Her hair was white, long, and slightly disheveled, the cold wind swirling around her. Each step she took left behind a frozen mark on the ground. She wore a cloak that seemed almost weightless, with a fur-lined collar of grey, paired with a tight leather vest and a silver belt around her waist. Though her attire appeared light, the chill in the air seemed to emanate from her very being.
Her eyes were sharp, a pale blue, like a frozen lake. Not a gaze of anger or emotion, but empty and focused. Cold—like the falling snow.
Paul could only stare at her. His body was numb.
She wasn't in a hurry. She moved slowly, as if the presence of monsters around her was of no consequence. Paul lay on the ground, his body growing numb, yet his consciousness remained tethered by the biting cold that pierced deeper with each passing moment.
The stag-like monster that had previously assaulted him lifted its head, sniffing the air. It hissed low, a familiar sound from a beast preparing to strike.
Yet, the woman merely raised her hand slowly. The palm facing the creature—without a scream, without a chant, the air around her shifted.
"KRRAAAAHH!!"
The stag monster charged.
In an instant, the ground around her turned white. Ice spread from her feet, racing like lightning that cleaved the earth—and struck the beast dead center mid-leap.
"CRACKKK!"
The monster froze in mid-air. Its movements halted completely, like a floating ice sculpture suspended in time—before crashing to the ground, shattering into fragments.
Paul, barely able to keep his eyes open, could only lie still. His breath began to catch, the air growing colder by the second. White mist escaped his mouth as he shivered.
She remained standing, unmoving. The wind lifted the ends of her white hair, and in the distance—the sound of other monsters' footsteps began to echo. Many. They were coming from the forest, from the shadows, encircling like a swarm.
But the woman didn't stir.
She raised her hand above her, and with a single breath, the temperature around them plummeted sharply. Without warning, the ground trembled faintly, and snowflakes in the air froze mid-flight. Everything stilled, as if time itself had halted alongside it.
Then—
"CRACK… CRACK CRACK CRACK—!"
One by one, the monsters emerging from behind the trees froze in place. Their eyes widened, their movements slowed—and within seconds, their entire bodies were encased in ice.
Not just one.
Not just two.
All the monsters within a radius of dozens of kilometers from the woman—
They froze.
The sound of cracking ice filled the forest. The air, once filled with the hisses of wild beasts, fell silent. All that remained were dozens of ice statues, grotesque monsters frozen in time with expressions of terror.
The woman slowly lowered her hand. Her eyes swept across the battlefield. Cold and silent.
Then, she walked toward Paul. She gazed at his face for a brief moment, then turned away, leaving him behind.
Paul, his face already beginning to freeze, could only watch as she drifted farther and farther away.
Lying there, he tilted his head toward the sky, feeling his whole body starting to turn numb.
'Ah, damn it... Looks like I'm really going to die this time. Heheheh.' He thought, smiling faintly.
'How many times have I almost died today? Twice? Three times?... No, wait—four? Hahaha—.' Paul exhaled, his breath turning into mist in the frozen air.
Slowly, his body began to freeze. The cold gnawed deep into his flesh, making him shiver uncontrollably. His breathing grew ragged.
'Why is my life always like this, huh?'
As his eyes slowly began to close, a strange, indescribable sensation washed over him—like he was being burned from the inside out. The pounding of his heartbeat echoed in his ears, loud and inescapable, while his ragged breathing seemed to fill the empty space around him. His body felt numb and cold, yet something far more terrifying stirred within—a fire blazing through his insides, scorching every inch of his organs.
But the most overwhelming was his heart—beating with a terrifying force, as if it might explode out of his chest. His bones felt like they were melting within the freezing cold of his paralyzed body.
After a few seconds, the sensation grew stronger, until it felt like an invisible hand was squeezing his heart, adding to the pain that was already almost unbearable.
Then, when the pain completely took over, Paul closed his eyes—not because he was tired, but because, for a moment, he gave in to the suffering.
***
Suddenly, everything collapsed into darkness.
No light, no sound. Only emptiness. Paul stood frozen, confusion gripping him. His feet seemed to drift, lost in the void, unable to find direction, only pushing forward.
Then... the sound came.
Faint.
A cry.
"What is that?"
He turned in every direction, but saw nothing.
The weeping persisted. Soft, yet uncomfortably close, as if it whispered in his ear.
The more he moved toward the sound, the clearer it became.
And then, from the void, a figure slowly emerged.
A child.
Sitting, curled up, weeping softly.
Paul could only watch. His feet carried him closer, then he knelt down in front of the child, extending a hand to gently touch their shoulder.
"Are you alright, child?"
The child didn't respond immediately. The sobbing gradually quieted… Then—he slowly turned his head toward Paul.
Slowly.
His movements were stiff.
Unnatural.
And when the child's face became visible—Paul froze.
It… wasn't a child.
The face was damaged.
Its skin, pale with a sickly greenish tint, cracked in several places. Its eyes bulged, nearly popping out of their sockets. Dried blood dripped from the wide gash in its mouth and nostrils. The stench hit Paul's nose like a rotting corpse submerged in water.
The child stared directly at Paul—then smiled.
Its mouth opened, too wide for any human to manage. That smile… was like an open wound on its decayed face.
The child's eyes were stark white, staring blankly—
Then it laughed. Soft, hoarse, like the sound of something broken being dragged across the floor.
"Hhhhhhkkkhh… Hhhkkk…"
Paul was shoved backward, his body stiff. His breath came in shallow, frantic gasps, but the air felt dense—like his lungs were filled with thick, suffocating smoke.
The laughter grew louder. Closer.
But the child remained motionless. He just sat there, staring, and laughing. The sound, inexplicably, echoed from all directions. Above. Behind. Within the confines of Paul's own mind.
Paul struggled to stand, but his body felt frozen in place. He tried to scream, but his throat betrayed him, incapable of producing a sound.
Then, from the inky darkness, other figures began to emerge, one by one.
Shadows.
Corpses.
Their faces were destroyed. Limbs severed. Some crawled, dragging themselves like broken creatures. Others stood, lifeless, watching Paul from a distance.
Whispers filled the air, crawling into his ears. Voices without origin, tangled and overlapping in a maddening chorus.
"You saw it..."
"You shouldn't have..."
"It's coming..."
Paul squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the voices—but they persisted, echoing in his mind.
And then, suddenly, all the shadows charged toward him. And—
"CRASH!!!"
***
Paul awoke.
He jolted awake, his body trembling violently. His breath came in ragged gasps, as if he'd just been drowned and forced to live again. Cold sweat clung to his neck and forehead, even though the air around him remained frozen. His vision was still blurry, but he could feel that he had returned—
to the forest. To reality.
Silence. The frozen monsters still stood around him, trapped in their final poses. The elf was gone. But the voices in his head... still echoed. Paul gripped his chest—his heart still racing erratically.
His eyes stared at the arm that had been bent—now straight again, whole and uninjured. With trembling hands, he lifted it, staring at his fingers that now felt unfamiliar—as if they didn't belong to him. Slowly, Paul pushed himself up from the ground and sat.
His body, which had been shattered by the attack of that deer-like monster, was now completely healed. No wounds. No blood. Even the pain had vanished without a trace.
"Why... why am I still alive?" he muttered softly.
His heartbeat slowed slightly—not from calm, but because his body had begun to accept this absurdity as part of reality. Something had happened. Something inhuman.
He slowly clenched and unclenched his hand, as if trying to make sure it really was his. Even such a small movement made him hold his breath. Something had changed... but what?
His body felt light—too light. His heart beat steadily, unnaturally calm after everything that had just happened. He tried moving his legs, shifting them just a few centimeters. No pain. No stiffness. But he didn't stand. He just sat there, staring at his own body with blank eyes, as if his mind was still trying to catch up with a reality that had suddenly changed beyond recognition.
After sitting still for a while, Paul finally stood up slowly. It felt as though everything that had happened before was just a nightmare that left no trace behind.
With heavy steps, he walked toward the cottage that had been destroyed by the deer-like monster. The structure was nearly flattened—roof and walls collapsed, nothing was left, nothing could be salvaged.
In the midst of the wreckage, his eyes caught sight of the sword that had slipped from his grip earlier. Without a second thought, he reached for it— it was the only thing that still seemed useful right now.
Paul gripped the hilt of the sword. The metal felt cold. Strange— the sword now felt lighter in his hand, as though the weight it once carried had disappeared. But something was different. Something he couldn't explain. His hand tightened around it, trying to push aside the discomfort. He frowned, then forced his mind to be still.
A cold wind blew softly, piercing his skin like fine needles. The forest around him had changed—everything seemed frozen, as if covered by a winter that had come out of nowhere. Paul looked up at the sky. The red had vanished, replaced by a deep grey. The black gate above was gone, as if it had never been there. Only a thin mist and silence remained.
In the distance, the giant monster stood frozen, its entire body turned to ice, a silent monument to the madness that had just passed.
Paul exhaled. White mist floated from his mouth. He was still here. Still alive. But for how long?
"Well, no use thinking about it. For now, I need to find a safe place."
Paul knew that finding a safe place in this forest was nearly impossible. But he had no choice. The air was getting colder, biting down to the bone. If night fell before he found shelter, there was a high chance he wouldn't survive this time.
What had happened earlier… that was pure luck. Or something else. His body had returned to normal, his wounds gone, and he was still standing. But he didn't know how, and honestly—he didn't want to know. Not now.
One thing was certain: he couldn't rely on the same miracle twice.
He also didn't know what kind of monsters roamed when darkness fell—or when they would appear. All he knew was that his body needed rest. Even an hour of undisturbed sleep could mean life or death. He needed a place that was hidden enough, quiet enough... far enough from everything.
Without hesitation, Paul stepped into the frozen forest, only armed with an old sword that kept him company. His breath formed mist in the air, creating thin clouds that quickly vanished, swallowed by the wind.
***
After walking for a while, the sky above him grew darker, and the cold wind began to blow harder, bringing snowflakes that slapped against Paul's face. The snow thickened on the ground, leaving footprints behind him.
The forest was silent. Too silent. No sounds, no signs of life. In the distance, the frozen statues of monsters still stood rigid, remnants of the elf's power. Paul felt like he had already walked far from the cabin.
He took a deep breath. White mist rose from his mouth, slowly disappearing as the wind carried it away. Without that elf, his life would have already been lost. But even now, he still didn't know—was it just luck... or a sign of something worse?
Paul kept walking, directionless. Only his feet moved, cutting through the forest that slowly morphed into a frozen labyrinth. There was no goal, just a faint hope for a place that could be called safe, even if just for a night.
Then, from a distance, a sound came—deep and heavy. A groan. Not the wind.
Paul stopped. Stood still. The sound came again—a low rumble like a giant's chest vibrating the air.
A monster.
Paul slowly moved toward the source of the sound, his steps silent on the snow. After a short while, the air around him shifted. It grew heavier. The sharp, metallic scent of blood began to fill his nose, cutting through the air.
He immediately stopped, crouching behind the cold tree trunk. His eyes narrowed, peering through the gaps in the snow-covered branches.
In the distance, several figures were engaged in battle. Their opponents—a giant creature resembling a polar bear. Its fur was white with a hint of grey, its body massive and muscular. Its claws tore into the ground, and the roar it let out echoed loudly.
The earth trembled. The wind grew colder. Paul stayed still, his body tense. His gaze locked on the creature, and the three people brave enough to face it. Around them, lifeless bodies lay scattered. Blackened blood froze atop the snow. The air was thick with the scent of iron and death.
The bear looked starving, its mouth dripping with its own saliva. It let out a low growl. Drool dripped from its maw, evaporating in the cold air, a sign of its unbearable hunger.
One of the fighters—a muscular man—charged first, swinging his large sword. But his attack was stopped as if it meant nothing. In an instant, his body was thrown to the ground. He didn't even have time to rise before the massive jaws closed around him, ripping his head from his body. Blood sprayed, warm for a moment before freezing in the air.
The second followed quickly—a tall man with a long spear. With a desperate scream, he jumped, aiming for the monster's eyes. But the tip of his spear missed, and before he could pull it back, a massive claw swept in from the side. The spear snapped instantly, and before he could even scream, his body was torn open. He crashed into the snow, blood pouring from his wounds, his guts and organs spilling out across the white ground.
Behind them, a young man—probably the youngest of the group—could only watch in horror. His eyes widened, his body trembling. His steps faltered, then his knees buckled, and he fell to the ground. He didn't scream. He just stayed silent, his breath ragged, as if unable to comprehend what he had just witnessed.
Paul even found himself wondering—how had they managed to survive this long?
The monster roared again. The sound was deep and deafening, shaking the air and sending snow flying off the ground. The vibration hit him in the chest.
The young man who had been frozen in place began to move. Fear had completely taken over. With trembling hands and weak knees, he crawled backward, his breath ragged. There was no courage left in his eyes—only the raw instinct to run, even if he had nowhere to go.
His hands scraped at the snow, his whole body shaking. The young man tried to stand, though his knees barely held him up. He forced himself to run—stumbling, crawling, standing again—only to fall once more. But he didn't stop.
Tears streamed down his face, mixing with the snow and the dried blood smeared across his skin.
His breath was ragged. "Ahh... someone... anyone... ple—"
"Thud."
His body collapsed onto the ground. He tried to rise again—but it was already too late.
The bear was behind him.
The massive beast walked forward slowly, its shadow swallowing the boy's form. The young man turned his head with a trembling motion, glancing back through tear-filled eyes. His face turned pale as he cried.
The bear's claw rose high, ready to end the boy's life, and then—
"SLASH!"
A sharp sound tore through the air. In an instant, the bear's arm was severed from its body, crashing into the snow in a spray of dark blood. Its roar of agony shook the air.
A woman appeared in front of the monster—faster than lightning. Her hair was shoulder-length, dark with a bluish sheen, swaying as she moved. Her eyes were sharp, cold, and strangely... beautiful. Too beautiful for a world like this.
Paul stared from a distance, stunned. For a moment, he forgot he was watching a battle. The woman's beauty had distracted him—until he realized the bear's arm was truly severed
The bear swung its other claw in fury. But the woman moved before it could strike—her body shot to the side, dodging with inhuman agility. In a single spinning motion, her blade slashed again—severing the second arm, sending a spray of warm blood onto the cold snow.
Another roar echoed, now laced with panic.
In a desperate move, the beast opened its jaws wide, trying to bite her.
But she leapt to the left, evading flawlessly, and swung her sword one last time.
"SRAKK!"
The monster's head detached from its neck, hanging briefly in the air before crashing to the ground with a heavy thud. Its massive body staggered, then collapsed, sending snow bursting into the air.
The young man stared in disbelief.
His breath was still ragged, but his eyes locked onto his savior.
He had been saved. He was still alive.
Paul remained hidden, his chest rising and falling rapidly.
His mind was a mess, eyes fixed on the woman.
Who was she?
And... was she even human?
He stayed frozen, holding his breath. The woman stood on the bloodstained snow, her sword dripping warm, dark liquid. The wind bit at his skin, but Paul's gaze remained locked on her.
Then, suddenly—She stopped moving.
Her head tilted slightly.
"...Who's there?"
Her voice was calm, cutting through the cold air—yet something dangerous lurked beneath its stillness.
Paul held his breath. But it was too late.
"I know you're there."
In an instant—too fast for the eye to follow—She vanished from where she stood.
Paul flinched. His eyes darted around.
Nothing.
Then—
"BRATTT!"