. "Here, let me help you."

Within a few moments, Chihiro magically lifted Eruptor in the air! However, she lost her focus pretty quickly which caused them both to tumble into the snow and laugh their heads off.

"Geez, Eruptor, you're pretty heavy!" Chihiro giggled as she playfully nudged his shoulder.

Eruptor giggled back and the two stood at last. Chihiro magically picked up Eruptor—or at least tried to—and waddled out of the snow with him close by. She nudged Eruptor towards Slam Bam, who picked Eruptor up and placed Eruptor on his shoulders.

"That should be a little better," Chihiro said as she smiled and patted Eruptor. "Now, let's get going."

And with that, the three of them looked over their landing spot. It was snowy and snowier for miles on end, just like everything else in this place, but was that a glimmer in the distance?

"Hey, I think I see it—WOAH!"

Chihiro took a step forward—but unbeknownst to her, that step was onto a frozen pond of water! With a squeal she went spinning and flailed as she tried to regain her balance. "HOW DO YOU STOP ON THIS THING?" Chihiro squealed as she spun from side and side, still flailing the whole time.

Slam Bam just sighed and shook his head as he put Eruptor down, skated onto the ice, and slid behind Chihiro.

"You go like this, Chi," Slam Bam said as he held up Chihiro's arms with two of his own.

Chihiro quickly noticed that she had stopped skidding and snapped her fingers. Her magic snowshoes were then converted into magical ice skates and with a smile she beamed up at Slam Bam. Slam Bam returned her smile, and gracefully guided her into a skating lesson.

"Alright, now lean like this," Slam Bam said as he and Chihiro made a right turn across the pond, "and run like that—" Slam Bam guided Chihiro into a dash forward on her magic skates "—and you've got it!"

Slam Bam clapped his hands as Chihiro spun in the middle of the pond, and chuckled as she just stumbled about in a dizzy haze.

"This ice skating stuff is really fun!" Chihiro exclaimed as she zipped from side to side across the pond, leaped in the air and gracefully landed. "Woo-hoo!"

Eruptor beamed and waded onto the pond. As soon as his rocky feet landed on the ice and started to skid, he leaned his body forward.

"Okay, go like this," Eruptor mumbled as he tried to skate forward, but landed on his belly instead. Eruptor grumbled something to himself as he staggered back up, and leaned forward. "Then lean like—" Eruptor cut short as he fell on his face and slid across the pond. With fumes lit and frowns deep, Eruptor stood up and just fell again. "Oh come on!"

Eruptor continued to try… and fail… and try… And fell for what was probably the tenth time. With a couple nasty grumbles, Eruptor stood once again, sat on the pond and pouted. Just then, a cracking sound resounded, and he grimaced as he glanced underneath.

"That can't be good."

Eruptor soon found that his premonition was right—the pond ice's started to crack, and the cracks in the ice slowly leaked bone-chilling water! With panicked gasps, he jumped off of that particular chunk while it broke off from the whole, only for more cracks to howl. His gasps turned to yells as Eruptor bounced from broken ice plant to plank before he landed on one situated near a rocky cliff. With heavy pants, he looked forward… And found that all the other chunks were too far away for him to jump!

"HELPPPPPPPP!" Eruptor screamed as he frantically backed up, only for something to fall off and hit him on the noggin. Eruptor made a slightly pained grunt as it landed in front of him and frowned. "What's this?"

§

As Slam Bam and Chihiro ice-skated their way through the rightmost part of the area, Chihiro frowned and looked up at Slam Bam.

"Slam, do you hear something?" Chihiro asked as she tilted her head.

Slam Bam paused for a moment and nodded, before he looked at his feet and found large cracks in the ice! Chihiro looked down and saw the very same thing, looked up at Slam Bam, and gulped.

"We'd better get off of here!" Chihiro exclaimed, her voice trilled just a tiny bit.

"Agreed," Slam Bam said as he grabbed Chihiro's hand.

The two of them rushed over to snow-covered land, and looked over to see the part they once stood on broken apart in giant chunks. Phew, thank goodness they got out in time! However, scattered among all that ice was a tiny speck of bright warm red, a good bit away from where they were.

"Eruptor!" Chihiro shouted while she waved her hands as high as she could, "Over here!"

Eruptor looked over to them and waved back. Good, he saw them!

"We need to find some way of getting to him." Chihiro placed a hand to her chin. "But how?"

"I think I have an idea," Slam Bam said as he narrowed his eyes and examined the floating icebergs.

Chihiro's curious eyes now focused on Slam Bam as he trained his gaze on the icebergs. "What idea?"

"If I cast my ice sculptures into the water, can you form them into a bridge to him?"

Slam Bam looked back towards Chihiro and watched as she eagerly nodded.

"I guess we could give it a shot." Chihiro's eyes now focused on the path as she made a gun with her hand. "Fire away, Slam!"

With a nod, Slam Bam cast blocks of ice into the freezing ocean, then nodded to Chihiro as if to prompt her forwards. Chihiro breathed in and stepped forward. Giant ice blocks now bobbed up and down in the subzero waters and glistened against the little sunlight they got, as if they just waited for Chihiro to move.

"Now, I'll just move these into place." Chihiro closed her eyes and clasped her hands. "I hope this works."

Chihiro's heart swelled with magic as her whole body faintly glowed a shade of cyan. She had yet to work with this much material in such an intense situation, but she couldn't lose her focus—her friend was counting on her, and she wasn't going to let him down anytime soon! As she focused her heart, the ice blocks glowed with cyan light that reflected like prisms reflected rainbows, and slowly they floated into place—Chihiro could tell in her heart of hearts. Soon enough, she heard the sound of things locking into place, opened her eyes and smiled.

The ice blocks all froze together into one solid ice bridge! She did it! Chihiro snapped her fingers as her skates turned back to snowshoes, and she gently tapped the first block in the bridge. It seemed solid enough; it could probably hold both her and Eruptor's weight!

"Are you okay over there, Rupty? I'm coming to get you!" Chihiro shouted as she waved to Eruptor.

"I'm here!" Eruptor shouted as he waved over to Chihiro. "Can you make it quick? I don't think this ice is gonna hold out for long!"

Eruptor let out a shout of fear and jumped back as a chunk of his ice floe broke off and drifted away. Yeah, no time to dawdle—Eruptor needed her! Chihiro breathed in, exhaled, and hopped on the first block. After she made sure she had a secure footing, she hopped to the next one, and the one following, and ran across until she reached the other side!

"Come on Eruptor, your ride awaits," Chihiro said as she bowed playfully.

Eruptor trailed behind Chihiro with a giggle as she hopped back onto the ice block bridge and slowly walked past. As they walked, something that sounded like soft sizzling tickled Chihiro's ears, but she shrugged and continued walking. It all stayed oddly tranquil for a few moments, but Eruptor screamed as he fell down with a plunk!

Chihiro bounced into action immediately as she swung over and grabbed his hand, though it was oddly warmer than usual—the sheer heat that emitted from it made her fingers burn, but she refused to let go. With a pained groan and a bite of her lip, Chihiro's hands engulfed in aqua light—and soon enough, Eruptor was as well. As he levitated back onto the bridge, Chihiro looked down and saw that the part he walked on completely melted away!

"The heck?" Chihiro exclaimed as she jumped onto another ice block. "How'd it melt?"

Her eyes glazed over to Eruptor as she heard a sizzling sound, and looked down to see that the ice slowly melted under his feet!

"Eruptor!"

"Sorry, nervous heat," Eruptor chuckled as he scratched his head, and jumped to the other side of the block as the first half completely melted away!

Chihiro jumped forward, grabbed Eruptor in midair and landed on the next block. "Looks like I've gotta make this ride a fast one," Chihiro said as she smiled and snapped her fingers, "and I've got just the thing!"

Chihiro's snowshoes converted themselves to iceskates once more, and with a pump of her legs, she was off! Eruptor still held close as she dashed across the ice bridge, while the radiating heat melted it away behind them! A smirk stayed pasted on Chihiro's face until she took a slight tumble, and looked down to find that the melting process was catching up—and fast! It was already underneath her!

"Looks like we're gonna have to jump it," Chihiro said as she took a mighty stride forward. "Hold on, Rupty!"

With a mighty yell, Chihiro launched herself off the melting bridge and spun in midair before she shot downwards! She closed her eyes, felt the cold wind tickle her face, and landed on something smooth, yet tough—did she make it?

"That was some show, Chi," Slam Bam said as he ruffled Chihiro's hair, "but next time, try not to drop Ruptor into the snow, alright?"

Chihiro opened her eyes to find herself tight in Slam Bam's grasp, and Eruptor face-first in a snow pile. With a soft giggle, she waved her hand and magically lifted a fairly irate Eruptor out of the snow. Now that she got a good look at him, it kinda looked like he was holding something?

"Hey Rupty, what'cha got?" Chihiro asked as she hopped out of Slam Bam's arms and walked up to Eruptor.

"I don't know," Eruptor rumbled as he held the object out. "It just landed on my head when I was trapped on that ice pond. I'm surprised I didn't accidentally burn it, heh."

Chihiro hummed as she examined the object. It looked kind of like a giant, wooden mace with a black steel ball on its tip that was carefully fixed onto a giant wood and metal shield. Despite all its splinters and the burns left from being in Eruptor's care, it seemed to be in oddly good condition.

"WA-HOO!"

Everybody jolted in their spots for a few moments and sighed.

"It's him again," Everybody said in unison as they bore blank expressions.

"That's another part of the catapult foun'!" Haldor proclaimed as he materialized out of thin air and examined the strange object in Eruptor's hot hands. "At least, I think it is."

With a wave of his staff, Haldor whisked them away from the ice pond and back to where he had set up the catapult's base. As they made their arrival, Haldor tapped the base of his staff against the ground and watched as the catapult's base became visible once more, waved the staff, and watched once as the second catapult piece(?) floated out of Eruptor's hands.

"Only one way to know fer sure!" Haldor proclaimed as he zapped the piece and watched as it repaired itself, then whisked it away to the catapult base. With a satisfying click, it carefully latched itself against the rightmost side of the catapult base. "We're halfway there, fellas!"

Haldor grinned and waved his staff around, and it shot off sparks of colorful magic as he turned back to Chihiro’s team. "Now, if my guesses are right, that next piece should be hidin' back'n that old corn maze!" Haldor chuckled and scratched his staff on his back. "Well, it prolly isn't much of a corn maze right now, what with all the snow!"

"And the way there is?" Chihiro asked as she hid her hands in her parka.

Haldor only pointed his staff towards the ice pond, and lowered it as he saw its broken form.

"Well, that's a bit of a problem-o," Haldor said as he tugged on his beard, and beamed and lifted up his staff. "Good thing I can just-a teleport ya there! WA-HOO!"

And with a wave of his magic wand, Chihiro, Slam Bam and Eruptor all disappeared and only magic dust remained!

"Good luck, 'n be careful—it's prolly slippery!"