The journey north continued through the Frosted Wood which stretched endlessly before them, a labyrinth of white and gray where the silence of snow was broken only by the crunch of boots and the occasional hiss of wind through skeletal branches. Kael had joined them not long after their encounter with the frost wraiths. The mobile archer proved invaluable, his eyes scanning the treetops and underbrush with an uncanny precision that bordered on supernatural.

  “Stay sharp,” Thrax muttered, his golden eyes sweeping their surroundings. His massive greataxe rested on his shoulder, its blade catching the pale winter sunlight. Lorelai walked close behind him, her hands never straying far from her sword hilt or spear. She developed the ability to switch between them with great speed by taking them in and out of her spatial storage, her magic interwoven with the steel in a deadly dance of mid-range combat. Kael brought up the rear, his bow drawn and an arrow nocked, his movements fluid and quiet as a shadow.

  The attack came without warning. A guttural roar erupted from the treeline, shaking snow loose from the branches. Three hulking yetis, their fur matted and white as the snow around them, barreled into the clearing with terrifying speed. Their eyes burned with primal fury, and their claws glinted like frostbitten steel.

  “Here they come!” Kael’s voice was calm but firm as he loosed his first arrow. It struck the lead yeti square between the eyes, its trajectory unerring. The beast staggered but didn’t fall, its roar turning to a howl of pain and rage.

  Thrax let out a battle cry, charging forward to meet the onslaught head-on. His greataxe swung in a wide arc, biting deep into the shoulder of the first yeti and sending a spray of blood across the snow. The beast retaliated with a swipe of its claws, but Thrax’s size and agility belied his massive frame. He sidestepped the blow, pivoting to deliver a crushing backhand with the haft of his axe that sent the creature sprawling.

  Lorelai was already in motion. She thrust her spear into the flank of the second yeti, the weapon’s tip crackling with crimson lightning. The beast recoiled, howling as arcs of electricity danced across its fur. With a fluid motion, she drew her sword and slashed at its legs, her strikes precise and relentless. The creature’s massive arms swung toward her, but she ducked beneath them, driving her sword upward into its chest.

  Kael moved with the grace of a predator, his arrows finding their marks even as he kept a safe distance. He shot the third yeti in the knee, then another arrow into its throat as it stumbled forward, gurgling a death rattle. “Two more incoming!” he called, already shifting his aim to the new threats emerging from the trees.

  Thrax roared again, his axe cleaving through the first yeti’s neck with a sickening crunch. The massive body collapsed into the snow, but he had no time to savor the victory. Another yeti lunged at him, and he met its charge with a ferocious swing that nearly split the beast in two.

  Lorelai’s magic flared, a wave of crimson energy surging outward to knock back the advancing creatures. She turned to see Kael draw a deep breath, his next arrow glowing faintly with an ethereal light. He loosed it, and the projectile tore through the skull of a charging yeti, dropping it instantly.

  As the last of the yetis fell, the party’s breathing was heavy, their faces flushed with exertion. Blood stained the snow around them, and the air smelled of iron and ozone.

  “We have a small reprieve, we should rest while we can,” Thrax said grimly, scanning the treeline. That’s when he saw it—a massive, half-buried egg nestled in a shallow crater of snow and ice. Its surface shimmered faintly, as if something within was alive and waiting.

  “What in the Abyss is that?” Lorelai asked, stepping closer, her sword still drawn.

  “A reward,” Thrax said, his tone filled with a strange reverence. “We’re taking it with us.”

  “What exactly do you plan to do with it?” Kael asked, raising an eyebrow as he surveyed the egg with suspicion.

  “Doesn’t matter,” Thrax replied. “It’s mine now.”

  Lorelai sighed, knowing better than to argue. She waved a hand, her magic causing the air to shimmer softly as the egg vanished into her spatial storage. “Let’s hope whatever hatches out of it isn’t as hungry as the yetis.”

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  Kael smirked, slinging his bow over his shoulder. “If it is, we’ll just have Thrax wrestle it into submission.”

  Thrax let out a low chuckle. “Damn right.”

  The three of them shared a brief moment of levity before the cold reality of their journey set back in. They moved deeper into the frosted woods, their camaraderie and skill keeping them alive as the shadows of the past and the dangers of the wilds loomed ever larger. Raziel’s castle awaited, but for now, survival was victory enough.

  The climb grew steeper as they pressed further into the icy mountains, the biting wind howling around them. Lorelai’s cloak wrapped tightly around herself in an attempt to keep the worst of the frost at bay, but exhaustion clung to them like a second skin. The forested slopes gave way to jagged cliffs, and with each step, the sense of foreboding deepened.

  It turned out the yetis that had ambushed them earlier were impulsive and had yet to reach adulthood; for the ones they encountered now were were larger, their white fur streaked with gray, and their movements deliberate and menacing. Each encounter left them retreating rather than engaging. Even Thrax, usually eager for a challenge, grimaced at the sight of one hulking yeti dragging a tree trunk like a club.

  “We’re not winning these fights,” Kael muttered as they crouched behind an outcropping, watching a pair of the massive creatures sniffing the air.

  “Not yet,” Thrax whispered, though his grip on his axe tightened.

  “Not ever,” Lorelai corrected, her voice sharp. “We’re not here to prove ourselves to a pack of yetis. Save your strength for Raziel.”

  Thrax grunted but said nothing. When the yetis finally moved on, the trio resumed their cautious advance.

  As night fell, they found a sheltered hollow among the rocks and built a small fire. Lorelai checked their magical wards while Thrax tended to the egg, which had remained ice cold over the past day. He frowned as it shifted slightly in his hands, the faintest sound of movement emanating from within.

  “Still not sure when it’ll hatch,” he said, placing it back in its protective wrap. “Or what’s inside.”

  “Doesn’t matter,” Thrax said, his voice low. “We’ll deal with it when it happens.”

  The fire crackled, casting dancing shadows against the icy walls. They ate in silence for a time, the weariness of the day settling over them like a heavy cloak. Finally, Kael broke the quiet.

  “Do you know I’ve always been alone?” he asked, his voice oddly light. He looked into the flames, not at his companions.

  Thrax raised an eyebrow shaking his head. “Lots of people travel alone, usually not through such a dangerous area though.”

  Kael chuckled softly, but there was no humor in it. “I didn’t have a choice. I grew up in a war-torn country, where soldiers and looters were just as dangerous as wild beasts.”

  Lorelai tilted her head, her expression softening. “Where was this?”

  “The ashlands,” Kael replied. “Far to the south. It’s a place of endless gray skies and cracked earth. When I was a boy, the only way to survive was to fight. My father gave me a bow and told me to defend our home. So I did. Against soldiers. Against bandits. Against anyone who tried to take what little we had.”

  Thrax’s grip on his axe tightened. “You fought soldiers? As a kid?”

  Kael nodded, his gaze distant. “I learned quickly. A bow keeps you alive at a distance. But it’s not just about shooting. It’s about patience, precision. I had to make every arrow count, because we didn’t have many.”

  Lorelai leaned closer, her voice gentle. “What happened to your family?”

  Kael’s expression darkened, the shadows of the fire accentuating the pain in his eyes. “They didn’t make it. Our house was burned down while I was out hunting. I came back to the smell of smoke and...did you know burnt flesh smells like pork?” He paused, his voice tightening, tears threatening his somber eyes. “Since then, it’s just been me. Living off the land, moving from place to place. The bow became more than a weapon. It was my lifeline.”

  Lorelai’s gaze lingered on him, her eyes filled with sympathy, “You’ve been through so much and yet here you are still fighting. What are you doing now?”

  Kael’s lips twitched into a faint smile. “For a long time, I’ve been wandering. Searching for something—answers, maybe. A purpose. I didn’t know what I was looking for, only that I couldn’t stay in one place. However, being here with you two… it’s the first time in years I’ve felt like I’m where I’m supposed to be.”

  Thrax glanced at him, his usual bravado softened. “You mean you actually like us? Didn’t think you had it in you, Kael.”

  Kael chuckled, the sound lighter this time. “Don’t get used to it Thrax, but yes. I’ve gotten close to you both over these past few days. For once I’m not just surviving, for once I'm not just going through the monotomous day to day life. I finally feel I can be part of something.”

  Lorelai smiled, a rare warmth touching her features. “Then stay with us. The reason we are going to Raziel's castle in the first place is to get our friend, Aeryn, back. Once we do, you'll have one more person you can count on.”

  “Together,” Kael echoed, the word feeling strange but welcome on his tongue.

  They fell silent again, the crackle of the fire the only sound. The egg rested beside Lorelai, its surface glinting faintly in the firelight. As the wind howled outside, Kael’s story lingered in their minds, each of them pondering what they’d left behind, and what they’d still need to overcome.

  The night stretched on, filled with dreams of ash and ice, of yetis and the unknown. When dawn came, pale and unforgiving, they rose wordlessly, their resolve hardened like the mountains around them. Raziel’s castle awaited, and they could not falter now.

  class: Martial Force

  Agi - 23

  Will - 20

  End - 20

  Int- 18

  Lightning Animus: Scarlet Thunderbird

  Aura of Purity - emanate a protective aura that radiates from you granting allies protection and curing against poison, charm effects, and status ailments such as paralysis and petrification. Cures minor curses.

  Bolt Slash/Piercer: A slash(sword)/Punch (Spear) that sends out lightning/radiant magic attack from a weapon. Small chance of paralysis effect, duration 1.5 s

  Gravity Slash/Piercer: The slash presses down, the punch presses to a wall or other object. Str of gravity effect coordinates with WILL stat.

  Daylight(light magic)- illuminates dark areas, weakens undead, and dispels magical darkness below a certain level/tier

  Zakir- large bolt of lightning shot with two fingers, high piercing effect

  Oppression- greatly increase the gravitational force in an aoe

  Gravity Centrifuge-you create a focal point to create your gravitational pull point. Any enemy within a fifteen meter radius is pulled towards the center. The closer to the center, the stronger the pull. The ball of gravity explodes at the end of the spell dealing damage proportional to proximity to the center

  Repulse- can repel or pull any metal object under the effects of lightning clad

  Weight Manipulation (upgrade pending)- Alter the weight of yourself or target, concentration required. Drastic changes are available at a higher tier

  Spatial Storage: Provides a pocket dimension to store non-living things in, the size of the space is dependent upon your INT stat.

  Rapid thrusts - Give numerous quick thrusts, number of thrusts dependent upon AGI stat power of thrust dependent upon STR stat

  Dash(Rank II)- rapidly increase movement speed for up to 2 meters cd 15 seconds. Speed of dash is dependent upon AGI stat, distance is dependent upon STR stat. At a small mana cost create an after-image to confuse enemies

  Counterstrike- Parry and counter strike with a higher chance to critical. crit chance dependent upon WILL stat, damage dependent upon STR

  Smite- Coats armaments in divine energy to augment weapon damage

  Affinities: holy, radiant, light, lightning, gravity, spacetime, electromagnetism

  basic skills- dash unarmed combat

  Swordsmanship: Diamond Cutter: Dragonslaying Sword (second form)

  Spearmanship: Spear of the Divine: Precision and Punishing (second form)

  unique talent - shapeshifting (human only)