Kyuhyun walked just a step behind Donghae, feeling guilty for not helping him with his coat. He looked ahead and everything that was visible to him under the moonlight, was covered in white. The cracked roads, the barely functioning light poles that stretched on either sides, the debris were blanketed by the snow. The tiny flakes of snow that fell in a slow motion earlier, had taken speed now and enveloped the vast landscape that lay in front of them.

The crunch of boots against the snow had toned down as the layer of snow got thicker, softening their footsteps when they got off the main road. Kyuhyun glanced a look at Donghae who was sightly limping but still maintaining a quick pace. He had his sleeves down but against the frigid temperatures, he needed something more useful, something like the padded jacket he was wearing himself, Kyuhyun wondered.

"Since you are from this game, you must know it like the back of your hand. All the ins and outs, the routes, the challenges, the tricks and tips to successfully finish the game?" Kyuhyun waited for a response as he fell in step with Donghae, wondering why he was so readily following him.

Donghae however didn't reply. He sniffed quietly and cradled his hands in front of his chest, his face flushed pink with lips turned blue. 

Kyuhyun wanted to feel pity for the man, when he saw the state he was in, all bruised up, probably fatigued and suffering in this weather. But the way Donghae always responded with a silent answer was getting on his nerves.

"I am beginning to wonder if it's hard for you to hear me or are you purposefully ignoring me". Kyuhyun stared at Donghae still waiting for an answer. Instead he noticed the younger man clenching his jaw and picking up his pace, walking faster than him.

Kyuhyun scoffed, "You have a very nice tactic going on." He laughed, "leave me curious so that I don't abandon you and you find yourself shackled --" 

Kyuhyun stopped in the middle of his sarcasm when Donghae abruptly stood still. 'Did I ran my mouth too much?' Kyuhyun wondered, worried if he has upset the stranger. When he looked at what Donghae was staring at, he subconsciously took a step back.

Donghae raised his arm back, holding up his fist, motioning Kyuhyun to stop moving, his body still facing forward and eyes glued to the creature. Kyuhyun stared wide eyed back and forth between the creature and Donghae. On the inside, Kyuhyun was screaming at the top of his lungs in horror but he stood frozen at the spot, waiting for Donghae to make a move first.

The black creature was prominent amidst the snow-covered landscape, as it crawled out of the earth, turning the white snow murky brown. It had four limbs and an indescribable face with white glowing eyes. It's body was covered in scales and shells which gleamed against the light. The excruciating silence which had enveloped Kyuhyun and Donghae was now punctuated with the sound of scratches, as the creature crawled out of the ground and its grunts.

The creature after pulling itself out sniffed and growled aloud and then stared right at Donghae. It crawled towards him, seemingly unable to walk properly on its limbs which buckled at its joints after every other step. Strange black gooey slime trailed behind it befouling the pure white snow and an unpleasant smell wafted in the air.

Donghae covered his mouth and nose with his hand and took a small step back as the creature approached him. Kyuhyun followed Donghae's move and took quiet steps back almost at the verge to flee at any moment. 

Donghae turned to look at Kyuhyun and signalled him to not run back again, eyes warning him not to act hurriedly. He pointed ahead with two fingers, saying they have to move in that direction. Before Kyuhyun could protest at the ridiculous idea since their path was blocked, the creature lunged towards Donghae, making the man stagger back and fall down. It snarled at him and opened its viciously huge jaw, attempting to snipe at his throat.

Donghae blocked the creature's jaw with his forearm, his other arm pushing it away. The creature used its fore limbs to get on top of Donghae, it's sharp claws scratching his body. In the tussle to get the creature off of him, Donghae rolled on the ground, getting chilled to the bone because of the snow. After struggling for a while he mustered strength and finally snapped it's neck.

Kyuhyun watched the fight between Donghae and the gnarly creature in horror, unable to think of what to do. He felt his pockets, trying to find if he had any weapons hidden in his clothes, fumbling in his actions at the sight in front of him. The sound of the creature's grunts and Donghae's struggle echoed in his ear. His feet wobbled as fear overtook his senses, numbing his limbs as he fell down.

Kyuhyun flinched at the sound of Donghae snapping the creature's neck. Donghae looked back at Kyuhyun who was in shock and staring agape at the scene. Utter silence stretched between the two, who didn't have any words to say at the moment.

Donghae's eyes softened and he stood up, grimacing at the stench emanating off of the black slime on his body. He wiped his hands to his clothes as he walked towards Kyuhyun, knelt beside him, who was still sitting on the ground tongue tied, reached for the taller man's leg an