Chapter 14 – First Steps

  A week had passed since the group captured their first shared memory—smiles and laughter frozen in time by a salvaged camera. But that moment was behind them now.

  Inside the cafeteria, the mood had shifted.

  Their packs were loaded. Weapons prepped. Makeshift winter gear secured.

  Chris unfurled a worn sheet of paper on the cafeteria table, a hand-drawn map sketched with charcoal and half-erased smudges. He pointed to two markings outside the shelter.

  "To the south and west," he said, tapping the edges. "I caught a glimpse of something out there during a break in the storm. Ruins, maybe. Structures. Not natural terrain."

  The others gathered close, eyes narrowed.

  Seven remained silent at first, gloved fingers resting on the edge of his assault pack. He was already geared up—rifle, sidearm, extra mags, emergency rations, and a utility kit clipped to his side. His jacket creaked as he straightened up, stepping forward.

  "We're not explorers," he said bluntly, voice clear and steady. "We're survivors. And we’re in foreign lands with no known support, no outside contact, and no way of knowing how long this weather will hold."

  The group quieted, the weight of his words sobering the atmosphere.

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  "I know everyone wants to find a way home,” he added, “but I’m not going to sugar coat this—we might be stuck here. And if that’s true, then our survival depends on how well we adapt.”

  Jasmine looked away, her hand tightening around the edge of her coat. Chris exhaled through his nose. Greg, sensing the shift in mood, clapped his hands together with a wide grin.

  “Well,” he chuckled, “no one said the world was fair. But we’ve got fists, blades, brains, and ice magic. I say we make the most of it.”

  That earned a small laugh from Jake and a smirk from Yuri.

  Seven cracked a faint smile.

  "And lastly—don’t die," he said dryly, as if repeating a phrase he’d once heard from a superior officer. “That’s our number one rule until further notice.”

  He flipped open his notebook one last time, confirming their objective.

  “First target: the ruins to the west. Closest potential resource site. We go light and fast. If it’s abandoned, we loot and move. If it’s occupied—we fall back. Simple as that.”

  The others nodded, checking their gear one last time. It wasn’t a flawless plan, but it was a start. For now, it was all they had.

  The air outside bit at their exposed skin, but it wasn’t as brutal as before. The storm had eased—barely—but enough for visibility to stretch beyond the usual white wall.

  Chris stepped forward, palm glowing faintly as a swirl of mana circled his wrist. With a grunt of focus, he opened a portal. A ripple of spatial energy tore across the air like someone slitting a window into another world.

  A jagged cliff came into view beyond the veil, overlooking a frozen plain and scattered ruins in the far west.

  “Through here,” Chris said, his voice tinged with strain. “Keep tight. Once you’re through, stay low until I can close it.”

  Seven took point. He moved first, stepping into the shimmering fold without hesitation.

  The other side greeted him with silence and vastness.

  The wind was still, and the snow below crunched in frozen waves. Far in the distance, stone towers peeked through the haze—collapsed and broken, but distinctly manmade.

  "Confirmed," he said as the others stepped through. "We’ve got structures. Ruined. Maybe a former outpost."

  Behind him, Jake adjusted his winter wrap, eyes squinting against the wind. Jasmine stayed close to Chris, who was already panting from holding the portal open longer than usual. Greg stomped his boots into the frost, scanning for threats.

  Yuri stood silently, her blades wrapped and secured across her back, hair whipping behind her like a banner.

  Seven pointed west. “That’s our heading. We keep tight formation. Stealth over speed. If you see something move—don’t assume it’s friendly.”

  He paused, letting the words hang heavy.

  “Let’s move out.”

  And together, the six of them began the long walk into the frozen unknown.