It's cold. The weather was getting worse by the second as I stumbled through the snow, unaware that I was being followed, I need to find shelter. My lips were chapped as I looked around trying to find something; anything to use as shelter.
After what felt like ages of walking through snow I found a cave with a faint red light glowing from it. My heart was beating rapidly just thinking about the warm fire, but something in my bones told me to run the other way. Something told me it wasn't safe and that I shouldn't go near it; but my body continued forward regardless of my mind's warnings.
The cave lit up with dancing fire as I stumbled further into it, it's like the fire was alive and kissing the walls before it died back down into it's chamber.
"Hello?" I could barely speak out with my dry throat. I held myself together as I walked closer to the fire, it felt good on my frozen toes and without a reply I sat down and tried to warm up.
It stayed quiet for a while til I decided to gaze around at my surroundings, first to the left and then to the right. It was like the walls were trying to speak with all of the paintings that were on them, there was one that caught my eye. A stick figure with a white feathered skull mask and what looked to be a black sword in their hands, they were surrounded by a group of other stick figures with torches and spears. As I looked closer at the picture I heard something behind me, 'Clank' I quickly turned around and was face to face with the white feathered skull mask. I shrieked and stumbled away, crawling on the floor, the mask tilted sideways to the left and then to the right; as if it was trying to study me.
"You've been followed." It spoke with a deep and crackly voice as they pointed towards the entrance of the cave where what looked to be a shadowy figure hiding behind a rock rested.
I followed their gaze with wide eyes before noticing the skull mask vanish into the darkness, leaving me there sitting on the floor dazed and confused. It happened so quickly that I thought I had gotten hit, lightning filled cavern with a simple spark of fire as it struck the shadowy figure out of his hiding space.
The Feathered mask reappeared as they handed me a small dagger, looking down at me with their gold eyes before looking back at the now paralyzed target.
"You can't stay here for free. I do not shelter the weak." They spoke coldly before walking towards the fire as if nothing had happened.
It took me a second before I finally realized what the mask wanted me to do, I shivered at the thought of killing someone. I stood on wobbly legs as I held the dagger in my hands, it was me who decided the fate of this man before he. The mask looked back at me silently as if they were waiting for me to make my decision.
"Y-You want me to kill someone?" I stuttered with tears in my eyes, I was too young to handle something like this, more or less make such large decisions on my own!
I turned around and looked at the mask, they said nothing but simply nodded. I turned back around and noticed the man who got struck by lightning was waking up, I had to choose quickly.
I slowly walked towards the man lying on the floor before me, I lifted the dagger and looked down at him. He had finally opened his eyes only to see me stand before him with a dagger in hand. I stumbled backwards after releasing the dagger, Blood. I looked at my hands as the warm liquid spread across my fingers.
I turned around and noticed the Feathered Mask standing beside me, their gold eyes seemed pleased that I did it without further question. They silently motioned me to come sit by the fire as they walked off and looked to prepare dinner.
I sat by the fire in silence, I watched the fire crackle before me as I felt numb, cold regardless of the warm fire before me. I killed someone tonight, just so I could survive through the winter, what have I done?
"You survived." The Mask spoke as they sat beside me, "You decided to live instead of dying. Your will is strong, you just need to learn to control it." They spoke as they placed a metal plate of food in front of me. "Eat." They commanded before standing up and walking deeper into the cavern.
I sat there for a moment and thought over my actions, it felt like ages before I lifted my arm and picked up the piece of chicken on my plate. I might as well eat while I can. I thought quietly as I finished my meal and laid down on the hard cavern floor next to the fire.
I was unaware that my life was just about to begin.