I snapped around, looking for the source of the voice. The cold air had seeped right through my clothes, and I could feel myself teetering over the edge of unconsciousness. If the voice hadn't startled me, I might well have simply dropped dead halfway through our trek.

"Who's there?" I asked. There was nothing in front of me. All I saw were the swaying trees, the rippling water, the moonlight pouring into the dark forest-

"Down here," said the voice, in an obviously irritated tone.

I looked down. There, standing at around waist height, was a little girl. She had vibrant blue hair, and a simple blue dress to complement it, as well as a giant blue ribbon that looked uncannily similar to Reimu's. She was standing with her hands on her hips, looking at my eyebrows, as if that could somehow make her seem taller than me. She stared up, and I glanced nervously back.

"Hello there, little girl," I said. "Gah!"

A small icicle had materialized out of nowhere, and, in a manner similar to Sakuya's knives, had headed straight for me. It struck me in the knee, and though it couldn't penetrate the skin, it sent shockwaves reverberating through the nerves in my kneecap, and my right leg gave. Without warning, I was sent plunging straight into the cold water.

Daggers shot straight through my bones as I landed. As I struggled to move my joints, which had locked together from the shock of the impact, I heard a boom reverberate across the clearing. My eyes jerked open, and through the bubbling water I could see the sky glow blood red. The glow faded as quickly as it had come, and I stumbled onto the bank of the lake, coughing and spluttering. As my mind cleared and I rubbed the water from my eyes, I had my first sight of a tremendous testament to the power of Hakurei.

A crystalline light shone high above the lake. Bathing within the light was Reimu, one hand outstretched, rows upon rows of meticulously decorated cards hovering in unison, weaving in and out of her fingers. Her robes fluttered wildly, and it was almost possible to see shimmering waves of heat and wind beneath her, currents of magic tracing her every move, supporting her ascent towards the pinnacle of power.

A groan came from some distance in front of her, and I looked over to see the little girl leaning against a tree, clutching her temples, shaking the pain from them as she attempted to stand, struggling almost as much as I did. A black-and-white charm above her head evaporated just as she regained her footing, and it was evident that the charm was of Reimu's doing, as with a swipe of Reimu's hand, two more appeared by her side.

"The traveler is my guest, Cirno," Reimu said sternly as she looked down upon the girl in blue. "Do not let your pettiness get the better of you."

Something cracked beneath my feet, and I looked down to see a web of stunning white begin to spread across the lake's exterior. I leapt out of the water seconds before the ice could solidify and trap me in its embrace.

"Anyone who looks down on me will get only what they deserve," Cirno replied brashly. "The traveler is not your friend - step aside, and I'll spare you the need to face me."

The cards hovering around Reimu's hands stopped, suspended in complete stasis. Then, without warning, they darted towards Cirno, a hail of red flitting across the lake's edge faster than the eye could see, so that it looked like a single stream of paper flying through the air.

Cirno flicked her hand upwards, and an equally impressive storm of icicles materialized from behind her, rising to meet the red blizzard in equal number. As red and blue clashed, the conjured objects annihilated each other, reverting back to their primal, magical forms, disappearing with small bursts of light. It was akin to watching a deadly dance of fire and ice, enemies equal in number and power, no side taking the lead.

Inevitably though, the lake water that had evaporated during the day came to Cirno's aid, and a second ring of icicles overrode Reimu's attack, parrying the cards and hurtling towards Reimu herself. With a point of a finger from Reimu's other hand, a circle of inscriptions grew from the tip of her finger, absorbing the icicles and simultaneously feeding on the magical bullets, expanding in size until it was thrice the size of Reimu. The shield vanished with a second motion, and the lake was dark again.

For several moments, nothing moved. Then, Cirno turned to me, staring unflinchingly as she spoke.

"What do you want, human?" she asked coldly.