The world around Raelyn was a merciless chaos of white. The wind howled like a living thing, its piercing wails reverberating in her ears and drowning out the sound of her labored breaths. Snow lashed at her exposed cheeks like shards of glass, stinging and unrelenting, while the biting cold gnawed its way through the thick cloak she had wrapped tightly around herself. Every step through the dense snow was a battle, her legs dragging as though weights had been tied to her boots. Her breath came out in uneven gasps, visible as pale mist before being torn away by the wind.

Raelyn clutched Zypher closer to her chest, her arms aching from carrying him. The little gremlin shivered violently, his frail, hairless body offering little warmth to the frost. He clung to her spare cloak, which was wrapped tightly around him, his small fingers trembling as he clutched the lens of her locket. Through the swirl of snow, she could just make out his wide eyes darting from side to side, scanning the whiteness for any sign of the markings that would lead them to the gremlins.

The cold was a cruel enemy. Frost clung to the group's clothing, crunching with every movement. Thomrik's beard was tipped with ice, his broad shoulders hunched against the wind as he trudged forward near the back of the group. Hovan followed Raelyn, Benji stayed close behind , while Danio lingered between them, his hood pulled low, muttering curses into the wind.

Raelyn glanced down at Rakz, who pressed against her legs as though trying to draw warmth from her. His claws slipped on the icy ground, his small body struggling to keep pace. She felt her stomach tighten at the sight-Rakz had always been steady and sharp, but now his steps faltered, his usual vigor dulled by the unrelenting cold.

The wind's howl rose to a crescendo, almost like a wailing scream. Raelyn's teeth chattered uncontrollably, the cold gnawing at her fingers. Her boots, filled with snow, felt as though they were made of lead. Each step was a painful effort, the aching muscles in her legs screaming for relief. The frost clinging to her lashes made it hard to blink, and her vision blurred with every stinging gust of wind.

"Storm's getting worse!" Hovan shouted, his deep voice barely audible over the raging blizzard. He slowed his steps. "We can't stay out here much longer!"

Danio stumbled to a stop, his face pale beneath the snow covering his hood. "No kidding!" he yelled back, his words trembling as much as his body. "I take it back-I'd rather be in the tunnels than this frozen wasteland!"

Raelyn's lips were numb, but she forced them to move. "Zypher," she called out, her voice raw from the cold. "Have you seen anything yet?"

The gremlin's antennae twitched weakly, and he shook his head, his teeth chattering violently. "N-nothing!" he stammered, his voice muffled by the cloak wrapped around him. His eyes squinted through the lens, but the swirling snow made it nearly impossible to see.

Raelyn bit her lip. She glanced around at the others, their hunched forms trudging forward through the blinding snow. Every step seemed heavier than the last, and she could feel the fatigue pulling at them all. She was torn-pushing forward seemed futile, but retreating back to the cavern was a risk of its own. Her heart thudded painfully as she struggled with the decision.

"Maybe we should head back," she called out, her voice breaking through the wind. "Try again when the storm dies down."

Zypher looked up at her. "Blizzards," he chattered, his words almost drowned by the wind. "They never die. Not on Icevein Crest." His words hit her like a blow, her breath hitching in her throat.

"Wait, what?" Danio snapped, his voice rising as he turned to look at the gremlin. "What do you mean, they never die? You're saying this storm's never going to stop?"

Zypher didn't respond, instead burying his face into the folds of Raelyn's cloak as another gust of wind tore through them.

Raelyn's thoughts raced, her instincts screamed to turn back, to find the relative safety of the cavern and regroup, but was it even possible? She glanced toward the back of the group, where Thomrik trudged with heavy, deliberate steps. "We can't keep going like this!" she shouted to him. "We'll freeze if we stay out here!"

Thomrik paused, lifting his warhammer slightly to lean on it as he caught his breath. "We can't go back either," he said, his voice grim. He pointed behind them, where the snow had already erased their tracks. "Storm's covered our path. We won't find the cavern again in this mess."

"He's right." Hovan said. "If turn back and stray even a little, we'd be lost," he said.

Danio threw his hands up, his frustration boiling over. "You're saying we're stuck out here? That we're just supposed to wander around until we drop dead in the snow?"

Benji hesitated, glancing at Rakz and then at Raelyn. "What about Rakz?" he asked, his voice uncertain. "Maybe he could lead us back-use our scent to find the way?"

Hovan shook his head, his expression grim. "Not in this weather. The wind's too strong, and the snow's masking everything. He wouldn't find a thing."

The biting wind tore at Raelyn's resolve, the unforgiving blizzard erasing any hope she might have clung to. With every gust, she felt the chill seep deeper into her bones, an icy claw pressing against her chest. Her arms ached from carrying Zypher, her muscles screaming in protest, but the guilt gnawing at her was far worse than the cold.

She looked at her companions. Thomrik inched closer, his heavy steps leaving shallow impressions in the snow before the wind swallowed them whole. Benji's face was pale as he glanced around nervously, one hand resting on his sword. Hovan looked around, desperately looking for a solution. Even Danio, who usually carried himself with an air of careless confidence, was reduced to muttering curses under his breath, his arms wrapped tightly around himself as he stumbled through the snow. Zypher, shivering in her arms, was so pale she feared he was already partially frozen.

And then there was Rakz, usually so steadfast and energetic, but now struggling to keep up. It filled her with a pang of fear and shame. This was her doing-she had led them here, into this unrelenting storm, into danger.

Raelyn blinked against the stinging frost clinging to her lashes, her vision blurring as tears threatened to spill. "I'm sorry," she murmured, her voice barely audible over the howling wind. She tried again, louder this time, her voice cracking. "I'm sorry. I... I thought-"

She cut herself off, swallowing hard as a wave of guilt crashed over her. She couldn't even bring herself to meet their eyes, ashamed of the decision that had brought them here. Tears prickled at the corners of her eyes again, but the frost stung too much, and she blinked them away, the pain forcing her to focus.

Thomrik's voice cut through the chaos. "No need for that, lass," He adjusted his grip on his warhammer, the frost clinging to his beard in spires dangled in the wind. "You made the best choice you could with what we had. That's all anyone can do."

Raelyn turned her gaze to him, her throat tight. "But I-"

"You did what you thought was right," Thomrik interrupted firmly. "Second-guessing it now won't get us anywhere. What matters is what we do next." He gestured ahead, his thick finger pointing toward the blinding white expanse. "Our only option now is to keep moving. Find the entrance or a place to hide. That's the only way forward."

Raelyn nodded, though the weight on her chest didn't ease. She clenched her jaw, forcing herself to push the guilt aside. Thomrik was right-dwelling on her mistakes wouldn't help them now. They had to press on, no matter how much the storm fought against them.

"Yeah, let's keep moving," Danio's voice broke in. "Not like freezing to death is going to get us anywhere." He stumbled forward, his hood pulled low over his face, muttering as he trudged through the snow. "I can't feel my hands anymore. Gods, I can't feel anything. Is this what it's like to die?"

"Enough, Danio," Hovan barked, his voice carrying over the wind. "We're all cold. Complaining won't change that."

Danio glared at him, though his shivering made it hard to look intimidating. "Oh, forgive me for not being a stoic warrior in the face of an actual frozen death," he shot back, his teeth chattering. "I just don't want to end up like some popsicle they find decades from now!"

"None of us do," Benji said, his voice softer but no less firm. He glanced back at Danio. "And we won't if we keep moving. We've made it this far-we just have to push through."

"Push through," Danio repeated bitterly, his breath visible as he huffed. "Great plan. Real inspiring." He pulled his cloak tighter around himself and trudged forward, muttering under his breath.

Hovan glanced back at Raelyn, his expression softening slightly. "We'll make it," he said, his voice low but filled with quiet conviction. "One step at a time. We'll get there."

Benji's sudden shout shattered the tender moment. "I saw something move!" he yelled, his voice barely cutting through the wind's wail.

Raelyn's head snapped up, her heart skipping a beat. A flicker of hope surged within her, cutting through the relentless cold like a spark in the dark. "Where?" she called, clutching Zypher tighter against her chest as her eyes darted through the swirling snow. Could it be a gremlin? Maybe they had finally found them. Maybe this nightmare of endless snow and biting winds was about to end.

Her breath caught as she strained her eyes, trying to make sense of the storm-blurred shapes. If Benji had seen something, then perhaps their journey wasn't in vain.

But Benji's hesitant shake of his head sent that fragile hope crashing down again, deeper this time, leaving a hollow ache in its place. "It's... too big to be a gremlin," he said, his voice trembling with unease.

Raelyn's stomach twisted. Her heart sank further, weighed down by the grim realization that if whatever Benji had seen wasn't salvation-it might very well be danger. The cold seemed to press in tighter, harsher, as her mind raced through the possibilities. A predator? An opponent to face in these conditions? The thought made her legs feel weaker, her already trembling body shivering harder.

The spark of hope extinguished, replaced by a growing dread as she tried to steady her breathing. "Then... what is it?" she said, though part of her wasn't sure she wanted to know.

Thomrik hefted his warhammer, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the storm. "Ice mephits?" he muttered, his voice low but tense. "Came back for round two?"

Hovan drew his sword in a fluid motion, the blade catching the faint glow of Raelyn's locket in Zypher's trembling hands. "Stay close," he barked, his sharp gaze sweeping the area. Benji unsheathed his own sword, stepping closer to Raelyn as he gripped the hilt tightly. She could see the tremble in his sword despite the brave face he was putting up. A warm feeling fought the cold inside her body at the protectiveness of Benji.

The shadow appeared again, just on the edge of Raelyn's vision. It moved slowly, its form indistinct but unnervingly tall and thin. Her breath hitched as the figure drifted closer, its shape gradually becoming clearer. Her grip on Zypher tightened instinctively, her heart pounding as the snow seemed to part around the approaching figure.

It wasn't walking-its movements were far too smooth, as if it floated effortlessly through the storm. As it came closer, Raelyn's blood ran cold. The creature's body seemed to waver and shift, its edges indistinct and wreathed in a swirling mist that moved like smoke caught in an eternal current. Its elongated limbs ended in impossibly long, tapering fingers that looked more like claws. Its translucent form gave the impression of something not entirely solid, like a wisp of frozen air given shape.

When its face came into view, Raelyn's stomach churned. Its hollow eyes glowed with an eerie, pale light that pierced through the storm. Its mouth was frozen in a wide, silent scream, its gaping maw a void of unnerving stillness amidst the chaos. Long, flowing hair whipped around its head.

Raelyn couldn't tear her eyes away. The creature was mesmerizing in its horror, a thing of frost and shadow that didn't belong in the living world. Her breath came in shallow bursts, her body frozen in place.

Benji's voice trembled, barely above a whisper. "It's a banshee," he said, the words heavy with fear.

Hovan and Thomrik tensed, their weapons at the ready. Thomrik adjusted his stance, his warhammer poised for a strike. "I don't like this," he growled. "Not one bit."

The banshee floated closer, its glowing eyes fixed on them. It circled them slowly, its movement impossibly smooth, like it was gliding on an invisible current. Its open mouth seemed to stretch wider, as though it were preparing to unleash a scream that would shatter the storm itself.

"Hold!" Zypher's voice cut through the rising tension, sharp and commanding despite his trembling frame. "Don't attack!"

"Are you mad?" Thomrik's head whipped toward the gremlin, his expression incredulous. "Are you seeing this thing?"

"It won't hurt us unless we give it a reason," Zypher replied, his words coming fast. "Sheathe your weapons."

Hovan hesitated, his sword still raised. "You're certain about that?" he demanded, his voice hard.

"Yes!" Zypher insisted. "I told you, they don't harm the living unless provoked. Put them away, or you'll doom us all!"

Raelyn's pulse thundered in her ears as she watched the standoff, her breath catching when Hovan slowly lowered his sword. Thomrik hesitated a moment longer before letting out a frustrated growl and lowering his warhammer.

Benji, however, remained frozen, his sword trembling in his grip as his wide eyes remained locked on the banshee. "I... I can't," he stammered, his voice barely audible.

"Benji!" Hovan barked, snapping him out of his paralysis. "Sheathe it!"

With visible effort, Benji tore his gaze away from the banshee and lowered his sword, sliding it back into its scabbard with trembling hands. His breath came in ragged bursts, his face pale.

Raelyn's eyes flicked back to the banshee, her body tense as it continued to circle them. The creature's movements were slow, deliberate, as though it were studying them. Its glowing eyes seemed to burn into her, and she felt the weight of its gaze like a physical force. The banshee's hair flowed unnaturally, twisting and curling in ways that defied the storm.

Danio's voice was barely a whisper, tinged with panic. "What's it doing?" he asked, his eyes darting nervously between the banshee and the rest of the group.

"It's curious," Zypher replied, his voice tight but steady. "Just ignore it. Don't do anything to draw its attention."

Raelyn swallowed hard, her throat dry despite the cold. She forced herself to take a step forward, her legs trembling as she moved. The others followed hesitantly, their eyes never leaving the banshee. It floated alongside them for a moment, its glowing eyes fixed on Raelyn, before it began to drift away. Its translucent form faded slightly into the storm, but its eyes remained locked on them, unblinking, as its open mouth stretched wider.

The scream never came.