The snow slowly falls from the white sky, calmly landing upon the world it has turned into ruin. Its embrace was akin to the reaper's and those who did not believe that statement paid the price.

With each footstep I took, I could feel my boots dig further down into the layer covering the world around me. Both the sky and the earth were forever trapped in an endless prison of snow that never seemed to end.

Yet, strangely, despite this constant snowstorm, the level of snow remained the same at all time. It was never too high nor too low. Digging the snow would cause the hole to be covered in a matter of hours and piling everything into one large pile would cause it to miraculously vanish.

I don't know this from experience but some people told me that their attempts to create pathways were answered with this horrifying discovery.

While those memories briefly emerged from the back of my head, my gaze remained fixated in front of me, desperately trying to locate any shapes into the storm gnawing at my clothes... with varying degrees of success.

One of the worst aspects of this shithole would definitely be the visibility reduction caused by the snow constantly falling down. In addition, if whatever god you pray to decides to be an asshole, you can find yourself in the middle of a blizzard, unable to see further than your own hands.

Those conditions are perfect for the beasts lurking in the storm to jump on you and tear you apart. So far, the creatures I've seen who fell into madness by this strange weather were majoritarily humanoid but the half buried remains I've met on my way indicate a much... fierce presence in this land.

...

If you want to know how this all happened then you're shit out of luck. I don't know the first thing about it. One day, I woke up in the middle of Summer and found snow everywhere right before I saw a man get attacked by a woman, who immediately tore his back open in order to feast on him.

Nobody knows how this happened. However, words began to spread that the origin of this disaster came from a crack between worlds, a world that they firmly believed to be real with "proofs", take that statement as you will.

I didn't personally believe in those claims at first until I decided to follow what they said was a "perfect" and "flawless" way to enter. All you had to do was step inside a ruined shrine and step out after closing your eyes.

At this point, if this was a normal world, the people being told this information would realistically tell themselves "I'm gonna get shanked in a dark corner, aren't I?" and just leave it at that but normality is now long gone.

The main reason I went along with this was because of a sad truth that nobody can escape from: I don't have the energy to survive in this harsh world. I know my time is limited and if I have to die then I prefer dying while thinking that I'm investigating a possible end to this nightmare!

So, I did what the priests said and closed my eyes. I placed my hands in front of my eyes and counted to 10... which led me to where I currently am.

It didn't take me long to realize that it worked. A single foot outside was all I needed in fact. Right near the entrance, the corpse of a small girl with bruised wings welcomed me into this unknown territory. Bite marks indicated that an animal got her, at least I hope.

Gensokyo, the land of fantasy and dreams, I remember the priests mumble this name as they told me the way to enter.

"Nightmares would be more accurate, this place is like a large graveyard."

My breath turned into white mist the moment it left my throat, soon dissipating into the cold air.

My journey into this strange place was not peaceful, not in the slightest. Let me tell you how fucking scared I was when I stumbled into my first encounter in this hellish world.

Imagine this: you just arrived in a reality you know nothing about past its name and the occasional rumours from the deranged folks. You wander around and then find a shape in the snowstorm. You carefully step closer and you find a girl with fairy-like wings eating another girl's body. Right before you can process what you saw, her head turns in your direction and attacks you with ACTUAL fucking magic!

Thankfully, the weather was also unforgiving to her. After her first attack, her body collapsed, allowing me to finish her with a precise stab in the stomach. I don't think I would have survived if this winter wasn't there.

In a way, I'm thankful for this shitty condition. The cold temperature is tough for those who keep their sanity and those who lost it.

The left sleeve of my outfit was still emitting a faint smoke from the area I was hit by the small fairy. It looked like a small orb of light at first so I didn't think much of it but the moment it touched me, it felt like I was burned on the exact spot I was struck.

The second fight I got myself into was not as surprising at least, probably because I immediately went on the offensive before they knew I was there. I didn't even bother looking at what they looked like.

If given enough time, the corpses can and will sink into the layer of snow, which will then serve as its coffin. Fallen allies & enemies are no longer mourned, funerals are unnecessary and instead, we let nature take care of it for us.

One by one, the opponents I faced ranged from small girls with their skin covered in frostbites and dried blood to a massive orc with a horn on its head... at least I think it was an orc, I didn't look too deep into myths when I was young.

That one was definitely a harder battle, the ground quivered under its footsteps and my blade felt like a branch against its skin. I couldn't even land a single hit on it. When I realized I couldn't win, I simply turned heels and ran at full sprint in one direction.

Even now, I'm still trying to run through this horrible landscape, fearing that this thing might emerge from the storm to finish me off. Do I have any real chance to escape? Probably not but it's not gonna stop me from trying!

...

Ahem, moving on from this dreadful topic, if I were to ignore the devils roaming through the blizzard in search of their next meal, my discovery of this strange world was rather disappointing. So far, nothing but snow as far as the eyes can see was the reward I got for following the priests' instructions.

The weight of the backpack I was carrying grew heavier with each hour that passed without me finding a place to rest. This desolate wasteland offered me no mercy, forcing me to march on while the cold was hitting against my clothes.

To combat my ever-so decreasing body temperature, the source of constant warmth I carried on me along with an outfit made to block most of it was a lantern attached to a stick, serving as both my lifeline and my light during the night.

Despite this constant beacon of light that I was carrying around me, the number of confrontations I had were low enough that I could count them with my freezing fingers. Once more, I have to thank this snowstorm for that.

Speaking of light... one of my current fears slowly crawled its way out of its hole once my eyes noticed from the corner of my sight that what was once a faint illumination from the lit object was growing brighter. I glanced upward and saw the clouds darken slightly, signifying the end of the day.

Night was approaching quickly and I still had nowhere to rest. If I wasn't quick enough, no matter how warm my clothes are, my demise would arrive. I might be able to shrug off the cold temporarily but my second source of warmth will definitely attract possible attackers.

"...Fuck me."

I whispered to myself out of annoyance. I mean, how the hell was I supposed to know I would arrive at dusk?! When I stepped inside that shrine it was early in the morning! I got screwed over for no reason other than bad luck!

As I was about to go on a tangent, however, my attention was caught by a thin shape through the falling snow. I blinked once out of shock but reached for my blade as I ventured closer.

With my goal slowly getting closer, my new discovery grew more astonishing when my keen eyes were able to see many other shadows of the same size near.

It was... a bamboo tree? There were many in fact, forming a strange kind of forest. What would a bunch of bamboo trees be doing there in the middle of nowhere? Plus, how the hell did they survive through this endless winter with no Sun??

...Do bamboo trees even require sunlight? I'm not a botanist so I can't even support my own question.

I don't have time to waste with stupid thoughts like that. I was maybe at best a few hours away from my death if I can't find a somewhat decent shelter.

I had to bet that this forest contained some sort of shack or maybe just a small crawlspace in the dirt for me to slip into to hide for the night.

This was my final chance, whatever happened would decide my fate.

My body was already beginning to shiver, acting like a reminder that my time was running out. I held my hands together and began my journey inside this odd place.

Day & night, the tranquil sight of eternal falling snow is the only thing survivors could see during their struggles. They all live by the winter, they suffer by the winter and they perish by the winter around them.

"No fucking way... there's actually something in this maze."

I softly spoke to myself out of bewilderment as the light of my lantern allowed me to see a wall made of man-made materials. It looked like the sort of defense you would find around a rich residence.

Defense? Yea, I guess you can call it that, it sure as hell protects you from unwanted visitors.

The sky was almost pitch black by now, indirectly urging me to get inside. Not willing to deny its order, I hurriedly walked around until I found a busted out entrance. The gate was slammed into the snow, kicked in by some unknown force from the outside.

Something is possibly still inside.

"..."

Needless to say, my weapon soon ended up inside my shaking hands. The cold breeze of doom was hanging around me, mocking my poor attempts at staying warm in this condition.

As I set foot inside the property, the first thing that caught my attention was the door leading inside the residence itself. The gate currently behind me was broken, yet the entrance door was perfectly closed with no signs of physical damage done to it.

This is weird.

I carefully made my way closer and reached for the sliding door. Due to the current weather, I was met with a strong resistance, forcing me to place my blade against the doorframe to force the entrance open with both my hands.

Once inside, I closed the door to block the gust of cold from entering and remained still.

The house was in complete darkness with the exception of the few windows showing a snowy night outside. The only disturbance was the lantern I was carrying with me, acting as a perfect magnet for any monsters lurking inside.

The sound of the wind howling outside sent shivers down my spine. Thankfully, these shivers only remained to that extend, the rest of my body was slowly able to recover from my long walk in this winter land.

I took a deep breath to calm my nerves and tightened my grasp onto my trusty equipement, ready to behead the first thing trying to get me by surprise.

Each step I took was followed by a creak coming from the wooden floor below my feet. Dust was accumulated on every furniture I could find to the point that I avoided interacting with anything, fearing that my touch would cause an eruption of particles to fly everywhere.

Could you imagine if my death was caused because I sneezed like a dumbass? I'd probably never be able to pass on from shame.

"..."

This lighthearted conversation with myself was my own way to cope with the usual loneliness attached to exploration in this horrible world.

I'm still not insane enough to actually respond to my own thoughts but at this rate, it won't be a question of 'if' but 'when'. At least, if my life goes long enough for me to reach that state.

Anyway, going back to my safety tour of the residence.

To my surprise, the place was rather quiet, despite its entrance putting me on guard. I almost expected to get swarmed by a bunch of mad monsters the moment I set foot inside, which was something I was terrified of but also excited to some extend.

Instead, the only feeling I had was disappointment mixed with dread.

The gate was busted open... yet the house is completely empty. So either the intruder that caused the damage left or-

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

-Or the intruder killed those who dared hide inside.

"..."

An inhuman scream echoed throughout the hallways, causing my feet to freeze in place. I could feel the colors of my face vanish as I realized that this place was not devoid of life. Something was here with me.

Something that clearly did not have my safety in mind.

What was once a slow walk turned into a dragging mess as I desperately tried to reduce the amount of noise I produced. In hindsight, it probably didn't change much considering I was carrying a goddamn backpack AND a lantern illuminating me.

Each corner was a stressful situation, a trial with my life used to gamble. The yells continued at irregular intervals, each of them making me sweat bullets. With each one, the distance between me and it grew shorter as I tried to locate the source.

...Strangely, the closer I was, the colder the air became. This weird realization made me stop for a moment but ultimately not enough to make me go back.

Retreating back into the snowy night was an assured death, I had to deal with this thing if I want to truly spend the night safely.

Finally, after a few moments of hesitation, the goal of my search revealed itself and not in a pretty way, definitely not.

The hallway I was facing was covered with snow from the outside. The reason? The ceiling landed onto the floor below, causing the cold wind to peek inside. However, the main point of interest was the thing stuck underneath it. A woman with long white hair was laid on the ground, her legs crushed by the debris. The bow in her hair was dirtied by the rubbles and the snow falling down.

Once her eyes landed on me, yet another scream echoed before her body bursted into flames for a moment. This only lasted for a second before the fire died. Her skin was completely ravaged by the cold and her eyes showed no life, no sentience. She was another victim of the winter madness.

...How did she manage to survive this long under those rubbles without food?

"...Doesn't matter."

I mumbled to myself as I readied my weapon. This was the opportunity of a lifetime. She was completely immobilized and had no way to fight back beside those weird flames. All I had to do was stab my blade into a vital part and let her suffering end.

Alright, time perform a merciful kill.

Slowly but surely, I walked closer and ignored the yells coming from the victim glaring at me. Don't look at me like that, it's you or me and I'm ready to fight until my body gives out.

Once more a sudden burst of flames envelopped her body for a brief moment, sending a wave of heat capable of melting through the cold of my body. My body felt refreshed, completely rid of the leftover temperature of my walk outside.

"Thanks for the gift."

I showed my sympathy right before I stabbed through the neck of the wounded foe. Going for the heart was impossible in her current state, plus her ribcages would damage the blade. The best method I had was this one to assure her death.

As expected, the scene was not amusing to watch but by now, I was used to this. Once I confirmed her lack of movements, my focus was moved to the room next to her. Curious I walked through the slightly opened door.

The inside looked like a medical space of some kind. In the darkness that was barely chased away by my source of light, I was able to observe multiple documents scattered on the floor and an old desk.

Next to it, some strange bottles containing weird liquids were present along with something I was more experienced with: bandages.

My eyes definitely shone like gold as I placed down my backpack on the ground. These were free bandages for me to take, don't mind if I do!

Just as I took hold of the last one I could find, a wave of heat flew through the door and reached my back, causing me to jump out of shock. I hurriedly stuffed the roll inside my bag and turned around towards where the girl was.

"...Wait, she's still alive?!"

I let out my surprise and grabbed my weapon, ready to finish what apparently wasn't her end. With my backpack now where it belongs, I stepped outside and glanced at the victim, causing my eyes to widen afterwards.

The cut I gave her on her neck was completely gone along with the frostbites. Her outfit was completely cleaned of the snow it had accumulated as well, it was like I was staring at a different person!

Soon after my examination, the eyes of the person trapped under the debris opened and revealed a light in them, a soul peering through them if you believe in that.

"..."

"Don't stand there, help me out."

"Y-You can talk?!"

I let out a stutter before I firmly placed my hand to my mouth. If something was roaming outside then they definitely heard my voice. However, as surprised as I was, my hold onto my blade remained.

My instinct was telling me to simply go for the kill. What if she suddenly jumped me the moment I tried to act kind? Has snow madness reached a point where it can use words to trick people? Man, this world is getting more fucked with each passing day.

"...You're supposed to be dead."

"Believe me, if it were that simple then I would have been dead a long time ago."

She rolled her eyes out of annoyance before shifting her body around. Once in a good position, her right hand turned into a bright flame as she slammed a good fist into a fragment of the ceiling. It easily shattered into pieces, freeing her from her prison.

"..."

The first move she made once back of her feet was to dust off her white shirt and get rid of the snow that fell on her when she broke free.

Only then she remembered my existence and turned her head in my direction. A drop of sweat fell down my face as I assumed a battle position.

"Alright, now that this is dealt with, what the hell is going on?"

When the arrival of winter approaches, those who are not prepared are consumed by its harsh trial. Those who are have to witness in horror the bodies of careless fools fill the streets, taken away and devoured by the gentle snow.

"...So you're an outsider."

The woman asked me something that probably wasn't necessary considering the difference between our clothes.

We were currently hiding inside a bedroom I found early in my investigation. The both of us were sitting next to each other, facing the lone window in the room. To my right, my backpack was placed down along with my blade.

"Pretty sure you know the answer to your own question."

"The last I remember, the Hakurei barrier broke, I wasn't expecting any outsiders to show up after what happened."

She glanced at the snow falling outside for a moment and heaved a sigh. As she did so, I removed the lantern from the stick it's usually attached to and placed it on the floor between us.

"The place I came from is not much better than here, the same snow everywhere you go."

I replied to her remark and leaned against the wall behind me.

Before I could swing another hit into her body when she emerged from her grave, the girl next to me known as Mokou, if I believe her words, explained her odd situation. It took me a while to accept it, which led us to this.

"So, how does it feel like to come back?"

"Hurts like hell."

Her response was swift and monotone. If I had to take a guess, I wasn't the first person to ask her about it.

Not wanting to dwell on that topic, I silently rummaged through the bag by my side and pulled out a bottle covered with bubble wrap. Once I removed the lid, the faint scent of the drink inside began to rise from its slumber.

No, it's not alcohol, the last thing I need in this apocalyptic scenario is to get drunk and get myself killed in my stupor.

"What is that?"

Slightly interested by the smell, the girl who returned from the dead lowered her eyes to what I was holding.

"A drink."

"...Wow, thanks. I don't think anyone was expecting you to stuff a piece of bread in there."

Her answer was followed by a small chuckle.

I gave her a shrug in return and took a sip from the bottle I carried before handing it to her. She blinked once to indicate that she was confused by my action.

"You were interested."

"...Thanks."

She averted her eyes and softly showed her gratitude. Honestly, I didn't mind, especially considering what occured next was the perfect reward for my generosity.

"Pfft, what is this?!"

She immediately choked on the sip she took and began to cough as if she was about to suffocate. To see a person like her go from a rather cold and emotionless appearance to this created a whiplash strong enough to make me laugh.

Her glare aimed directly at my head but it was honestly the least of my concerns. My little showcase of emotion was like a faint flame in this desolated winter landscape, feeble yet also strong enough to form a smile on Mokou's face.

Outside, the harsh reality we were living in was staring at us through the window like a vultur waiting for a fresh body. Sadly, as much as I would like to stay here, what I carried with me was not enough for me to remain in one place for too long.

Plus, I gave myself one final goal before my eventual demise and I certainly won't accomplish it by hiding until I starve to death.

"Why did you come here?"

It took me a moment to process the question that was suddenly thrown at me. My head slowly turned to meet my interlocutor's but could not find the words needed.

Finally, after an inner struggle between wanting to remain silent and speaking up, I chose to simply spit it out. There was no point hiding it, no sane person would walk around like I am for no reason.

"I've heard that the cause of this... whatever this is- I've heard that it all came from here."

"Huh, as much as I would like to say that I'm surprised that outsiders knew about Gensokyo, I'm more impressed that some were able to guess that it originated from here."

"So it really did come from here?"

A pause followed my question. During this back & forth we were having, shock was plastered on my face upon hearing those news but the person facing me revealed a different emotion, one opposing mine. It looked so complex that I couldn't even find the right words to describe it.

"Yes."

"...So I guess those deranged priests were right."

Like the saying goes: you learn something new everyday.

I took a moment to ponder on the choices offered to me now that I was basically told that I was on the right path. During this time of reflection, the one that I killed once continued to speak.

"At first, we simply assumed that it was a simple incident, something that would easily be dealt with. Days passed but nothing changed, everything got worse until... we reached where we are now."

"So you couldn't find the reason of this mess?"

"I say 'we' but I didn't really participate in the investigation. I just assumed that everything would go back to normal one day."

Hm, so people were trying to pinpoint the cause of this odd weather. If I'm lucky, meeting one of those people would greatly help my own search.

Alright, I now have a plan!

"I came here to investigate what caused everything and possibly put an end to it."

My words were fueled with a newly lit passion and determination. This exchange of information was practically a sign, a large board saying "You're on the right path, keep going" on it.

"If I were you, I'd give up, there's no chance an outsider like you can fix something like this."

"We don't know until we try, I don't have much to lose."

My choices were rather limited in this situation. It was either die trying to reach the end of the right path or just simply give up and perish from the cold. Between the both of them, I'd rather meet my end knowing that I did my best!

Locked into my choice, I searched inside my backpack a second time and pulled out a sleeping bag that I placed on the tatami floor under us. I needed all the strength I could get if I wanted to succeed.

"Don't tell me you're seriously going to go out there doing that."

"The more people are on the case, the higher are our chances of finding a way to deal with this."

I nonchalantly replied as I unrolled the bed I used to pass the night ever since I began my walk in this frozen landscape. Its age is visible but its function remains the same.

The woman with long white hair sighed. I could tell she wanted me to back down from my decision but unfortunately, there is not much else to do in our current circumstances. Plus, the fact that I was still alive was enough proof that I could manage.

"Where are you planning on going?"

Instead of wasting her breathing trying to convince me of doing something she knew that I wouldn't do, she used her words to question my next step.

"No clue, I'll just walk until I find something."

"You don't know where to go? You're going to get killed out there!"

"...I came from what you call the 'Outside World', did you expect me to arrive with a map?"

My retort swiftly shut her up. The only pieces of information that I had about this place was given to me by those lunatics.

This fact didn't weaken my will to march onwards, not in the slightest. In fact, I was currently staring at my potential saviour.

"If you're so worried about me getting killed then join me."

"Huh?"

Her eyes landed back on me. Despite my face being hidden in order to protect myself from the madness of the snow, I still couldn't help myself but give her a grin.

"You know your way around and you look quite strong."

"..."

"Plus, you do owe me since I freed you from your madness."

My grin grew wider as I pushed a necessary button for her to finally give me an answer. It's scummy, probably, but I don't really care. I need her answer as soon as possible so that I can prepare myself.

"Fine, I'll accompany you."

"Good to hear."

I calmly replied and slid inside my sleeping bag, ready to go to sleep. The night was going to be long and the walk tomorrow even longer. I should save as much energy as possible in case I get caught by unknown attackers.

"Also, we'll need to deal with your clothes, I don't need you going berserk a second time on me."

"I'll be fine."

"...Says the girl who got crushed by a ceiling. Anyway, good night."

I turned off the lantern placed between us as a way to end the conversation and closed my eyes.

As long as this snow continues, our future will never be able to recover. We either overcome this ordeal or we perish trying to fight it. Humanity is on its final leg and it's up to the last sane survivors to exterminate the source of this nightmare.

Not many people have faith that things will change and to be honest, I'm also in the same group. However, it won't stop me from trying.

The wind howling outside acted as a soft lullably, slowly putting my body to sleep. Tomorrow would be yet another fight for survival.

(Alright, now that you've reached this point, it's time for me to talk. I made this oneshot(?) in a day and a half as a way to change my mind and give me a break from the Library of Ruina book I'm writing.

This is a story that I'd like to elaborate on but for now, it's only going to be a oneshot/a concept given in case any writers more talented than me finds it.

I don't personally believe that this story will get popular. After all, it's a big switch from the usual Touhou stories you find out there but if enough people like it, I might pull it out of the shelf to continue it.

For now, consider it a one chapter story and have a boring Christmas in a few weeks.)