Before dawn, preparations were complete.
Only the strongest were chosen.
Rynor.
Lyra.
Selene.
Jaren.
Kael.
Six Shadow Guards.
No unnecessary numbers.
Speed and secrecy mattered.
They entered through the collapsed sinkhole.
Ropes were secured.
Light crystals activated.
Cold air rushed upward like a breath from an ancient beast.
The descent took hours.
Walls were covered in frozen runes.
Some cracked.
Some flickered weakly.
Lyra examined them closely.
"These were once powered by a mana network connected to the capital."
"Disconnected decades ago," she added bitterly.
Far below, a cavern opened.
Vast.
Cathedral-like.
Ice pillars stretched endlessly.
At the center stood a massive crystal structure.
The Core Seal.
Chains of light bound it.
Many were broken.
Cracks glowed faint blue.
A low heartbeat echoed.
Boom.
Boom.
Boom.
Rynor whispered, "That's not good."
Suddenly, shadows moved.
Ice Wraiths emerged.
Dozens.
Silent.
Deadly.
"Defensive circle!" Arin ordered.
Lyra cast radiant barriers.
Selene unleashed wind blades.
Rynor and Jaren formed the front.
Arin coordinated.
"Left gap. Three o'clock. Reinforce."
They moved like a single unit.
After fierce combat, the wraiths dissolved.
But no one relaxed.
Because something else stirred.
The core pulsed violently.
Crack!
A fragment fell.
From within…
A voice echoed.
"Freedom…"
Everyone froze.
An ancient consciousness.
A sealed overlord.
Lyra's face turned pale.
"That's… a Frost Sovereign."
A creature rivaling Archmages.
Rynor grinned nervously. "We're in trouble."
Arin stepped forward.
"Not yet."
He placed his hand on the seal.
Mana surged.
The system activated violently.
[SYSTEM PROMPT: Core Seal Interface Detected]
[SYSTEM PROMPT: Emergency Authority Granted]
[SYSTEM PROMPT: Ancient Binding Protocol Unlocked]
Information flooded his mind.
Seal patterns.
Energy routes.
Weak points.
Arin groaned in pain but endured.
"Lyra," he said sharply. "I need you to rebuild the northern array."
"Selene, stabilize airflow."
"Rynor, guard the core."
They obeyed instantly.
The Frost Sovereign roared.
Ice storms erupted inside the cavern.
Arin channeled every drop of mana.
Runes reignited.
Chains reforged.
Light expanded.
Minutes felt like eternity.
Finally—
Boom!
The seal stabilized.
The cavern fell silent.
The heartbeat faded.
Everyone collapsed in exhaustion.
They had succeeded.
For now.
Lyra whispered, "You… controlled an ancient seal."
Arin smiled weakly. "Barely."
But deep inside the crystal…
One eye remained open.
Watching.
Waiting.