“Ughhhh my feet are killing me!” I groan miserably. “We’ve been walking through this stupid forest forever!” The cold fog surrounding every tree, following us with every step really slows us down, all I can see are the outlines of the tall pines surrounding us, a small theian goat trail lies underfoot, it’s the only thing telling us which way to go. Simon’s hand is cold in mine, he pulls me along the frozen trail and of course, he can see, his stupid ice powers just guiding him through the stupid storm to the stupid Null.

     “Come on we have to hurry if we want to get to the Null before the soldiers do!” Simon yells grabbing my hand tighter. His cold hand latches to my skin like frostbite. I rip my hand away.

     “What even is a Null? I'm hungry! Why are we going there instead of hiding?! This is so stupid!” I can’t see him but I hear him fall to his knees. “Simon?” I feel around for his corpse, my hands are cold and numb and I can’t feel much but I find the shape of his body buried in the snow. “Hey wh-” I’m cut off by his sobs, a horrible guttural sound filled with so much sadness. I sit motionlessly, his cries echo throughout the forest. The fog surrounding us slowly seems to crawl away to the shadows of the trees. Simon lies in the snow. His face is blue, he shivers as if affected by the cold. Tears slowly make their way down his cheeks, he mutters incoherently, his eyes are bloodshot, tears just keep flowing, in a never-ending river.

     “I-i don’t wanna die, I don’t wanna die, I don’t wan-” His cries are cut short, cut short by an arrow, landing in the snow by his head. I turn towards the source. A figure, standing at the edge of the tree line. A bow sits eye level, an arrow notched against the taut wire, Simon breathes heavily.

     They missed once but they aren’t gonna make the same mistake twice. The stranger releases the arrow, it whistles through the air as it flies towards me. Simon’s breathing fades out. I should probably dodge… my body won’t move. My joints lock, all I can do is stare as the arrow grows ever closer.

     It’s crazy how such a small thing can cause such damage, elegant and smooth, designed to fly through the air, to immobilize and takedown.

     You know how they say your life flashes before your eyes when you’re about to die? Well, that is the biggest lie ever. There were no old memories, no happiness, or nostalgia, just a cold glassy fear, a pain that grows worse and worse by the second. A fear that paralyzes and eats away at your very soul.

     I muster up my strength and close my eyes. I'm ready but then I hear Simon scream.

     I feel no pain, In fact, I don’t even feel the arrow strike me. I feel nothing but an icy breeze. I slowly open my eyes. Suspended in the air, held in place by an icy pole, is the arrow, frozen. I sigh and collapse into the snow.