A solar eclipse in the sky overlooking the desert is one of the best scenic views one can ever have. But it wasn't appreciated because of the battle that was already in motion a few minutes ago.
The Sandstorm Desert Island was chaos incarnate, the blistering heat of the desert clashing with the eerie cold of the Ice Mannequins spilling from a massive portal in the sky. The battlefield stretched as far as the eye could see, dunes rising and falling, now littered with shards of broken ice and the smoldering remains of battle.
Adelasta hovered mid-air, her golden-orange flames spiraling around her like a fiery crown. She raised one hand and a beam of fire shot from her palm, slicing through a cluster of Ice Mannequins just as they emerged from the portal. The explosion was deafening, the sand below erupting into a glassy crater as the intense heat vaporized everything within range.
"Focus on the big ones!"
She barked, her voice cutting through the chaos as she hurled a massive fireball at a twenty-meter-tall mannequin that had just landed. The impact sent a shockwave rippling across the desert but the mannequin staggered forward, its icy surface barely singed.
Adelasta snarled, flames flaring brighter as she launched herself higher into the air.
"You think you're immune to fire? Let's see how you handle this!"
She extended both arms, summoning a torrent of fire that rained down like meteors, each impact shaking the ground and blasting apart hubdred of mannequins. The intense heat warped the air around her, turning the battlefield into a vision of hellfire.
Below her, Elyonari moved with precision and speed, her wooden mage staff glowing with a vibrant green energy. With a quick flourish, she unleashed a volley of nature energy blasts that pierced through the Ice Mannequins like arrows. Each hit caused them to crack and shatter, the green energy surging through their bodies like an unstoppable force.
"Lady Elyonari!"
One of the Minafallen students yelled, pointing to a towering mannequin that had almost reached her. Without missing a beat, Elyonari spun her staff and slammed it into the ground, sending a shockwave of green energy rippling outward. Vines erupted from the sand, wrapping around the mannequin's legs and dragging it down before it could take another step.
"Keep your eyes open and stick to the plan!" She shouted, her voice firm but calm. She raised her staff again, firing a concentrated beam of green energy at the fallen mannequin's core, shattering it into icy fragments.
On the other side of the battlefield, Peroncerea stood atop a dune, her twin demonic pistols gleaming in the eerie light of the eclipse. She took aim, firing concentrated blasts of crimson energy at the advancing massive mannequins. Each shot was precise, either melting through their icy forms or corrupting them with Demonic Energy that turned them sluggish and brittle.
"Gotcha," she muttered, a smirk tugging at her lips as one particularly large mannequin froze mid-step, its limbs stiffening before crumbling into a pile of jagged shards. "You're making this too easy!"
She spun around, unloading a rapid barrage of shots into a swarm of smaller mannequins that had surrounded a group of students. The crimson energy ripped through the icy creatures, clearing the way for the students to regroup.
"Watch your six!" She yelled at them, pointing to another incoming wave.
The Minafallen students were doing their best to hold the line but the sheer number of Ice Mannequins was overwhelming. They came in endless waves, some small and fast, others towering and lumbering. For every mannequin they destroyed, it seemed like nine more took its place.
Adelasta soared above the battlefield, her flames burning brighter with every passing second. She was a beacon of destruction, her fireballs exploding with enough force to shatter even the largest mannequins. But even she couldn't be everywhere at once.
"Elyonari, cover the left flank!" She shouted, noticing a group of mannequins breaking through as she flew close to the elf.
"On it!" Elyonari responded, her staff glowing as she unleashed a barrage of green energy blasts. The mannequins crumbled under the assault, but the effort was beginning to take its toll.
Despite being a Divine, she didn't have much time to fully understand how her abilities worked, even after having a few days to understand it. She was doing a lot of damage, perhaps even more than Adelasta herself.
Peroncerea reloaded her pistols with a flick of her wrist, the glowing crimson energy swirling around her hands as she prepared for the next wave. Adelasta landed right in front of her, the flames on her skin making her glow brightly.
"Adelasta, how's that portal looking? Because we're running out of stamina down here."
Adelasta glanced at the massive portal, her flames dimming for a brief moment as she assessed the situation. The mannequins were pouring out faster than she could burn them, their icy forms seeming almost endless.
"Still open," she growled, frustration lacing her tone. "But I'm not letting this place turn into an ice wasteland."
She clasped her hands together, her flames condensing into a single, massive orb of fire above her head. The heat was unbearable, even for the students far below. With a fierce cry, she hurled the orb directly at the portal. The explosion was catastrophic, shaking the very ground and sending a shockwave of fire and sand ripping through the battlefield.
It annihilated almost twenty percent of all the Ice Mannequins.
The portal flickered, its edges wavering as if struggling to maintain its form. But it didn't close.
"Dammit!"
Adelasta spat, her flames flaring as she prepared to attack again. She flew up and got close to the portal.
Meanwhile, Elyonari and Peroncerea continued to hold the line, their combined efforts keeping the mannequins at bay. Elyonari's vines snaked through the sand, tripping up the larger mannequins and giving the students a chance to strike. Peroncerea's pistols were a blur as she targeted the most dangerous foes.
But the Ice Mannequins kept coming, their numbers seemingly endless. The desert was a battlefield of fire, green energy and crimson light, the eclipse above casting an ominous shadow over the chaos.
"This isn't sustainable," Elyonari muttered, wiping sweat from her forehead as she prepared another spell. "Maybe we should—"
She froze.
The battlefield suddenly fell into an eerie silence. The Ice Mannequins also froze in place. Their heads turned in unison, their hollow eyes locking onto the massive portal. The ground trembled slightly as something emerged. The air itself seemed to grow heavier and colder, as if all the warmth had been stolen away.
Adelasta, Elyonari and Peroncerea stood motionless, their breaths caught in their throats. From the shimmering portal stepped a creature unlike any they had faced before. It was smaller than the colossal thirty-meter Ice Mannequins, standing a mere five meters tall, but its presence was suffocating. The air crackled with an unnatural chill, and an overwhelming sense of dread swept across the battlefield.
It was a human like being with black ice for skin. It was so perfect that one would think that it was a very perfect statue come to life.
Elyonari clenched her staff tightly, her knuckles whitening. She swallowed hard, her voice barely a whisper.
"That's... Scavenger Rank. A Divine Rank. What is it doing here?"
Adelasta landed softly beside her, her flames flickering around her hands. Despite her usual icy demeanor, there was a glint of something unusual in her expression. She stared at the creature with an intensity that even Peroncerea, who was reloading her pistols, noticed.
"I feel it," Adelasta murmured. "There's something familiar about it. That portal, that... thing... it's connected to it."
Peroncerea blinked. "You mean—?"
Before Adelasta could answer, a glowing holographic message appeared above them, hovering in the air like a divine proclamation.
_____
[Main Quest: Defeat the Reincarnated Permafrost's Grasp.]
[Difficulty: Death.]
[This Forgotten Rank creature harbors the trapped soul of a Winter Labor. Its defeat will mark your passage through the Epoch Cycle.]
[Rewards.]
[Rule Shattering Wish.]
[Clearance Rewards.]
_____
The three women exchanged glances, the weight of the message settling over them.
Adelasta turned to face Elyonari and Peroncerea, her flames flaring brighter as if in defiance of the cold emanating from the Ice Mannequin.
"This is it. If we kill that thing, we're done. We pass the Epoch Cycle. That means that Narisva and Vastarael will deal with the Frozen God."
Elyonari took a deep breath, raising her staff high and summoned a Sound Enhancement Circle that amplified her voice. She spun around to face the Academy students scattered across the battlefield.
"Keep fighting! Hold the line and keep the smaller ones busy! This is our chance to end this nightmare!"
Her voice rang clear and authoritative, cutting through the stunned silence of the students.
The students snapped back to attention. Determination replaced fear as they rallied, gripping their weapons tighter. They had been trapped on the Erna Isles for three years, struggling to survive against impossible odds, many of them with families waiting for them back in Spheraphase. They wouldn't die here. Not now.
Adelasta glanced at Elyonari and Peroncerea. "We're the only ones who can handle this thing. Elyonari, you're the main assault. I'll back you up. Peroncerea, you're support. Keep us alive and cover our blind spots."
Peroncerea smirked, spinning her demonic pistols with a practiced flourish.
"Got it. Don't worry. I'll make sure you don't regret bringing me along."
The three of them began walking toward the towering creature, each step sinking into the loose sand beneath their feet. The air grew colder with every step, frost forming on their weapons and armor. Yet they pressed on.
Elyonari led the way, her staff glowing with an emerald brilliance that cut through the oppressive chill. As a Divine Elf, she radiated power that she was ready to use.
Behind her, Adelasta walked with calm precision, her flames flickering against the icy winds. Despite being only a Third Phase Ascender, her raw power made her an undeniable force.
Peroncerea, the weakest of the three, followed closely, her crimson energy pistols gleaming in the dim light. Though she wouldn't engage directly, her role as support would be just as critical.
The Reincarnated Permafrost's Grasp, a Winter Labor Vastarael killed, turned its head toward them as they approached. It let out a low laughing sound that resonated through the desert, sending a shiver down their spines. The battlefield seemed to shrink as the three women faced the towering creature, their presence dwarfed by its sheer aura.
"Ready?" Elyonari asked, her voice steady despite the tension crackling in the air.
Adelasta's flames roared to life, her wings of fire spreading wide. "Always."
Peroncerea smirked, her pistols crackling with demonic energy. "Let's show this thing what we're made of."
The battle for their Epoch Cycle had begun.