Thunder rumbled across the heavens as heavy rain lashed against the earth.
Lightning split the dark sky, illuminating the world in brief flashes of silver, as though the gods themselves were venting their fury.
The wind howled through the wilderness, bending trees and carrying the scent of mud and blood.
Amid the storm, a lone woman could be seen running desperately through the rain.
She clutched two infants tightly against her chest, shielding them beneath her cloak as best she could.
Not far behind her staggered a wounded man.
Every step seemed to drain what little strength remained in his body, yet he forced himself onward.
The woman slowed and turned back.
Soon, the injured man caught up to her.
“Why did you stop?” he called out, raising his voice above the roar of the storm.
Tears mixed with the rain upon her face.
“You are badly wounded,” she replied.
“What else was I supposed to do?”
Before the man could answer, distant voices echoed through the darkness.
“There they are!”
“Don’t let them escape!”
The sound of approaching footsteps grew louder.
The man’s expression darkened.
“Ella,” he said firmly, “you must keep moving.”
As he spoke, his knees nearly gave way beneath him.
“I don’t think I can go much farther.”
“What are you saying?” Ella cried.
“Get up! They are drawing closer. We can still escape together!”
The man shook his head.
“Listen to me carefully. Take our children and head toward the river. A boat awaits you there. The man aboard is an old friend of mine. He will keep you safe.”
“No!” Ella shouted.
“We’re leaving together!”
A faint smile appeared on the man’s pale face.
“Ella… I love you. And I love our children. Though I may not live to watch them grow, my spirit will always remain with you.”
“Stop saying such things!” she screamed as tears streamed down her cheeks.
The voices of their pursuers grew even closer.
“Search everywhere!”
“The king wants them alive!”
The man drew a deep breath and gently took one of the infants into his arms.
“Go, Ella. Run. I will hold them back.”
Her heart shattered at those words.
“You promised,” she whispered.
“You promised you would always stay by my side.”
The man lowered his gaze.
“I’m sorry. This is one promise I cannot keep.”
Then he gently pushed her away.
“For our children.”
Ella hesitated for a moment before turning and running into the storm.
As she disappeared into the darkness, the man slowly rose to his feet.
Silver light began to glow within his eyes.
The rain froze wherever it touched his skin.
Cold mist gathered around him as a sword of ice slowly formed in his hand.
His enemies emerged from the darkness and came to a halt.
Fear flashed across their faces.
For standing before them was no ordinary man.
He was the son of the mighty Ice King.
And though death stood at his door, he would not fall without a fight.
The man raised his blade and pointed it toward the approaching army.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
Not because he believed he would survive.
But because Ella and the children had escaped.
“Come,” he said softly.
The storm answered him.
Ice erupted from the ground, spreading across the battlefield like a living creature.
The soldiers charged.
The son of the Ice King charged as well.
For several minutes, the battlefield became a dance of steel and frost.
Men fell.
Ice shattered.
Blood mixed with rain.
Yet even a warrior blessed by royal blood could not fight forever.
More enemies arrived.
Then more.
And more.
At last, a spear pierced his sides.
A sword struck is shoulder.
Another cut opened across his chest.
The ice prince staggered.his sword slipped from his hand.
Slowly he fell to one knee.the storm continue to rage above him.
“So this is how it ends…”
His gaze drifted towards the direction of the horizon,where his wife had fied.
“Live Ella.” The sliver glow in his eyes began to fade.
“Protect our children.”
His body finally collapsed unto the frozen earth.
Thunder echoed across the heaven, and thus fell the last son of the mighty ice king.