With every step we took the white tower in the distance grew. With the wake of the third day it was already big enough to cover the sky completely, even though we were still far from it.

Opposed to the mountains before however, the storm that raged around it sucked up everything else, leaving its surroundings in bare view. Rubbles of stone, scraped down by wind and time, were all that’s left of the ruins of an ancient city.

Only in the midst of the fourth day did we reach the wall of snow that the tower was made of. The wind howled around us, like an endless cry, dragging the snow with it though it never seemed to lessen. Both formed the boundary, creating a line that seemingly shouldn’t be crossed.

It only became even more clear as we stepped into the snow. After a few feet, the bright midday sun was lost on us, as the snow blocked out anything else. If not for my flames, we wouldn’t even have the chance to see the ground before us.

With each step our surroundings grew colder again, much colder than anything we’ve felt inside this world before. I released my flames towards our surroundings, trying to keep them both warm, but with the raging wind all warmth produced by them was soon taken again.

Still, we couldn’t just turn around. As much as this place tried to keep anyone away from it, it seemed to be the one place where we had a chance to end this stage. We strove onwards, and after an unknown amount of time the wind just stopped, leaving us in front of a dark void.

Looking back, it formed a clear boundary where it continued to rush past us, but this place we stepped into was unburdened by it. Before we could take a closer look, however, a sudden light made us shoot around.

The darkness was gone, replaced by a cold blue light as a swarm of whisps appeared. Yet, opposed to the ones before these ones stood still while they floated above rows of pillars. And what was a warming light before only seemed to amplify the cold even more.

“I think we found what we are looking for.” I stared in front of me. Underneath the pale blue light ice shimmered in the distance, sparkling in the cold light. It was all over, covering the floor and the pillars, growing even higher than some while encasing the whisps inside.

As I wondered about our surroundings however Homura’s voice ripped me out of my thought. “We should be careful. We don’t know what’s waiting for us.”

“Yeah.” When I stepped forward, she quickly followed. Our footsteps resounded inside the darkness, but soon we stopped, as only the steps from us two resounded. I looked back towards Narva, only to find her staring at the scenery in shock.

“What’s wrong?”

“This place,” she stuttered, “it looks just like…” She stopped herself, shaking her head violently. “No, it can’t be…” Her whole body trembled as she sunk her head.

Quickly I stepped up to her. “Did you see this place before?”

With a forlorn gaze she looked past me. “I must be seeing ghosts.”

“Are you okay?” Homura asked worriedly.

“I’m,” she looked at the scenery once more before she shook her head continuing unconvincingly, “fine.”

“Should we rest some more?”

“No. Let’s just… get this over with.” Without waiting for us she strode forwards.

I looked towards Homura but even though she looked just as anxious as I felt she just shook her head at me before she began to close in on Narva. I sighed as I followed behind the two.

Even if she doesn’t want us to worry, this… hardly makes it any better.

Each step she took brough us closer towards the pillars, until she stopped in front of one that wasn’t enclosed in ice. A single glance left her shivering, as she placed her hand onto it. Before she said anything however a gust of wind rushed past us.

“Watch out!”

I couldn’t even react when I saw it coming. Faster than anything before a spear of ice shot towards her, punching through the pillar and sending it shattering. Homura threw her body against her, pushing her out of the spear that would have impailed her heart. Though, by doing so, she couldn’t escape it herself when the rubbled impacted against her body, throwing her across the ground.

“Homura!”

We rushed towards her, only to be forced to stop when a claw scraped across the floor between us, quickly disappearing into the dark once more.

“Fuck!”

Splitting of my flames I sent them around us. Glistening teeth, shimmering eyes, scales reflecting the surrounding light. One by one wyverns appeared for a moment, flying past the orbs before the darkened sky shrouded them once more. When my flames passed Homura however I broke into a sprint.

Just behind her stood a wyvern, its body riddled with fresh scars, one eye cut through completely. The other eye however dripped with hatred as it looked towards Narva. It raised its claw and with a grin it smashed it towards Homura.

“[Wind’s Blessing]!” A gust of wind rushed past me. For a moment I saw Narva, stretching her arms towards Homura before the claw smashed into the ground. But instead of rejoicing the wyvern let out an angered howl.

I breathed heavily as I looked down my arms, holding Homura’s body tightly against mine. I could barely reach her and roll out of the way before the claw smashed into us.

“Ouch.” She mumbled lightly.

“Homura, are you okay?”

“I’m…”

An ear-piercing howl stopped her from answering. Only now I realized that we were beneath the wyvern. I tried to push us away, only to be held down. Looking around I saw a piece of my dress caught between the claw and the ground.

“Damn!”

Cursing at my own unpreparedness while choosing my clothes for the arena, I summoned a Windblade to cut of the stuck piece, just in time to roll out us away when it scratched backwards.

“Don’t shake me around like that.” Homura spoke groggily as she held her head, only for her eyes to widen afterwards. Once more she sent us rolling over the floor before the spear like icicles slammed into our earlier position when the wyvern used its tail once more.

Once more I lay beneath her. “What…” My voice got stuck in my throat as I looked up above. Only that now I could see the other dozens of wyverns flying in the sky, as we were no longer beneath that wyvern.

“Narva! Homura!” Agni shouted towards us, but I could only stare at the beasts that were attacking us.

These are too many!

Then, as if to swallow anything bright a blackened flame rushed past us, slamming into the wyvern. It screeched in pain, but I could only look on fearfully before I was pulled upwards.

“We need to move!” Homura grabbed my hand to pull me along, running towards Agni. Abruptly we stopped once more when we reached him before they took one side each.

“How many can you take on?” Even though fear resounded in her voice she tried to sound calm. Agni’s words however made her grimace.

“Not that many.” His flames flickered in discomposure.

“Don’t think we can run away though.” She flexed her claws as another pair of wyverns landed beside us.

“Let’s just hope that they run away after the first dozen die.” Quickly other orbs of blackened flame flickered up around him.

“Don’t think so.” She readied herself to pounce at any wyvern given the chance.

Turning around I grabbed the two, whispering, “[Wind’s Blessing].” I felt my body aching beneath the burden of the mid-tier spell, but I had no other chance if I wanted all of us to survive.

“What?” “What are you…”

Before they could question me further, I broke into a sprint, pulling the two behind me as I rushed down the path the pillars bordered. “Trust me!” I shouted towards them, feeling any bit of resistance disappearing as they focused to keep up with me.

Just let these thoughts be right!