Chapter One: Blood in the Snow
Snow whispered beneath the hooves of the warhorse, each step breaking the silence of the frozen wilderness. The wind howled through the barren trees, carrying the faint scent of blood and iron.
Upon the horse sat a giant of a man. His skin was the color of bronze, his hair a wild mane of gold that caught what little sunlight broke through the clouds. Across his back rested a greatsword etched with runes that faintly pulsed beneath the frost.
His name was Godfrey Andler, and even the earth seemed to weigh his passing.
Behind him rode a slender, middle-aged man upon a smaller steed, his eyes and hair the shade of liquid silver. Malvio guided a small carriage drawn by two horses, the wheels creaking over ice as he tried to keep up with Godfrey's pace.
Godfrey turned his head slightly, his deep voice rumbling over the wind."Just a few hours till safety."
But before the words had fully left his lips, his gaze sharpened. A cold sensation crawled down his spine. Killing intent; heavy, suffocating, unmistakable.
He raised a hand, signaling Malvio to halt. The horses neighed in protest before stopping, steam rising from their nostrils.
Godfrey's expression hardened. So the heavens finally sent their dogs.
"Malvio," he said without turning.
"Y-yes, sir?" Malvio's voice cracked.
"Take the boy and hide. Protect him and do not come out until I call."
Malvio nodded, fear flickering across his face. He gripped the reins and steered the carriage toward the treeline.
As the carriage disappeared into the forest, the snow around Godfrey stilled. The world seemed to hold its breath. Then, from the trees, came the sound of metal brushing against armor.
Thirteen men stepped out of the fog, their armor gleaming silver, faces hidden behind masks. Each carried a short mace engraved with the sigil of the Heavens.
Godfrey exhaled, his breath a cloud of frost. "So all of them sent their dogs for one old man."
They did not react to the provocation.
One of the men in silver stepped forward, his presence colder than the rest. "Godfrey Andler. Your days of heresy and defiance are over. The Heavens have decreed your execution. Resistance is futile."
Godfrey smirked. "To hell with your Heavens. If they want me, let them earn me."
For a heartbeat, silence ruled. Then the silver soldiers moved as one.
They all charged at once, thirteen beams of light converging at a single point.
*******
Under the Oak
Tens of feet away, Malvio crouched beneath the shadow of a great oak, clutching the carriage reins with trembling hands. Inside, hidden among blankets, sat a boy of twelve. His hair was dark, and his eyes sharp.
Auron watched as Malvio fidgeted with something hanging around his neck—a small charm shaped like a fairy, crudely carved but clearly cherished.
"What's that?" Auron asked softly.
Malvio startled, then forced a shaky smile. "Nothing, boy. My daughter made it for me. Said it would keep me safe from evil." His voice faltered. "She's about your age."
Auron tilted his head. "Where is she now?"
Malvio's eyes dropped. "Far away." He hesitated, thumb running over the charm's rough edges. "But she's waiting for me to make things right."
Auron frowned. "You'll see her again, right?"
Malvio swallowed hard. "I… I hope so." He turned away quickly, pretending to check the reins, but his eyes glistened in the dim light.
The ground trembled beneath them, distant, thunderous impacts echoing through the woods. Faint flashes of silver and gold flickered in the mist.
Malvio's hand tightened around the charm until his knuckles whitened.
*******
Back in the clearing, snow turned red.
Godfrey knelt, armor shattered, breath coming in ragged gasps. His greatsword was buried in the ground beside him, its edge dull with blood. The snow hissed where it touched the heat of his wounds.
The silver soldiers encircled him, weapons raised. Their leader's voice rang cold. "Godfrey Andler, repent. This is the end of your futile rebellion."
Godfrey tilted his head to the sky, pale light reflecting in his eyes.
Alas, he thought, I could not give that boy a home.
His fingers tightened on the hilt of his sword. But at least I can buy him a future.
He smiled faintly. "Let death come, then. But I won't die on my knees. I am the son of Achelous."
Then he stood.
Light erupted from within him.
Godfrey's roar split the heavens. "Come for me if you dare!"
The snow lifted in a whirlwind as mana poured from his body. His blood vessels glowed like molten rivers beneath his skin. Strange runes crawled across his arms, his chest, his face. His fists shimmered like twin suns.
The assassins hesitated. Then, with a collective cry, their armor shattered into ethereal fragments. Their bodies warped into monstrous forms; neither man nor spirit. The field turned into a nightmare.
Godfrey met them head-on.
The first attacker lunged; Godfrey's hand caught the mace mid-swing, crushing it like glass. He drove his other fist into the man's chest, and the impact turned armor to powder.
The second came from behind, blade flashing. Godfrey spun, his fist carving a crescent of light that cleaved the soldier in half.
They surrounded him. Fire and frost, light and blood collided in a storm. Every movement from Godfrey was destruction; each step a shockwave, each breath a roar. The air itself screamed from the force of his strikes.
One by one, they fell. Some burned to ash before their screams finished. Others vanished into red mist. Yet even as they died, more pressed in driven by faith, or madness.
When the light finally dimmed, only two figures remained.
Godfrey stood hunched, chest heaving, his armor hanging in tatters. Before him knelt the leader of the silver men, helmet cracked, blood seeping through the seams. Godfrey had him by the throat.
"You think you can outrun us?" the assassin choked, laughing through broken teeth. "Hundreds like me will come. Let's see how many you can kill before they bury you."
Godfrey said nothing. His grip tightened. Bones cracked, and the life went out of the man's eyes.
He dropped the corpse. The glow around him flickered, then faded entirely.
His hair turned from gold to white. The muscles that had once made him a legend shrank to frail lines beneath torn flesh. His knees buckled.
"Malvio…" His voice was hoarse, broken. "Come out."
*****
Malvio froze. He turned to Auron, his face pale as frost.
"Listen," he whispered. "We're going to play a game. It's called corpse. You don't move, don't make a sound, no matter what you hear. Understand?"
Auron nodded, though confusion clouded his eyes.
Malvio forced a smile. It was unnatural and broken. Then he turned, stepping out into the storm
When he reached the clearing, his breath caught. The once-white snow was a crater of red and black. The air burned with the scent of magic and blood.
Godfrey turned toward him. His eyes, once like fire, now looked tired. "Where is the boy?"
Malvio's hand trembled as he reached for his coat. "Safe," he said quietly.
"Good." Godfrey's shoulders eased. "I thought as much. You always were reliable."
Malvio took another step closer. His hand brushed the knife hidden in his sleeve. His throat ached.
He could barely look at the man who'd once called him brother.
"Godfrey…" His voice cracked. "If you'd just surrendered—"
Godfrey laughed softly, bitterly. "To the ones who chained the heavens? No, Malvio. Better to die free."
Malvio's fingers closed around the knife. His whole body trembled."They promised me," he whispered. "If I ended it quickly… they'd let her live."
Godfrey frowned. "Her?"
"They have my daughter, Godfrey." Tears streaked Malvio's face. "Please, don't make me"
Godfrey took a weary step forward and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Then do what you must."
Malvio broke. "I'm sorry."
The knife slid between Godfrey's ribs. The sound was wet and small, like ice cracking beneath water.
Godfrey's breath caught. For a heartbeat,. Then his eyes softened.
"I never wanted this," Malvio sobbed. "They said you'd slaughtered innocents. That you'd turned from the light. I didn't— I couldn't—"
Godfrey's voice was faint but steady. "You always had a choice, old friend."
He swayed but didn't fall. His blood stained the snow, bright as molten iron."Is Auron truly safe?"
Malvio nodded, choking on his tears.
"Good." Godfrey's lips curved faintly. "Then go. Leave him be. He's not ready for this world yet."
His trembling hand brushed Malvio's cheek. "Live a happy life, you fool."
Only then did he collapse, his greatsword falling beside him with a dull thud. His eyes stayed open, fixed on the pale sky above.
Malvio stood frozen. The knife slipped from his fingers. "I'm sorry," he whispered again and again, the wind swallowing every word.
From the treeline, a voice broke through the silence."Grandpa!"
Auron's scream shattered the quiet like glass.