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Chapter 62 - Chapter 4 — Before The Fall (8)

Shionne's POV:

The icy chill pierced through every layer of clothing I had on, and I found myself struggling to keep up with the biting gusts of wind that swept across my face. I had lost all sense of time and direction, with the relentless snowstorm blurring my vision and obscuring the path ahead. As the snow piled up around me, I felt my feet grow numb with cold.

My thick, heavy robe was my only protection against the unforgiving elements, but even it was beginning to fail me. It felt as though the cold was seeping right through it, turning my skin to ice and making my bones ache. I pulled the robe tighter around me, trying to shield myself from the frigid winds that threatened to knock me off my feet.

I trudged through the snow, each step feeling heavier and more laborious than the last. The freezing cold had taken hold of me, making me shiver uncontrollably and causing my lips to tremble.

"Guess i-i-i-it w-w-w-a-was th-the-the ri-right ch-choice to le-leave m-my ba-backpack afte-terall..." I managed to say, despite the trembling of my lips.

I knew that leaving my backpack behind was the best decision I could make, as it would have hindered me even more if I continued carrying it. In fact, I wouldn't be able to carry on much longer if I hadn't left it behind. My feet were freezing, and it was impossible for me to carry something heavy while struggling through the deep snow.

The biting wind continued to lash at me mercilessly, making me feel like I was slowly turning into an icicle. The snow was coming down in heavy flakes, accumulating rapidly, almost reaching my waist. Every step I took was a struggle, but I knew that I had to keep moving forward. I couldn't let the cold and the snow defeat me.

Time seemed to stretch on endlessly, and I had no way of telling how long I had been walking for. My senses were dulled by the cold, and I could barely feel my fingers and toes. But even so, I continued to trudge through the snow. I didn't care if I was buried in the deep snow or if the blizzard swallowed me whole. I had to find that flower.

As I was trudging through the heavy blizzard, suddenly I felt my vision began to blur and spin. The snowstorm that had surrounded me seemed to be closing in, swirling faster and faster until I felt like I was being pulled down into a black hole. Suddenly, I felt myself falling, my body tumbling head over heels until I landed with a sickening thud onto the cold, unforgiving snow.

For a moment, I lay there in a state of shock, my mind reeling as I struggled to make sense of what had just happened. All around me, the blizzard raged on, whipping up snow and ice in a frenzy that threatened to engulf me completely. I tried to lift my head, but it felt as though it was weighed down by a thousand pounds, so heavy that I could barely move.

Was this the end? Was I going to die here, buried in the snow? The flurry of snowflakes was coming down so hard that it was starting to bury me. I put my hands on the snow, trying to push myself up, but I was weak and could barely move.

That's when I heard a voice.

"What are you doing there?! It's dangerous!" The voice was barely audible as it was muffled by the sound of the raging blizzard.

I whipped my head around, trying to see who it was that had spoken. To my surprise, I saw someone unexpected. "Leon?!"

I thought to myself, 'What is he doing here?'

Leon appeared visibly shocked. After taking a moment to compose himself, he warned me, "You need to find shelter! If you stay out here, you'll die!"

Of course, I knew that already. My body was starting to shut down, and I could feel the frigid temperatures seeping through my bones. Despite this, I...

"I... have to find the flower," I insisted, my voice barely above a whisper.

Realizing that I was too weak to stand, I began to crawl through the snow, my fingers feeling numb and prickly.

"What are you doing?! Are you trying to kill yourself?!" Leon exclaimed, but his words were muffled and indistinct in my ears.

***

Leon's POV:

As I watched in disbelief, the girl made the decision to abandon standing and instead opted to crawl.

"What is she doing?!" I knew that remaining in her current position meant certain death, and yet, there she was, crawling towards her impending doom. Panic gripped me as I imagined the horrific consequences of her inaction. The thought of her dying right before my eyes was unbearable. I knew I had to act fast and save her before it was too late.

My heart was pounding, and my hands were shaking as I prepared to jump out of the window. But as I looked out, the ground below suddenly seemed like an endless abyss. I was paralyzed by fear and couldn't bring myself to jump.

"..." I felt frustrated with myself, how could I be so afraid when someone's life was on the line?

As I remained complacent, the girl's way towards her death was rapidly approaching. I couldn't let that happen. I had to act quickly, without hesitation.

I closed my eyes, focusing all my energy into channeling mana into my body. I hoped that it would somehow prevent the cold from getting into me, giving me a better chance of rescuing the girl. Without another thought, I leaped out of the window.

The cold air hit me like a hammer, making me shiver involuntarily. But I couldn't let that stop me. I had to keep going, no matter the cost.

I landed in the snow with a soft thud, barely feeling the impact of my feet on the ground. I quickly got up, scanning the area for any signs of the girl. It didn't take long to find her; she was buried deep in the snow, barely visible to the naked eye.

Without hesitation, I rushed towards her, using every ounce of strength I had to pull her out of the snow. As I touched her, I was shocked at how cold she was. How long had she been out in the cold?

"What are you doing?!" I exclaimed, my voice filled with concern and fear. "Are you trying to kill yourself?!"

Despite my words, she continued on crawling forward, as if she had not heard a thing I had just said. It was as though she was completely oblivious to my presence, and to the danger that she was putting herself in.

"Stop this! You need to stop now, otherwise, you will end up killing yourself!" I pleaded with her, hoping to snap her out of whatever trance she was in.

"I have to find it," she mumbled, her voice shaking in the freezing cold. At last, she seemed to acknowledge my presence.

"What is it that you have to find? Is it so important that you're willing to risk your life for it?"

"I had to. I made a promise with my grandfather," she said, her voice trembling as she spoke. At the mention of her grandfather, she suddenly stopped moving, and I couldn't help but gasp in surprise. Her sudden stillness made me worry that something was wrong.

"Hey," I said, trying to shake her lightly. She didn't respond. Panic started to set in as I shook her again, hoping she would snap out of it. "Hey, can you hear me?!" I asked, my voice rising with desperation.

I glanced around, hoping to find someone who could assist us, but as I looked, I realized that the blizzard had intensified to the point where I could only see a few inches in front of me.

In that moment, I couldn't help but let out a despairing, "No..."

"...I," I heard her mumble. It was a relief to know that she was still conscious. "I have to find that flower... Can...can you help me, Leon?" she asked weakly.

"What flower?!" I asked urgently.

"...El..." she tried to say, but her voice was lost in the howling wind.

I knew I had to get her to safety, and fast. I lifted her gently and placed her on my back, hoping to shield her from the worst of the storm. Without any clear direction or bearings, I began to walk in what I hoped was the right direction. Since the visibility was so poor, it was impossible to determine where the estate lay.

However, as I walked, it became apparent that I was moving farther away from the estate.

"Tsk," I clicked my tongue in frustration and glanced at the girl on my back, her head resting on my shoulder. Her lips had turned blue, and she looked extremely delicate and vulnerable, like she could break at any moment. "Hang in there."