-Break-

  ti: Northern edge of Terrafide.

  Location: Fimbulwinter

  Φ Feeling a tap on my head, I hear, “Guāng wake up.”

  Immediately opening my eyes, I see our leader dra staring at me with an annoyed expression.

  Embarrassed, I ask, “Did I fall asleep?”

  “Like a storybook princess.”

  Beside the leader, the rge man known as Thrim ughs and then says, “I thought one of us would have to kiss you awake.”

  Even more embarrassed, I say, “Sorry!” While bowing.

  Beside me, the girl, named Anouk says, “In all hoy, you being asleep made all of us have a better ride since your shaking was b the hell out of me.”

  “Sorry.”

  “Could you stop fug apologizing?”

  Scared, I say, “SORRY!”

  “DIDN’T I SAY STOP.”

  Thrim says, “Well who could bme him Anouk, you are much worse than a we’ve fought. Don’t wuāng you will eventually warm up to her.”

  Under her breath, she mutters, “I swear why do we have t this rookie along?”

  I say, “Being quiet doesn’t work if you are right beside me.”

  Even more enraged, she shouts, “MAYBE I WANT YOU TO HEAR IT.”

  “AHHH, SORRY!!”

  Laughing, Thrim says, “Taking back to Anouk you really do have some balls.”

  Grabbing me by the colr, Anouk says, “Well if he has any, I am going to cut them off.”

  dra says, “ANOUK CALM DOWN.”

  “But boss.”

  “No, buts, and didn’t I tell you not to judge people so fast? He isn’t a rookie in the slightest.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I will expin ter because we are almost at Fimbulwinter so now we o go over the details of our mission.”

  Both Thrim and Anouk immediately pose themselves, so I sit up straight as well. Then moments ter dra says, “When we arrive at Fimbulwinter we are to escort a schor from through the forest until we find proof of the existence of people living there.”

  Irritated Anouk says, “SO]o we’re taking this mission because of the rumours?”

  “Yes.”

  fused, I ask, “I thought no one could survive on Fimbulwinter?”

  dra says, “So did everyoil retly. There have been rumours flying about that Fimbulwinter has secretly been hiding a group of people within it.”

  “How is that possible? Aren’t their p Fimbulwihat hit absolute Zero!”

  “It is said that these people live on the lower level of Fimbulwinter, so they possibly could survive down there, and now a schor has asked us to look for them with him.”

  “Still, I don’t see why these people are so important for us to do this mission, I know the schors from want every single sprinkle of information they get their hands on but isn’t this a bit too dangerous?”

  “Apparently the people who live in Aplos are direct desdants of Magnolia of Celestial vision.”

  Jumping up, I say, “The pupil of Basileia, the one who built the Elpída ptforms and revolutioeological advas worldwide.”

  Knog me back down, Anouk says, “Sit the hell down!”

  “Ahh, Sorry!”

  With a smile, Thrim says, “You’re right Guāng, and some people now believe that these desdants have all of Celestial visions lost pns.”

  dra says, “Now a bunch of people have been going directly to Fimbulwio look for them, and where .”

  As the carriage es to a stop, dra says, “Looks like we are here?”

  We all step out of the carriage, and dra pays the an, saying, “Thanks for the lift.”

  “It was no problem, but o of advice is that you turn back. I have given quite a few people rides up here i months, but none have returned.”

  “You don’t have to worry about us, because all of us are pro adventurers!”

  “Well then, I hope to be given you a lift back. See you.”

  “See you.”

  Turning around, dra says, “We are meeting the schor here so we should just sit down and wait for a bit.”

  “YOU DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT,” We hear behind us.

  Turning around, we see a very young man in what looks to be white and gold church garments, but they are modified as if they are made for winter.

  Walking up to him, dra says, “You must be Christopher.”

  Eically, shaking her hand, Christopher says, “You’re dra Neverlunar. Height; 177cm, weight; 58kg, favourite food; bananas, favourite colour; e. Has two daughters, named Mary and Annabel. Had a husband who was kidnapped a few years ago but miraculously he escaped aurned. When you wake up you preheat the milk for every member of your family, then yo-.”

  Breaking free of his hand, dra says, “You schors are as creepy as ever.”

  “We are simply children of god, what is weird about appreciating all his other children.”

  “And being religious psychos doesn’t help your case.”

  “Hey we aren’t religious psychos, that’s Gevurah; we're the nies!”

  “Yeah, yeah, that’s what all yious types say. So did y what I requested?”

  “Yes, I did,” he says handing me a bag.

  Turning around with the bag, dra throws it at us and then says, “Here you guys go.”

  Looking ihe bag, we see clothes so I ask, “What is this?”

  Christopher says, “Those are special clothes I procured for this trip for you all.”

  Anouk says, “Oh this looks cute.”

  “Is this why we all came with light equipment?”

  Thrim says, “Exactly.”

  “But will these even be useful against the extreme cold of Fimbulwinter?”

  Christopher says, “These clothes are all made from wonderbeasts of isnds close to Fimbulwinter. So, they should have quite a bit of cold resistahough only up to a certain point. Actually, the specifiderbeasts they are made of ar-.”

  Cutting him off, dra says, “We don’t have time for this, let’s get dressed.”

  “RIGHT!”

  -Break-

  Holding the clothes close, I say, “This is really fy!”

  Anouk says, “Stop ag so childish.”

  Thrim says, “Stop being a spoilsport these really are fy, but I do feel like I might overheat within these.”

  Begrudgingly, she says, “I guess yht Thrim.”

  “But I just sai-.”

  “SHUT UP!”

  “YES, MA’AM.”

  Christopher says, “Now let’s head inside!”

  dra says, “No before that I will give you a breakdown of our team.”

  “No need for that since I am familiar with all of you. dra is a front-line fighter who specializes in fighting animals and wonderbeasts. Thrim is a man who is known for his expert baween solid iron defend manoeuvrability, the walking wall they call you.

  Anouk the free, known for her ability to take accurate shots in unstable territory, all three of you have very high approval ratings in the adventures guild.”

  Anouk says, “Well, you seem to know your stu-.”

  “And Guāng the winner of the heroes tourhis year. In all the rounds you weren’t even touched once, a sword prodigy they say. One who may even be greater than Bradamante.”

  Feelied I rub the bay head and say, “People are really saying that, how embarrassing!!”

  Kig me, Anouk says, “Don’t get coewbie. If Bradamante peted, you would have lost!”

  Bowing out of fear, I say, “YES I WOULD’VE.”

  Hitting Anouk on the head, dra says, “Calm down fool. Now everyo’s get going.”

  As we all walk towards the forest, I start to feel fear overtake my heart. Right now, we are about to travel into the storm of the apocalypse, a pce many have never returned from.

  Will I be able to fight well? Will I be able to perform as a member of this team effectively?

  dra beside me says, “Don’t be scared Guāng.”

  “But what if I mess up as part of the team?”

  “Don’t worry about such things, we brought you on to this team because we need another front-line fighter and I believe in the skill I have seen. So don’t be afraid.”

  Looking down, I say, “Ok.”

  Φ Beside me Anouk says, “Why is the boss warming up to that kid?”

  “I suggest you stop your childish hatred of that boy.”

  “I ’T!! Ever since he woour people have been calling him a greater swordsman than Bradamante, and as a Brady, I ’t allow suder to persist.”

  “You fans are just as crazy as the schors.”

  “Did you say something Thrim!!?”

  Laughing, I say, “Your ears must have mistaken you.”

  Upset, Anouk says, “Bradamante when will you return to and kick the butt of that foolish child!”

  Anouk doesn’t like Guāng at all, but his skills are the real deal; the entire carriage ride here despite being asleep his muscles never rexed and were always active, not only that but his spirit energy kept flowing fiercely throughout his body as well. What kind of training allows that to even happen?

  -Break-

  Φ As Anouk shiver behind me she says, “This whole fug pce is bullshit. I am head to toe in cold-resistant clothes and I still feel like my tits are about to freeze off.”

  “Stop pining Anouk.”

  “Uhe rest of you two, I don’t train my body to stupid levels.”

  Pointing at Christopher, Anouk says, “How the hell is he doing alright!”

  Turning around, he says, “My excitement has raised my body heat beyond what you normal humans could possibly achieve. GOD TRULY IS GREAT!”

  “Well then what about the twig over there,” Anouk says pointing at me.

  fused by her statement, I say, “The cold is simply a struct of the mind.”

  “THE HELL IT IS!”

  dra says, “Anouk pin again, and I will tell the church where the cult of Bradamante is located.”

  “We're not a cult, we’re just fans!”

  dra turning to Christopher says, “You find the location of the cult nor-.”

  “Ok, ok, I’m sorry!” She says getting up.

  As we tio walk through Fimbulwinter, Anouk says, “Why the hell does this pce eve.”

  Christopher with a light in his eyes asks, “DO YOU WANT AN EXAPLNATION?”

  “No, I don’t because it is a rhetorical question. Everyone knows how Fimbulwinter formed.”

  “Then would you please enlighten me?”

  “Around 2000 years ago, during the 4th humakin war the beastkin lost, and using a power unknown to us they froze the ti of Victoria as revenge. Due to the fact that Vicotria was the main hub of mankind at the time, the entire world was devasted with a ti essentially disappearing, so they decided to end the 2nd cycle of history and transition into the 3rd to show the giant ge of the state of the world.”

  Christopher says, “I am surprised you know so much.”

  Anouk says, “Why would you? It is quite a on story to be told around the world.”

  I say, “I think he was saying it is surprising that YOU know it.”

  “MOTHERFUCKER.”

  “Sorry!”

  Christopher says, “Well at least that’s the popur theory as to why Fimbulwinter was formed. But in actuality, none know how it popped ience.”

  “Ehh, but I where thought it was because of the beastkin?”

  “That’s simply a theory people have structed due to the fact of how close the 4th humakin war was iion to the i, and personally I do believe that does py a factor but in terms of proof it is ent.”

  I ask, “But haven’t some dragons lived through su event?”

  Thrim says, “Dragons don’t involve themselves with humans, so I doubt they even know what happeill after it froze.”

  Christopher says, “The only person who might have an idea is the nightmare queen who is said to have lived through su event. But she isn’t receptive to humaher.”

  I say, “And since Victoria had most of the dots of the time.”

  Christopher says, “When it froze most of those records vanished forever, and sin was only retly established during that time we are pletely out of luck. So that’s why this discovery is much more important than one would believe, these people might have records of what actually happened during that time are much more important than simply the remnants of Magnolia’s work.”

  Jumping up and down like a child, Christopher says, “They might finally answer all the questions we have. Why did Fimbulwinter and the sandstorm around Jedidiah form at the same time? Why was the 4th humakin war so secretive? And most importantly, why was another name for the 4th humakin war the destru of light? Oh how exg this all is!”

  Suddenly dra shouts, “GET READY!”

  Behind Christopher, a wonderbeast appears and rushes towards him, taking a moment to look around I see we are surrounded by wonderbeasts. Have they been hunting us!?