Cliff and I navigated the lower level of the icefall maze, it's passages gleaming eerily blue all around. Jagged icicles hung from the arched ceilings, dripping freezing water that penetrated the lining of my hood. Our boots cracked through thin layers of frozen soil and partially melted ice covering the floor. We turned a corner and were met with another narrow passage, rippled frost brushed our shoulders. Cliff cleared chunks of broken ice from the path, kicking them aside as he turned sideways to squeeze through the tighter stretches. I followed close behind, slipping once on a frozen puddle and grabbing the wall for support. Eventually the passage widened again and we picked up our pace, the calls of Tyler and Sam growing louder with each step. We reached an abrupt dead end, coming to a halt in front of a towering sheet of perfectly clear ice. I pressed against the wall to peer through, gasping at the scene on the other side. Tyler and Sam were wrestling with what looked like a goblin, stocky in build, long arms and about three feet tall. The goblin lunged forward with incredible speed, its clawed hands reaching for the pendant around Tyler's neck. Tyler instinctively lashed out, beating the creature back with a flurry of barehanded blows, his adrenaline overriding any sense of danger. As the goblin recoiled from the assault, Sam leapt from the shadows onto its crooked back, wrapping his leg around its neck and pulling it into a chokehold. The goblin snarled and thrashed, swiping at Sam with its claws. We watched this scene unfold and knew we had to find a way to break the ice.
Cliff and I examined the smooth, impassable ice wall that separated us from our friends. Cliff pulled a large rock from the frozen soil and started pounding it against the towering sheet of ice. I joined in, hitting the clear wall with my fists. The ice shook from our blows but remained intact. Tyler and Sam continued wrestling with the monster, unaware of our attempts to break through. Only the snarling goblin seemed to notice, turning toward us with a jerk of its grotesque head and a vicious grin.
"They can't hear us," I said.
Cliff hit the ice wall harder, the rock falling apart in his hands. "We have to break through!"
I picked up another large stone and threw it at the wall. Nothing. The ice goblin cackled, clearly enjoying our ineffective efforts to reach Tyler and Sam. It pulled a dagger from its coat and swiped at Tyler, toying with him as we pounded on the wall that separated us. Frustrated, I slammed my shoulder into the ice. "They still can't hear us," I gritted out. "Only that creature can." Cliff and I searched the dead end passage for something, anything that might help us to break the ice. All seemed hopeless until Cliff noticed a glint in the faint blue light. Moving closer, we saw a large diamond crystal embedded in the ice wall.
"This may be our only chance. If we can break it free, we can smash through the ice." Cliff Said, he gripped the diamond firmly with both hands and took a deep breath. With a grunt of exertion, he wrenched the massive crystal free from its icy cradle. The effort sent a shock of pain through his shoulders and arms but he held fast, refusing to let go. With a final tug and a loud crack, the thick web of ice surrounding the gem shattered, loosening it. Cliff held up his prize, breathing hard. The diamond was nearly the size of his clenched fist, an octahedral shape that came to sharp edges and points. Though it was embedded with ice and smaller crystals the gem itself was remarkably transparent, taking on a deep blue hue from the cobalt light of the pit. Striations and imperfections on its surfaces indicated where it had broken free from the much larger vein, it's facets would have dazzled in the sun.
Cliff swung the heavy diamond against the wall and chunks of ice flew. I joined in, taking turns beating the diamond against the ice. The work was exhausting. My arms ached but I refused to stop. The wall proved thicker and more difficult to break through. Cliff swung the massive diamond against the ice with all his strength, sending shards exploding outward. I struck the wall again and again. But the ice seemed to heal itself after every blow, freezing back together and refusing to give. We took turns pounding the diamond, straining with every strike making little visible progress.
Cliff slammed the diamond against the wall once more letting out a groan of frustration. "It's not working. The ice is too thick." I saw defeat in his eyes and refused to accept it.
"We have to keep trying," I urged him. "We're their only hope." Cliff grimaced and resumed smashing at the ice with renewed vigor. I followed his lead, beating relentlessly at the wall even as my arms screamed in protest. finally, a large crack began to spiderweb across the ice. Cliff grinned at me through his exhaustion. "It's working!" We redoubled our efforts, and with one final, blow, a passage large enough for a person to pass through opened. Cliff and I collapsed against the wall briefly, our arms trembling from the strain.
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We hurried through the opening. I saw Sam and Tyler backed against the cave wall, fighting off an ice goblin .
"Sam! Tyler!" I shouted. Sam turned at the sound of my voice, relief washing over his face. The goblin spun around with a snarl, emitting an unearthly screech that echoed off the walls of the pit with a piercing volume. It caused ice to fall from the ceiling, and through the traps opening. In response to the screech, more ice goblins began materializing from wherever they lurked, crawling out of holes and cracks in the floors that honeycombed the pit. What had been confrontation against one monster quickly turned into an all-out invasion. The goblin horde descended upon the four of us from all directions, Cliff unsheathed his sword and swung at the closest goblin, crushing its icy skull. I launched jagged chunks of broken ice, like missiles, smashing into goblins and sending them tumbling towards the others. Tyler, finally finding his footing again on the pit floor fought with agility, dodging and weaving among the mass of goblins. His rapier flashed like quicksilver, slicing through grasping claws. Yet the goblins kept coming, appearing from some hidden passage deep within the pit, clawing their way out of crevices in the pit and slipping through cracks in the ice floor. No matter how many we felled, more replaced them.
"There must be a gateway!" Cliff yelled over the clash of weapons.
Tyler thrust his rapier again at several goblins. "How do we find it?"
Suddenly, a goblin let out a blood curdling shriek and fled the way it had come. Cliff watched as it disappeared into a narrow fissure, barely visible against the glistening ice.
"There!" Cliff pointed. "That's our way in!"
We fought our way across the pit, swinging at any goblins in our path. When we reached the fissure, we squeezed inside one by one. The passage widened into a chamber where dozens of goblins were pouring through a shimmering ice archway. Massive glowing inscriptions carved into the portal's frame, seemed to be infused with the spell that kept the gate open. Cliff charged forward, hacking at the glyphs with his blade. The portal flickered and goblins began piling up some invisible field, unable to pass. Tyler and Sam joined the attack while I kept the rear guarded. With a thunderous crack, the portal collapsed, sealing the fissure behind us. The pit fell silent. The invasion had been stopped.
Over the now darkened portal a glittering snowflake appeared. The Glacial star. Sam reached up to touch the snowflake crafted from pure ice. It seemed impervious to melting. Each point of the snowflake, encrusted with a glowing blue gems.
Congratulations, adventurers!
You have successfully escaped the ice goblin pit and chased your foes back to where they belong, by destroying their portal you have earned the reward: Glacial Star.
you have gained: Glacial Star (Active Ability)
Each use will summon a blizzard for a duration of up to 10 minutes before the star's magic is depleted. Any who are caught within the blizzard's radius will become disoriented, blinded and slowed as the temperature plummets to deadly levels. The Glacial star has the power to encase all within an impenetrable permafrost.
Uses: 3
Recharge: 1 day
Well done.
But your challenges are not yet complete. You have returned the Ice goblins to their realm, leaving you with the third and remaining test: Seek the Stormheart, When unlocked the wielder can summon bolts of lightning and deafening thunderclaps, unleashing devastating attacks upon their enemies. To claim dominion over this artifact will require weathering the wrath of the storm. Only those quick of wit and fleet of foot will escape unscathed and reap its rewards - a power not seen within this age.
Tread carefully, lest you lose much on the road ahead...
As the Ice walls melted away, an alien landscape emerged before our eyes, revealing imposing basalt cliffs that seemed to touch the sky, and a violent sea roared beyond. Atop the cliffs, vibrant lime green moss spread its tendrils, while low clouds crept in from the sea, shrouding everything in an heavy mist. Rows of tiny houses clung to the edges of the cliffs, built of stone and with roofs of gold thatching. I wondered what secrets and dangers this place held as we stepped onto the moss covered ground.