CHAPTER EIGHT
The Realm of Frost
They stepped into a valley carved out of pure crystal, a place so huge and very bright that Aria felt like she'd wandered inside a splinter of ice. The air shimmered with little flecks of frozen light, drifting slowly, as if time just moved differently here. Overhead, the sky burned with a pale blue fire, beautiful but strange, like the heavens were frozen too.
Kael stopped right at the edge, his face dark. "This is my world" he said quietly, his words heavy, thicker than the chill in the air. "And it's dying"
Aria looked where he did. Cracks ran everywhere, branching across the crystal plains. In the distance, ice towers rose up, so strange, but even at that they sagged under their own brokenness. From deep inside those towers, a strange music was heard, it was an emotional, soft, haunting tunes that remembered better days. But underneath all that, something else was also heard, a whisper that made her uneasy.
What happened? Aria asked, with her voice low.
Kael's shoulders tensed. "The Guardian fell. When her power shattered, pieces of her broke loose. My people were bound to her magic, and when she left, the twisted leftovers turned into things we fear now".
Almost like he had called them; something unexpected did happen that was really scaring, shadows slid beneath the ice, moving like smoke trapped under glass. Their shapes looked half-finished, smudged, as if someone had started sketching and never finished.
"That is the Frostborn", Kael quietly murmured. "They know I'm here. They feed on warmth, on love, and on any living spark".
Eamon shivered as if he was afraid and rubbed his hands together. "Fantastic, Monsters that eat feelings. That's just what we needed".
For a second, Aria nearly laughed out, but the cold cut her off. Her breath turned to mist, too fast, too thick. The cold here wasn't just normal temperature, it pressed in, verya heavy, like it wanted to snuff out every scrap of hope.
They moved deeper into the valley, feet echoing on the crystal iced floor. The path twisted through arches of frozen spires humming with strange power. Aria felt a tug in her chest, like the place itself remembered her, or it is trying to do so.
Kael watched the cracks spreading. "Every moment the Guardian's stuck between worlds, this place breaks more. If she fades, the Realm of Frost goes. Everything tied to her goes too".
Aria swallowed. The truth hit her hard. Kael was bound to that magic. If the realm disappears, he had vanish with it.
Before she could say anything more, the whole valley darkened.
A sharp, crystal scream ripped through the air. Shadows under the ice twisted and fought and several unknown shapes started rising, different strange creatures built from shards of frozen light. They were see-through, jagged, eyes glowing with hungry blue fire.
"That is the Frostborn", Kael breathed. "it seems they might have found us, what do we do now".
The first one lunged, shattering the ground as it burst out. Eamon fired his rifle. The bullet shot clean through, like the thing was made of mist.
"Oh, perfect. Bullets don't work," Eamon muttered, stumbling back with do much fear.
The Frostborn screamed again, the sound stabbing through Aria's skull. More clawed their way up, pouring out of the cracks.
"Go"! Kael shouted out loud, swinging his arm.
Frost exploded from his palm, swirling into a huge wall of ice between them and the Frostborn. The creatures slammed against it, cracks racing through the barrier.
"That won't last for long" Kael shouted with a loud voice. "Run for the bridge now"!
Aria didn't wait. She grabbed Eamon's hand and pulled him forward. The ground shook hard, cracks splitting wider as the Frostborn smashed at the wall. Spears of ice was shot up at them, and they had to dodge and weave as they ran as fast as they could.
Ahead, the crystal bridge stretched over a deep chasm, glowing with sickly silver light. Even from here, Aria saw it flicker, parts of it blinked in and out, like it couldn't decide if it belonged in this world.
They rushed onto the bridge just as the Frostborn lunged behind them, claws scraping sparks off the crystal. Kael spun, frost swirling in his hands, but the creature was quicker. It slashed, knocking him sideways.
Kael! Aria screamed out loud, as her voice echoed at a thousand miles.
He caught the edge, panting. Frost spread from his hands, steadying the bridge for a moment.
Go! he said, forcing himself upright. "I'll hold them"
But Aria shook her head, stubborn. "Not leaving you, she said".
The Frostborn surged forward, with a silent mouths wide open. Kael raised his hands, unleashing a blast of ice that flared bright and exploded as lightning, lighting up everything for a second. The creatures staggered back, not for long, but enough, giving them a few seconds.
Aria and Eamon hauled Kael onto the bridge, all three of them running for their lives. The chasm below groaned, the bridge shook so hard, that Aria thought it might rip apart.
"We're not going to make it" Eamon yelled.
Aria didn't slow down. "Yes, we are" Her legs shook, but she continued pushing them harder.
Then the Frostborn hit the bridge. The instant their claws touched the crystal, cracks shot across the surface, fast, jagged, like lightning.
Kael spun around, bracing himself. His hands blazed with icy blue light.
"Don't stop, keep going" he shouted out loud.
Aria felt it before she even understood what happened. Kael's magic blasted out, freezing the air, turning the bridge into one gleaming sheet of frost. Just for a moment, the whole thing held together.
Then came the breaking point.
The Frostborn shrieked. The crystal bridge split down in the middle, and a Huge chunks of ice tumbled into the glowing chasm.
"We're almost there" Aria shouted.
They jumped, landing hard on solid ground as the last bit of bridge groaned, then vanished into mist behind them.
They lay there, breathless, hearts hammering, listening to the echoes fade. The Frostborn screamed from across the gap, stuck on the other side.
Aria looked over at Kael. He was on his knees, head down, hands shaking.
She leaned close. "You saved us" she breathed.
Kael met her eyes, his face clouded. "I just bought us time that's all".
Aria squeezed his hand. "Sometimes, that's everything".
For the first time since they'd entered the valley, Kael managed a tiny, shaky smile. And even though the whole Realm of Frost still growled around them, Aria felt it, a little flicker of hope, barely there, but real.
They got up, ready for whatever that came up next.