The Winter Whale's Domain
While pushing through the fierce blizzard, we came upon a small cave. It seemed abandoned—no other monsters had claimed it as a den—so it became our base camp without a second thought.
“It’s coming down harder and harder.”
Celion spoke while we unpacked and set up the tents, her gaze fixed on the world beyond the cave mouth.
She was right. With every passing minute the storm grew fiercer. The wind cut like a blade, sharp and merciless, and the swirling white flakes thickened until we could barely see a few paces ahead.
“Get some rest until the snow lets up.”
There was no sign the gale would ease anytime soon. Everyone understood we would be stuck here for at least a few hours.
The adventurers began shedding their gear and settling into more comfortable positions. Some layered on thicker clothes against the cold; others boiled water and steeped tea to warm themselves from the inside.
“Ceris?”
“Ah—yes.”
I had been staring blankly outside when Celion approached. Steam curled from the cups she held in both hands.
“Aren’t you cold?”
At her question I glanced around. Everyone else was bundled up against the chill—even Celion herself.
“I’m fine. I’ve always been pretty resistant to the cold.”
“You’ll catch a cold like that.”
She sat beside me and held out one of the cups. Inside, soup bubbled gently, still piping hot.
“Thank you.”
The blizzard that had seemed endless finally began to lose its fury as late evening settled in.
Darkness draped itself over the pure-white snowfield, yet Celion started strapping on her equipment. Watching her, I asked,
“You’re heading out now? This late?”
“Who knows when the snow will start again? I want to gather as much information as I can while we still can move.”
“Hmm…”
At her answer the others, reading the room, began awkwardly pulling their gear back on. Celion shook her head.
“I’m not forcing anyone. No need to follow if you don’t want to. I wasn’t planning to go far anyway.”
Still, no one volunteered to stay behind and rest. Temporary or not, when the team leader herself was going out to scout, what teammate would have the nerve to lounge around?
I started gathering my things as well.
“Haa…”
When everyone moved to prepare, Celion let out a small sigh and called out several names herself. Mine was among them.
“All right—everyone I just named, the rest of you stay put and rest. We’re not going far, so this many is enough.”
Since she said we wouldn’t travel far, there was no need to take Nightmare. I stroked the head of the horse lying on the floor, then rose to my feet.
“Be good, okay?”
A soft snort answered me.
Five of us would venture onto the snowfield at this late hour. Celion checked each of the members she had chosen, then smiled in satisfaction and stepped out of the cave.
Crunch—
The moment we emerged, a world of pure white unfolded before us. A gentle wind carried tiny snowflakes past our faces, and every so often a monster’s distant cry scattered into the white silence.
“It really piled up—!”
I was looking around, mid-sentence, when my outstretched leg suddenly sank. Half my body vanished beneath the snow.
Frowning, I glanced about. Celion and the other members were staring at me, blank-faced.
Crunch—
I shifted the buried leg and felt solid ground beneath. Plowing through the drifts, I made my way toward Celion—only for my leg to plunge again, burying me once more.
Being half-submerged in snow was no real problem for me. What bothered me were the looks I was getting.
Why was every single one of them wearing an expression that said they were fighting back laughter? Even Celion.
“Uh… Ceris?”
“Yes.”
“Can you move?”
“….”
Instead of answering I simply walked forward to prove I could. Once again my leg sank—deeper this time.
“I can move just fine.”
“I see.”
Saying that with only my head sticking out of the snow must have looked ridiculous. A few of the members turned away, shoulders shaking as they avoided my eyes.
I scowled. At this rate my image would sink straight into the ground—just like me in the snow.
In the end I had no choice but to call for Nightmare.
“Nightmare!”
He responded instantly. Before the word had fully left my mouth he squeezed through the narrow cave entrance and came bounding toward me, prancing like an excited puppy.
A soft snort.
He stopped in front of me, studied me for a moment, then gently took the scruff of my neck in his teeth and lifted me free of the snow.
Riding him would spare me any more of these undignified sinkings. I brushed the snow from my clothes and swung up onto his back.
“Shall we get going, then?”
The start had been delayed a little, but Celion quickly recovered and led the group forward. The snow was so deep we couldn’t see the ground beneath, so we moved with careful steps.
Suddenly a cold wind swept down from above. It skimmed the snow-covered plain, sending white flurries dancing like pale waves.
The direction of the wind was wrong. As far as I knew, natural wind never flowed from high to low like that.
I wasn’t the only one who noticed. One by one the others began scanning the sky.
“That’s…”
Someone’s murmur drifted away on the air.
Frowning, I studied the thing fluttering high overhead. Whatever it was, it had something spread wide on either side that flapped—wings, probably—but it was still too distant to make out clearly.
The wind grew stronger by the second. And the flying shape grew larger.
“A bird…?”
Screeeech!
A piercing cry split the sky. Only then did I realize it was no ordinary bird.
It came swimming through the black heavens—a great blue bird. Long ornamental plumes trailed from the back of its head, their tips glittering like ice, and two pairs of wings beat in alternating rhythm, summoning freezing gales with every stroke.
“Everyone, scatter—!”
Celion’s warning had barely left her lips before the party scattered in every direction. I yanked Nightmare’s reins as well.
In that same instant the enormous bird plummeted and slammed into the earth.
BOOM—!
The ground shuddered as if struck by an earthquake. Snow exploded upward on all sides, turning the world into a white haze.
From within that swirling storm came a monster’s cry—and a human scream.
Screee!
“Uwaaagh!”
It was the signal that the hunt had succeeded. The giant bird began beating its massive wings as though its business here was finished. The wind pressure from those four wings was strong enough to hurl everything nearby into the air.
Whoooosh!
The gale nearly lifted me off my feet, but it also swept the snow-cloud away, clearing our view once more.
Screee!
The moment the bird’s form was fully revealed, it soared skyward. Dangling from one enormous talon, a nameless party member hung limp, swinging like a rag doll.
My hesitation lasted less than a heartbeat. I hauled on Nightmare’s reins and charged straight at the giant bird.
The landscape stretched into long streaks. Wind sliced across my cheeks like knives. Nightmare’s speed had long since outstripped the wind itself.
Closing the distance, I drew my sword from my back and swung in a single fluid motion—but the blade found only empty air. Nightmare veered sharply and leapt skyward.
In that instant a pure-white crystal foothold materialized beneath him. Nightmare could kick off the empty air five times in total. We had five steps to catch the bird.
Clack—! Clack—!
Each time his crystal hooves struck the void, the gap between us and the giant bird shrank dramatically.
Clack—!
After the third step Nightmare drew level. He didn’t stop there—he landed squarely on the bird’s broad back.
Thud—!
Screeeeech!
Startled by the sudden passenger, the bird began thrashing wildly. Its four great wings flailed through the air, whipping up a violent storm.
Crack—!
Yet Nightmare held fast. He drove his crystal legs down hard, embedding the crystalline spikes deep into the bird’s body to anchor himself.
I immediately lashed a rope between Nightmare and myself, then dropped over the side—heading for the party member still clutched in the bird’s talons.
The bird twisted endlessly, trying to shake the horse from its back. The motion flung me about like a leaf in a gale.
“Khrrgh!”
Gritting my teeth, I swung my sword at empty air. The wild pitching made me miss several times, but at last the keen edge bit halfway through the bird’s leg.
Crunch—!
Screee!
Scarlet blood sprayed into the sky as the limp man tumbled free. I lunged for him, but my short arms couldn’t reach.
Frowning, I hauled myself back up the rope to Nightmare. The rescue was done; now it was our turn to escape.
I swung onto Nightmare’s back and looked down. The ground was already terrifyingly far below. The bird continued thrashing and climbing higher still. At this rate we would punch through the clouds and into the upper atmosphere.
Without hesitation I swung my blade at one of the massive wings.
Slash—!
The entire right pair of wings sheared away. Stripped of flight, the bird began to plummet at once.
Screeeeech!
Its cry scattered emptily across the heavens. Falling with it, I waited for the right moment, then yanked Nightmare’s reins.
Crack—!
The crystal spikes binding Nightmare to the bird shattered. White crystalline dust filled my vision for an instant as Nightmare kicked off the air and dove downward.
Clack—!
Clack—!
I was about to cast a spell to slow our descent when a sharp instinct screamed danger. I snapped my gaze around—and saw vast mana gathering in the beak of the falling blue bird.
“Oh no…!”
Even wingless, the bird was staring straight at Nightmare and me.
I instantly flooded my entire body with mana and wove a thin barrier. The sudden surge of power made the faint outlines of dragon features flicker across my skin—just as the bird’s beak opened and a blue beam lanced forth.
KRAAAAAA—!