Howling winds tore through the wasteland, showing no mercy to anything in their path. John clung to his makeshift sled, his knuckles white as the Red Stones ignited in small, rhythmic explosions, propelling him forward like an engine. The frost felt like jagged blades shredding his skin, but he felt nothing. His only goal was to reach home.
Two and a half days, he thought grimly. Mother must be so weak. "Hold on, Mother," he whispered into the gale. "I'm coming."
Back in the village, three hunters were gathering their meager gear after a long, grueling trip. They had caught only two Ice-Blade fish. "Today wasn't our day," one muttered.
"I just hope the Leader isn't angry," the second replied, his voice trembling.
The third hunter scoffed. "Don't worry. No matter how little we caught, we're doing better than that old bastard Vlad and his little rat, John. They'll be lucky if they caught a single minnow."
"That boy, John..." the first hunter said, his tone shifting. "He has a mother, doesn't he? I heard she's quite beautiful, even if she can barely move. Maybe we should pay her a visit while the brat is away."
The men shared a dark, predatory laugh. But their laughter was cut short by a whistling sound. An axe, glowing with an eerie blue light, streaked past them, missing one hunter's head by an inch before burying itself into a wooden wall—instantly freezing the timber solid.
"Who dares?!" one screamed. But his bravado vanished when he saw the weapon. "That... that's the Dream Jewel Axe!"
The axe belonged to Stone, the Village Deputy. It was forged from a rare, dream-like crystal found only in the most lethal depths of the frost. It was harder than steel and glowed blue upon impact, flash-freezing anything it touched.
Stone approached them. He was a mountain of a man, draped in the hide of a Frost-Ghost—a creature that looked like a demonic polar bear. His gaze was so piercing it made the hunters feel naked in the blizzard.
"How was the hunt?" Stone asked, his voice a low rumble.
"Deputy... we tried..." one hunter began, but before he could finish, he let out a blood-curdling scream. His arm had turned to solid ice.
The axe flew back to Stone's hand. "You dare return empty-handed?" Stone said coldly. "Two fish is an insult. You pay with your left arm." He turned to the others. "And you?"
The remaining two fell to their knees. "Take our fish! Please, spare us!"
Stone grabbed the fish. "You're lucky the Leader is away on a mission, or I'd have fed you to the Snow Lizards. Catch more next time, or I'll take more than just an arm."
As Stone walked away, the hunters lay trembling. "How did he recall the axe like that?" one whispered.
"It's not a normal weapon," the other replied, helping their mutilated friend. "It's Soul-Bound. I'll explain later... we need to get you help."
Meanwhile, John finally reached the village under the cover of night. He was on the verge of collapsing after a non-stop journey. When he entered his home, his heart shattered. His mother looked like a ghost made of snow—her skin translucent, her body withered.
He didn't waste a second. He took the Ice-Blade fish, removed its glowing scales, and melted them into a pot.
"John... is that you?" his mother's voice was a frail rasp followed by a violent cough.
"I'm here, Mother. I'm sorry I'm late." He felt her forehead; it was ice-cold.
"How is Captain Vlad?" she asked.
John hesitated for a heartbeat. "He's... he's fine. Rest now."
When the pot emitted a soft blue glow, the medicine was ready. He helped her drink it. Almost instantly, a faint blue light shimmered beneath her skin. The deathly pallor faded, replaced by a hint of warmth.
"Thank you, my son," she whispered. "I'm sorry I'm a burden to you."
"Never say that," John replied, though he didn't cry. He knew that in this hell, tears only turned to ice. He had to be heartless to survive.
As she slept, John looked at the fire. This elixir was more than medicine; it was a miracle that made the body immune to the biting cold and healed wounds. His mother's illness was a scar from the Great War between the Red Stone Tribe and the Green Eye Tribe. During a blizzard, she had held him to her chest, using her own body heat to keep him alive, catching the "Frost-Bite" disease in the process. He owed her his life.
Before he could succumb to his own exhaustion, he felt the Captain's necklace in his pocket. Why did he want me to return this? Suddenly, a loud, heavy knock thundered against the door. John grabbed his ice-blade and approached the door cautiously. When he swung it open, the sight before him left him paralyzed with shock.
To be continued...