Snow fell without pause.
Thick, heavy flakes drifted down from the gray sky, layering the forest in white. The cold here wasn't sharp. Dante felt the small inside the surroundings.
It was deep, slow, and suffocating.
His boots sank into the snow with a muted crunch. The sound barely traveled before the forest swallowed it whole.
Tall trees surrounded them.
Their trunks were thick and ancient, bark split and dark. Bare branches stretched overhead, tangled together, blocking most of the sky.
Only thin slits of pale light slipped through.
The wind moved quietly.
It slid between the trees, carrying the smell of ice and old wood. Every breath Dante took felt heavier than the last.
He exhaled. White mist spilled from his mouth and vanished.
Dante rolled his shoulders, followed by his neck. Joints popped softly as he stretched, testing his body. Strength flowed smoothly through his limbs.
Tendo stopped a few steps behind him.
"Do you like your current physique?"
