A Crazy Man (1)

*CHIRP* *CHIRP*

Hustle~

The soft melody of the birds happily singing signaled the arrival of dawn, painting the sky with hues of pink and orange. Sunbeams reflected off the pristine snow that had freshly fallen during the night. Beneath a tree, a small mound of snow caught the attention of a curious, reddish bird scratching for its breakfast.

Hustle~

Suddenly, a delicate and small hand emerged from the snow, scaring that little bird. As it flew away, the snow trembled, revealing a small girl underneath it. With a childish face, she had long beautiful silver hair and sapphire-blue eyes. If not for the dark circles around her eyes, that sight would have been mysterious and beautiful, yet now it looked somewhat sorrowful.

"Hm. W-where am I?" Aris exclaimed sleepily, her eyes fluttering open. She surveyed the unfamiliar forest surroundings, momentarily disoriented. It wasn't until she noticed a distant highway that the memories of the previous night flooded back, and she whispered, "Father…"

Reality hit her like a heavy blow, but the little girl somehow managed to choke back the tears as the painful recollections of the tragedy unfolded. Her aunt's betrayal, calling the fanatical members of the Cult of Light to seize Aris's cultivation book; the menacing bald man with a sinister smile etched in her memory; and the sudden onslaught of a monstrous wolf that had torn through their home. In her moment of terror, she fled, abandoning her family to an unthinkable fate.

One after another, the memories from last night flashed through her mind, each more horrifying than the last. The scenes unfolded relentlessly, and her whole body trembled in anguish as the images of the carnage filled her mind. Aris, paralyzed by fear and confusion, had witnessed the relentless onslaught of a multitude of wolves, destroying the city and killing hundreds of people.

The scent of blood and smoke lingered vividly in her memory, as if the burning fire of the city had seared its way into her soul. Looking back, Aris realized that she could have done something to save people, but for some reason, she hadn't. At that time, there was only one thought in her mind: to find Alden Reece!

That led to her running mad towards the next town. Unfortunately for the girl her Qi couldn't keep up. After an hour of her relentless springint, Aris found her Qi completely depleted. Exhausted and unable to keep up the pace, she collapsed under the weight of fatigue. Seeking refuge, she settled beneath a nearby tree to catch her breath, but soon she ended up sleeping. And that's how she ended up becoming a human snowman. 

Few minutes passed by and Aris calmed down.

She then stretched her limbs and began circulating Qi throughout her body, only to be met with a startling realization: The amount of Qi flowing inside her was much more than yesterday, her cultivation base had overnight! She was now in the Third Stage of Body Tempering! However, despite this newfound strength, Aris couldn't shake off the somber mood that lingered within her.

She was sour as memories of her inability to save her father resurfaced. The surge in strength fueled her anger, and she clenched her fists with determination. "That huge wolf and the cult of light… I will kill them all!"

With resolute steps, Aris made her way back to the road. Once there, she stimulated the Qi coursing through her body and sprinted forward. Her next destination: to find a man named Alden Reece.

******

Harnessing the speed granted by her Third Stage Body Cultivation, Aris darted through the snow-covered landscape with the agility deemed not possible for a girl in her age, surpassing even olympic athletes! Her movements were a blur as she raced towards the city, her determination propelling her forward.

As she traversed the terrain, the chill of the winter air whipped against her face, but instead of hurting her face and numbing her fingertips, it energyzed her. With each breath, she felt a surge of vitality coursing through her veins. Far from being a foe, the cold became her most cherished companion, a steadfast ally that mirrored the frost of her heart. 

An hour later, the towering structures of the city loomed before her.. Despite the fatigue tugging at her muscles, Aris didn't falter. With a final burst of energy, she surged forward, her determination unwavering as she neared her destination.

Fairbanks city wasn't a metropolis, but it wasn't a small town either. With just over fifty thousand inhabitants, the city offered almost everything anyone could need: majestic buildings, museums and a mall that matched the size of the city - neither too big nor too small. 

A river cut through part of the city, which was actually there long before people arrived,a testament to the enduring power of nature in the face of human endeavor. At that moment, the orange rays of the sun warmed the snow-covered city and within the frozen river, some people took advantage of the sun for skating.

The city was lively and People strolled along the snow-covered streets, exchanging smiles and greetings as they enjoyed what little sun they knew they would have on that winter day. Unbeknownst to them, the chaos of the previous night's events had not yet reached their peaceful city, and they continued to enjoy their day, blissfully unaware of the looming threat beyond their borders.

In the northwest part of town, a young girl with long silver hair and piercing light blue eyes wandered among the shops and houses. Despite her youthful appearance, there was an undeniable grace to her features, hinting at the beauty she would grow into as she matured. Her face, with its delicate features - thin lips, a small nose - held an air of innocence, yet there was a determination in her gaze that belied her tender age.

It wasn't just her wandering gaze that betrayed her sense of being lost; her ragged clothes, covered with snow and stained with something resembling blood, added to the image of someone out of place.

In truth, this bustling city was an entirely new experience for Aris. Not only was it her first time in Fairbanks City, but it was also her initial experience in such a large town. Since his father normally hunted most of the supplies or traded in the town where Andressa lived, Aris had never been outside that place. As a result, her knowledge of the world mainly came from television.

Just as Aris was lost in her own thoughts of how to proceed to find Alden Reece, a woman approached her.

"Hello girl, are you lost? Where are your parents?" The woman gently touched her shoulder, waking Aris from her thoughts, and looking fondly at her. "What's your name? Do you need any help?"

Aris turned and faced the woman. She had dark curly hair that already showed signs of gray, chubby cheeks, full lips and a big nose. She was extremely well wrapped up in a long faux fur coat, brown scarf and bonnet, and a leather glove to keep her fingers from freezing. Aris couldn't help but notice the stark contrast between their attire; while the woman looked warm and cozy, she was dressed in torn clothes and was barefoot. However, despite her appearance, Aris didn't feel cold at all.

"I-I'm Aris," she replied with a smile, realizing she hadn't actually listened to the woman's question and had simply assumed it was about her name.

"Nice to meet you, Aris. My name is Sienna Jones," the woman replied with a gentle smile. She noted that the girl, Aris, seemed composed despite her disheveled appearance. Sienna,as a mother of two, knew how to talk to small kids and just felt like she needed to know a little more before helping Aris, perhaps leading her to the hospital. "Where are your parents?"

"My father is…" Aris held back. She hesitated for a moment before answering. "He asked me to find a man called Alden Reece. Do you know him?"

In the end, she decided not to tell her about this sensitive topic. More afraid of her own reaction than the unknown woman's.

"Ah" Unexpectedly for Aris, the woman only opened her mouth lightly and gave an exclamation that sounded more like a thin hiss. 

Suddenly, the woman turned without saying anything and walked away with quick strides.

"..." 

Aris could only stare at her back without understanding the situation. However, the encounter left her feeling unsettled, wondering about the woman's abrupt departure. Was it something she said, or was there something about Alden Reece that triggered such a reaction? Despite her curiosity, Aris decided to focus on her primary goal: finding Alden Reece. 

"What a crazy woman…" She sighed.