The Breach lights up the sky ahead of us as we walk along the snowy path. It's cold, but my armour is an appropriate thickness to keep me warm.
The two of us walk silently, but I notice Jaw Line keeps a wary hand on the hilt of her blade.
"I never introduced myself," I say.
Jaw Line's eyes flick away from the Breach, "Seeker Cassandra Pentaghast."
Not Jaw Line then.
"Lydia Trevelyan."
A slight nod from Cassandra is all I get.
An icy wind sends a shiver down my spine and I tug my collar closer to my neck.
Soldiers posted on the barriers run back towards the safety of the gate and to be honest, I wish I could do the same.
The sight of the broken sky is enough to send anyone back to the safety of the gates. But is anywhere truly safe from this thing? Maker, it could destroy the world.
A few ways up the path, something green shoots from the Breach and sail down towards the ground. Like some kind of green comet, it smashes into the snow and dissolves, melting snow around it.
Pain flares along my hand yet again, sending a tingle through my arm. I clutch my hand and crumble to the soft snow, screaming through clenched teeth. There's no way I'm going to get used to the pain.
Cassandra comes to my side, not an ounce of concern on her face. Maybe her jaw line doesn't allow it.
I cough, trying to calm my beating heart, as the pain fades.
She stops me with two firm hands on my shoulders, "Those pulses, they're coming faster now."
I nod, sucking air through my teeth.
"The larger this Breach grows, the more Rifts appear and the more demons we face."
Pushing my legs into action, we continue along the path, walking as fast as my legs will allow.
"How?" I swallow, clearing my dry throat. "How did I survive the blast? Everyone else is dead but me."
Cassandra considers the question for a few seconds as we come to another bridge, with few scouts patrolling it.
"They said you… stepped out of a Rift," her voice is emotionless, but there is sadness in her eyes. "Then you fell unconscious. They say there was a woman in the Rift behind you, but no one could see who she was."
More comets spew from the Breach, falling down to Earth.
I blink as one lands close to us, but Cassandra urges me to continue across the bridge.
A whistling sound stops me as a comet crashes into the middle of the bridge, slamming into scouts.
I wheel back in fright, as the foundations of the bridge crumble beneath my feet. Trying to scramble away from the collapsing bridge, I'm caught as the bricks fall underneath me.
My stomach drops and I hear Cassandra let out a scream as we tumble to the ice below. My back hits the stone debris and I bounce onto the ice.
Coldness sweeps through my armour as I lift my head with a groan.
The Breach pulses and a comet slams into the ice lake in front of me. Cracks whip out across the ice surface, but it holds, thank the Maker.
I scramble to my feet, Cassandra also struggling to stand. A green crystal-like substance forms on the ice and emerging from it, a demon.
Grandma Elissa used to tell stories of fade demons and the Void. I loved listening to her late at night, with the fire crackling and my brothers and sisters huddled together as Grandma spoke. Mother hated how Grandma scared us. It was the adventure that I loved.
But to see a demon in real life is scarier than any of the stories Grandma could come up with.
It's dirty, brown body is massive, it's head shrouded under a thick plate of skin. All I can see is one white eye.
"Stay behind me," yells Cassandra, unsheathing her sword and positioning her shield.
Before I can protest, she runs towards the demon. She could probably cut the demon in half with her jaw line.
The ice in front of me begins the bubble, black and frothy. I step back and realise another demon is spawning.
My eyes flick to the broken barrels and wooden crates, searching for any weapon. A glint in the sunlight stops me and I see two daggers resting in the broken remains of a crate.
Desperately, I lunge at the weapons, snatching them up, just as the demon emerges from the green mist.
The demon screeches at me, but I twirl the two daggers in my hands like a challenge.
I leap towards the demon as its long arms reach for me. Twisting, I manage to run the tip of a blade along the creature's back. It screeches and whips a fist into my shoulder.
I jerk and stumble, only just missing its next attack.
Swinging both of my blades towards the demon, I slice through its stomach. As is slides backwards, I thrust a dagger into its head.
With one final breath, it dissolves into green muck.
I stumble and catch my breath, trying to stop panic from clouding my mind.
When I look up, Cassandra sinks her blade into the first demon's head.
Walking over to her, the thought of falling through the ice crosses my mind, but I keep it down.
"It's over…" I say, glancing back at the goo on the ground.
A cold blade tip presses against my throat and I flinch as Cassandra snarls, "Drop your weapons. Now."
I feel my lip quiver, "Alright. Have it your way."
Cassandra's face softens and she nods slightly, removing the tip from my throat. "Wait, I cannot protect you from every monster. And I cannot expect you to be defenseless." She turns away from me, "I should remember you agreed to come willingly."
She continues up a small hill and I have to yet again run to catch up. I'm just glad we're away from the ice.
"We head to the Forward Camp. It's where all my soldiers are," she says. Glancing at me, a puff of mist escapes her lips, mingling with the frigid air. "We are on our own for now."
Once again we fall into silence as we traverse the snowy valley.
Each step, I watch the snowflakes settle on the ground, wracking my brain to find something to say.
Something comes to my mind and I glance at Cassandra, "That's a nice sword you've—"
A flash of fear crosses the warrior's face, "Get down."
Roughly, Cassandra pushes me down, my face hitting the soft snow. I grunt, but Cassandra shushes me.
"There are two more demons down there," she hisses.
I swallow, "You distract them while I sneak up behind them."
Cassandra's eyes flick to me, considering the tactic. By the way her brow furrows and her mouth sets into a scowl, she doesn't trust me.
"It's the only thing we've got, Cassandra," I plead.
After a few long seconds she nods, "Ugh. You're right."
I look around, "Alright, on the count of three…"
Cassandra leaps from her spot in the snow and bolts towards the demons, not even remotely concerned about the ice she now runs on.
I blink, "I said on the count of three… I hadn't even started counting yet."
Cassandra roars at the demons and they both twirl to face her, screeching. I jump down from the small crest I stand on, coming in behind the demons as Cassandra leads them back up the way she ran.
My boots land on the ice and cracks snake outwards. I quench a shriek and run towards the demons who are now slapping Cassandra's shield with their long arms.
I slide the daggers from the belts across my back—a make-shift sheath—and slash at the surprised demon.
Let's just say my ability to sneak is at an all-time high. It must have been all the games of hide and seek, which my brother dubbed Mages and Templars.
The demon wheels back and with another hit, it whines and melts to goo. Cassandra slashes and blocks a hit, while I try to cut the demon's legs… well I wouldn't call them legs. More like a tail that they slide around on.
It shrinks back, trying to block all of our attacks. But it's outmatched and soon the demon is just a pile of goo on the ground, like his friend. Or her friend.
Cassandra gives me a look, "Well done. Who taught you to fight?"
"My Uncle," I say with a flick of my dagger. "He loved using these."
Cassandra just sheaths her weapon and keeps walking.
I sigh quietly and wipe the demon guts from my blade before catching up with her.
Something solid lies in the middle of the path and I squint to see what it is.
"A body," mutters Cassandra. "There are plenty around now. The wolves will get to them."
"If the demons don't first."
As we walk past the body, I nice two dagger hilts protruding from the body.
Kneeling down next to the body, I push it onto its back, not daring to look at its face. Attached to the body's torso is a sheath, crossed over its back.
I start playing with the latches, but my fingers are almost numb.
Cassandra kneels down next to me and manages to pull the sheath off with ease, "Here, this will make sure your weapons don't fall out."
I nod in thanks and put the sheath on. Its chest strap has intricate golden vines snaking their way up the brown leather, meeting with a larger design on both the sheaths on my back.
"A fine piece of craftsmanship," comments Cassandra. "Come, we must hurry."
I glance at the ice beneath our feet. Images of fallen in and being trapped in the freezing water invade my mind.
"The ice is thick," comes Cassandra's distant voice.
Looking up, I see Cassandra already ahead of me, scanning her surroundings.
I go to run, but think better of it with the ice, no matter how thick it is, "Wait for me."