Snow fell in thick curtains over Northstar City, the flakes drifting through air so cold it burned to breathe.
Damian stood in front of massive gates made from reinforced steel, the words "Northern Military Training Center" carved into the metal above. Everything around him was white, snow covering buildings and streets and piling against walls in drifts that reached his knees.
Beside him, a woman in a black military uniform shifted her weight, her breath misting in the frozen air as she spoke.
"I can only accompany you this far."
Damian turned toward her, his goggles reflecting the white landscape.
"Thank you for your assistance, Officer Naira."
Officer Naira had escorted him all the way from Norrington City, through the Capitol, and finally to this frozen outpost at the extreme edge of the northern region.
She smiled, the expression warming her otherwise professional demeanor.
