The young man woke up to find the fire had died out and the cold returned. He took his sword and went to the gate of the cathedral. He opened it up with both arms and outside he was met with the same frigid cold and snow.
The cathedral was on a small hill in the middle of the city overlooking the area. Despite him being so high up and him being able to overlook the city, he could not see the end of the city. The broken down houses and snow covered streets went on for miles. A thick blizzard prevented him from seeing further.
"no use in staying here, I would just slowly freeze to death"
He looked over the city and to his surprise he found a single pillar of smoke reaching into the grey sky. The smoke came from a couple of blocks away, he knew his only hope was to seek the fire for warmth. So he began his journey into the unknown.
He walked the streets searching for any sign of life, but there was none to find. With the smoke in the sky as his only way to find his way in this maze of a city he journeyed onwards into the city. As he got closer and closer to the smoke the heavier the wind became, and it soon turned into a snowstorm blocking his line of sight.
He ventured forth without hesitation, he doubted he could even find his way back if he wanted to, so the only way was forward. He finally reached a large open plaza, he looked ahead and saw a shadow standing still in the snowstorm.
He thought it was merely another sculpture like the many others he passed and continued onwards. He got closer and closer to the statue and slowly his walk went into a crawl. He now stood infront of it and saw a knight wearing old and rusty armor while carrying a war axe.
For some reason every single fiber in his body screamed at him to stop and run away.He gripped his sword hard standing infront of the statue waiting for something to happen.
Standing there indecisive in what to do, waiting in the cold would solve nothing he realized. He took another step forward and then another. He etched closer and closer to the statute, waiting for something to happen, but nothing did.
He heard thumping foot step coming from behind, he turned around and managed to raise his sword as he deflected the incoming strike. He was thrown across the plaza sliding in the snow until he hit a wall. He looked up and saw a tall thinly figurer with abnormally large limbs and a large blade in its hands. He rolled away and the blade embedded itself into the ground where he once was.
He stood up and faced his enemy with shaking limbs. He got a closer look at whatever it was that attacked him. Wrinkly blue skin, a head that was simply a large mouth with rows upon rows of sharp teeth. The beast gave no reprise and attacked again hammering its large blade into the ground where the young man once stood. The young man continued to dodge out of the way of the massive blade. Its long limbs and huge blade gave it a massive reach and it swung its blade around madly trying to hit him.
He backed away avoiding the blade barely. The monster looked at him as he backed away and slowly approached scrapping the blade across the ground making a horrendous sound. He was out of breath, fear had frozen him. He looked at the monster in fright and terror. He held his sword shakily not even knowing how to wield it nor how to use it.
It was not out of bravery he faced the beast, but in the knowledge that he would die the moment he tried to run. The monster approached slowly like it was toying with its prey. It raised its grotesque blade ready to bring it down and cut him in half.
´Move! Fucking move! Come on! Come on! Come on!`
He shouted at himself to move out of the way, to do just something. Like a small ember inside him it fired up, becoming a burning blaze. It willed him to fight, to make a stand.
"AAAHHHHHHHH!"
With all his might he shouted and charged. Before the beast could bring down its blade he had already pierced its cold chest with his sword. the rammed into the monster tackling it and bringing himself on top of it. Both of them fell down on the cold snow. The monster releasing its final scream in pain as it died. He laid on top of it breathing heavily, all his strength left him, he felt exhausted.
With what little strength he had left he rose from the corpse and with some effort pulled out the sword, not willing to leave himself defenseless. In a hurry he glanced around himself afraid what else that might be hiding in the thick snowstorm. He looked up into the sky, but the snowstorm had gotten worse and the smoke was no longer visible.
"fucking great"
He made his best bet where the smoke was coming from and began walking, he was not willing to wait any longer here. He walked for what felt like hours in the shivering cold but was just minutes. He was shivering to the core but walked on.
He finally found something, close by he saw the faint tingling of smoke. With new hope he walked forward and finally arrived at a house. The house was in better condition than the others he had passed. The roof was still whole and there was light inside and smoke coming from the chimney.
He prepared himself and opened the door. Inside the fire place was going still going, but it was dying out. He went inside and closed the door behind him. He looked around and froze. In the corner leaning on a spear was a person wearing dark rusty armor.
"Have you come to end it? My imprisonment, my torture. If so do it quickly before the cold claim me like it have so many others"