A light snow drifted down over Winterbraun, delicate flakes spinning in a silent dance. Inside the mansion, the main hearth blazed steadily, fueled by enchanted stones carved from the hide of Furuite beasts, monsters native to the frozen peaks of Exolate, deep in the heart of Winterbraun. The warmth they gave off wrapped the estate in a false spring, a comforting illusion against the eternal frost outside.
Reiner stood at the window, staring into the dark. His breath fogged the glass, leaving fleeting rings of mist that vanished as quickly as they formed. He didn't move. His forehead rested against the cold pane, eyes locked on the snow-choked night beyond. The world outside was nothing but black, like Winterbraun itself had been swallowed whole.
Behind him, the fire crackled. But he stood with his back to the heat, lost in thoughts that spiraled endlessly, too deep to notice the footsteps approaching.
"Reiner."
