"Why are you here?
What kind of expedition brings you this far?"
I took a deep breath.
"A friend of mine… the military took him.
I came to find him.
But I don't know where their prison is."
Simon's expression hardened instantly.
His eyes sharpened.
"They stay over there… beyond the Frozen Valley.
Be careful."
The location he mentioned sent a chill straight down my spine.Just after sunset, a fire was lit in the open space before the cabin.
Red flames flickered against the white snow—
strangely beautiful.
Siam and Suji clapped their hands in excitement.
Simon and Sansa danced together, while Alexander played a melancholic, ancient tune on his one-stringed instrument.
Tiger barked in rhythm, as if joining the music.
I sat there watching them, slowly joining in with my own claps.
In the cold forest air, their laughter echoed warmly. From the outside, the cabin looked peaceful—almost unreal. Nestled deep within a dense, shadowy pine forest, it was often shrouded in mist at dawn or deep night. Heavy snow blanketed everything around it, making the house resemble an impregnable fortress. It was a wooden log cabin, dark brown and aged, yet solid and resilient, built in a traditional style with a triangular roof and a small porch. Against the forest's darkness and cold, warm yellow light spilled from the windows. Through one window, a small tree decorated like a Christmas tree was visible, hinting at family warmth and festivity. From the outside, the cabin felt like a sanctuary—an island of hope shielding its inhabitants from the cold, dangerous world beyond.
For a moment, it felt as if I had stepped into another life.
A life without war.
Without fear.
Yet still, mystery lingered like a shadow.
The night deepened.
One by one, everyone returned inside.
The lights of the house went out.
But one thought refused to leave my mind—
"You became the one who lost everything…"
Standing outside in the snow, staring up at the stars, I asked myself—
Was that blind old man truly insane?
Or… had he really seen something?
It was exactly 9 p.m.
An oppressive silence settled over the cabin, as though the entire house was holding its breath. Everyone had fallen asleep—Simon's faint snoring, Siam's soft coughing, and the profound stillness of the forest outside blended together. It felt as though I was the only one still awake in the world.
But I couldn't sleep.
I had to find Leo—now.
There was no time to waste.
I pushed the blanket aside and rose quietly. I made no sound; this family had done too much for me already. I didn't want to bring trouble to their doorstep.
As I wrapped my cloak around myself and moved toward the door, an odd sensation brushed against my skin—cold, unnatural. The moment I opened the door, my chest tightened.
Alexander stood there.
Right in the middle.
Not moving.
Not speaking.
Just staring straight at me.
Above his head, centered in the sky, hung a blood-red moon.
Mist coiled around the clearing.
The shadows of the pine trees swayed as if something unseen was slowly walking among them.
As the red moonlight fell across Alexander's face, he no longer looked human—
but like an ancient curse stepping out of the shadows.
In a whisper, he spoke—
"I knew you would come out… this is your path."
He raised his hand.
I could hear his bones trembling faintly.
Slowly, he extended a crossbow toward me.
The crossbow looked as if it had been carved from the body of a living creature. Smooth and ivory-white, yet harboring a terrifying power within. The engravings shimmered faintly in the light, as though the carved symbols were breathing on their own. They did not tell stories of war—rather, they felt like marks of a blood pact between man and monster. Near the trigger, dried stains of old blood clung to the bronze metal. The dark wooden stock curved unnaturally, as if centuries ago someone's screams had shattered against its strike.
"This is yours… your blood-bound weapon," Alexander said."This is yours… your blood-bound weapon," Alexander said."This is yours… your blood-bound weapon," Alexander said."This is yours… your blood-bound weapon," Alexander said.
"We killed monsters with it. It belonged to my ancestors.""We killed monsters with it. It belonged to my ancestors.""We killed monsters with it. It belonged to my ancestors.""We killed monsters with it. It belonged to my ancestors."
For a brief moment, his eyes turned unnaturally white.
A chill ran through me.
I slung the crossbow over my shoulder.
Then he gestured toward the horse—a tall, black, silent creature standing within the mist. It did not move at all; only its breath emerged in pale clouds before vanishing into the cold.
"Thank you… old man," I said.
Alexander stepped closer.
A smile crept across his face—
one completely devoid of warmth.
A cold, haunting smile steeped in prophecy.
"We will meet again… Riven."
"Your path carries a very strange scent, boy…"
"Be careful. Winter never hides its true nature."
The words echoed inside my head.
With that, he slowly walked into the mist until he vanished.
It felt as though his feet never touched the ground—
he wasn't walking… he was drifting.
I mounted the horse.
It made no sound—
only nodded once, gazing into the deep darkness of the forest.
As I urged it forward, the horse began to move.
The journey had begun.