Arthur sat near the campfire, absently running his fingers over the jagged surface of the severed wolf's head. The fire crackled, casting flickering shadows across the ruined camp. Adora sat across from him, absentmindedly poking at a pot of boiling water with a stick, a few scraps of wolf meat floating inside.
"So," she said, breaking the silence, "are we really eating this thing?"
Arthur smirked. "You suggested it, remember? Don't back out now."
Adora sighed. "Yeah, but that was before I got a good whiff of it. Smells like wet dog and regret."
Arthur chuckled, then proceeded to open his Information window written in Runes, he did that and gazed at the runes everytime he was bored. But this time a new string appeared at the Dream section which confused Arthur a little bit
New Dream Acquired: Wolf Fang
Type: Weapon
Dream Rank: Minor
Description: "A weapon formed from the essence of the slain Iceborn Wolves. A crude but effective manifestation of raw instinct and survival."
Arthur blinked, staring at the notification. "Wait… I got a Dream?"
Adora's eyebrows shot up. "What? You mean like a new one? In this fight?"
Arthur nodded. "Yeah, but it's not that strong it's only of the minor rank, at least it's a weapon."
He focused on the name, and immediately, a sudden weight settled in his right hand. A long, serrated dagger materialized out of thin air, its blade shimmering with a faint blue hue. The handle was wrapped in a dark, leather-like material, and along its spine, jagged, fang-like protrusions jutted out, resembling the teeth of the wolves they had slain.
Adora leaned forward, examining it with mild interest. "Huh. So that's a Dream weapon, i only saw some from my teacher but i never held one. You know that Cursed can only hold Dreams theyself posess."
Arthur looked confused and said "No, to be honest I didn't know that" he then turned the blade over in his palm, grinning. "Not bad. Feels nice, too."
Adora scoffed. "It's a First Rank Dream, which means it's not very strong. You probably got it because you killed a bunch of lesser wolves. Honestly, it's just a scrap-tier weapon."
Arthur mock-gasped. "Scrap-tier? Adora, please, you wound me. Look at this thing! It's made from the essence of my enemies!" He held it up proudly. "This is my first real weapon from this world. My baby."
Adora rolled her eyes. "You're way too excited about a glorified fang."
Arthur ignored her, spinning the dagger between his fingers. "I'm calling it Fang."
Adora stared at him. "The name was already 'Wolf Fang.' You literally just shortened it."
"Exactly," Arthur said smugly. "Simple. Classic."
Adora shook her head, muttering something about idiots and their attachments to sharp objects. She tossed a few more sticks into the fire before leaning back against a crate. "Anyway, now that you're done having a love affair with your knife, we should probably focus on something a little more important."
Arthur slid Fang into his belt. "Like?"
Adora looked at him, dead serious. "Like how the hell we're getting out of this frozen nightmare trial."
Arthur exhaled, his previous excitement fading. "Right. That."
They both fell silent, the weight of reality settling over them. The Cursed Lands weren't just dangerous—they were inescapable for most. Few who entered ever left. The frozen wasteland stretched for miles in every direction, filled with creatures that wanted nothing more than to rip them apart.
Adora ran a hand through her hair. "We can't just wander aimlessly. If we want to survive, we need a real plan."
Arthur tapped his fingers against his knee. "There's gotta be a way out. The Trials aren't meant to be impossible."
Adora frowned. "Maybe not, but they are meant to weed out the weak."
Arthur smirked. "Good thing we're not weak, then."
Adora shot him a look. "You're barely standing after that fight, and I used up half my energy. We're tough, but we're not invincible."
Arthur sighed. "Fair point." He glanced up at the night sky, the stars glittering like ice shards. "So, what do we do?"
Adora closed her eyes, thinking. "First, we need to figure out where the Trial's boundary is. If we can find the central conflict, there might be a way out"
Arthur nodded. "And if there isn't?"
Adora hesitated. "Then we'll have to make one."
Arthur grinned. "Now that's the kind of plan I like."
Adora groaned. "Why do I feel like I'm going to regret this?"
Arthur stretched his arms, standing up. "Because you probably will. But hey, let's at least survive long enough to regret it together."
Adora sighed. "Fine. Tomorrow, we start looking for a way out."
Arthur smirked. "And tonight?"
Adora stared at the pot of wolf meat. "Tonight, we eat… whatever this is."
Arthur groaned. "On second thought, maybe we should just starve."
Adora chuckled. "Too late. Eat up, hero. Aren't you a cannibal yourself? I mean you eat your enemies and drink their blood."
Arthur sighed, taking the bowl she handed him "If i would be allowed to request it, don't call me Cannibal, that is too vulgar, call me gourmet that's better." Adora laughed. As much as Arthur hated to admit it, she was right. If they wanted to escape this ice-covered nightmare, they needed strength. They needed a plan. And most of all, they needed each other.
"Tomorrow, the real fight against the cold begins."