No sooner than they had entered the portal than the assault of cold hit them full on. They had come upon the city of Mephistar, but of course, not being invited inside, they were left out in the cold. The City of Ice as it was known was not a welcoming place, less because of the denizens that walked huddled against the chill of the streets, but more for the outer boundaries where massive ice-floes ran full speed across the landscape, crashing into one another and creating giant avalanches. The constant sound of crashing giants rattled the very ground like an earthquake, and at each rush, Velentham spiraled deeper into madness. His eyes glowed constantly, seeing nothing, and Telfenham was forced to guide his son by the hand most of the way.
Flying was precarious and on more than one occasion, Telfenham had to whisk the group out of the way of a speeding glacier - some complete with frozen bodies that stared out in soundless horror as they rushed to their doom. Across the landscape, yet another deep chasm yawned. It was the Pit and it was filled with narrow switchbacks all the way down to the bottom. Air would rush up suddenly and stop just as fast, excluding the ability to fly to the bottom. They would have to climb down and fight if needed.
They only made it mere feet down the path before a devil sounded the alarm. Gelugons rushed out, their insectoid chatter suddenly filling the pit. Dozens ran from the guard posts and began heading up the side of the pit, and Telfenham felt his heart sink. "We have to fly!" he yelled. "Try your best to avoid the downdrafts! Grab Velentham's other arm and dive!"
Telfenham and Gilean, Velentham in tow, lept from the ledge. Unable to follow, the Gelugons screeched their commands and began to head down the sides of the pit. Flight was indeed a challenge as the sudden onslaught of rushing air tore the three apart, sending Gilean higher and Telfenham lower. The elder celestial stared upward in horror as his son, delerious with Celestial rage yet cowed by the amulet, twisted in the air until he was pushed down by the force of a gust that slammed him into the bottom of the pit.
