Stranded in a blizzard atop a treacherous ridge, badly injured, and quickly bleeding out, Ishikura knows he is about to die. But before he does, he decides to unburden his soul by telling his companion Asai a dark secret that has been weighing on him for years. No sooner do the words cross Ishikura's lips, however, than Asai stumbles upon the shelter they'd been searching for-only to realize his friend's confession has changed everything-and the brutal elements may no longer be the deadliest threat around.