The moment Smith fell off the slope, he knew he might never see his daughter again. The ultra-mountain race would yield him a cash prize that would have lasted a lifetime. He knew how dangerous attempting to scale the mountain was, and the stories of how venturing mountaineers would return maddened by the cold, but the prospect of the cash prize only further fueled his drive to participate. He needed the money for his daughter's treatment and the thought of her was the deciding factor.

Smith always forced himself to work hard for his daughter's sake, as she was all he had left. He saw a light in her which he lacked, a light that would shine brighter in the future. Thus, Smith had lost all sense of self-worth as he risked his own life for his daughter's treatment. 

Now, helpless and lost in a section of the mountain no one has ventured into and a freak snowstorm surrounding him to boot, Smith's chances of survival were low. His throat dry, unable to reach for the small red handkerchief of his daughter which he had kept in his pocket. A chilling wind pierced through his skin, with teeth chattering, numb fingertips and a freezing body, he was slowly succumbing to the cold. It is a miracle that he managed to survive this far without any life-threatening injuries, besides the searing pain in his ankle. He felt his heart sink, but he was alive for now.

"S-still alive huh? Y-you're one h-hell of a being Julius," he chuckled to himself, his teeth chattering. With a sharp pain on his ankle, he took a few steps forward to test it out. Sure enough, it hurt to walk but the image of his daughter resting in the hospital bed made him force his way forward.

As he hobbled along, with each step increasing his pain, the white snow was now even more dense, the air felt heavy like he was trapped in a small room. There was a foul smell and eerie sights wherever his eyes landed. His heart hammered against his chest, a thin yet cold layer of sweat covered his forehead as he let out shaky breaths. 

At some points, he could've sworn he saw an animal-like figure dart past him, but it would vanish before he got a clearer view. Whatever that creature was, Smith knew he wasn't alone in this storm. If that thing catches him in this vulnerable state, he would never be able to see his daughter again. He quickened his pace.

After what seemed like eternity, Smith noticed something different in the white world: A cave, a dark place where the only sound was the dripping of water drops from the icicles. The air was thick with humidity, difficult to breathe but it would protect him from the pelting snow. 

 

 

As Smith slowly sat down to recover, he felt another presence in the cave, silhouettes of an animal dashing by but as he looked around, he was still in there, alone.

"M-must be the c-cold getting to my brain," Smith muttered. "I can't lose my mind here. Melinda n-needs me."

 

 

"I will find a way back, even if it means losing a leg or two," He thinks to himself, his resolve strengthening. "I will win this race, even if I must crawl my way to the finish line."

 

 

"I will see Melinda agai-"

"She will have no need for you dead"

Smith immediately turns around, the creature he had seen now suddenly behind him. It appeared to be in the form of a man, but something about the way it looked made him believe otherwise. Sporting a white parka that made it almost invisible in the snow, the pale entity stared at Smith, its dark, soulless eyes piercing into his soul. A shiver went down Smith's spine, his resolve shattering immediately. 

"Lost...?" it whispered in voice a cold, low tone that felt like nails scraping on a blackboard. The words barely being heard in the storm. Smith couldn't reply; his brain going haywire from the fear and the cold. "What kind of madman would be venturing alone in this godforsaken cold? How did it manage to sneak up behind me?"

"Lost?" It repeated, the words finally registering in Smith's mind. Normally, he would've run or tried to fight back. But at this very moment, with a barely functioning leg and a body that was going numb from the cold, frostbites now painfully present on his fingers; the images of his daughter flashing in his mind, he immediately reached for the handkerchief that rested safely inside his pocket. Holding it tightly in his fist, Smith said the only thing that came to his muddled brain could think of. 

"I d-don't suppose you can g-guide me off this mountain?" he stuttered out from the cold and fear. 

The creature shook its head.

"One must look within to find home," it whispered again. 

"W-what does that e-even mean?"

"Many venture this mountain, seeking its secrets but lose their minds in the process. Greed and self-doubt being their undoing. If you do not wish to share the same fate, you must find your own value."

"Julius Smith," Smith froze in terror, disjointed thoughts flooding his head. How did it know his name? "Have you once in your life valued yourself? You came to these mountains to save your daughter's life, putting yourself at risk of death."

This had to be a hallucination. "It's b-because she needs me, I'm her only remaining family, I can't lose her!"

"But what will your daughter have if she loses YOU?"

Smith stopped, the words triggering a distant memory in Smith's brain, of a time when his daughter was still healthy, still happy.

"Father..." Melinda's voice echoing in his head. "I know you're working hard for my treatment but please take care of yourself more, you're reallyyy important to me. What will I have if I lose you too?"

 

 

The water droplets had formed a tiny puddle by now; he stared at his reflection, thinking on the statement. His face filled with confusion and distress; Was he really being that reckless? Did he not stop to think about the consequences?

Smith thinks further on this, when was the last time he valued himself? Ever since his daughter's sickness, he has slaved away every day to procure money for her treatment. If he keeps following this path, he might be unable to see his daughter again.

"I suppose you are right," Smith said upon further reflection, "I should care for myself more, not just for the money but for my daughter as well," He looks at his reflection again, "If I don't, I might never find my own light as I did in her".

The being smiled. He picks up Smith and, supporting him by the arm, takes him out of the cave. As they make their way to the exit, Smith notices the snow outside is subsiding.

When they exit, Smith notices he has a clear vantage view of the mountains and fallen dead trees. The being stretched its arm and pointed towards an area now visible in the clear sky, light rays from the sun hitting his numb frostbitten, painful to the touch skin; could it be-?

"That is the end of your destination," the being speaks, pointing to the finish line. "Finish what you came for," With an encouraging push from the being, Smith begins making his way to the end.

Though it takes a long and agonising walk to his destination, Smith slowly gets closer to the end point. As he limps his way to the finish line; the cheering of the crowd barely registering his brain, he makes it, collapsing in the snow.

People immediately rush in to make sure he's safe. As a medical unit carries him, Smith notices a wolf in the far distance as his vision slowly fades to black.

"You have done well Julius Smith," he hears the voice of the being like a small echo in his head, "May your newfound resolve help you in your future endeavours," In exhaustion, Smith passed out.