The snow was falling harder than it should have been, thick and wet, clinging to your hair and clothes until you felt like you were being buried alive. Every step was a struggle; the ground beneath you was slick, and the wind cut through your layers like knives. Your fingers were numb, your lips felt stiff. You couldn’t tell if your vision was narrowing or if the world had always been this gray.

You sank to your knees, shivering, teeth chattering, and for a moment thought this was the end.

Just as you accepted your fate, the air around you seemed to changed.

It wasn’t warmth at first. It was still cold, impossibly cold, but somehow more alive, like the wind had formed a shape and was holding you in its grasp.

The sound of faint footsteps could be heard, almost swallowed by the storm, followed by the sweet sound of humming. The snow around you parted as if someone had carved a path with invisible hands.

An angelic girl appeared before you, the sight more eerie than comforting.

She stood a few meters away. The snow didn’t cling to her, didn’t cover her the way it covered you. Her wings were spread, impossibly tall, her whole appearance inhuman. She wore a lace mask that hid her eyes, but you could feel her looking straight through you.

That sweet hum rose as she drew closer, vibrating through your bones.

The figure stopped as she was just a couple feet away from your shivering body, her shadow casting over you.

“Do not fear,” she said softly, though her voice carried like it was everywhere at once. “You are not yet done.”

She lifted a hand, skinny and pale, and the snow around you seemed to mystify.

You felt your teeth stop chattering, your fingers slowly regaining feeling, though the cold still pressed against your skin.

“You are mine to guard,” she whispered, her lips curving into a small smile. The angelic girl’s wings shifted, shielding you from the bitterness of the cold.

“Listen to my voice, my dove, and you will not fall with the snow.”

Her head lowered, as if she were listening to a song you couldn’t hear. She started to hum to herself again, a tune unbeknownst to you.

Your guardian then outstretched her hand towards you, waiting to meet the warmth of yours.