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Minerva wiped the blood from the edge of her blade before putting it away. She stepped toward the massive corpse of the Blazelor, her veil shifting lightly in the cold air. With a wave of her hand, a faint glow rippled from her storage ring, and the huge bird-like body vanished inside, sealed away in her personal space.

She and Naviga stayed there for a while, letting their strength recover. The icy wind still bit at their skin, but neither complained. They sat quietly on the plain for half an hour, their breaths steadying, the silence broken only by the faint crackle of frozen air around them.

At last, Minerva rose ground, adjusting the red armor around her shoulders. Naviga followed, her mask hiding the calm determination in her eyes. Together, they started walking again, leaving the battlefield behind.

The land still dry, cracked ground stretched endlessly before them, though the cool air still lingered like a ghost of the frozen plains. Above, the strange blue light pulsed faintly in the far distance, like a distant sun or moon, still drawing their steps forward.

They kept walking, step after step, their boots crunching softly against the dry, cracked earth.

More than two, perhaps even three hours passed like this. The silence of the land pressed against them, broken only by the whisper of the lingering cold wind that clung stubbornly to the air. Naviga's mask hid her expression, her pace showed no sign of slowing. Minerva's veil fluttered in the breeze, her red armor catching faint reflections of the distant blue glow.

That blue light had grown larger now, clearer in the horizon, like a beacon calling them forward. It still wasn't clear what it was—a mountain glowing in the strange sky, or perhaps a celestial body hanging lower than it should. But with every step, the pull of curiosity grew stronger.

The endless stretch of cracked, dry earth suddenly shifted before their eyes. At first it was only the faint shimmer of white drifting down, so small it almost vanished against the blue sky. Then another flake fell, and another—until the barren land they had walked for hours was blanketed by falling snow.

Naviga slowed her pace, tilting her head up. The snow caught in her silver-white hair, resting against the edges of her mask. For a moment, her cold silvery eyes softened. The cold touched her skin, but instead of discomfort, it felt natural.

Behind her, Minerva's steps grew heavier. Her veil shifted as she exhaled, a trace of irritation slipping into her movements. The snow on her red armor melted quickly, steaming slightly from the faint heat of her body's natural fire essence. But it not dangerous, slightly discomfort that's all.

Seeing this, Naviga stepped closer without a word, her body naturally shifting in front of Minerva as if to shield her from the worst of the falling snow. It wasn't something she thought about—it was instinct. Her boots pressed deeper into the frost-softened ground, her beautyfull figure walking ahead, cutting the wind for her young lady.

Minerva gaze lingered on Naviga's back, the maid's posture straight and steady. Though Naviga never forgot her role as servant, there was an unspoken closeness between them—like a Sisters, like a maid.

The snow fell harder now, covering the cracked land in a barren sheet, swallowing the dry wasteland into silence. Their footsteps left a twin trail behind them, the only marks in this quiet, shifting world.

They kept moving together. Naviga's figure stayed just half a step ahead, Minerva's veil catching the soft flakes as she followed, her eyes always on the strange blue glow that seemed more closer now.

Five hours passed in silence, their boots crunching through the snow that never seemed to end. The air grew sharper with each step, biting at their skin, seeping through their clothes. Ahead, the faint glow they had been chasing for so long was finally more than a dot in the distance. It rose high, hazy against the dimming sky—towering like a mountain.

But neither Minerva nor Naviga could say for certain. Was it truly a mountain of ice, glowing from within? Or something else entirely? The light pulsed faintly, cold yet strangely alive, as if the land itself was breathing.

Both of them slowed. Naviga's shoulders sank just slightly; her legs felt like lead after the endless walk. Their fight with the Blazelor had already drained much of their energy, and though potions helped, fatigue still clung to them like chains. The thought of pushing forward now, into the heart of the unknown, was reckless.

Minerva tilted her head back, veil fluttering with her exhale. Her gaze rose to the sky, and she paused. "The sun…" she murmured under her breath.

It was setting. The golden light slanted across the snowy plain, the same familiar sun as outside, dipping low at the edge of this strange dungeon world. That alone was unsettling—this place had its own day and night cycle, as though it was a fragment of a real world tucked away inside the spatial cave.

Naviga stopped beside her, mask frosted faintly with snow. She followed her lady's gaze toward the horizon, then back to the strange blue glow pulsing in the distance. Her instincts told her they were getting close to something dangerous—but her tired body reminded her they could not keep walking blindly.

The wind picked up, cold and sharp, dragging the snow in small whirls around their feet. For a moment, the two of them just stood there—mist from their breaths mixing with the frost, their twin shadows stretching long in the fading sun.

Night fell quicker than either of them expected. The sky dimmed to an endless sheet of gray, and then to sun gone beyond the horizon. A pale glow lingered, cast only by the snow that blanketed everything, reflecting the faint light of stars hidden above.

They were lucky—after hours of barren plains, they found a cluster of trees, their trunks gnarled and half-buried in snow. The ground there gave some shelter from the wind. Minerva lifted her hand, flames spiraling to life at her fingertips. With a sweep, she burned away the snow beneath one tree, clearing a dry patch of earth.

Naviga immediately took out a thick sheet from her storage, spreading it neatly for her lady. "Miss, you may rest here," she said to Minerva.

Minerva only gave a tired nod. She looked pale in the flickering firelight, the long day weighing on her shoulders. She still moved with pride—her every action still that of the young heir, even here.

With a flick of her ring, Minerva pulled out the enormous body of the Blazelor. The sheer weight of it thudded onto the ground like a fallen boulder, sending up a puff of snow. She cut away a piece of meat with swift precision, her sword flashing briefly in the dark.

The two of them gathered snow-dried branches, brittle and frozen, snapping easily in Naviga's hands. She arranged them neatly, striking them together with practiced care, then let Minerva's flame catch. The fire crackled to life, golden against the white night, smoke rising faintly before being pulled away by the wind.

Naviga worked silently, seasoning the Blazelor meat with small herbs she had carried, the scent slowly spreading, cutting through the cold air. She skewered the meat, turning it with calm focus, her eyes glancing now and then toward Minerva.

Her young lady had already reclined on the sheet, her Scorching Tyrant Sword resting within arm's reach. The firelight played across her face, softening her usually sharp expression. For the first time in hours, she allowed her body to relax, letting exhaustion sink into her bones.

When the meat was ready, they shared a few pieces. Minerva ate quietly, her movements slow, savoring the warmth more than the taste. Naviga ate less, giving more to her lady, her hands steady though her own body was just as tired.

Afterward, Minerva lay back down on the sheet, drawing her cloak around her shoulders. She closed her eyes, trusting without a word.

Naviga, however, did not rest. She climbed lightly into one of the trees, her black sword strapped to her back. Snow gathered on her shoulders, The cold was nothing to her Yin-touched body. From there, she kept her watch, her gaze steady on the silent snowfield, the fire flickering below, and her young lady breathing softly on the sheet. After looking an hour she also slowly sleeping above tree. Only brief Icy air and Snow falling more in the night.

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