The Wolf Team is deployed to the Arctic - to where Mount Alvernia sits on its lofty throne. There have been numerous reports and sightings stating that a powerful core has cracked, its volatile power affecting the environment around it. Scores of creatures affected by the power are attacking skiers and due to that, a large group of people are being called in to clean up the mess.
In addition to the Hunters, three teams of specialized medics and doctors trained in treating such injuries are also being deployed. Scores of military soldiers are expected to join them, assisting the Hunters in securing the exposed core.
Should the core remain exposed for an extended period, it coalesces into a magical electromagnetic field known as a protoshield. This energy mass is highly destructive, impacting the environment, nearby animals, and individuals susceptible to its power. Consequently, Aurelia receives strict orders to steer clear of the protoshield, her focus solely on containing the increasing numbers of creatures drawn to it.
Today's team to head to Mount Alvernia is the Wolf Team and they are joined by a team of volunteer doctors from Thomson Medical. Zayne is one of them much to Aurelia's chagrin. Though they do need a cardiac surgeon and he's the rare few who has experience in this situation.
They arrive by the Apache, all fifteen including their Captain Sienna and Team Leader Jacob. As soon as they touch down, Aurelia gets off and her boots sink into a layer of fresh snow. Exchanging looks with Orla, they held hands and they made their way towards the temporary campsite.
After settling in, they receive a thorough briefing on the situation. Despite being familiar with the mission and their respective roles, Captain Sienna and Team Leader Jacob emphasize their responsibilities once more, underscoring the perilous nature of the mission.
Once they are released to wander about before the start of the mission, Zayne finds Aurelia standing at a distance staring off into space. She is dressed warmly, her usual black Hunter uniform swapped for a white winter version with fur boots and winter gloves hanging by her waist.
Draped over her shoulders with an air of nonchalance, her white winter coat bears the insignia and rank of her team emblazoned on its lapels. As she stands, immersed in the hustle and bustle of the moment, Zayne materializes before her. His hands instinctively find their way to her jacket, fingers deftly adjusting their fit with a touch of concern in his gaze, ensuring her readiness for what lies ahead.
"I know you're essentially fire but please don't be naive about the cold," Zayne scolds as he tightens her jacket collar up to her neck, zipping it up before strapping it close. "I don't want to have to pull your frozen self out and in turn affect my surgeries."
She chuckles at his nagging and shows him her new white gloves that she's wearing. It is similar to the black ones that she always wears, but this time it has a layer of heat tech inside it to help cope with the cold.
"I got new gloves for this winter terrain," she says. "This pair of winter gloves they gave is not fireproof."
"That's careless of your HA," he says as he inspects the gloves with a frown, Aurelia knowing that he's only fussing because he's nervous and failing to hide it. He's inspecting them closely as an excuse to touch her hands. "Gloves are an important tool to keep one warm in such frigid conditions."
"If it makes you feel better, I have heat tech layers beneath my Hunter's uniform," she says almost proudly and beams happily. "I'm pretty warm right now, cozy even. I might fall asleep soon."
He frowns at her words. "Remember your breath of fire," he says as he holds her shoulders, squeezing them as he holds her gaze with his silver eyes. "They'll keep you warm out there."
She nods. "Don't worry so much," she says. "Focus on your surgeries! Saving people! I'll be with my team and Orla will -"
"Aurelia! Let's go! Stop stalling her, Zayne!" Orla cries out from afar. "Wheels' up in five!"
Aurelia grins and pats Zayne on his chest before she turns to leave. She can feel his gaze on her back and she turns back once to wave at him before she exits the tentage, joining the rest of her team where they are gathered outside by the Apache. Sienna and Jacob are discussing something as they wait.
The Wolf Team consists of six members including their Captain. They work in pairs most of the time and it is rare for them to work in a team but their team is one of the rare ones who has experience. The HA will only send teams with experienced Hunters to deal with such risky situations.
Sienna Mathis, a thirty-five-year-old, one of the youngest Captains in the Hunter's Association, is a headstrong and protective woman who leads her team with care. She tucks her strawberry blond hair over one ear as she listens to her team members speak, a smile on her face as she interacts with them.
Her friend, Orla Mitchell a twenty-eight-year-old water user, and her partner in crime, Nicholas Diaz a twenty-nine-year-old ice user who is a big nerd on creatures. Both complement each other in their powers, as well as their personalities; they work well seamlessly and have been for the past few years. Aurelia has a feeling he likes Orla.
The last pair is Lukas Kim and Rosie Cruz who is the baby of the team, being only twenty-six years in age. Lukas is the oldest in the team, though the Wolf members are close in age and he is energetic, and cheerful just like his powers. Rosie is the opposite of him, a quiet lady who prefers to listen instead; a wide smile on her face as she pushes her spectacles up with a finger as she listens to Lukas speak.
"How do you not feel overwhelmed with his coddling?" Orla asks. "Though I would die happy if a Greek God like him even looked my way."
"Because he's Zayne."
Their bond has grown so deep over time that his nurturing gestures have become a natural aspect of their relationship. It feels odd if he doesn't offer his care and support. Aurelia might find herself wondering if something is amiss if he refrains from doing so. Orla responds with an eye roll, their banter fading as they settle into the Apache and fasten their seatbelts.
They are dropped off close to the location of the protoshield, and a frown forms on Aurelia's face as she senses her heart beginning to ache. The power emanating from the core has intensified, its electromagnetic waves extending even farther. They must dispose of the core swiftly to prevent further escalation of the situation.
Aurelia hangs back as her team trudges forward, Orla giving her a small wave as they join the forward team. Consisting of twenty people, a mix of Hunters and soldiers, they climbed forth leaving behind a handful of S-Class Hunters whose task is to eliminate creatures wandering around.
From the brief, the middle team is tasked to take down wandering creatures and rescue any remaining Hunters, Soldiers, or passersby who are injured. Aurelia is in this team and she sets off to do her job.
Utilizing the advanced scanning features integrated into her Watch, Aurelia taps into its capabilities to pinpoint the presence of living beings. Drawing upon the heat signatures emitted by their bodies, the signals transmitted by their Watches, or, in dire circumstances, the rhythmic cadence of their heartbeats, they navigate through the surrounding environment with heightened awareness, ensuring they don't miss any vital signs amidst the thickening snow.
Following the signals emitted by her Watch, she uncovers numerous buried Hunters and soldiers, promptly directing them back to the campsite where a team of doctors stands ready to assist. Along her path, she encounters several Class A and Class B creatures drawn towards the protoshield's energy, swiftly cutting them down to prevent any further escalation.
She spends about five hours wandering the side of the mountain when her Watch pings at her to return. Sienna is calling her team back and she turns around, her boots crunching in snow as she heads towards the pickup point.
From a distance, Aurelia spots her team and feels a wave of relief wash over her as she sees that they are all alive. Despite sporting various injuries, none of them appear to be fatal. As she approaches her team, she reaches out and pulls Orla into a tight hug, the palpable sense of relief evident on their faces as they realize they have all emerged unscathed.
"Let's head back!"
The Apache starts up, the blades spinning in the air and they climb inside to strap on. Eager to be out of the cold, they hold hands as the Apache lifts off the ground. They are almost up by the clouds when a mighty roar disrupts the peace. They hear it rising from beneath them and Aurelia is looking down into a large mouth, sharp teeth rising to envelop the Apache.
"Get off!"
"Off!"
Cursing under her breath, she seizes Orla and swiftly ignites their belts before leaping out of the Apache. Amidst Orla's panicked screams and frantic scrambling, she snatches her friend, hoisting her over her shoulder to free her hands. Orienting herself downward, she channels her flames as makeshift propellers, utilizing them to decelerate their descent until they land on a cushion of fresh snow.
Amidst the muffled sounds of their Captain's urgent voice echoing through their Watches, Aurelia fights to extricate herself from the snow-covered ground, emerging with labored breaths. Disoriented, she scans her surroundings in search of her friend, but Orla is nowhere to be found. The task is made even more challenging by their all-white uniforms blending into the snowy landscape, obscuring visibility further.
"Orla?" she asks as she looks around in fright, searching for her friend. "Orla!"
Racing to the next hole in the ground, she discovers her friend buried upside down. Without hesitation, she seizes Orla's legs and pulls with all her might until she pops out, gasping for breath. Aurelia quickly catches her, and together they slide down the snow a short distance before coming to rest. They collapse, panting heavily as they strive to catch their breath.
A deafening roar pierces through the air, causing Aurelia and Orla to snap their heads in its direction. As they turn, their eyes widen in awe and trepidation at the sight before them—a majestic Class S* creature, a formidable ice dragon, towering ominously against the backdrop of Mt. Alvernia. Its immense size, nearly six stories tall, is matched only by the chilling aura it exudes, sending shivers down their spines as they behold its imposing presence.
Known as Leviathan, this legendary ice dragon possesses a core crafted from the rarest of materials—lapis lazuli. With its immense power and strength, Leviathan is capable of laying waste to entire towns, freezing all who dare cross its path with a mere glance and maiming with its razor-sharp claws. Whispers abound that it slumbers beneath the mountain, its awakening likely spurred by prolonged exposure to the fractured core.
Aurelia lets out a curse and pulls Orla to her feet, pulling her away from the monstrous creature. She answers Sienna's call, updating her on their status, and turns to Orla. Her pale skin was even paler against the backdrop of the snow.
"We need to rejoin the Team," she says firmly and grabs her arm, pulling her forth. "Quickly!"
Suddenly, their Watches emit a sharp bleep, drawing the attention of the ice dragon. In an instant, they freeze, their movements halted as they lock eyes with the fearsome creature. Hearts pounding fiercely, their breaths escaping in harsh, ragged gasps as tension fills the air.
With a deafening roar, the dragon's neck begins to glow with an ominous blue light, a clear indication that a torrent of icy power is about to be unleashed upon them. Cursing under their breath, they flee, attempting to put as much distance as possible between themselves and the impending attack.
"Hurry!"
"I'm hurrying!" Orla screams. "We are running away from a freaking dragon!"
With a thunderous roar, the dragon's icy blast hurtles toward them. Despite their best efforts to evade the frontal assault, their speed isn't enough. Aurelia risks a look over her shoulders. She can see the icy blue roaring towards her. In a split-second decision, Aurelia throws herself at Orla, knocking her down as they tumble into the thick blanket of snow, narrowly escaping the brunt of the attack.
Aurelia hauls Orla to her feet, pulling her up and they begin to run again. They held hands as they ran, their breaths forming steam as they panted hard at the exertion. Orla looks over her shoulder and lets out a deadly curse.
The ice dragon attacks again, this time firing at them head-on. They barely had time to react. A scream leaves her lips as Aurelia shoves Orla aside, her blue flames appear from within her body, swirling around fiercely to protect them from the ferocious ice blast, slicing through the thick column of ice like a hot knife to a chocolate ice-cream cake.
It was a spectacular display of power and strength, a Class S* creature versus a Class S Hunter trained to kill one. Blue ice versus blue fire, one can only hope to dream of going against such a fearsome beast. Orla could only witness the sight; eyes widened in both fear and awe at how powerful her friend and colleague are.
They were staring straight into the scaley face of a fearsome creature. Death hangs in the air, about to beckon them closer. Fear takes root in their frozen legs and they can't tear their eyes away from the yellow lizard-like eyes. What mighty creature that lay asleep underneath Mount Alvernia!
Cursing, Aurelia unleashes a torrent of fire that bursts the snow into a maelstrom, giving them cover to flee. She turns, grabs her friend, and drags her away, muttering at her to use her legs to propel herself forward. Together, they ran away, their boots sinking deep into the fresh snow and it was a battle to fight against the snow.
"How the fuck … how are we going to kill it?" Orla gasps as she runs. Her entire head is covered in snow. "We've never dealt with a Class S* before!"
"Sienna," Aurelia whispers at her Watch, contacting her Captain. "Any backup?"
"Get your ass back here!"
"It's here with us," she hisses. "Stop yelling, it's not helping."
"We have no backup," she says, her voice quietening immediately. "But we have an ancient spell to put it to sleep. I'll send it to you through your Watch. We're heading over to help. Try to stay alive!"
Aurelia casts a worried glance at Orla, noting the pallor that fear has cast over her features. The gravity of their Captain's words weighs heavily upon them both; the realization that Leviathan's might exceed their own strikes a chord of apprehension in their hearts. As notification chimes, signaling a message from their Captain, Aurelia's gaze drops to her Watch. It's the spell—the means to lull Leviathan into a deep slumber.
"Why … why -"
Aurelia grabs her friend by her arm, snapping her out of her reverie. "Listen, we are defeating this together," she says firmly. "We are heading back to that fucking campsite in one piece if that's the last thing we do. Come on, we are Wolf."
Hearing her words, Orla regains her composure and nods firmly. She grabs her friend, her fingers curling against the winter coat. "We are Wolf and we are heading back alive," she repeats with a fervor.
…
Hours later, Aurelia and Orla trudge back to the campsite, their forms cloaked in a mixture of snow and blood. Stranded without the Apache, they navigated the remainder of their journey on foot, driven solely by the desire to reunite with their loved ones alive. Having spent approximately seventeen grueling hours amidst the mountain's unforgiving terrain, the army of doctors swiftly converges upon their return, swarming around the weary members of the Wolf Team to provide warmth and urgent medical attention.
Orla is quickly whisked away, leaving Aurelia in the care of another medical team who guides her into a separate room. Her jacket is swiftly removed, followed by the careful snipping away of her layers of clothing. Two teams of doctors surround her, one focusing on tending to her injuries while the other works to raise her body temperature. However, given her unique ability to generate fire, they soon realize that their efforts to warm her are unnecessary, and the team withdraws, leaving her to recover in her element.
She sits on the bed with her head bowed, staring blankly at her lap as she feels the doctor stitching the large laceration on her back. The fight scene is still apparent in her mind. The fearsome roar reverberated against her ears. A cup of warm milo appears in her vision prompting her to look up to see her doctor in front of her. Her eyes widened upon his arrival.
Zayne is dressed in his usual work outfit, blue scrubs, and a white doctor's coat. He looks professional. His badge is on the breast pocket. He is wearing a pair of glasses, the one she has picked out claiming that it looks good on him, and the one scent that he usually wears so she knows it's him.
"It's you."
"How are you feeling?" he asks.
"It was the first time I have seen Leviathan alive," she says. "A beautiful yet formidable creature of lore. I thought it didn't exist. It slept for centuries underneath Mt Alvernia but thanks to that leaked power core, it awakened. It was terrifying, we had no way to kill it. Merely to let it slumber for the rest of eternity."
"Azrael."
She holds his gaze and nods firmly. He brings her hand around the Milo cup and squeezes until she grips them herself. "Drink," he says. "A bit of sugar will help you regain the energy you've lost fighting the Leviathan."
Dr Zayne looks over at his colleague who is quiet as he works. "How bad is her injury, Doctor Nathan?" he asks.
"Oh, Doctor Adler you're here. Well, she's got lacerations down her back and torso, cuts on her arm," he explains. "Recovery will take about three weeks at best. She won't be able to lie on her back for a while, not until the wound heals. It might leave scarring but it adds flavor to her back piece."
"Damn."
His silver eyes look down at her, unamused at her statement. "Granted it is a Class S* creature, you did well," he says as he pokes her head with his icy cold fingers. "You came back to me intact."
"Now you're being harsh, Dr Zayne," she says with a rueful laugh. She trekked ten hours blind in a snowstorm after successfully putting the Leviathan to its slumber. Both Orla and herself had tied a scarf around their wrists to ensure that they wouldn't get separated as they made their way back.
He smiled but there was a hint of sadness on his face. He must've known the reports about their return. Sienna would've given multiple by now, updating every one of their status and the fact that they were stranded on the mountain in a snowstorm, the chances of them returning were less than favorable.
But the Wolf Team is experienced, they are crazy so getting stuck on a mountain is nothing to them. They had an insane drive to return home safely.
"I'll leave you to it, I have surgery," he says. "I'll see you soon."
She nods and smiles when she feels his icy fingers on her forehead before he leaves the room. She takes a tentative sip of the Milo and sighs as the sweet malty liquid warms her up slightly. Doctor Zayne always knows how to make her feel better, despite being chased and attacked by a raging monster.
Once the doctor finishes taping up her stitches, he advises Aurelia to handle them with care and suggests that she sleep on her belly until they heal. He hands her a spare shirt to wear. Despite her efforts to remain composed, she nods with a sense of resignation. Equipped with a pack of medication, she exits the room and sets out to locate her team.
"When do you think we can return to the mainland?"
"They're arranging for transport as we speak," Sienna answers. "Give or take a few days, we have food supplies for the next few days so there's nothing to worry about. Even if we run out of food, we can hunt."
Nicholas scoffs. "Just because we're hunters, doesn't mean we know how to hunt wild animals."
The other two remaining Hunters, Lukas and Rosie, roll their eyes at his statement. Sienna stares at Nicholas for a few beats before he relents. Orla and herself remain silent. The Wolf Team members are not in a good mood, seeing that transport home may take a few more days and they would rather be at home to recuperate than be stuck here.
"We don't have extra clothes," Rosie adds.
"And do we even have space to stay here?" Lukas asks next.
"I am arranging as we speak," Sienna answers.
The team members groan and Aurelia tries not to rest against the chair, avoiding the stitches on her back. Orla taps her hand and jerks her head to the side, so they get up to leave. Orla has a hold of her hand as she leads her away, probably she wants to be away from the rest of the team members.
"How's your injuries?"
"I'll live."
Hours later, the girls have found some chairs by a corner and Aurelia is curled up on her side fast asleep, her head resting on Orla's lap. She is still awake and idly staring at her mobile phone, checking the news and looking forlorn.
"How're you two holding up?"
A soft attractive male voice floats towards them and Orla looks up to see Dr Adler approaching them, dressed in his usual blue scrubs. He looks exhausted but he doesn't say more as he pulls up a chair to sit, his silver eyes glancing down at Aurelia who is fast asleep.
"I'm okay," she says and sighs as she glances at her friend. "I wouldn't be alive today without Aurelia."
"Elaborate."
She turns to look at Dr Adler, a very attractive man who is obsessed and in love with her friend, now giving her a very serious look. She feels like he can see right through her and wonders if this is a fraction of what Aurelia always feels.
"When we were about to head back to the campsite, we were all inside the Apache when the Leviathan attacked," she explains. "The mouth is below us and it's thanks to Aurelia's quick thinking and actions that we managed to jump out of the Apache before it swallowed us all."
"We were falling in the sky and I could do nothing but flail around like a pathetic person while Aurelia threw me over her shoulder so she could use her firepower to slow down our descent," she continues. "We landed rather near to the Leviathan and it caught our presence."
"It was my first time going against a Class S* creature, it towers over six stories and its movement shakes the ground," she explains. "It was as big as a goddamn mountain and though we were terrified, Aurelia used that fear to her advantage."
"She … she protected me from its icy breath and you should've seen her flames, Dr Adler," she says quietly, looking up at the Greek God. "It was so beautiful; there were a myriad of colors. It swirls around us in reds, yellows, and greens. I could only watch her, my powers are useless when it comes to ice."
Orla turns to look down at her friend, a hand resting on her arm. "Even after that was over, we had to trek back to camp on foot," she says. "In the setting sun and a snowstorm, our visuals were hindered. We couldn't see ten feet ahead. But her resolve to return … is very strong."
She turns to look at Dr Adler who has a tender look on his face as he brushes Aurelia's hair aside so he can see her sleeping face. "Did you … did you make her promise to return to you no matter what it takes?" she asks. "She kept saying you'd come if she didn't and she didn't want to see your face getting scared for her."
"She wouldn't have done that if I hadn't said so," he answers as his eyes flicker to her. "She's a volatile person who doesn't have any regard for herself. Growing up with her, she tends to get into fights and get injured all the time but it didn't phase her. I don't like seeing that sort of thing on her. It scares me how rough she is to herself and I had to do it to prevent her from getting worse."
Orla nods in understanding. It is indeed worrying how she doesn't really care about the extent of the injury she's getting and her only concern is that they needed to get out of there alive. Even with her back injury and bleeding all over, she has tied their hands together and forced herself to walk.
"You're a good friend, Dr Adler."
"I'm not," he answers. "I'm a selfish man who wants her to be by my side until I die."
Aurelia interrupts them with a soft moan, her arm moving toward Zayne in her sleep and he grasps her hand automatically. She murmurs unintelligibly, a small smile on her lips and then she continues her sleep. The exchange is witnessed by them in silence.
"Friend huh?"