Isaac and Laila waded through the Forest of Snow, a desolate landscape blanketed in snow, where only the fittest creatures could thrive. One wrong decision and you may not survive the consequences. If you were to wander into the peerless wasteland, you would be met with a daunting challenge: to withstand the bitter cold, evade the predators, or make it out alive.
"Huff…Huff…"
Isaac and Laila's tears ceased to flow as the intense coldness of the air froze them in place. They were now glistening shards of ice dangling from the corners of their eyes, like delicate chandeliers. The two of them were very aware of the little predicament, but they did nothing to wipe the ice away. They felt the urge to swipe away at the ice so they could clear their vision, but they didn't want to release the little warmth they had as they had their arms wrapped around their bodies. The hoodies offered no protection from the biting cold that seeped into their bones. It was akin to dry ice being rubbed across their bodies.
The pair trudged through the forest for what felt like half an hour. Their pace was slow and heavy due to the energy-draining battles they had fought. For Isaac, he had to fight against archbishop Catalina who transformed into an Arachne. He also had to join his sister in the fight against archbishop Zolvo, an athios who was much stronger than his peer. As for Laila, she fought Volken, Airon, and archbishop Zolvo nonstop. After that, all their friends had died a horrific, agonizing death before their eyes, and all they could do was stand back and watch in despair. The siblings were exhausted, the fatigue etched deep into the lines of their faces.
With her last breath, her throat rasping out a croak, Laila felt her legs give way beneath her and she stopped dead in her tracks. Isaac halted and turned his tired body over to his sister.
"L-Laila…W-We have to…K-Keep m-m-oving…"
Laila didn't respond to her brother's desperate plea. She's not purposely ignoring him, she just doesn't have the energy to speak up. Laila tried to move her lips but found them to be unresponsive, a feeling of numbness preventing her from speaking. Because of that, Laila communicated through a series of grunts while also tilting her head to the side. Isaac narrowed his eyes at his sister, unable to comprehend what the hell she was doing.
Noticing that Laila was bending her head to his left, Isaac turned his head to see what got her so riled up. He tried to make out shapes in the fog, but the dense, misty air made it difficult. As he peered through the fog, he thought he could make out a shadow shifting in the distance. It was so tall that it couldn't have been an animal; its humanoid figure was unmistakable. Nonetheless, he should be careful either way. To survive such a hostile place, creatures must have developed unique adaptations. If it can survive in this environment, then it must be tough.
Isaac shuffled his aching body closer to his sisters, sharing their meager warmth. Isaac had nearly no mana left, leaving him powerless to summon any fire. He also couldn't manipulate the temperature around them since he wasn't in an acceptable state of mind. In his current state, the only thing that he can do is to trust his sister, as the weight of his sword is too much for him to bear. With just a simple thought, Laila could summon her mana blades and they would require only a fraction of her mana. Because of that, she's their best chance of fighting whatever is he-
CRUNCH!
"…!"
At his side, his sister was no longer standing. She lay face-first in the ground beneath them, her body half submerged in the three inches of crisp snow.
"L-Laila!" Isaac shouted, quickly bending his knees to lift his sister from the snow-covered earth. Isaac's shivering finger dabbed her pale cheeks before he quickly drew it away. When he brushed her skin, it felt like he was touching a searing hot surface, like dipping his fingers in a vat of acid. Isaac knew that if he doesn't do something fast, they'll both freeze to death and will be dinner for the wolves. Isaac had no other options left. Building a fire in these circumstances was almost unfeasible, and he had almost no mana to sacrifice. He could not provide his sister with a safe location because of being exhaustion. He only had one course of action left, something he wanted to avoid under any circumstances.
Upon examining the Inventory, Isaac removed a blue crystal from the S.O. What he held within his grasp was Torqinite, a crystal of mana that could heal physical ailments and replenish mana. However, consuming significant amounts of mana in its crystal form will cause detrimental consequences. Since the siblings have consumed the Torqinite a bunch of times already, if they were to eat one more crystal, their health will deteriorate. Isaac was at a loss, and thus, determined this was his best course of action.
"Bottoms up," Isaac thought to himself, the crystal dangling from his fingertips. At the moment he was about to let go of the crystal, an arrow flew past quicker than his eyes could perceive and the crystal was no longer in his grasp. Isaac quickly rotated his head and caught sight of a tall, yet lean figure looming over him. Isaac guessed, to the best of his ability, that they were near one hundred and ninety-three cm. They were wearing all white, a mask covering their face, and a long, plush fur coat that draped down to their toes.
"W-Who-" Isaac started to ask, but before he could finish, the mysterious figure swiftly lifted its arm and hovered its pale palm over his face, and in a deep, baritone voice uttered a single word.
"Sleep."
In an instant, they rendered Isaac unconscious as he fell back directly beside his sister. The unknown figure crept forward and put a finger beneath the girl's nose. They felt a delicate, wispy breeze emanating from her nostrils. She only had approximately thirty minutes left before succumbing to hypothermia.
"I'll have to make it back at the village quickly or they'll die out here," the stranger thought out loud. Waiting no longer, the stranger hoisted the siblings in succession onto his shoulders as if they were lightweight potatoes.
"These two have no meat on their bones, nor are they used to the cold. It's no wonder why they're one foot into the grave," it mumbled, now starting their trek back home. They have been traversing through this region for an extensive period while they searched for prey and collect wood. To have run into intruders this close to Frigiod… It should be impossible! A barrier had been set up around South Osmen that prohibits those who aren't Apithiens. Maybe there is a breach nearby or that these two are Apithiens, yet that is unlikely as they are not similar to Apithiens in appearance.
"I'll get answers out of you two soon. But before that, we must get to safety. The monsters around these parts get feisty once they smell easy prey."
The stranger double-checked that it secured the two to their shoulders, before commencing the journey back to Frigiod. The winds in South Osmen are persistent, especially in the Forest of Snow. Barren trees whipped back and forth in the fierce gales, creating a cacophony so loud it seemed like explosions. When you took a breath of the freezing air, it felt like razor blades slicing through your lungs.
Massive monsters like Snow Wolves and White Yetis plague these lands, using the snow and trees as camouflage. Roaming the land, they are one of the most dangerous predators, except for one species that is their superior. This species dates back to the formation of the continents and has remained as a silent witness to the battles between demons and athios.
The Apithiens.
Within the Forest of Snow, Frigiod was easy to spot because of its wall made of logs—it only took the stranger ten minutes to get there. Two watchtowers were placed in front of the village and the guards atop them were diligently scanning for any unusual activity. Upon seeing the Apithien, one guard gestured to the other guard to open the gates, which creaked as they slowly swung open. Once that was done, the Apithien trudged towards the welcoming gate with the two siblings still immobilized.