Break Free from the Cocoon IV

Freya looked around. This open valley was different from the entrance to the gorge earlier. At least she could no longer see the towering sheets of dark-blue glaciers, nor the narrow openings and cracks between and beneath them. The terrain was no longer so intricate and dizzying, with no overlapping ice walls or ice spikes and beams jutting toward the center from both sides. All that remained were steep mountain walls on either side and a wide valley floor, which was covered in soft snow that had slid down from the cliffs.

She looked around curiously as she dragged her limping feet toward the cliffs, one step deep and the next shallow. Every so often, she pulled at one of her wounds and sucked in a sharp breath from the pain. One of the shoulder plates was missing, and her breastplate had been battered beyond recognition. She looked utterly wretched.

After walking for a while, she raised her head to look at the snow-covered cliffs. This gorge seemed to stretch endlessly, extending without end in both directions. Freya glanced behind her. The monster was already drawing closer.

She gritted her teeth and considered what she could use. She had left her dagger stuck in the Pale Children and forgotten to pull it out when she escaped. Even if she had retrieved it, though, it would not have been much use in her current situation.

The only weapon left at hand was the Lionheart Sword, which she had carefully protected all this time, along with some miscellaneous items. She opened her belt pouch. Inside was several days' worth of dried food, though it had long since frozen almost as hard as iron. Beneath it was a bottle of wildberry jam, something Roman had made for her herself. Brando did not even