The group walked into the depths of the harsh climate of Moscow, Russia.
They were surrounded mostly by trees and the cold.
The snow, continuing to thicken the air, the deeper they moved through the country.
"So this is what Russia is like, I've never faced a place on Earth that would be covered in eternal snow..." Arthur shivered, holding his sword as if it were a hiking stick.
"Russia is definitely a country that basically represents the essence of 'survival of the fittest'. Humanity has indeed made a lot of progress compared to our era..." Merlin sighed, holding his staff.
Vynn continued walking, attempting to catch up with them. His legs began to tremble, but the trembling didn't stop, it continued to reach deeper until it reached his spine, his body began to freeze from, the inside, his teeth began to clatter.
"I-I'm g-glad t-that you d-decided n-not to sent me t-to Russia in our p-previous fights..." Vynn said, while looking up at Skullspawn, his teeth still clattering.
"Please...I'm not that inhuman to give that much suffering, I too know that Russia is abnormally cold for its own good..." Skullspawn sighed, trying to keep himself warm.
"Thank goodness, I'm no longer mortal, the cold never bothered me anyway..." Elexer scoffed, keeping up with Creo and Athena.
"WAS THAT A FROZEN REFERENCE?!" Emile Locke shouted.
"It definitely was a Frozen reference..." Ryujin said, whilst chasing after Elexer.
"Please do pardon our companions, the cold air of Russia seems to reek into their bodies, I can understand their suffering since I too was once human..." Creo said, feeling unfazed by the winter.
"I guess it's only natural for foreigners like them to be feeling this sensation, the wizard himself is indeed correct, Russia is a country filled with snow and with that snow, it has been a very useful tactic against foreign invaders, for example Napoleon Bonaparte had difficulty conquering due to the vastness of Russia and the Russian's tactics..." Rasputin smirked, continuing to accompany Anastasia.
Athena stopped walking and began to ask a question to Anastasia. "I hope you don't mind me asking this, Your Majesty, but may I ask how this timefold begun in the first place?"
Anastasia froze, she was quiet, everyone else began to stop as well, wondering about her knowledgeable about the timefold.
Rasputin sighed and put his hand on her shoulder. "There is no need for you dear tsaritza to answer their question, if it deeply burdens you, you may simply allow me to answer their questions at your behest."
Anastasia spoke up, taking deep breaths. "There is no need for that Rasputin, I shall prove myself, the tsaritza by attending to the needs of others."
It all began when I first arrived here in this timefold, I was accompanied by my family along with Rasputin, I was quite surprised when I noticed how different Russia was, you could already tell that it was different, Ivan the Terrible should not exist in the same time period as me and Rasputin..." Anastasia said softly.
"My mind was filled with so many questions that needed to be answered, and my answers were right in front of me..." Anastasia began to stammer.
"The man standing before me had a powerful presence, his eyes were filled with malice, I wanted to back away and escape but for some reason, his power was compelling me from making any move." Anastasia continued.
"What was his name?" Athena asked.
"His name...it was-" Anastasia stammered a little.
"My name is Rurikov, and I'm here in order to enact vengeance for what the Romanovs did to my family..." Rurikov said, looking at her with a cold expression.
"You're a cheeky girl, you've been trying to resist my abilities to compel you, unfortunately in this timefold, all things are under my command and I believe you too shall also submit too, maybe even become my bride..." Rurikov smiled devilishly.
But before Rurikov could enact any dastardly plan, Rasputin began to lunge forward.
"H-how did you?!" Rurikov stammered, glaring at him.
"Foolish, I know you are manipulator but in order for you to manipulate someone, you must know whether your manipulation reaches past their shield." Rasputin chuckled, kicking him in the stomach.
"Now tsaritza!" Rasputin exclaimed.
Anastasia used the opportunity to stun Rurikov and went with her family and Rasputin, fleeing from Rurikov.
Rurikov was enraged but attempted Tor remained calm and kept his composure.
Anastasia looked down and continued. "With our escape, we knew that this new world is a dangerous world, so for our safety we decided to remain in hiding, confining ourselves from the outside world, hoping that Rurikov wouldn't manage to find us."
But it seems fate had other plans.
"One day, my father looked out the window and saw Rurikov accompanied by two other notable Russian figures in our country's history..." She looked up and gazed at both Creo and Athena.
"Peter the Great, a man known for his phenomenal change in Russia's modern military, as well as contributions in education and the economic development." She said with a stern look.
Another one who took into power after my family's death is Joseph Stalin, they called him the 'Man of Steel' due to being a formidable person in his rule of our motherland.
Accompanied by powerful allies, he found other hideout and his minions went on to ravage and wreck havoc, killing my family, I was indebted to Rasputin for saving my life from that wicked villain, his face had given me sleepless nights ever since that day.
"And that's basically what happened..." Anastasia looked down, trembling and shivering for the first time in a while.
Athena's eyes softened and pulled her in for a hug. "I'm really sorry to hear about that Anastasia, don't worry we'll defeat that villain and make him suffer like hell..."
As they continued venturing out the winter forest, the wind howled.
But the group quickly realized it wasn't the wind.
A second howl followed—low, guttural, unnatural. Then another. And another. Layers of snarling echoed from deep within the frostbitten pines.
Elexer stopped walking and narrowed his eyes. "...That wasn't the weather."
Emile pondered for a second and spoke. "Is this natural in the Russian wildlife?"
Ryujin stepped in front of Anastasia and Rasputin. "No. Not wildlife."
The treeline shifted.
Branches began to shook.
Snow dropped from above simultaneouslylike falling ash.
Then—red eyes. Dozens of them emerged from the shadows..
Out from the darkness lunged massive wolves, each one easily twice the size of a horse, their fur black and matted with frost, their fangs exhaling icy mist.
"Demonic wolves..." Rasputin whispered. "They must be one of Rurikov's creations. He must have sensed your presence, Your Majesty."
"Stay behind me!" Arthur shouted, raising Excalibur as one wolf slammed against it, sparks and snow flying.
Merlin twirled his staff and muttered, "Why do Russian problems have to be bigger than British monsters..."
Vynn tried to ready Coffinlock, but his fingers were still numb. "G-great... first hypothermia, now demon dogs..."
"Fret not, these wolves will be handled as easy as time passes by..." Creo softly sighed.
With a wave of his hand, he made some of the wolves disappear out of thin air.
"You know you could have just done that earlier!" Vynn yelled at Creo.
"I could but I was simply building up energy, after all timefolds have a different set of magic, basically like how other dimensions have different power systems, one must need to adapt to the set of rules in each dimension..." Creo chuckled, shrugging his coat.
"But you're literally a goddamn omnipotent being!" Vynn batted an eye at him.
"We can talk about it later on, for now we must fight!" Creo said as he chopped the head of one of the wolves.
One wolf lunged straight at Anastasia, aiming towards for her head.
Rasputin shoved her aside, chanting in Old Church Slavonic as a burst of mystical flame exploded from his hand, blasting the beast back. "You shall not touch my tsaritza!"
Elexer laughed. "Flames in snow—how poetic."
"Shut up and fight!" Ryujin hissed, cleaving the snow as he dashed forward, cutting down two wolves in a blur.
Skullspawn summoned tendrils of abyssal energy, grabbing wolves and crushing them like clay. "Pathetic creatures... be gone!"
But more kept coming.
Dozens.
Then hundreds.
It's as if they have no end.
The forest floor rumbled.
Creo's eyes widened. "They're driving us somewhere."
Athena blocked a wolf and responded, "Herding tactics?"
"No, they're calling their Masters!" Merlin said, pointing ahead.
A massive shadow approached, slow but deliberate. A towering silhouette with broad shoulders, long coat, and a cold, commanding presence.
And beside him, a squat, sturdy figure whose glare cut sharper than ice.
Anastasia froze. "No... it can't be—"
Ryujin stiffened.
Emile's mask flickered.
Even Skullspawn looked annoyed.
Peter the Great stepped out first, resting a giant halberd over his shoulder like it weighed nothing.
His height dwarfed everyone; he looked carved out of the very concept of "ruler."
Beside him, Joseph Stalin cracked his knuckles, his breath fogging like steam from a furnace.
Peter smirked. "We've been expecting you, travelers from a different realm."
Stalin added, "Comrade Rurikov sends his sincerest regards."
The wolves formed a ring around the group, cutting off retreat.
"Everyone, prepare yourselves, the worst has yet to come!" Creo commanded, sensing danger and feeling a slight restriction in his power.
But the wolves pounced first.
Chaos erupted.
Athena spun her sword, blocking three at once. Arthur and Merlin fought back-to-back. Rasputin protected Anastasia with frantic precision. Emile fired his miniature rail shots. Ryujin and Elexer competed in killing counts. Skullspawn unleashed spells that twisted the air itself.
But a sudden quake burst beneath them.
Stalin slammed the ground with his fist, sending the entire group flying in different directions.
Snow clouds exploded outward.
When the white haze settled—
The group was split into two.
Creo, Athena, Vynn, Merlin, and Arthur found themselves surrounded by Stalin and half the wolves.
The others—Skullspawn, Ryujin, Emile, Elexer, Rasputin, and Anastasia—were cornered by Peter the Great and the remaining pack.
Peter grinned. "Run, little heroes. Let us see if history repeats itself."
Stalin cracked his neck. "Or if it breaks."
Peter chuckled and exclaimed. "Go on wolves, your Master commands you, chase them till the ends of Russia, and bring their dead bodies as your prizes!"
The wolves howled again.
And the chase began.