Chapter 2: The Orbs

My grandpa merely told me to go to the basement of the shrine, he said to look for a book, covered in ice-cold blue; a blue so cold, that even a touch would make your finger freeze, that even being around it, would make your body shiver.

"Arf!"

I hear it echo as I descend down the wooden stairs, it was Sato, my cute white Shiba.

"Haha, you're such a cute dog."

I reach down to pet him, but as I try to, Sato moves away from me.

"Arf! Arf!"

He jumps up a little and keeps barking, as if he were trying to show me something; or lead me somewhere. I trust Sato wholeheartedly, so naturally, I follow him.

I walk through the narrow passageway, the cold breeze brushing past me as I continue to walk into the darkness, with a mere white Shiba guiding the way as if it were my light through the dark.

The breeze is soft. However, the soft breeze just adds extra layers to the atmosphere.

As I continue to make my way forward, I feel the ice chill my bone marrow.

Sato stopped and looked back at me.

"Arf!"

That's right, I can't give up now, I trust Sato with all my heart, I must treck forward.

It feels as if there is a blizzard circling around me, it's as if an ice colder than death resides here.

Something colder than the ninth ring of hell.

I can feel my organs failing, even though it is merely a walk, step by step, slowly, through the blackness in front.

I fall, but why am I falling...?

Am I this weak?

To not be able to pass through a tunnel?

Warmth.

I feel it brushing against me as I lay.

It surrounds me, like the ice all around me had melted and turned into water.

I hug this warmth, I love it.

I then blackout.

Opening my eyes again, I see my dog Sato on top of me, and above him, a ceiling made of ice.

I feel the floor below me, and even that was made of ice.

I touch it, the ice, it was not ordinary, I look around the room for an exit.

I look to the left. Nothing. I look to the right. Nothing I look above. Nothing. I look below. Nothing.

Then I look behind. Something.

There was a millimeter of ice blocking the way out, and next to it a pickaxe, I don't know how I got in here, but I sure as hell know a way to get out; for me and Sato.

I take the pickaxe and swing.

"HYAAH!"

I hit the ice, one-millimeter thick, and what surprised me is that, not only did the sheet of ice not break but instead, the pickaxe broke in its stead!

I look around, trying to find something to break the ice with, then I see a chest.

Within the chest, a book.

A book, covered in ice-cold blue; a blue so cold, that even a touch would make your finger freeze, that even being around it, would make your body shiver.

This was it!

The book my grandfather had talked about!

I take it, and my hand became paralyzed, as if they were frozen.

However, I keep moving, even though it's like my blood had turned to something colder than ice, I forced myself to keep moving.

Even though it's like my hand was cracking, the veins shattering, like glass hitting the floor.

The book then became warming, then turning into snow.

As the snow fell, it slipped through my fingers, falling back into the box, layering the contents.

I crap the snow and start digging it out to see what's underneath, and all I saw was an orb.

A light blue orb, with snowflakes swimming inside of it.

This aura the orb gave out felt cold, but welcoming.

It reminds me of the time I tried to fight against the shadow, except that one was filled with fear.