"The hill is toying with us…" Doran muttered, his eyes narrowing. "But if it wants to play, then we'll play by its rules."
As if in response, a faint giggle echoed through the wind — a childish, almost innocent laugh.
The two boys exchanged nervous glances and nodded. They resumed their path, the cart creaking softly as Hercules marched on.
Then, the voice spoke again.
"Let's play a little game, hihihi! Something fun! We'll play Red Light, Green Light — but instead of counting, I'll sing a lovely song~!"
The blizzard stopped instantly. Silence fell, heavy and suffocating.
---
The melody began.
A sweet, eerie tune danced through the air, full of false innocence.
At each pause, Doran, Ban, and Hastur froze in place — not daring to move an inch.
Even Hercules, the scarab, stood perfectly still, his tiny body trembling.
The song resumed. Then stopped again.
Again and again, for hours.
Time blurred into madness. Three long hours passed beneath that cursed melody.
Finally, the voice spoke once more, now sounding frustrated.
"This isn't fun anymore! There can't be more than one winner! It's so boring!"
Her laughter turned sharp and cruel. The melody began again, but something in Doran's instincts screamed danger.
Without a word, he pulled both boys close and shielded them with his body.
He was right.
The moment the song ended, the mountain roared.
A rain of stones, sharp as blades, fell from the sky.
---
"Impressive reflexes, mister tough guy!" the voice sang mockingly.
"But let's see how long you can endure this avalanche!"
Rocks thundered down around them. Doran stood firm, his body a living fortress. Each stone struck him with the weight of death, but he did not falter.
Ban and Hastur watched in horror — not at the avalanche, but at the sight of their master facing it alone.
He smiled through the pain.
"Tell the scientist… I couldn't deliver his potatoes."
Through the chaos, he spotted a small clearing — a safe gap between falling stones.
In one swift motion, he grabbed both boys by their collars and hurled them upward with all his strength.
The force of his throw sent them soaring — higher than the trees, higher than the clouds.
Soon, they would reach the summit.
Below, Doran's voice echoed one last time through the storm:
"Boys… I'll see you at the bottom, alright? Nyo-ho!!!"