Snow stretched as far as the eye could see. Here, spring, summer, autumn, and winter no longer meant anything. Eternal winter was the only theme in the depths of the Northlands.
"The depths of the Northlands" was a broad description, born of a sky where snow never stopped falling.
The southern third of Norris had once been the high ground of the Norris Continent. But snow had filled every hollow. After more than a century of snowfall, even the abysses had become level ground.
That southern plain had not always been like this. It had once held mountains, lakes, and rifts. Now only the Snow Plains remained.
And every year, the snowstorm that would never end advanced farther south. Humanity knew it was happening; people simply did not worry about a future centuries or millennia away.
The Stag Legion had reached this place. Packed snow lay beneath their feet, and they dared go no farther.
When they looked back, the sky was clear. The world was an endless expanse of white, and across the snow-covered land, they could see far into the distance.
But when they turned toward the north? Howling winds drove the blizzard through a murky sky over a hazy earth. They could barely see their hands before their faces. Every step might plunge into a deep pit, and even the sharpest eyes could find no way forward. Getting lost was the only outcome Mikaela could imagine.
"General, apart from that small group of Snow Demons, we haven't spotted any for half a month."
"Do you think those few Snow Demons were the only ones to appear in the south?"
"We can't go any farther. Even the Blood Hawks can only fly a hundred meters up in there. Any higher, and they lose sight of the ground."
"The