Chapter 30: A meeting on the snowy cold

"Darn it, what the hell was that?" he muttered, huddling against the cold. He lacked any gear for this, not even appropriate clothing, and that could spell his demise at any moment.

Snowflakes fell at speeds his eyes could barely keep up with. Every second was crucial, and he needed shelter as soon as possible.

With visibility reduced and the temperature dropping steadily, he was starting to grow worried.

"Darn it... cursed mountain, cursed weather!" He inwardly roared, afraid of triggering an avalanche if he spoke too loudly. He didn't know where he was, or how he could survive, but he already had in mind what needed to be done in this situation.

"First, I need to find shelter; then, get warm... Darn it, why did everything have to get so complicated?"

His mind was disturbed, and that wasn't good. In a situation like this, calm and caution were necessary, but Strax... he wasn't in a situation where he could have control, and that made him uncomfortable.

Moreover...

"Samira and Jason vanished suddenly. I need to find either of them, and it doesn't make sense... how did I lose track of them so quickly?"

Strax had a lot to ponder, especially about what had happened. After all, this snowstorm was anything but normal; in fact, it could even be part of the hunters' plan. What bothered Strax was something else...

"They didn't have a proclaimed leader..." He muttered, reanalyzing the whole situation.

"They had wolves, warriors, a mage, and an archer. That alone is strange... how does someone bring only a mana cultivator to an ambush? No, worse than that, how was there no one giving orders among them?" There were several silly questions, but they pushed away his negative thoughts about his potential death...

"[The hidden mission is still active]"

He read quickly. "Tsk, I already know, stupid system," he said. He didn't care if there was still a mission; he wanted to survive.

"I have no choice," he thought and began to walk through the blizzard.

The snowstorm had worsened with time, as if the very bowels of the mountain were determined to expel any intruder. The disturbing cold was already starting to affect Strax; he was already frail and at the mercy of the storm. Any enemy now could kill him; it was a fight for his survival.

"Darn it, what the hell is this?" He muttered, his voice lost in the storm roaring around him. The biting cold burned his exposed skin, the lack of preparation for the journey proving to be a mistake, but who could have imagined that all of a sudden he would be caught in a snowstorm? Or better yet, how was a snowstorm happening at the beginning of winter? During the changing of seasons? It didn't make sense!

Not even his garments were enough to protect him from the mountain's fury. Snowflakes fell like sharp daggers. Strax struggled to keep his eyes open, his vision blurred by the snow accumulating on his lashes. Each passing second was precious; he needed a place to shelter.

"First, find shelter," he thought, forcing his legs to keep moving through the deep snow. "Then, find a way to warm up..." His mind spun in circles, each thought a spiral; he was already repeating his phrases to stay firm and not falter.

After hours of walking — yes, he had been walking for about two hours in the snow while keeping himself steady to avoid death — he was already in a deplorable state. But fortunately, a glimmer of hope arose when his eyes finally spotted an indistinct shape in the distance: a kind of rocky mountain with a wide opening.

Strax quickened his pace as soon as he saw something that wasn't fog or snow. His steps sank into the soft snow with each advance, his breath ragged and cold. With a sigh of relief, he finally managed to spot a small crack, an entrance to a cave.

He looked around before entering, searching for any sign of life or any aspect that indicated that someone had been there. Unfortunately, nothing could be seen.

As he passed through the small entrance, he was met with deep darkness, nothing but pure darkness. But he couldn't complain; it wasn't the most comfortable place to spend the night, but it was better than nothing. Strax frantically searched for any sign of dry wood or materials to make a fire, but the cave was empty.

"It's okay," he murmured to himself, trying to stay calm despite the growing sense of despair. "I can do this."

He thought as he tried to bundle up in his own clothes, sitting in a place where the wind didn't hit him.

"I will survive this," he said aloud, the words sounding like a promise to himself and to the relentless universe around him. "I have to survive. I will kill those idiots when this is over." With a burning rage in his chest, Strax waited, knowing that the only way to beat the storm was to face it with courage and perseverance.

Hours passed.

As Strax sheltered under the rocky overhang, seeking refuge from the furious storm raging outside, a indistinct figure emerged from the snowstorm.

A woman, wrapped in a heavy cloak and with her face partially concealed by the hood, only letting strands of her orange hair peek through it, slowly made her way towards the makeshift entrance of the cave.

Strax quickly sensed the woman's presence and looked alert, but when he saw her expression, he couldn't help but feel relieved.

He could see the exhaustion in her eyes, but also the determination burning in her gaze.

Her arm, completely injured, her cloak slightly reddened by blood, and her eyes sharp with anger: she was familiar, of course.

"And to think I would find you just now," she said, her voice echoing in the cave entrance, falling into the darkness. Strax saw that scene and couldn't help but wonder 'What happened to you?'

But it wasn't time for that; now... Samira needed help. She took a few steps forward and almost fell to the ground; fortunately, Strax managed to catch her. He reached out in a gesture of solidarity and questioned, "Need help?"

The proud woman swallowed her pride and nodded, allowing Strax to hold her and sit her down on the ground, leaning her back against the wall beside him.

He saw the battle marks, but couldn't question now. When he saw the tired face of the woman, she had already fallen asleep.