Now, only the throne remained—upon it, the overwhelming presence of Frostheart Glacriel, emanating an endless aura of lethal cold.
The Lord's massive body rose fully, nearly brushing the ceiling of the ice cavern. His form, sculpted from eternal, abyssal glacial ice, was inscribed with ancient runes, as if bearing the weight of countless ages of frost.
He looked down upon the two insignificant challengers, soul-fire of icy blue flaring violently within his eye sockets.
A voice, grating with the friction of ice crystals and echoing with a deep resonance, thundered throughout the chamber—majestic, wrathful, terrifying enough to shake one's marrow:
"Insignificant worms… daring to trespass upon the Eternal Throne… Your breath, your warmth, are blasphemies against the sanctity of absolute zero! Your fate can be nothing but frozen annihilation!"
[Frost heart Glacriel (Lord)]
[Level: 28]
[HP: 85,000 / 85,000]
[Abilities:]
Frozen Grasp (Passive): Enemies nearby continuously suffer a chilling aura, movement speed reduced by 8%, taking 50 frost damage per second.
High-Frequency Icicle Barrage: Launches three volleys of high-speed icicles at random targets, 6–8 per wave, each dealing 350–450 frost damage. Cast time: 1 sec. Cooldown: 10 sec.
Frost Nova: Emits a radial blast centered on self, dealing 600 frost damage to nearby enemies and freezing them for 2.5 sec. Instant. Cooldown: 15 sec.
Summon Frost Shards: Summons four shards from the arena's edges. They slowly track players; on contact, they explode, knocking back and dealing 500 frost damage. Duration: 30 sec or until destroyed (2,000 HP each). Cooldown: Activates when HP < 60%, cooldown 40 sec.
Global Ice Burst: Channels devastating frost energy for 2.5 sec, then deals 2,200 absolute frost damage to the entire field (safe zones only behind ice pillars). First cast at 45 sec into battle; cooldown 40 sec thereafter. Once HP < 20%, cooldown is reduced to 25 sec.
Absolute Zero (Enrage): At HP < 10%, attack speed increased by 30%, all skill cooldowns reduced by 30%, immune to control.
The battle erupted instantly!
Glacriel swung a colossal arm.
"Be ground to dust beneath the shriek of frost!"
Countless icicles stormed forth like a raging blizzard—[High-Frequency Icicle Barrage]!
"Trajectory covers the left half! Move right!" Mira's urgent command rang out, her staff tapping lightly. A small Ice Barrier flared into being at Kiriya's flank, intercepting several sharp-angled icicles.
"Thanks!" Kiriya replied, his tone not tense but tinged with excitement. "Big fellow's got size and a hell of a voice!"
His body and two phantoms weaved like butterflies among the storm, sword slashing at Glacriel's ankles, damage numbers of around –400 flashing upward.
No sooner had they dodged than Glacriel's massive frame shuddered violently. "Freeze!"
A biting shockwave expanded outward—[Frost Nova]!
"Back ten yards!" Both retreated in unison, but one of Kiriya's phantoms was too slow, frozen solid.
"Lost one phantom, no big deal." Kiriya clicked his tongue, immediately resummoning. "Hey, big guy, is that all you've got?"
"Arrogant!" Glacriel roared, attacks intensifying. Icicles and Novas alternated relentlessly, forcing the two into constant evasive maneuvers.
Mira's mana drained quickly, her face pale, each calculation and cast heavier than the last.
"Conserve your mana," Kiriya noted, splitting his phantoms to intercept part of the damage.
His voice stayed light, reassuring. "Track my position, just cover my gaps. Leave the damage to me." His words carried a strength that steadied.
When Glacriel's HP dropped below 60%, it bellowed:
"Awaken, eternal guardians! Tear the intruders apart!"
The four corner pillars of the arena shattered, birthing four spinning Frost Shards, shrieking as they homed in.
"Trouble," Mira's tone sharpened. "These must be handled first!"
"Got it! You take left, I'll take right!" Kiriya charged without hesitation, body and phantom slicing into the right-side shards. Sword flashes tore chunks of their HP. Mira unleashed concentrated volleys at the left.
But these distractions split their focus, weakening pressure on Glacriel, who pressed his attack harder.
Then came the most perilous moment. Glacriel ceased all else, both arms raised high, drawing endless frost into a dreadful orb of ghostly blue.
"The age of mortals… ends now! Return to eternal silence!"
[Global Ice Burst] began to channel!
"Northeast! Southwest!" Mira called, her voice hoarse, mana nearly gone.
"Move!" Kiriya answered. They dashed desperately behind the pillars.
BOOOOM!
The cataclysm was blocked, but cracks spidered thick across the ice barriers.
"Futile struggle! The cold wind never ceases! Your fate is sealed!" Glacriel roared, attacks more deranged. Mira's mana hit bottom—forced to resort to weak spells.
"I'm out of mana…" For the first time, despair tinged her voice.
"Hold on!" Kiriya's voice stayed firm. His own energy waned, phantoms slower to coalesce. "We're close! Watch the next Ice Burst!"
At 12% HP, Glacriel shrieked with soul-rending force: "Behold… Absolute Zero!"
The enrage triggered! Its speed spiked, icicles raining in near-solid streams.
Another [Global Ice Burst] began. They barely reached a failing pillar in time.
But before the explosion faded, Glacriel, impossibly, began chanting another Ice Burst immediately!
"Frost… is the end! Annihilation!"
"Impossible! Cooldown doesn't match!" Mira gasped—her Blink still recharging. Worse, the northeast pillar by her was already shattered. The calculations screamed: No escape. Certain death.
Hopelessness froze her soul. Fingers clenched on her staff, ready to meet oblivion.
But in that instant—
"Mira! To me—NOW!" Kiriya's urgent roar cut through. He was behind the last intact pillar at the southwest.
"It's too late!" She stared at the swelling orb of doom. Distance and time made it impossible.
She caught a glimpse of Kiriya's face—his ever-casual grin gone, replaced by perfect calm and unyielding resolve. His eyes met hers for a single breath, decision already sealed.
"Live! Finish the mission!"
With a shout, Kiriya didn't remain in safety. Instead, fusing the full speed of Blink Step with the last phantom's push, he blurred beyond limits, racing against the surge of annihilation.
He had no time for defense. He hurled Mira with all his strength toward the safe pillar, body flung backward by the recoil—exposed directly before the coming cataclysm!
"Kiriya! No!" Mira's scream drowned beneath the howling energy.
She tumbled helplessly into the shelter. The last thing she saw—Kiriya turning, facing the oncoming tide of azure death, lips curving into a fleeting, apologetic smile—before the Global Ice Burst devoured him whole.
The [Uncommon Stone Pendant] at his neck flashed once in cold blue, then fell, encased in frost.
–1885! (Overkill!)
[Party Notice: Teammate Kiriya has died.]
The blast stole all sound. Mira's mind and veins froze solid.
Glacriel, overstrained by forced casting, reeled in extended rigidity. His ice armor destabilized, defenses crumbling.
Mira slumped behind the pillar, unharmed, yet hollowed, staring dumbly at where Kiriya vanished, at the fallen pendant.
His last words, his final smile, echoed endlessly. The icy mask she always wore shattered—leaving only incomprehension, shock, and a pain that tore her apart.
Why…? He could have… That expression, at the end…
"Pathetic sacrifice… meaningless!" Glacriel recovered, bellowing triumphantly, conjuring icicles again.
The roar jolted Mira awake. Her eyes snapped up, fixing on the towering Lord. No longer calm, but blazing with a fire so cold it seared, so fierce it could burn through eternity.
Emotions unknown to her until now—fury and resolve—burst forth, shattering every wall of ice within.
She poured everything—her last scrap of mana, the dregs of her mind, the raging storm of newfound emotion—into the crystalline staff.
The blue gem at its tip erupted with radiance like a frozen sun. A spear of frost, thicker, sharper, burning with azure hellfire—[Frigid Ice Pulse]—screamed forth, striking Glacriel's unstable chest core with divine precision.
–2241! (Critical Strike!)
Crack!BOOM!
His chest caved, body pierced through. Glacriel gave a broken, fading howl:
"Impossible… the will… of mortals…"
The colossal crystal form toppled, shattering into a lifeless glacier of rubble.
[System Notice: Congratulations! You have slain Frostheart Glacriel and completed the Trial of the Frozen Throne!]