We walked a long distance through the dense pine forest until our legs ached and our breath plumed in the freezing air.
"Ah, I am tired of walking," I sighed, leaning against a frost-covered trunk. "Let's rest here for a bit."
"I agree with that," Diana said, plopping down onto a large root. "Dad, do you have any food?"
Marco unslung his heavy pack and sighed. "Yes, my daughter, but we must be frugal with it. We don't know how long we will be walking through this wasteland."
"Don't worry, Dad," Diana said confidently. "When the magical message reaches the outpost, the deputy will come for us soon."
I sat across from them, trying to rub the warmth back into my hands. "Tell me a little about this Ice Squad. You live around here; don't you know anything about them?"
"Do you know anything about the world at all?" Diana retorted, rolling her eyes. "Fine, since you are so ignorant, I will tell you. The commander of the Ice Squad is named Rio. He founded this squad when he was only twenty years old. He was known as the absolute strongest among the young knights. Everyone begged to join his squad, but he was incredibly strict. His first pick was a man named Julian."
Marco nodded, taking over the story. "The Ice Squad formed with only fifteen elite members. But suddenly, Commander Rio stopped recruiting. He even stopped attending the knights' grand trials."
"Why?" I asked.
"No one knows for sure," Marco said softly. "But what I do know is that his squad does the impossible, and they have never once failed their duties."
"I suspect they did the impossible because you are an idiot who doesn't understand magic," Diana quipped at me, before her eyes sparkled with awe. "Do you know what he did under the frozen lakes of the Zero Region?"
"What is it?"
"There was an ancient creature resting beneath the ice," Diana whispered, leaning in. "No one even knew what it was, but it is said to be one of the legendary beasts of the abyss. They say the beast was as massive as the entire southern Ice Kingdom itself. And Commander Rio managed to tame it."
"Did he tame it by throwing it a giant bone or something?" I joked.
"No, you fool!" Diana snapped. "He faced it head-on in the freezing water. It was a battle that made the entire kingdom tremble for days. They also completely crushed the Spear Squad when their commander, Ryouga, turned against the kingdom."
"But their most important achievement," Marco added, his voice dropping to a reverent whisper, "is that since Rio took command of the South, not a single demon has dared to appear in this kingdom to eat anyone. We are safe here."
Suddenly, Diana clapped her hands and stood up. "Can you hear that? We have rested enough. Shall we walk now?"
"Huh?" I groaned. "We haven't rested at all! We've only been sitting for a few minutes."
"Listen, are you an old man?" Diana put her hands on her hips.
"No," I grumbled.
"Then get up, move those legs, and stop complaining. Come on, Dad, we are moving!"
I looked at Marco in disbelief. "What is wrong with her all of a sudden?"
"Come on, we are nearing the edge of the forest," Diana commanded, marching ahead.
"Shouldn't we rest just a little longer?" I called out, jogging to catch up with her. "Even your father is tired, and you are pushing yourself too hard."
"Walk and don't talk too much," she shot back without looking at me.
"So be it. Fine."
I stepped forward, scooped her up by the waist, and effortlessly hoisted her over my shoulders like a sack of flour.
"Hey! Put me down!" Diana shrieked, kicking her small legs.
"Listen," I said gently, walking forward. "I know you know the way, and I know you want to act tough. But you are still young. Let your big brother carry you for a little while so you don't overexert yourself."
"Hey! Who said you became my big brother?!" she yelled indignantly.
"I just did," I smiled. "Do you mind?"
She stopped kicking and huffed, resting her chin on the top of my head. "I don't mind. But you will have to take responsibility for what you said."
"What? Are you going to lean on me, little sister?"
"No. I am going to hit you on the head."
Smack!
"Ouch!" I winced as her small fist knocked against my skull.
"Good. Now move, big brother," she ordered imperiously.
"Say it again," I teased.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
Smack!
"Ah, my head!" I groaned. "I didn't mean for you to hit me again! I meant call me 'big brother' again!"
"I will need time to get used to calling you that," she muttered, hiding a small smile.
"Don't worry," I chuckled. "Take your time. I will—"
Diana suddenly went rigid on my shoulders. "Ah! What is that? Dad, Andrei, hide! Now!"
"Why? What happened?" I asked, lowering her quickly to the ground and pulling my sword.
Through the snow-dusted trees, a massive, terrifying silhouette lumbered into view. It was a bear, but it was easily three times the size of a normal one, its white fur stained with patches of dark crimson.
"It's a polar bear!" Marco gasped, pulling Diana behind him.
"Not just a bear," Diana whispered, her voice trembling. "That is a Blood Bear. They are always alone because they attack and eat everything in sight, even their own herds."
"What brought it here?" Marco panicked. "It's supposed to stay deep in the mountains!"
"Then I will take care of it right now," I said, stepping forward and gripping my hilt.
"What? Come back here! This is suicide!" Marco hissed.
"Don't worry, Uncle. I will finish it quickly."
"You fool!" Diana whisper-shouted, grabbing the back of my coat. "We are in the valley between the forest and the twin mountains! If you try to fight it and shed its blood, every starving predator in the forest will smell the feast and swarm us! Do not be hasty. Let's just wait in the shadows until it leaves."
"I agree with my daughter," Marco said, sweating profusely. "If it attacks, we have a problem. But right now, it hasn't noticed us. Its sheer presence is keeping the other predators away. Let it pass."
I clicked my tongue in annoyance but sheathed my sword. "Fine. I will wait."
We hid in the freezing brush, holding our breath until night completely fell and the massive beast finally lumbered out of sight. Once the coast was clear, we moved quickly toward the rocky base of the twin mountains, hoping to find a safer path toward the kingdom.
But as we approached a narrow mountain pass, a terrifying roar shattered the silence.
The Blood Bear hadn't left. It had circled around us.
The beast lunged from the darkness, a mountain of muscle and fangs dropping directly toward me. I drew my black sword in a flash, catching the bear's massive jaws against the flat of my blade. The sheer weight of it drove my boots deep into the snow as I desperately pushed it back.
"I told you we had to kill it!" I shouted over the bear's roaring.
"There is still time to do that!" Diana yelled from the rocks. "Come on, you overgrown bundle of fur!"
The bear swiped its massive, razor-sharp claws at my chest. I twisted my body, narrowly dodging the lethal strike, and countered with a swift, deep slash across its foreleg.
"Did you like my gift?" I taunted.
The beast roared in fury. Suddenly, its thick fur bristled, and the air temperature plummeted. Glowing, condensed spheres of magical ice formed around its body, hovering in the air like deadly hail before scattering violently in all directions.
"What is happening?!" I yelled.
"Andrei, take cover quickly! Those spheres explode!" Diana screamed.
"Explode into what?!"
Before I could dive away, three of the ice spheres detonated right in front of me. Shards of razor-sharp ice ripped through the air like shrapnel. Several shards pierced my arms and legs, and the concussive blast tore the collar of my coat entirely off.
I coughed, stumbling backward as blood soaked my torn clothes.
Marco and Diana ran out from behind the rocks to check on me. But as Diana approached, her eyes locked onto the exposed, left side of my neck.
She froze. All the warmth and playful banter drained from her face, replaced by absolute, paralyzing horror.
"Impossible..." Diana whispered, her voice cracking. "A demon... Andrei... you are a demon!"
I didn't have time to answer. The Blood Bear charged again.
Covered in bleeding wounds, I gripped my sword and met the beast head-on. The bear swung its massive paw to crush my skull. I slid under its arm, dropping my sword, and whipped out my Fundo chain. I leaped onto the beast's massive back, wrapping the metal chain tightly around its thick neck, and pulled with all my strength to strangle it.
The bear thrashed wildly, roaring in panic. It threw itself backward, slamming my spine against the jagged mountain wall.
Crack! Pain exploded in my back, but I didn't let go. It slammed me against the rock again. And again. I gritted my teeth, tasting my own blood, and pulled the chain tighter until it dug deep into the monster's throat. The bear let out a horrifying, gurgling scream. Was it screaming from the fear of death, or was it screaming to call for something else? I didn't care. I squeezed until its neck snapped, and the massive beast collapsed lifelessly into the snow.
I rolled off the carcass, panting heavily, my body battered and bleeding from a dozen icy wounds.
I looked up, expecting to see Marco and Diana rushing to help me. Instead, Diana was backing away from me, her eyes wide with sheer terror.
"Demon!" she cried out, her voice echoing in the silent valley. "You are a demon!"
I looked at her with a sorrowful, heavy gaze. "I am not a demon, Diana... but I am..."
I couldn't finish my sentence.
From the dark ridges of the mountain above, dozens of glowing, hungry eyes appeared in the snow. A massive horde of Blood Bears was descending upon us, drawn by the scent of blood and the death cry of their kin.
"This is bad!" I shouted, forcing myself to stand. "Uncle Marco! Take your daughter and run into the forest quickly! The situation has become completely lethal!"
Marco grabbed Diana's arm. "Come on, my daughter! Run!"
"No!" Diana screamed, tears streaming down her face as she pulled out a small hunting knife, pointing it with trembling hands directly at me. "I won't run! Because the real threat is right in front of me! You demonic killers have disguised yourselves as knights now?! I will not allow that!"
"Diana, stop!" Marco yelled, desperately wrestling the knife from her hands and dragging her bodily into the dark treeline, fleeing for their lives.
I stood alone in the bloody snow. I looked at the retreating figures of the only people who had treated me like a human, then turned to face the avalanche of monstrous bears charging down the mountain.
I slowly picked up my black sword from the snow. A dark, reckless smile spread across my bloody face.
"If my punishment is to die like this, then so be it!" I roared into the freezing wind. "But I will cling to life as much as I can! So come at me, you mindless beasts!"
Watching from the dark cover of the trees, Maurice smiled with twisted joy.
"Yes... Andrei, show me what this body can do!" Maurice said eagerly. "The spirits that screamed in the abyss watch you! Fate watches you! So entertain them all until your very last drop of blood! Yes, Andrei... the fun begins now!"