Alice stood atop the battlements of Kaldabrad, her gaze sweeping over the endless snowy mountainous ranges and hills stretching far into the horizon. It was breathtaking—a vast expanse of white, cold and serene. The last time she had seen snow like this was when she had been but a child, and a smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she remembered how much she had adored it.
The wind danced around her, teasing at her hair and clothes, but she remained still, as immovable as the stone beneath her feet.
A voice came from behind her, "You've seen it, haven’t you?"
Alice turned, startled, only to find Adrien standing just a few feet away. His piercing eyes met hers, and her mind raced. She tried to form an answer, but her confusion clouded her thoughts. "What do you mean?"
"The vision. You saw it," Adrien said.
Alice felt her throat tighten. The visions—how could he know? She had told no one. "How... how do you know about that?"
Adrien moved closer, resting an arm against the stone turret as he looked out across the frozen landscape. "What you saw is a form of foresight. It's an incredibly rare ability, one you’re born with." he explained, his gaze peering into the distance. "I suspect your connection to me has somehow awakened it within you."
Her heart pounded as questions flooded her mind. "Why me? Why do I have these visions? What are they?"
Adrien glanced at her at the corner of his eye. "The visions are glimpses of what’s to come," he said. "And the future... It often brings death."
Alice swallowed hard. "Can it be stopped?"
"That depends."
"On what?"
Adrien turned fully to face her, his voice firm. "On how powerful you are. Power is the only force that can reshape the world."
Alice stepped closer, her eyes searching his. "I saw Klaus. I saw him... dead."
"I know," Adrien replied, his tone flat. "Because I killed him."
Alice froze. Her mind struggled to process what he had said. "What—what do you mean? You killed him? How could you know my vision?"
Adrien sighed, "I know this might be difficult for you to understand, but I have a similar ability to yours. I believe I may be the only one in this world with it and so I have no name for it."
Alice shook her head, still grappling at straws trying to make sense of his words. "What do you mean you killed him?"
"Simple. In a future where Klaus came outside with you, he would've been destined to die at my hand. I cannot tell you why that would be, but I can tell you it would have happened."
Alice had only one question. "So... did I change it? By telling him to stay behind, did I change that future?"
Adrien gave a false smile to irritate her. "Who knows?"
Frustrated, Alice grabbed his arm, shaking him slightly. "Come on! You must know! Please, tell me!"
Adrien chuckled, "Don’t worry, I know how much you care for him. I'll do everything in my power to not bring him harm."
Alice blushed, suddenly aware of how close they stood. His teasing words made her flustered, "I like that look on your face," he teased, his eyes glinting. "And those clothes suit you well. You should wear them more often."
"Stop teasing me," Alice muttered, her blush deepening. She couldn’t quite shake the weight of his words, but somehow, his teasing made her feel lighter. She tried to change the subject, though her mind still reeled. "Adrien, there’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you."
His eyes narrowed with curiosity. "What is it?"
She took a deep breath. "I want to get stronger. Will you... duel with me? Teach me how to fight like you?"
Adrien raised an eyebrow at her words, "You want to learn from me?"
"Yes!" Alice said firmly, "The way you fight—it’s mesmerizing. The way you move, the precision in your strikes, the magic you command. You fight with such grace and power. I want to learn that."
Adrien’s expression darkened, but there was a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. "And what about the lives I take? Do you want to follow that path as well?"
Alice hesitated but stood her ground. "No, I don’t... I know you’ve taken lives, but it’s when you fight that I see something more—grace, pride. That’s what I want to learn. How you control it all."
Adrien studied her for a moment before chuckling again. "Very well. I suppose I can teach you. Are you ready?"
Alice blinked, confused. "Now? You mean right now?"
Adrien smirked. "What better time?"
Before she could react, he swung his fist at her. Instinctively, Alice tried to dodge, mimicking the movements she had seen him perform countless times before. But she was too slow. His punch landed against her raised arms, sending her back several feet. Her boots dug into the stone floor as she struggled to regain her balance.
She winced, cradling her bruised arm. "Ow! That really hurt!"
Adrien approached her menacingly. "In a fight, you must always be prepared. Never lower your guard."
"But I didn’t lower my guard! I blocked it!"
Adrien shook his head. "When you fight a bear, do you block its claws with a shield? Or do you dodge?"
His words were straight to the point. Blocking his attacks would only slow her down. If she truly wanted to fight, she had to focus on avoiding his strikes altogether—her body wasn’t strong enough to withstand them. With a determined look, Alice stood tall once more. "Alright then, teach me."
Alice prepared herself. Anything Adrien had up his sleeve, she would do her best to dodge it.
Adrien made his move, raising his hand and launching a barrage of fireballs at Alice. Trapped near the edge of the battlements, she acted quickly, summoning shards of ice to clash with the flames, causing them to disperse out in the air.
Fighting on the narrow wall was difficult; the terrain gave Adrien an advantage. She needed to get to better ground. Casting a frost nova, she coated the wall beneath her in ice, creating a sloped surface she could slide down. Without hesitation, she used it to escape to the lower ground. Adrien watched her slide on the ice as she got to lower ground, a smirk forming on his lips. "Running away?" he called out.
"Finding better footing!" she shouted back.
He leapt down after her, landing hard enough to send a tremor through the ground, shaking the stones beneath their feet. "Alright then," he said, his eyes locked onto her.
Adrien raised his hand again, pulling chunks of rock from the broken walls and hurling them toward her. She dodged the incoming projectiles, but she was growing tired, her breath coming faster with each movement. Adrien’s relentless attack showed no signs of slowing, and she knew she couldn’t keep up forever.
As she dodged another rock, Alice caught sight of him preparing for his next move. Before she could react, a bolt of lightning shot across the field, striking her square in the chest. The pain surged through her, her body spasming as she collapsed onto her back with a scream.
Adrien made his way toward her, his footsteps heavy in the snow. "You're too focused on dodging," he said, standing over her. "You need to watch your opponent, not just the attacks."
Alice’s health was already low, her body aching and her magic reserves nearly depleted. She sat up, staring at him, trying to shake off the pain. "You're talented," Adrien continued. "But you've only gotten by on natural ability. You haven’t learned how to fight properly yet."
She didn’t respond. The gap between them felt massive, and no matter how much magic she had, his experience and skill overshadowed her. "Don’t get discouraged," Adrien said, his tone softening. "I know what we can do next."
Alice looked at him, confused. "What do you mean?"
"These mountains were once filled with goblins—weak, but they’ll make for a much better fight," he explained. "I can sense them not far from here."
She stood up, still sore from the lightning strike. "But I’m running low on health," she said, wincing.
Adrien smiled. "That’s exactly why it’s the perfect time to fight. You learn the most when the odds aren’t in your favor."
Alice’s body still ached. "Where are they?"
Adrien’s eyes narrowed as he focused. "In the forest. Not many of them... but I also sense something else." His voice grew more serious. "A human, I think."
Alice’s heart skipped a beat. "What? We need to help them!"
Adrien’s wings unfurled behind him, the sheer size of them casting a shadow across her face. "That was my plan. Hold on to me," he said, digging his feet into the ground as his wings prepared to lift them into the air.
Without hesitation, Alice grabbed onto him, and with a powerful beat of his wings, they took off.
----------------------------------------
A lone girl stood surrounded by goblins. Her eyes were a shade of brown, one that matched her short, tousled hair. Her sword was etched with intricate runes—a true artifact of immense power. The goblins encircled her, their twisted faces eager for blood yet cautious of the deadly weapon in her hands. Through her fight with the goblins, her armor was battered and broken, with gaps in the metal and the protective fabric beneath torn apart. Sweat trickled down her face as she swung her sword once more, slicing through yet another goblin.
Her strike was flawless, cutting down a goblin in a single, brutal blow. The rest hesitated, taking a step back. “Die, you bastards!” she shouted.
From behind, goblin archers readied their bows, releasing a volley of arrows. One struck her leg, and she cried out in pain, collapsing to the ground.
The goblins surged toward her, eager to end what she had started. She had slaughtered hundreds of them in her rampage through the forest, but now exhaustion and pain slowed her. This was it—the end. As she looked up, her hair fell behind her as she braced herself for her death.
“FROST NOVA!”
A sudden eruption of freezing energy burst from her, sending the goblins reeling with frostbitten limbs. Alice charged forward, spells already forming at her fingertips.
“Ice Shard! Ice Shard!” Alice chanted, launching razor-sharp shards of ice at the goblins, cutting them down one by one.
The goblins screeched as Alice’s ice shards sliced through their ranks, freezing and shattering their twisted forms. Those still standing faltered, fear creeping into their bloodshot eyes. Alice wasted no time, summoning another spell. She raised her hand, frost forming at her fingertips.
“Ice lance!”
A sharp, crystalline spear shot from her hand, impaling one of the larger goblins that had dared to step forward. It crumpled to the ground, frozen solid. The rest of the goblins scattered, fleeing into the shadows. With them gone, Alice rushed to the side of the fallen girl, her breathing heavy from the fight. “You’re hurt,” she said, kneeling and inspecting her blood-soaked arrow wound.
“I’ve been through worse,” the girl groaned.
Status: Alice Ashenvale
Level: 13
Race: Elven
Class: Magic Caster
Alignment: Lawful Good +500
Stats
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Strength: 12
Agility: 23
Intelligence: 62
Charisma: 18
Mana: 7,756/8266
Health: 620/1200
Skills: Scan, Create Ice, Ice Shards, Featherfall, Illuminate, Arcane Bolt, Ice Lance, Air Slash, Frost Nova, Frozen Tempest, Foresight
Status: Nia Varyara
Level: 29
Race: Human
Class: True Warrior / Hero
Alignment: Lawful Good +700
Stats
Strength: 110
Agility: 30
Intelligence: 24
Charisma: 13
Mana: 200/1200
Health: 4,000/11,000
Skills: Scan, flash step, radiant burst, blade dance, crushing blow, greater heal,
She struggled to stand, but her leg buckled beneath her, sending her crashing back to the ground with a frustrated gasp. "You shouldn’t be moving right now," Alice said, her tone firm yet concerned as she knelt beside her. "That wound's too deep."
The girl clenched her teeth, staring at the blood pooling beneath her. "We can’t stay here. More will come," she insisted, trying to push herself up again.
Alice stood firm, her eyes scanning the trees around her. The sounds of goblins grew louder. She knew more were coming, "Just stay still," Alice said to Nia, casting a quick glance over her shoulder. "I’ll get us out of this."
Goblins emerged from the trees, shrieking as they charged. Alice raised her hand, “Ice Lance!”
A sharp spear of ice shot forward, piercing one of the goblins, killing it in its tracks, yet the others kept coming.
Nia tried to push herself up, sword in hand, but Alice turned and snapped, "Stay down. I've got this."
As the next wave of goblins rushed closer, Alice needed to buy some time. “Frost Nova!”
A blast of freezing energy exploded from her, encasing several goblins in ice. Still, more goblins appeared, and Alice’s mana was running low. She threw out her hand. “Air Slash!”
A gust of wind slashed through the air, cutting down the next group of attackers.
Nia, struggling to rise again, gritted her teeth. “I’ll manage,” she said. “But we can’t stay here.”
Alice shot her a quick nod. She turned just in time to see a huge goblin, much larger than the others, stomp out of the trees, wielding a massive club.
“Perfect,” Alice muttered sarcastically. "We can't run away from that! We've got to stop it."
Nia nodded, gripping her sword despite the pain in her leg. "I’ll fight through it."
Enemy Info: Goblin Giant
Level: 25
Race: Goblin
Class: Brute
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral -100
Stats
Strength: 120
Agility: 10
Intelligence: 1
Charisma: 0
Mana: 50/50
Health: 12000/12000
Skills: NA
The giant charged, shaking the earth beneath its feet. Alice hurled an ice lance at the monster's leg, yet her attack barely slowed it down. The giant swung its club at them, and Alice pulled Nia out of the way. "We can't just dodge forever!" Nia shouted, standing back up.
"I know!"
The giant lunged forward, swinging its colossal club at Alice with a deafening roar. Adrien's words echoed in her mind, and with swift movement, she narrowly escaped the crushing blow. The ground trembled as the club struck, embedding itself deep in the earth. Seizing the moment, Alice called upon her magic, casting Frost Nova, which summoned a surge of icy winds from her hands, freezing the giant's feet in place, if only for a heartbeat. Desperation tinged her voice as she shouted, "Now! Strike it down!"
Nia’s sword glowed as she leaped with the best of her ability. With a Crushing Blow, she splintered the goblin giant's leg.
Alice followed up with Ice Shards, hurling frozen projectiles at the brute. It staggered but wasn’t done yet. Roaring, it swung again, and Alice barely managed to dodge.
"One last hit," Alice said, her voice strained. "We end this now."
Nia nodded. As the giant swung down, Nia dodged, striking its legs again. With the beast distracted, Alice cast Frozen Tempest, unleashing a freezing storm. The giant slowed, covered in ice, as Nia landed another strike, "Crushing Blow!"
With a final roar, the giant collapsed, unconscious, frozen solid. The two were left exhausted after their battle. Alice, panting, dropped to one knee. "We did it."
Alice's gaze snapped to Nia, who was on her knees, pale and struggling to stay conscious. Blood poured from the arrow still lodged in her leg. Without hesitation, Alice rushed to her and yanked it out. Nia cried out in pain, "What are you doing?!" she gasped, clutching the ground.
"I can't heal it, but I can slow it down!"
Alice used her magic to freeze the wound, sealing the blood at the surface. Nia winced, but the bleeding stopped, her breathing ragged. A low groan echoed from the monster. They turned, their eyes wide as the Goblin Giant, battered and bruised, began to rise.
Alice stood to her feet. "That thing’s not dead?!" She exclaimed.
Nia, barely holding on, grabbed Alice’s arm, her grip was weak but there was desperation within her eyes. "Leave me. Run while you can!"
"I can’t just leave you here. You’ll die!"
"I'm fine with that," Nia whispered through her clenched teeth, her voice faltering. "You have to go."
The Goblin Giant lumbered to its feet, towering over them once more. Alice glanced between the giant and Nia. There was no way they could both survive this. Her hands trembled as she prepared to summon a barrier of ice, knowing it wouldn’t hold against the giant’s next strike.
The club came down faster than she anticipated. Alice braced herself for the end, but instead of the crushing blow, something huge and leathery shielded them both. Alice blinked in surprise as Adrien’s massive wings stretched out before them, shielding them from the giant.
Nia stared at him, wide-eyed, unable to comprehend what happened. Alice sighed with relief. "Took you long enough."
Adrien cast her a disapproving look. "Are you stupid? Trying to get yourself killed?"
As his wings retracted, the giant hesitated, sensing something beyond mere evil from Adrien. Panic flickered in its eyes. Nia, trembling, watched in confusion as Adrien stepped forward. Alice gripped her wrist gently. "Don’t worry," Alice reassured her, "He’s not going to kill you."
The Goblin Giant, sensing danger, tried to retreat, but before it could take another step, it collapsed to the ground. Nia’s eyes darted between Adrien and the giant, her heart pounding. She knew what this was. Dark Command. Adrien had used the most twisted form of magic to bring the creature to its knees. The beast was dead before it could even fight back. Her voice trembled as she looked at Alice, then at Adrien. "Those red eyes... You’re a demon. And you," she said, looking to Alice, "What are you doing with him? Have you gone mad?!"
Adrien stepped closer, his gaze settling on Nia. "You told me you wouldn’t kill her."
"That was before I realized she was a hero," Adrien replied calmly, his eyes never leaving Nia.
Nia, desperate and terrified, tried to crawl away, her strength fading. "This is different," Adrien continued. "I can’t let her live."
Nia spat on the ground in defiance. "I’d drive my sword through your heart if I could, you twisted creature of evil."
Adrien turned to Alice with a raised eyebrow. "See?"
Alice looked away, frustration in her voice. "You promised me."
Adrien considered the situation for a moment, glancing at Nia as she struggled on the ground. "If you think she’s a threat, then I overestimated you," Alice retorted. "She’s no match for you, and you know it."
Adrien chuckled, "Does she speak true, little hero? Should I let you live?"
Nia glared at him with defiance, "Kill me now and be done with it."
"A spirited one," Adrien said with amusement. "She wants to die."
Alice shot Nia a disapproving look. "Don’t be foolish. Just promise you won’t say a word about this to anyone, and he’ll let you go."
Adrien crossed his arms, looking away with exaggerated disinterest. Nia didn’t understand. "How can I believe that?"
"Don’t trust him—trust me," Alice insisted. "He’ll listen to me."
Nia hesitated, her mind spinning. She trusted Alice, but Adrien was a demon, and demons couldn’t be trusted. How could Alice, an elf, stand by his side? "I don’t want to die," Nia said, her voice cracking. "But as a hero, I can’t just walk away from this. It’s my duty to see evil vanquished."
Adrien sighed, visibly bored with her resolve. "I can’t promise not to tell others. I can’t promise not to hunt you down. My sword won’t rest until evil is destroyed."
Adrien’s gaze hardened. He had heard enough. Alice, sensing the danger, quickly spoke up. "Adrien, let her go. She’s no threat to you."
"Did you not hear what she just said?"
Alice clenched her fists. "So what?"
"I can’t let her leave, Alice."
"Why is that?!" Alice shot back, her frustration spilling over.
"Because! She is a hero!"
Alice groaned in exasperation. "Ugh! Arguing with you is so difficult. You promised me. I won’t forgive you if you kill her."
Adrien turned his gaze to Nia, who was barely conscious. "Think again, hero. Can you keep that mouth of yours shut, or not? Your life depends on this."
Nia’s eyes flared with defiance as she rasped, "I will never give in to the likes of—"
Before she could finish, Adrien’s wing shot forward, piercing through her armor. Nia gasped; her eyes wide in shock as her breath left her body. Adrien, with a crude motion, pulled his wing back, and Nia crumpled to the ground.
Alice’s heart raced. "No!" she screamed, her fists pounding against Adrien in desperation. Her blows were useless against him, barely moving him. A tear slid down her cheek as she dropped to her knees beside Nia. "No, nononono! Don’t die, please," she sobbed.
Adrien made his way over to Nia’s sword, his fingers tracing the runes etched into the blade. He examined it thoughtfully, his face devoid of emotion. Meanwhile, Alice frantically summoned her magic, freezing Nia’s wound to stop the bleeding. "Please, Adrien!" she cried.
Adrien barely glanced at her, "What would you have me do?"
Alice, desperation written across her face, retorted quickly, "What do you think will happen if she doesn’t return? They’ll come looking! They’ll find us."
Adrien’s eyes flicked back to Alice. "Leave her here, and they’ll find her. With the giant goblin dead over there, I doubt anyone would ask too many questions."
Alice shook her head, her voice trembling. "No, they will come for her! She’s not just any hero. If she doesn’t return, they’ll send more. They won’t stop until they find us."
Adrien, still holding the sword, studied Alice. His gaze was cold, yet there was something flickering behind his eyes—perhaps considering the consequences, perhaps curiosity. "And what’s your plan, then?" he asked, approaching the two.
Adrien's gaze lingered on Nia. "I'm surprised she's still alive," he mused, "Not many survive a strike like that. Perhaps the saying holds true—heroes never truly die."
Alice's eyes narrowed. "How heartless of you," she said, "You knew she had no real chance against you, yet you struck her down without hesitation."
Nia's weak, rasping cough interrupted the tension. Blood splattered on the snow as she gasped for air.
"Adrien... please..." Alice begged.
With a sigh, Adrien rolled his eyes and crouched beside her. "Fine..." he said with a dismissive tone.
He placed a hand over the frozen wound, dark energy swirling around his fingers. Shadows slithered out from the palm of his hand, tendrils of darkness creeping into her torn flesh. Slowly, the wound began to close, as if the shadows themselves were stitching her together. Alice's eyes widened in shock—this was magic she had never seen before.
When he finished, Adrien straightened up, glancing at Alice. "I've saved her life, but I can't let her go. She's coming with us."
Alice swallowed hard, unable to object. "What will you do with her?"
Adrien flicked his cloak, brushing off the snow. "I haven’t decided. We could always throw her in the dungeons."
"Adrien..."
He chuckled. "I'm only joking. Of course."
Was he? The way he said it sent a chill down her spine. Alice shifted her gaze to Nia, who lay motionless in the snow, breathing shallowly. Adrien stood beside Alice, both of them staring down at the girl. "All jokes aside, what do we do with her?" Alice asked.
"She's your responsibility now," Adrien replied dismissively. "As for me... I'll be taking her sword."
Alice's eyes flicked to the rune blade, partially buried in the snow behind them. "Is that what I think it is?" she asked.
"Indeed," Adrien replied, a smirk tugging at his lips. "A rune blade. Exceptional craftsmanship. Shame it's been wasted in her hands."
Alice bit back the urge to argue, knowing it was pointless. Adrien had already spared Nia's life, and pushing him further might undo that mercy. "It’s strange," she said, almost to herself. "When I look at her, I don’t see a hero."
"Nor do I," Adrien said.
For a moment, he glanced at Alice. "Alice," he began, voice softer now. "I meant to tell you earlier. Our arrangement... I’ll need more of your blood."
Alice froze, her heart skipping a beat. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye but said nothing. Adrien placed a firm hand on her shoulder, his touch cold but steady. "It’s been a while. Will you be ready for it tonight?"
She turned to face him fully, her expression calm though her pulse raced. "Yes," she said quietly. "I'll be ready."
Adrien’s gaze lingered on her for a moment longer before he turned his attention back to Nia. "Let’s get her to the fortress. A moment longer and our dear hero will freeze to death."
"I agree."
Without another word, Adrien bent down and lifted Nia effortlessly into his arms. Alice watched, the thought of what awaited her later filling her with dread. This was the price for Nia's life, and Alice would pay it willingly, no matter how much it pained her. "Shall we go then?" Adrien asked.
"Yes," Alice replied, her voice steady. "Let’s go."