Frosthaven

The storm had eased slightly by morning, leaving a brittle, gray sky hanging over the snow-blanketed landscape. Elias pulled the furs tighter around himself, muscles stiff and protesting from the night spent barely surviving the blizzard. Each step down the narrow slope toward the valley sent a shiver through his spine, and he had to clench his teeth to keep from groaning with the pain in his legs.

Kael walked ahead with the sure-footed confidence of someone born in this frozen wilderness. “Keep your balance,” he said, glancing back. “One misstep and you’re history.”

“I… I’ll try,” Elias muttered, his voice hoarse, lungs burning with each breath. How did I even get here? He forced himself to focus on the ground in front of him, trying to ignore the gnawing unease in his chest. The snow felt alive, shifting unpredictably beneath his boots.

As they descended, the village of Frosthaven came into view—a scattering of wooden huts clinging to the slope like barnacles on a rock. Smoke spiraled lazily from chimneys, and the scent of burning wood mixed with the sharp tang of frozen air. The central square was little more than a flattened patch of ice and snow, crisscrossed with footprints and sled tracks.

Elias blinked against the wind, his eyes scanning the small settlement. “It… looks so quiet,” he murmured. Too quiet, maybe.

Kael’s voice was low but sharp. “Quiet is a kind of survival here. Every glance is measured, every word is weighed. Some of these people will help, some will ignore you… and some will hope you freeze.”

Elias swallowed hard. “And how am I supposed to know which is which?”

Kael’s smirk was faint, almost imperceptible beneath the hood. “You don’t. That’s part of living out here.”

A few huts away, a young woman emerged from a doorway. Her hair was pale, nearly white, whipping around her face in the cold wind. Her blue eyes were sharp, but cautious, watching Elias like he might vanish with the next gust.

“You… you’re not from around here, are you?” she asked, voice soft but carrying over the wind.

Elias hesitated, teeth chattering. “I… I don’t know. I… I can’t remember,” he admitted, voice barely audible.

Her eyebrows knit together. “You… really don’t?”

“I… no. I just… I’m trying to survive.” He wrapped the furs tighter around his shoulders, shivering.

The woman studied him for a long moment, then nodded slightly. “Name’s Lila. I can get you somewhere warm. You look like you’ve been through… a lot.”

Kael stepped aside, gesturing toward the path. “She’s right. Shelter first, questions later.”

They followed Lila down a narrow path between the huts. Snow crunched beneath their boots, echoing faintly across the village. Frosthaven wasn’t bustling; it felt wary, watchful. Every face that glanced their way seemed to measure them, judging whether they were a threat—or a burden.

As they reached a slightly larger building at the center, a combination of inn and supply shop, an older man stepped out, leaning heavily on a carved staff. His long white beard was dusted with snow, and his gray eyes were sharp, almost predatory.

“Who’s the boy, Lila?” the man asked, voice gravelly and commanding.

“I found him near the cliffs,” Lila replied quickly. “He was almost frozen to death.”

The old man’s eyes narrowed as they swept over Elias. “This town doesn’t take kindly to strangers wandering in from the blizzard. Name?”

“Elias… Elias Thorne,” he said softly.

The man grunted. “Keep your head down, Thorne. Frosthaven doesn’t suffer fools lightly. You’ll eat, warm up, and then decide whether you belong here—or not.”

Kael muttered under his breath as they stepped inside, “And some days, it won’t matter what you decide.”

The inn was warm, almost oppressively so after the storm outside. A fire crackled in the hearth, its orange glow bouncing off the wooden walls. The smell of wood smoke, dried meat, and salt filled Elias’s senses, making him realize how starved he had been for comfort.

A stout woman behind the counter looked up as they entered. Her red hair was tied back, and her sleeves rolled up to reveal strong, work-hardened arms.

“You two look like you wrestled the storm itself,” she said, voice warm but with a sharp edge. She set down a steaming mug of broth in front of Elias. “Name’s Mara. If you’re staying the night, you best behave—or you’ll find yourself on the wrong side of Garret’s temper.”

Elias accepted the mug with shaking hands, letting the warmth seep into him. “I… thank you,” he murmured, his voice cracking slightly.

Mara smirked faintly. “Don’t thank me yet. Night’s young, and Frosthaven likes to test strangers. Always does.”

Elias sank into a chair near the fire, staring into the dancing flames. Every flicker reminded him of the cold just beyond the door, the wind that could kill with a single gust. He shivered despite the warmth.

Then his gaze caught a subtle movement at the far window. A tall, dark figure stood at the edge of the snow outside, unmoving, black against the white.

“Kael…” Elias whispered, voice tight. “Did you see that?”

Kael’s eyes followed his, narrowing. “Relax. Storm plays tricks. Shadows lie. Doesn’t matter yet. You’re alive. That’s all that counts tonight.”

Elias gripped the mug tighter, heat spreading slowly through his frozen fingers. He tried to convince himself it was a trick of the light or wind, but deep down, he knew the shadow had intent. Watching. Waiting.

Something is out there… and it knows me, he thought, a chill crawling up his spine.

A faint whisper seemed to brush against the edge of his mind:

Elias…

He jerked back, swallowing hard. No… no, I’m not imagining it.

Kael grunted. “See? You’re alive. That’s all that matters tonight. Everything else… will come in time.”

Elias stared into the fire, letting the warmth crawl into his bones. And in that moment, despite fear and uncertainty, a single thought took root:

I will survive. Somehow.

Because this… this was only the beginning.