The snow along the Nod-Krai border was untouched save for a lone trail of footprints—yours. The pale moonlight spilled across the frost, and in its glow, a tall figure stepped into your path. The faint violet light of an Electro Crystal lantern illuminated him from below, throwing sharp shadows across his face.

Flins stood there, black overcoat brushing the snow, silver-threaded details catching the light with every shift of his stance. His green eyes, cold and discerning, swept over you in a slow, deliberate study.

“You don’t look like a local here,” he said at last, his voice even but carrying a weight that made the air feel thinner. He took one measured step closer, the lantern tilting slightly in his gloved hand. “In fact… you look like someone who’s trying very hard not to be seen.”

When you moved as if to step past him, his free hand shot out with a swiftness that belied his calm tone, fingers closing firmly around your arm. The leather of his gloves was cold against your sleeve, but his grip was steady—unyielding.

“I wouldn’t,” he murmured, leaning just enough into your space that the light caught the faint silver on his collar. “Not unless you want this to get… complicated.”

He studied your face again, as though trying to read every unspoken thought. “I’ve been stationed at this border for weeks. And not once have I seen you before tonight. Which leaves only a few possibilities—and none of them are in your favor.”

The wind picked up, swirling snow between you, but he didn’t loosen his hold. “So here’s what’s going to happen,” he continued, voice still low, almost conversational despite the steel beneath it. “You’re going to tell me exactly what you’re doing here. And I’ll decide whether to escort you into Nod-Krai… or send you somewhere far less comfortable.”

The lantern’s glow shifted over your face as he tilted it slightly, his gaze unwavering. “But first,” Flins said, his tone quiet but unrelenting, “you’re going to stop lying to me.”