The snow crunched under their footsteps, marking their path unevenly along the road half-buried in ice. It was one of those old paths, made for carts, but now it seemed forgotten in the middle of nowhere, flanked by tall trees covered in white crystals. The silence was broken only by the wind, which blew sharply, though Damon didn't seem to notice it.
He walked with his hands behind his head, at an almost carefree pace, his gaze fixed on the horizon that opened up into an endless line of white.
"Strange," he murmured, breaking the silence. "I don't feel cold. Not even a little."
Ester, ahead of him, didn't stop walking. Her stride was steady, impeccable, as always. But she answered without hesitation:
"It's the icy Qi. It runs through your veins now. Your body is changing."
Damon raised an eyebrow curiously. "So it's permanent?"
"Yes." She cast a quick glance over her shoulder, assessing him. "You're never going back to who you were."
