*What is a freezer?

Well for starters, what you call a freezer was once referred to as "an Icebox" or even "a Cold Closet". This type of technology can be traced "back to the days of ice harvesting" way back in the olden days.

Now, freezers are these containment units meant to keep different things cold; a good number of modern freezers can also freeze ice that is "clean" and "sanitary" for people to use.

(*A/N: The above information was found from Wikipedia:

en. wiki/Icebox

And if it just so happens that what's written is wrong, feel free to correct me. Thank you.

Oh, and please don't sue me. Please.)

Stone castle walls stood intimidatingly over the two standing outside. The gray bricks had corroded slightly over time, leaving tiny craters. The wooden doors that looked liked they'd been opened many times to the foreign world gave the duo no reassurance that this place was safe at all once they noticed the many scratches on it.

Aisha glanced at the map once, then at the castle. Then back again. "Elsword, are you sure this is the right place? The Minister wrote that we're supposed to see something beautiful when we come, but so far I see nothing."

Elsword placed his hands on his hips. "Positive." Of course he wasn't positive— the walls weren't all that beautiful, but this was the only town around this area. Perhaps there was something beautiful inside? He walked to the wooden door and raised his hand to knock.

"Hold on there sonny boy, I wouldn't do that if I were you."

A scrawny, raggedy, unkempt man sat against the stone of the fortress with only one eye peaking at them— the other was shut tight, almost as if it'd been permanently sewn closed. His left leg was propped up with the corresponding arm resting atop. His flesh was caving in on him, revealing his bony ribs and signaling the near end. How the two didn't notice him before was a mystery in itself. The two were frozen in place by the unexpected command. The unnamed man laughed, coughing up some blood in the process. He clearly was seeing his end.

"Who... are you?" Elsword asked, sounding more like he was disgusted by the unkempt man appearance instead of being even the least bit concerned.

With noticeable force and exertion, the raggedy man leaned forward in a bow to the duo. "You may consider me the wise, venerable man here to warn you about the path you walk."

The way... they walked? Rather than being in awe of his great presence, the two were rather perplexed. How often did this happen? Once? Twice? Never? The man laughed once again, a laugh that was gruff and worn from age. "I kid', I kid'! I'm no wise man, just an ole' sucker who didn't heed the warnings of one."

Elsword and Aisha exchanges glances while, awkwardly, laughing as well. At least that was... reassuring?

"But anyways, wouldn't go in there if I were you two kiddos."

"Why not?"

"'Cuz you'll die. 'Specially the way y'all are dressed."

Another foreign clothes joke, Aisha figured. "I think we're dressed appropriately!" With a tug, she pulled at the hem of her dress indignantly.

The man did no more than slap his knee in response. "Lil' girl, you're as stubborn as a mule! You may be sweating now, but y'all will be stopped in place the moment you get in there. There's unbelievable power. One mesmerizing, and one as cold as can be."

Cold? "Wait," unfolding her arms, the offended expression on the purple-haired girl's face faded away, "cold?"

"That's right, and it's cruel in there."

So, the town on the other side of the wall was going to be very hostile to their presence, huh? But there was no way Elsword could let that stop them— they just had to beat The Titanium Welder! "Sir, we have to go inside to refuel and restore our energy." Elsword was getting flustered by the man's words. It was also either go in and risk currently unknown death, or stay out and risk death by starvation, exhaustion, and disease. One way or the other, it wouldn't be pretty.

The man held a hand out towards Elsword before struggling to stand to his two scrawny feet. Aisha and Elsword helped him up and released him once he had his balance. The man then painfully made his way to the side of a tree that wasn't visible from where the two stood and pulled out two winter coats with fluff and padding. "If that be the case, wear these inside there." Had those coats always been behind the tree? "It's clear y'all have goals— things that peak at the top of your life. Without those, life is meaningless. Good kids like y'all deserve to live on."

"That's something a wise man would say." Elsword pointed out with a grin as he took both coats and handed one to Aisha. His arms slipped through the sleeves perfectly, like the coat had been tailored just for him.

The man chuckled full-heartedly. "Oh no, I told you I'm no wise man already. Those were the words coming from an idiot who learned life the hands-on way. I'm too old for that now, though, so I just hand out advice to whippersnappers like y'all."

Such a kind, generous, and friendly old man he was, even if he wasn't the most handsome of them all. Just as Elsword and Aisha were about to knock on the wooden doors together, they were stopped once more by the man's voice.

"'The world is not beautiful, therefore it is.'** Get that early and the way you see people and life changes. Learn it quick before its too late and you become a wandering old man like me."

The duo turned around to look at the man with the warnings, but he had disappeared.

Indeed, the man's claim of power to be expected was true. It was a cold world inside, so much that it burned them to be in there. Nobody was there to give them the grand tour, nor was anybody going to offer a place to stay. Elsword and Aisha were loners within the dark castle walls.

But that wasnt the actual problem.

The swirling wind blew specs across the sky, landing across the blanketed ground. The two were chilled to the spine the moment they stepped inside, and they were absolutely amazed by the sight before them. Behind the stone walls were heavy layers of pure white frozen water that tucked the ground in tightly. The two stood still, letting the bright and unbelievably incredible matter swirl around them.

Snow.

(** That sentence isn't mine, but I figured I should include it because of what the story is based off of. From the anime 'Kino no Tabi'.)