Chapter Text
Kalevi inhaled deeply, feeling the crisp chill of the air as the biting wind swept across a vast expanse of white. The valleys and hills before him were adorned with frostbitten trees, their branches lumpy with ice and snow. In the remote and sparsely populated Finnish Lapland, a landscape of frozen beauty and tranquil serenity unfolded, inviting tourists and skiers alike, granted they could endure year-long subzero temperatures.
Fortunately, these qualities lent themselves well to the elite Finnish Jaegers, masters of navigating the snowy plains of their homeland, its large frozen landscapes providing a perfect location to train foreign nations’ soldiers in cold-weather warfare. In for training at Sodankylä this year was a mixed group of US and UK soldiers slogging through a hill buried in heavy snow, their breath billowing in the frigid air. From his concealed vantage point, hastily prepared just an hour prior, he observed their clumsy ascent up the snow-laden slope, their bulky cold-weather gear proving more hindrance than help. Kalevi grinned as the “students” clumsily made their way up the hill with all the grace of newborn calves.
This was all part of an exercise designed by the commanding officers at Sodankylä to be the introductory course for these soldiers. The foreign soldiers, divided into groups, were tasked with rendezvousing at designated points within the sprawling Lapland wilderness. Some traversed the terrain on foot, while others utilized alternative modes of transportation such as trucks or armored personnel carriers. Assigned Jaegers were strategically positioned at specific rendezvous points, their mission to blend seamlessly into the wintry landscape and, with precision, "mark" the foreign soldiers using paintball guns. Once they felt they had sufficiently painted their targets, the Jaegers would attempt to escape via snowmobile to designated extraction points. Points were tallied based on the successful marking of each trainee, whether their uniforms or vehicles bore the telltale signs of colorful splatters.
And, naturally, if the trainees’ colors marked the Jaegers themselves, they'd never hear the end of it. With this in mind, Kalevi picked up his paintball gun and grinned. This was going to be fun.
Only a short while later, an unblemished Kalevi sauntered into Sodankylä Training Base, followed by a motley crew of disgruntled trainees covered in pink paint. Kalevi sported a large grin as the trainees headed off to their lockers, shedding multicolored uniforms and equipment. In the meanwhile, he carefully wiped the remaining snow and ice off of his gear, rejoining his unit at their lockers, all also free of colorful additions to their uniforms. A wider grin awaited him, along with an all-enveloping bear hug.
“Kalevi, our personal ihme! How was it? Sinä katosit kuin pieru Saharassa!”
Kalevi chuckled as he untangled himself. “Easier than hunting moose, Arvo. Did everyone make it back unscathed?”
Arvo shook his head, a grin spreading across his face as he gestured towards a nearby bench, where a Jaeger uniform lay speckled with yellow paint. "Not poor Mikko, unfortunately."
Kalevi chuckled as he began to shed his heavy winter gear. “As Mummo always says, ken kuuseen kurkottaa, se katajaan kapsahtaa. ”
Arvo assisted Kalevi unbuckle his pack clasps, nodding in agreement. “She is a wise one. Though in Mikko’s words: ‘Hiton amerikkalaiset valitsivat huonoimman reitin ylös mäelle, miten minä voin ennustaa sen!?’”
Kalevi sighed as he stowed his gear in a nearby locker. “Mikko should stick to improving his aim, not his brain. Shooting straight requires less brainpower.”
Arvo let out a hearty laugh. “Ah, Kalevi. Wordsmith and life of the party! Speaking of which, we’re holding a celebratory drinking session! Lilja managed to sneak a bottle of Koskenkorva.”
Kalevi rolled his eyes playfully. "Only if we can avoid a repeat of what happened in Rovaniemi…"
Arvo chuckled, his beard twitching. "Ah, yes… I promise."
Kalevi, still harboring doubts, sighed heavily as he closed his locker. "Text me the location. I need to submit my report to Training Command." With a determined stride, he turned towards the door, only to be met with an unsettling silence and a chilling sensation at his back.
"Hey, Arvo, did the—" His words froze in his throat as he turned. Arvo stood before him, frozen solid, icicles clinging to his beard and frozen smile, his eyes glazed over with a haunting sheen of ice. Panic surged through Kalevi as he spun around, searching for any semblance of normalcy, but his worst fears were realized. In place of the base stood only a vast expanse of white, a frozen wasteland devoid of life.
His hands, trembling uncontrollably, clutched a small woolen hat and a pair of knitting needles, as his eyes fearfully locked on a large hill of icy shards—the only remnants of a reality lost to the merciless cold.
Kalevi jolted upright, his heart pounding in his chest like a drumbeat of panic. Gasping for air, he pressed his back against the nearby wall, seeking solace in its modified heating coils. Despite the searing heat radiating from the walls, his hands remained freezing.
He focused on his breath, each inhalation a struggle against the suffocating fear, tasting of the cold landscape he swore he had left behind.
Heat. Warmth. Fire.
He stayed there for a long time. Heat enveloped him, a comforting embrace despite his freezing hands. Slowly, gradually, his breathing steadied, each exhale a release of tension as he continued to lean against the wall, drained yet calmed by the warmth surrounding him, the grip of fear loosened its hold on his trembling limbs. Desperate for relief, he pressed his palms against the scorching walls, seeking to thaw the frozen numbness in his hands. But even as the scorching heat seared his back and arms, his hands remained stubbornly cold.
Frustration knotted in his chest as he swung his legs over the edge of the bed, his anger simmering beneath the surface. Glancing at the clock, he noted the early hour - 0500. As good a time as any to start the day. With a sigh, he stalked over to his closet, the door sliding open with a soft creak. Pulling on a thick long-sleeved shirt, he winced as the softer fabric brushed against his tender skin, igniting a fiery sensation along his back and arms.
He sighed. Sage should be awake, though going to her three days out of the past five with heavy burns on his skin wasn’t exactly the best look for a new agent.
"Whatever," he muttered to himself, pulling on a pair of tactical gloves to complete his attire. He ignored the sharp pain as the gloves chafed against the angry skin on his palms. Consequences be damned, he wasn’t about to spend the day feeling like he had just fought Phoenix. With a determined stride, he pushed open the door of the dormitory, greeted by the cooler air of the Valorant HQ's hallways.
The walk to Sage's office was brisk and uneventful, the silence broken only by the occasional murmur of agents engrossed in their work or the soft shuffle of those still asleep. He noted one of Cypher’s cameras tracking his movements, its blue light casting a watchful gaze upon him. He made sure to give it a solid glare as he rounded the corner towards his destination.
Sage looked up from her paperwork as the medical bay’s door hissed open, revealing their newest Finnish agent. Her warm smile faltered slightly as her eyes darted to the clock resting on her desk.
“Jäätä? It’s rather early. Are you alright?”
Jäätä inclined his head respectfully before stepping through the door, it hissing closed behind him. "Not quite, ma'am. I believe I have received a minor injury. I was hoping you would be able to lo-"
Sage stopped him. "You got burned again."
There was a pregnant pause. "...Yes."
Sage rose from her desk, stretching briefly before heading towards the back room. "Sit down on a bed. I'll get prepared."
As Sage disappeared, Jäätä made his way to one of the beds, carefully removing his shirt. He winced as the cooler air of the med bay washed over his scorched skin, turning to find Sage returning with a cluster of healing orbs. A heavy silence hung between them before Sage sighed audibly. "Sit on the edge of the bed."
She started with the back, covered in swollen and blistering skin as if Jäätä had pressed it against a stovetop. Her healing radiance swirled to life with a cyan glow as one of the healing orbs floated in her hands. She guided the orb’s energy to soothe the wounded layers of skin, swiftly transforming the burns into nothing but temporary scars. Noticing that Jäätä's forearms suffered a similar fate to his back, Sage's gaze shifted to his tightly clenched hands, encased within Kingdom-issue cold-weather gloves. That would be her next focus.
After some time, Jäätä's back was sufficiently treated to alleviate most of the pain and discomfort. Sage reached out gently to take one of his gloved hands but was taken aback by the swift recoil as Jäätä pulled away. Their eyes met, Sage's concerned browns locking with Jäätä's fearful blues. Slowly, Jäätä uncurled his fists, allowing Sage to remove his gloves and expose the blisteringly red skin on his palms. Sage sighed lightly as she directed her Radiance over the burns. She frowned for a moment as she gently spread Jäätä’s fingers, noticing his hands remained icy and frozen.
The silence stretched on as Sage delicately directed her healing radiance over the angry, raw flesh, coaxing it to knit together. Despite the discomfort of the process, Jäätä remained stoic, his only sign of distress the deepening rhythm of his breaths.
"I trust you've been diligent with your nightly meditations?" she asked softly, breaking the thick silence.
Jäätä drew in a slow, steadying breath. "Yes, ma'am," he replied, his voice calm despite the tension in his chest and the pain radiating from his burns.
"And yet you've come to me three times this week with these exact burns," Sage remarked, her tone tinged with concern, and a little bit of amusement.
Jäätä remained silent, his gaze shifting to the floor.
Sage's expression softened as she completed the healing process for the worst of the burns. She rested a hand on Jäätä’s palm. "Jäätä, your fear is valid. Mastering these powers is no easy task. But this... isn't healthy for you."
Jäätä carefully retracted his hand from Sage’s comforting grasp as he slid his gloves and shirt back on. "I understand, ma'am."
"I trust I'll see you with Neon later today for our training?" Sage inquired.
"Yes, ma'am," Jäätä affirmed.
"Good. Try to get some rest, Jäätä," Sage advised.
Jäätä nodded, bowing his head slightly. "I will, ma'am."
As the doors hissed shut, signaling Jäätä's departure, Sage settled back behind her desk. Her gaze drifted to the unfinished paperwork neatly organized on the desk. With a resigned sigh, she picked up her pen and resumed her work, methodically checking boxes and jotting down medical details. Yet, despite her efforts to concentrate, her thoughts remained fixated on the Finnish agent.
Sage set down her pen with a weary sigh and rubbed her tired eyes. Perhaps a cup of tea would help her regain focus.