Death. An ominous friend, a disaster to the living, the end to all things.
It comes with a cold, worse than the blizzards of a thousand winters, and leave behind traces of its presence, with an eerie sensation, enough to bring the strongest warrior to his knees with grief.
This exactly was what Valtor felt as he stood in front of the blood soaked snow, which had lost those white color.
His legs wobbled when he took a step on the moist snow, eyes trembling and pupils dialed.
Whatever had done it, spared none.
He couldn't speak, couldn't shout. Nothing could be done.
His memory flashed back to a minute ago, when he first passed this very path, smiling at the trader, waving to the children.
Now, what was left was a gruesome sight, which couldn't be unseen.
Suddenly, his brain rewired when someone came across this same memory.
"Grandpa!" He mumbled before an adrenaline rushed through his limbs, and he raced ahead, dropping the basket of remaining coal behind.
"Please! Please!! Please!!!" He whispered, tears forming in his eyes, seemingly like his mind had already concluded to what had already happened.
He reached the mountains faster than expected, hands pushing against trees, feets digging into the Snow.
Then, he stopped with his eyes wide opened.
Before him was the burning cottage, and Valtor wasted no time to jump into the fire.
Most of the things in the room were already burnt down to ashes, and the smoke from each piece, irritated his throat, burned through his lungs, and forced his body to fall to the ground, gasping for air.
With watery eyes, Valtor scanned the floor ahead, "Gra-pa," He wheezed out the words, pulling his body up.
It was hot.
The winter breeze didn't have mercy to blow in some air, no. Rather, it helped break down the house from the building.
He was sure the fire started from the burning coal, but, how? Remained How.
Soon, after kicking open a door, his eyes spotted the old man lying on the ground.
"G-gra-...." His throat couldn't produce any word. Instead, he carefully moved to where his grandfather laid, pulling his body away from the ground, and as well, at the right time, preventing his body from getting trapped by the burnt debris falling to the ground.
He supported his grandfather with a hand over the old man's shoulder, and, kicked the nearest wall, down to the ground, which served as an exist from the house, straight outside, where he dropped his grandfather's body on the Snow.
"Grandpa!... Gran..." Valtor tried waking the old man but his fingers trembled after seeing a deep slash through the man's chest, down to a missing leg.
"Gra—"
"V-v-valt-or..."
Valtor's eyes went wide as his grandfather called out his name, followed by a violent coughing which was accompanied by blood.
"Grandpa, please, don't talk again! You're bleeding, badly injured—"
The Old Man eyes slowly opened and he let out an inaudible scream when his fingers touch the deep wound , before saying, "No! It's over for me!.."
"No! No!!" Valtor shook his head, not wanting to take that as an option. "You're the only one I have left! I can't just let you die." He looked around, "There must be some herbs somewhere—"
"Valtor," Burnwood held his grandson's hand, squeezing it tightly, "I'm a goner, I'm speaking on borrowed time, so, just listen to me, before I die."
Valtor slowly turned to his grandfather, his eyes watery, and the tears freely flowing.
Burnwood's eyes softened, "I might die, but, you won't be alone." He brought out the small covered cloth, which he took from the hole, and handed it over to his grandson. "Take it..." He said, watching Valtor carefully hold it,
"What's—"
"It is the last of it kind, it would be your other part, and won't leave it. It's a creature from the first divine being... Open it when you go to The Capital, meet Master Gap, and tell him I said, he should explain everything to you."
Valtor pocketed the item, before facing his grandfather whose breathing was laboured, "But—"
"... When you go to Master Gap, he would take care of you! You have a great destiny, and no matter what! Do not! Stumble into the darkness!..."
Valtor didn't understand anything his grandfather said. "I—"
Again, the Old man interrupted his grandson, "Go to Mount Buo! You will see a tree with a lake surrounding its root, purify yourself in that lake, and seek the god, Mian! He will help you!."
Valtor again shook his head, "No! You're coming with me!"
"VALTOR BURNWOOD I SAID LEAVE! GO! NOW!" The old man yelled out, making him jump on his feet.
"RUN! RUN!! AND DON'T LOOK BACK! GO TO THE CAPITAL NOW! GO NOW!!!."
Valtor knew how serious his grandfather was when he yelled out. So, he picked up the pace, straight ahead, racing through the forest, stream of tears rolling down his face. He had lot of unanswered questions, lot of it all. And probably, it would be answered by the Man, Master Gap.
Meanwhile, as he rushed through, finally, leaving the Village, Burnwood pushed his hand on the ground, struggling to stand up, when the figure, a man, who had attacked him came out from the cottage, with burns which was slowly healing up.
"Regeneration? Really! Definitely! You are no human nor god!" Burnwood said, with blood gushing out his mouth. He stood on one leg, and yelled out, "I won't allow you reach my grandson! I'll bury you six feet underground!."
The man laughed out, so loud, it echoed through the mountains. "You really have my respect old man! But, I won't fall to your trick again!"
"Oh! You would! You're already where I want you to be! and, I won't allow you go easily! You won't use the blood of all the villagers you've killed," Burnwood swiftly formed a diamond sign with both his hands index and thumb fingers against the other, and the other fingers intertwined with one another, "I'LL BURY YOU SIX FEET UNDER THE GROUND!"
The man frowned, swinging out his sword, before striking it out, blade straight to Burnwood's heart, who, on the other hand yelled:
'FINAL FORM! LOWER DIVINE LOCK!'
Different purple hexagonal patterns formed above the mountains, each, locking into place, waiting for the final words which came after;
"FIST OF THE INVISIBLE DRAGON!."