The woman standing before them was unlike anyone Kaelen had ever seen. Her presence was otherworldly, and the cold seemed to radiate from her like the heart of winter itself. Her blue eyes, sharp and unyielding, settled on each of them in turn, lingering on Kaelen as if she saw something beyond the surface. Her pale skin reflected the light from the falling snow, giving her an ethereal glow.
Aeliana stepped forward, her hand hovering over the hilt of the dagger she wore at her side, though she did not draw it. The sorceress's eyes flickered with uncertainty, but her voice remained steady. "Who are you, and what do you want?"
The woman tilted her head slightly, her gaze still fixed on Kaelen. "You seek the dragon of ice," she said, her voice soft but carrying a weight that seemed to settle in the air around them. "I am here to help you, though your path is far more dangerous than you realize."
Kaelen's hand tightened around the hilt of his sword. "How do you know what we're looking for?"
The woman's expression did not change. "I know many things, Kaelen of Eldorath. I know the bond you now share with the dragon of fire. I know the prophecy that guides your steps, and I know of the darkness that hunts you even now."
Kaelen's heart skipped a beat at the mention of the dragon. He hadn't told anyone but Sir Eamon and Aeliana about what had happened in the ruins. How could this woman possibly know?
Sir Eamon stepped forward, his voice hard and commanding. "Enough riddles. If you know so much, then tell us plainly. Who are you, and why should we trust you?"
The woman turned her gaze to Sir Eamon, her expression unreadable. "I am Ylara, one of the last of the Frostwardens, guardians of the ancient magic of the north. My kind once served the dragons, protecting the balance between the elements and the realms of men. But those days are long gone. Now, the darkness grows, and the time of the prophecy is upon us."
Aeliana's brow furrowed. "The Frostwardens were thought to be a myth. No one has seen one in centuries."
Ylara's eyes flickered with a hint of sorrow. "We are not myths, though we are few. Most of my kin perished in the wars between men and dragons long ago. Only I remain in this part of the world, waiting for the day the dragons would rise again. And now, that day has come."
Kaelen's mind was racing. The Frostwardens were spoken of only in old stories, tales told by the fire in the depths of winter. They were said to be ancient beings, warriors who had been granted the power of the elements by the dragons themselves. But Kaelen had never truly believed in those stories—until now.
"If you're here to help us," Kaelen said cautiously, "then why now? Why not before? The Dark One has been gathering strength for years."
Ylara's gaze returned to Kaelen, her blue eyes piercing. "Because the dragons had not yet awoken. Without them, the balance of power could not be restored. Now that the dragon of fire has chosen its rider, the time has come for the second dragon to awaken. But you must reach it before the Dark One's servants do. Already, they are searching for it, and they will stop at nothing to corrupt it for their cause."
A heavy silence fell over the group, the weight of her words sinking in. The wind howled through the mountains, and the snow fell in thick sheets around them, but none of them moved.
Sir Eamon's voice broke the silence, his tone grim. "If what you say is true, then we have little time. The forces of darkness are already on the move. We've seen signs of their presence in the north—unnatural storms, shadows that move in the night. If we're going to reach the dragon of ice, we'll need all the help we can get."
Ylara nodded, her expression softening slightly. "I can guide you to the dragon's resting place, but the path is treacherous. The Elemental Peaks are not just mountains; they are imbued with the magic of the elements themselves. The storms you've encountered are but a taste of the dangers that lie ahead. There are creatures in these mountains that have not been seen in centuries, and they are bound to the ice and snow. They will not welcome intruders."
Kaelen felt a chill crawl down his spine, though whether it was from Ylara's words or the icy wind, he couldn't be sure. "Why would the dragon of ice be hidden in such a dangerous place?"
Ylara's gaze grew distant, as if she were recalling memories from long ago. "The dragons are not simple beasts, Kaelen. They are beings of immense power and ancient wisdom. The dragon of ice chose the Elemental Peaks as its resting place because it is a place of pure elemental magic. It is connected to the very fabric of the world. But that connection is also what makes it so dangerous. The closer you get to the dragon, the more the elements will test you."
Aeliana's eyes narrowed. "Test us how?"
Ylara's gaze returned to the sorceress, her expression unreadable. "The elements are not kind. They are raw, untamed forces, and they do not care for the lives of men. The closer we come to the dragon, the more the ice will try to consume you. Only those who are strong enough to withstand the cold will survive."
Kaelen exchanged a glance with Sir Eamon. The knight's face was set in a grim expression, but there was a glint of determination in his eyes. "We've faced worse," Sir Eamon said, though Kaelen wasn't sure if he believed it himself. "We'll make it through."
Ylara's gaze softened slightly, though her voice remained firm. "I hope you are right, Sir Eamon. For all our sakes."
They set out again, Ylara now leading the way through the thick snow. The wind howled around them, and the cold grew more intense with every step. Kaelen pulled his cloak tighter around him, but it did little to stop the bitter chill that seemed to seep into his very bones. The landscape grew more treacherous as they climbed higher into the mountains, the jagged peaks looming like the teeth of some ancient beast.
As they climbed, Kaelen couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. It wasn't just the cold or the storm—there was something else, something lurking just beyond the edge of his vision. He glanced around, but all he could see was snow and rock. Still, the feeling persisted, a gnawing sense of unease that grew stronger with every step.
Aeliana seemed to sense it too. She rode close to Kaelen, her eyes scanning the surrounding landscape with a practiced wariness. "Do you feel it?" she whispered, her breath visible in the frigid air.
Kaelen nodded. "Something's out there. I don't know what, but it feels like we're being watched."
Aeliana's expression hardened. "Keep your guard up. We're not alone in these mountains."
Ahead of them, Ylara seemed unbothered by the cold or the dangers that lay in wait. She moved through the snow with an ease that made her seem almost like part of the landscape itself. Her long white hair trailed behind her like a banner, and her pale skin seemed to blend into the ice around them. It was as if she belonged to the mountains, a creature of frost and snow.
As they reached a narrow pass between two towering cliffs, Ylara suddenly stopped, her hand raised in a signal for silence.
Kaelen's heart pounded in his chest as he drew his sword, the cold steel gleaming in the faint light. The others followed suit, drawing their weapons and forming a defensive circle.
"What is it?" Sir Eamon asked quietly.
Ylara's eyes narrowed as she stared into the swirling snow ahead. "We are not alone."
For a moment, there was only silence, broken by the howling wind. Then, out of the storm, shadows began to emerge. At first, they were just vague shapes, moving through the snow like wraiths. But as they drew closer, Kaelen could see them clearly.
They were creatures of ice and shadow, their forms twisted and unnatural. Their bodies were covered in jagged shards of ice, and their eyes glowed with an eerie blue light. They moved with an unnatural grace, their long claws leaving deep gouges in the snow as they advanced.
"Frostfiends," Aeliana whispered, her voice tight with fear. "Creatures of the cold. They're drawn to the elemental magic of the peaks."
Ylara stepped forward, her eyes blazing with a fierce light. "Stand your ground. They cannot be reasoned with. Fight, or be consumed by the cold."
The Frostfiends let out a bone-chilling screech as they charged, their claws raised to strike.
Kaelen's heart raced as the first of the creatures reached him. He swung his sword, the blade slicing through the air with a hiss. The creature's icy body shattered as the blade connected, but more were coming, their glowing eyes filled with malice.
The battle had begun.