The Blind Boy

7/6/25 1940 Chariot Backstory

Chariot's skin begins to tingle and burn. Not in a bad way though. Rather, in the way one's chilled hands tingle when held too close to a fireplace. He enters his warm cabin after a long day of playing outside, relieved as the rush of heat brings his body back to normal temperature. It is one of the colder days in Nivora.

"Mommy! Mommy! The Glacier Force — they're back, they're right there!” He grabs her sleeve, teeth knocking together. "Aren't they the coolest thing you've ever seen?"

His mother's eyes widen as the photon of fear enters her pupils. Ten-year-old Chariot looks up to the Glacier Force, they are his heroes. To his mother, they are corpses still walking.

She grabs her coat. "They must be coming in from their first reconnaissance mission, let's go see daddy!"

---

The cold bites Chariot and his mother's cheeks as they leave their cabin. Chariot holds his mother's hand, struggling to keep up as he treks through the rough snow. Each step comes with a satisfying crunching sound. A couple of minutes of walking and they reach the crowd at the village entrance. Villagers line the road on both sides, leaving a narrow path for the returning soldiers.

Some faces cling to hope, some sharpen with rage, and some are devoid of emotion. Some wait for loved ones, some for interviews, some for no reason at all. The Glacier Force is slowly revealed through the snowy fog. The soldiers pass through the entrance gate slowly, marching in perfect synchronization. As always, there is not an ounce of emotion on their faces. They look blank and devoid of any soul, almost… lifeless.

Corpses are carried in dark brown, wooden carriages. Snow coats everyone, icicles hang from beards, and eyes are filled with anger, anguish, and hopelessness. Chunks of flesh are missing from people's bodies. A man, his cheek missing from what appears to be a giant bite, talks to himself in his carriage. His teeth and gums move up and down through the hole in his cheek as he recites what seems to be a prayer.

He looks like he's going insane, crammed in a carriage, surrounded by others just like him, teetering on psychosis. There is not enough space in the carriages. Soldiers with lost arms or other chunks of their bodies continue to march forward in spite of their missing limbs. Not everyone gets the luxury of bleeding out in a wooden box.

"You people are USELESS. All you do is go out and let more men DIE. What value did we derive from this reconnaissance, TELL ME," a villager shouts out.

"Another bloody shit fest," says a fat-bellied, bearded man with what appears to be sauce stains on his shirt.

The chief doesn't even glance at him. Two soldiers in the back collapse. Three more spit huge amounts of blood—one at the front of the line, his buddy next to him, and another in a carriage. The blood colors the snow red and drips from their chins. There is blood everywhere, on everyone. Chariot's mother closes her son's eyes as a carriage comes through with a barely-alive man. His intestines are littered all over the carriage and a slimy, pink tube hangs out of his belly from what appears to be a giant scratch mark.

"What are THESE MEN DYING FOR!!!"

"WHERE IS MY LOVE? WHERE IS HE? BRIGARD, ARE YOU THERE?"

"IS THIS WHERE MY TAXES ARE GOING? TO YOU WORTHLESS LOT?! YOU ARE ALL USELESS FIGHTERS!"

Tears roll off soldiers, villagers, and kids. Those same tears freeze in midair, turning into tiny cannonballs that crash onto the red, bloodshot snow beneath. The soldiers continue marching forward; no glances, no emotions, only their lifeless pupils.

This is not new for them; these soldiers risk their lives every week on these reconnaissance missions. Why? The Snowbiter Hunt. Every year, these highly intelligent, giant, saber-toothed, albino snow beasts, known as Snowbiters, prepare their pack for a hunt. The villagers of Nivora are the prey. It is unknown when in the year the Snowbiters will strike. The job of the Glacier Force is to find out and alert the town and militia. They go out as a group into Snowbiter territory and check if the pack is out of hibernation. There are always Snowbiters guarding the hibernation spots as a defense, and the Glacier Force has to deal with that every time. They come back with significant casualties. The people are THE PREY. They will do anything in their power to survive.

"DADDY!" Chariot finds his father in the squadron of troops—soulless as usual, fists clenched, obvious sorrow written on his face.

Chariot's mother stops him from running to his father. "Good, he is safe. Let's head home and meet him tonight in time for dinner. They need to report the status to the chairmen."

The only thing in Chariot's mind is how cool these men are. Risking their lives to keep the town alert. Brave soldiers. Skilled warriors. Fearless.

Suddenly, a quivering, scrawny villager stops the chief in his tracks. "H-H-HEY, my daughter is a h-h-huge fan of yours and I was wondering if you could give me an auto-aut-autograph for her." The chief stands tall, towering over the villager. He peers down at him with his one remaining eye, showing no signs of emotion or acknowledgment. A man in the back of the troop screams in anguish as blood spurts out of his thigh. Lost-limbed soldiers pant from exhaustion. The chief has said a thousand words to this villager without a single vibration from his voice box. He shoves the villager to the side, not lightly, and continues the march.

"What asshats. These villagers don't appreciate or understand what these soldiers really do for us. Most of these people have never seen a Snowbiter. Ungrateful wretches. Let's go home, Chariot." The two depart back to their cabin, leaving behind the still-yelling, complaining and anguished crowd.

---

Many hours pass and Chariot's father still hasn't returned home.

"Chariot, listen to me. When you are older, I do not want you to join the Glacier Force—it is a death sentence. Focus on math; you love math, don’t you? I used to teach numbers, before I came here, before all of this. You have a sharper mind than I ever did. You should work on becoming a great mathematician and leave Nivora when you can to show the world what you can do. It is not safe here regardless," Chariot's mother says.

"I want to beat those Snowbiters to a pulp. I know I can do it. I'll be just like daddy," Chariot passionately says.

Something passes behind Chariot's eyes—just for a flicker, something that is not a child's anger. His mother sees it. She has seen it before.

Chariot's mother grabs his arms tightly. "YOU LISTEN TO ME—DO NOT! YOU WILL UNDERSTAND WHEN YOU'RE OLDER! YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO ME, CHARIOT, PLEASE, BABY, PLEASE!" She abruptly breaks into tears as she relinquishes her grip on his arms.

Just as Chariot goes to comfort her, a town announcement plays on the tall speakers.

"ATTENTION ALL CITIZENS, A SNOWBITER RAID IS IMMINENT. BARRICADE YOUR HOUSES. THE MILITARY WILL BE OUT SHORTLY. ENFORCE PROPER PROTOCOL. GRAB WEAPONS AND HIDE UNDERGROUND. I REPEAT, A SNOWBITER RAID IS IMMINENT! "

Silence fills the room abruptly. Many of the military men have power core abilities, though none very strong. The sound of thousands of boots running and crunching through the snow echoes throughout the town. Chariot and his mother have gone through this protocol lots of times. They know their father's life is at risk and they know what to do to stay secure. Chariot and his mother rush to barricade the walls as much as possible—planks, tables, and reinforced metal. Chariot's mother feels a chill down her spine.

Why is it so abrupt? Did the Glacier Force miss something? This can't be fucking happening.

"THEY ARE HERE EARLY!" A soldier outside yells in agony as a squelching snap ends his life. The crunching of bones and squishing fills the air. The varied sounds of power core abilities fill the village. The sounds of screaming and painful yells. The sounds of fire from imported Scorch Slime grenades. The sounds of arrows flying and icicle guns. All these sounds, all at once. It's chaos.

P A N I C ensues

Loud banging erupts on the walls and doors of Chariot and his mother's cabin.

"LET USSS INNN LET USSS INN PLEA–" A squelching, crunching sound cuts off the pleading speech. Many of these men are facing a Snowbiter for the first time. They are completely paralyzed by fear. It is not uncommon for soldiers to hide, freeze, panic or try to escape. A man crouched behind three wine barrels near the barracks watches a Snowbiter peel a soldier open at the ribs—the soldier still alive, still screaming through it, his lungs working as the beast feeds. The man has seen what these creatures do to those caught alive. He would rather not find out for himself. He sticks his gun in his mouth and fires, painting the snow with his brains.

There are, however, some brave soldiers who put up a solid fight, typically those with Power Core abilities. The Snowbiters charge into the town, seeping into the residential areas and devouring everyone. The beasts pour into Nivora like an avalanche of fangs and claws. This year, the hunt came abruptly; the town didn't have enough time to prepare.

Chariot's mother continues covering him up as tears roll down her face. Screams, squeezing, cracking, squelching. An utter massacre happens outside as Chariot and his mother sit in fear within the confines of the small, homey wooden cabin. It is completely dark inside, save for the warm red light from the fireplace, and Chariot and his mother don't make a single sound. The security and isolation of the cabin is almost warm and reassuring, but at the same time a vulnerable feeling lingers throughout; it's chilling.

The Snowbiters burst through the village with a force that makes walls crumble under the weight of their charge, their roars cutting through the blizzard like thunder. Even more soldiers rush to meet them, spears braced, but the Snowbiters tear through the lines with a speed that mocks human strength; armor bends like tin beneath their jaws, shields splinter with a single swipe of claws rimed in frost. Panic spreads faster than fire, and families flee into the snow, only to be dragged down screaming, choking on the snow, their cries muffled as the pack sinks its teeth into where they fall. Blood steams against the white ground, staining the village in broad strokes of red.

More and more soldiers come knocking on the cabin.

"Don't worry, Chariot, just be quiet okay? Daddy will kill them all," Chariot's mother attempts to comfort her son as she mentally crumbles and descends into madness.

The cabin continues to sit buried in snowdrifts like a jewel of warmth in a frozen, barbaric wilderness, its log walls glowing gold under the firelight that leaks through frosted windows. The barricades make it feel even more secure. The two are untouchable and the warmth of the cabin hugs them.

More sounds come from the door. This time it's an erratic scratching, wood audibly chipping off. That soldier must be in excruciating pain. A giant paw blasts through the door, sending wood flying through the house. The second paw enters. In the blink of an eye the entire wall is utterly demolished and a single Snowbiter menacingly lays its eyes upon Chariot and his mother. Its gaze is gut-wrenching. The white fur blows in the wind like dancing grass. So majestic yet so cruel. The grey lining of the fur is stained with blood. Human eyes, guts, and fat tissue are stuck in its teeth. It grunts and snarls as it closes in, faster and faster. The warmth in the cabin suddenly disappears as the merciless cold of Nivora rushes in.

Chariot's mother glances at Chariot, seeing a sharp chip of wood lodged in his pupil. Blood drips out. His eyes weep crimson tears, dripping faster and faster.

"GET AWAY FROM US!" Chariot's mother grabs her spear.

Both Chariot and his mother brace. Chariot is too numb to even feel the pain of his pierced eye. He picks up his spear with nothing but pure hatred. He looks the Snowbiter in the eye.

"Chariot, stay behind me NOW!" Chariot's mother shields him.

Every step the Snowbiter takes shakes the cabin. Each step feels like it shakes the very fabric of reality for Chariot's mother.

The Snowbiter lunges. Chariot's mother hurls the spear at the Snowbiter, and it snaps the weapon between its paws like a twig. One swipe is all it takes. Chariot thrusts his spear at the beast. A squelch sounds out. His spear pierces the Snowbiter's neck. Chariot looks up with a small flame of hope. All color fades from his pupils as he sees the utter horror that towers above him.

The Snowbiter's massive fangs are sunk into his mother's neck. The beast crunches harder and her neck snaps with a cracking, squelching sound. The Snowbiter jerks up and rips her head right off. Chariot watches in agony as this unfolds, his spear flying off the Snowbiter. With one final crunch, his mother's head is devoured whole, one eyeball flying out and landing right on Chariot's foot.

Chariot's entire stomach is filled to the brim with a sharp burning feeling and tears roll from his eyes, mixing with the blood coming from the gaping hole in his eye socket. His eyes sting, but not from the pain of the wood.

Chariot rushes at the Snowbiter with bare fists, tears skewing his vision. The Snowbiter sinks its fearsome claws into Chariot's face, pinning him down to the floor. Its claws have just turned his other eye into meat stew, burrowing deep into the socket. Chariot screams in such agony it sends shivers through the whole village, cutting through all the commotion already happening. Chariot can no longer see anything. He keeps screaming and flailing. Darkness devours him as he desperately continues punching and slapping at the thick, meaty, furry arm pinning him.

"W-W-WHY WON'T YOU JUST DIEEEEEE!"

Then—

A huge shake and thud rip through the house from nowhere. The crushing weight on Chariot's chest suddenly vanishes. Next comes an explosion. Not a normal explosion. The sound of ruffling and grappling, followed by a giant meat ball erupting. Hot, wet matter splatters across his face. The smell of dead Snowbiter fills the room and Chariot lies still, petrified. He cannot see it, but the Snowbiter has just been completely mangled, torn apart, its red guts splattered like paint across the walls.

Chariot reaches blindly for his mother. His fingers find wet floor. He gropes further, palm dragging through warm matter that is not the meat of a Snowbiter. He feels something soft. He feels nothing where her head should be.

Chariot stands up, seemingly unfazed. He sees nothing. He only feels the warm wet slick on his face that isn't his, and hears the silence where the Snowbiter's snarls used to be.

---

Hiding soldiers look at the cabin entrance with curiosity. Out walks a tall, hulking figure: matte black from head to toe, no face, no features at all, just a black silhouette covered in matte-black armor reminiscent of a medieval knight. One couldn't even call it a man, more like an entity. This being has just single-handedly eviscerated a Snowbiter within the cabin with its bare hands.

The "man" sprints at immense speed, rushing out of the cabin. It targets every Snowbiter it sees. It draws a rapier and jabs at one Snowbiter insanely fast, pushing the blade in and out three times a second, leaving thousands of gushing holes in the Snowbiter's torso. The Snowbiter collapses in agony.

The "man" leans on his back leg, bracing for something. He pushes forward and dashes into a sprint with such immense power it cracks the ground behind him. He runs around the village, slashing every single Snowbiter in sight. Heads coming clean off, bodies being cut in half, brains being pierced.

As the man gets farther from Chariot, his armor slowly comes off until he stands naked. He impales Snowbiters with his bare hands. He drives his knuckles right through the heads of more and more Snowbiters. He wrestles some, getting them in chokeholds, snapping their necks.

Hours pass and, with the combined efforts of this "man" and the soldiers, the Snowbiters perish and the remaining ones retreat.

Chariot's father runs to the cabin and is struck with complete terror as he looks at the mangled remains of his wife. A few meters behind the remains stands Chariot, completely emotionless, eyes gushing red. In front of him is a black void on the ground, sort of like a hole.

"THE BLACK MAN, H-H-HE CAME FROM THE CABIN!" a quivering soldier whimpers.

Could this portal be where the man came from? Is this… Chariot's Power Core Ability?