The Crystal Palace shimmered under a cold morning sun, its ice spires casting long shadows as Aelar Frostveil strode into the war room, his dark blue frostweave armor gleaming despite its scars. His silver-white ponytail was tied tight, the weight of yesterday's void encounter heavy in his mind—Kaelith padded beside him, silver-streaked fur bristling, glacial eyes alert. The void altar's destruction confirmed a new enemy, distinct from the Order, and the blackened runes hinted at a power older than Eryndral's frost.
Theron Frostveil stood over a table strewn with ancient tomes, his frostblade propped nearby, Ursok the Frostbear snoring in a corner. "Void magic," he said, voice grim, flipping a page. "Pre-Elven, banned for its corruption. These worshippers tap it—dangerous, unstable."
Elara Glintfrost leaned on her staff, her pale blue tunic crisp, the Void Wraith core half pulsing in her grip. "That altar wasn't their only one," she said, silver hair catching the light. "They're organized."
Torin Iceblade stood by the door, his Frost Boar, Gruk, snuffling at his feet, icy spines sharp from the core boost. "Gruk hates that void stink," he grunted, spear in hand. "They're close—I feel it."
Gorrim Icefang lounged against the wall, axe resting on his shoulder, Varg the Frost Hound prowling beside him, amber eyes glinting. "Hounds sniffed more west," he growled. "Caves, camps—big pack."
Aelar trusted their instincts—Elara's magic, Torin's strength, and Gorrim's ferocity needed no nudge unless the fight demanded it. "Sylvara, scan," he thought, checking their progress.
Target: Elara Glintfrost
Ascension Tier: Grandmaster (Level 4)
Stats:
Strength: 56 (+2) Agility: 74 (+2) Intelligence: 72 (+1) Mana: 122 (+2)
Skills: Frost Weaving (Level 8) Mana Focus (Level 5) Staff Combat (Level 4)
Sylvara: Exalted looms—mana and strength surge.
Target: Torin Iceblade
Ascension Tier: Grandmaster (Level 5)
Stats:
Strength: 80 (+2) Agility: 66 (+2) Intelligence: 51 (+1) Mana: 76 (+2)
Skills: Spear Mastery (Level 8) Beast Synergy (Level 5) Endurance (Level 5)
Companion: Gruk Stats: Strength 86 (+2), Agility 60 (+2)
Sylvara: Exalted near—speed and mana push.
Target: Gorrim Icefang
Ascension Tier: Grandmaster (Level 3)
Stats:
Strength: 79 (+2) Agility: 54 (+2) Intelligence: 39 (+1) Mana: 56 (+2)
Skills: Axe Mastery (Level 8) Beast Command (Level 5) Resilience (Level 5)
Companion: Varg Stats: Strength 64 (+2), Agility 69 (+2)
Sylvara: Mana growth—Exalted in sight.
"Elara, keep mana sharp—void's tricky," Aelar said. "Torin, speed with Gruk. Gorrim, Varg—stay fast."
Gorrim grinned, patting Varg. "Born fast."
Theron tapped a map. "West caves—likely their hub. Take forty guards, Gorrim's hounds. Move at noon."
Aelar nodded, gripping his sword. "We'll crush them."
The Ambush Strikes
As the squad prepared in the courtyard, Kaelith's growl turned sharp—shadows surged beyond the walls, purple mana crackling. Aelar rushed to the ramparts, Elara, Torin, and Gorrim beside him—thirty void worshippers, cloaked in black, led by a gaunt Ice Elf with glowing purple eyes, wielding a void-charged scythe. "Frostveil!" he hissed, "The void consumes!"
"Sylvara, analyze!" Aelar thought.
Target: Void Reaver (Unnamed)
Race: Ice Elf
Ascension Tier: Exalted (Level 4)
Stats:
Strength: 65 Agility: 70 Intelligence: 55 Mana: 115
Skills: Void Reap (Level 4): Wide-area shadow slash. Shadow Pulse (Level 3): Disorienting mana wave. Mana Leech (Level 3): Drains mana on contact.
Sylvara: Agile, mana-draining—disrupt pulse, close fast.
"Hit them!" Aelar shouted, leaping down—no orders needed; his allies moved. Frost Shroud cloaked him, Ice Crafting a spiked barrier mid-run—it blocked a Void Reap, shadows hissing—Swordsmanship slashed the Reaver's scythe, mana sparking. "Sharp!" he taunted, Glacial Chains spiraling—not binding, but slashing his arm—blood dripped, void mixing.
Elara darted right, Frost Weaving a frost lattice—five worshippers tangled, her ice shards felling three. "Stay dark!" she snapped, Mana Focus sharpening a frost spear, piercing the Reaver's Shadow Pulse—mana flickered, blood seeping. She spun, Staff Combat cracking a worshipper's skull, "Next!"—agility fluid.
Torin roared, "Gruk, smash!" The Frost Boar's Spine Charge trampled six, spines piercing—Torin's Spear Mastery thrust, Beast Synergy skewering a chest. "Bleed!" he bellowed, Endurance soaking a Mana Leech—mana tugged, Gruk biting a leg—bone snapped.
Gorrim swung, "Varg, rip!" The Frost Hound's Frost Bite tore a worshipper's throat—Gorrim's Axe Mastery cleaved another's chest, Resilience shrugging off a Void Reap—Varg darted, biting a knee. "Die!" he roared, blood hissing.
The Reaver's Shadow Pulse flared—Aelar's Mana Manipulation steadied his flow, Frost Shroud holding—Ice Crafting a shield mid-dodge, shadows grazing his arm—void stung. "Kaelith, flank!"—only directing the wolf—the Frostwolf's Blizzard Charge tackled the Reaver, Ice Armor deflecting a scythe, jaws tearing his thigh—blood gushed.
The Reaver snarled, "Void takes all!" Void Reap swinging—Aelar rolled, Frost Bite sinking into his shoulder—mana surged back, dark and cold—Ice Crafting a massive blade mid-air, Swordsmanship slashing his chest—robes tore, blood spraying. Elara's frost spear pierced his side, "Crack!"—Torin's spear sank into his thigh, "Fall!"—Gorrim's axe cleaved his shoulder, "End!"—Varg tore his calf. Aelar's chains coiled the scythe, yanking it free—Swordsmanship slashed his throat, blood pooling, the Reaver collapsing.
The worshippers broke—ten fled, five cut down by guards and hounds. Aelar panted, "Sylvara, update."
Host: Aelar Frostveil
Ascension Tier: Exalted (Level 13)
Stats:
Strength: 130 (+2) Agility: 140 (+2) Intelligence: 104 (+2) Mana: 220 (+5)
Sylvara: Reaver felled—void's hub awaits.
Theron's Knowledge
In the war room, Theron studied a void shard from the Reaver, Ursok growling softly. "Void worshippers—Cult of the Abyss," he said. "Ancient sect, thought extinct. They seek to unmake mana, collapse Eryndral's frost."
Elara frowned, core absorbed—mana flared. "Why now?"
"Depths' sealing," Theron said. "It stirred old powers—void thrives on chaos."
Torin grunted, core boosting him and Gruk. "So we crush their caves?"
Gorrim nodded, core flaring—Varg snarled. "Hounds'll lead."
Aelar tossed the Reaver's core to Elara. "Split it—Torin's half, Gorrim's share. Mana for you, speed for them."
Elara caught it, grinning. "Exalted's calling."
Theron pointed west. "Caves are their heart—strike tomorrow, fifty guards, hounds. End this."
Aelar gripped his sword. "We will."
The Void Beast
Night fell, a rumble shaking the palace—Kaelith's howl split the air. Aelar rushed to the courtyard, Elara, Torin, and Gorrim beside him. "Sylvara, scan!"
Target: Void Behemoth (Legendary)
Race: Magical Beast (Void-Tainted)
Beast Tier: Legendary (Level 9)
Stats:
Strength: 160 Agility: 70 Intelligence: 45 Mana: 150
Skills: Void Crush (Level 5): Devastating shadow slam. Shadow Surge (Level 4): Corrupting mana wave. Mana Void (Level 4): Wide-area mana drain.
Sylvara: Core-powered—target it, disrupt surge.
A Void Behemoth loomed—forty feet of shadow and bone, eyes glowing purple, a void core in its chest. "Their pet!" Aelar shouted. "Hit the core!"—no orders; his allies moved.
Aelar charged, Frost Shroud cloaking—Ice Crafting a massive spear mid-run, hurling it—Mana Void absorbed it, shadows hissing—Swordsmanship slashed its leg—bone cracked, shadow-blood spraying. "Big!" he taunted, Glacial Chains piercing the core—mana flickered.
Elara spun, Frost Weaving a frost lattice—claws tangled, her ice spears piercing the core. "Crack!" she snapped, Mana Focus sharpening a frost hammer, cracking its arm—Staff Combat parried a claw, "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 chest. "Break!" he bellowed, Endurance soaking a Shadow Surge—shadows seared, Gruk biting its ankle.
Gorrim swung, "Varg, tear!" The Frost Hound's Frost Bite tore its flank—Gorrim's Axe Mastery cleaved its scales, Resilience shrugging off a Void Crush—Varg bit its leg. "Die!" he roared, blood hissing.
Aelar darted under, "Kaelith, howl!"—the wolf's Frost Howl stunned it, Blizzard Charge tearing its throat—Ice Armor deflected a claw. Aelar's Frost Bite sank into the core—mana surged back—Ice Crafting a hammer mid-air, Swordsmanship smashing it—core shattered, the Behemoth collapsing, a black core rolling free.
Aelar claimed it, mana surging. "Sylvara, update."
Host: Aelar Frostveil
Ascension Tier: Exalted (Level 14)
Stats:
Strength: 132 (+2) Agility: 142 (+2) Intelligence: 106 (+2) Mana: 225 (+5)
Sylvara: Behemoth felled—caves tomorrow.
Dawn's Resolve
Aelar tossed the core to Elara. "Split it—Torin's half, Gorrim's share. Mana for you, speed for them."
Elara caught it, grinning. "Exalted's mine."
Torin patted Gruk, core flaring. "Same."
Gorrim raised his axe, Varg growling. "To the caves!"
Aelar stood with them, Kaelith at his side. "Good hunt," he said—no orders, their strength clear. The void whispered, but Eryndral's frost would answer.