"So, what brings you here?" Arashi asked as he slowly rose from his seat. He stepped forward with quiet resolve, approaching Joker, who stood in silence.
After days of sailing across the vast ocean, we were finally nearing our destination. The island—an unfamiliar land awaiting our arrival—began to reveal itself in the distance, veiled beneath a thick haze of dust and cloud. A sharp, frigid wind blew from the north, sweeping down from the Arctic and carrying a chill that pierced straight to the bone.
The moment the wind first brushed against my skin, the cold struck with merciless force. I shivered uncontrollably, forced to hunch over and shield my face with my hands against the biting gusts. The sensation was shocking—unyielding and brutal, especially for someone like me, unaccustomed to such extreme weather.
Some time later, the ship came to a halt.
We stood in line among the passengers, each descending one by one onto the frozen earth. When our turn came, and our feet touched the foreign soil, the cold deepened—more intense than I had imagined.
"We're in Iceland. The northern region," Carla said, her voice calm but edged with seriousness. "Unfortunately, it's much colder here than in other parts. Stay alert. Take care of yourselves."
"The air in northern Iceland is indeed sharper and more biting than the south or the western coast," Zeco replied, as if speaking from experience. "But why did we choose this route, Carla?"
Carla turned her head slightly, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "Oh? So you know a lot, do you? I have a plan. That's all."
"What exactly are you planning?" Charlotte chimed in, shivering as she rubbed her reddened hands together. "This cold… it's been slicing through me since we were still at sea."
"I can't feel my fingertips anymore... Ukhh..." I muttered, my voice trembling. My body quaked violently, as if time itself had frozen, replaced by the hiss of the wind and the creeping numbness taking over my senses.
"Hold on," Carla's voice came low, but firm. "This is the closest path to find that person."
"That person? Who do you mean?" I asked, my gaze narrowing, curiosity igniting like fire within me.
"Are you willing to do it for me?" Joker asked, his posture leaning forward, his tone inviting yet shrouded in mystery.
"What made him the chosen one over me? What does this all mean?!" Arashi demanded, his voice a mix of confusion and restrained fury.
"I don't know either," Joker replied with a crooked, knowing smile. "But one thing's for certain—come with me. Let's find out the truth... together."