The Hanten leader loomed dangerously close, silent and cold as the mountain itself. Panic surged through Kimji’s chest.

“Somji!” he shouted, his voice torn away by the wind. But it was too late.

The leader's hand struck, shoving Somji off the icy ledge. Time slowed as Kimji watched her body twist and fall through the bitter air. His heart sank.

Somji’s consciousness had already faded, the brutal cold and relentless air pressure rendering her limp before she even began to fall. Desperation clawed at Kimji's chest—he had to do something. But how could he reach her in time?

Kimji made a split-second decision, releasing his grip on the jagged rock. He shifted his body weight to the right, angling himself toward Somji as she spiraled helplessly through the freezing air. The wind roared in his ears, icy tendrils clawing at his face. Desperately, he reached for her—fingers outstretched, heart pounding—but she slipped just beyond his grasp.

Gravity pulled them both into a chaotic free fall. Kimji twisted through the air, eyes locked on Somji. He tried once more to maneuver closer, but time ran out. The ground rushed toward them with terrifying speed.

BOOM.

The impact was sudden and brutal. Kimji and Somji slammed straight into the thick snow, sending up a cloud of white powder. Pain radiated through Kimji’s body as crimson stained the pristine landscape beneath them. The snow, though heavy and dense, had mercifully cushioned their fall, sparing them from a fatal fate.

Gasping for breath, Kimji groaned and turned his head. His limbs throbbed, and his vision blurred from the ache of small wounds across his body and head. Somji lay beside him, motionless but breathing. Blood seeped from both their injuries, vivid red against the pure white snow.

Far above on the mountainside, Nimji froze. His eyes widened in shock as he spotted the red trails spreading through the snow like ink. Without wasting a moment, he began climbing down, heart pounding with fear.

“K-k-KIMJI, SOMJI, WAKE—WA—WAKE UP, PLEASE, NO!” said Nimji, hugging Kimji and Somji.

He checked their pulses—they were still breathing. Nimji breathed a sigh of relief.

Gently, Nimji placed Kimji onto his back, and with careful focus, he held Somji in his arms. Her wings were twisted at odd angles—distorted but not broken.

He trudged through the snowy surroundings until he spotted a tree with enough cover to shield them from the harsh wind. He lowered them gently against the rough bark. Frantically, he rummaged inside his suit, hoping for supplies.

His heart sank when he realized the health potion wasn’t there—but a crumpled recipe page was tucked into his inner pocket.

“Great,” he muttered under his breath, “as if I have a brewing station right here.”

Still, Nimji refused to give up. He eyed the snowy surroundings, scanning for anything useful. Snow covered everything, suffocating most plant life. Yet fate was on his side—a bird's nest waddled on a high branch.

Without hesitation, Nimji climbed the tree, his fingers numb against the frozen bark. He lowered the nest and carefully carried it down.

Setting it beside Kimji and Somji, Nimji spotted a large leaf barely clinging to a nearby branch, trembling in the cold wind. He tore it off. The leaf was thick, its surface waxy despite the harsh weather.

He placed the leaf inside the bird's nest, making a makeshift base for the potion ingredients he hoped to gather. Survival was going to take every ounce of creativity and stamina he had.

Now came the hard part: gathering the potion ingredients.

He needed a fresh green leaf, herbs, freshwater, lavender, and dandelion.

Bad luck for Nimji—none of those things thrived in a frozen, icy environment. But maybe, just maybe, luck was on his side.

First, he searched for a water source—perhaps melted ice or flowing water. His eyes lit up when he spotted a distant lake. He sprinted toward it, but luck was testing his patience. A thick, icy layer covered the surface—stubborn.

He hopelessly smashed his fists against the ice, blood staining the transparent surface, but the ice didn’t budge.

Frustration overwhelmed him. Dropping to his knees, Nimji buried his head in his trembling palms, tears mixing with the cold bite of the wind.

Then he spotted a huge ice cluster. It seemed the ice had compacted together and it lay there like a half-completed snowman. He slid hurriedly over to it and picked it up with ease.

Hovering it over the lake, he dropped it—CRACK. The ice broke and sank into the lake. Nimji quickly filled his makeshift bird’s nest and sprinted back to Somji and Kimji.

He placed the nest down and realized that Somji and Kimji were—th-they WERE GONE.