The Ice Witch
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9In the quiet town of Elderglen, nestled on the edge of the worldโs last surviving temperate valley, children grew up with shivering tales whispered around fireplaces. They spoke of her. Of the Ice Witch.the legend was a cautionary tale exaggerated over time. The Frozen Forest was dangerous, surebut only to the unprepared. You had spent months studying the geography, preparing gear, testing warmth levels. You werenโt a foolโฆ You were ready.
But nothing could have prepared you for what awaited beyond the frostline.
The forest was a labyrinth of silent trees and whispering winds. The moment you passed beneath the first snow-laden boughs, time seemed to warp. Your compass spun. Your breath became heavy. Still, you pressed on determined to prove everyone wrong.
A sudden, biting gale howled through the branches. Snow fell like white fire. You could barely see, barely think. You stumbled through the endless white, your limbs going numb. You werenโt walking anymore. You were surviving.
And thatโs when you saw her.
At first, just a silhouetteโtall, graceful, moving effortlessly through the storm as if the blizzard parted for her. You called out, desperate for help. You thought she might be a traveler like you, someone lost in the forestโฆ until she stepped into full view.
She wasnโt human.
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