Vesper Zephyr

Winter is a season of pure chilliness, as all the creatures scurry out of sight, leaving nothing but white snow behind. A picture completely white, it brings about one sole expression: solitude. Soft as the snow is, it can bear frostiness so strikingly dreadful, like a lethal falchion cutting through the skin. Hark! The snow may seem reticent, yet it is telling a tale, a tale from a long time ago.

A long, long time ago, the earth was still an icy planet. Everything that existed was frozen solid, mantled by immense layers of ice and snow. There was no life, of course, unless the idea of life is merely being able to move. That’s right. The only “moving” ones were the snowmen, who had hearts of cold, and the devastating strength which belonged to only the utmost savage beasts.

Two kinds of snowmen, there were: the white snowmen and the dark snowmen. Even though they were quite akin to each other, being both snowy and frigid, they had always been sworn enemies. Rancor filled their veins, if they truly had veins, as they both vowed to crush the opposing force for good and reign over the frosty planet entirely.

They battled frequently, in plenty of violent skirmishes and melees, which lead to no conclusion but the persisting pandemonium within the world. One day, to determine who shall be the final victor, the white and the dark snowmen assembled, forming exceedingly gargantuan armies. They were ready to put it to war─an unprecedented great war─and end it once and for all.

Combat was about to begin. The snowmen, both white and dark, had hefty limbs and faces with eerie grimaces, and alongside them were the most ice-deathly weapons of all kinds─javelins, hatchets, scimitars, maces and so on. Ere long, the war commenced. The white snowmen lined up, forming a row, and launched an assault, their weapons shimmering like fangs and talons of a ferocious predator running amok under the ominously crimson sky. Facing this fatal impact, the dark ones knew no fear, as they stood closely side by side in the shape of a phalanx, as though they were intrepid hoplites who had hearts full of mettle and aplomb.
    “Die, you minions of evil!” roared the leader of the white snowmen as he thrust with his colossal saber, his troops following right after.
Slashes of death, arcs of annihilation crossed upon the visages of the colliding snowmen, and then down to their arms and ice-cold trunks.
    “Be not afraid! We shall mince their frail flesh!” the dark leader struck back, obliterating any enemy of hostility in his way with his terrifying halberd. “Victory belongs to us!”
    Falling one by one, the snowmen shed no blood. They only broke into piles of snow, scattering on the earth already studded with white. All of a sudden, the aether grew gloomy, as if it had been hauled by the horrid battlefield into black despair. Rain─hail, in fact─ dropped down ruthlessly, bombarding the land of havoc. Yet the valiant snowmen feared not, continuing to attack with all their might as the hellish battle went on.
    “Hey, dark-headed simpleton!” shouted the white leader to the dark leader, his keen sword piercing through the enemies. “You’re mine!”
    The dark leader, having completely not a thought of flinching, made his way as he was set to confront the provoking adversary. “Pesky oaf, you’ve got some gall!”
    With unimaginable power, the two brandished their lethal weapons, saber against halberd, and caused a massive collision. BOOM! Just before anyone could react, a flash of lightning struck down with astonishing thunder, tearing out a deep gash on the ground which seemed almost like a tremendous ravine.

To be continued…