The Return Of The Exiled Villain

”Phew...”

”Haaahh...”

Cold, foggy breath slipped from their lips as they started moving, each step sinking into the snow.

The wind pushed at them, biting through their clothes and making their bodies tremble nonstop.

None of them had reached the Master realm, so they couldn’t exactly create a force field to protect themselves from the cold.

”C-cold!” Lyra suddenly threw her arms around Gray’s waist and shoved her hands into the pockets of his jeans as if her life depended on it.

”H-Hey—!” Gray flinched.

”F-fucking hell...”

He looked around frantically, searching for anything: a cave, a wall of rocks, even a fallen tree.... anything that could block the wind for even a second...

”Selina, can’t you make warm water for us?” Gray asked through chattering teeth.

Selina turned toward him; her lips were pale and cracked.

”I can try... but if our clothes get wet, we’ll freeze even faster.”

”Then we should find a cave,” Selene said, her arms wrapped tight around herself.

The group nodded until Gray suddenly stopped walking.

A few meters away, a creature trudged through the snow.

It looked like a polar bear at first... but its fur was streaked with gray shadows, long bone-like spikes jutted from its back, and its eyes glowed a deep, unnatural purple.

A dark, heavy aura rolled off its body like poison fog.

Gray’s eyes sharpened.

”We can get warmth from the corpse.”

Before anyone could speak, he tore himself out of Lyra’s hold and sprinted forward, snow exploding under each step.

”G-Gray?!” Lyra cried out.

”Where are you going?!” Selina shouted, panicked.

Gray didn’t answer as he rushed towards the creature.

He flicked his fingers.

Fwhip!

Fwhip!

Thin silver strings shot out, cutting through the air toward the creature’s neck and legs.

”GRRUAAHH!”

The beast roared and swung its massive paw, claws slicing through the air.

CLANG!

The paw smashed against the tightened strings, causing sparks to spread around.

The cold slowed the threads, making them stiff, almost dull.

Gray gritted his teeth.

’Tsk... I can’t cut it cleanly.’

The creature lunged forward and slammed its shoulder into him.

BOOM!

Gray was forced back, snow exploding around him. He slid across the ice, boots scraping, breath knocked out of his lungs.

”Gray!” Lyra screamed behind him.

He ignored it and instead twisted his wrist sharply.

SNAP!

More threads shot out, wrapping around the beast’s front leg.

He yanked hard.

THUD!

The creature stumbled and punched the ground with its massive paw to steady itself.

Seeing this, Gray took the opportunity and rushed in.

He leapt, spun, and kicked the beast right across the jaw, sending a spray of ice and spit into the wind.

The bear roared and swung its other paw straight at his head.

WHOOSH!

Gray ducked, slid under it, and sent a web of threads up its stomach, trying to slice the softer parts.

But the cold made everything sluggish, every move slower than it should’ve been.

”Damn it—!”

The creature reared up on its hind legs, shadow spikes rattling on its back, and slammed both paws down.

BOOOOM!

The impact sent a shockwave of snow outward, nearly burying Gray as he rolled to the side.

”Dammit!”

Gray steadied himself, breath shaking in the frigid air. The creature roared again, lowering its spiked head and charging straight at him.

CRRUUUMPH!

Snow blasted outward as it sprinted.

Gray raised his hand, but before he could move, a flash of gold tore across the mountain peak.

KRAK-THOOOM!

Lightning snapped through the air like a whip, bright enough to blind him for a heartbeat.

”STAY AWAY FROM HIM!”

Lyra’s voice cut through the storm.

Golden lightning wrapped around her arms, her hair lifting slightly from the static. Her eyes glowed the same burning gold as she skidded past Gray, planting her feet in the snow.

The beast turned too slowly.

Lyra clenched her fists.

BZZZZZT—KRAKAAAAM!

A bolt of golden lightning shot forward and struck the creature’s chest, blasting straight through the thick fur and into its heart.

The monster jerked, spasming violently as the electricity tore through its body.

GRAUUUHHH!!

It staggered, smoke rising from its fur....

THUUMPH.

Then collapsed into the snow with a deep, heavy thud.

Lyra didn’t even look at the corpse.

She spun around, her boots slipping on the ice as she rushed straight toward Gray.

”Gray!” Her voice cracked, half in panic, half in anger, half in relief; she didn’t even care how messy it sounded.

She dropped to her knees in front of him and grabbed his face with trembling hands. ”Are you hurt?! Why did you run off like that?!”

Her fingers were shaking, still sparking with leftover electricity, but she held him tightly as if afraid he would crumble right there in the snow.

Her breath came out in white clouds.

”Don’t scare me like that...” she whispered, pulling him into her arms, the cold and the lightning mixing in a strange warmth only she could make.

”Fuu... don’t worry,” Gray replied dryly.

Selina and Selene hurried through the deep snow, slipping and stumbling their way toward the two of them.

Selina let out a long breath.

”Damn... you two scared the hell out of us.”

”Next time, warn us before you run at a giant monster.” Selene crossed her arms, looking at Gray with an annoyed expression.

Gray exhaled slowly and pushed himself up to his feet. Lyra stayed close, still holding his sleeve like she refused to let go.

He walked toward the creature’s steaming corpse and pulled out his rapier. The metal gleamed faintly in the cold air as he crouched down.

”Let’s get the fur off. We need the heat.”

He slid the blade under the thick hide and began cutting.

Shrrk... shrrrk...

The rapier sliced through the warm flesh with slow, controlled motions.

”I’ll pull when you’re ready.” Selene knelt on the other side, gripping the edge firmly.

Selina moved beside Gray.

”I’ll help here—Lyra, take that side!”

Lyra wiped her nose with the back of her hand and gave a sharp nod.

”O-okay!”

Together, the three girls held the fur steady while Gray worked the blade around the creature’s torso.

Steam rose with every cut as heat poured out like breath from a furnace.

With one final slice...

RIPPP!

The whole piece of fur came loose, heavy and warm.

Gray stood up and handed it to Selina.

”Clean it.”

”Got it.” Selina placed her hands over the fur.

”Water cleanse.”

A soft glow appeared, and a thin sheet of water swept across the fur, instantly clearing the blood and impurities, but evaporating before it soaked in.

It was a basic utility spell, one that didn’t leave anything wet.

”There. No drying needed,” Selina smiled proudly.

Gray took one of the warm pieces and wrapped it around his shoulders. Heat hit him instantly, sinking into his skin like the sweetest relief.

Selene grabbed her share and instantly melted away.

”Oh... gods, this feels like heaven.”

”I can actually feel my body again!” Lyra wrapped herself in hers and let out a tiny moan of relief.

”I’m never taking this off. Ever.” Selina hugged her piece tightly.

Gray let out a slow breath, steam rolling from his mouth as the warmth finally spread through his chest and arms.

”...Good,” he murmured.

”Now we won’t freeze to death.”

Gray tightened the warm fur around his shoulders and scanned the area.

The snow around them stretched into a dense white forest with trees coated in snow, branches heavy, and the wind still cutting through the gaps like a blade.

There were no monsters nearby.

No movement... nothing but the sound of the storm.

Then, Gray motioned over to them.

”We need food,” he said quietly.

”And wood. Lyra can make fire with her lightning, but...” He looked up at the swaying treetops as a harsh gust slammed into them. ”...if the wind keeps hitting like this, it’ll blow the fire out instantly.”

Selene nodded at his words, pulling her fur tighter.

”So we need shelter first. Somewhere the wind can’t reach us.”

”A cave would be perfect. Or at least a wall of rocks. Anything that blocks one side.” Selina raised a hand.

Lyra stepped closer to Gray’s arm, still warming her hands inside his pocket. ”I can search ahead with lightning sparks... but I don’t want to get too far from you.”

”No splitting up. Not in a place like this.” Gray sighed softly.

Selene pointed toward a slope between the trees. ”There might be natural dips or hidden cliffs that can block the wind. We just need to look.”

”Worst case, we dig a hole and shove ourselves inside,” Selina smirked a little.

”I’d rather we don’t bury ourselves alive,” Lyra shook her head instantly.

Gray nodded once.

”Alright. We look for shelter first. Wood and food after.”

The three girls exchanged determined looks.

”Then let’s start before we freeze to death!”

Selena uttered as she cracked her fingers.

And so, the four of them pushed deeper into the snowy forest in search of a place the brutal wind couldn’t reach.

By now... they weren’t thinking of clearing the dungeon since it was too fucking cold for them to be able to do anything.

For now, they simply decided to find shelter and then decide their plans.