Chapter 21 — Frostfront Refuge
The frostlands stretched endlessly before them—white dunes, fractured ridges, and drifting storms that carved the land into an ever-shifting maze of ice. After another day of travel, the trio finally saw it in the distance:
A shelter-city.
Its colossal gates glimmered like frozen obsidian, carved from the same ancient Cristarion alloys as Iceflake and the other Nexus cities. Except this one was smaller, simpler, built less like a fortress and more like a rest-station carved into the side of a glacier.
Alicia adjusted her hood against the wind. "Frostfront Shelter… second northern outpost."
Shin whistled. "Cozy place. Looks like a giant ice chest."
Vaibhav stepped forward, boots crunching. "It's not a city—just a supply hub."
Alicia nodded.
As they approached the gate, her voice blended with the wind, almost narrating history itself.
"Cities house tens of thousands. Barrier giants. Fully autonomous.
Shelter-Cities—like this one—are halfway points. Rest zones. Emergency sanctuaries."
"Outposts," Vaibhav continued, "are scouting towers.
Trade havens are merchant hubs built along safe corridors."
Shin stretched his arms behind his head. "So basically… checkpoints where we don't freeze to death."
"Correct," Alicia said.
The barrier flickered as they crossed its threshold—warmth washed over them instantly, melting frost from their coats.
Inside, Frostfront Shelter was bustling.
Merchants huddled behind heated stalls, selling frost armor, thermal gloves, pills, and forged weaponry. Evolvers lounged on stone benches, sharpening blades, repairing gear, or warming their hands beside crystalline torch pillars.
The trio headed straight to the winter-gear vendors.
A black-bearded merchant looked up. "You three don't look local."
Shin winked. "We're tourists. Very violent tourists."
Vaibhav frowned. "Ignore him. We need reinforced frost gear."
The merchant chuckled and handed over insulated cloaks lined with crystalline fibers, boots designed to grip frozen surfaces, and thermal wrist guards woven with heat-retaining materials.
Alicia tested the cloak's inner lining. "Temperature resistance: seventy percent increase."
"Good," Vaibhav replied. "We'll need it."
Shin spun around dramatically in his new cloak. "Stylish and warm. I approve."
They continued into the central hall—a circular plaza supported by arching pillars, each etched with glowing blue veins. Evolvers gathered near the supply counters, whispering in tense voices.
One man—a tall Evolver with frost forming on his eyebrows—stopped them.
"You three… you came from the northern plains?"
Vaibhav nodded slowly. "Yes."
The man swallowed hard. "Then you've seen it."
Alicia's eyes narrowed. "Seen what?"
"Mutated beasts. Every hour. Increasing. Ordinary, Exalted… even Mythic."
He shivered—not from cold. "Ignis Prime is changing. Something is wrong with this planet."
Shin leaned in, smiling faintly. "You don't say."
Before the Evolver could respond, an alarm chimed from the plaza's speaker pillars—a rising pulse of sound that made the crowd fall silent.
A mechanical voice followed:
"ATTENTION ALL EVOLVERS.
MESSAGE FROM ERA — EVOLVER REGISTRATION AUTHORITY."
Everyone stopped.
Even Shin's smile faded.
The voice continued:
"Due to increasing beast activity and unusual mutation rates, all Evolvers are advised to return to Earth immediately.
This is not a drill."
Murmurs rippled through the shelter.
Fear. Confusion. Anger.
Alicia exchanged a glance with Vaibhav. "It's that serious…?"
Shin crossed his arms. "They're panicking."
Another Evolver approached them—short, armored, carrying a fractured spear. "I'm heading back. ERA doesn't issue warnings unless something huge is coming."
Nearby, others gathered their gear in a rush, forming transport groups.
But some Evolvers scoffed.
A man in thick frost-armor laughed, "Warnings are for weaklings! More beasts means more shards!"
Shin muttered, "Idiots."
Vaibhav looked at Alicia. "We… should consider going back. If monsters are evolving this fast—"
His wristwatch vibrated.
So did Alicia's.
And Shin's.
A hologram unfolded from their watches, projecting a familiar figure above the plaza—
Lin Xuan.
His black eyes flickered with calm intensity.
"Don't return."
Vaibhav stiffened. "Master…?"
Lin Xuan's voice carried the same unsettling calmness it always did—like he was discussing weather, not planetary crisis.
"This phenomenon—is an opportunity.
Stay.
Observe.
Fight.
Your growth will accelerate here faster than anywhere else."
Alicia frowned. "But ERA—"
"Ignore ERA."
Shin grinned. "Finally someone speaking my language."
Lin Xuan continued, "If things turn catastrophic, I will call for you myself. Until then… push forward."
The hologram dissolved.
Vaibhav lowered his wrist slowly. "So… we hunt."
Alicia sighed. "We're risking our lives."
Shin cracked his knuckles. "Correction: we're risking their lives."
Alicia rolled her eyes. "Annoying."
Vaibhav pulled up his hood as they exited the city's barrier, frost swirling around them instantly.
"Let's move. Hunting grounds are east of the shelter."
They stepped back into the storm.
Within minutes, the silence shattered.
A pack of Ordinary Frostclaws—white-furred wolf-beasts with crystalline talons—rushed over a frozen ridge, howling as they sprinted toward the trio.
Vaibhav stepped forward, aura rippling faintly beneath his coat. The first Frostclaw leapt—he slammed a punch into its ribcage, cracking bone and ice alike.
> [Beast Spirit Acquired: None]
[+3 Ordinary Power Points Gained] — Vaibhav
A second Frostclaw lunged at his side. Vaibhav swept his arm, striking its jaw with brutal precision.
> [Beast Spirit Acquired: None]
[+6 Ordinary Power Points Gained] — Vaibhav
Alicia dashed past him, slicing cleanly across an Ordinary Frostclaw's neck. Her blade shimmered emerald as the beast collapsed.
> [Beast Spirit Acquired: None]
[+5 Ordinary Power Points Gained] — Vaibhav
Two more broke off, circling low under the snow drift. Alicia thrust her palm downward—an emerald shockwave blasted the snow apart, knocking both beasts over. She slit their throats before they recovered.
> [Beast Spirit Acquired: None]
> [Beast Spirit Acquired: None]
> [+3 Ordinary Power Points Gained] — Vaibhav
[+1 Ordinary Power Points Gained] — Vaibhav
Shin yawned. "You guys warming up? Good."
The ground trembled.
Six Mutated Frostclaws burst out—larger, sharper, their white fur streaked with red lines that pulsed like veins.
They attacked from all directions.
Shin blurred forward, appearing behind the first mutant. He chopped its neck casually, snapping its spine.
> [Beast Spirit Acquired: None]
[+4 Mutated Ordinary Power Points Gained] — Vaibhav
Another mutant pounced at Alicia. Vaibhav punched upward from below the beast, smashing its skull midair.
> [Beast Spirit Acquired: None]
[+6 Mutated Ordinary Power Points Gained] — Vaibhav
Shin grabbed two mutants by their hind legs, spun once, and slammed them into a third mutated beast. All three collapsed in a spray of frost.
> [Beast Spirit Acquired: None]
> [Beast Spirit Acquired: None]
> [Beast Spirit Acquired: None]
> [+3 Mutated Ordinary Power Points Gained] — Vaibhav
[+4 Mutated Ordinary Power Points Gained] — Vaibhav
[+3 Mutated Ordinary Power Points Gained] — Vaibhav
The last one bolted, but Alicia fired a focused beam through its spine.
> [+4 Mutated Ordinary Power Points Gained] — Vaibhav
The frostlands shook again.
A herd of Exalted Frosthorn Bulls charged over a dune—massive beasts with icy horns glowing faint blue, steam hissing from their nostrils.
Alicia positioned herself. "Brace!"
The first bull lowered its head. Alicia redirected the charge with a barrier shift—Vaibhav punched the beast's exposed side.
> [Beast Spirit Acquired: None]
[+5 Exalted Power Points Gained] — Vaibhav
Shin leapt onto another bull's back, grabbed its horns, and twisted—flipping it into the air before punching through its skull.
> [Beast Spirit Acquired: Frosthorn Bull]
> [+6 Exalted Power Points Gained] — Vaibhav
A third bull swung its head violently, frost energy flaring. Vaibhav ducked, rolled under it, and slammed his fist into its throat.
> [Beast Spirit Acquired: None]
[+5 Exalted Power Points Gained] — Vaibhav
Two more Exalted bulls charged Alicia. She slid beneath the first, slicing its belly, then fired an emerald blast into the second's eye.
> [Beast Spirit Acquired: None]
> [Beast Spirit Acquired: None]
> [+2 Exalted Power Points Gained] — Vaibhav
[+4 Exalted Power Points Gained] — Vaibhav
The final bull—a Mutated Exalted Frosthorn—roared and rushed Shin.
Shin caught the horn with one hand. "Try harder."
He crushed the horn, then slammed his forehead into the beast.
It died instantly.
> [Beast Spirit Acquired: None]
[+6 Mutated Exalted Power Points Gained] — Vaibhav
Another mutated Exalted beast emerged—this one a Frostclaw alpha. Alicia sliced it cleanly while Vaibhav struck from behind.
> [Beast Spirit Acquired: Frostclaw Alpha]
[+5 Mutated Exalted Power Points Gained] — Vaibhav
The last mutated Exalted beast lunged at Vaibhav. He pivoted and punched it across the face.
> [Beast Spirit Acquired: None]
[+3 Mutated Exalted Power Points Gained] — Vaibhav
A deep rumble echoed.
Three Mythic Frostwings swooped down from above—gigantic birds with frozen feathers and screaming gales in their wings.
One blasted Vaibhav with a froststorm. He broke through the wind, grabbed the bird's leg mid-flight, and slammed it into the ground.
> [Beast Spirit Acquired: None]
[+4 Mythic Power Points Gained] — Vaibhav
Another Mythic Frostwing spiraled toward Alicia—she dodged beneath, slicing across its belly. Vaibhav punched upward into its falling form.
> [Beast Spirit Acquired: None]
> [+5 Mythic Power Points Gained] — Vaibhav
Shin crashed into the third bird midair, breaking its spine with one knee.
> [Beast Spirit Acquired: Frostwing Sovereign]
[+5 Mythic Power Points Gained] — Vaibhav
The frost shook once more.
Four more signatures—heavy, warped.
Four Mutated Mythic beasts sprinted out onto the plains, claws carving trenches in the ice. Their mutated lines glowed like molten cracks.
Vaibhav faced the first. It pounced. He stepped in and punched its chest.
The impact caved in its torso.
> [+5 Mutated Mythic Power Points Gained] — Vaibhav
[Beast Spirit Acquired: None]
Alicia and Vaibhav teamed up on the second mutated Mythic, slicing and striking until it collapsed.
> [Beast Spirit Acquired: None]
> [+4 Mutated Mythic Power Points Gained] — Vaibhav
The third lunged wildly, frost spikes erupting from its back. Vaibhav dodged and punched through its skull.
> [+3 Mutated Mythic Power Points Gained] — Vaibhav
[Beast Spirit Acquired: None]
The last mutated Mythic roared and charged Shin. He stepped aside, twisted its neck, and slammed it into the ice.
> [Beast Spirit Acquired: None]
[+6 Mutated Mythic Power Points Gained] — Vaibhav
The plains fell silent.
Steam drifted upward from twenty-eight corpses.
Alicia wiped frost from her blade. "Extract shards."
The trio began.
Snow stained with blood. Cracked ice. Frozen organs.
Alicia knelt first, carving open the Ordinary, Exalted, and Mythic beasts with precise cuts—laying out shimmering blue and white shards along a folded cloth.
Six Ordinary shards.
Five Exalted shards.
Three Mythic shards.
Each shard pulsed softly in the cold.
Shin worked through the mutated bodies—ripping them open with bare hands, steam rising from torn flesh. Red shards burned like embers in the snow.
Six Mutated Ordinary shards.
Three Mutated Exalted shards.
Four Mutated Mythic shards.
When extraction was done, two piles sat in the frost:
Alicia's light-blue shards.
Shin's crimson mutated shards.
Vaibhav stepped back to watch.
Alicia Absorbs Her Shards
She began with the Ordinary ones:
A faint-blue shard dissolved smoothly—
> [+4 Ordinary Power Points Gained] — Alicia (Shard 1)
Another followed—
> [+3 Ordinary Power Points Gained] — Alicia (Shard 2)
A bright shard pulsed cold—
> [+6 Ordinary Power Points Gained] — Alicia (Shard 3)
A heavier one—
> [+5 Ordinary Power Points Gained] — Alicia (Shard 4)
A gentler shard—
> [+4 Ordinary Power Points Gained] — Alicia (Shard 5)
A final weak pulse—
> [+2 Ordinary Power Points Gained] — Alicia (Shard 6)
Exalted shards next.
A dense cerulean shard shattered into her arm—
> [+6 Exalted Power Points Gained] — Alicia (Shard 7)
A colder one—
> [+4 Exalted Power Points Gained] — Alicia (Shard 8)
A faint glow—
> [+2 Exalted Power Points Gained] — Alicia (Shard 9)
A sharp pulse—
> [+4 Exalted Power Points Gained] — Alicia (Shard 10)
The last Exalted shard burned bright—
> [+8 Exalted Power Points Gained] — Alicia (Shard 11)
Finally, Mythic shards:
The first shone icy-blue—
> [+4 Mythic Power Points Gained] — Alicia (Shard 12)
The next, calmer—
> [+3 Mythic Power Points Gained] — Alicia (Shard 13)
The last vibrated strongly—
> [+6 Mythic Power Points Gained] — Alicia (Shard 14)
Alicia inhaled, steadying the immense wave of energy.
Shin Absorbs His Mutated Shards
A mutated Ordinary shard pulsed violently—
> [+5 Mutated Ordinary Power Points Gained] — Shin (Shard 1)
Another flickered—
> [+2 Mutated Ordinary Power Points Gained] — Shin (Shard 2)
A hotter shard—
> [+6 Mutated Ordinary Power Points Gained] — Shin (Shard 3)
A jagged one—
> [+4 Mutated Ordinary Power Points Gained] — Shin (Shard 4)
A fierce glow—
> [+5 Mutated Ordinary Power Points Gained] — Shin (Shard 5)
A weaker pulse—
> [+2 Mutated Ordinary Power Points Gained] — Shin (Shard 6)
Next, Mutated Exalted:
A bright crimson shard—
> [+5 Mutated Exalted Power Points Gained] — Shin (Shard 7)
A cold-crimson—
> [+5 Exalted Power Points Gained] — Shin (Shard 8)
A violent crackling shard—
> [+7 Mutated Exalted Power Points Gained] — Shin (Shard 9)
Finally, the Mutated Mythic shards:
A deep-red shard—
> [+6 Mutated Mythic Power Points Gained] — Shin (Shard 10)
A trembling fragment—
> [+4 Mutated Mythic Power Points Gained] — Shin (Shard 11)
A burning one—
> [+5 Mutated Mythic Power Points Gained] — Shin (Shard 12)
And the last—pulsing like a heartbeat—
> [+6 Mutated Mythic Power Points Gained] — Shin (Shard 13)
The frostlands quieted.
Then—
A distant roar echoed across the glacier valleys.
Deep.
Ancient.
Multiple voices.
Calling from somewhere far beyond the frozen ridges.
Alicia turned sharply toward the sound.
"Something big is gathering out there."
Vaibhav narrowed his eyes.
Shin smiled.