Northern Border, daytime
As soon as they stepped out of the portal, a chill greeted them. The north wind carried tiny, visible snowflakes, turning their breath into white vapor.
Damian pulled the collar of his cloak higher. "Welcome to the north," he said softly.
Rin hugged herself, shivering. "I-it's so cold… even worse than I imagined…"
Tessa tried to appear casual, but her fingers were already frozen beneath her gloves. "It's hard to move in this weather," she muttered.
Liam remained calm. His gaze scanned the vast, silent expanse of snow, then settled on a dark shadow in the distance. "Is that… a village?" he asked.
They followed the path, almost completely covered in snow.
A few wooden houses finally came into view, standing amidst the white mist. Thin smoke drifted from the chimneys, a sign that life still existed there.
Damian stared up at the pale sky above. The cold wind buffeted his face, but to him, it was nothing new.
This was the north—the place he was born and raised, where snow fell daily and people were accustomed to living in the harsh cold.
The small village of Blaumont, late afternoon
A simple inn stood in the middle of the snowy village. The walls were made of old wood, and the light of an oil lamp flickered softly behind the window.
As soon as they entered, the scent of charred wood greeted them. An old man with a thin white beard stepped out from behind the wooden door.
"Children from Zephyrus Academy, yes?" his voice was hoarse but warm. "Please come in. Our place is simple, but it's enough for sleeping and eating."
Damian bowed politely. "Thank you, Uncle. We just need a place to rest for the night."
The man smiled slightly and invited them to sit by the fire. The orange flames in the hearth slowly warmed their bodies.
Several village children peeked through the door, whispering softly, amazed at the sight of the Zephyrus uniforms they were wearing.
Liam looked around the small room. "Life must be hard here," he said quietly. "I can't imagine how they survive on so little food."
Rin smiled at a woman who arrived with a bowl of warm potato soup. "Even though it's simple, they're still friendly. That's amazing," she said.
Tessa crossed her arms. "I wouldn't be able to stand living in a cold place like this."
But Damian noticed the way Tessa looked at the small children in the corner of the room, who were playing with pieces of wood. Her gaze seemed different—softer than usual.
Blaumont Inn, evening
Night fell quietly. Snow still fell outside, coating the windows with a thin layer of white. Inside, the simple dining table was filled with the aroma of hot soup and toast.
The old man who owned the inn sat with them, his bowl still steaming. His voice was deep but friendly.
"Lately, we've been hearing bad news from the direction of Blaumont… the former fallen kingdom to the north," he said. "Monsters frequently attack the small villages nearby. Many people have moved… or disappeared."
The spoon in Damian's hand paused for a moment. "Blaumont?" he asked, his tone serious.
The old man nodded slowly. "It's only half a day from here. But no one in their right mind would go near it. The area has long been abandoned—it's too dangerous."
There was a moment of silence. The night wind rustled outside, making the wooden door creak softly.
After the old man excused himself to clean up the kitchen, Damian remained silent. His gaze was fixed on the gently trembling flames in the fireplace.
"Blaumont…" he murmured. "I've heard that name before. But I didn't expect… the situation to be this dire."
The firelight reflected in his eyes, casting a look of surprise across his face.
In the iin room, at night
The wind from outside still rustled gently, carrying the sound of snow falling against the window. Inside the small room, the firelight danced across the wooden walls, illuminating the four Zephyrus disciples sitting in a circle on the floor.
Damian stared at the map spread out before them. His voice was calm, but determined.
"Blaumont used to be a small kingdom in the north," he said. "It fell decades ago after being invaded by a neighboring kingdom. Now all that remains are ruins and small villages barely surviving. That's why people call it the wastelands."
He paused for a moment before continuing, "And lately…there have been many reports of monster attacks there. Some small villages have even disappeared, as the inhabitants have begun to move away from the area."
Rin straightened, her face tense. "Then why do we have to go there? It would be suicide."
Tessa crossed her arms. "I agree. We weren't assigned to that. If we were reckless, we could be the next victims."
Damian paused for a moment, then looked at them each in turn. His eyes were sharp but sincere.
"Professor Limbert sent us to investigate the threat in the north because of the Velgrin Incident. If this attack continues, sooner or later, the monsters will cross over into other kingdoms. I can't stand by and watch people being attacked without protection." He clenched his fists on his knees. "We weren't given our powers to hide behind the academy's walls. But to protect."
Silence filled the room for a few seconds. The fire in the fireplace crackled softly.
Liam bowed respectfully. "I'll come with you, Master Damian. You know I'm always on your side."
Rin bit his lip, hesitant. "I… am not sure…"
Tessa let out a long sigh, rolling her eyes. "You stubborn bastard." She stood up and pointed at Damian with an annoyed expression. "Fine. If you want to go crazy, I'll come with you. But if we freeze to death out there, I'll blame you."
Damian just smiled slightly. "Just write it down in the report later."
Rin finally took a deep breath and nodded slowly. "If everyone agrees… I'll go too. We can't just let those villages be destroyed."
Damian looked at the three of them with relief. "Thank you. Tomorrow morning, we leave."
That night, they made a simple plan: a route, assigning night watches, and preparing equipment.
The firelight lingered on their faces—four Zephyrus disciples preparing for a dangerous morning.
Outside, the blizzard was beginning to subside.