Three months had passed since Ironspire's fall, and Eryndral's frost held strong under a late winter sky. Aelar Frostveil, now 19, stood atop the Crystal Palace's ramparts, his dark blue frostweave armor gleaming, silver-white ponytail whipping in the wind. Kaelith lounged beside him, silver-streaked fur glinting, glacial eyes scanning the horizon—the House of Eternal Frost was broken, but new reports stirred unease. Eastern border scouts spoke of Firelands invaders: warriors wielding volcanic magic, burning villages, and beasts trailing ash. The Firelands, a molten realm beyond Eryndral's ice, had never struck so boldly.
Elara Glintfrost joined him, her pale blue tunic crisp, staff pulsing with the Frost Drake core half's power, silver hair catching the light. "Fire magic at our border?" she said, frowning. "They're testing us."
Aelar nodded, gripping his sword. "Not just testing—invading. We'll push them back."
Torin Iceblade approached, his Frost Boar, Gruk, snuffling at his side, icy spines sharp from the core boost. "Gruk smells smoke," he grunted, spear in hand. "Hot, angry—trouble's big."
Gorrim Icefang strode up, axe slung over his shoulder, Varg the Frost Hound prowling, amber eyes glinting. "Hounds tracked ash trails east—camps, beasts," he growled. "Firelanders want war."
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 4)
Stats:
Strength: 66 (+2) Agility: 84 (+2) Intelligence: 77 (+1) Mana: 135 (+3)
Skills: Frost Weaving (Level 9) Mana Focus (Level 6) Staff Combat (Level 5)
Sylvara: Mana surges—strength for mastery.
Target: Torin Iceblade
Ascension Tier: Exalted (Level 4)
Stats:
Strength: 90 (+2) Agility: 76 (+2) Intelligence: 56 (+1) Mana: 86 (+2)
Skills: Spear Mastery (Level 9) Beast Synergy (Level 6) Endurance (Level 6)
Companion: Gruk Stats: Strength 96 (+2), Agility 70 (+2)
Sylvara: Speed climbs—mana for dominance.
Target: Gorrim Icefang
Ascension Tier: Exalted (Level 2)
Stats:
Strength: 89 (+2) Agility: 64 (+2) Intelligence: 44 (+1) Mana: 66 (+2)
Skills: Axe Mastery (Level 9) Beast Command (Level 6) Resilience (Level 6)
Companion: Varg Stats: Strength 74 (+2), Agility 79 (+2)
Sylvara: Mana surges—agility for mastery.
"Elara, keep mana sharp—fire's fast," Aelar said. "Torin, speed with Gruk. Gorrim, Varg—stay tough."
Gorrim laughed, patting Varg. "Tougher than flame."
Theron's orders came swiftly: investigate the eastern border, forty guards, Gorrim's hounds. They rode out, Kaelith leading, the tundra giving way to scorched ice.
The Burning Border
By dusk, the squad reached a ravaged border village—huts charred, ice melted, volcanic mana crackling. Kaelith's growl deepened, hackles rising. Aelar dismounted, sword drawn. "Firelanders," he said, eyeing ash trails. "They're close."
Elara slid off her horse, staff glowing. "Mana's hot—beasts, not just warriors."
Torin grunted, patting Gruk. "Gruk's ready—smells burning bone."
Gorrim nodded, Varg snarling. "Hounds say it's near—big pack."
Aelar trusted them to act—no orders needed yet. "Sylvara, scan," he thought.
Target: Ashfang Wyrm (Prime)
Race: Magical Beast (Fire-Empowered)
Beast Tier: Prime (Level 12)
Stats:
Strength: 75 Agility: 70 Intelligence: 25 Mana: 65
Skills: Flame Bite (Level 5): Searing fire jaws. Ash Surge (Level 4): Explosive ash wave. Mana Blaze (Level 3): Protective fire shield.
Sylvara: Fire-powered—target core, disrupt surge.
Three Ashfang Wyrms slithered from the ash—fifteen feet of scaled flame, eyes glowing red, cores pulsing with volcanic mana. "Fire 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 Wyrm's Mana Blaze cracked, net grazing its flank. "Hot!" he taunted, Swordsmanship slashing its side—scales melted, ash-blood spraying. Glacial Chains spiraled—not binding, but piercing the core—mana flickered.
Elara darted left, Frost Weaving a frost lattice—tails tangled, her ice shards piercing a core. "Cool off!" she snapped, Mana Focus sharpening a frost spear, cracking its skull—Staff Combat parried a Flame Bite, "Slow!"—agility fluid.
Torin roared, "Gruk, smash!" The Frost Boar's Spine Charge rammed a Wyrm, spines sinking—Torin's Spear Mastery thrust, Beast Synergy piercing its chest. "Burn!" he bellowed, Endurance soaking an Ash Surge—flames seared, Gruk biting its tail—scales snapped.
Gorrim swung, "Varg, rip!" The Frost Hound's Frost Bite tore a Wyrm's flank—Gorrim's Axe Mastery cleaved its spine, Resilience shrugging off a Flame Bite—Varg darted, biting its throat. "Die!" he roared, ash spraying.
A Wyrm's Ash Surge flared—Aelar's Mana Manipulation steadied his flow, Frost Shroud holding—Ice Crafting a shield mid-dodge, flames grazing his arm—heat stung. "Kaelith, now!"—only directing the wolf—the Frostwolf's Blizzard Charge tackled it, Ice Armor deflecting a bite, jaws tearing its neck—scales crumbled. Aelar's Frost Bite sank into the core—mana surged back—Ice Crafting a hammer mid-air, Swordsmanship smashing it—core shattered, the Wyrm collapsing, a red core rolling free.
Elara's frost spear felled another, "Done!"—Torin's spear and Gruk's charge crushed the last, "Gone!" Aelar claimed the core, mana surging. "Sylvara, update."
Host: Aelar Frostveil
Ascension Tier: Exalted (Level 23)
Stats:
Strength: 155 (+3) Agility: 165 (+3) Intelligence: 124 (+2) Mana: 270 (+5)
Sylvara: Fire threat grows—camp holds answers.
The Firelanders' Camp
The squad followed ash trails to a Firelander camp—tents of blackened hide, volcanic runes glowing, guarded by twenty warriors and a cloaked human wielding a flame-charged whip. "Frostveil," he sneered, voice like embers. "The Firelands burn your ice!"
"Sylvara, analyze!" Aelar thought.
Target: Flamecaller (Unnamed)
Race: Human
Ascension Tier: Exalted (Level 6)
Stats:
Strength: 70 Agility: 75 Intelligence: 60 Mana: 130
Skills: Flame Lash (Level 4): Searing whip strikes. Fire Veil (Level 3): Defensive flame shield. Mana Ember (Level 3): Disrupting fire pulse.
Sylvara: Fire-focused—disrupt ember, break veil.
"Take him!" Aelar shouted, charging—Frost Shroud cloaking, Ice Crafting a spiked ram mid-run—it shattered the Fire Veil—Swordsmanship slashed the whip, flames sparking. "Hothead!" he taunted, Glacial Chains slashing his arm—blood dripped, ash mixing.
Elara spun, Frost Weaving a frost lattice—five warriors tangled, her ice shards piercing the Flamecaller's chest. "Chill!" she snapped, Mana Focus sharpening a frost spear—Staff Combat cracked his 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 his side. "Die!" he bellowed, Endurance soaking a Flame Lash—flames seared, Gruk biting his leg.
Gorrim swung, "Varg, tear!" The Frost Hound's Frost Bite tore a warrior's flank—Gorrim's Axe Mastery cleaved another's shoulder, Resilience shrugging off a Mana Ember—Varg bit a throat. "End!" he roared.
The Flamecaller's Mana Ember flared—Aelar's Mana Manipulation held—Frost Bite sank into his core, mana surging back. "Kaelith, finish!"—the wolf's Blizzard Charge tackled, jaws tearing—flames faded. Aelar's hammer smashed his chest—blood sprayed, the Flamecaller collapsing, a fire core rolling free.
Aelar claimed it, mana surging. "Sylvara, update."
Host: Aelar Frostveil
Ascension Tier: Exalted (Level 24)
Stats:
Strength: 158 (+3) Agility: 168 (+3) Intelligence: 126 (+2) Mana: 275 (+5)
Sylvara: Flamecaller felled—Firelands' plan unfolds.
The Firelands' Threat
The camp revealed maps—Fireland armies massing east, targeting Eryndral's borders. Aelar burned the tents, ash rising. "Invasion," he said, frowning. "They want our frost."
Elara frowned, core absorbed—mana flared. "How big?"
"Big," Torin grunted, core boosting Gruk. "Gruk's ready."
Gorrim nodded, core flaring—Varg snarled. "Hounds'll track 'em."
Aelar gripped his sword. "Back to Theron—war's coming."
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. "Fire's next?"
Torin patted Gruk. "Burn 'em."
Gorrim raised his axe. "To war!"
The Firelands loomed, a new war dawning—Aelar's blade gleamed, ready.