The Shadow Crag loomed under a steel-gray dawn, its jagged ice cliffs cutting the tundra sky west of the Frostspire. Aelar Frostveil led his squad—forty guards, bolstered by Gorrim Icefang's hounds—through the snow, his dark blue frostweave armor scarred but resolute, silver-white ponytail whipping in the wind. The four rune-stones pulsed in his pouch, their violet glow faint but urgent, urging an end to the Order's threat. Kaelith loped beside him, silver-streaked fur gleaming, glacial eyes locked on the Crag's fortified gates—iron and ice, crawling with mana.
Elara Glintfrost rode at his left, her pale blue tunic crisp, staff glowing with the Titan core half's power, silver hair tied tight. "That's their last hole," she said, voice sharp. "Fifth stone's in there—feel it?"
Aelar nodded, hand brushing the pouch. "It's calling—Order's done hiding."
Torin Iceblade flanked his right, his Frost Boar, Gruk, pounding the snow, icy spines razor-sharp from the core boost. "Gruk smells death," he grunted, spear ready. "Big fight coming."
Gorrim Icefang joined them, axe slung over his shoulder, Varg the Frost Hound prowling beside him, amber eyes glinting. "My hounds tracked 'em here," he growled. "Let's gut the bastards."
Aelar trusted their instincts—Elara's magic, Torin's grit, and Gorrim's ferocity needed no nudge unless the plan shifted. "Sylvara, scan," he thought.
Target: Elara Glintfrost
Ascension Tier: Grandmaster (Level 2)
Stats:
Strength: 52 (+2) Agility: 70 (+2) Intelligence: 70 (+1) Mana: 118 (+3)
Skills: Frost Weaving (Level 8) Mana Focus (Level 5) Staff Combat (Level 4)
Target: Torin Iceblade
Ascension Tier: Grandmaster (Level 3)
Stats:
Strength: 76 (+2) Agility: 62 (+2) Intelligence: 49 (+1) Mana: 72 (+2)
Skills: Spear Mastery (Level 8) Beast Synergy (Level 5) Endurance (Level 5)
Companion: Gruk Stats: Strength 82 (+2), Agility 56 (+2)
Target: Gorrim Icefang
Ascension Tier: Grandmaster (Level 1)
Stats:
Strength: 75 (+3) Agility: 50 (+5) Intelligence: 37 (+1) Mana: 52 (+2)
Skills: Axe Mastery (Level 8): Devastating axe strikes. Beast Command (Level 5): Strong Varg bond. Resilience (Level 5)
Companion: Varg Stats: Strength 60 (+2), Agility 65 (+3)
"Elara, keep mana high—big spells," Aelar said. "Torin, speed with Gruk. Gorrim, Varg—hit hard."
Gorrim grinned. "Varg's starving."
Aelar smirked. "Good—let's feed him."
The Assault Begins
The Crag's gates loomed—sixty Order warriors manned the walls, led by a cloaked Ice Elf woman, her staff blazing with mana, the fifth rune-stone glowing at her throat. "Frostveil!" she roared, voice venomous. "The deep welcomes you!"
"Sylvara, analyze!" Aelar thought.
Target: Veyra, Order Matriarch
Race: Ice Elf (Rogue)
Ascension Tier: Exalted (Level 5)
Stats:
Strength: 60 Agility: 75 Intelligence: 65 Mana: 130
Skills: Frost Tempest (Level 5): Wide-area ice storm. Mana Spike (Level 4): Piercing mana bolts. Shadow Veil (Level 4): Extended invisibility.
"Take her!" Aelar shouted, charging—no orders needed; his allies knew their roles. Frost Shroud cloaked him, Ice Crafting a spiked ram mid-run—he hurled it, gates cracking—Swordsmanship slashed Veyra's staff as she leaped down, mana sparking. "Fast!" he taunted, Glacial Chains spiraling—not binding, but slashing her arm—blood dripped, frost mixing.
Elara darted right, Frost Weaving a frost lattice—ten warriors tangled, her ice shards felling five. "Stay put!" she snapped, Mana Focus sharpening a frost spear, piercing Veyra's Shadow Veil—mana flickered, blood seeping. She spun, Staff Combat cracking a warrior's skull, "Next!"—agility fluid.
Torin roared, "Gruk, smash!" The Frost Boar's Spine Charge trampled eight, spines piercing—Torin's Spear Mastery thrust, Beast Synergy skewering a chest. "Weak!" he bellowed, Endurance soaking a Mana Spike—frost seared, Gruk biting a leg—bone snapped.
Gorrim swung his axe, "Varg, rip!" The Frost Hound's Swift Pursuit tore a warrior's throat—Gorrim's Axe Mastery cleaved another's chest, Resilience shrugging off a sword slash. "Die!" he roared, Varg biting a knee—blood sprayed.
Veyra's Frost Tempest erupted—ice shards rained—Aelar rolled, Mana Manipulation steadying his flow, Ice Crafting a shield mid-dodge—shards shattered, frost grazing his face. "Kaelith, flank!"—only directing the wolf—the Frostwolf's Blizzard Charge tackled Veyra, Ice Armor deflecting a Mana Spike, jaws tearing her robe—blood gushed.
Veyra snarled, "The deep rises!" Shadow Veil cloaking her—she reappeared, Mana Spike piercing Aelar's shoulder—pain flared, frost biting. He gritted, Frost Bite sinking into her arm—mana surged back—Ice Crafting a massive blade mid-air, Swordsmanship slashing her chest—robes tore, blood spraying.
Elara's frost spear pierced Veyra's side, "Fall!"—her ice shards pelleted her face. Torin's spear sank into her thigh, "Stay down!"—Gruk's charge crushed her leg. Gorrim's axe cleaved her shoulder, "Bleed!"—Varg tore her calf. Aelar's chains coiled the rune-stone, yanking it free—Swordsmanship slashed her throat, blood pooling, Veyra collapsing.
The Order broke—twenty fled, ten cut down by guards and hounds. Aelar grabbed the fifth stone, mana flaring. "Sylvara, update."
Host: Aelar Frostveil
Ascension Tier: Exalted (Level 9)
Stats:
Strength: 120 (+2) Agility: 130 (+2) Intelligence: 96 (+2) Mana: 200 (+5)
The Behemoth's Wrath
The Crag shook—a roar split the ice, a Legendary-tier Ice Wyrm bursting from the depths—sixty feet of serpentine scales, eyes blazing gold, a rune-shard in its forehead. "Final key!" Aelar shouted. "Hit the shard!"
"Sylvara, analyze!" he thought.
Target: Ice Wyrm (Legendary)
Race: Magical Beast
Beast Tier: Legendary (Level 8)
Stats:
Strength: 150 Agility: 80 Intelligence: 40 Mana: 160
Skills: Frost Fang (Level 5): Devastating bite. Ice Coil (Level 4): Crushing constriction. Mana Tempest (Level 4): Mana-disrupting storm.
Sylvara: Shard-powered—target it, disrupt tempest.
The Wyrm's Frost Fang lunged—Aelar's Frost Shroud cloaked him, Mana Manipulation steadying as he dodged—Ice Crafting a spiked wall, slowing the bite—scales cracked, blood dripping. "Big teeth!" he taunted, Swordsmanship slashing its jaw—frost-blood sprayed.
Elara spun, Frost Weaving a frost lattice—claws tangled, her ice spears piercing the shard—mana flickered. "Crack it!" she snapped, Mana Focus sharpening a frost hammer, cracking its scales—Staff Combat parried a tail, "Slow!"—agility fluid.
Torin roared, "Gruk, hit!" The Frost Boar's Spine Charge rammed its side, spines sinking—Torin's Spear Mastery thrust, Beast Synergy piercing its neck. "Break!" he bellowed, Endurance soaking an Ice Coil—frost seared, Gruk biting its tail.
Gorrim swung, "Varg, bite!" The Frost Hound's Frost Bite tore its flank—Gorrim's Axe Mastery cleaved its scales, Resilience shrugging off a Mana Tempest—Varg darted, biting its leg. "Die!" he roared, blood spraying.
Aelar darted under, "Kaelith, howl!"—the wolf's Frost Howl stunned it, Blizzard Charge tearing its throat—Ice Armor deflected a fang. Aelar's Glacial Chains pierced the shard—Frost Bite sank in, mana surging back—Ice Crafting a massive hammer mid-air, Swordsmanship smashing it—shard shattered, the Wyrm roaring as it collapsed, a violet core rolling free.
Aelar claimed it, mana surging. "Sylvara, update."
Host: Aelar Frostveil
Ascension Tier: Exalted (Level 10)
Stats:
Strength: 122 (+2) Agility: 132 (+2) Intelligence: 98 (+2) Mana: 205 (+5)
Sylvara: Wyrm felled—Depths secured.
The Depths Sealed
The Crag stilled, twenty guards standing, twenty lost. Aelar held the five stones, their pulses dead. "It's done," he said, panting. "No more keys."
Elara wiped her staff, core absorbed—mana flared. "Depths are quiet—finally."
Torin grunted, core boosting him and Gruk. "Gruk's happy—me too."
Gorrim laughed, Varg panting. "Good fight, Frostveil—Varg's full."
Aelar tossed the Wyrm core to Elara. "Split it—Torin's half, Gorrim's share. Mana for you, speed for them."
Elara caught it, grinning. "Exalted next?"
"Count on it," Aelar replied.
Dawn's Victory
Back at the palace, Theron studied the stones, Ursok growling approval. "Depths are sealed," he said, pride in his eyes. "You've saved Eryndral, Aelar."
"Not alone," Aelar said, nodding to Elara, Torin, Gorrim. "We ride together."
Elara smirked. "Winning team."
Torin patted Gruk. "Damn right."
Gorrim raised his axe. "To the next war!"
The stones lay still, the Depths silent—but Aelar's sword stayed ready, Eryndral's future his to guard.