Aiko's breath misted in the frigid air as she stepped off the transport, her boots crunching on the snow-covered ground. The stark white landscape stretched as far as the eye could see, broken only by the looming silhouette of the aptly named Frostpeak Academy. The imposing structure seemed to grow out of the very ice itself, its towering spires and frost-covered walls a testament to the harsh beauty of the southern Svetlan tundra.

She adjusted the strap of her pack, the weight of her few possessions a comforting reminder of home. The biting wind whipped at her face, and she pulled her Durik-fur-lined hood closer, grateful for the warmth it provided. As she stamped towards the entrance, Aiko couldn't help but feel a spasm of loneliness. Huck and Kash were far away now, and she was truly on her own for the first time in her life without even the guidance of her harsh father.

The massive iron-bound doors of the academy creaked open as she approached, revealing a dimly lit entrance hall. Aiko stepped inside, shaking the clinging snow from her boots as she took in the vaulted ceilings framed by ebony wood that forced the eyes into a spinning dome near the center of the towered academy.

The doors bashed shut behind her with a finality that sent a shiver down her spine that lasted for several moments. "Welcome to Frostpeak Academy, Aspirant Aiko Ewabatta," a crisp voice cut through the silence. Aiko turned to see a tall, slender woman with pale skin and eyes like shards of ice. Her white hair was pulled back in a severe bun, and she wore a high-collared uniform of deep blue. "I am Headmistress Saxun. You are late. While I admire your entrance scores...This will be the last time any mistakes on your part will be tolerated, Am I understood?"

Aiko straightened her posture, meeting the woman's unfeeling gaze. "My apologies, Headmistress. The journey from Buriti Vasca was longer than expected, it is a long way to Old Heaven from the Palac--"

Saxun's lips thinned into a disapproving line. "Excuses are likewise not tolerated here, Candidate. You would do well to remember that." She turned on her heel, gesturing for Aiko to follow her down a narrow passageway. "Come. The orientation is already underway."

Headmaster Saxun turned her angled face for a moment, the wrinkle of her eye becoming more pronounced as she released a cutting smile. "Wolves cannot be befriended...Only tamed for a time until they are no longer useful." Her voice trailed off as she continued her long strides.

As they walked through the winding corridors, Aiko couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched. The walls were adorned with portraits of stern-faced individuals who hailed from all manner of nations, their lively eyes seeming to track her every move. The air grew chillier with each step, and Aiko wondered if the entire academy was carved from ice and reinforced only with wood as she studied the architecture of the grand construction.

They arrived at a large auditorium, where rows of students sat in rapt attention forward. Aiko slipped into an empty seat near the back, acutely aware of the curious glances thrown her way. At the front of the room, a man with a shock of white hair and a jagged scar across his face was speaking with a heavy northern accent.

"...and remember contenders, your time here at Frostpeak is not just about survival. It is about superiority. We are forging the future leaders of our world, and only the most decisive will triumph." He flared his hand in the sky, relishing the different stoic faces of the new students.

Aiko listened intently, piecing together what she had missed. It seemed that they were all "candidates" for something, though the exact nature of what they were competing for remained frustratingly vague. The constant tick of a nearby clock caused her to fidget her fingers slightly.

As the man, who introduced himself as Professor Frost, continued his speech, Aiko observed her fellow students. They were a diverse group, hailing from various corners of the world as many were colors and builds that Aiko had never witnessed.

She spotted the telltale signs of Doigan heritage in a girl with intricate hand tattoos that marked her as being closely related to one of the southern High clans, and the unmistakable build of a Svetlan native in a broad-shouldered boy near the front that spoke of much more humble upbringings among the hard ice farms.

When the orientation concluded, the students were directed to their dormitories. Aiko found herself assigned to a sparse room with three other girls. As she entered its constricting space of only a few bunks, she was greeted by a cheerful voice that made her hair stand on end.

"Hey there! You must be our fourth roommate. I'm Lina." A girl with bright green eyes and a mess of curly red hair bounded over, offering her tattoed hand that Aiko spotted before in the class.

Aiko shook it, surprised by the warmth of the gesture in this cold place. It took her time to finally respond with anything. "Aiko," she replied, managing a small smile. "Nice to meet you." She lied through her smiling teeth, not wanting to make enemies so soon, yet not wanting to become close.

The other two girls introduced themselves as Mei, a quiet girl with delicate doll-like features from the eastern lands of Tykar, and Zara, a tall, athletic-looking girl with dark skin and close-cropped copper hair who did not indicate where she was from.

As they quickly settled in, unpacking their meager worldly belongings, the girls exchanged information about their backgrounds and speculated about the true purpose of Frostpeak Academy.

"I heard it's a training ground for some sort of elite military force," Zara said, her voice low and conspiratorial. "My older brother came here a few years ago, but he never talks about what happened. Just says it changed him."

Mei nodded solemnly. "In my village, they speak of Frostpeak in whispers. They say only one in ten students makes it through the full program...Many warriors' children are taken from the civil efforts to come here with no return."

Aiko frowned, her mind racing toward a single question among the sea of others; What had her father gotten her into? She thought of General Ewabatta's stern face as he'd seen her off, his words echoing in her mind: "Aiko, This is your chance to prove your worth. I will not accept you back unless you have passed this test of Dhira."

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Lina's cheerful voice broke through her reverie. "Well, whatever it is, we'll face it together, right? No use worrying about it now. Let's go explore before dinner!" Her smile that had broken the ice earlier now made the shift in tension much easier, Aiko felt that she would be crucial if they were to operate as a unit moving forward.

The four girls ventured out into the winding hallways of Frostpeak, marveling at the intricate ice sculptures that lined the corridors and the strange, glowing crystals that provided light. As they walked, Aiko found herself warming to her new companions. Lina's infectious optimism, Mei's quiet wisdom, and Zara's determined strength reminded her of the friends she'd left behind In Buriti.

They came across a group of boys engaged in what looked like a heated debate. One of them, a lanky youth with a mop of unruly black hair, noticed their approach and grinned. Aiko grimaced at his smile.

"Ladies! Care to weigh in on a little wager?" he called out. "I'm Finn, not that it matters. These ugly rutt-mutts are Sven, Ravi, and Nikolai." He gestured to his companions, a burly Svetlan boy, a dark-skinned youth with an easy smile, and a serious-looking boy with piercing blue eyes.

Zara stepped forward, arms crossed. "What kind of wager?" Her tall figure dwarfed even the stature of Aiko, she wondered if Zara was already 6 feet tall at such a young age.

Finn's grin widened. "We're trying to guess what our first real challenge will be. Sven here thinks it'll be some kind of written test, but I say they'll throw us straight into the tundra...Like that movie Blade-Gun 4: No more ass rutting!"

Aiko considered for a moment before speaking. "Why not both? A test of mind and body would be the most effective way to evaluate us. While I have not seen the movie you are mentioning, I'm sure your confidence is well-placed."

Nikolai nodded approvingly. "The Buritian has a point. We should be prepared for anything." His cold and calculating eyes raked over Aiko and then the others in the group.

As they continued to discuss the possibilities, Aiko found herself relaxing slightly. Despite the ominous atmosphere of Frostpeak, there was comfort in the camaraderie forming among the other students. They were all in this strange situation together, after all.

Their exploration was cut short by the sound of a deep, resonating bell. "Dinner time," Ravi explained. "Better not be late --They're strict about punctuality here."

Aiko approached Nikoli as they both were tailing the excited group, both dawning less than happy masks that resembled their acquaintances. "How long have you been here? Why do you think I was invited so late?"

Her questions made him stop for a moment, scratching the side of his head before answering. "I would consider it a blessing, comfortability breeds complacency. The others and I have been here for weeks without anything more than boring lectures and introductions...I find your late arrival to be very interesting--Considering you come from such a wretched nation after all..."

His harsh comment did little to Aiko, she guessed the boy hailed from Atlantia the way he disregarded most forms of social status among the group.

The group made their way to the dining hall, a cavernous room with long tables carved from permafrost. As they entered, Aiko noticed Headmistress Saxun watching from a raised platform, her heartless eyes scanning the crowd of students as they enjoyed the meal.

The feast was a strange affair of unfamiliar dishes that seemed designed more for sustenance than taste. Aiko picked at her food, her appetite diminished by the growing sense of unease in her stomach after not receiving any real reason for her being so late to the academy.

As the students finished dining, Saxun rose from her seat, the hall falling silent at her sudden movement. "Prospects," she began, her voice carrying easily through the specially designed room. "You have come here seeking transcendence, striving to establish yourselves deserving of the heritage of Frostpeak Academy. Tomorrow, your proper conditioning commences..."

She paused, her gaze sweeping across the assembled students but Aiko felt that she lingered on her far longer than most students. "At dawn, you will face your first trial. A test of survival, of strength, and will. Those who succeed will resume their instruction here. Those who fail..." She left the sentence hanging, a cold smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

A ripple of murmurs swept through the hall, but Saxun silenced them with a raised hand. "Rest sufficiently, contenders. You will need all your resilience for what lies ahead."

As they filed out of the dining hall, Aiko exchanged worried glances with her new friends. The reality of their situation was sinking in that this was no ordinary school, and the perils were loftier than any of them had guessed--besides Nikolai and Aiko, they alone shared a more confident air about them.

Back in their room, the girls prepared for bed in tense silence. Aiko lay awake long into the night, her senses sprinting with possibilities. She thought of her father, of Huck and Kash, of the life she'd left behind. Whatever challenge awaited them in the morning, she was determined to face it head-on. She had come too far to fail now.

As sleep finally claimed her, Aiko's last conscious thought was a silent promise to herself: "I will survive this. I will make it through. I will see tomorrow."

The pre-dawn darkness still clung to the world when a harsh klaxon jolted the students awake. Aiko sprang from her bed, adrenaline coursing through her pulsing veins. Her roommates were similarly alert, their faces a mixture of determination and fear.

"This is it," Zara said grimly as they hurriedly dressed in the thermal gear provided. "Whatever happens out there, we should try and help each other."

The others nodded, a shakey. pact forged in the face of the unknown. As they left their room, they found the corridors bustling with activity, students rushing towards the main entrance. The atmosphere was charged with nervous energy, whispered speculations, and half-formed plans filling the air.

They emerged into the biting cold of the Svetlan morning, the sun just beginning to peek over the horizon. Headmistress Saxun stood before them, her posture rigid, her eyes gleaming with an almost preying anticipation.

"Hopefuls," she addressed the assembled students, her voice carrying easily over the whistling wind. "Your first trial begins now. You will be transported to various points across the tundra. Your task is simple: survive for three days and make your way back to the academy. Those who return will continue their training. Those who do not..." She paused, allowing the implications to sink in. "Well, the tundra is unforgiving to the weak..."

A murmur of shock rippled through the crowd. Aiko felt her heart pounding at the walls of her ribcage, but she steeled herself, drawing on the years of harsh training her father had put her through. She could do this. She had to.

"You will find basic survival kits at your drop points," Saxun continued. "How you use them, and whether you choose to work alone or in groups, is up to you. Remember, candidates--in the end, only the strong survive...And there is nothing wrong with pursuing what is best for yourself."

With a wave of her hand, Saxun signaled to a line of waiting transports. "Board your assigned vehicles. Your trial begins the moment you are dropped off. Fair chance, nominees. Make us proud."

As they were herded towards the transports, Aiko exchanged one last look with her roommates. No words were needed as their eyes conveyed all that needed to be said. Whatever happened out there in the frozen wasteland, they would face it together.

The transport rumbled to life, carrying Aiko and a group of other students into the vast white expanse of the Svetlan tundra. As the academy disappeared from view, Aiko took a deep breath, centering herself. She thought of her mother and sister, gone but never forgotten fueling the ever-churning conflagration that burned in her core.

"Totek Morro," she whispered to herself as the transport door opened, revealing a world of white tundra. "Dhira protect me..." With that, Aiko stepped out into the frozen unknown, ready to face the trial.