The tundra west of the Crystal Palace stretched cold and barren under a dawn sky, the void worshippers' cave stronghold carved into a jagged ice ridge. Aelar Frostveil led his squad—fifty guards, bolstered by Gorrim Icefang's hounds—through the snow, his dark blue frostweave armor gleaming, silver-white ponytail tied tight. Kaelith loped beside him, silver-streaked fur cutting the frost, glacial eyes locked on the cave mouth, where purple mana pulsed like a wound. The Cult of the Abyss, unmasked as the void's heralds, awaited within, their altars threatening Eryndral's frost.
Elara Glintfrost rode at his left, her pale blue tunic crisp, staff glowing with the Void Behemoth core half's power, silver hair glinting. "That mana's thick," she said, voice steady. "They're ready for us."
Aelar nodded, gripping his sword. "Good—we're ready for them."
Torin Iceblade flanked his right, his Frost Boar, Gruk, pounding the snow, icy spines razor-sharp from the core boost. "Gruk smells rot," he grunted, spear in hand. "Big fight."
Gorrim Icefang rode beside Torin, axe slung over his shoulder, Varg the Frost Hound prowling, amber eyes glinting. "Hounds say it's deep—altars, beasts," he growled. "Let's burn it out."
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: Grandmaster (Level 5)
Stats:
Strength: 58 (+2) Agility: 76 (+2) Intelligence: 73 (+1) Mana: 125 (+3)
Skills: Frost Weaving (Level 8) Mana Focus (Level 5) Staff Combat (Level 4)
Sylvara: Exalted at the edge—mana and strength surge.
Target: Torin Iceblade
Ascension Tier: Grandmaster (Level 6)
Stats:
Strength: 82 (+2) Agility: 68 (+2) Intelligence: 52 (+1) Mana: 78 (+2)
Skills: Spear Mastery (Level 8) Beast Synergy (Level 5) Endurance (Level 5)
Companion: Gruk Stats: Strength 88 (+2), Agility 62 (+2)
Sylvara: Exalted looms—speed and mana push.
Target: Gorrim Icefang
Ascension Tier: Grandmaster (Level 4)
Stats:
Strength: 81 (+2) Agility: 56 (+2) Intelligence: 40 (+1) Mana: 58 (+2)
Skills: Axe Mastery (Level 8) Beast Command (Level 5) Resilience (Level 5)
Companion: Varg Stats: Strength 66 (+2), Agility 71 (+2)
Sylvara: Mana climbs—Exalted near.
"Elara, keep mana high—void's slippery," Aelar said. "Torin, speed with Gruk. Gorrim, Varg—hit fast."
Gorrim grinned, patting Varg. "Born to kill."
Aelar smirked. "Good—let's end this."
The Cult's Stronghold
The cave mouth loomed, shadows writhing—forty void worshippers guarded a glowing altar, led by a towering human in black robes, his staff pulsing with void mana, purple eyes blazing. "Frostveil!" he boomed, voice like a grave. "I am Korrath, Abyss's Voice—the void claims you!"
"Sylvara, analyze!" Aelar thought.
Target: Korrath, Abyss's Voice
Race: Human
Ascension Tier: Exalted (Level 6)
Stats:
Strength: 70 Agility: 65 Intelligence: 70 Mana: 140
Skills: Void Nova (Level 5): Explosive shadow blast. Shadow Bind (Level 4): Immobilizing shadow chains. Mana Vortex (Level 4): Wide-area mana drain.
Sylvara: Mana-heavy—disrupt vortex, break binds.
"Take him!" Aelar shouted, charging—no orders needed; his allies moved. Frost Shroud cloaked him, Ice Crafting a spiked ram mid-run—it shattered a Shadow Bind, shadows hissing—Swordsmanship slashed Korrath's staff, mana sparking. "Loud voice!" he taunted, Glacial Chains spiraling—not binding, but slashing his arm—blood dripped, void mixing.
Elara darted left, Frost Weaving a frost lattice—ten worshippers tangled, her ice shards felling six. "Stay dark!" she snapped, Mana Focus sharpening a frost spear, piercing Korrath's Mana Vortex—mana flickered, blood seeping. She spun, Staff Combat cracking a worshipper's skull, "Next!"—agility fluid.
Torin roared, "Gruk, crush!" The Frost Boar's Spine Charge trampled eight, spines piercing—Torin's Spear Mastery thrust, Beast Synergy skewering a chest. "Bleed!" he bellowed, Endurance soaking a Void Nova—shadows seared, 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 Shadow Bind—Varg darted, biting a knee. "Die!" he roared, blood hissing.
Korrath's Void Nova erupted—shadows exploded—Aelar rolled, Mana Manipulation steadying his flow, Ice Crafting a shield mid-dodge—shadows grazed his chest—void stung. "Kaelith, flank!"—only directing the wolf—the Frostwolf's Blizzard Charge tackled Korrath, Ice Armor deflecting a staff swing, jaws tearing his thigh—blood gushed.
Korrath snarled, "Void is eternal!" Shadow Bind lashing—Aelar's chains countered, snapping them—Frost Bite sank 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 staff, yanking it free—Swordsmanship slashed his throat, blood pooling, Korrath collapsing.
The worshippers broke—fifteen fled, ten cut down by guards and hounds. Aelar panted, "Sylvara, update."
Host: Aelar Frostveil
Ascension Tier: Exalted (Level 15)
Stats:
Strength: 135 (+3) Agility: 145 (+3) Intelligence: 108 (+2) Mana: 230 (+5)
Sylvara: Korrath felled—rift threatens.
The Void Rift
The altar flared, purple mana surging—a void rift tore open, shadows spilling, a Legendary-tier Void Serpent emerging—fifty feet of coiling darkness, eyes glowing red, a void core in its chest. "Their last trick!" Aelar shouted. "Hit the core!"
"Sylvara, analyze!" he thought.
Target: Void Serpent (Legendary)
Race: Magical Beast (Void-Tainted)
Beast Tier: Legendary (Level 10)
Stats:
Strength: 170 Agility: 85 Intelligence: 50 Mana: 160
Skills: Void Fang (Level 5): Corrupting shadow bite. Shadow Coil (Level 4): Crushing constriction. Mana Abyss (Level 4): Wide-area mana drain.
Sylvara: Core-powered—target it, disrupt abyss.
The Serpent's Void Fang lunged—Aelar's Frost Shroud cloaked him, Mana Manipulation steadying as he dodged—Ice Crafting a spiked wall, slowing the bite—scales cracked, shadow-blood spraying. "Big jaws!" he taunted, Swordsmanship slashing its neck—shadows bled, mana hissing.
Elara spun, Frost Weaving a frost lattice—coils tangled, her ice spears piercing the core—mana flickered. "Crack!" 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 chest. "Break!" he bellowed, Endurance soaking a Shadow Coil—shadows seared, Gruk biting its tail.
Gorrim swung, "Varg, tear!" The Frost Hound's Frost Bite tore its flank—Gorrim's Axe Mastery cleaved its scales, Resilience shrugging off a Mana Abyss—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 fang. Aelar's Glacial Chains pierced the core—Frost Bite sank in, mana surging back—Ice Crafting a massive hammer mid-air, Swordsmanship smashing it—core shattered, the Serpent collapsing, the rift sealing, a black core rolling free.
Aelar claimed it, mana surging. "Sylvara, update."
Host: Aelar Frostveil
Ascension Tier: Exalted (Level 16)
Stats:
Strength: 138 (+3) Agility: 148 (+3) Intelligence: 110 (+2) Mana: 235 (+5)
Sylvara: Rift sealed—Cult broken.
The Abyss's End
The caves stilled, thirty guards standing, twenty lost. Aelar smashed the altar, shadows fading. "Cult's done," he said, panting. "No more void."
Elara wiped her staff, core absorbed—mana flared. "Exalted's mine."
Torin grunted, core boosting him and Gruk. "Same—Gruk's tougher."
Gorrim laughed, core flaring—Varg snarled approval. "Good hunt, Frostveil."
Aelar tossed the Serpent core to Elara. "Split it—Torin's half, Gorrim's share. Mana for you, speed for them."
Elara caught it, grinning. "Winning?"
"Always," Aelar replied.
Dawn's Triumph
Back at the palace, Theron studied the void shards, Ursok growling softly. "Cult's broken," he said, pride in his eyes. "But void's old—might stir again."
Aelar nodded, sword steady. "We'll be ready—together."
Elara smirked. "Team's unbeatable."
Torin patted Gruk. "Damn right."
Gorrim raised his axe. "To the next hunt!"
The void's whisper faded, Eryndral's frost enduring—Aelar's blade gleamed, guardian of the ice.