Over the next week, they continued their long march north. Now that Ryak was in the party, Justin set his mind on inspecting his character. He got little, other than seeing that his class was Elementalist, his level was 17, and his Focus was Cryomancer. As a Level 17, he was the most powerful member to join their party so far, and went a long toward explaining how he’d nearly knocked them all out that day on the road.
Three times, they encountered more ice specters, but fortunately, these always wandered alone. Thanks to Vorthak’s Flame, Justin was immune to their freezing spell, while Poison Barb and Dandy’s Swagger was enough to keep their attention. He earned 200 experience from these encounters, bringing his total to 444/2070. There was still a long way to go before reaching Level 11.
Eldrin explained to Justin that Levels 10 through 20 were often called “the grind.” Each new level required about 30% more experience than the last, meaning that while Level 10 to Level 11 required around 2,000 experience, going from Level 19 to Level 20 would take over 20,000.
To keep progressing, Justin realized he would need to take bigger risks. Being the party leader also seemed to grant him more experience. He had gained 75 experience for leading the party in two of the specter encounters. In the third encounter, however, Eldrin had led because Justin didn’t have Vorthak’s Flame available, and Justin had only received 50 experience.
One day out from their destination, they had to pass through a jagged line of icy hills. It was in their midst that a yeti ambushed them.
At least, Justin assumed it was a yeti, based on its height, hulking strength, long arms, and thick white fur.
The monster had been crouching between two snow-covered boulders, completely invisible, even to Eldrin and Ryak. Justin wasn’t sure if monsters got skills or boons like people, but he wouldn’t have been surprised if this one had some System-given ability to enhance its stealth.
When the yeti charged, arms swinging wildly, Justin’s reflexes kicked in just in time. Though his reaction was quick, it would do nothing to stop the massive monster from running him over.
[Affinity chosen: Terridan’s Resolve. You become as unyielding as the earth itself. You cannot be knocked down or staggered by a hostile attack.]
As the yeti’s massive form collided with his cane, a flash of green light surrounded Justin, reflecting the force of the attack back at the creature, even as he remained rooted. The yeti roared as it was knocked back, spiraling into the ice.
Justin tried to step forward, but he was completely locked in place. He supposed to “become as unyielding as the earth” meant literally that. Unyielding.
He turned it off with a mental click, finding that he could move again, before reengaging the Affinity. Once again, his feet became immobile. Though he was limited while Terridan’s Resolve was active, he could at least move around by disengaging the stance. It wouldn’t prevent getting hurt or killed, so he had to be careful there.
Even so, the Affinity would be extremely useful.
Such had been the force of the monster’s original attack, it was still sprawled in the snow. The others were already closing in, Eldrin firing arrows while Lila hurled her knives. Kargan even cast Knives of Fury from atop a ledge, the cloud of ethereal knives missing Justin as it sailed toward its target. Given that the yeti was immobilized and far enough from the group, the Chaos spell was safe enough to use. Ryak summoned an icy wind, though Justin suspected it wasn’t particularly effective against the cold-adapted beast, but it still slowed the yeti down.
Justin held his ground as Kargan cast Knives of Fury again, doubling the spell’s intensity. The ethereal knives slashed at the helpless monster, turning it into a mass of flying fur, flesh, and blood, staining the snow.
It was pure carnage. Within moments, the beast lay still.
[100 Experience Gained! Your experience stands at 544/2070.]
Once again, the System had rewarded Justin for the fight. This faster progression was promising, but he suspected that if he relied solely on combat to level up, his progress might slow. His Focus had emphasized a balance between combat and social situations, so he needed to embrace both paths.
Justin disengaged his stance, deciding to keep the Affinity active in case they ran into more of these creatures.
“Is that the Earth Affinity?” Lila asked, walking up to him, her face curious.
Justin nodded. “Yeah. Powerful stuff, but I can’t move when I enter the stance”
“How that thing was knocked back…it must have weighed a ton or more!”
“Useful,” Eldrin agreed. “But it must be used judiciously, especially if it locks you in place. Always have an escape plan.”
It was wise advice. “Good idea.”
Ryak turned to Kargan, the Iceborne’s expression calm but carrying a hint of respect. “That’s not a spell I’ve seen often. Few can cast Chaos Magic in this part of the world—it’s highly distrusted.”
Kargan nodded. “Magic is magic. A tool, whatever the source.”
“That’s one way to see it,” Ryak replied. “As a mage, I’m more open-minded. But you should know, the Iceborne often align with Seraphis, the God of Harmony, and his magic. If not that, then Ulthara, Goddess of Water. Your presence could be seen as sacrilegious.”
“I’m used to it,” Kargan said, his tone hard. “Even my own people cast me out.”
Ryak studied him closely. “I’m just advising caution. Chaos Magic is powerful, but it’s also unpredictable. And it always comes at a price.”
Kargan sniffed. “You expect me to change my class, Cryomancer? This is what I am now.”
“Fair enough.”
After Eldrin and Ryak worked at the monster’s hide, which they could sell in the village later, along with as much of its meat and fat that could carry on the frosthorn, they continued their journey. Justin thought about what Ryak had said, about the ice specters having been practitioners of Death or Chaos Magic. Both Spiritual Elements drew their power from the Nether Realm. If the creation myth Lila had talked about was true, Nyriss and Morvath both made their home there. So, if Kargan died, would he become a ghost? Was that the price Ryak had been talking about?
As they continued to walk, Eldrin called the party to the rear of the procession, except for Ryak.
“We need to figure out what happens after we reach Ryak’s village,” he said. “We should get there in a few hours.”
“I still don’t like the idea of the Vault one bit,” Lila said. “I know the option of traveling the tundra is dangerous. There’s no fuel for a fire, and that’s a death sentence this far north. But for all that, it can’t be worse than a Vault that could be as high as Level 20.”
“We have Justin’s new boon now,” Kargan said. “With that we can stay warm.”
“I was about to say that,” Lila said. “As long as he doesn’t switch Affinities.”
Justin shook his head. “But if we get into a fight or something that requires me to switch, we’d be out of luck for the next twenty-four hours,” Justin said. “That’s a major risk.”
“Then you wouldn’t switch,” Lila said. “At least until we reach Draegor’s Keep.”
“We didn’t get the chance to resupply in Kaldrath,” Eldrin said. “That would be our undoing more than anything else. Either we buy supplies off Ryak’s tribe at inflated prices, or we try to hunt on the way. The first option is expensive, the second slows us down too much.”
“Justin has thirty-eight crowns now,” Lila said. “Whatever the price, it’s well worth saving our hides.”
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“You can’t surely be thinking the Vault is a good idea, Eldrin,” Kargan said.
“It depends,” Eldrin said cautiously. “The idea of a hidden way to Draegor’s Pass is appealing. I believe we are underestimating the danger of the Baron and overestimating the danger of this Vault.”
The thought had also occurred to Justin. “Damn it. We’re doing this, aren’t we?”
“Nothing is decided yet,” Eldrin said. “But I would invite you all to imagine a future where we lose the Baron completely. A path completely unimpeded to Mont Elea.”
“That’s what you said about Drakendir,” Kargan protested. “And look where we are now.”
“We didn’t count on the Ranger and his bat tracking us,” Eldrin said. “The bat is gone, so unless they have a spare, or have contracted another Ranger, we should be able to more easily lose them. Besides, hardly any creature can stand this harsh cold for long. It’s why I’m keeping Shadowflight close by.”
The bird chirped on his shoulder, as if in confirmation of that.
“That’s exactly my point,” Kargan said. “There’s always something we’re not accounting for. And it bothers me that Ryak won’t explain anything about this so-called path. What could it be?”
“I have an idea,” Eldrin said, his voice thoughtful. “Nithral Island is only accessible by sea. The extreme northeast of Serenthel is where we find ourselves. This peninsula is often called Land’s End, and it’s a patchwork of jagged mountains, glaciers, and craggy fjords—completely impassable, at least at first glance. From Kaldrath, there’s only one strip of land where caravans can travel safely reach Draegor’s Keep, and even that’s treacherous. But it stands to reason there are other ways that someone like Ryak might know, perhaps using hidden portage trails and waterways.”
“Portage trails?” Justin asked. “Are we supposed to carry kayaks or canoes across all that terrain?”
“At this time of year, probably not,” Eldrin said. “Whatever the case, I trust Ryak to know the way. I know the idea of risking ourselves in a Vault is hard to swallow, but carving our own path through Qilungit lands could be just as dangerous. Ryak is a powerful Cryomancer, and perhaps more importantly, he knows these lands. We’ve already seen some of his abilities, while our class interface tells us he’s Level 17. That makes him a valuable potential ally, and that’s not to be discounted.”
Justin realized something then. That Eldrin was arguing for Ryak’s pathfinding skills spoke volumes about how little Eldrin knew about this unfamiliar territory. He’d already mentioned he hadn’t explored north of the Seraphims. Eldrin’s Ranger class gave him benefits to pathfinding, but the class itself didn’t give him an exact layout of unfamiliar territory. He was just as blind as the rest of them.
“I didn’t detect any deceit in Ryak’s offer,” Justin said. “My Insightful Gaze boon isn’t perfect, especially since he barely shows emotion. But I’m pretty sure he’s sincere.”
“It won’t matter if the Vault kills us,” Lila said. “At least the Baron is a known threat. This is something entirely different.”
“In a way, the Baron is just as unknown,” Kargan argued. “If we hadn’t met him at that party, we’d be dead by now. Out here, we’re easy prey.”
“Whose side are you on, Kargan?” Lila asked, her eyes narrowing.
“I don’t even know anymore,” Kargan admitted. “But what Ryak said about the Qilungit and Harmony Magic makes me nervous. What am I supposed to say if they ask about my class?”
“Tell them you’re a Spiritualist,” Lila suggested. “You’re under Level 10, so they won’t expect you to have chosen a Focus yet.”
“That might make things worse,” Kargan said, frowning. “Then they’ll try to convince me to learn Harmony Magic. Or worse, someone could have a boon that identifies my actual class or Core Attribute at a glance, like Eldrin’s Ranger’s Intuition.”
“We just won’t mention it,” Eldrin said. “With any luck, we won’t be among them for long.”
Their conversation was interrupted as Ryak halted, allowing the frosthorn and the rest of the group to catch up.
“We’re almost there,” he said, turning to Kargan. “Say nothing about your magic.”
“Were you listening to us?” Kargan asked, his voice tense. “I thought we were keeping quiet.”
“I overheard bits and pieces,” Ryak admitted, smiling slightly. “It seems you haven’t reached a decision.”
“Not yet,” Eldrin said. “But we’ll settle the matter by tomorrow.”
“Don’t worry,” Ryak said with a nod. “We’ll rest in the camp tonight, and you’ll receive a welcome worthy of the Iceborne.”
As long as that welcome included a warm meal and a fire, Justin didn’t care about much else. After his harrowing adventures north of the Seraphims, he had sworn never to willingly spend time in a place where the temperature dropped below freezing.
Within the hour, they had exited the hills and were descending toward the northern shore, which was encased in a thick sheet of ice. Justin realized they had reached the northernmost edge of the continent of Serenthel. Despite the complete darkness, the sky was ablaze with stars and vivid streaks of dancing auroras, illuminating the landscape in a surreal glow. Below them lay a small Qilungit village, comprising around twenty igloos of various sizes, their domes blending into the icy ground.
The village was set up in a crescent shape along the shoreline, the igloos clustered tightly together to conserve heat. Some had small chimneys, releasing faint wisps of smoke that suggested fires burning inside. At the center of the settlement was a large open area, where a massive bonfire danced, casting flickering light across the snow. There was no smell of wood from that fire, telling Justin it was of magical origin. Around the fire, several Qilungit were gathered, their pale, blue-tinged skin and fur-lined clothing blending into the wintry surroundings. As they approached, Justin could discern their low, rumbling voices. A few turned to watch the party’s approach with wary, calculating eyes.
As they approached the village, two figures stepped forward from the crowd. One was a tall, broad-shouldered Qilungik with pale, weathered skin, with similarly white hair braided intricately down his back. The other was a female, shorter, with silver hair woven into thick coils that framed her face. Her sharp features gave her an air of quiet authority. Justin guessed these two were elders of the tribe.
The male elder was the first to speak, his voice deep and resonant as he spoke in an unknown language that was strangely lyrical and guttural at the same time.
“They are friends,” Ryan answered in Aranthian. “These travelers spared my life when I mistook them for bandits on the Frostplain Path. Because they chose mercy, I owe them a debt. They seek shelter here for at least one night, perhaps longer. They also aided in protecting the supplies the village sorely needs to make it through the Great Cold.”
The elder studied Ryak for a moment, his eyes narrowing in thought. Then, his expression softened as he responded in passable Aranthian. “When one member of the tribe is saved, the entire tribe is saved.” He turned to Eldrin, who he took to be the leader of the party. “You have our thanks. Of course, you may stay here as long as you please. I am Jarak, High Elder of the Yarith. This is my wife, Elder Veya.” He gestured to the female Qilungik beside him, who gave a slight nod of acknowledgment. Justin got the sense that she was not as proficient in Aranthian.
Ryak introduced all of them, omitting their classes. While this was going on, several of the younger villagers, including a few smiling children bundled thickly in furs, rushed to tend to the frosthorn. They began unloading its burden—sacks and crates filled with supplies that looked mostly mundane but with a few magical items. One of the older tribesmen carefully removed a glowing red orb with a hammer from a crate, and Justin’s eyes widened at the sight. He somehow knew that was a Craftsman Core, and would be an item of great value. Another, a young Iceborne, pulled out a strange, rune-covered object with a thick lens, obviously some magical tool, wrapping it with reverence. Besides this, there were various foods that wouldn’t easily be found on the ice, such as jars of preserves, bags of wheat, and even herbs and spices.
Jarak’s bright blue eyes seemed to take in their travel-worn faces. “No doubt, you are all exhausted. You’ve been through much. We have a spare igloo where you can rest. It’s not much, but it will keep you warm.”
He nodded to a nearby villager, who immediately hurried off to prepare the igloo, gathering firewood and other supplies to make it comfortable. Justin looked around for Ryak, but he’d gone off somewhere, perhaps to his own igloo.
Within minutes, Elder Veya had smilingly ushered them into their igloo, where already a small fire was burning. It was surprisingly warm inside, and even more surprisingly, quite spacious. Justin found he could stand up straight in most spots, and there was plenty of room for all of their bedrolls and gear. There were also plenty of furs piled for additional warmth if they needed it.
As they warmed up, steaming bowls of food were delivered by some of the tribal women. The fare was simple but hearty: thick stew made from local roots and herbs, spiced with something Justin couldn’t quite place, with large chunks of meat quite similar to beef. Justin was almost certain it was frosthorn. The meat was tender and succulent. A bowl of fermented berries, sweet and tart, was passed around, adding a nice contrast to the savory meal. Despite their exhaustion, the warmth of the food and the fire seemed to revive them.
As they ate, the discussion turned back to the decision they had to make.
“We need to settle this,” Justin said between bites. “Assuming we can clear the Vault, it would pave the way to Draegor’s Keep without more trouble from the Baron.”
“I’m with you,” Eldrin added, drinking down his stew. “I underestimated just how dangerous he was once. That first night in Windfall, I should have pushed on through Thalgar’s Tunnel. I will never underestimate him again. The Baron is no doubt the bigger threat.”
Lila shook her head, her eyes fixed on the fire. “You’re talking about going into something we don’t understand.”
“What we don’t understand are the wilds of Land’s End,” Eldrin said. “They are more dangerous than anything I’ve ever traversed, and that’s the truth. We may survive it, but without a guide, it could very well lead to our doom.”
“We should’ve split off as soon as Justin woke up,” Kargan said.
“Split off where?” Eldrin asked. “We would have had nowhere to flee but the obvious path. The Baron is intelligent. Like us, he has made mistakes and is committed to not making them again. You can bet on that.”
The group fell into silence, divided. Despite another hour of debate going over the pros and cons, they were no closer to a decision.
“Let’s get some rest,” Eldrin finally said. “Perhaps the morning will bring clarity.”
They settled in for the night. As the fire crackled and the icy wind howled outside, Justin felt the weight of their situation. They had to figure this out by tomorrow morning. In theory, they could wait longer, but if the Baron had somehow picked up their trail, it made waiting even here, at the northern part of Land’s End, dangerous.
Eldrin was right. The Baron was the real threat, though it was easy to see why Lila and Kargan were so hesitant to put even more distance between them.
They were already at the northern edge of the world. To go even further north had to seem like the height of lunacy.
And for all Justin knew, it was.