A desolate wastelands of ice and snow. A blizzard covers the entire sky. In this harse conditions, two people walk through the weather, both shivering with stumbling steps.
One of two is wearing a bear's skin, the other a coat with with woolen pillows stuffed near his chest. They walk forward, their eyes stuck towards the horizon where they see hole in the clouds with a campfire smoke rising to sky.
???: I-Is that real?
???: Who knows? But its our last bet for sure.
They couldn't believe such a sight. It was like a miracle but since the rupture began such miracles weren't very unbelievable as well.
Slowly but surely the duo walked forward towards the smoke. The sound of crunching snow echoing with each step they put forth.
???: I can't-...go on. I can see my health reaching its ends.
The man in the coat turned to his friend, sharing his status panel to him. He asked question and gave a suggestion, two things that would make him a little more... Peaceful.
???: Want any skill you like? It's better you receive them then have it all lost when I die.
??? : *gives his friend his shoulder* What nonsense are you sprouting now? The light is just ahead!
The man wearing the bear skin turned to his friend. Watching as he had fainted in the cold and each passing second brought him closer to death.
??? : Not Yet!! I won't let it end like this!
The man struggled to carry them both ahead, as strong as he was, the weather was keeping it's toll on him and it was nothing to scoff at. He walked, the smoke coming closer and closer into his view with each step he took.
Until, he stopped just at the snow's end as a pine forest with not a single hint of snow was right ahead of him. He wanted to keep going but his legs had lost their strength. He wanted to take a step forward but he was at his wit's end.
???: It looks like.. We are dying together... My friend.
The barbarian collapsed at last, his eyes slowly losing their shine as his vision grew dark. Darkness engulfed his view, the grip of death reaching out to him before suddenly, a pair of purplish flames appeared before him.
Barbarian: 'is that... Death?'
The man thought he was finally reaching the afterlife after all the struggle he had put up. Yet as purple glames came closer, the darkness began to shiver.
The void of death retreats, a being shrouded in green stone like armor now stood before the man. The purple flames were his eyes, a harpoon like spear in his hand as he tilted his head towards the knocked down visitors with pity and picked them up like a sacks of potatoes.
Placing the spear on his back, he put one person on each shoulder, carrying them both by himself towards the smoke which was his camp.
Yet as heroic as he appeared, the armored man spoke not once. He only acted by his thoughts, keeping them to himself, until he reached the bonfire.
Gently he placed the two down on his own tent, a carpet made of a mountain lion's skin now turned into their bed. The barbarian sensed the man leaving, his body finally recovering to give him the courage to stand up.
Barbarian: Now t-
??? : Where are you going?
Barbarian: AHHHHH!!
The barbarian screamed like a child, using his steps to carry himseld to the corner of the tent as flame eyes of warrior ahead of him almost terrified him to death.
Barbarian: *confused* W-Why? Why are you still here?!
??? : *tilts head* This is my tent. Where would I go if not here?
Barbarian: but I sensed you leave!
... A small moment of silence before the armored man burst up into laughter.
??? : As if someone like you could sense me. Let me ask this, Did you sense it this time?
Barbarian: ?? Huh? Sens-
It was just a instant, a small blur was all the barbarian saw before he found himself standing outside the tent and right beside the bonfire.
Barbarian: 'Where did he go?!!' *frantically looks around* 'Just where the hell did he go!! '
???: looking for me?
A mere whisper scared the barbarian beyond the line of no return, a whisper right over his shoulder as the warm breath of the person he was trying to find grazed his shoulder.
A metal gauntlet, reachs up to him from behind, lightly tapping just beneath his ear before that person arrives.
???: Any questions?
Barbarian: J-Just o-one!
???: fine then.. Speak.
Gulping nervously as he remembered his parents and forefathers. The barbarian let out a small screech before he asked.
Barbarian: how are you gonna kill me?
...
Utter silence. Forget breathing, now the barbarian couldn't even hear his own heart for a second.
The wind stopped, the sun vanished beyond the clouds, the flame of the campfire flickers like crazy as the barbarian tried to swipe shake away the hand that was clutching to his shoulder.
??? : Kill you? Why the hell would I do that?
The man says after a pays as he tries to understand absurdity of a statement the barbarian just made.
??? : Why would I kill the people who came looking for a place to survive? Also I need some workers to help expand then camp.
Barbarian: *relieved* I can help with that!
??? : Of course you are gonna help with that. I saved your pitiful head from turning to wolf feed myself. *shrugs* Not like you can leave without supplies in that clothing.
Letting his hand go, The man watched as the tense barbarian fell to his knees while gasping for air. He wanted to make a few things clear but before he could say anything else.
RAAWWWRRR
??? : *sigh* That bastard is back again.
Barbarian: W-Who?
??? : none of your concern. *coldly turns towards the roar* Make sure to tell your friend this. My name is Frederx and you two now work for me.
Reaching out towards his spear, Frederx took a step back before he darted forward, leaving behind a cloud of dust. He leapt from tree to tree, breaking some of weaker ones just by the strength of his jumps.
The barbarian only had a few seconds to see it but the sight he saw was engrained into his head.
A sight of a green armored warrior jumping towards a descending Wyvern with a spear as a red flame expanded from his eye until it became a cloak of flames.