The air was thick with the biting chill of ice and the heavy silence of destruction. Where the Moonlit Hollow once stood, now there was only a gaping expanse of jagged ice shards and blackened snow. Wisps of faint golden light lingered in the air, remnants of the artifact's shattered power, flickering like dying embers.
Aria lay sprawled on the snow, her chest heaving with the effort to catch her breath. Every muscle in her body ached, her limbs trembling from the strain of their narrow escape. The Frost Mink pressed against her side, chirping nervously as it nuzzled her fur.
"We're alive," she muttered, her sharp blue eyes drifting over the desolate landscape. "Barely."
---
Xuan Hao sat a few feet away, his blade stuck in the snow beside him. His dark robes were torn, and a faint trail of blood seeped from a cut on his arm, but his expression was calm as he surveyed the devastation.
"That was... close," he said, his tone dry.
Aria growled softly, her claws scraping against the frozen ground. "You think?"
He smirked faintly, leaning back against a jagged piece of ice. "You're not going to blame me for this one, are you?"
Her sharp blue eyes flicked to him, blazing with irritation. "You're still alive, aren't you? Be grateful."
Xuan Hao chuckled, his dark eyes glinting. "Fair point."
---
The Frost Mink chirped softly, its tiny eyes wide as it glanced back at the ruined hollow. Its companions huddled together nearby, their small bodies trembling as they let out quiet, mournful squeaks.
"They don't understand what just happened," Aria thought, her sharp blue eyes softening briefly.
She sighed, nudging the smallest mink with her paw. "It's over. We made it."
The mink let out a hesitant squeak, pressing closer to her side.
"For now," she muttered under her breath.
---
The silence stretched, broken only by the faint whisper of the wind sweeping across the frozen wasteland.
"System," Aria thought, her sharp blue eyes narrowing. "Status update."
"Environmental collapse complete. Artifact energy signature eliminated. Hostile detection probability: 5%."
Her claws flexed. "And what about us? How are we holding up?"
"Host condition: 72% stamina remaining, minor injuries sustained. Current environment stable but uninhabitable for extended periods."
She huffed, shaking her head. "Perfect. Just perfect."
---
Xuan Hao stood, his blade resting on his shoulder as he stretched. His dark eyes scanned the horizon, lingering on the distant mountains shrouded in mist.
"So," he said, his tone casual, "what's next?"
Aria growled, rising to her paws with visible effort. "We get as far from this place as possible before something else decides to kill us."
He smirked faintly. "Good plan. Simple, effective."
Her sharp blue eyes narrowed. "You're free to go your own way, you know."
"And miss out on the fun?" he said, raising an eyebrow. "Not a chance."
---
The Frost Mink chirped nervously as the group began to move, its tiny paws scrabbling to keep up with Aria's steady pace. Its companions followed in a loose line, their movements hesitant but determined.
Aria glanced back at them, her sharp blue eyes narrowing. "Stay close. I'm not carrying all of you."
The smallest mink squeaked in protest, hopping onto her back with surprising agility.
She sighed, her tail flicking sharply. "You're lucky I'm in a good mood."
Xuan Hao chuckled, his dark eyes glinting. "That's what you call a good mood?"
Her claws scraped against the frozen ground. "Don't push it."
---
The journey away from the hollow was slow and tense. The jagged ice formations that once surrounded it had crumbled, leaving behind treacherous terrain that threatened to collapse with every step.
"System," Aria thought, her sharp blue eyes scanning the path ahead. "How far do we need to go before we're safe?"
"Recommended minimum distance: 15 kilometers. Current terrain instability detected."
She growled softly. "Fifteen kilometers of this? You've got to be kidding me."
"Negative."
---
Xuan Hao followed closely, his blade glinting faintly as he cleared a path through falling ice shards.
"Having fun yet?" he asked, his tone light.
Aria growled, her claws digging into the snow. "Do I look like I'm having fun?"
He smirked faintly. "A little."
Her sharp blue eyes flicked to him, blazing with irritation. "You're lucky I'm too tired to argue."
Xuan Hao chuckled, shaking his head. "I'll take that as a victory."
---
The Frost Mink chirped nervously, its wide eyes darting to the shifting ice formations around them.
"Relax," Aria muttered, nudging it gently with her paw. "We've been through worse."
The mink squeaked softly, pressing closer to her side.
She sighed, her sharp blue eyes softening briefly. "Okay, maybe not much worse."
---
By the time they reached more stable ground, the group was exhausted. Aria slumped onto a patch of snow, her chest heaving as she struggled to catch her breath.
The Frost Mink curled against her side, its tiny body trembling as it let out soft, uncertain chirps.
"We're alive," she muttered, her sharp blue eyes drifting shut. "That's enough for now."
---
Xuan Hao sat nearby, his blade stuck in the ground beside him. His dark eyes scanned the horizon, lingering on the faint outline of distant mountains.
"You think we're safe?" he asked, his tone thoughtful.
Aria growled softly, her claws flexing against the frozen ground. "Safe doesn't exist."
He smirked faintly. "Fair point."
---
The Frost Mink chirped softly, its tiny eyes filled with trust as it glanced up at Aria.
"For now," she thought, her sharp blue eyes narrowing, "we'll rest. But this isn't over. Not by a long shot."