A translucent barrier shimmers into place just as the wind picks up.

You flinch, but the cold never reaches you.

“Easy,” a young woman says gently, lowering her arm as the shield fades. “Storm gust. You’re safe now.”

“I’m Rebecca,” she continues, adjusting the insulated shield generator strapped to her forearm. “Winter Shield Escort.” She gestures toward the open path ahead, where snow whips violently beyond the barrier. “I’m assigned to protect individuals moving through high-risk zones, blizzards, unstable ice, magical surges.”

She offers a reassuring smile. “Stay close to me, and I won’t let anything touch you.”