Date: Day 2, Snowy Ridge Survival Trial
Location: Northern Frost Range – Temporary Shelter
---
They dropped us here with nothing but winter gear, rations, and bronze bells.
> "Survive one week. No mana fires. No divine artifacts. Work together, or freeze."
That was all Mireille said before leaving us in the snow.
But David… he left something else. A note in my coat.
> "Trust no one. Use this if they move."
It was a silver bell. Cold to the touch. Lighter than it should be.
> "If they move."
He didn't say who.
---
My team:
Leander: Swordsman, warmth like a bonfire, reckless but loyal.
Alice: Half-vampire, cold but dependable. She guards me like a silent knight.
Anna: Illusionist, loud laugh, louder magic — still smiles in snowfall.
Gideon: Our wall. Doesn't talk much, but never falls.
Lily: Moonlight in the blizzard. Soft voice, steady heart. She looks at me longer these days.
Riya: Fire dancer, bright even in whiteout. I think her laugh keeps us sane.
Yukari: Quiet, ever watchful. She's recovered… mostly. But I still see that shadow in her eyes.
Marin: A new sword. Trained, focused, doesn't talk much. She sharpens her blade even when we eat.
Selia: Wind mage. Observant, playful. She's the one who first spotted the frozen cave.
We've formed a camp near a ridge, using natural stone as windbreak.
First night, no one slept.
Second night, we slept in shifts.
Tonight, we heard something.
---
A sound in the trees.
Too heavy for a snow hare. Too soft for a bear.
Leander and Gideon took first watch.
When I woke up, I found Alice crouched outside the tent, staring into the trees. Her lips were pale. Not from the cold.
> "Something's watching," she whispered.
"Something that knows how to hide."
---
No monsters of note were meant to be here.
And yet… I heard a low whistle in the wind last night.
A mimic call.
It came from the west. From where Team B was supposed to camp.
But that wasn't the part that chilled me.
It was what came after.
A single bronze bell ringing.
Then nothing.
---
Tomorrow, I'll lead a small group to scout.
If it's nothing, we'll return with frostbite and bad jokes.
If it's not…
Well.
David gave me this bell for a reason.
---
> "If they move."
He meant mirror holders.
Or worse.
Maybe even the traitor.
---
And in this white silence, I've learned something new.
You don't need screams or swords to feel danger.
Sometimes, all it takes… is a bell.