Suddenly, the specter emerged from the storm, a ghostly figure cloaked in tattered, ice-rimed robes. Its hollow eyes glowed with an eerie blue light, its skeletal fingers clutching a spear of pure frost.
It was now or never.
[Affinity chosen: Vorthak’s Flame. Wreath yourself in harmless, ethereal flames that provide illumination and warmth. Immunity to Freeze and Darkness effects.]
In an instant, Justin’s body was surrounded by flames, just as a wave of bone-chilling cold slammed into him.
[Freeze resisted by Vorthak’s Flame!]
Justin rushed forward, fear returning as Ulthara’s Calm faded. But Lila’s Bardic song filled the air, bolstering his resolve and adding a lightness to his movements. The others launched their attacks while Justin lobbed a Poison Barb at the specter.
“That frostbite is not good for your complexion,” Justin said.
It wasn’t his best insult, but it didn’t matter. The specter hesitated a moment before screeching and floating toward Justin with renewed ire.
Justin dodged its ethereal spear twice, his body moving with uncanny grace. Its spear jabbed into his Sacrificial Armor thrice before the Kargan reformed it.
With renewed confidence, Justin swung his cane, driving the specter back step by step, even as the flames spread along its length.
Meanwhile, the others attacked relentlessly. Justin’s cane delivered a heavy blow, forcing the specter back again. He popped off a Dandy’s Swagger, strutting confidently, a grin spreading across his face. His former fear faded under the effects of the skill.
The taunting strut only caused the specter to screech in fury, but Justin had its full attention now. He didn’t need to use Dazzling Display; the specter was already locked onto him. Ryak’s earlier words echoed in his mind—Charisma was more than words. It was the force of will that bent the world to your command.
And right now, Justin’s will was to keep this ghost’s attention on him and off his allies. While some of the specter’s attacks glanced off his Sacrificial Armor, he also dodged damage completely a few times. That certainly came from his new Focus, judging by the unnatural way his body gracefully evaded the attacks.
The specter tried again to freeze him, but Vorthak’s Flame shielded him effortlessly. Justin advanced, his body radiating warmth. Though the flames weren’t damaging, the specter clearly recoiled from them.
With a final coordinated assault from the group, the specter was overwhelmed, fading into the icy winds with a final, ethereal scream.
[75 Experience Gained! Your Experience stands at 244/2070.]
Justin blinked as the notification appeared. Had he just gotten experience from combat?
He suspected it had something to do with his Gentleman Focus. The Focus description had mentioned it was a balance between combat and social abilities, so it made sense that he would be rewarded for combat where he hadn’t been before.
Of course, there had been previous fights in the Everwood, but he had earned no experience from those, despite already having unlocked the Focus. Reflecting on it, Justin realized that in those battles, the others had dealt most of the damage, while Eldrin had been the one giving orders. Justin probably hadn’t contributed enough to earn experience.
Now, as his confidence and abilities grew, Justin was stepping into leadership and taking greater risks. And the System was noticing.
The wind died down, as if in response to the specter’s death. The others were watching him with widening eyes.
“Justin…” Kargan said. “You’re on fire.”
He looked down at his arms to see the mystical flames leaping into the air. With a thought, he willed them off, and they disappeared along with their accompanying heat. With another mental push, he turned them on again.
Eldrin watched him, as if seeing him anew. “I’m impressed. That was some good work, Justin.”
“Yeah,” Lila said. “Who needs Bohemond to tank, anyway?”
“Well, it was a team effort,” Justin said.
Even Ryak was watching approvingly. “Those flames…are something. Not anything I would expect a Charisma class to have.”
Justin realized he’d have to tell him something about it. If he was telling the truth earlier, then he’d overheard a lot of their conversation, anyway. “It’s from this potion I got.”
“I was ready to unfreeze you,” Ryak explained. “In fact, I expected the specter to do that from the start. If you don’t have the proper defense, you can be powerless against it.”
“How long will those flames last?” Eldrin asked. Shadowflight, who had fluttered away during the fight, was now back and leaning closer to the flames for warmth.
“As long as this Affinity is active, I suppose,” Justin said. “Seems I can turn them on and off as needed. But once I switch Affinities, I’ll be locked out for another twenty-four hours.”
“We’ll never need a torch or campfire again!” Lila said.
“Well, at least until I switch Affinities,” Justin said. “But yes, definitely useful.”
By now, the frosthorn had caught up, and was looking at Justin uneasily.
“I can walk up front with Ryak, so I don’t scare our frosthorn friend back here,” Justin said, willing the flames off again. “It’s getting dark, anyway. This will be useful for lighting the way.”
“It might attract attention,” Eldrin said. “But it’s good defense in case any more of those specters show up.”
“Maybe he should turn it on again,” Lila said with a shiver. “I’m freezing my ass off here.”
Justin obliged, and she stood close, basking in his warmth. He smiled. “You’re lucky I’m not charging for this.”
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She looked as if she wanted to punch him, but looking at the flames, thought better of it. They weren’t harmful, but she still looked unsure.
“Eldrin is probably right about turning off that flame,” Ryak said. “Your Baron friend might be following us. A light like that can radiate for a mile or more across these flatlands.”
“And what do we do if another one of those things attacks?”
“If they do, Justin can turn them back on,” Ryak said. “And failing that, my magic can unfreeze him.”
Justin recognized the wisdom of this. With a sigh, he allowed the flames to dissipate as the bitter cold of the tundra returned.
His head swirled with possibilities. Had the potion given him just this, that was already insanely useful. But he had eight different versions of it. Once again, he suspected his Prismatic Core was giving him access to loot he wouldn’t otherwise be receiving. He couldn’t wait to check out the other Affinities.
Ryak led them across the flat tundra, not stopping until they reached the shelter of a cliff. Following his instructions, they quickly set up a shelter akin to a large teepee, leaving a hole at the top for smoke to escape.
Here, they would rest until it was time to continue.
Gathered around the fire an hour later, eating a stew of reindeer with chopped herbs, carrots, and beets, the conversation inevitably turned to their destination.
“Ryak, we’re grateful for your help,” Eldrin began, his tone careful. “But you haven’t told us much about what comes after we reach your tribe. You mentioned in Kaldrath that you might need us for something else and would tell us on the road.”
Ryak was silent, sitting cross-legged and sipping his stew. His face, as pale as snow, remained utterly expressionless. Even with Justin’s Insightful Gaze boon, it was hard to get a read on him.
Finally, Ryak spoke, his blue eyes reflecting the flickering flames. “There is a curse that has plagued my tribe for years. Many of the Qilungit have fled, but my people—the Yarith Iceborne—have remained. Not far to the north, beyond Land’s End and rising from the Ghostly Sea itself on Nithral Island, lies a Vault. It spawns monsters like that specter we encountered, along with other dangers. Several of my people have ventured inside it…and none have come out again. The Elders of my tribe speak of abandoning our ancestral lands, where the fishing and hunting were once plentiful. But doing so would mean losing everything and would place us in conflict with other tribes.”
Justin felt a chill, though not from the cold.
Ryak continued, his voice even. “My people have a proud history, traditions stretching back hundreds and even thousands of years. But sometimes, I wonder if this Vault is beyond the abilities of the Iceborne.”
“Iceborne,” Justin said. “Is that another name for the Qilungit?”
Ryak nodded. “It is the one we prefer Southlanders use who are not familiar with our tongue.”
Justin nodded. He was just grateful there was an easier word to say.
Ryak continued. “My tribe, the Yarith, were once many. Over the generations, we have survived many tragedies. However, this Vault could very well be the end of us. We are brave and capable, but perhaps there are things we do not see about this Vault, things outsiders like yourselves might notice.”
“You’re asking us to clear it?” Eldrin asked.
Ryak didn’t answer directly. “I, of course, would join you. But I understand if you are not interested. The risk is significant, and I do not wish to lead you to your deaths. Normally, we do not allow outsiders to live among us. It’s led to trouble in the past. But times have grown desperate indeed, and I’d like to have a crack at the Vault before the weather grows too foul.”
Justin listened to the howling of the wind outside. If this wasn’t considered “too foul,” he didn’t want to see what truly bad weather was like.
Ryak paused, his eyes meeting each of theirs in turn. “However, if we choose to enter the Vault and clear it, you may keep any treasure you find inside. In return, I will guide you south of the Seraphims, and even farther. If you wish, I will formally join your party and aid you in whatever way you wish, though, of course, this is not required. I understand this Baron Valdrik is desperate to find you. I sensed his ill-intent, as well as his determination. Of course, I don’t know all the details, but the Baron cannot follow you through the hidden paths I know. With my guidance, I promise you will escape his reach.”
Justin exchanged a glance with the others. The promise of safety and treasure was tempting, but the knowledge that no one had returned from the Vault weighed heavily on his mind.
Eldrin cleared his throat, his expression thoughtful. “That’s a generous offer, Ryak. But I’m not sure how generous it is, given the danger. Can you at least tell us more about the Vault? Its level, or anything else you know?”
Ryak’s voice was steady. “The Vault is dangerous, no doubt. As for its level, even that I cannot say. The Elders think it’s somewhere between fifteen and twenty.”
“Has anyone read the Vault’s description?” Justin asked.
“We have sent scouts several times for this purpose,” Ryak said. “Never do they make it back alive. One of them…was my son. He went without my blessing or the tribe’s, wanting to make a name for himself.”
At the mention of the child, the Iceborne reached down to touch the hand-woven bracelet on his wrist. Ryak betrayed no emotion on his face, but Justin could still feel his sorrow.
“As you can see, this is personal to me. We learned the hard way that anyone sent to the island, even for reconnaissance, is annihilated by the Vault’s magic. No one has gotten close enough to read its description and escape. If we go after it, then at some point, the decision will become final.”
“Sounds like suicide,” Kargan muttered. “We’d be better off trying to cross the tundra on our own. How would we get there, anyway? The sea isn’t totally frozen yet.”
“There are ways. The journey would be dangerous, but not impossible with my guidance.”
Justin assumed they would have to cross using some sort of boat. He was leery of the notion to begin with, but this made it seem even more treacherous. “I’m with Kargan on this. It seems far safer and easier to just go across the tundra.
Plus, the lack of fuel for a fire in these northern wastelands wasn’t an issue. Justin could simply use Vorthak’s Flame to keep them warm at night, at the cost of perhaps being visible to the Baron’s forces. Kargan’s ward could help keep the flame hidden when they rested, but it wouldn’t help them during the day if they ever needed to warm up.
“Perhaps braving the tundra is safer,” Ryak replied to Justin. “But can you be certain the Baron won’t track you east? The path to Draegor’s Keep from Kaldrath is obvious, something of a funnel that’s easy enough to follow. The paths I know are hidden, ancient routes my people have used for generations. He will not suspect you are taking them. With the ways I know, I can get you there much faster.”
“Even if we take a detour to the Vault?”
“Even so.”
“What can you tell us about these paths?” Justin asked.
“I must keep some things close to the chest,” Ryak said. “The clearing of this Vault is my only wish. I am the most powerful mage in my tribe, and with your help, I believe this is our best chance of survival. It is my life’s mission to see it destroyed—for the good of our people.”
Justin’s stomach tightened. Clearing Vaults had become their specialty, but this one sounded far more dangerous than anything they had faced before. If they failed, there would be no coming back. Yet, if they succeeded, they could gain invaluable treasure, experience, and a safe route away from Valdrik’s clutches.
Kargan was right. It was suicide. And with Bohemond gone, and Justin a new and inexperienced tank for the party, it was an opportunity Justin was definitely going to pass on.
“We’ll need time to discuss it among ourselves,” Eldrin said. “This isn’t a decision we can make lightly.”
Ryak nodded. “Take all the time you need. The Vault isn’t going anywhere. My tribe will offer you food and shelter for as long as you want to stay; I owe you that much for sparing my life and forgiving my earlier oversight. But know this: the longer the Vault festers, the stronger the monsters it spawns will become. If we can clear it, you stand to gain much.”
“Or lose everything,” Lila said, speaking for the first time.
“Perhaps,” Ryak acknowledged.
Justin looked at his companions. Lila’s face was pale, her expression full of misgivings. Kargan seemed equally unsettled, while Eldrin remained deep in thought. As for Justin, his mind was a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts. The prospect of facing another Vault was daunting, but so was the risk of going it alone across the tundra, with Baron Valdrik potentially hot on their heels.
Justin knew the man wasn’t to be underestimated. On paper, a Level 30-ish Lexicant and all his classed followers were probably more dangerous than a Level 20-ish Vault. Maybe for that reason alone, taking Ryak up on his offer was the right move.
The fire crackled softly, and the wind howled outside, rattling the canvas of their shelter. Justin closed his eyes, letting the warmth of the fire seep into his bones. Eldrin had the right of it—there was still time to decide.
But that didn’t make the choice any easier.