The tundra stretched endless under a gray midday sky, snow crunching beneath the hooves of the Frostveil squad's mounts as they rode south toward the Crystal Palace. Aelar Frostveil led the column, his dark blue frostweave armor rattling faintly, silver-white ponytail whipping in the wind. Kaelith loped beside him, silver-streaked fur gleaming, glacial eyes darting—alert despite the morning's ambush. The rune-stone pulsed in Aelar's pouch, its violet glow seeping through the leather, a restless heartbeat urging haste.
Elara Frostveil rode at his left, her pale blue tunic patched, staff strapped across her back. The Wraith core's boost sharpened her posture, her silver hair glinting. "This pace is brutal," she said, breath misting. "You're pushing us hard."
"Stone's pushing me," Aelar replied, patting the pouch. "Theron needs to see it—today."
Torin Iceblade flanked his right, his Frost Boar, Gruk, trotting alongside, icy spines freshly honed from the Abomination core half. "Gruk's keeping up," Torin grunted, spear resting on his shoulder. "But the men? They're dragging."
Aelar glanced back—fifteen guards rode in a tight formation, their frost-bred steeds laboring, faces etched with fatigue. "They'll hold," he said. "We're close—two hours, maybe."
Elara frowned. "That stone's pulse—it's faster. Feel it?"
Aelar nodded, hand brushing the pouch. "Too much. Sylvara, scan it."
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Target: Rune-Stone (Unknown Origin)
Type: Mana Artifact
Mana Signature: Prime-tier (Unstable)
Properties:
Mana Pulse (Level Unknown): Emits disruptive mana waves. Beast Catalyst (Suspected): Amplifies nearby magical beasts.
Sylvara: Ancient craft—tied to deep mana. Caution advised.
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"Beast catalyst," Aelar muttered. "Explains the Wraith, the Abomination—Order's waking things with it."
Torin spat. "Great. More trouble."
"Always," Elara said, smirking. "Check us again—keep us sharp."
"Sylvara, analyze Elara, Torin," Aelar thought.
Target: Elara Glintfrost
Ascension Tier: Master (Level 5)
Stats:
Strength: 38
Agility: 55
Intelligence: 62
Mana: 95
Skills: Frost Weaving (Level 6) Mana Focus (Level 5) Staff Combat (Level 4)
Sylvara: Agility drills—push her speed.
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Target: Torin Iceblade
Ascension Tier: Master (Level 6)
Stats:
Strength: 62
Agility: 48
Intelligence: 42
Mana: 55
Skills: Spear Mastery (Level 7) Beast Synergy (Level 5) Endurance (Level 5)
Companion: Gruk
Stats: Strength 68, Agility 42
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"Elara, dodge drills when we stop," Aelar said. "Torin, run with Gruk—get quicker."
Torin grunted. "Bossy prince."
"Winning prince," Aelar shot back, grinning.
The Pulse Unleashes
Kaelith's growl cut through the wind, hackles rising. The stone flared, its pulse a drumbeat—Aelar reined in his mount. "Trouble!" he shouted, drawing his sword. "Sylvara, scan!"
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Target: Frost Leviathan (Prime)
Race: Magical Beast
Beast Tier: Prime (Level 10)
Stats:
Strength: 80
Agility: 45
Intelligence: 12
Mana: 60
Skills: Ice Barrage (Level 4): Launches volleys of ice shards. Tail Slam (Level 3): Crushing area strike. Mana Roar (Level 3): Stuns and boosts its power. Frost Shell (Level 3): Hardened ice armor.
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The snow erupted—a Frost Leviathan reared up, thirty feet of serpentine ice and muscle, its scales shimmering blue, red eyes blazing, tail coiling. The stone's glow synced with its roar, mana rippling outward.
"Fan out!" Aelar yelled. "Kaelith, flank! Elara, suppress! Torin, Gruk—front! I'll draw it!"
The Leviathan's Mana Roar hit, a deafening wave—guards clutched their heads, horses rearing. Aelar's Mana Manipulation countered, steadying his mind, and he unleashed Frost Shroud, mist cloaking the squad. "Loud, aren't you?" he shouted, Ice Crafting a spiked wall ahead—it charged, Frost Shell cracking the spikes, but slowing its rush.
Elara darted left, "Take this!" Her Frost Weaving conjured a lattice of ice chains—not to bind, but to tangle its tail—she spun her staff with Staff Combat, Mana Focus sharpening a frost pattern barrage, shards pelting its face. "Scream again, I dare you!" she taunted, dodging an Ice Barrage—shards grazed her arm, frost stinging.
Torin charged, "Gruk, break it!" The Frost Boar's Spine Charge slammed its chest, spines cracking the Frost Shell—Torin's Spear Mastery thrust upward, piercing its jaw, Beast Synergy syncing Gruk's next ram. "Tough hide, huh?" he roared, Endurance holding as a Tail Slam grazed his leg, snow exploding.
Aelar sprinted right, "Kaelith, howl!" The wolf's Frost Howl clashed with the Leviathan's roar, muffling its stun—Kaelith's Blizzard Charge followed, Ice Armor deflecting an Ice Barrage as claws raked its side. Aelar swung with Swordsmanship, blade slashing its neck—scales chipped, frost-blood spraying. "Bleed for me!" he yelled, Glacial Chains spiraling—not binding, but whipping its eyes, forcing a flinch.
The Leviathan roared, Ice Barrage raining shards—Aelar rolled, crafting an ice shield mid-dodge, shards shattering it. "Elara, pin it!" he shouted. Her frost chains tightened, Mana Focus driving a massive ice spear into its tail—scales cracked, pinning it momentarily. "Got you!" she snapped, agility keeping her ahead of a Tail Slam.
Torin thrust again, "Gruk, harder!" The boar rammed its chest, spines sinking deeper—Torin's spear spun, striking its throat, Endurance shrugging off a shard hit. "Die already!" he bellowed, blood dripping from his leg.
Aelar darted in, "You're mine!" Frost Bite sank into its flank—mana surged back, bitter and cold—then Ice Crafting formed a jagged lance mid-air, Swordsmanship hurling it into its chest—scales shattered, mana leaking. The Leviathan's Tail Slam swung wide—he leaped, chains lashing its neck like a noose, pulling tight. "Now!" he roared.
Elara's frost spear pierced its eye, "Lights out!" Torin's spear and Gruk's charge hit its core, "Break, damn you!" The beast thrashed, Mana Roar fading—Aelar's chains yanked, Kaelith's jaws tore its throat, and it collapsed, snow billowing, a glowing aqua core rolling free.
Aelar claimed it, mana surging. "Sylvara, update."
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Host: Aelar Frostveil
Ascension Tier: Grandmaster (Level 9)
Stats:
Strength: 92
Agility: 102
Intelligence: 76
Mana: 150
Skills: Frostborn Legacy (Innate, Level 6) Glacial Chains (Level 10) Frost Bite (Level 3) Frost Shroud (Level 6) Mana Manipulation (Level 10) Ice Crafting (Level 8) Swordsmanship (Level 10) Beast Taming (Level 5)
Companion: Kaelith
Stats: Strength 70, Agility 60, Intelligence 25, Mana 50
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The squad regrouped, panting, mounts calming. Aelar tossed the Leviathan core to Elara. "Split it—Torin gets half. Push your agility, both of you."
Elara caught it, grinning. "Bossy."
"Winning," Aelar corrected, smirking.
At the Crystal Palace by dusk, Theron met them in the war room, his frostblade propped nearby, a Prime-tier Frostbear—Ursok—dozing in the corner, its white fur scarred. Aelar handed him the stone. "Order's waking beasts with this," he said. "Know it?"
Theron's eyes narrowed, tracing the runes. "Old Elven—pre-kingdom," he said, voice grave. "A key to the Frost Depths—sealed caverns beneath Eryndral. Mana wells, beasts beyond Prime-tier slumber there."
Elara frowned, absorbing her core half—mana flared. "Beyond Prime? Legendary?"
"Maybe," Theron said. "The Order seeks chaos—unleash them, cripple us."
Torin grunted, core boosting him and Gruk. "How do we stop it?"
"Find the Depths," Theron said. "Seal them—or fight what wakes."
Aelar clutched his sword. "We'll need more than us."
"Then build it," Theron replied, pride glinting. "You're Frostveil—lead."
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In the palace courtyard, Aelar stood with Elara and Torin, Kaelith at his side. "Elara, staff sparring tomorrow," he said. "Torin, run Gruk ragged—speed's your edge."
Elara smirked. "Still bossing?"
"Still winning," he said, grinning. "The Depths wait—we'll be ready."
Torin nodded, Gruk snorting. "Aye. Let's not die."
The stone pulsed, a call to the unseen—a fight looming in the frost.