Six months had passed since the Cult of the Abyss fell, and Eryndral thrived under a crisp autumn sky. Aelar Frostveil, now 19, stood in the Crystal Palace's throne room, his dark blue frostweave armor polished, silver-white ponytail tied neatly. As Theron's heir, he juggled council meetings and patrols, his blade never far—Kaelith lounged nearby, silver-streaked fur gleaming, glacial eyes watchful. The void's silence held, but new reports troubled the north: ice quakes, mana surges, and beasts glowing with ancient frost magic near the Glacial Expanse.
Elara Glintfrost entered, her pale blue tunic pristine, staff pulsing with the Void Serpent core half's power, silver hair glinting. "Council's boring you," she said, smirking. "Heard the northern reports?"
Aelar grinned, stepping away from the throne. "Quakes, beasts—not void. Something old's waking."
Torin Iceblade strode in, his Frost Boar, Gruk, snuffling at his side, icy spines sharp from the core boost. "Gruk's antsy," he grunted, spear in hand. "Smells frost, but wrong—too strong."
Gorrim Icefang followed, axe slung over his shoulder, Varg the Frost Hound prowling, amber eyes glinting. "Hounds tracked it to the Expanse," he growled. "Mana's wild—old ruins, maybe."
Aelar trusted their instincts—Elara's magic, Torin's strength, and Gorrim's ferocity needed no nudge unless the plan demanded it. "Sylvara, scan," he thought, checking their progress.
Target: Elara Glintfrost
Ascension Tier: Exalted (Level 1)
Stats:
Strength: 60 (+2) Agility: 78 (+2) Intelligence: 74 (+1) Mana: 128 (+3)
Skills: Frost Weaving (Level 9): Grand ice constructs. Mana Focus (Level 6): Enhanced spell precision. Staff Combat (Level 5): Skilled staff strikes.
Sylvara: Exalted achieved—mana and strength climb.
Target: Torin Iceblade
Ascension Tier: Exalted (Level 1)
Stats:
Strength: 84 (+2) Agility: 70 (+2) Intelligence: 53 (+1) Mana: 80 (+2)
Skills: Spear Mastery (Level 9): Peerless spear techniques. Beast Synergy (Level 6): Deep Gruk bond. Endurance (Level 6): Iron durability.
Companion: Gruk Stats: Strength 90 (+2), Agility 64 (+2)
Sylvara: Exalted strong—speed and mana surge.
Target: Gorrim Icefang
Ascension Tier: Grandmaster (Level 5)
Stats:
Strength: 83 (+2) Agility: 58 (+2) Intelligence: 41 (+1) Mana: 60 (+2)
Skills: Axe Mastery (Level 8) Beast Command (Level 5) Resilience (Level 5)
Companion: Varg Stats: Strength 68 (+2), Agility 73 (+2)
Sylvara: Exalted nears—mana and agility push.
"Elara, keep mana sharp—old magic's tricky," Aelar said. "Torin, speed with Gruk. Gorrim, Varg—stay quick."
Gorrim laughed, patting Varg. "Quick as death."
Theron entered, frostblade at his side. "Glacial Expanse—ancient ruins, pre-Elven," he said. "A frost relic's stirring—powerful, dangerous. Take forty guards, Gorrim's hounds. Find it, secure it."
Aelar nodded, gripping his sword. "We'll handle it."
The Expanse's Disturbance
By dusk, the squad reached the Glacial Expanse—a frozen wasteland, ice cliffs trembling with mana. Kaelith's growl deepened, hackles rising. Aelar dismounted, sword drawn. "Ruins ahead," he said, sensing the mana's pulse. "Stay sharp."
Elara slid off her horse, staff glowing. "That's no ordinary frost—feels alive."
Torin grunted, patting Gruk. "Gruk's ready—smells beasts."
Gorrim nodded, Varg snarling. "Hounds say it's close—big."
Aelar trusted them to act—no orders needed yet. "Sylvara, scan," he thought.
Target: Frostshade Behemoth (Prime)
Race: Magical Beast (Relic-Empowered)
Beast Tier: Prime (Level 12)
Stats:
Strength: 70 Agility: 65 Intelligence: 20 Mana: 60
Skills: Frost Claw (Level 5): Devastating ice slashes. Ice Surge (Level 4): Explosive frost wave. Mana Shell (Level 3): Protective mana barrier.
Sylvara: Relic-powered—target core, disrupt surge.
Two Frostshade Behemoths charged—twenty feet of ice-crusted bone, eyes glowing blue, cores pulsing with relic mana. "Relic beasts!" Aelar shouted. "Hit the cores!"—no orders; his allies moved.
Aelar charged, Frost Shroud cloaking—Ice Crafting a spiked net mid-run, hurling it—one Behemoth's Mana Shell cracked, net grazing its flank. "Tough!" he taunted, Swordsmanship slashing its leg—ice shattered, frost-blood spraying. Glacial Chains spiraled—not binding, but piercing the core—mana flickered.
Elara darted left, Frost Weaving a frost lattice—claws tangled, her ice shards piercing a core. "Crack!" she snapped, Mana Focus sharpening a frost spear, cracking its skull—Staff Combat parried a Frost Claw, "Slow!"—agility fluid.
Torin roared, "Gruk, smash!" The Frost Boar's Spine Charge rammed a Behemoth, spines sinking—Torin's Spear Mastery thrust, Beast Synergy piercing its chest. "Break!" he bellowed, Endurance soaking an Ice Surge—frost seared, Gruk biting its leg—bone snapped.
Gorrim swung, "Varg, rip!" The Frost Hound's Frost Bite tore a Behemoth's flank—Gorrim's Axe Mastery cleaved its spine, Resilience shrugging off a Frost Claw—Varg darted, biting its throat. "Die!" he roared, blood spraying.
A Behemoth's Ice Surge flared—Aelar's Mana Manipulation steadied his flow, Frost Shroud holding—Ice Crafting a shield mid-dodge, frost grazing his arm—ice stung. "Kaelith, now!"—only directing the wolf—the Frostwolf's Blizzard Charge tackled it, Ice Armor deflecting a claw, jaws tearing its neck—ice crumbled. 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 blue core rolling free.
Elara's frost spear felled the other, "Done!"—Torin's spear and Gruk's charge crushed its core, "Gone!" Aelar claimed the core, mana surging. "Sylvara, update."
Host: Aelar Frostveil
Ascension Tier: Exalted (Level 17)
Stats:
Strength: 140 (+2) Agility: 150 (+2) Intelligence: 112 (+2) Mana: 240 (+5)
Sylvara: Relic threat grows—ruins hold answers.
The Relic's Source
The squad pressed into the ruins—ice pillars etched with ancient runes, mana pulsing blue. Aelar traced a rune, frost sparking. "This is it—relic's here," he said. "Feels like the Depths, but older."
Elara frowned, core absorbed—mana flared. "It's waking something—more beasts?"
Torin grunted, core boosting him and Gruk. "Gruk's ready—bring 'em."
Gorrim nodded, core flaring—Varg snarled. "Hounds smell it—deep."
A chamber opened—a frost altar, a glowing relic orb pulsing at its center, guarded by a cloaked figure wielding a frost-charged staff. "Frostveil," she hissed, voice icy. "The relic's ours—House of Eternal Frost!"
"Sylvara, analyze!" Aelar thought.
Target: Frost Seer (Unnamed)
Race: Ice Elf
Ascension Tier: Exalted (Level 5)
Stats:
Strength: 55 Agility: 70 Intelligence: 65 Mana: 130
Skills: Frost Barrage (Level 4): Rapid ice bolts. Ice Veil (Level 3): Defensive frost shield. Mana Pulse (Level 3): Disrupting mana wave.
Sylvara: Relic-enhanced—disrupt pulse, break veil.
"Take her!" Aelar shouted, charging—Frost Shroud cloaking, Ice Crafting a spiked ram mid-run—it shattered the Ice Veil—Swordsmanship slashed her staff, frost sparking. "Weak!" he taunted, Glacial Chains slashing her arm—blood dripped, ice mixing.
Elara spun, Frost Weaving a frost lattice—shadows tangled, her ice shards piercing her chest. "Burn!" she snapped, Mana Focus sharpening a frost spear—Staff Combat cracked her knee, "Stay!"—agility fluid.
Torin roared, "Gruk, hit!" The Frost Boar's Spine Charge rammed, spines sinking—Torin's Spear Mastery thrust, Beast Synergy piercing her side. "Die!" he bellowed, Endurance soaking a Frost Barrage—ice seared, Gruk biting her leg.
Gorrim swung, "Varg, tear!" The Frost Hound's Frost Bite tore her flank—Gorrim's Axe Mastery cleaved her shoulder, Resilience shrugging off a Mana Pulse—Varg bit her throat. "End!" he roared.
The Seer's Mana Pulse flared—Aelar's Mana Manipulation held—Frost Bite sank into her core, mana surging back. "Kaelith, finish!"—the wolf's Blizzard Charge tackled, jaws tearing—ice crumbled. Aelar's hammer smashed her chest—blood sprayed, the Seer collapsing, the relic dimming, a frost core rolling free.
Aelar claimed it, mana surging. "Sylvara, update."
Host: Aelar Frostveil
Ascension Tier: Exalted (Level 18)
Stats:
Strength: 142 (+2) Agility: 152 (+2) Intelligence: 114 (+2) Mana: 245 (+5)
Sylvara: Relic secured—House threatens.
The House's Shadow
Aelar smashed the altar, relic in hand—mana stilled. "House of Eternal Frost," he said, frowning. "Not Cult, not Order—new players."
Elara frowned, core flaring. "They want the relic—why?"
Torin grunted, core boosting Gruk. "Power—Gruk smells more."
Gorrim nodded, Varg growling. "Hounds'll track 'em."
Aelar gripped the relic. "Back to Theron—war's shifting."
Night's Oath
By night, the squad camped, fires crackling. Aelar stood with Elara, Torin, and Gorrim, Kaelith at his side. "Good hunt," he said—no orders, their strength clear.
Elara smirked. "Exalted's solid."
Torin patted Gruk. "More to crush."
Gorrim raised his axe. "To the next!"
The relic pulsed faintly, a new war dawning—Aelar's blade gleamed, ready.