The cold air bit at Arya's skin, but he barely noticed. Adrenaline surged through his veins as he stood beside Lira, staring into the glowing yellow eyes in the darkness.
The mist thickened, turning the Frostfang pack into shifting silhouettes. Their heavy steps sent faint tremors through the frozen ground.
Lira crouched slightly, twin daggers glinting in the dim firelight behind them. "Stay close to me. Don't make any sudden movements."
Arya swallowed hard. "I don't think I can fight something that big."
Lira didn't turn, but her voice was steady. "You don't need to fight them. Just survive."
The yellow eyes advanced. Slowly, the massive figures of the Frostfangs emerged from the fog.
Arya held his breath.
They were even larger than he had imagined—standing nearly chest-high on all fours, their fur a shimmering icy blue that blended with the snow. Their long, curved fangs dripped with a freezing liquid, mist curling from their breath.
The leader—a Frostfang even bigger than the rest—stood at the front of the pack, its fiery golden eyes locked onto Arya and Lira.
It let out a low growl.
Lira's grip on her daggers tightened. "They're testing us."
Arya's fingers twitched. "And if we fail?"
Lira gave a small, humorless smirk. "We die."
Then, without warning, the leader lunged.
Lira reacted instantly, rolling to the side and slashing with one of her daggers.
A streak of shimmering blue blood arced through the air as her blade cut into the creature's front leg.
The Frostfang snarled, stumbling back.
But the rest of the pack didn't hesitate.
Two more wolves leaped from the side.
Arya barely had time to think—his body moved on instinct.
His hand shot into his pocket, fingers grasping the small crystal.
The moment he touched it—
Everything slowed.
The world shifted.
He could see the wolves' movements before they happened. The way their muscles coiled before they leaped, the arcs of their claws, the gaps in their defenses.
And he saw something else—their weaknesses.
Arya threw himself backward just before the first wolf struck.
"Lira, hit the back of its right leg!" he shouted, the words spilling out before he could think.
Lira didn't hesitate. She twisted mid-dodge, driving her dagger precisely where Arya had called.
The wolf let out a piercing howl, collapsing to the ground.
Lira spared Arya a glance, shock flickering across her face. "How did you know that?"
Arya panted, still trying to process what had just happened. "I—I don't know!"
But they didn't have time to figure it out.
The remaining Frostfangs circled them, slower this time. They were wary now. They knew their prey wasn't helpless.
Then, the leader threw back its head and let out a deafening howl.
"Awoooooo!"
The sound echoed through the mountains, cutting through the mist like a blade.
Arya's heart skipped a beat.
"What—what was that?" he gasped.
Lira cursed under her breath. "He's calling for reinforcements."
Arya felt his stomach drop. "There are more of them?"
"They never hunt alone," Lira said grimly.
Then, from the fog—
More glowing eyes appeared.
The pounding of heavy footsteps filled the air, coming from all directions.
Arya's pulse roared in his ears. "We have to get out of here!"
Lira glanced around quickly, assessing their options. Then, without hesitation, she grabbed Arya's wrist.
"Run!"
They bolted.
Snow and ice scattered beneath their feet as they sprinted into the mist, dodging between jagged rocks and frozen roots.
Behind them, the Frostfangs howled and gave chase.
Arya ran as fast as he could, his breath coming in ragged bursts. The mist was thick, obscuring everything beyond a few meters. He stumbled over uneven ground, barely managing to keep his balance.
"Lira, we can't outrun them like this!" he gasped.
Lira didn't respond. She just kept pulling him forward.
Then—
The ground beneath them changed.
Lira skidded to a sudden halt, nearly causing Arya to crash into her.
Just ahead, the land abruptly ended. A massive gorge yawned before them, its depths swallowed by swirling fog.
Arya's stomach twisted. "Oh, no…"
Behind them, the Frostfangs were closing in.
They were trapped.
Lira turned sharply, scanning their surroundings. Her eyes flicked left, then right, calculating.
Arya clenched his fists. "What now?"
Lira's jaw tightened.
Then—
To Arya's horror, she smiled.
Not a reassuring smile.
A reckless, almost insane smile.
"I hope you're not afraid of heights," she said.
Arya's eyes widened. "Wait—what do you mean—"
Lira didn't give him a chance to finish.
She grabbed his hand and—
Jumped.
Arya barely had time to scream as the ground disappeared beneath them.
The wind roared in his ears as they plummeted into the mist, the world vanishing in a blur of white and gray.
Above, the Frostfangs skidded to a halt at the cliff's edge, growling in frustration as their prey vanished into the abyss.
And below—
Something was waiting for them.