The following morning, Mozar stood beside the carriage as Jay and Lina prepared their belongings.
He handed Jay a worn-out map. "Follow this trail north," Mozar said. "Beyond the Frozen Pass lies a place called The Shattered Peaks. There, you'll find a man named Bruce. He trains those who seek to understand their bodies, not just their strength."
Jay unfolded the map. The ink lines drew a harsh path through mountains, rivers, and snowfields, ending in a region surrounded by snowy peaks.
"Bruce?" Jay repeated. "Who is he?"
"A hermit and a fighter. Though I think he is still young to be called a hermit," Mozar replied, turning away. "If anyone can refine your raw power into something controlled, it's him."
Lina stepped forward. "Then I'll go with him," she said firmly.
"Are you sure?", Jay asked.
"You kind of saved my life there. Now I wish to repay the favour", she said with enthusiasm.
Jay smiled. "Alright, then."
Mozar's gaze softened. "Do as you wish. But remember, training in those mountains changes people."
Jay nodded. "We'll manage."
Mozar simply raised a hand in farewell and began walking down the opposite road, until he could no longer be seen.
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The journey north was long and punishing. As the terrain shifted from muddy plains to icy cliffs, the air grew thinner. Jay's endurance helped him withstand the cold better than Lina, though he often offered his cloak when the wind became unbearable.
By the third day, a storm began to appear on the horizon. The wind burst through the mountain corners, and visibility dropped to almost nothing.
"Lina!" Jay shouted over the storm. "We have to find shelter!"
Lina shielded her face and scanned the area. Her sharp eyes caught the faint outline of a cave nearby, hidden behind frost-covered rocks. They went inside, both of them collapsing near the entrance as the wind raged outside.
Inside the cave, the air was still warm. The walls were covered with numerous carvings, ancient depictions of men and beasts in battle. Some wielded primitive weapons, others fought barehanded, their stances fierce and disciplined.
Jay approached one of the carvings illuminated by the light of a torch he made minutes ago. It depicted a lone man wearing a conical hat, facing a colossal dragon.
"…A man fighting a dragon," Jay murmured. "Whoever made this… they knew how to tell stories."
Lina tilted her head. "Or maybe they were recording one."
The snowstorm outside continued to rage, but Jay's attention remained on the carving. The man's posture indicated that he was someone trained in martial arts.
Somehow, the man felt familiar to him.
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Yumina was currently walking through a misty forest, called the Silent Forest, containing numerous unseen whispers.
It was said this forest was haunted, and soon, the whispers became voices, countless spirits, curious and envious of the warmth of the living.
Who are you, traveler? one spectral voice murmured within her thoughts.
What secrets do you hide beneath that cold heart? asked another.
Yumina didn't answer. She simply walked forward, her crimson eyes half-bored.
The spirits grew bolder, trying to pry into her memories. But as they touched her consciousness, a shockwave of dark light burst outward, burning through the fog.
The spirits recoiled in agony.
One of them, a large wraith with hollow eyes, screamed in fury. "How dare you defy us!" it roared, advancing toward her while trying to enter her body.
Yumina turned her gaze toward it. "Enough."
She raised a single hand and pointed at the incoming spirit. The wraith's form convulsed violently before shattering into a thousand fragments of light, dispersing into the mist.
"I've dealt with your kind before," she said coldly. "Leave me be."
The forest went silent. One by one, the remaining spirits faded away.
Yumina sighed and continued walking. Hours later, she came across a strange sight, a small child lying in the middle of a clearing, sleeping peacefully despite the cold earth beneath her.
The girl looked just like a doll, with long golden hair and a blue dress.
She approached cautiously, kneeling beside the girl. "Hey… wake up."
No response.
Yumina narrowed her eyes. Something was off. A faint brilliance surrounded the child's body, a pulsing aura.
"A spell?" Yumina muttered. "Or something worse."
She studied the aura, sensing that it was supernatural in nature. It pulsed in rhythm with another presence, something that seemed to be forcing the girl to not wake up.
After a long moment of silence, Yumina's expression hardened. "Fine."
She placed a hand on the aura, focusing her power into a single point. The air distorted, and the foreign presence screamed before disintegrating into a thousand fragments of blue light.
The aura vanished. Then the girl moved, opening her eyes slowly.
"Where… am I?" she said weakly.
Yumina straightened up. "You're awake now. Whatever held you here is gone."
"…Thank you," the girl murmured, standing up and clinging to Yumina's arm.
Yumina sighed. "Just what kind of world did I end up in…"