Their boots crunching against the hardened snow as they climbed the steep, frostbitten incline. Breath came in misty puffs, fingers flexed and clenched to keep the cold from sinking too deep. The wind howled through the mountainside, carrying flecks of snow that danced like silver ash in the fading light.
Lyra suddenly slowed her pace, her bright blue eyes flicking to the side. She paused and turned her head slightly, her gaze locking onto a break in the jagged cliff wall.
"There's a small ledge over there," she said softly, withdrawing her hands from behind her back. She clenched one into a tight fist, then raised it and extended a single finger, pointing toward a snow-covered outcrop that barely jutted from the side of the mountain.
Zay turned his head, squinting at the direction she indicated. At first, he saw nothing but white, until a shift in the wind cleared a flurry of powder and revealed a subtle shelf — narrow, but just wide enough to walk across.
His eyes narrowed. "What about it?" he asked, his voice low, cautious.
Renzo and Lily slowed behind them, sharing a look as their eyes fixed on Lyra. She glanced back, reading their expressions like an open book, then sighed and offered a tired smile.
"I think we should use the ledge instead of continuing up the mountain," she said, brushing a few snowflakes from her eyelashes.
She turned back to face Renzo and Lily, her coat flaring lightly in the wind as she took a breath. "I know you don't trust me. Both of you. You've made it more than obvious with those stares," she added, her tone laced with a faint amusement. "But don't mistake me for a fool. I'd have to be more than blind not to see the clear disdain on all of your faces."
She paused, eyes softening as she met Lily's wary stare, then Renzo's narrowed glare. "I'm not here to betray anyone," she said gently. "I'm just trying to help."
Renzo's jaw clenched. His eyes narrowed, and he stepped forward slightly, snow crunching underfoot. "What damn reason do you have to help us? Who the hell even are you?"
Lyra looked away, letting her eyes drift toward the horizon. The wind tugged at strands of her blonde hair as the first glint of moonlight peeked over the mountain peaks. She closed her eyes for a moment, exhaling slowly through her nose.
"As I've said… my name is Lyra Moon."
She opened her eyes again, and this time there was something behind them — something deeper, heavier.
"And as to why am I helping?" she repeated, her voice quieter now, almost swept away by the wind. She didn't answer immediately. The cold swirled around them, whispering through the cracks of the mountain, brushing over their skin like ghostly fingers.
"There are… multiple reasons."
The corners of her mouth curved upward, turning into a smile. She turned to face Zay once more, a faint blueish white glint in her eyes illuminated faintly by the moon's glow.
Zay's gaze drifted past Lyra, settling on Renzo and Lily behind her. The silence hung thick between them, broken only by the low howl of wind winding through the mountain's ridges. For several long minutes, he stood there unmoving, his expression unreadable.
Then he exhaled sharply through his nose, shoulders rising and falling as he pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration.
"…Let's just go this way," he muttered, voice laced with irritation. "And everyone shut the hell up. No talking. Not a damn word."
He shook his head in disbelief, before turning on his heel. His boots crunched lightly in the snow as he walked toward the narrow ledge Lyra had pointed out. Standing at its edge, he swallowed hard, then cautiously placed his foot onto the narrow stone path.
The ledge barely extended outward from the mountain's side, its surface slick with a thin sheen of ice. He pressed a hand against the rocky wall beside him for balance, each step deliberate, his breathing steady but strained.
Behind him, Renzo and Lily exchanged a brief glance — a mix of wariness and disbelief — before shifting their eyes to Lyra.
"Unbelievable," Lyra muttered under her breath, her tone dry as she rolled her eyes. The sarcasm melted away a moment later as she approached the ledge, her expression growing more serious. She took a soft breath, the cold stinging her lungs, then stepped carefully onto the narrow path behind Zay, her fingers trailing lightly along the rock wall for support.
Renzo followed, a low grunt of annoyance escaping him as he stepped onto the icy ledge. His hand curled into a fist, then loosened as he focused on keeping his balance. Lily came last, light on her feet, her eyes scanning the ground and the wall beside her with meticulous care.
Below them, the cliff dropped into a yawning abyss — a sheer fall of at least 300 feet, maybe more, swallowed in swirling mist. The wind screamed past their ears, tugging at their coats and hair, daring them to slip.
Zay didn't look down again after the first glance. His eyes stayed forward, fixed on the end of the ledge winding ahead along the curve of the mountain. The stone path was just wide enough to walk single-file — one misstep, and they'd fall into absolute nothing.
No one spoke. The only sounds were the wind, crackling between them like thin ice under pressure.
As they continued along the narrow path, Zay's eyes shifted to the side — and that's when he spotted it. A wide, rocky platform jutted out from the mountain wall, somehow untouched by snow, ice, or any trace of frost.
A flicker of confusion passed over his face. He stepped off the ledge and onto the strange platform. The rock beneath his boots felt oddly warm — solid and dry despite the freezing air around them.
A few moments later, Lyra followed, her steps were slow and light as she landed lightly beside him. Renzo and Lily joined soon after, their boots crunching softly against the bare stone as they took in their surroundings.
Zay narrowed his eyes, scanning the area.
"So... what the hell is going on here?" Renzo asked, breaking the silence. "Why's the ground dry here? Everything else is a damn frozen hellscape, but this? Not even a snowflake."
No one had an answer. The air felt different here — less bitter, almost stagnant.
Then Zay's gaze caught something unusual — just beyond the edge of the platform, tucked into the side of the mountain, was a series of old wooden planks nailed haphazardly across what looked like a hollowed-out crevice.
"Check this out!" Zay called with a small chuckle, stepping closer.
Renzo furrowed his brow as he moved to stand beside his brother. "What the hell is that supposed to be?"
Lily stepped forward, her curiosity piqued. "It looks like... an entrance. Someone boarded it up." She leaned in, bringing her hands to her face and cupping them around her eyes as she peered through a narrow crack between the planks.
Behind the boards, darkness stretched deep into the mountain, but far off — she spotted a faint glow. A dull red light flickered against the stone walls, like a torch left burning far within the hidden passage.
"There's a tunnel behind these planks," she said quietly. "I'm seeing some sort of light, like a torch."
Zay flipped the hood of his coat back, walking up to the cracks in the wooden planks and peering inside.
"There's definitely something in here," he muttered.
Glancing around, he bent down and picked up a small rock from the cold, dry ground."We really should've taken a weapon from one of those guard bastards," he said with a sigh, tossing the rock aside with a frustrated shake of his head.
He returned to the barricade and clenched his loose hand into a tight fist. Violet aura began to coil tightly around the sharp, small blades embedded in his gloves above his knuckles. With a slow exhale, he drew his fist back and slammed it into the planks. The wood splintered and cracked under the force, a sharp crack echoing against the stone around them.
Without pausing, Zay gripped the remaining boards and began yanking them free, one by one, until the makeshift barrier lay scattered on the ground. He stood still for a moment, then turned to glance at Lyra, Lily, and Renzo.
"Well, we're not going to find out what's inside if we just stand here," Renzo said, stepping up to the now-exposed entrance. He crouched down, peered into the shadowy opening, and spotted a small drop. Without hesitation, he jumped down and disappeared into the corridor beyond.
Zay followed without a word, landing beside Renzo and taking a few cautious steps forward.
Lily walked past Lyra, peered into the gap, and leapt down with a soft thud. She moved quietly into the long, dim corridor, her footsteps echoing faintly in the narrow space.
Lyra lingered behind for a few seconds, taking one last look at their icy surroundings. Then she turned toward the opening.
Zay looked up at her. "What are you waiting for?"
Lyra smiled, her blue eyes soft. "Just help me down."
After a few seconds of debating with himself before sighing, Zay reached his hand up towards her. Lyra took his hand, her fingers briefly tightening around his as she stepped into the hole and lowered herself down. Their hands parted only when her feet touched the ground.