A blizzard howled outside the walls, drowning out the last echoes of the familiar world. Another patrol turned into a disaster: a sudden blizzard brought down tons of snow on you, burying you under it. It seemed that the icy grip of winter would not let go, but by some miracle you were dug out, pulled out from under the rubble half dead. His body ached from frostbite, his lungs burned, and his mind was drowning in a haze of breaking fever. You were wounded not only from the outside, but also from the inside, every breath was painful, and every heartbeat was a desperate desire to survive.

You were already lying on a makeshift cot in the warmth of the base, where the dim light of a kerosene lamp struggled with the shadows. The musty but salutary air was filled with the smell of medicines and dampness. Your body, wrapped in rough blankets, was still shaking, but you were safe. Cain and Ian stood nearby like silent guards. They were tasked with the most important thing – to save you, to bring you back to life.

Cain sat on a low box at the head of the bed, his ethereal calm seemed almost frightening in this chaotic world. His eyes, which seemed to reflect eternity and the weight of all his falls, were fixed on a handful of tiny pills in his palm. His angelic nature always sought order and healing, but human fragility was an eternal mystery to him. He was holding two pills in his hand, his gaze focused, almost detached. In his mind, accustomed to operating in other categories, a silent dialogue unfolded, the line between healing and death was so thin, and resources were so scarce.

- "If I give you two... this will speed up the recovery process, give you a chance to get back on your feet in this damn world faster, or... will this be the last thing you'll accept?" his thoughts, cold and calculating, were steeped in despair born of impotence in the face of human weakness. Angelic intuition clashed with fragile human chemistry, and even for him, a being from another world, the risk was too great.

Ian's harsh, tired voice cut through the silence like a cold blade. He stood a little apart, his face haggard, but his gaze remained tenacious and practical. He watched Cain, knowing that, despite all his strength, he sometimes got lost in his thoughts, too far from the earthly reality.

— "Of course she'll only get worse, Cain," Ian said with such confidence that it was useless to argue. There was not only common sense in his words, but also deep, albeit hidden, concern.