**

Chapter 38: Snow Day

**

Another village, another massacre he was too late to stop.

Most of the victims were still in their beds, others weren't fortunate enough to die in their sleep. Dried blood on the walls and linen told an old tale of death. Their murderers were long gone by now, probably spreading more carnage and misery. Another village, another burial. Aiden couldn't let the dead rot in the wind. Putting them in the ground was the very least Damnation's creator could do.

Either physically or mentally exhausted, Asia found an empty house and crawled into the first bed she could find. She was still under Aiden's invisibility, but that didn't stop him from keeping tabs on her. The poor thing must be starving, too. The homeowners didn't have much to eat, just a few vegetables and some bread. He'd give her some when she woke up.

Moments in time hanging from the wall captured a family of four. Aiden adjusted the frame until it was level.

With his back against a wall, Aiden sat next to Asia's bed and kept his eyes on the door. Sleep was the last thing on his mind. Mister Lizard Armor was not allowed to get the better of him again. Something about the man bothered him and it had less to do with how insanely deadly he fought.

Had they met before?

*

Their journey north was more west, northwest than straight north, and much more off-road.

The further they traveled the more Asia shivered. Was it winter in this part of the country or was the temperature change the result of Damnation’s evil influence? Aiden sent a small ball of fire up to Asia for heat. “Don’t burn yourself,” he told the young girl as she held her hands over it.

As they stood on a hill the path beyond was open, empty, and covered by snow. Aiden’s heart fluttered. When was the last time he laid eyes on the wet, white stuff? Memories of every winter passed flooded his vision.

Building snow forts and pretending to defend them from bandits, delivering packages and getting scolded by Mister Laul for getting the wagon stuck in a snowbank, and playing snowball with Quinn, who turned out to be the man who he’d never call ‘uncle’ again.

That memory alone tainted the clean environment with bad blood. There was nothing fun about snow anymore.

Asia pointed at something in the field. “I see them,” Aiden said. At first, he thought they were just trees frozen into shape until one moved. They were snow monsters likely waiting to snatch up easy prey.

Additional movement in the background drew Aiden’s attention. There were over a dozen of them closing in on the monsters with weapons drawn. Aiden turned himself invisible and watched them attack the gangly snow beasts.

They were dressed as the snow and moved almost as quietly. Tall and strong, the snow beasts weren’t to be toppled easily. It took the strength of three men to cut down one monster, but it didn’t stay down. Heavy suits of armor held up to their enemies’ strikes and long-ranged weapons kept them at a safe distance.

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Still, the odds weren’t in the men’s favor as the fog bore more monsters.

Asia clapped her hands, intentionally snatching Aiden’s gaze from the fighting. “What?”

She stared at him and pointed in the direction of the battle. “Where’s your notebook?”

The young girl shrugged and threw her palms up. “You’d lose your head, too, if it wasn’t screwed on, wouldn’t you?”

With pursed lips, Asia narrowed her eyes at Aiden and cupped her chin in her hands. Aiden folded his arms.

He still wasn’t ready for the curious stares and probing questions. People would want to know how he did what he did and how the Hell he got to Nihon. The country’s border was closed to the outside world, it doesn’t even trade with any of the other territories. It was almost as if they wanted to be left alone here.

Too bad Damnation didn’t recognize borders.

“I think they’re doing fine without my help.” They were for a little while, but now one was being dragged away by his comrade while another was lying motionless in the snow. “I guess I’d better get down there.”

Asia clapped her hands delightfully. “You’re coming, too,” Aiden said, surrounding the girl in a kinetic orb. If anyone attacked it their efforts would be reflected back at them.

Aiden warped between a monster and a man, catching the enemy’s attack with his long sword. The snow beasts were even bigger and uglier up close. A telekinetic blast touched with fire made the fight one of the shortest he'd encountered yet. Just like the evil knights, the snow beasts disintegrated upon death, and their remains flowed back into the fog.

Those knights put up a better fight. Aiden rushed to the injured man and rolled him over. His skin was colorless and a heavy amount of blood pooled on the snow, but there was still light in his eyes. “Hang on, mister. I can heal your wound.”

“What are you doing to him?!” another man exclaimed, running up to Aiden with his sword unsheathed. Aiden raised his hand and forced the man to a stop while continuing to heal the injured warrior. “Why...can't I move?!”

“There,” Aiden said. “All better.”

“Y--you saved my life..?” the man questioned, feeling around his torso for a wound that wasn’t there. “How?”

“I’m a good spirit.”

"I'll say you are!" the man exclaimed. He snatched Aiden up in robust arms and lifted him off the ground. "I don't know who you are, but you've just made a new best friend!" If his smile grew any wider he was going to need a bigger head!

"Please, put me down," Aiden politely insisted, caught in a bear hug of death.

"Sure, sure!" he obliged. "Matsuo! Did you see what he did? Look at me!" He held out his arms as if looking to smother someone else in his arms. "I'm alive!"

Matsuo didn't share his friend's enthusiasm. He stared at Aiden with accusing eyes.

“Matsuo! Ino!” another man called, grabbing the two men’s attention. He was older than the others with a white streak around his shaggy dark hair. “We should be heading back to camp before nightfall.”

He looked Aiden up-and-down with a puzzled expression. “I’m sure the young stranger would like to introduce himself along the way.”

“Have you lost your mind?!” Matsuo said. He walked up to the older man and looked down at him. “We don't know who he is or where he came from! He could be the one behind all of this madness!”

“Or he could be the answer to our prayers,” the older man responded.

Matsuo held his disagreement with the man and shoved his sword back into its sheath. Ino hurried to follow Matsuo as he tackled a snow-covered incline.

“I’m Aiden and this is Asia. She can’t talk. She could use a safe place to stay.”

“Aiden,” said the older man, as if he had heard the name before. “My name is Yamato. Both of you are welcomed in our camp.”

“Just her.” Asia looked up at Aiden with insisting eyes. “I’m not going with you.” Then she wrapped herself around his leg and held on tightly. “Stop it!” Aiden insisted, but the young girl just shook her head.

Yamato chuckled. “I think it’s best we let the young lady have her way for now."

Asia agreed.

“Fine,” Aiden capitulated. “But, just for now.”

Seeking friendship was not on the list of his reasons for traveling so far. Friends were worse than enemies, as far as he was concerned. Aiden grimaced as Asia continued to hold onto his leg even after agreeing to come with her.

Now it was just getting embarrassing.