Chapter 102: Blizzard

In a place far, far away, winter has assaulted the land with another blizzard which is strong enough to bring a lot of snow, and cold gusts of wind that is excruciatingly unbearable. For years, this land has been beset by long spells of winters, and it was quite a long while before the people of this place has seen the summer sun.

But the winter was cast over the land with all the good intentions. The winter spells have helped drive away the monsters that once devoured over the land, which the locals have aptly named as the "Summer Enemies," the creatures so vicious that killing at least one of them is considered to be a gift of excellent combat, and a proof of self-perpetuating ecological balance.

That was a long time ago. Now that the winter won't allow the summer heat to take its turn and melt the ice, the people of this land have not seen the creatures to actually destroy what has been in the place's most treasured flora, primarily the golden Willow trees.

The Willows were a poisonous tree to the inhabitants, but a delicious food for these ferocious summer enemies. Every time the trees are in full bloom after spending its time growing during the spring, the creatures will automatically come, once the smell of the tree was delivered in all directions by the cool wind, blowing from place to place.

It is for this very same reason that the people of the vast land has not cut down the trees that bring poison, because the Willows themselves emit a certain fragrance that has been proven to be therapeutic. However, when the summer enemies invade the land to eat the Willows as part of their primary diet, the digestive process affects the fragrance it emits from suitable medicine into a harmful gas.

The gas was eventually identified after ten inhabitants has been reported to exhibit strange symptoms of mental struggle and psychosis. Shortly after that scientific determination (with all available experimental tests have been fulfilled), it was decided that these creatures must be driven away, even if it means that the golden Willows will not come back to life for a very long period as a direct consequence of the winter spell. A high price to pay, but it gave them no choice.

Of course, the Fairy Godmother from the great Autocephalous Order was willing to grant the winter spell with the most efficacious characteristic with less side effects on the health of everyone. It was a gesture of friendship, to drive away these creatures from destroying the land and its people, while keeping in mind that the summer may never come back in the future. With that faithfully considered, the summer season may return with a vengeance, however, this is only truly possible when they defeat these unidentified creatures.

But before that will arrive, winter must persist for now.

The coldness reminds them of survival, anyway. A source of hope in a pure state of desolation.

The blizzard is a careful reminder that the enemy was still out there, and the dream that summer will eventually come back is a feeling of bliss that is consistently burning in their hearts.

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The Chapter is brought to you by Abercrombie and Fitch.