The Frostmaw towered nearly twenty feet tall, its monstrous frame a nightmare draped in thick, shaggy white fur that absorbed the faint light around it. Every movement sent ripples through its coat, hinting at the raw power concealed beneath. Its jagged maw opened in a soundless snarl, black serrated fangs gleaming as freezing saliva dripped to the ground, flash-freezing dirt and roots on contact.

Its eyes, glowing shards of pale ice, burned with an eerie hunger and intelligence, scanning the chaos with unsettling precision. They pierced the swirling frost and darkness, locking onto anything that moved. Long, curved claws, black as obsidian and razor-sharp, flexed with a sound like grinding stone. Its whip-like tail lashed behind it, shattering a fallen tree into splinters with terrifying ease.

Nyx felt the icy chill of dread settling into her chest. She needed a plan—and quickly.

The Frostmaw was wreaking havoc, swiping at guards, hunters, and villagers alike. Each strike sent people sprawling, some crying out in pain while others scrambled to carry the injured away. The chaos was unbearable. Nyx clenched her fists, her amethyst eyes narrowing as she whispered to Uriel.

“Uriel, what do I do? I can’t fight it here. They’ll see everything.”

Uriel’s voice echoed in her mind, calm but firm. “We must lure it away. Into the forest, where its destruction will not endanger the village. Len and Ryu can pull it from its shadow, but you’ll need to act as bait.”

Nyx exhaled sharply, determination hardening her expression. “Then let’s do it.”

She sprinted toward the guards, her silver cape trailing behind her. They were struggling to regroup, their weapons barely scratching the beast’s hide.

“I have a plan!” she shouted over the din.

One guard, his face streaked with dirt and sweat, turned to her with wide eyes. “You shouldn’t be here, kid! Get somewhere safe!”

Nyx glared at him, her voice sharp. “You don’t have a plan, and it’s killing everyone! Either you trust me, or we all die!”

The guard hesitated, glancing at the Frostmaw as it slammed a hunter into the ground. His jaw tightened before he nodded reluctantly. “Fine. What’s the plan?”

“I’ll lure it away,” Nyx said. “Toward the forest. While I’m leading it out, you figure out how to destroy it.”

“That’s suicide!” another guard snapped.

“It’s better than standing here and doing nothing!” Nyx shot back, her voice urgent.

Uriel’s voice cut through her thoughts. “Sound more resolute. They need to see your conviction.”

“Please!” Nyx shouted. “This is my home too! I can do this. Trust me.”

The guards exchanged a look before nodding. “Alright. But if anything happens, we’re coming after you.”

Nyx didn’t waste time. She telepathically commanded Len and Ryu. “Move into its shadow. Pull it toward where it came from while I lead it out.”

The two shadows rippled from her feet, darting across the ground like living tendrils. They disappeared into the Frostmaw’s massive shadow, their forms coiling tightly around it.

The beast roared in frustration as its body shifted involuntarily, dragged by Len and Ryu toward the village’s broken wall. It resisted fiercely, its claws tearing into the ground as it tried to anchor itself.

Nyx cupped her hands around her mouth and called out. “Hey! Over here!”

The Frostmaw’s glowing eyes snapped toward her, its snarl deepening.

“That’s right,” Nyx muttered, stepping back and waving her arms to keep its attention. “Follow me.”

The villagers gasped as they watched her stand her ground. Some screamed for her to run, while others simply stared in disbelief.

Till, caught in the crowd, tried to push forward. “Nyx! Stop! What are you doing?”

Nyx’s heart tightened at the sound of his voice, but she couldn’t stop now. “Figure out how to destroy it!” she shouted to the guards and hunters. “I’ll keep it away from the village!”

The Frostmaw lunged toward her, shaking off Len and Ryu’s pull as it charged. Nyx turned and ran, her dress billowing behind her. The intricate silver embroidery caught the flickering lantern light, making her look almost otherworldly as she dashed through the chaos.

Her dress hindered her movements, the long hem tangling around her legs as she sprinted. She stumbled once but quickly caught herself, gritting her teeth as she pushed forward.

“Uriel,” she panted. “Tell Len and Ryu to keep pulling. We have to get it out of here.”

“They are doing their best,” Uriel replied. “But the beast is resisting.”

Nyx glanced over her shoulder, her breath hitching as she saw the Frostmaw’s massive form gaining on her. The ground trembled with each step it took, its claws gouging deep into the dirt.

The broken wall loomed ahead. Len and Ryu intensified their efforts, their shadowy forms dragging the Frostmaw closer to the breach.

As Nyx reached the wall, she turned sharply, leading the beast toward the forest. “Come on,” she muttered under her breath. “Almost there.”

The Frostmaw followed, its glowing eyes locked onto her like a predator hunting its prey. Its massive frame crashed through the remains of the wall, sending rubble flying in every direction.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

The villagers watched in stunned silence as Nyx disappeared into the forest, the Frostmaw’s towering form close behind.

“She’s crazy,” one hunter muttered.

“Maybe,” another replied, gripping his sword. “But she’s giving us a chance. Let’s figure out how to use it.”

Back in the forest, Nyx’s breath came in ragged gasps as she darted between trees. Her silver cape snagged on a branch, and she yanked it free, never breaking stride.

The Frostmaw’s roars echoed through the woods, each one louder and angrier than the last.

“Len! Ryu!” Nyx called out in her mind. “Keep pulling it! We can’t let it turn back!”

The shadows responded with a surge of energy, tightening their grip on the beast and forcing it further into the forest. The Frostmaw snarled, its glowing veins pulsing with fury as it thrashed against the shadows.

Nyx skidded to a stop in a small clearing, her chest heaving as she turned to face the beast. She raised her hands, her fingers tightening around the hilts of her daggers as they shimmered into existence.

“Let’s finish this,” she muttered, her amethyst eyes glowing faintly.

The forest was eerily quiet, save for the heavy breathing of Nyx and the rumbling growl of the Frostmaw. Shadows twisted unnaturally around the trees as Nyx steadied herself, her hands gripping the hilts of her daggers.

“Uriel,” she whispered, her voice tight. “What’s the plan?”

“We need to finish this quickly,” Uriel replied, its tone calm but urgent. “Call all your remaining soldiers. Surround it. Overwhelm it.”

Nyx gave a sharp nod, her fingers curling tighter around her weapons. “Got it.”

She closed her eyes briefly, her breath steadying as she summoned her shadow companions. The ground beneath her rippled with black and silver energy, shadows coiling and twisting before bursting forth into figures. Len and Ryu reemerged at her side, leaving the Frostmaw’s shadow to join their master. Zarvok appeared a moment later, his skeletal frame gleaming faintly in the moonlight as he began summoning a swarm of undead to aid the fight.

The Frostmaw snarled, its glowing icy eyes narrowing as the shadows encircled it. It looked unnatural, even to Nyx, and the oppressive aura it radiated sent a shiver down her spine.

“Be careful,” Uriel warned. “This creature is not natural. There’s something wrong with it.”

Nyx nodded, her gaze never leaving the beast. “I can feel it.”

She gritted her teeth. Time was running out; she could sense it. The guards, the hunters—someone would come looking soon. She couldn’t risk them seeing this fight.

Without hesitation, Nyx shouted, “Attack!”

The shadows surged forward. Len and Ryu led the charge, their claws slashing at the Frostmaw’s massive frame. Zarvok’s zombies followed, swarming the beast like a wave. The Frostmaw retaliated with savage precision, its massive claws crushing the minor shadows like insects.

Nyx darted forward, her daggers flashing as she teleported around the beast. Each strike was calculated, aimed at its joints and vital points. She avoided using Solar Storm Rend, unwilling to risk the massive energy signature it would emit. Instead, she relied on her daggers and the Claw of Eternal, each hit draining a fraction of the beast’s strength.

The Frostmaw roared, swiping at her with its massive claws, but Nyx was too fast. She teleported out of reach, slashing at its flank before vanishing again.

“Keep it distracted,” she commanded, her voice sharp.

Zarvok raised another wave of undead, his voice a hollow echo as he chanted. The Frostmaw snarled, smashing the zombies aside with its massive tail. Each blow sent shards of frost and shattered bone scattering across the battlefield.

Nyx’s breaths came in quick bursts, her body aching from the relentless fight. But every wound she sustained healed almost instantly, her abilities knitting her back together with each successful strike.

The Frostmaw, however, wasn’t as fortunate. Its fur was matted with shadowy blood, its movements slower and more labored. But it refused to go down easily, its icy eyes burning with unrelenting fury.

Nyx could feel the urgency pressing down on her. This has to end now.

“Uriel,” she called silently. “Help me focus all my power.”

Uriel’s calm voice echoed in her mind. “Channel everything you have. Coordinate with your companions for a single, decisive strike.”

“Got it,” Nyx replied, raising her daggers. “Len, Ryu, Zarvok—now!”

Her shadow companions surged forward, their combined power striking the Frostmaw from all sides. At the same moment, Nyx concentrated her energy into a single, devastating blow. She teleported directly above the beast, her daggers glinting with shadowy silver energy as she plunged them into its back.

The explosion of power was deafening. The Frostmaw let out a final, guttural roar as half its body was obliterated, torn apart by the combined assault.

For a moment, the forest was silent. Then, from the remains of the beast, a black smoke began to rise, swirling upward in unnatural tendrils.

Nyx staggered back, her chest heaving as she watched the strange phenomenon. “What… what is that?”

“I don’t know,” Uriel admitted, its tone uncharacteristically uncertain. “But it’s not natural. I will investigate further.”

Nyx nodded, wiping the sweat from her brow. She approached the fallen Frostmaw cautiously, her daggers still drawn. Its massive form lay in ruins, but she could still feel the residual power radiating from it.

“Can I use necromancy on it?” she asked Uriel.

“Only one way to find out,” Uriel replied. “Try.”

Nyx took a deep breath, her voice steady as she spoke the familiar command. “Rise.”

Nothing happened.

She furrowed her brows, trying again. “Rise.”

This time, black and silver smoke swirled around the beast’s remains, coiling like living shadows. Nyx closed her eyes, focusing all her energy as she repeated the word.

“Rise.”

A surge of power burst from the Frostmaw’s body, and it began to reform. The shadows enveloped its massive frame, transforming it into a creature of black and silver.

The new Frostmaw stood taller than before, its silver fur shimmering like liquid metal. Crystalline spikes jutted from its shoulders, pulsing with cold energy. Its claws and fangs gleamed obsidian-black, dripping with freezing silver frost. Pale silver eyes burned with icy light, locking onto Nyx with a predator’s gaze.

She took a shaky step back, marveling at the transformation. The name of the beast flashed before her eyes.

The massive creature prowled toward her, its movements fluid and silent. Nyx’s breath caught as it lowered its massive head and began licking her face with a surprisingly gentle motion.

She chuckled weakly, leaning against a nearby tree to steady herself. “You’re full of surprises, huh?”

Uriel’s voice interrupted her moment. “Footsteps are approaching. Let the Frostmaw distract them. It should return to your shadow once it leads them away.”

Nyx nodded. “Go,” she commanded the Frostmaw silently.

The massive beast turned and loped into the forest, its silver and black form disappearing into the shadows. Moments later, the sound of approaching guards and hunters broke through the trees.

Nyx slumped against the tree, her dress torn and her hair disheveled. She panted, forcing herself to look as exhausted and vulnerable as possible.

When the guards and hunters arrived, they spotted the Frostmaw in the distance, crashing through the forest.

The Frostmaw darted between the trees, its silver form glinting in the moonlight. It let out a guttural roar, baiting the hunters into chasing it deeper into the woods.

“There it is!” one shouted. “After it!”

Another guard rushed to Nyx’s side. “Are you okay? Did it hurt you?”

Nyx shook her head weakly. “I… I tried to lure it away. I think it’s gone now.”

The younger guard glared at her, frustration clear in his tone. ‘‘What were you thinking, kid?’’

‘‘Thinking?’’ an older hunter interjected with a dry laugh. ‘‘She did more thinking than any of us. Look at her—she lured that monster away.’’

The guard looked at her with a mix of admiration and disbelief. “You’re brave, kid. Too brave for your own good.”

As the hunters and guards scattered to chase the Frostmaw, Nyx let out a quiet sigh of relief. “Thanks, Uriel,” she murmured.

“Anytime,” Uriel replied. “For now, rest. The danger has passed—for the moment.”