Zero

Mammoth

The night air hung heavy with silence, broken only by the rhythmic snoring of Astral, nestled comfortably within the warmth of their tent. Outside, Jaylen found himself entranced by the mesmerizing dance of the firelight as red and orange flames flickered and swayed, casting playful shadows on the snow-draped cave walls. The heat from the burning embers wrapped around him like a protective embrace, fueling his thoughts as they drifted into the depths of introspection. In the serene glow, he pondered the fragility of life and the weight of friendships, feeling an unsettling urge to confront his own selfishness. As a distant roar shattered the tranquility of the dawn, Jaylen's heart raced, awakening him to an ominous reality. The snowy tundra, once peaceful, now felt charged with an electric tension. Astral, instinctively alert, bolted from their tent, his breath visible in the cold air, a primal instinct surfacing within him.

"The Mammoth," he growled, urgency underscoring his words. Fear gripped Jaylen as he joined Astral at the cliff's edge, peering into the wild unknown below. The blizzard was coming, and with it, the awakening of an ancient beast. With adrenaline coursing through their veins, the two boys readied themselves to face the impending storm. Astral's voice was steady, a guiding presence amidst the chaos, as he handed Jaylen a spear and equipped him with protective gear.

As the biting winds howled and swirled around them, Jaylen and Astral stood on the precipice of destiny, their breaths crystallizing in the icy air, forming fleeting mists that danced briefly before vanishing into the tempest. Clad in furs that barely shielded them from the cold, they stepped into the swirling white oblivion, where the blizzard's ferocity threatened to swallow them whole. With each footfall, Jaylen could feel the weight of their quest bearing down on him, yet the unbreakable bond of friendship ignited an ember of courage within. Each arrow loosed from Astral's enchanted bow was laced with a promise—a vow of protection against the lurking dangers in the shadows of the storm.

"Are you serious? Raptors in this weather?" Jaylen shouted, incredulity mingling with worry as the wind howled its disapproval.

"Yup!" Astral replied with determination, his breath visible like fleeting spirits in the snow. But just as the blizzard reached its crescendo, Astral suddenly halted, pulling Jaylen back with him as a surge of instinct drove him to act. "Brace yourself—" he warned.

"Why?" The question barely escaped Jaylen's lips before they tumbled back over the side of a cliff into the pristine depths of the snow below.

"NOT AGAIN!" Jaylen screamed falling into the blanket of snow below.

the cold enveloping them like a shroud. Emerging from the snowdrift, Astral shook off the flakes like a wolf shedding winter's grip. "So much snow—" he muttered, a mixture of annoyance and awe coloring his tone.

Jaylen, disoriented but unharmed, sat up and blinked against the bright white landscape. "Did we die?" he asked, half-joking, half-hopeful.

"Nope. But we are here," Astral announced, his spear gesturing grandly toward the majestic silhouette in the distance. Before them rose an ancient castle, its fourteen slender towers piercing the sky like the fingers of a hand reaching for the heavens. The gray stone walls stood resilient against the elements, adorned with asymmetrical windows that gleamed like secrets waiting to be uncovered. The great gate, with its formidable wooden doors and crenelated defenses, whispered tales of heroes long gone, while the statues of kings lined the bridge, stoic guardians lost beneath a blanket of snow that concealed their grandeur.

"Whoa... It's so pretty!" Jaylen exclaimed, his eyes alight with wonder, the blizzard now a mere memory.

"We are in the eye," Astral said, a determined look crossing his face as he surveyed the ethereal scene.