Ice 1

The shadow beast merged with the ruin I was in and large chunks of darkness started attacking me from every direction.

The shadow beast merged with the ruin I was in, and large chunks of darkness started attacking me from every direction.

I barely had time to react. A jagged mass of black stone shot toward me from the left—I twisted, letting Sefor guide my movements, and dodged just in time. Another spear-like fragment came from above. I jumped back, the ground where I had just stood shattering into nothingness.

It's controlling the entire ruin.

The realization hit me like a punch to the gut. This thing wasn't just in the ruins—it was the ruins now. Every wall, every broken pillar, every shifting shadow was part of it.

But I didn't have time to think.

A massive tendril of darkness lashed out, faster than before. I barely brought up my Cultro in time to block, but the impact sent me skidding across the cracked floor. Pain jolted through my arms. My breathing was ragged.

I couldn't keep dodging forever.

I have to end this.

I gritted my teeth, forcing myself to my feet. Sefor still pulsed through me, wild and untamed. The man's last words echoed in my mind—Live and get stronger. Not for me. For yourself.

I took a deep breath. Then I let go.

Instead of forcing Sefor through my Cultro, I let it flow freely. The energy moved through my veins, through my mind, through every inch of my body. It wasn't just my weapon anymore—it was me.

And suddenly, I saw it.

The beast's core.

A flickering mass of pure darkness, hidden beneath the ruin's shifting form. It pulsed weakly, but I knew—if I could reach it, I could end this.

The beast must have sensed it too, because it screamed.

The entire ruin shuddered. Dozens of jagged tendrils shot toward me, faster than before.

But this time, I didn't dodge.

I moved.

Sefor surged through my legs, propelling me forward in a blur of motion. I weaved between the attacks, jumping, twisting, pushing my body past every limit. I was faster than the beast. I was stronger. I was free.

In an instant, I was right in front of its core.

The beast tried to pull back, but it was too late.

I raised my Cultro, now burning with brilliant blue light, and plunged it straight into the heart of the darkness.

The world exploded.

The beast let out a deafening, inhuman scream as the light from my blade spread through it, tearing apart the shadows piece by piece. The entire ruin trembled violently. Chunks of stone crumbled, pillars collapsed.

And then—silence.

The darkness shattered like fragile glass. The beast's form dissolved into nothing, leaving only a hollow stillness in its wake. The ruins, once alive with its presence, finally died.

I stood there, breathing hard, my hands shaking. It was over.

But the victory felt empty.

I turned back to where the man had fallen.

His body was still. Lifeless.

I clenched my fists, my heart aching in a way I couldn't describe. He had believed in me. He had given everything so that I could stand here, alive.

I wasn't going to waste it.

I closed my eyes, took one last deep breath, and stepped forward.

There was still a long road ahead.

I dug a hole in the ground and made a grave for Lazarus.

I put the man in the tomb and I suddenly remembered, "THE DAUGHTER", I immediately buried him, made a a cross out of two small pieces of pillars, prayed for him, and ran to the village of the four houses to see his daughter.

I arrived there in 3 minutes just to see her standing in where she stood before we left, still waiting for her father, who promised her he'd come back.

I jumped through the window, grabbed her,

"Daddy told me to take you" I said as I left the house with her, "we are going to the kingdom of ice."

"Where is my dad?", she asked, "In the kingdom of ice" I answered, my eyes watering.

I went to the well, pressed the button, went to the cave and immediately sprinted through the entire thing without letting her see the grave.

When I popped out, I found myself beside another well, but except for the fact that this time I was surrounded with ice instead of sand.

The cold air hit me instantly, sharp and unforgiving. The landscape before me was nothing like the scorching ruins I had just escaped. The kingdom of ice stretched out in all directions, an endless expanse of white and blue, jagged ice formations towering over us like frozen sentinels. 

The girl in my arms shivered, clutching onto me tighter. I pulled my cloak over her, shielding her as best as I could. 

"Is this the kingdom of ice?" she asked, her voice small. 

I nodded. "Yeah. We made it." 

She looked around, her wide eyes scanning the frozen wasteland. "Where's my dad?" 

I hesitated. My grip on her tightened. I had already lied to her once. I didn't want to do it again. But I couldn't tell her—not yet. 

"He's... waiting for us," I said softly. 

She seemed to accept the answer for now, resting her head against my chest. 

I exhaled, my breath visible in the freezing air. My body ached, exhaustion creeping in now that the battle was over. But we weren't safe yet. The kingdom of ice was vast and dangerous, filled with creatures that thrived in the cold. 

And I had no idea where to go next. 

I took a step forward, my boots crunching against the frost-covered ground. Ahead, in the distance, I could see faint lights—civilization. A city, perhaps. A place to rest. 

I adjusted my hold on the girl and started walking toward the lights. 

For Lazarus. 

For her. 

For myself. 

Right. The vial. The one thing Lazarus gave me before we entered the ruins—the one thing he made me swear to keep safe.

I shifted the girl in my arms and reached into my cloak, feeling the cold glass against my fingertips. I pulled it out, holding it up against the pale light reflecting off the ice. The liquid inside shimmered, swirling like a captured storm, constantly shifting between deep blue and silver.

Lazarus never told me what it was. Only that it was important. Only that it had to reach the kingdom of ice.