CHAPTER 56

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The Frozen Wastes stretched endlessly before me, the horizon swallowed by a sea of white. The fight with the ice creature had left a ripple in the Aetheric Flow, its aftershocks still trembling through the air. The wind, biting and relentless, whipped at my cloak, but the cold didn’t affect me. My Auto-Heal ensured that I remained unaffected by the harsh environment, and my mana reserves were just as full as they had been hours ago.

Yet, despite the peace that had settled over the landscape after the battle, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was being watched.

The encounter with that cloaked figure still echoed in my mind. They had warned me of forces beyond my understanding, forces watching my every move. But they hadn’t revealed anything concrete—only a vague warning that there was something bigger at play.

I hated that. I didn’t like operating on half-truths and riddles.

The Frozen Wastes held secrets, that much was obvious. But how deep did they run? And who, exactly, was watching me?

The snow crunched beneath my boots as I walked further north. I didn’t know exactly where I was going—only that the magic in this place was pulling me deeper. The Aetheric Flow was different here, more chaotic, but I could feel it guiding me, almost as if the land itself had a will.

I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was on the verge of discovering something important. But what?

I passed through valleys of ice, towering cliffs of frozen water rising up on either side of me, casting long shadows over the landscape. The further I traveled, the more the air seemed to change. The cold deepened, almost unnaturally so, and the wind howled with a voice of its own.

It wasn’t just the temperature, though—it was the Aetheric Flow. It was… agitated, almost restless. The magic here had a strange, sharp quality to it, like it was brimming with potential, but also on the verge of collapse.

I stopped for a moment, closing my eyes and letting the magic wash over me. My Analyze skill flickered to life, feeding me information about the magic surrounding me. The Aetheric Flow wasn’t just disturbed—it was fractured. There was something wrong here.

“What is this place?” I muttered under my breath.

There was no answer, of course. Only the wind.

Hours passed as I pressed deeper into the Wastes. The landscape around me grew more twisted, the ice formations sharper, more jagged. It felt almost like the land itself was fighting back against me, trying to push me out. But I wasn’t leaving. Not yet.

Suddenly, a flicker of movement caught my eye.

I stopped in my tracks, narrowing my gaze as I focused on the figure in the distance. At first, I thought it was just a trick of the light—a shadow cast by the jagged cliffs around me. But then it moved again, darting between the ice formations with a speed that was too fast to be natural.

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I didn’t hesitate. I activated Auto-Dodge, my instincts sharpening as I prepared for whatever was coming. My sword was already in my hand, its edge gleaming in the faint light of the overcast sky.

The figure appeared again, closer this time, but still too fast to fully see. It moved like a wraith, silent and deadly, slipping in and out of view as it circled me.

I steadied myself, focusing on the Aetheric Flow around me. The creature, whatever it was, was tied to this place. Its magic was woven into the very fabric of the Wastes, just like the last beast I had fought. I couldn’t afford to underestimate it.

I raised my hand, summoning a wall of fire to surround me. The flames roared to life, bright and fierce against the stark white of the snow. But the creature didn’t slow. It darted through the fire, its form slipping between the flames as if they weren’t even there.

Not again.

I channeled more mana into the flames, intensifying the heat until the air shimmered with the sheer force of the fire. The flames twisted and danced around me, but the creature was still too fast. It moved through the fire like a shadow, always just out of reach.

I needed to find a way to stop it. To pin it down.

I closed my eyes for a brief moment, focusing on the Aetheric Flow again. The magic here was still strange, still resisting me, but I was beginning to understand its patterns. It wasn’t just wild—it was tied to something deeper, something ancient. If I could disrupt that connection, I could weaken the creature.

I reached out with my mind, feeling the threads of magic that bound the creature to the Wastes. They were faint, almost invisible, but they were there. I grabbed hold of one, pulling it toward me, feeling the resistance as the creature fought back.

The creature lunged at me, faster than I had expected. I barely had time to react as it closed the distance between us, its claws aimed directly at my chest.

But Auto-Dodge kicked in, pulling me out of harm’s way just in time. The creature’s claws missed by inches, its momentum carrying it past me.

I didn’t waste a second. As the creature sped by, I unleashed a torrent of fire, aiming directly at its back. The flames slammed into the creature, and this time, they hit their mark. The beast let out a sharp, guttural hiss as the fire engulfed it, its shadowy form flickering and writhing under the assault.

But it wasn’t over yet.

The creature spun around, its glowing eyes locked on me, filled with fury. It lunged again, but this time I was ready. I raised my hand, summoning a wall of ice from the ground, jagged spikes shooting up to meet the creature’s charge.

The creature hit the ice with full force, its body slamming into the spikes. It snarled, thrashing against the barrier, but I wasn’t done yet.

I reached out with my mind again, grabbing hold of the threads of magic that tied the creature to the Wastes. This time, I didn’t just pull—I severed them.

The creature let out a final, piercing shriek as the connection was broken. Its body began to dissolve, melting away into the shadows, leaving nothing behind but a faint ripple in the Aetheric Flow.

I stood still for a moment, catching my breath. The fight had been quick, but intense. The Aetheric Flow around me slowly stabilized, the magic returning to its natural state.

I glanced around, scanning the area for any other threats, but the Wastes had grown quiet once again.

Still, the presence I had felt earlier—the one watching me—remained. It was faint now, almost imperceptible, but it was there. I could feel it in the air, like a distant echo.

Whoever—or whatever—was watching me hadn’t made their move yet. But I knew they would. Eventually.

I turned and continued my journey, the snow crunching beneath my feet as I moved deeper into the Wastes. The fight had only reinforced what I already knew—there was something out here, something tied to the ancient magic of this place. And I wasn’t leaving until I found out what it was.

As I walked, my mind drifted back to the cloaked figure I had encountered earlier. Their warning had been vague, cryptic. But it was clear now that they had been right. The Frozen Wastes were more dangerous than I had anticipated.

But that didn’t matter. I was ready for whatever came next.