My eyes burst open as sudden overwhelming pain ripples down my body culminating towards my leg. Attempting to shift my burning joints into action, I glance to down to see my banged up leg covered in cuts and bruises, god I took some serious damage here. sometime afterwards, my senses start to numb as I adjust to the, gradually, I start to take in my surroundings. That is, the chilling icy cavern emiting a faint biting blue light, icicles decorate the floor and ceiling. At this point I realise I'm not alone, grumbling echoes around the cavern as scuffed up twintails flip about, Sou stumbles to her feet seeming fairly unscratched by our fall.

"Ah- Koko?! Yous alive!" Sou charges me into a tackling embrace, despite my grimace I still couldn't help but force out a smile. She tried her best to save me and even ended up down here with me, what a good girl. 

*thump*

"OOOoowww! Koko?! Why?!" Sou exclaims in confused rage.

"You dummy! You could've died! Take better care of yourself... but uhm... thank you Sou." I shyly mutter to her, no matter how much I want to scold this oni, she still did her best for my sake. Sou glances at her feet for a moment, seeming to have ran out of words before composing herself. 

"Koko, yous leg..." 

"It's fine, I'll use some healing magic to try and alleviate the pain, hopefully enough to walk on." I declare, we can't just sit around here, we have no idea if the others can even reach us. After struggling to force out some magic, easing as the pain slowly started to heal away, my leg finally reaches a condition that I can move around with. 

"Wait a minute, the light's stronger down the tunnel Sou... This probably isn't daylight, the colours too different but we should follow it either way." Deciding that any action, even if dangerous was better than waiting around to freeze to death.

Sou quickly gathers a rucksack filled to the brim with her equipment, holy hell thats looks heavy, Oni strength is no joke! Or maybe thats just Sou? She pulls out a torch, douces it in alcohol and scrapes rocks together to light it, thankfully her back remained dry during our fall. Come to think of it, this place is covered in ice but theres no water at all. Sou forcefully linked my arm around her shoulder for support and we begin our journey into the unknown icy caverns. 

Following the tunnels where the light eminates most, we soon found our way into an extremely large open space, so large that the ceiling is shrouded in darkness. Despite the lack of clarity in the room, not far in the distance, the source of light we'd been tracking stood encased in ice. A thick barricade of ice surrounds a small gemstone but what didn't make sense, was the bright blue light coming from a sheer black stone. we near the trapped stone as I move closer to inspect it, the further I gaze into the stone the more my sense seem to weaken, the pain from before even fades away. It's gentle, as if whispers of a lullaby fill my head, drawing me however the feeling gradually traps me inside. 

Suddenly my body is being shaking back and forth as my cloudy vision clears anew. With fresh eyes I see Sou with a panic stricken face, side eyeing me, using one hand to rock me back and forth. She daren't face towards me, because in front of her was the deathly growls of wolves. Ice wolves. Or at least, they resemble them, their ice dripping bodies are plagued with darkness. A vile stench fills the air, luckily stiffled by the pure freezing nature of the air. 

Sou takes stance before me, her body starts to glow blood red, as static lifts the hairs on the nape of her neck. The wolves react strongly to Sou, their eyes locked on her figure, my panic was already set in. Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck, what do I do? Is there even any plants to use here?!

"SOU!" I scream out.

During my panic the beasts had launched at her, without even a weapon in hand she takes the full brunt of their attacks. Claws scream down her arms, locked in a defensive stance pushing forward meet each wolf individually. A piercing wail escapes Sou, who falls to one knee. Gritting in pain she bites the pain down and forces them back, throwing her arms out at full strength to knock them away. The wolves however only shift back several feet and then pounce once more, from seperate angles. One wolf bites into Sou's arm and the other deftly swipes their claw passed her defence into her side. 

Sou reacts quickly, her warcry mixed in both pain and anguish flies out, the sheer force of her cry sent the fierce animals outwards. Crashing into the ground the wolves yelp in pain, I too am left floored by her unexpected actions, my damaged leg unable to hold myself.

At this moment I suddenly snap out of my daze, wanting to lambast myself for my indecisive actions once more. There was no time for that, the wolves regrouped once more, preparing their next strike.

*BOOOOOOOOOM*

The wolves bleed cries of suffering until suddenly, they stop. Crashing out of the ice, a beast wrapped in black smog crushes the wolf pair underneath its paws. The mist of darkness slowly dissipates as the figure of a giant tiger like beast with elongated fangs stands before us, dripping in blood. The mist lingers, obscuring many of its features, ever shifting to reveal more of itself before covering back up.

*Grrrrowwwwwwllllll*

The beast takes center stage, its cold black eyes stare straight passed Sou, into mine. Unrivaled fear shakes my very core, I was prey. This beast wanted me, it would stop at nothing to have me. Caught in despair my mind jolted clear as Sou unleashes another terrifying warcry, the corner of her eye peeking my figure with relief. Dammit. Once again I let myself lose control. I'm going to get us killed here, if we can even survive? No. We have to. 

Immediately I begin whispering my incantation, Sou bounds towards the beast, in hopes of biding time for my spell. I don't even know if it will work, the ground is thick and ice surrounds us- no. This has to work. Resolving myself to this moment, its do or die. 

Sou leaps off the ground forming a strong iron like fist, crashing towards the beast... The beast reacts similarly, bouncing off the ground with unbridled pace crashes its claw on top of Sou. Sou's fist didn't stand a chance, her body collapses under its paw, flat into the ground. 

"SOU?!" I scream in anguish, no, fuck! I have to act now!

The beast uses Sou like a stepping stone and springs over her, inching towards me. 

It's almost ready.

The claw draws closer still.

"CALL OF THE WILDS, ENTWINE!"

A low booming rumble echoes within the cavern, the inching claw ever closing the gap. Flora thicker than trees erupts from the ground, bursting apart the soil and rock. Everything was covered in layers of icy chil. The faint blue light that lit the room seemed to shine through me as the beast screams in agony. However it's claw still reaches me.

Deep gutteral screams bleed out of my lips, blood gushes down body. Barely conscious I see through blood covered eyes, the figure of the beast limping towards me. As my eyes begin to darken, the faint familiar figure of jungle cat crashes claw first into the beasts head. Then, nothing.

 

                                                                                                                        ***

 

"Where am I?" I sigh out, surveying my surroundings. 

Finding myself in unfamiliar territory, I realise that everything is encased in ice but there is no chill. Instead theres a faint warmth. A crack sounds behind me and I spin on my feet in panic. 

"No..." I gasp out at the sight before me.

The same figure of the beast I just fought, slowly steps towards me. Just as the panic was about to set its claws into me, my resolve kicks in. I won't hesitate again. I couldn't even use magic right now if I tried but I wasn't going to just sit back and die. Curling my hand into a fist I strike out with all my might. The thought of Ava's movements flash into my mind as I try to emulate her faint, I close in with a simple dodge to the right, twisting my body to unleash my full force. 

My fist stops. I'm back where I stood before, arm fully extended into a fierce punch... Into the air.

"You are worthy." Said the... beast... 

"HUH?!" I scream in confusion.

"Koko of the wildlands. Wolfkin of the icetribes. You saved have accomplished a great deed on this day." The beast claims... 

"W- WHAT THE HELLS HAPPENING?!" Tears flow out of my eyes as I slump to the floor.

"Guh- W-wait! Stop crying wait what do I do, I've never dealt with this before... Uhhhh... Koko?" The friendly beat patted my head with its oversized paws. Surreal. 

"There we go, no more tears please." The beast orders kindly. 

*gulp*... Scary...

"Koko... No, I am the guardian spirit of the mountains. Ullfir. You faced my corrupted vessel and defeated it. As a child of ice you have claimed great honor, Koko."

"Child of ice? Corrupted vessel?.. Ullfir... My mom used to tell me stories about you, I'd never think they were true..." I mutter, quickly realising how rude I'm being.

"Ah- I mean-"

"Koko."

"Eeeep! I mean yes?!"

"You're an interesting kin, I'll be glad to watch your journey unfold young one. For your deed, I must reward. I bestow upon you a blessing... Queen of the Tundra."

...

"You seem to have not realised it, but you will soon. Go now, Koko, champion of Ullfir. I sense another is waiting for you."

As my senses drifted away from me, I could vaguely hear the muttering of Ullfir once last time.

"Koko, my child, beware the wi-"

...

"KOKO! You're awake! I'm so happy!" Avas leaning over me, dripping tears on my face. Besides her is Seyu and Astrid.

"Guys? UUGGHH!" The pain suddenly takes hold of me, only briefly however as a cold chill fills my body, slowly becoming warm. My pain drifts away, as if it was never there. 

"Koko?! Your wounds..." Astrid mutters.

They weren't gone but... they were mostly closed up, enough that I could move around? That wasn't a dream was it... Champion of Ullfir?

"Wait! Sou?! Is she okay?!" Panic setting in, my saviour and friend who fought by my side. Who I let down... 

"She's fine Koko, when she said she can take a hit, she really meant it! That oni blood is really, no joke! Hahaha!" Pointing behind her, Sou was glugging down what I can only assume is ale, gleefully. 

"The fuck." I breathe out in disbelief, this is almost more unbelievable than what just happened. 

Gently shifting myself, preparing to stand up, Seyu and Ava reach out either side of me to give aid. At this moment, I notice a slightly jump in my back pocket. Steadying myself, I reach a hand inside to feel a smooth stone. The gemstone? I didn't need to pull it out to know what it was but when I did, it was no long black. A dark navy blue gemstone glowed in my hand, everyone gathers around to inspect it. 

"Whats this Koko?" Seyu questions

"I... I think this is what infected that beast... but its clean now? So many the beast infected the stone? I'm not sure." 

Both the dark mist and the dark stone had changed now. That guardian spirit didn't explain anything! Gah!

"Well whatever happened Koko, the stone probably healed you, lets get out of here for now and we can rest up at the village." Ava commands the group.

"Kokokoko! hehehe~ glorious battle doncha think?!" 

"You got flattened Sou." Ava rebutes.

"WHA?! Well... I means..." 

"Sou was amazing, Ava, she saved me. Thank you Sou." I exclaim, Ava might like to tease but this time Sou deserves every praise.

"Hehehehe~ it was nuffin! doncha worry 'bout its!" Sou joyfully shouts out before chugging another drink. 

And so, we all hobble our way out of the cavern, collecting some fangs for proof, we never found the villagers bodies. What we did find were torn up pieces of their clothes, the beast must've completely devoured the rest of them. 

"Koko I- I'm glad you're alive, don't leave me alright?" Ava whispers in my ear, relief and pain mixing.

"I won't Ava, I promise."