Life on Earth was destroyed a long time ago. Or a few moments ago. Either way, time no longer mattered.

The weight of the boots made the thick and dense layer of snow crunch underfoot and the muddy ice crack. The frost pinched cheeks and nose, like a mischievous child pestering everyone with his tricks. Steam puffed out of mouth, the kind that steam locomotives used to emit.

There was nothing around. Everything was frozen and ruined, with only the wind rumbling and whistling among the bizarre shapes of the ruins.

There was no one around. Only the piercing white ice cut the eyes and stared indifferently at them from everywhere. Fluffy snowflakes, gathered in small clumps, were falling from the sky. They would probably make a good snowman.

A foreign sound came from behind you. The occasional creak of a beam falling off or a building collapsing was a frequent occurrence, but it was accelerating. A silhouette was breaking through the white veil.

Wait!

A young voice. He finally caught up with you. It was a young man, his white hair and pale skin blending into the general swirl of emptiness. He rested his palms on his knees and took a small breath. There was one strange element to his warm clothing — knitted covers on his back, as if there were wings there. His aura was inhuman, serene, as if soothing with his presence.

I didn't imagine anyone would make it out alive, either. My name is Kao. I think we'd better stick together.