The blue screen flickered lightly as if to keep my attention. Or just because it barely operated with the auxiliary system. Don’t think this will work out but the least I can do is try. “Accept.”

“What do you…” She spoke, only to stop herself, probably getting another message just like myself.

What followed was another window, barely keeping itself up as it flickered on and off, without allowing me to read too much out of it. Narva however could seemingly access it without problems as she focused her attention onto it.

Only a moment later however she focused back on me, smiling brightly. “Agni.” As I looked at her in confusion she continued excitedly. “It’s you name! It’s Agni!”

“How do you…”

“It shows inside the party interface. Though the rest of your information is a mumbled mess at least we know your name now.”

“Agni.” I mumbled silently. Though the name seemed familiar I couldn’t help but feel distant to it, as if it belonged to someone else and not me. A scarred warrior, who’s remaining will drives me forward.

Narva however seemed to think something else seeing me lost in thought. “Do you remember something.”

I sighed. “No, nothing. Wish it would be so easy.”

She however continued jovial. “If we managed to learn about your name than we will find out about the other things that you’ve forgotten. It’ll only be a matter of time.”

In return to her words however I questioned myself. Do I really want to find out more? Learn from where this anger stems? Without it I would have died, but wouldn’t it be better to start anew, leave past grudges behind? Even then, now that I’m here I have no choice but to continue onwards.

While I was lost in thoughts steps came from behind. “Something wrong?” Charr’s voice ripped me out of it.

“No.” I replied briefly.

“We found out his real name. He’s called Agni.”

“You remembered something?” Charr asked questioningly.

“No, turns out I can accept a party invite, though nothing more as I can’t access the system further and my information is little more than a jumbled mess.”

“That’s a beginning, isn’t it.” He slammed his paw onto my back. “But we should continue onwards now. We don’t know when these beasts come back after all.”

“Yeah, right.”

He turned back, returning to the group following us. We in turn continued onwards guiding the way for the others. Before long however we were once more attacked by the snow beasts, their appearances turning more and more frequent. But even with more numbers they were little more than a hindrance for us at first.

“Shouldn’t they have learned their lesson by now.” I asked as my flames imprisoned a wolf-like snow beast, melting it without leaving anything behind.

“They are even turning more aggressive!” Narva shouted as her winds minced another beast into pieces. Before it could gather its body back together I send a burst of flame towards it, melting the little pieces instantly. “At least I get some experience out of it now that I share yours. Just why are they completely indestructible without fire?” She asked rhetorically.

After we dispatched the twentieth or so we noticed a change in their behavior. No longer did they charge at us in a mindless fashion, instead the remaining ten turned to circle around us.

“If you don’t come towards us,” I created a few flaming orbs, “then we will come for you.” Shooting the orbs forward I struck one beast, melting its upper body with a first, then the rest of it with a second strike. The other three I attacked however sprang away, barely dodging the orbs, and disappeared into the snowstorm.

The other beast however only stayed aside without attacking us from behind even though my attention was elsewhere. Instead they waited for the three surviving ones to come back out of the snow, circling us once more.

“They’re stalling for time.”

“For what?”

Her question didn’t go unanswered for long as a scream rang out from behind us, barely audible throughout the wind and fighting noises. “No! Stay away!” Following this another few panicked screams rang out, some shouting curses, others screaming in horror.

“We need to help them!” Narva started to run towards them, but she had to stop near instantly as the beast began to gather, standing between us and the others.

“I think we found out for what.” Creating the circle I practiced earlier a blade of fire shot off in front of me, reaching the beast within the blink of an eye. They tried to dodge but when they began to move it was already too late for them. And while they may have saved their lives for a moment the attack left them unable to dodge the next one coming.

Seeing this the last few of the beast began to sprint towards us, but that just made them even easier targets. I released another few flame orbs, managing to melt another three beast. One however followed behind them, using their bodies as a shield to come near, only for a gust of wind to throw it sideways, staggering it momentarily until it met the same end as its fellow beasts.

With the death of the beast our way was free once more. Quickly we ran back towards the group, reaching them quickly, only to see a scene of mayhem. A few dozen warriors held over a hundred surrounding beast back, barely managing to defend themselves. Those inside the protective ring however didn’t even look at them.

Instead their eyes were focused on a massive beast standing amidst them. Opposed to the others this one was ten feet tall and at least thirty long, with pointy teeth inside its canine mouth and sharp claws, reddened by blood. And while the bodies of the lower beast were formed of snow this one was made of ice, sparkling ominously as it reflected our light.

But while it was surrounded it didn’t so much as watch out for those surrounding him. Its light-blue eyes stared at someone crouching on the ground. Shrouded in a weak glow Homura sat there, lifting a young woman in her arms.

“Don’t worry, you’ll be fine!” She shouted weakly. But the woman looked anything else but fine as blood poured out from her simple clothing that did nothing to protect from the danger.

“It hurts.” She whispered weakly, barely able to raise her voice., her eyes unfocused. “Why does it hurt so much.”

“Stay with me! You hear me? We’ll save you!” Homura looked down at the woman, her eyes reddening with each passing second, but she didn’t even seem to notice her.

“I don’t want to be here.” Only resignation remained inside her voice as a final word left her lips before her body went limp. “Why?”

Homura stared at the body in her arms, still warm to touch, but now completely breathless. Only the still flowing blood still showed that she was alive a moment earlier. Without letting go she remained seated, closing her eyes.

The ice beast sprang forward, using the moment to attack her, only to clash its claws into a barrier. The sharp, pointy claws hissed as the ice turned into steam, but my barrier also began to crack under the pressure it exerted. Before it broke through completely however it jumped back, the claws fixing themselves near instantly afterwards.

I strode forwards, the beast between us easily dispatched as they were mostly focused on the warriors but as I wanted to step past Homura she grabbed my arm, stopping me from continuing onwards. Looking down I wanted to her I wanted to ask her why she stopped me. Yet before I could she looked upwards to me, a single tear running down her eye.

“I’ll take care of that thing.”