Kael’s legs burned as they fled through the narrowing canyon. The storm fought hard to swallow them, each gust carrying shards of ice that stung his naked face like needles. Gethru’s heavy footsteps broke through the crunch of snow, but even his barbarian strength seemed to be faltering. The thralls were relentless, their spectral wails growing louder behind them. Kael risked a glance back. More shadows swarmed the cliffs, their glowing eyes piercing the storm like beacons.

  “Faster!” Gethru barked. His axe was slung over one shoulder, but his fingers flexed as if itching for another fight.

  They rounded a corner, and Kael skidded to a halt. The path ahead was blocked—a wall of jagged ice stretched across the narrow pass, glistening like a frozen waterfall.

  “We’re trapped!” Kael shouted. His chest heaved with ragged breaths.

  Gethru’s eyes scanned the wall. “Not yet.” He planted his feet, raised his axe, and swung with all his might. The steel met ice with a thunderous crash, sending shards flying in all directions. The wall held firm.

  The thralls closed in. Kael could see their twisted forms emerging from the blizzard now—dozens of them, with jagged weapons and soulless eyes.

  “This isn’t working!” Kael’s voice cracked. Desperation clawed at his throat.

  What is the point, how are we going to survive this terrible place. When I thought about adventure, it was supposed to be something glamourous, like what my father read to me in his storybooks. But this, is just the cold, cruel reality. Lost in my thoughts, I notice Gethru's sudden movement.

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  Gethru roared, swung again, and this time a fracture split down the center of the ice wall. “One more!” he snarled.

  Kael raised his walking stick and slammed it into the crack, channeling every ounce of frustration and fear into the blow. A flash of light erupted from the point of impact, and the ice shattered in a cascade of glittering shards.

  “Move!” Gethru grabbed Kael’s arm and hauled him through the breach.

  They stumbled onto a narrow ledge overlooking a deep ravine. The wind howled like a living thing, and below them, a swirling abyss of snow and darkness churned.

  Kael turned just in time to see the thralls pouring through the broken wall.

  “Jump,” Gethru said.

  “What?” Kael’s eyes widened. “We’ll die!”

  “Not if the gods still live.” Gethru grinned, a wild light glimmered in his eyes. “We find out soon enough.”

  Without waiting for a response, Gethru leaped his massive form into the void.

  For a heartbeat, Kael stood frozen at the edge. Then, with the thralls’ shrieks filling the air, he clenched his fists, closed his eyes, and stepped off the ledge, down into the deep unknown as darkness overwhelms him..

  Kael’s stomach lurched as he plummeted. The freezing wind howled in his ears, drowning out everything but the frantic beat of his heart. He squeezed his eyes shut, bracing for the crushing impact.

  But it never came.

  Instead, a strange warmth enveloped him. The icy wind vanished, replaced by a soft, gentle glowing light. He opened his eyes to find himself suspended midair. Beneath him, the abyss swirled with golden mist, and above him, Gethru hovered, suspended by the same unseen force.

  “What in all the gods’ names is this?” Kael gasped.

  Gethru twisted in the air, grinning like a madman.

  The mist began to coalesce, shaping itself into a bridge of light beneath their feet. Kael hesitated, his boots hovering just above the glowing surface. Slowly, he let himself land. The bridge was solid but pulsed with every step he took.

  “This must be an ancient magic,” Kael whispered. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

  “Nor I.” Gethru’s tone had shifted. There was awe in his voice now, and a hint of unease. “We better move.”

  They sprinted across the bridge, which arched high above the ravine. The thralls appeared on the shattered cliff’s edge, their eyes blazing with fury. One by one, they leapt into the void, but instead of falling, they began gliding toward the bridge like piercing black arrows.

  “They’re coming!” Kael shouted.

  The mist bridge trembled intensely beneath their feet. Ahead of them, a great stone gate materialized out of thin air. Its surface was covered in runes, ancient and glowing. The air buzzed with latent power.

  “This gate… it’s a test,” Kael realized, feeling the weight of destiny settle on his shoulders. “We’re not just running anymore. We have to earn our passage.”

  “Then we must pass.” Gethru gripped his axe and took his place at Kael’s side, ready for whatever came next.