The hall was silent. All eyes lingered on the Frostflame Fox, Vultherin, his shimmering fur glowing faintly with frost and fire. He stood with quiet dignity, tails curling in slow arcs, and one by one his piercing eyes turned, meeting every soul in the chamber.
Iver swallowed hard, his voice trembling.
Iver:
"Tch... he's really looking at us like he knows something..."
Josh rubbed his head, whispering to no one in particular.
Josh:
"Why do I feel like I'm about to be scolded by a fox...?"
Marian sniffled but forced a grin.
Marian:
"He's kinda... majestic, right? Like... I feel like he could end the world and still look cute doing it."
Rej muttered under his breath.
Rej:
"I swear, if he starts talking, I'm out."
Kristie, wiping tears with her sleeve, tried to laugh.
Kristie:
"Pffft, imagine... a fox giving us life advice. That'd be so Ren."
And then—Vultherin's eyes landed on Elly. The glow in his gaze softened, his steps deliberate as he approached. Elly's breath caught in her throat, frozen in place, as the fox leaned forward. His cold-but-warm snout pressed gently against her tear-stained cheek, brushing away her sorrow like a breeze. For a moment, her heart leapt—an unspoken message whispered through that touch.
Elly:
(whispering)
"Ren... he... he'll be fine...?"
No words were spoken, yet somehow she felt it.
The fox turned then, padding toward Ren's lifeless body. The room held its breath, expecting some miracle, some divine rite of resurrection. Vultherin sniffed at Ren, circled once, then... clamped his teeth onto Ren's hood.
Everyone:
"...???"
And without ceremony—he bolted.
Dragging Ren's limp corpse across the marble floor, scraping with every thud.
The chamber erupted.
Josh:
"OI—OI—OI—WHAT THE HELL!?"
Kristie, screaming:
"YOU STUPID FOX, THAT'S NOT HOW YOU HEAL SOMEBODY!"
Rica, eyes wide, completely broken from her grief:
"H-HE'S DRAGGING HIM OUT!?"
Marian clutched her head.
Marian:
"WAIT—WAIT—WHAT DO WE DO!? DO WE FOLLOW HIM OR—"
Rej:
"OF COURSE WE FOLLOW HIM, HE JUST STOLE REN'S BODY LIKE IT'S A DAMN CARCASS!"
Seri:
"CHARRGGEE!!"
Guards and nobles gawked in stunned silence. One noble blurted out, horrified:
"Did... did that beast just steal the corpse?!"
Another muttered:
"Where... where is he taking him...?!"
Vultherin didn't care. With Ren bumping along behind him like a sack of grain, he dashed out of the courtroom doors with the elegance of a comet and the recklessness of a drunk thief.
The doors slammed open. Stray Dawn burst out after him, a chorus of panic and chaos.
Kristie:
"COME BACK HERE, YOU FLUFFY CRIMINAL!!"
Cedy, pointing ahead as she ran:
"HE'S HEADING TOWARD THE MARKET DISTRICT!"
And so began the most absurd chase in the kingdom's history.
The Market District
Merchants froze mid-barter as a radiant fox streaked past their stalls, dragging what looked suspiciously like a corpse. Ren's lifeless hand caught a basket of apples, spilling them across the cobblestone.
Old Merchant:
"BY THE GODS—WAS THAT A DEAD BODY!?"
Rica, sprinting past, breathless, bowing as she ran:
"S-SORRY, SO SORRY! PLEASE IGNORE THE BODY!"
Elly, apologizing through tears:
"HE'S NOT DEAD—WELL HE IS BUT—NOT REALLY—PLEASE FORGIVE US!"
Jonax waved frantically as she ran after them.
Jonax:
"IT'S FINE! EVERYTHING'S FINE! KEEP SHOPPING!"
Behind them, Marian, Rej, Kristie, and Cedy barreled through like a stampede.
Kristie, shouting:
"STOP HIM!! SOMEBODY STOP THAT FOX!!"
Marian:
"ARE YOU CRAZY!? WHO WOULD TRY TO STOP THAT!?"
Rej:
"GUESS IT'S UP TO US, DAMMIT!!"
The Residential Streets
Children playing ball stopped in their tracks as Vultherin bolted past, Ren's head bouncing along the cobblestones with a dull thunk-thunk-thunk.
Little Boy:
"Mommy... was that man... dead?"
Mother, horrified, dragging him inside:
"Don't look! Don't look!"
Seri, riding on Josh's back:
"FASTER MY TRUSTY STEED!"
Josh, sprinting, nearly tripping over his own feet:
"Go easy on me little miss, but really, HOW IS HE SO FAST!? HE'S DRAGGING A WHOLE HUMAN!!"
Iver, gritting his teeth as he pushed through the crowd:
"This doesn't make sense—WHY would he take Ren's body?!"
Kristie, voice cracking:
"BECAUSE HE'S A FOX AND FOXES DO FOX THINGS, THAT'S WHY!!"
The Docks
Vultherin leapt gracefully onto a pier, still hauling Ren's limp form like he was nothing more than stolen luggage. Fishermen dropped their nets in shock.
Fisherman:
Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.
"OI! IS THAT—IS THAT THE ACCUSED HERO?!"
Another fisherman:
"THEY'RE... THEY'RE JUST DRAGGIN' HIM LIKE A FISH!!"
Rica, Elly, Lily, and Jonax skidded across the pier, bowing frantically as they passed.
Rica:
"SORRY—PLEASE—IGNORE THIS, IT'S NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE!"
Elly, desperate:
"HE'S NOT DEAD! I MEAN—HE IS, BUT—"
Lily:
"JUST TRUST US, THIS IS FINE!"
Jonax, half-screaming:
"NO IT'S NOT!!"
Behind them, Kristie's furious voice rang out across the docks.
Kristie:
"VULTHERIN, YOU FLUFFY MENACE, BRING HIM BACK BEFORE I SHAVE YOUR TAILS BALD!!"
And still, Vultherin ran. Dignified. Glorious. Determined. Dragging Ren like a fox who had simply stolen a very large, very dead chicken from a butcher's stall.
The chase stormed across the kingdom, a whirlwind of tears, apologies, and chaos, while the people of the city stared, bewildered, as legend and absurdity collided in the most unholy spectacle imaginable.
The Castle Gates
Vultherin sprinted toward the looming gates, his frostfire tails streaming behind him like comet trails. Ren's limp body scraped mercilessly against the stone path—thunk-thunk-thunk—blood marking a crimson trail in his wake.
Two guards stepped forward, spears crossed.
Guard #1:
"HALT, BEAST! DROP THE CORPSE!"
Guard #2:
"By order of the crown, you'll—"
They didn't finish.
Because Vultherin didn't stop.
In one fluid motion, the fox leapt.
The world slowed.
Every gasp, every heartbeat, every flutter of banners on the gate seemed suspended in air as the mystical creature soared overhead, carrying a bloodied body like some bizarre offering to the gods. Ren's arm dangled loosely, his lifeless hand smacking one guard square across the helmet mid-flight, leaving a crimson smear.
Guard #1, horrified:
"Is... is that BLOOD!?"
Guard #2, screaming:
"HE—HE DRAGGED HIM OVER US—HE DRAGGED HIM!!"
The moment ended in a thunderous BOOM as Vultherin landed on the other side, paws kicking up dust. Without hesitation, he bolted for the treeline, dragging his master into the forest's shadow.
Josh, skidding around the corner, eyes bulging:
"HE JUST—HE JUST PARKOURED OVER THE CASTLE GATES!!"
Kristie, screaming from behind:
"WITH A CORPSE! HE DID A BACKFLIP WITH A CORPSE!!"
Cedy, hands on her head:
"I DON'T KNOW WHETHER TO BE IMPRESSED OR TERRIFIED!"
Rej, deadpan but out of breath:
"No. Nope. I'm done. This isn't even the weirdest thing today."
Meanwhile—Seri was bouncing happily on Josh's back, holding onto his hair like reins.
Seri:
"Giddy-up, Horsie Josh! Faster, faster!"
Josh, panicked:
"I'M NOT A HORSE!! Seri, SERIOUSLY—STOP YANKING MY HAIR!!"
Marian, laughing even while running:
"Neigh for her, Josh! Do it or she'll fall off!"
Josh:
"I'LL NEIGH WHEN I'M DEAD!!"
Above Them All
With a roar, wings spread wide, Rica soared above astride Queen, her majestic Aether Dragon bond. The beast's silver scales glistened in the moonlight, wings scattering stardust in every beat. Rica leaned forward, shouting to the chaos below.
Rica:
"HE'S HEADING STRAIGHT INTO THE FOREST—DON'T LOSE HIM!"
Elly, panting, shouting up at her:
"RICAAA! WHAT DO WE DO WHEN WE CATCH HIM!?"
Rica, voice breaking:
"I—I DON'T KNOW YET!! JUST DON'T LET HIM DISAPPEAR!"
Queen's wings sliced the air as Rica tracked Vultherin's glowing trail from above, her dragon's eyes fixed like a hawk.
The Chase Across the Fields
Vultherin darted past startled farmers, Ren's body bumping through furrows and trampling crops.
Farmer, horrified:
"Sweet heavens above—IS THAT THE ACCUSED HERO?!"
Another farmer, fainting:
"A fox... dragging a corpse... what devilry—"
Jonax, apologizing frantically as she sprinted past:
"SORRY! WE'RE SORRY! THIS ISN'T—THIS ISN'T WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE!"
Lily, hands together like she was praying while running:
"PLEASE DON'T JUDGE US! HE'S NOT DEAD—WELL HE IS BUT HE WON'T BE—OH GODS, THIS IS BAD!"
Elly, still sobbing while running:
"VULTHERIN, YOU IDIOT, WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO!?"
Kristie, screaming at the fox in the distance:
"COME BACK HERE, YOU STUPID FLUFF BALL, BEFORE I MAKE YOU INTO A WINTER COAT!!"
From above, the scene was absurdly beautiful—sunlight spilling over the sprawling kingdom as the sun sets, Vultherin glowing like a streak of frostfire tearing through the dark, Stray Dawn scattering in his wake like meteors, some soaring on dragon-back, others stumbling on foot, and one unlucky Josh neighing in despair with a child on his back.
The people who glimpsed it would never forget.
A fox dragging death itself into the woods.
A broken family chasing after him with chaos, fury, and hope.
...
The forest clearing was still, the tall trees swaying gently as moonlight broke through their canopy. Vultherin padded into the center of the glade and carefully laid Ren's limp body upon the soft earth. His fur bristled, frost glittering faintly off his coat as he stepped back.
He began circling Ren—slow, deliberate, almost ceremonial. At first, it seemed like aimless pacing... but then, with each step, a trail of faint frostflames flickered behind him, glowing blue-white against the night. His movements grew stranger—arched leaps, sweeping turns, paws striking the ground like drumbeats. It was a dance. A ritual. A fox's prance transformed into something older, primal, sacred.
Stray Dawn stumbled into the clearing minutes later, panting and disheveled.
Kristie:
"Oh that's it. I'm throwing hands with this mutt—"
Iver:
"Wait." [he grabs her wrist, eyes sharp] "Look at him. He's not... playing."
The group froze, breaths caught in their throats, watching Vultherin move. Sparks of frost and flare scattered with every bound, weaving through the air like fireflies.
Josh:
"...Is he—dancing? Or did I hit my head on the way here?"
Seri (still riding on Josh's back, pulling his hair like reins):
"No, he's dancing." [her small voice trembled between awe and tears] "He's... trying to say something."
The fox's ritual quickened. Frost erupted suddenly from the soil, veins of ice splitting through the earth in jagged cracks, spreading outward. The ground hissed and steamed as glowing shards spiraled upward, curling around Ren's body.
Rej:
"Holy shit." [half amazed, half horrified] "We're either witnessing a miracle... or the weirdest burial service I've ever seen."
Cedy:
"Rej, shut up. Look—look at it!"
Everyone shielded their eyes as the eruption of frost swelled higher, surrounding Ren. Slowly, the ice curved inward, sealing him in a crystalline cocoon, a coffin of glittering frost. It shimmered like a jewel under the moonlight, Ren's form faintly visible inside.
Elly collapsed to her knees, choking on her sobs.
Elly:
"H-he... he really sealed him... it's over. It's over!"
Rica knelt, her hand trembling against the coffin's cold surface, tears falling onto the ice.
Rica:
"...Ren." [her voice broke]
One by one, the others bowed their heads, grief spilling again as if this final image had hammered the truth into them. He was gone. Their leader, their shield, their friend—frozen in death's embrace.
Yet Vultherin's tail wagged. He pranced once more around the coffin, his tongue lolling, his eyes bright like a pup awaiting praise.
Elly snapped, her sorrow twisting into anger.
Elly:
"WHY!? Why are you happy!? Why would you do this, just to bury him like this?!" [she screamed, her voice raw] "Don't—don't give us false hope!"
Vultherin tilted his head, confused. He padded closer, nudging her forehead gently with his snout, then licked her nose, soft and warm against her tears. As if whispering in a language only he knew: It's fine.
Elly trembled, torn between rage and fragile belief.
Rica's eyes widened. She placed her palm against the coffin once more, analyzing the texture, the way the frost pulsed faintly with magic.
Iver, watching closely, leaned in.
Iver:
"...You've realized something. Tell us."
Rica inhaled shakily, her voice low but steady.
Rica:
"I... I think this isn't a coffin." [she ran her fingers along the crystalline edge] "Ice—it's used to preserve. Food. Blood. Organs. It stops things from decaying. Maybe..." [her throat tightened] "...maybe that's Vultherin's intention. He's not burying Ren. He's... buying us time. Preserving him until..."
Josh:
"...Until what?" [hope cracked through his disbelief]
Rica:
"...Until we find a way to bring him back."
The clearing fell into silence, broken only by Seri's muffled sobs and the wind rustling the trees.
Vultherin didn't confirm her theory. He merely walked over to Rica, pressed his head against her hand, and allowed her to pet him. Then, with a soft huff, he curled himself beneath the frozen coffin, tucking his body against it like a loyal guardian refusing to leave his master's side.
His breathing slowed. His tail wrapped close. He slept there, unyielding.
Rica whispered, more to herself than anyone else:
Rica:
"...So it's not the end. Not yet."
And though no answer came, hope—frail, fragile, but alive—lingered in the clearing, glowing as faintly as the frost that held Ren.
