Threat in the Blizzard

"Please wake up, it's morning."

A voice called to me.

I cracked my eyes open to find Azu there to wake me.

"Good morning. Breakfast is ready."

"Mm, morning."

I sat up and took the bread and milk she offered.

"Morning already, huh."

"Yes. And, well, about that…"

"What is it?"

Azu seemed reluctant to say something, so I urged her on.

"There's a bit of a blizzard outside. What should we do?"

I stepped out to check. Sure enough, snow was whipping around on fierce winds.

It hadn't been like this when I'd spoken with Elza, so the weather must have turned after that.

I gnawed on the hard bread, washing it down with milk.

The conditions weren't great for travel, but visibility wasn't so poor that we couldn't move at all.

Elza and Alexia were huddled around a fire spell, warming themselves.

"No telling when this'll let up. We push on as far as we can."

"Okaay."

"Understood."

Both girls got up when I called out.

We bundled up in our cold-weather gear and broke down the tent.

The strong winds threatened to carry it off, so all four of us worked together. It took a while, but we got it done.

I felt bad for the mules, but they'd have to tough it out.

We finished our departure preparations and got moving again.

Wrapped head to tail in their winter gear, the mules pushed forward with admirable grit.

I kept one hand on the map and the other on a compass to stay on course.

In conditions like these, monsters weren't likely to attack.

The blizzard was just as miserable for them.

Our biggest risk was getting stuck, so I had Alexia use fire magic to clear a path for the mules.

Once she realized letting her Fire Elemental out kept them all warm, Alexia's mood improved considerably.

The spirit had grown quite fond of her, it seemed.

"So warm."

"Isn't it? With this little one helping, I can keep this level of magic going for quite a while."

Elza poked at the Fire Elemental.

It must have been ticklish, because the spirit rolled around in response.

We pressed on. The blizzard steadily intensified.

Visibility kept dropping. The worst part was not knowing what time it was.

This trip had a deadline. If we were late, all our effort would be for nothing.

But I couldn't push the mules any harder than they were already going.

For now, we just had to cover as much ground as possible.

As we continued, a sound cut through the howling wind.

"Do you hear something?"

I asked Azu. She strained her ears.

"There's a sound. It's… footsteps? Something's coming this way!"

Azu grabbed her weapon and stood.

Elza and Alexia followed suit.

I halted the mules and we surveyed our surroundings.

Something was closing in through the blizzard's wail.

"Stay alert. But don't stray from the wagon."

The three of them stepped outside.

Snow immediately began piling on their bodies.

The footsteps grew clearer.

Four legs. Running toward us.

"Here they come."

The instant Azu said it, a white Wolf burst from the blizzard.

It lunged with its jaws wide, massive fangs bared. Alexia caught it on her battle axe.

She absorbed the charge and shoved it back.

"Wolves. Which means a pack, I'd wager."

Just as Alexia said, more appeared beyond the one she'd repelled.

"They're actually attacking in this weather?"

"They must not mind the blizzard much."

Visibility was terrible.

If they weren't careful, they could end up hitting each other.

The Wolves pulled back, vanishing into the white.

The only way to track them now was by the sound of paws on snow.

"There's no telling when they'll strike. Stay sharp."

"I know."

They held position around the wagon, staying on guard.

The Wolves attacked sporadically, striking and immediately pulling back.

That made counter-attacks largely ineffective.

Elza could heal minor wounds, but if this dragged on, their focus would slip and the cold would dull their judgment.

"Can you blast the area with fire magic?"

"Oh, that's a good idea."

Azu's suggestion earned Alexia's approval.

The hit-and-run tactics had been wearing on their nerves.

Alexia drove her battle axe into the ground and began her incantation.

The Wolves sensed the change and rushed her all at once.

Elza and Azu moved to cover.

Compared to fighting enemies hidden in the blizzard, defending against a direct charge was far easier.

Azu blocked an attack while Elza swung her mace to drive the Wolves back.

Then Alexia's chant completed.

"I'll blow you away!"

She unleashed a combined fire-and-shockwave spell.

A wall of flame swept outward from the wagon, exposing the Wolves in full.

Several had been caught in the blast.

Before the blizzard could swallow the scene again, Azu sprinted forward.

The Wolves tried to flee from the blessing-accelerated Azu, but her sword was faster.

A single swing cut two of them down in a diagonal slash.

The survivors turned tail and disappeared into the storm.

Chasing them would mean leaving the wagon unguarded, and there was no catching them in this blizzard anyway, so she let them go.

She hadn't wiped them all out, but driving them off was enough. Azu let out a breath of relief.

She turned to head back to the wagon and saw Alexia shouting something at her.

Assuming it was a call to hurry back, Azu broke into a run.

Then Alexia's voice punched through the wind, loud and clear.

"Azu! Behind you!"

Ice shot down her spine.

She threw herself forward into a tumbling roll.

A massive claw slammed down on the spot she'd just been standing.

She glanced back while sprinting toward the wagon.

There stood a Wolf three times the size of the others.

The pack's alpha.

Azu rejoined Elza and the others and raised her sword.

"Thank you."

"Of course."

She thanked Alexia, then sized up the enormous Wolf.

It was huge. Its limbs were thick as tree trunks.

The claws were enormous. If she hadn't dodged just now, it would have been fatal.

"Probably came hunting because it was hungry."

"That doesn't mean we're going to let it eat us."

"Naturally."

They raised their weapons against the giant Wolf.

In response, it licked its chops and grinned.