A wide crescent slash and spiral breath from mist clashed, creating a destructive shock that blew away the surrounding snow and wind, halting the atmosphere between the two.
'Huff, this is bad'. Jin gritted his teeth, feeling his senses losing at a rapid time.
The more he forced himself to act, the more his body refused to listen. But he shook his head and lifted his gaze up, seeing looming shadows covering his entire body. Jin leaped back, and a claw mark ripped apart the ground where he stood.
"Persistent mortal". The dragon roared, its face crumpled.
"Shut up!".
Jin's voice crackled, carrying a fierce and blazing spirit as he faced the impossible.
His heart pounded so hard that it accompanied him like a tune, lifting his battle-hardened instinct to the surface.
The dragon spun around, letting its tail sweep away toward Jin's side, but his eyes, accustomed to the dragon's speed, jumped and tapped the primal mana in the surrounding area.
As the blizzard gone, gentle light that basked the two figures from the parted clouds slowly gathered and blocked the curtain of night.
Jin's body shone in brilliant green, and primal mana seeped into his pores, enhancing his flesh and bones. He was reborn as a battle god.
The dragon noticed the significant increase in the mortal's strength and knitted its eyes. A feral blue aura leaked from its body, flooding the entire place.
"Hmph, fine, let's see how long you can last, Mortal".
"I said, shut up, Lizard!".
A green aura accompanied by a swirling wind gently coils around Jin's body, but the cold keeps its intensity, eroding his body and mind.
Both stare deep into each other's eyes; their gaze flickers with a murderous aura as it wilts the weather.
A violent gust returned, and a blizzard began to cover the entire field, creating a stage from the two being in their battle.
Jin disappeared and clashed head-on with the dragon, opening the first chapter of his legend.
***
The freedom that carried her body lost its luster as her body fell toward the ground faster until a thick cushion enveloped her paralyzed body.
Silvia's blurred vision stared at the blackened sky, her heart shredded into tiny pieces, seeing the final moment of the boy she admired and wanted to be at his side.
"Jin".Her voice cracked, and frozen tears streamed down her cheeks.
The howling blizzard furiously mocked her sobbing and crying, thrusting her with the cruel truth that Jin had stayed to let her live.
However, her expression darkened, and she asked herself how she could survive in this place—a land of snow, unknown geography, and no direction. For her, the final destination was nothing but Death.
Silvia was aware of that.
That was why Jin's action baffled her. It was supposed to be her who stayed behind and let Jin escape. Knowing his ability, Jin could probably survive in this place for months or escape and return home.
Yet he chose the other way around, letting herself, the actual burden, free from the dragon's sight. 'Why did you do that?'.
A deafening boom resonated from far away. She noticed it came from the place Jin and the dragon were.
Silvia lifted her torso and sat on the gouged snow, which slowly pilled up, almost burying her alive.
The vicious cold that eroded her mind, sinking her deep into the abyss of despair. Her azure eyes stare vacantly at the place where the battle happened.
Her eyes caught the brilliant green, and destructive blue clashed while a thunderous boom shook the atmosphere.
Silvia felt a chill creep down her spine, witnessing the battle of the Titans.
Those two who stood at the pinnacle clashed with each other's lives on the line, disregarding everything and only thinking of what they thought was right.
Jin believes that he stayed behind and that letting go of Silvia was right. He blocked the furious dragon's desire to eliminate the humans who ransacked its lair.
She was at a loss for words. None of these situations entered her dulled mind, but her pounding heart whispered to her that she still had something she must do.
Light gathered in her eyes as she wiped them with her hand, "I must leave this place."
Silvia gritted her teeth and stood up. The booming roar of the fight still rang in the area, giving her mind clarity to face forward, away from the place.
She lifted her legs, but her breath stopped when she saw a shadow with red eyes locked into her.
'W-What is that?'. She clenched her hand, and a blue sword materialized.
The cold of its hilt and weight that settled on her hand slapped her focus to look at the monster before her.
'An ice bear?' Silvia's eyes widened. The monster had some similarities to the monster she saw yesterday, but it was bigger in appearance and had claw marks on its face.
She read it in the book once, but this was her first time facing it, and yesterday, she was so preoccupied with self-blame that she couldn't register her surroundings well.
"I have to!?".
*Roar
The will that had resurfaced from the depths of her heart shattered to bits as she faced the roar that shook her core.
Silvia's teeth clattered together, and the grip on her sword wobbled. Her surroundings changed into a dark, murky scene, and below, a black hand grasped her ankle tight, preventing her from fleeing.
Her vision distorted as she felt a tremendous blow beside her flank, followed by unnerving cracking that contorted her expression.
"Ukh".
She flew dozens of meters to the side, stopping as she half-buried under the snow. Her side burned by the scorching agony with each breath she took.
The chill and pain that ate her physique made her gaze falter. 'Is this it?'.
A mocking growl escaped the bear's elongated mouth. Seeing its prey lay motionlessly and thinking about its filled belly, the bear's shadow cast a looming disaster toward Silvia.
No, she was already giving up resisting.
'Why is this happening to me? Why did I do wrong? I-I just want to…'. Silvia's vision dimmed before she was submerged in the ocean's depths, diving deeper into the darkness below.
(XXXXX XXXXX)
("...You want what, my dear?")
An ancient voice echoed in her ears; it struck a chord inside her heart.
'Who?'.
(XXXXX XXXXX)
("What do you desire, little one?")
Again, the voice repeated its question, seemingly wanting to stir something inside her. However, Silvia's will had sunk deeper into the abyss; her current self was like an empty vessel floating without will.
'I don't care…'. As Silvia went deeper into the bottom, the comfort that embraced her body soothed her ragging impulse and thought, '...Let me sleep here'.
Light flashed before her eyes, showing a glowing rectangular before an image of the one she wanted to see appeared one after the other.
Silvia's father showered her with care in his clumsy way, and her mother, despite her weak constitution, kept showing a brave front before her and guiding her from being lost in the dark. Then, her big sister's mischievous and calm nature always teased her even though Silvia always gave her a curt reply; deep down, she cared for her little one in her own way.
The last was the image of Jin facing the dragon; his flurry of green aura and blue clashed, creating a thunderous roar that reverberated in her heart.
Silvia's breath stopped, and her stilled hand reached forward, 'Jin.'
Jin's expression was calm, but the tense aura and flame that burned in his eyes seemed palpable, and she could feel it.
The flame that dimed inside her heart lit up, and she watched a looming shadow sweep away before her. It had a long body swimming around the water body and approached her close.
(XXXXX XXXXX)
("Let me ask you again, my dear. What is your heart desire?")
Silvia clenched her fists and faced the being whose voice stirred her will to live.
'I want, '. She paused, deepening her desire, '...to leave this place with Jin. Together'.
(XXXXX XXXXX)
("What will you do? You are weak, and you are aware of that")
'Yeah, I'm aware'.
(XXXX)
("Then?")
'Lend me your power?'.
(...)
Silence hung between them, probing each other's intention, before Silvia broke it with a resolute voice.
'You appeared before me like this was not a coincidence. I know, and I feel it at that time'.
(...)
'You led me to take you away from that place, whispering some words that left a lingering desolation, and now you appear before me, asking me what I want?' Silvia parted her lips, showing the fearless grin she once saw in Jin, 'That was my answer; now lend me your power.'
(XXXXX XXXXX)
("Are you certain? With your current power, you will be jumping to your own grave)
'I don't care'. Silvia's bursts of raw emotion pierce right through the shadows' consciousness as it flinched.
The intensity of her feeling shook even the calm ocean, awakening something slumbering deep.
'Lend me your strength, whether you are a demon, god, angel, or whatever. Lend me your power to breach this despair and let me stay at that boy's side'. Silvia stretched her open hand. Her expression hardened and solidified the resolve that was screaming in her chest.
(X XXXXX)
("Kuh, hahaha")
The thunderous laugh stirred the calm ocean. Its gentle waves parted, letting a bright light cascade down toward the being shrouded in shadows.
Silvia, who reached the bottom, stood up with her eyes widened, seeing the coiling body of the beast. Its long body was covered in scales glittering under the light, and four eagle feet with sharpened talons.
A pair of antlers sprouted from its elongated face like a dragon, jagged teeth and wriggling whiskers, stopped before the girls.
"Good, what was your name, dear?" The ancient voice distorted, revealing a warm female sound that seeped through Silvia's mind.
"Silvia Frost, that's my name".
"Very well, Silvia Frost. I, the great spirit of water, welcome you as its master".
'Great spirit of water?'. Silvia's body flinched. She stared at the being before her and saw the back of her right palm shining blue.
"Let's go, Master. I will be with you through the end." The great spirit's mouth spread, filled with joy at meeting its fated partner.
"Thank you". Silvia's palm traced along the smooth and scaly texture of the dragon's mouth, and they spoke, "Come, let's wash this situation with our power!"