We walked a long distance through the forest until we were tired, so we decided to rest for a bit.
Ah, I'm tired of walking; let's rest here.
The girl answered: I agree with that, Dad, do you have any food?
Yes, my daughter, but we must be frugal with it; we don't know how long we'll keep walking.
Don't worry, Dad, when the message arrives the deputy will come soon.
Tell me a little about the Ice Squad, don't you know anything about them?
No, I don't know anything.
Do you know anything about the world at all? Well, I'll tell you: the leader of the Ice Squad is called Rio. He founded this squad when he was twenty years old; he was known as the strongest among the knights. Everyone wanted to join his squad, but he was the one who chose. His first pick was a man named Julian.
The Ice Squad formed and fifteen people joined, but suddenly the leader stopped choosing anyone, and he even stopped attending the knights' trials.
Why? No one knows, but what I do know is that the squad does its best and has not failed so far in performing its duties.
They did one thing in the frozen-ice region.
I suspect—because you're an idiot—they did the impossible!
What is it? Under the ice, there was a creature we still don't know what it is, but it is said to be one of the legendary beasts; leader Rio managed to tame it. It is said that that beast was as tall as the entire southern Ice Kingdom.
Did he tame it and give it a bone or what?
No, he faced it face-to-face in the water. It was a battle that made the kingdom tremble without stopping. They also defeated the Spear Squad that had turned against the knights, and their leader Ryouga.
And the most important achievement was that since his arrival not a single demon appeared in the kingdom to eat anyone.
— Can you hear? We've rested; shall we walk now?
— Huh? We haven't rested; we've only spent a few minutes.
— Listen, are you old?
— No.
— Then get up, move those legs, and stop complaining. Come on, Dad, we'll move.
What's wrong with her all of a sudden?
— Come on, we've neared the end of the forest.
— Shouldn't we rest? Even your father is tired and you're pushing yourself.
— Come on, walk and don't talk too much.
— So be it, fine.
Andre carried her and put her over his shoulders.
— Hey! Put me down!
— Listen, you know the way and you're strong, but you're still young, so let your brother carry you a little and don't overexert yourself.
— Hey! Who said you became my brother?
— I said that; do you mind?
— Ah, I don't mind, but you'll have to take responsibility for what you said.
— What? Lean on me, big brother?
— No, I'll hit you on the head.
— Ouch!
— Good then, move, big brother.
— Say it again.
— Are you sure?
— Yes.
— Ah, my head! I didn't mean for you to hit me on the head; call me "big brother" instead.
— I'll need time to get used to you calling me that.
— Don't worry, take your time; I will.
— Ah? What is this? It's a problem! Dad, Andre, hide!
— Why? What happened there?
— Ah! It's a polar bear!
Not just a bear, but called "the Blood Bear." It is always alone because it attacks everything—even its own herd.
— What brought it here? It's supposed to be far away from here.
— Then I'll take care of it.
— What? Come here! This is dangerous!
— Don't worry, I'll finish it quickly.
— You fool, we are now in the area between the forest and the twin mountains. If you try to fight it, the predators of the forest will attack us, because the death of an ice bear is a feast for them. So don't be hasty and let's wait until it leaves.
— I agree with my daughter.
If it attacks and the animals come, that will be a problem. And if I don't attack maybe it will come to us, but since it hasn't shown any reaction toward us, its presence will keep the predators away, and it will also leave.
— Okay, I'll wait until it goes.
We waited until night fell and the bear left. We moved toward the twin mountains to go to the kingdom, but as we approached the mountain a bear suddenly attacked me, and it had already come close to me. I grabbed my sword and placed it at the bear's mouth, then pushed it back; it was close.
— I told you we had to kill it.
— Okay, there's still time to do that. Come on, you bundle of fur!
The bear lunged toward Andre with its claws; Andre dodged and wounded the bear.
— Did you like my gift to you?
The bear used an ice attack on Andre, but he deflected it with his sword and moved toward the bear. Then the bear's fur began to emit something like ice beads that started scattering around.
— What's happening?
— Andre, take cover quickly! Those spheres will explode!
— Into ice shards? What?
The spheres exploded and tore part of the clothing near his neck and also entered his body. When I went to check on him, when she saw his neck she froze in shock.
— Impossible... A demon! Andre... a demon!
While Andre was covered in wounds, he prepared himself, grabbed his sword, and attacked the bear. The bear tried to strike him with its paw but he dodged, then jumped high and with a chain from behind strangled the bear. The bear tried to flee, pounding Andre's back against the mountain wall time and again, but Andre endured. The bear was screaming like crazy; we don't know: was it screaming from fear of death or for something else?
The bear died and Andre was full of wounds. When the girl and the merchant approached them, they found that the girl backed away from him saying:
— Demon! You are a demon!
Andre looked at her with a sorrowful gaze and said:
— I am not a demon... but I am...
He couldn't finish his sentence because a large number of bears were coming down from the mountain, all thirsting for blood.
— This is bad! Uncle, take your daughter and go into the forest quickly, the situation has become dangerous!
— Okay, come on, my daughter!
— No! Because the real threat is right in front of me! You killers have become knights now? I will not allow that!
The girl was pulling out a knife but her father took it and fled into the forest.
Andre looked at the bears, then grabbed his sword and said:
— If my punishment is death like this, so be it! But I will cling to life as much as I can. So, you beasts, come at me, you pile of fur! Yes... Andre, show me your power! The lord of the dead watches you, the spirits that were screaming watch you, fate watches you, I watch you... So entertain us until your last drop of blood! Yes, the fun begins now!