My axe fell down as I gasped with pain and exhaustion. Sweat poured down my face despite the cold. The huge gash on my right leg did not feeling any better, and I could hardly move to safety.
Suddenly, an old skinny hand hit my back with full force and pushed me forward. I became limp and fell to the ground, ice and rocks dug into my face. Slowly, and excruciatingly, I got up and swung my axe at the creature, cutting through its thin body. It died with a loud moan, and let out a green cloud of poison that filled my lungs. I felt weak and suddenly had trouble breathing.
“This is NOT how a lady should be treated” I thought bitterly as I jumped for a rope as another creature swiped at me. Holding my axe, I slowly crawled up the rope, set up a little folding chair I carried everywhere and sat down on it.
My head was still spinning around from the poison but I was feeling a little bit better. I looked around me as a wolf howled in the distance. From every direction all I could see were Ice Mountains, and below the safe cliff where I sat, were memories of the living.
Zombies
They were everywhere, trying to make any traveller they see into one of them. The merciless creatures played unfairly and many people found them an annoyance. So why was I here? And why are the hundreds of other Maplers here, fighting with the zombies endlessly day and night. Some are here simply to kill the zombies, other are here to make the ones trying to kill the zombies frustrated, or simply because they want to see the zombies, for enjoyment. I was here to prove myself to the zombies that I was better then them. That after years of training I could finally face them, and be victorious. I wanted to be stronger then them, I wanted power, and strength.
I took a deep breath, and tried to clear my head with thoughts of the urge for power. I didn’t want to be completely consumed by the need to be better. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a tiny flower. It was frozen and looked old and decayed. Anyone else would have seen it as trash, but I treasured it beyond anything else.
With a stiff cold hand, I felt the soft petal, still baby skin smooth even after all it’s been through. My heart ached as I remember whom it came from. My mind blurred as I remembered a while back, when I was with him. It was a sunny day and we were hanging around Henesy, when he picked up a flower and said
“ Oh look, I’m getting married” He laughed and threw the flower. I reached out and grabbed it.
“Now that I caught it, does it mean I get to marry you?” I joked as I planted a kiss on his cheek. He slipped his arms around me and gave me a hug, his soft breath on my hair.
Tears formed around my eyes, quickly freezing, and stinging my eyes. I pushed them away and remembered the incident that made me loose him. The day he met her. I always thought I was the one for him. But I guess it wasn’t true. When he met with her he broke my heart. He told me he still loved me, but I don’t believe it. I was consumed with anger when I first found out. Now I know it’s useless. But it still kills me inside to know he’s still out there, but in love with another.
I’ve kept the flower ever since, and I always will. As long as I love the one I gave my heart to, I’ll keep the flower. I reached into my pocket again. This time I pulled out a sealed envelope. On the top it said the return address, and the reason I was terrified to open the letter.

From: Aaron Hunter
228 Tobis Street
Kerning City, Victoria Island

To: Lana Fighter
957 RockStone Village
Perion, Victoria Island

I thought about the day I got the letter, I was going on a walk with my black and white cat, Hobbes. When I got home and checked my letters, it caught my eye and I have been at zombies for almost an entire week, trying to keep my mind straight. Softly, I traced my numb fingers around his name, trying not to remember the times I spent with him.
I took a deep breath and stood up from my chair. I pocketed my letter and flower, then took my chair down. Throwing the chair over my shoulder, I looked at the zombies one more time before taking out an old scroll. I put my hand over it and everything turned black.
Seconds later, I was in El Nath, walking towards a hotel. My nose had begun to run and even the blood from the cut in my leg was freezing up. When I burst through the doors of the El Nath Winter Lodge, I saw people turn and look my way. Despite how cold I was, I felt my face warm. I always felt weird around girls my age who weren’t a warrior, I was always less graceful, and had to wear heavy armor. Guys were a bit better, but you could tell a female warrior was a huge turnoff to them.
While I stood inside the lodge holding my stuff, Mr. Token came out from behind the counter and gave me a warm welcome. Mr. Token was the hotel manager and has came to know me since the day Aaron threw my heart away since I always came to El Nath when I was feeling upset.
“ Lana, how very nice to see you again! You seem a little cold from your training. No worries, we’ll fix that right up.” Mr. Token said cheerfully with his thick Chinese accent, as always. He mentioned for someone to get my bags and with in a minute I was whisked away to my room. I sat down on my bed and took out my flower and letter again, hoping for some peace when Mr. Token opened the door poking his head in. I gave a little scream and stuffed my adored objects back in my pocket.
“Lana, I would like you to meet my son, Phil.” He said, pushing a boy that looked somewhat older then me into the room. Phil was a sin who wore baggy jeans and a red vest over a white T-shirt. His shaggy hair fell over one eye and he shook his head to move it out of the way. “He’ll be helping out around the hotel since… well, he’ll be helping around. He’s gonna do a good job too, you’ll make sure, right Lana?”
“Of course” I gasped, still shocked from his unexpected visit. Mr. Token smiled and gave Phil a pat on his shoulder, then left the room. I turned my eyes at Phil and he gave an apologetic shrug.
“ My dad’s like that, a bit pushy sometimes.” Phil smiled, trying to make a conversation, this white teeth lined in order perfectly. I smiled.
“Yeah, I know what you mean” I said as I got comfy on my bed. Phil began to rock on his feet as he tried to think of something to say.
“So… you come here often?” He asked.
“Yep.” I nodded, hoping the awkward silence would make him leave.
“Heard about what happened, he was a jerk to leave you anyway” Phil, said, continuing to rock back and forth.
“Its okay, if he’s happy” I repeated the false line I said so many times already. But it wasn’t okay. I was being selfish, I knew I wasn’t thinking about him, I just wanted to be with him so bad. Thoughts like those made me feel even worse.
Phil nodded, getting the fact that he wasn’t wanted. “Well, I’ll be helping out my dad. Just call if you need anything” He said as he opened the door.
“ It was nice meeting you” I said, but he already closed the door and left. I shrugged and took out my flower and letter again. With a deep breath, I opened the letter and tried to get myself to stay calm.
I traced my fingers around the name Aaron on the left top hand corner as I have done so many times. I wanted to know what he had to say so badly, yet I was scared. Deep down something told me I didn’t want to know what he wrote in the letter.
But curiosity took the better of me and with trembling hands, I took out a piece of paper. I slowly unfolded it and flattened it out without looking at the words. I closed my eyes and breathed deeply. “It’s now or never,” I thought as I opened my eyes and looked at the letter.

Dear Lana,

To be continued…