Howling breeze of the subzero blizzard, even colder, way colder if compared to the South. Trailing along the thick piled snow, their footsteps are what's left behind. What escapes from their mouths are breaths of their chill.
"Why did I even agree to come with you?" the trembling Yujin could only regret what she'd decided on. Even despite her spirituality being a half-wolf, still it wasn't enough to shiver away the cold. And to add how many layers of coat she had worn, it wasn't of any help at all. She couldn't even breath properly without her lips quivering. She couldn't see well, all because the snowstorm blurs her sight. But she's absolutely certain that the dark figure just before her is Nako.
She blames Nako for this, absolutely.
Nako in front meanwhile remained unbothered. There was a reason she remained unfazed of the cold. Sensing Yujin's difficulty, she rolled her eyes and faced her. "I never forced you to come along, did I?"
"Y-You persuaded me to!"
"Rather you persuaded yourself to come," Nako rolled her eyed again, "remind me, who basically begged to tag along?" She turned her back and continued to walk.
"Is it still far?? We've been walking for weeks!" Yujin has to shout that out loud just to make sure Nako could hear knowing the blow of the wind can cover their hearing.
"6 days, Yujin. Isn't a week yet."
"Yet! Yet— but I'm dying!"
"Don't worry. If ever you die, I'll just carry you back for a proper burial."
"Nako-chan!"
"Kindly stop barking for a second." Nako literally shut Yujin's lips with her fingers just so she could be quiet. Then with her free hand she pointed forwards, "see that?"
Yujin raised her head, squinting her eyes to give herself a clearer vision. "A wall?" A wall of solid frost indeed was what she saw. It even reflects a hue of azure that led her to conclude it was purely made of ice. She looks above to see how tall it was, only to gulp seeing how it seems almost endless. How colder could it be inside? Such thought only gave her nightmare, and so she chuckles full of fear. "C-Can I go home now? I forgot to cook my dog dinner."
"You're the dog in your household, Yujin. Not to mention you can't even cook." Nako lets go of Yujin and proceeds to walk near the the wall. "There's a crack. We can enter from here."
"Ain't no way!" Yujin attempted on running away, but Nako had already grabbed a hold of her collar and dragged her inside. "Nako-chan!!" She can only shout helplessly. "I'm not ready to die yet! I can't die here! God I haven't even bid goodbye to our friends! I still want to see Gel and Eunchae grow up— woah.." she stopped persisting when a sudden warmth embedded her. She blinks, only then she got to see what they've gotten into.
A cave full of ice and snow. Inside is indeed warmer, protected fully from the snowstorm. After all, it was the only hindrance of their journey in the open. There were glowing ice crystals poked out from side to side, even some hangs from above. There no sight of anything that isn't made out of ice, except the ground which obviously was hardened soil. It was buried with few snow, but the brown of the ground couldn't be unnoticeable. And the atmosphere was purely warm — not as warm as the grasslands — but still warm enough compared from earlier. The only light they had were the glowing crystals and the torches which they had just scorched alight.
They continued their walk with Nako leading the way. Yujin was still amazed that you can see sparkles in her eyes. She continues exploring her eyes around with her jaw hanged open in awe. "Wow," she couldn't stop uttering. "Wow."
"Could you shut up for fuck's sake." Irritated, Nako clicked her tongue.
"So," Yujin excitedly jogged forward to catch up with Nako. "What are we searching for?"
"Expectedly... you weren't listening."
"I did! I just forgot— you know! The snow outside was sooooo cold it almost ripped off my brain!"
"You have no brain."
Yujin forced a smile for herself. Be calm, Yujin. She's Nako, you'll die if you hit her. She shrugged off those thought, accepting her fate. "So... will you tell me or not?"
Nako paused for a while, bringing herself to the lane of her memories. "Mama.." an image of Sakura appeared behind her closed eyes.
Yujin had to pause as well, falling confused by Nako's sudden call of Sakura. She looks around starting to feel cautious. "Y-You're.. not saying she's somewhere here as a ghost, right?" Hearing no response, Yujin gulped. "R-Right?"
"Yujin."
And the younger froze by the sudden drop of Nako's voice. "H-Hey, don't kid around like that." Goosebumps grows all over her skin seeing Nako never moved an inch. Frightened, Yujin starts to scan around hoping she wouldn't see anything paranormal.
"Let me tell you a story."
"Hey! Hey.. nuh-uh! No, no. Na na na. Stop it." Yujin frantically goes to Nako, shaking her shoulder hoping she'd snap back to her mind. But it wasn't of any use at all. Nako is in her right mind. There's no hint of kid in her eyes. "Stop it— hey!"
Yujin froze once again upon the sudden tension— perhaps only she herself felt.
"What's making you so frightened?"
"I'm not a scared or anything! It's just—" Yujin quivers by the sudden gust of the wind. She rubs her arms to shiver away the cold. "C-cold.. perhaps."
Nako only shakes her head as she sighs. Yujin's absolutely hopeless. A part of her regrets she brought Yujin along when she could've chose to be accompanied by someone less annoying. But after all, they're here now so Nako proceeds to walk, letting Yujin follow her track.
"Do you remember I once told I had a younger sister?"
"Huh? You do?" Yujin looks up, her finger tapping her chin trying to remember. She only brightens up when her mind finally clicked a memory, "oh right! Is it the same sister you said was beheaded by humans—oh shit I'm sorry." She immediately closed her hands realizing what she said.
Nako chuckles bitterly. "She's resting peacefully now you don't have to worry. I pertain, my other sister."
"How many sisters do you have, exactly?"
"Only one biological sister. Both me and Hitomi were taken by Sakura, all of you already known. That foster mother of mine... well in fact, there was a third sister. Hitomi and I weren't the only ones she raised."
"Huh?? What?? Don't tell me there's actually a third hot-headed Sakura's child?!"
"Do you want me to bury you alive?"
"Nah I'm kidding! Kidding," Yujin laughs nervously as she hovered her arm over Nako's shoulder, leading her to continue their walk.
Nako irritatedly flicked Yujin's arm off. "Indeed, there's was a third. Sakura's youngest foster child. But.. the dangers of the second war led Mother to seal her hidden."
"The second war, huh?"
"The humans were in greed, hunting all those who possess godly powers. Yena with her eyes, Hitomi, the Goddess' children Wonyoung and Chaeyeon... and my sister who happens to have one."
There was a brief pause. Yujin had to check, worried for Nako. Even she herself have fallen in grief by the mention of the devastation the war brought years ago.
"So.. where is she now?"
"We're close."
They continued their walk, going further in the cave Yujin deemed as something creepier than any dark. The further they're in, the less glowing crystals there are thus it's getting darker and darker every steps, until such time comes that there were no more light at all. But there was a gate of hope. At the end of the cave, they can see a dot of faint light. Nako wasn't fazed by it, but Yujin seems to be the most excited one. Until they finally reached the end.
Yujin had to cover her eyes from the blinding light. The blow of the freezing wind slams her body for once again, almost gotten blown by it. She can hear the howl of the blizzard loud and clear, as if its the only thing that resounds.
Such pressure in the atmosphere almost completely covered the horrifying flow of mana that embedded the whole place. Yujin hardly sensed it, but it was there. It even starts absorbing Yujin's mana, but thankfully she manage to lock her own energy gate.
While the older smiled, a relieved one that plasters her lips. She raised her wings open in delight as she faces Yujin. "Open your eyes Yujin and see for yourself. My youngest sister," she points her hand forwards, "after all these years. I finally found you."
———
"Would you believe if I'd say there's one more person related to Sakura?" Hyewon couldn't contain saying her thoughts while staring at Sakura's statue. It's been days but she still hasn't left the Central. There is something she needs to confirm.
"I had a thought." Chaewon replies in which made Hyewon look at her direction.
If any of them were to find out the whole mystery of Sakura's relative whoever this person may be, the smartest one to figure this out would be Hyewon of course. Chaewon isn't that far behind her. Well, if it's all about gossiping-skills then it'd be Yuri.
But only one for certain has the answer for all their questions. "Nako." They said at the same time. Definitely, Nako's the closest one to Sakura. She would definitely know.
"Perhaps it's safe to say this closely relates as to why she became a traveler after the war." Chaewon says, responded by Hyewon's nod.
Hyewon lowers her head as she chuckles. "Damn that old hag, keeping all these secrets even after she passed." But then, a sudden realization hits. She flashed her eyes glaring at the statue before her. Sakura's statue. "Our world has been peaceful after we conquered the war. Chaewon, have you ever wondered why Sakura has the need to go?
Chaewon fell in confusion. But having to come to such thoughts, tho difficult to decipher it indeed makes sense. "You're trying to say is that.. what Sakura did has a prize?"
"The prize to the cost. Turning herself into a tiny feather to glide along the breeze, to lead those who try to find the swan." Hyewon turns to face Chaewon. What greets her was the same thoughts behind her expressions. "Should I go assist Nako and Yujin?"
Chaewon bursts a chuckle. "Should you tho?" Chaewon touches her chest, and smiles upon feeling the stable beating of her heart. "Whenever catastrophe are about to happen, I always get nervous without me knowing why. But right now, thinking about them venturing the icelands of the North didn't give me any of those feeling at all."
"Well, you're right. Even if Nako and Yujin has weakened it doesn't mean they've become weak. And besides, whoever they're seeking.. Sakura hid such child for a reason after all. Thinking about it makes me grow confident as well."
"They'll return."
———
"Open your eyes Yujin and see for yourself. My youngest sister," Nako points her hand forwards, "after all these years. I finally found you."
Yujin had to blink just so she could see. Blinks for one time, second time, third.. until she can finally open her eyes. And what greets her sight made her freeze in surprise. A great tower of pure ice is what stands before her. What surrounds it was a frozen lake filled with glowing ice crystals, brighter than those inside. Shards of sharp frost spikes hangs from above. But what surprised Yujin the most.. is the frozen figure inside the giant chuck of solid frost. A figure that embodies a child with white, majestic wings it spreads from its back.
And which lies above the child's head.. was a glowing feather being frozen inside as well.
Majestic.. that's the only thing that Yujin could think of staring at the sight in front of her.
"Her name... is Nakamura Kazuha."