This fucking winter will never end. My muscles tremble to produce as much friction as they can to heat my body.

But it doesn't help much. Not FUCKING MUCH.

If my mana was not circulating to increase the speed of body metabolism, I would be dead a long time ago. I breath out a long sigh and return to focusing on circulating mana. Even that sigh produced quite a bubble of hot air. More wasted energy. Great.

Dogshit.

Mana can do no shit when there are no nutrition. Oh yeah, pray to god say few fancy words and using your mana you create a small fire or water ball, even heal yourself with right affinity. How the FUCK does that even work? How the FUCKING HELL can you transform an internal mana into something outside.

I breathe out through my teeth as I turn around to look at the place where my partner should have been, if I had one. First one transferred, second died 2 years ago in battle with trolls, third got drunk and froze in snow. Oh you need partner? Well, we are sorry we have neither the men nor funds for that. Oh you need a new sword to fight against trolls? Sorry again, but you already broke 3 in the last 6 months.

Fucking CUNTS. May your dicks fall off.

How do you expect me to survive against all the shit around here with sword made of pig iron that is worth less than 20 copper coins.

[You are not supposed to. That is the goal.]

Turning back to look at the horizon I hope to see that damn group appear.

But alas I see the same view of endless snow mountains from the top of the “tower”.

Who the fuck designed this tower. Simple ladder to a tall “rectangular” stone. So what, you can drag a huge rock of several dozen tons, but building a decent tower is a no no. Not even stairs, but a fucking ladder. WOODEN FUCKING LADDER.

And if I am not on top of it this piece of shit, I will miss them.

Its been already 2 weeks. And nothing.

I think I will start drawing some random stuff around with literally frozen shit.

I have plenty lying around.

Those fucking scouts. Yeah, yeah, few days maximum. Suffocation is one of many “causes of death” that will be written on their graves.

I could be at base warming near fire.

[But then you would spend weeks hunting them in valley if they pass this choke point.]

I breath out again. Shit, I should stop breathing out so much warmth. I start thinking again where did I make the wrong turn.

There were too many.

[But given the chance would you do something differently?]

No.

As I continue to circulate mana I see a small movement in the distance. Is my mind playing ticks on me?

No…

The are coming. Slowly, but coming. You cant mistaken those shits with anything else.

The grin that appeared on my face could hardly be contained.

I quickly climb down the ladder. As soon as down standing behind an excuse to engineering, I start stretching and increase the intensity of circulation, spending the last amount of fat in my body to prepare for fight.

Muscle cramp during battle is a death sentence.

After few minutes I hear their movements through snow. I take out my half-rusted sword that not even street beggar would steal. Barely any energy and equipment worth even the pity of goblins. I slowly go out so they can see me.

They all stop and look at me.

Damn.

3 trolls, 9 wolves and 8 ……goblins? Some of them on wolves, some on foot.

Fucking scouts even that is wrong. Few wolves and a troll my ass.

[There is no difference. Do or die, as it always has been.]

Yeah, it doesn't matter. A provoke them with a rude hand gesture, that anyone can understand. I need to converse as much energy as I can, therefore I stand still and wait for them.

And it looks like it had quite an effect.

Wolves are the fastest, as they come close, they start to circle me.

Great…

Sound of fierce wind, wolves growling, goblins screeching in their shitty language and trolls running in my direction is the only sound that I can hear.

After few seconds of stalemate all wolves charge at the same time.

Do or die.

Nothing new, nothing old.

Another day shall come.