THE GUARDIAN OF THE FROZEN FOREST
The air was so cold that every exhale formed dense clouds that lingered briefly before dissipating. The ice guardians, with their translucent forms and blue glow, moved slowly, as if studying their opponents. Therion remained in the background, watching with a grim smile as Zyrion’s group prepared for the confrontation.
“All right,” said Zyrion, raising his sword. “Form a circle. Don’t let them surround us.”
Caelithra spun her halberd, the blade slicing through the air with a sharp whistle. “These aren’t ordinary enemies. If they’re made of ice, physical attacks alone might not be enough.”
“Thanks for the insight, genius,” replied Karion as he drew one of his daggers. “Any other pearls of wisdom before we get killed?”
Caelithra shot him a cold look, but before she could respond, one of the guardians launched an attack. One of its crystalline claws lunged at Zyrion, who blocked the strike with his sword. The impact rang out like two metal plates colliding, and Zyrion stepped back a few paces.
“They’re strong!” he exclaimed as he readjusted his stance. “Don’t underestimate their attacks.”
Kyrahna, already drawing her bow, fired an arrow straight into the chest of one of the guardians. The arrow embedded itself in the ice, but the creature barely reacted.
“Great,” she muttered. “Maybe we need something more forceful.”
“Leave it to me,” said Karion, lunging at one of the guardians. With agile movements, he dodged a strike and threw one of his daggers at what seemed to be its head. The dagger stuck, but the guardian barely wavered.
“Well, that was disappointing,” said Karion, retreating quickly.
Therion watched from his position with an air of superiority. “Pathetic. Is this how you intend to challenge me? The fragments you carry should have given you more power.”
“Then why don’t you come down here and see for yourself?” shouted Zyrion, pointing his sword at him.
Therion chuckled softly. “No need to get my hands dirty with you. My guardians are more than enough.”
Caelithra, tired of listening, stepped forward. “If direct attacks won’t work, maybe we can use the environment.” She swung her halberd, aiming at a nearby snow-covered tree. With a precise strike, she cut down a heavy branch, which fell on one of the guardians, shattering it into pieces.
“That worked,” said Kyrahna, her eyes shining with excitement. “Use the environment to your advantage!”
The group quickly adapted. Zyrion maneuvered the guardians toward the denser areas of the forest, where branches and uneven terrain hindered their movement. Kyrahna fired arrows to weaken their joints, while Caelithra used her halberd to clear obstacles.
Karion, meanwhile, continued his antics, running around the guardians and throwing sarcastic comments. “Hey, anyone else feel like these guys need some sun? They’re way too tense.”
“Karion, less joking, more action,” growled Zyrion as he blocked another strike.
“I’m distracting them, right? That counts as action,” replied Karion with a grin.
Finally, after a combined effort, they destroyed most of the guardians. Only one remained, noticeably larger and faster than the others. Therion raised an eyebrow, as if surprised the group had come this far.
“Interesting,” he said, raising a hand. The last guardian began to glow intensely, and the air around them grew even colder. “Let’s see if you can handle this.”
The creature let out a deafening roar and lunged at the group. Zyrion blocked the initial attack, but the impact sent him several meters backward. “This isn’t good. We need something stronger.”
“Let me try,” said Kyrahna, drawing a black-tipped arrow that shimmered with a faint magical glow. “I only have one, but it should be enough.”
Karion eyed the arrow curiously. “New toy? Don’t remember this one.”
“It’s a gift from my master,” she replied, aiming carefully. “I hope it works.”
The arrow flew with precision and struck the guardian in the chest, pausing it for a moment before it exploded in a shower of ice shards. The blast knocked everyone to the ground, but when the dust and snow settled, the guardian was gone.
Therion stepped forward, his arrogance shifting to something more serious. “Interesting. Maybe you’re not as useless as I thought.”
“That’s all you’ve got?” said Zyrion, standing and pointing his sword at him. “Your turn.”
Therion smiled. “Another day. But beware, travelers. My territory won’t be the only obstacle you face. The darkness surrounding you isn’t mine alone. Good luck surviving.”
With those words, he vanished into the mist, leaving the group exhausted but victorious.
“Well, that was something,” said Karion, shaking off the snow. “Anyone else feel like this forest is full of psychos?”
Caelithra ignored him, cleaning her halberd. “We should move before something worse shows up.”
“I agree,” said Zyrion. “Gather what you can and let’s keep going. This isn’t over.”
As the group prepared to continue, a lingering sense of unease hung in the air. They had survived this encounter, but they knew each step brought them closer to even greater dangers.
The group moved cautiously through the frozen forest, each step crunching softly over the snow. Though they had defeated the ice guardians, the sense of threat did not dissipate. It was as if the forest itself were watching them, waiting for the perfect moment to strike again.
“Anyone else feel like we’re walking straight into another trap?” said Karion, twirling a dagger in his hand. “Because I do. And honestly, I’m not a fan of traps.”
“Stop complaining,” replied Caelithra without looking at him. “If you’re scared, you can stay behind.”
“Scared? Please, I’m the soul of this group. Without me, you’d be depressed or dead from boredom.”
“We can manage without your humor,” Caelithra retorted, gripping her halberd tightly.
Zyrion, at the front, sighed deeply. “Both of you, quiet. We need to focus. Therion didn’t leave without a reason. Something worse is coming.”
Kyrahna, walking beside him, nodded. “He’s right. I still don’t understand how Therion controlled those guardians. Ice spirits are ancient entities—they rarely submit to anyone’s will.”
“That means Therion has a fragment, right?” asked Karion, tossing a stone at a nearby tree.
“Possibly,” said Zyrion, pausing to inspect the area. “Or he’s allied with someone who does. Either way, we must be ready.”
Suddenly, an icy wind swept through the forest, and a strange sound echoed in the distance, like a collective whisper. The trees shivered, and snow began swirling, obscuring visibility.
“This isn’t natural,” said Kyrahna, gripping her bow tightly.
“No, it isn’t,” replied Caelithra, positioning her halberd for an attack.
The whisper turned into a guttural moan, and spectral figures began rising from the ground, enveloped in a bluish glow. Their faces were vague, like smoke, and their movements were erratic and shaky.
“What the hell are those?” exclaimed Karion, stepping back instinctively.
“Ice spirits,” said Kyrahna in a low voice. “Souls trapped in this forest, condemned to wander for eternity. They’re dangerous.”
“Dangerous how?” asked Karion.
“If they touch your skin, they steal your warmth and your life,” Kyrahna explained, drawing her bow. “Don’t let them touch you.”
“All right, then we won’t let them get close,” said Zyrion, raising his sword. “Form a circle like before. Keep your weapons ready.”
The spirits advanced slowly, their ethereal movements making it hard to predict where they would strike. Zyrion took the lead, blocking one with his sword. The impact sent a frost explosion outward, forcing him to retreat.
“They’re stronger than they look!” shouted Zyrion. “Don’t underestimate their power.”
Kyrahna fired an arrow that pierced one spirit’s torso, dispersing it into a cloud of ice and smoke. “Their bodies are fragile, but there are many of them. Stay focused.”
Caelithra moved with deadly precision, her halberd slicing the spirits in two with fluid motions. Yet her expression remained cold and calculating, as if nothing could affect her.
“Do you ever smile?” yelled Karion, throwing his dagger at another spirit. “Or are you incapable of showing emotion?”
Caelithra didn’t respond immediately, focusing on taking down another enemy. Finally, she glanced at him from the corner of her eye. “If we survive this, maybe you’ll find out.”
“That sounds like you have hope!” joked Karion, dodging an attack from a spirit.
Meanwhile, Zyrion faced the largest spirit, which seemed to be the leader. Its sword glowed faintly as he struggled to block its rapid attacks. Each blow resonated with a chilling echo, making his hands tremble.
“Kyrahna, I need support here!” shouted Zyrion.
“Coming!” she replied, firing an arrow at the leader spirit. However, it caught her midair and disintegrated her with a single gesture.
“Great,” muttered Zyrion. “This keeps getting better by the second.”
Caelithra stepped forward, spinning her halberd to draw the leader’s attention. “Keep it focused on me. You strike when you see an opening.”
Zyrion nodded. “Understood, but be careful.”
The plan worked. As Caelithra distracted the leader with rapid attacks, Zyrion found an opportunity to strike its core. With a shout, he swung a horizontal cut, piercing the leader spirit and dispersing it in a burst of light and frost.
The remaining spirits slowly retreated, as if they had lost their will to fight. Within seconds, they vanished, leaving the group gasping and exhausted.
“Well,” said Karion, falling backward into the snow. “That was fun. We should do it again.”
“You’re crazy,” replied Kyrahna. “That was not fun at all.”
Zyrion wiped his sword, surveying the area. “This wasn’t a coincidence. Someone is controlling this forest. We need to find them before they find us.”
Caelithra nodded. “Therion is still a threat. But if ice spirits were here, maybe we’re close to something important.”
“I hope it’s important,” said Karion, getting up. “Because honestly, I don’t want to freeze to death here.”
The group continued onward, this time with heightened caution. Every step brought them closer to something larger, darker, and more dangerous.
TO BE CONTINUED…