The silence of the forest felt unnatural, almost sacred—a sonic void where no sound seemed meant to exist. Yet, beyond this deceptive stillness, faint whispers of wind threaded through the towering trunks of conifers, swaying snow-laden branches. Each gust lifted handfuls of snowflakes, sending them twirling briefly before they settled back onto the pristine ground with an almost poetic delicacy. The vast white expanse stretched endlessly, its silver glints betraying the diffuse light filtering through a sky heavy with gray clouds. Not a single footprint marred this winter perfection, and not a sound hinted at the presence of life. It was a frozen tableau, suspended in an eternal winter. Veil (internal thought, disoriented): This is... unreal. Like I'm still dreaming. But why does this emptiness feel so... overwhelming? At the heart of this frozen scene, an anomaly stirred. A golden column of light was slowly unraveling, its fragments fading one by one, like the dying embers of an almost-extinguished fire. The phenomenon seemed out of place—an ethereal warmth intruding upon this frozen expanse. At the base of the light, Veil lay motionless in the snow. His still body stood in stark contrast to the dying pulses of the luminous circle. His arms, stretched out in a cross, sank slightly into the powdery surface. With every breath, a faint wisp of vapor rose lazily before dissipating into the icy air. Veil (groaning, weak): "It's... so cold... Why...?" His voice was barely a whisper, almost inaudible in the vast, silent expanse. His eyelids fluttered, struggling to open, as though the simple act of seeing was an insurmountable challenge. Veil (internal thought, panicked): Move... I have to move... But my body... Why won't it respond? The cold seemed to seep into his very bones, attacking every last trace of warmth he had left. A dull pain spread through his muscles, like icy needles piercing his skin. Veil (groaning, trembling): "No... Not now... I can't stop here…" His breathing, weak and uneven, grew shorter as the snow beneath him lightly frosted over. The golden light, once comforting, was fading away, leaving him alone in the vast white expanse. A faint but distinct crack broke the silence. In the distance, between the snow-covered trunks, a vague silhouette seemed to move—blurry, almost unreal. Veil squinted, straining to make sense of what he was seeing. Was it real, or just a hallucination born of his faltering mind? Veil (internal thought, surprised): Someone...? But the fatigue caught up to him. His eyelids, too heavy to resist any longer, closed for a moment. Veil (murmuring weakly): "Not... yet…" He summoned what remained of his will and tried once more to open his eyes. This time, the diffuse light of the sky finally greeted him. The world around him was unfamiliar. Above, the towering branches of conifers formed an uneven canopy, bending under the weight of snow. Through the gaps, he caught glimpses of a bleak, threatening sky, its cold rays of light adding an even greater sense of desolation to the landscape. He blinked several times, trying to organize his thoughts. But his mind felt clouded, every attempt at reflection leaving only a faint, distant echo. A strange sensation crept over him—a disturbing disconnection, as though his own body no longer belonged to him. Veil (murmuring, hesitant): "My... hands? Why... what's happening to me?"His trembling hands rose before him. Their appearance—smooth and almost unreal—sent a shiver down his spine. The scars he had known so well, the marks of past battles and training, were gone. Not a single callus, not a trace of the life he once lived. Veil (internal thought, disturbed): This isn't my body. Everything feels... wrong. Too perfect. What's happening? A cold shiver ran down his spine, fueled as much by this unsettling realization as by the freezing air around him. He clenched his teeth, forcing his numb muscles to respond. With great effort, he managed to sit up. The snow beneath him had melted slightly, leaving a clear imprint around his body. Veil (murmuring, perplexed): "Where am I? This is... impossible." He turned his head, taking in the towering trees that seemed to stretch endlessly. A vast, silent forest surrounded him, each massive trunk forming a barrier of mystery. Nothing here felt familiar—not a single detail betrayed any hint of a known place. Veil (internal thought, lost): This isn't home... This isn't... anywhere. The icy air bit into his skin, intensifying the ache that seemed to seep into his very being. His clothes, far too thin for such extreme temperatures, offered little protection against the relentless assault of the cold. Veil (whispering, resolute): "I have to move... If I stay here, I'll freeze." He placed a trembling hand on the snow to push himself up, his shaky legs struggling to bear his weight. Every movement drained energy he didn't think he had. He advanced slowly, his feet sinking deeply into the snow. Veil (internal thought, focused): One step at a time... keep going... don't think about anything else. The cold seeped into every fiber of his body, but he refused to stop. Each step through the pristine expanse brought him closer to an answer—or at least, to an unknown destination. However, a new and far more unsettling sensation crept over him. A presence. In the shadows of the trees, something moved. Vague silhouettes, barely visible, seemed to glide between the snow-covered trunks. Their movements were too fluid to be natural—almost spectral. Veil (internal thought, wary): Am I being watched...? He stopped abruptly, his breath hanging in the icy air. His eyes scanned the surroundings, searching every shadow, every corner of the pristine forest. Everything seemed still. The towering, motionless trees. The snowflakes falling with silent grace. And yet, the oppressive sensation of being watched refused to fade. A sudden crack shattered the fragile calm to his left. The sound, sharp and distinct, sent his heart racing. Then a second crack followed, closer this time—like a silent warning. Veil (internal thought, panicked): What... is that? He turned slightly, trying to locate the source of the noise. But there was nothing—just the snow-covered trunks that seemed to close in around him. A gust of icy air enveloped him, carrying with it a strange, unsettling scent. It wasn't the pure, soft smell of snow, nor the familiar aroma of conifers. This scent was harsher, almost animalistic. Veil (internal thought, tense): Something... is here. I'm not alone. Fear crept into him, cold and relentless, like the biting wind that seeped through his clothes. But he couldn't afford to give in to that creeping panic. Clenching his fists, he forced back the urge to flee. Veil (internal thought, determined): Whatever it is... If I stop, I die. Not now. He resumed his march, more cautious this time, his steps crunching faintly in the deep snow. Each movement was a struggle, his short, ragged breaths forming small wisps of vapor in the icy air. In the shadows of the trees, the silhouettes still moved. They remained blurry, elusive, but their motions weren't random. It was a silent dance, an invisible circle slowly tightening around him.Veil (internal thought, troubled): They're waiting. They're watching me. But why? The weight of their unseen gaze pressed heavily on his shoulders, making every step heavier, every breath harder. And yet, he kept moving. A slow progression, marked by the oppressive solitude and the silent echo of his own thoughts. And Veil moved forward, alone, with the invisible weight of their stares pressing down on him.