Winter and the Sun

It was told in the legends of old that the first time water ever froze was when she was born.

But her beauty did not become her crown, but the thorns and chains that bound her to suffering.

For the gods and devils were drawn to her beauty and created a great war.

Soon, the ones who loved her turned against her. They saw her beauty as the cause of their battles, and the curses that struck this woman would ensure her suffering for the endless lifetimes she would be forced to live.

A woman of great sorrow. A beauty of great pain.

Fate hates her. Destiny despises her. Fortune eludes her. But Calamity would chase her all her life.

Many lifetimes passed, and this woman sought to escape Fate and Destiny and failed.

Then, in one lifetime, she fell in love. And in that, she took an action she had never done before. She did not escape Fate and Destiny's will but went ahead!

The one who sought to be free from Fate and Destiny was finally freed through sacrifice.

To protect the one she loved, she used her soul to save the man he loved, and her heart shattered like the snow.

The flakes of her soul were said to disperse all over the world. And as sure as winter returns, so shall those born of her curse appear and take the cold sorrow and Destiny.

Crystal had not tasted love. And as she relished in the great comfort and strength of the divine Adam, she could not see between lust and love and thought that she loved him.

CRACKLE!

The ice blasted out from Crystal and created a blizzard of snow.

A divine cold that froze everything, even time, spread throughout the temple.

The Vessel Binding spell halted as the sacrificed souls were frozen in the storm.

All except Adam.

"Foolish one!" Adam roared as he was already standing up!

The wounds that he had vanished as he glared angrily at Crystal. The fire within his body began to spread as he resisted the storm and saw that Crystal's soul was dispersing.

"Stop!"

A tremendous flame arose as the dragon brought out its heat.

The winter snow began to clash with the birthing star.

Dragons were said to be an ancient race born from the stars. But the newly awakened and injured Adam could only bring out so much power.

The flames surged, and the Will of Adam blasted and engulfed Crystal, ending her trance.

She remained floating above as time had not yet resumed from the great heat.

Adam left the binding spell as his heat allowed him to move.

"Foolish one! Did you think that I am so weak to be defeated by that? I am a dragon! I live as one of the stars! My vitality will not be easily dimmed!" Adam was enraged at Crystal's actions. The scene was very familiar.

Crystal was shivering as she glanced at Adam.

Slowly, she hovered towards Adam as the ice slowly froze her body.

"A mere prey thinks it was to her benefit to help me?! A dragon of power?!" His voice trembled as his rage appeared.

"Did you take my kindness as a sign that we are equal?! You are but a prey! You gave me information, and that is why you live!" The dragon roared in anger.

Crystal could not understand Adam's anger. For she could not have known the great pride of the Dragon Emperor.

"You've taken away from me the joy of battle! I should slay you now, maiden!" Adam raised his hand, and a faint form of the dragon appeared behind him.

I allowed you to live since your life would soon be lost. But what foolishness was it that you decided to save me?" Adam roared. The astral projection of the proud dragon manifested once more behind him. The flames grew as it revealed a purple fire.

The dragon raised its arm and harnessed more flames at once before swinging it down.

Crystal was still floating in the air as time remained frozen. She glanced at Adam and felt the harsh cold emitting from her soul.

"...Thank you. The cold… it's so… lonely…" Her tears couldn't even fall as they froze and trickled down.

The words struck Adam's heart.

"RAAAAA!"

The paw's form didn't strike but sent the heat to thaw the frozen maiden.

THUD!

Crystal fell down on the ground as time resumed where she was.

But her soul was still fading.

"This would be a better death. Fate and Destiny would have far worse things in mind. At least, in this death, you feel… warm. Goodbye, oh, Weeping Maiden." Adam turned around and was about to leave.

Crystal could feel her life slowly ending and saw the strange darkness above.

It was the Orb of the surviving man. His soul was dispersing from the sacrifice. But through the Mark of the Five, he sacrificed his soul to empower the Orb.

"Dagon… Take my… life!"

Adam did not care about the man's spell. He had already left the binding circle and knew what spell the man had.

But the thrill of the fight was lost. The woman interfered, so Adam left the man and the maiden to their deaths.

"Be buried in this place!" The man couldn't even see as it was only his soul moving. It didn't realize that time had stopped, and the Orb rose and gathered a powerful gravitational force.

The massive strength of this power caused the entire temple to collapse. The mountain above it also grew unstable as the power pulled even the mountain down.

Crystal could see the dark spell fall on her.

But in that moment, she smiled. The warmth was very comfortable. It was unlike what she felt before. And she longed for this warmth greater than the lust she had just experienced.

For in this warmth was peace and security.

On the nights of despair and pain, she would feel a cold chill and longed for warmth. But now, as she faced her death, it didn't seem so cold and lonely. It was as if she was covered with the embrace of the sun.

Tears fell down her cheeks, and she welcomed the mountain to crush her.

"It's so… warm… Thank you." Crystal smiled and thanked Adam, though she could not see her.