The frigid wind howled between the pine trees, sending snow swirling in a blinding white veil. The alpha winter bear loomed above them all, each breath from its maw releasing puffs of mist and mana-infused frost. Towering at nearly twenty feet tall, its silvery fur rippled with enchanted runes that glowed faint blue, each step crunching into the ice with thunderous weight.
And in its path stood Ymir — wand raised, heart hammering in her chest.
The beast growled low, curling its lips back to reveal rows of jagged ice-covered teeth. Without warning, it opened its mouth and conjured an orb of pale blue energy — swirling frost magic condensed into a deadly ice bomb.
"Move!" someone screamed, but it was too late — the bomb launched at her like a comet.
Ymir's body reacted on instinct. With a sharp side-step and a twist of her heel, she darted left, narrowly avoiding the incoming blast. The ice bomb exploded behind her, sending shards and snow into the air like a frozen geyser.
She gritted her teeth and steadied her hand.
"Ko: Speara Expanda Vas!" she cried.
At the utterance of the arcane incantation, the single mana spear floating before her suddenly pulsed, splitting and merging again — doubling, tripling in size and brilliance until it became a single massive construct of radiant blue energy. The spell's weight bent the air around it.
"Ko?" Alexia, the brunette witch from earlier, gaped from behind a shield of mana. "She's invoking a Ko-tier spell?! That's… that's advanced-level magic!"
Ymir didn't hear her. Her focus was narrowed, locked entirely on the beast.
"Take this!" she shouted, launching the glowing spear with all her might.
The spell shrieked through the cold air like a shooting star. The alpha bear twisted to evade, but it was too massive — the spear slammed into its right leg with devastating force. A burst of light followed the impact, and a howl ripped from the creature's throat, echoing across the mountainside.
The bear staggered.
Then its fury ignited.
Enraged, the alpha bellowed and began to fire a frenzy of ice bombs in all directions, without aim or pattern. Blue orbs erupted from its gullet like artillery, crashing into the ground, trees, and mana shields with explosive force.
"Get down!" someone screamed.
The surrounding candidates scrambled. Mana shields flared to life, some strong, others barely holding. The snowfall thickened with every detonation, and panic began to ripple through the group.
Ymir, still standing at the forefront, slammed her wand into the ground. Her voice was clear, calm, and commanding.
"Terra Leviosa!"
The earth beneath their feet rumbled. Like a stage rising from the depths, the terrain beneath the candidates lifted them above the chaos. A stone platform, circular and jagged with veins of glowing blue, ascended high into the air — separating them from the bear's bombardment.
Her wand crackled in her hand. She turned to face the others.
"Enough cowering!" Ymir's voice rang with authority. "If you're serious about making it out of this forest — if you want any chance of getting into the academy — then fight!"
Her words sliced through the panic like a blade through smoke.
"Use everything you've got! It's already wounded — we can do this!"
There was silence for half a second — and then someone stepped forward.
"I'll cast a binding spell!" shouted a green-robed warlock, his staff glowing emerald.
"I've got fire!" called another.
The others joined in, on the assault on the raised platform.
With Ymir's rallying cry echoing in their minds, they launched their coordinated assault.
Bolts of lightning. Chains of flame. Blades of wind. Snares of enchanted root and blasts of concussive sound. One by one, they fired their magic in unison, weaving their efforts together with shocking precision.
The alpha tried to resist. It reared back and roared, summoning another bomb — but this time, it was staggered. Its leg, still scorched from Ymir's advanced spear, trembled. The flurry of spells hit it like waves crashing against a cliff — again and again.
With a final, defiant roar, the great beast fell to its knees… and then crashed into the snow, motionless.
Silence fell.
Steam rose from its massive body. The runes across its fur dimmed, flickered, and finally went dark.
It was over.
The forest remained quiet for a moment longer, as if holding its breath in reverence of their victory. Then came the cheers — exhausted, breathless, but triumphant.
"We did it!" one shouted.
"It's down!"
Ymir collapsed to her knees, panting. Her wand was still warm from the surge of power.
The grin-boy from earlier — Florence — strolled over, brushing snow from his cloak. "Well damn," he said with a smirk. "You were pretty awesome back there. Who figured?"
Ymir blinked at him, cheeks flushed from exertion and cold. "Thanks, I guess."
Another voice chimed in.
"You're really strong!" Alexia said, running up with a big grin. "That spear spell — that was amazing! I've never seen anyone our age cast at Ko-level." She reached out a hand. "I'm Alexia. And from today on, we're gonna be best buddies."
Ymir blinked, caught off guard — then smiled, shy and a little overwhelmed.
"Ymir," she said, shaking her hand. "Just… Ymir."
The others began gathering around her, patting her back, tossing compliments, asking her about her training. For the first time since the raid on her village, Ymir felt the warmth of something she hadn't known she needed.
A community.
A team.
And maybe… friends.
But beneath it all, her thoughts were still with her mother — locked in suspended time, waiting to be saved.
I'm one step closer, Mom, she thought, her eyes rising to the gray sky beyond the pines.
Just wait for me a little longer.