The wind shrieked as if the village itself cried out to keep them in. Snow danced in spiraling gusts, and Gray stood near the wooden gate he had found the day before, his breath misting heavily. The others gathered behind him, confused and tense, their eyes darting between the ruined buildings and the dense forest beyond.
"Why are we here?" Lira asked, eyeing the towering barrier. It had clearly been sealed for decades, the wood blackened by time and frost, twisted by age into a grotesque archway. It looked like it had grown from the earth itself, like a tooth trying to hold back whatever lay beyond.
Gray turned, his expression grim and unwavering. "Because this is our way out. That thing...the creature Calem's group ran from? It was the Pale Maw."
The name stole the breath from the air. Even the wind seemed to recoil at its mention.
"The Pale Maw?" Lira echoed, voice low, eyes narrowing.
Gray nodded. "It followed them here. Hunted them down and slaughtered them."
"And it's going to do the same to us," Renn whispered, pale-faced and shaking.
Gray shook his head. "Not yet. I don't think it sees us the same way. Calem's group drew its attention somehow. I think it was Adel. She was covered in that man's blood."
The weight of his words settled over the group like a stone slab. The silence that followed was not empty. It was heavy with dread.
Renn didn't hesitate. He sprinted to the truck and threw open the driver's side door. "Get in!"
The engine roared to life. Its growl felt like the only thing anchoring them to reality. The others climbed in quickly, slamming doors, bracing themselves.
Gray climbed in last, pulling the battered door shut behind him. The truck shuddered.
With a deep breath, Renn floored the gas. The vehicle lurched forward, tires groaning as they bit into the snow-packed earth. The wooden gate splintered under the weight of the impact. Shards and splinters exploded outward, crashing around them like falling branches. The truck shot through the opening and into the open wild.
"Do we even know where this road leads?" Korr growled loudly.
Gray gave him a dirty look before replying,
"Well, we don't have another way we can go."
For a moment, the world went quiet.
The forest loomed ahead, ancient and oppressive. Black trees reached for the sky like the fingers of drowned corpses. The truck rumbled over cracked stone and frozen ground, weaving through a narrow path as the white canopy closed above them.
It seemed similair to the rest of Glacierfang they had seen.
Except it was colder.
The fog thickened the deeper you went down the road.
Suddenly Adel stirred beside Gray.
He looked down. Her face twisted as if in a bad dream. Her lips parted, and her voice came hoarse and thin. "Where... am I?"
Gray leaned closer, the sound of her voice grounding him. "You're awake. Just... not at the best time."
She blinked slowly, eyes glassy. "What's going on?"
Gray kept his voice steady. "Something attacked the village. Killed Calem. We think it was the Pale Maw."
Her eyes sharpened. "The monster from the journel...Correct?"
Gray nodded quietly.
Before he could respond, Renn stiffened behind the wheel. His grip on it tightened, knuckles pale.
"Something's behind us," he whispered.
Lira leaned forward. "What?"
Renn didn't answer. His gaze was locked on the mirror. Gray followed it, his chest tightening.
Through the cracked glass, a shape darted between the trees. It was tall. Too tall. A smear of movement, just beyond clear sight.
"It followed us," Renn almost hissed, his heart smashing against his chest like a drumbeat.
Gray turned to Adel. Her blanket was soaked red, streaked with dried blood. His voice barely left his throat. "It's her. It's following her."
Lira cursed and banged her hand against the window. "Drive faster!"
"Im trying!" Renn screamed, at this point everyone was scared.
Korr and Orrin quickly grabbed their weapons and shifted in their seats. They were ready.
The engine groaned in protest as Renn pushed it to the limit. The truck bucked and jolted, the wheels fighting for traction. Branches whipped past the windows. The road was no longer a road, just terrain and desperation.
Then...
Silence.
The trees stopped moving. The wind died. Even the engine sounded muted.
"Did we lose it?" Korr asked, voice trembling.
Gray narrowed his eyes, peering into the stillness. "I...don't kno-"
The truck shuddered. It's entire frame shaking and crumbling as a massive force struck its side, sending it tumbling like a toy. Screams and metal roars filled the air. Glass shattered. The world flipped. Gray slammed into the ceiling, then the side wall. The heat from the engine burst outward in a sudden flare.
When the world stopped moving, the truck was on its side. Smoke drifted upward in a lazy spiral, mixing with the falling snow.
Gray's mind went blank, when it returned after a few moments all that he could feel was chaos.
Gray coughed, blood flecking his lips. He crawled forward, each movement a struggle. His body screamed.
Renn lay crumpled in the driver's seat, face against the wheel.
"Renn!" Gray called, dragging himself closer. No response.
He turned. Korr groaned, pinned beneath twisted metal. One of his legs was caught beneath the frame, blood pooling around it.
'Shit! This is really bad!'
Outside, Orrin roared.
Gray pulled himself toward the broken door. He fell into the snow, cold sinking into his bones. Through the blur of pain, he saw Orrin, brave and furious, standing with his spear aimed at the mist.
From it, the Pale Maw stepped.
It moved like it belonged to another world. Its body too tall, too thin. Its limbs stretched wrong. One arm dragged against the ground like a broken limb still pretending to function.
Orrin struck first. He screamed and charged. The Pale Maw caught the spear and shattered it like glass. With one swipe, it sent him flying.
Lira came next. Her blade lit with flame, carving arcs of fire through the fog. She slashed once, twice, cutting deep.
Then the fog thickened.
The creature vanished.
And reappeared behind her.
It struck. She was tossed into the truck's frame, crumpling against the metal. Her sword spun from her grip, skidding into the snow.
Her shouts and screams muffled by the wind.
She tried to stand up but found herself out of Vyre, she quickly collapsed as she struggled to breath. She looked at her hands to find them freezing, her fingers had gone white and refused her commands.
Adel lay inside. Barely conscious. Although she had awoken. She was far from battle-ready.
Gray rose.
His body howled. Bones screamed. But he stood.
He held his katana. Cracked. Dull. Weak.
He ran.
The Pale Maw turned to him as he swung. The blade hit and slipped off from the smooth fur. It left no marks.
The creature struck. Gray flew across the snow.
He rose again.
It hit him again.
He stood.
The third time, it grabbed him. Lifted him. Threw him into a tree.
Bones cracked.
He gasped, trying to breathe, trying to stay awake. Snow filled his vision.
His sword was gone.
[Warning: Temperature too low for physical endurance]
[Body entering critical state]
[Estimated Survival Time: 2 minutes]
Gray lay there, broken. He stared up at the sky, the pale light fading.
Fear bloomed.
Real fear. Not adrenaline. Not battle-terror. But something primal.
He hadn't been this scared from any of his other encounters.
Whether it was the large ogre like creature that Lira had injured. Or the small, nimble bat like creature. He always felt like he had stood a chance. Of escaping or killing.
Here, he felt no such thing.
He whispered quietly, "I... I don't want to die. Not yet. Please."
The Pale Maw loomed. Its claws rose.
Then paused.
Its head turned, sensing something distant. A pulse. Not from the group.
It vanished.
The snow fell. The mist swirled.
Gray's thoughts slowed down to a halt.
The cold had reached him.
And the darkness claimed everything he felt.
Leaving him alone in his thoughts, once again