Chapter 23
The Cold Night
Night had fallen over the Frozen Mountains.
Dark clouds covered the sky, hiding the moon behind thick layers of stormy snow.
The wind howled violently between the mountain peaks.
Every gust of air carried sharp ice crystals that cut across the frozen cliffs.
The temperature had dropped far below freezing.
Even the strongest travelers would struggle to survive in such weather.
But Ran and Mariya were still moving forward.
After their encounter with Aarav earlier that day, the three of them had continued their journey deeper into the mountains.
The Ice Temple was now somewhere nearby.
But reaching it would not be easy.
The storms of the Frozen Mountains had begun to grow stronger.
Snow fell endlessly from the sky.
The path beneath their feet had almost disappeared.
Finally Aarav raised his hand.
"We stop here for the night."
Ran looked around the rocky mountain ridge.
The area was surrounded by tall frozen cliffs that blocked most of the wind.
It was not comfortable.
But it was the safest place they could find.
Mariya placed her bag down near a large rock.
Her breath turned into white mist in the cold air.
"I never imagined mountains could be this cold."
Ran laughed softly while setting up a small fire.
"You spent too much time in the desert."
Aarav stood nearby, watching the dark mountain valley carefully.
"The nights here are dangerous," he said.
"The cold is not the only thing you should worry about."
Mariya looked at him curiously.
"You mean the Frozen Beasts?"
Aarav nodded slowly.
"Yes."
"These mountains are alive."
"And the creatures that live here protect the temple."
Ran sat near the small fire they had started.
The flames flickered weakly against the freezing wind.
"Then they're basically the temple's guardians."
Aarav did not respond immediately.
Instead he looked toward the dark valley below.
"They are more like the mountain's test."
Mariya looked confused.
"Test?"
Aarav explained quietly.
"Anyone who wishes to reach the Ice Temple must first survive the beasts of the mountain."
The wind suddenly grew stronger.
Snow began falling harder again.
The small fire struggled to stay lit.
For a while the three of them sat quietly.
The only sound was the endless wind echoing across the cliffs.
Ran sharpened his sword slowly.
The blue Guardian energy faintly glowed across the blade.
Mariya stared into the flames.
Her crystal rested in her hand.
Ever since entering the Frozen Mountains, the crystal had been reacting more and more.
Sometimes it glowed brighter without warning.
Sometimes it pulsed like a heartbeat.
And sometimes…
She could hear whispers inside the wind.
Ancient voices.
Voices that did not belong to the present.
Suddenly the crystal flickered again.
Mariya frowned slightly.
Ran noticed immediately.
"What is it?"
"The crystal is reacting again."
Aarav turned toward her quickly.
"From which direction?"
Mariya closed her eyes for a moment.
She focused on the wind around them.
The cold air moved across the cliffs.
The snowstorm carried distant sounds.
Then she pointed toward the dark forest below the ridge.
"There."
Aarav's expression turned serious.
"They're coming."
Ran stood up instantly.
His hand moved to the handle of his sword.
The wind suddenly stopped.
For a brief moment—
The entire mountain became silent.
No wind.
No snow.
No movement.
The silence felt unnatural.
Then it happened.
A deep roar echoed across the mountains.
The sound was terrifying.
It shook the frozen cliffs around them.
CRACK!
Large pieces of snow broke off the mountain walls.
Mariya stepped back slightly.
"What was that?"
Aarav answered quietly.
"The mountain's guardians."
Suddenly the ground below them exploded.
A massive creature burst out of the snow.
Ice and frost scattered everywhere.
The beast landed heavily on the frozen ground.
It was enormous.
Almost twice the size of a normal wolf.
Its body looked like it was carved entirely from ice.
Sharp frozen spikes covered its back.
Its glowing blue eyes stared directly at Ran.
Cold mist escaped from its mouth as it breathed.
The creature growled deeply.
Then another shadow appeared behind it.
And another.
More frozen beasts stepped out of the storm.
Ice Wolves.
Snow Giants.
Dark shadow spirits swirling through the freezing wind.
Mariya whispered slowly.
"There are too many…"
Ran stepped forward calmly.
His sword slid out of its sheath.
Blue energy glowed brightly across the blade.
"Well," he said with a confident smile.
"Looks like we have company."
The leader Ice Wolf lowered its head.
Its glowing eyes focused on Ran.
Then it attacked.
The beast jumped forward with incredible speed.
Its claws cut through the air like sharp ice blades.
Ran swung his sword instantly.
CRASH!
The blade collided with the wolf's claws.
A powerful shockwave blasted across the snow.
Ice shattered in every direction.
But the battle had only begun.
More frozen beasts were coming.
The Frozen Mountain had started its test.
Battle in the Snowstorm
The moment Ran's sword collided with the Ice Wolf's claws, a powerful shockwave exploded across the snowy ground.
CRASH!
Fragments of ice scattered everywhere.
The wolf growled fiercely, sliding backward across the frozen surface.
But it did not fall.
Instead, its glowing blue eyes burned even brighter.
Ran tightened his grip on his sword.
"That thing is stronger than it looks."
Behind the first wolf, more shapes moved through the storm.
Dozens of glowing eyes appeared in the darkness.
More Ice Wolves slowly circled around them.
Their icy bodies blended perfectly with the snowstorm.
They were hunters.
And Ran, Mariya, and Aarav had just entered their territory.
Mariya stepped back slightly as she saw the growing number of beasts.
"There are too many."
Aarav spun his ice spear slowly in his hand.
The weapon released a faint cold glow.
"Stay calm," he said.
"The wolves attack in groups."
As if answering his words, three Ice Wolves suddenly jumped forward at the same time.
Their claws slashed through the air.
Ran reacted instantly.
His sword flashed with blue Guardian energy.
CLANG!
The first wolf's claws struck the blade.
At the same time Ran turned and kicked the second wolf in the chest.
The beast crashed into the snow.
But the third wolf reached him from behind.
Its icy teeth aimed directly at his shoulder.
"Mariya!" Ran shouted.
Before the wolf could bite—
A powerful gust of wind exploded across the battlefield.
WHOOSH!
The wolf was thrown sideways through the air.
It rolled across the snow before crashing into a frozen rock.
Mariya stood with her hands raised.
The crystal in her palm glowed brightly.
Wind energy spiraled around her body like a storm.
"I'm not letting them surround us!"
The wind pushed the snow away from their position, creating a small open space.
But the beasts were not afraid.
Instead they growled louder.
More shadows moved through the blizzard.
Then suddenly—
BOOM!
The ground trembled violently.
Heavy footsteps echoed through the mountain valley.
Ran turned toward the sound.
Something enormous was approaching.
The snowstorm parted slightly.
A massive figure stepped forward.
It was a giant.
A creature made entirely of ice and frozen stone.
Its body was taller than the trees around them.
Cracks of blue energy glowed across its frozen skin.
The Snow Giant had arrived.
Mariya's eyes widened.
"That thing is huge…"
Aarav's expression hardened.
"This is bad."
The giant lifted its enormous arm.
Then it slammed its fist into the ground.
BOOOOM!
The entire mountain ridge shook.
A shockwave blasted across the snowfield.
Ran jumped backward to avoid the impact.
Ice spikes shot out of the ground where the giant's fist struck.
The wolves howled loudly.
They had been waiting for their strongest guardian.
Ran raised his sword again.
"So now the big one joins the fight."
The Snow Giant looked down at them slowly.
Its glowing eyes burned with ancient power.
Then it roared.
The sound echoed across the entire Frozen Mountain.
And the beasts attacked again.
The Snow Giant's Wrath
The Snow Giant's roar shook the entire mountain valley.
Snow slid down the cliffs around them as the massive creature stepped forward.
Each of its footsteps felt like a small earthquake.
Ran looked up at the towering monster.
The giant was easily three times taller than the tallest tree nearby.
Cracks of glowing blue energy ran across its frozen body like veins of power.
Mariya whispered nervously,
"That thing could crush us in one hit."
Ran smiled slightly, though his eyes remained focused.
"Then we just have to make sure it never gets the chance."
The Snow Giant suddenly lifted its enormous arm.
Its frozen fist came crashing down toward them.
BOOOOM!
Ran jumped aside just in time.
The ground exploded where the giant's fist struck.
Sharp ice spikes burst out of the snow like deadly spears.
Aarav moved instantly.
He dashed forward across the battlefield.
His ice spear glowed brightly as he leaped high into the air.
"For the Ice Temple!"
He spun his spear with incredible speed.
The weapon released a burst of freezing energy.
Then he struck.
CRASH!
The spear slammed directly into the Snow Giant's chest.
For a moment the battlefield went silent.
Cracks spread across the giant's frozen body.
Mariya gasped.
"Did he break it?"
But suddenly—
The cracks began glowing even brighter.
The Snow Giant roared again.
The damage had only made it angrier.
Its massive arm swung sideways.
Aarav barely had time to react.
The giant's arm struck him like a moving mountain.
BOOM!
Aarav was thrown across the snowfield.
He crashed into a frozen cliff and fell to the ground.
"Aarav!" Mariya shouted.
But the giant was not finished.
It turned its glowing eyes toward her.
Slowly, it began walking forward.
Each step shook the frozen ground.
Mariya felt the cold wind around her begin to swirl faster.
Her crystal glowed intensely.
The Wind Temple power was reacting to the danger.
She raised her hands.
"Alright… let's try something new."
The air around her exploded into motion.
Powerful winds spiraled upward like a tornado.
Snow lifted into the sky.
The storm itself seemed to obey her.
"Wind Guardian Style…"
Her voice echoed through the valley.
"Storm Spiral!"
WHOOSH!
A massive vortex of wind blasted toward the Snow Giant.
The storm slammed into its frozen body.
Snow and ice exploded everywhere.
The giant staggered backward.
For the first time—
It lost its balance.
Ran saw the opportunity instantly.
"Nice one, Mariya!"
Blue Guardian energy erupted across his sword.
He ran forward at full speed.
The snow cracked beneath his feet as he jumped into the air.
The blade glowed brighter and brighter.
"Guardian Slash!"
The sword cut through the air like lightning.
SLASH!
The attack struck the giant's shoulder.
A massive chunk of ice shattered off its body.
The Snow Giant roared in pain.
But the battle was not over yet.
Because the other frozen beasts were still coming.
Ice Wolves jumped from the storm.
Shadow Spirits floated through the freezing wind.
And the Snow Giant raised its arms again.
The Frozen Mountain had unleashed its full fury.
Fall of the Snow Giant (Final)
The battlefield had turned into complete chaos.
The snowstorm raged wildly across the mountain valley.
Ice Wolves circled around Ran and Mariya like hungry predators.
Shadow Spirits floated through the air like dark ghosts made of frost.
And in the center of the battlefield—
The enormous Snow Giant stood like a mountain of living ice.
Its glowing blue eyes burned with rage.
Cracks spread across its body from Ran's last attack.
But the giant was far from defeated.
Instead, its power seemed to grow stronger.
The Snow Giant slowly raised both of its massive arms.
The frozen ground beneath it began to tremble.
Aarav, who had just stood up after the earlier attack, immediately realized what was happening.
"Everyone move!"
But it was already too late.
The Snow Giant slammed both fists into the ground.
BOOOOOOM!
A massive shockwave blasted across the entire battlefield.
The snow exploded into the air.
Huge walls of ice rose from the ground like jagged spears.
Ran jumped backward to avoid the attack.
Mariya used her wind power to push herself away from the rising ice spikes.
But even then, the impact nearly knocked them down.
The mountain itself seemed to roar with the giant's power.
Ran looked toward Aarav.
"You still alive?"
Aarav wiped the snow from his face and smiled faintly.
"I've survived worse."
He lifted his ice spear again.
Cold energy gathered around the weapon.
"This battle ends now."
The Ice Wolves howled loudly again.
They rushed forward as if obeying the giant's command.
Several wolves jumped toward Mariya at once.
But this time—
She was ready.
Her crystal shined brighter than ever.
Wind energy spiraled around her body like a glowing storm.
Her hair moved wildly in the freezing wind.
She raised both hands toward the sky.
"Let the storm answer my call…"
The air around the battlefield suddenly began spinning faster.
The snowstorm intensified.
The wind grew stronger and stronger.
Ran could feel the pressure building.
Mariya shouted loudly.
"Cyclone Burst!"
WHOOSH!
A massive tornado of wind exploded outward from her position.
The powerful storm blasted the Ice Wolves away like leaves in a hurricane.
Several wolves crashed into the frozen cliffs.
Others were thrown deep into the valley below.
Even the floating Shadow Spirits were scattered by the raging wind.
For the first time—
The battlefield became clear.
Only the Snow Giant remained.
The enormous creature roared angrily.
Its glowing eyes focused directly on Mariya.
It began walking toward her again.
But Ran stepped forward.
"You're fighting me."
Blue Guardian energy exploded across his sword.
The blade began glowing brighter than ever before.
Even Aarav could feel the power radiating from it.
Ran lowered his stance.
The snow beneath his feet cracked.
"I've had enough of this mountain test."
He dashed forward with incredible speed.
The Snow Giant lifted its arm to strike him.
But Ran moved faster.
He jumped high into the air.
Blue light surrounded his sword like a blazing star.
"Guardian Blade… Final Strike!"
The sword came crashing down.
SLAAAAASH!
The attack struck directly into the Snow Giant's chest.
A blinding explosion of energy erupted across the battlefield.
Cracks spread rapidly across the giant's frozen body.
For a moment—
Everything became silent.
Then the giant's body began breaking apart.
Huge chunks of ice shattered and fell to the ground.
The glowing light inside its body faded slowly.
With one final roar—
The Snow Giant collapsed.
BOOOOM!
The massive creature shattered into thousands of frozen fragments.
The battle was finally over.
The snowstorm slowly began to calm.
The wind softened.
The Ice Wolves that remained disappeared back into the mountains.
The Shadow Spirits faded into the storm.
The mountain had finished its test.
Ran slowly lowered his sword.
Mariya walked toward him.
"That… was intense."
Aarav joined them, resting his spear against his shoulder.
"You passed the first trial of the Frozen Mountains."
Ran looked toward the distant peaks.
"So that was just the beginning?"
Aarav nodded.
"The real challenge waits inside the Ice Temple."
Far away across the snowy valley—
The ancient temple glowed faintly in the darkness.
And deep inside it…
Victor was already waiting.