The Blizzard's First Flake

Darkness. Cold, chilling, darkness. Pale light leaking from here and there through the unsettling overcast of the night sky, sure. Other than that though, one could barely see a few feet in front of them, much less into the distance. Truly something out of a nightmare. Well, most nightmares. This. This was perfect. All too perfect. Perhaps a dream? Had to be a dream.

More than he knew.

The lids of Killian's eyes fluttered a couple of times, drinking in his pale, frigid surroundings. Or at least to the best of his ability. A low irritated scoff slipped his pale lips before he raised a pale hand, stretching it out in front of him, fingers spread out in a fan, until a small light took form in his palm. Utility spells. Never leave the house without em. The only problem here, was when did he ever leave his home to begin with? Much less walk out the front door into a damned frozen tundra? Not that he was complaining. Once he illuminated his vision a bit, he could see decent distance away, or at the very least, far enough to view anything in his immediate surroundings without trouble. Much to his own expectance, it was nothing but the pale, icy fluff, and spires of ice for as far as his light could reach.

"What in the frozen hell..."

The cold air chilled his words, making unable to keep a smile from crossing his lips, in spite of the fact that he'd been randomly dumped in a world that could only exist in his dreams. Speaking of dreams...He recalled having a strange one right before he'd awakened in this frozen wonderland. He couldn't recall much...only a darkened figure, and some manner of portal, which was, of course, no where in sight. Perhaps it wasn't as much of a dream, as it was a reality. Or perhaps both. Who knew at this point. All he knew is that was very much wide awake, in the middle of unknown territory, and not of his own accord.

Feeling that all sink in, he took the time to check his person, starting with his robes, and moving to his other accessories. Choker...staff...boots...Everything was there. Even down to his few vials and the small bit of coin he carried with him, should it be needed. Clearly not robbed, he grew even further puzzled.

Knowing he wasn't going to find anything by just standing around, he let out a deathly breath, taking a step and pulling himself from the snow around him. It had been a while since he'd had a need for the snow walk enchantment on his boots, letting him walk upon the flakes without sinking into them like a rock in a pond. Helped quite a bit when it came to walking on ice too. Also made for a hilarious handicap when he forced others to battle him on top of everfrost. He chuckled.

Figuring he'd start in the direction he was facing when he first woke, he started off in a normal stride, not really in a hurry to get anywhere. For the time being, he didn't have a need to sate hunger or thirst, knowing that he could conjure up either in a moments notice, though it was something in limited supply. Sooner or later, he would have to put some haste on his new little journey. For now, he walked on, taking his staff in hand, and keeping his arm outreached to keep vision on his path, or at least until that wretched sun came up, should there even be one here. Even so, there were answers to be found, and he would find them. One way or another.

Across the frozen sky, there was a soft cry as though the world itself rippled with a quiet anguish; a brief but unmistakable grief that echoed through the peaks. On the edge of the horizon, the shadow of a tower was almost invisible against the shadow of the sky and it probably would have gone on without regard had that cry in the wind not come with a soft crimson glow that bathed the entire valley in blood light for a few seconds. Long enough to clearly show the stark lines of the only building in this frigid place. Much farther away, in the other direction, there was a vague twinkle just past the skyline that hinted to some kind of city -and a big one at that- might be hiding just out of sight. The tower was closer but it radiated an ominous foreboding, even from here it had both an allure and a threat. There would be no sunrise here, this was the Winter's Bite. Only the coldest and the darkest for this corner of the dreamscape. But this odd eyed stranger was not as alone as he seemed.

Hidden in those twisted spires of ice were various caves and caverns, nooks and crannies where tiny eyes on a tiny creature watched him stealthily as he flickered into the snow from nothing. Just one more moment and this strange visitor would be gone, just one more moment... Silent in the shadows, a tiny creature simply watched and waited.