A massive shard of ice slammed down beside the camp, shattering on impact. Flying splinters shot out like thrown daggers, cutting several soldiers and staining the snow crimson.
Startled by the sudden chaos, the snow foxes retreated and disappeared into the depths of the snowy plain, and disappeared into the night.
Rising to his feet, Matthias surveyed the wreckage around him with a heavy sense of dread pressing down on him.
They had not only lost many soldiers that night, but the camp was also severely damaged. Their already scarce supplies were now in an even more desperate state.
The next morning, the sky remained overcast, and the wind howled bitterly. The soldiers began clearing the camp, repairing tents, and treating their wounded comrades.
Matthias led several elite soldiers to climb a nearby hill to get a better look at the island. Standing on the hilltop, he could see that the entire place was blanketed in thick ice and snow. Mountains in the distance were shrouded in mist, and strange ice formations rose like frozen castles carved from snow and frost.
“Your Highness, look over there,” one soldier said, pointing toward a frozen lake below. “Something on the lake surface seems to be glowing.”
Matthias followed his gaze and saw a huge ice crystal in the center of the lake. The crystal appeared to contain something inside and was giving off a faint blue glow.
“Let’s check it out,” he said, leading his men carefully down the hill toward the lake.
The lake surface was covered with thick ice that made crunching sounds under their feet. The group approached the ice crystal and examined it closely.
It stood taller than a man, crystal clear, and contained a strange plant inside. The plant’s leaves were pale blue, and the petals, as translucent as ice, were slowly unfurling
“Could this be… the Frostbloom?” Neville exclaimed in surprise.
“According to ancient manuscripts, this flower grows in extremely cold places and can neutralize all poisons while enhancing internal energy. They’re incredibly precious herbs.”
A flash of excitement crossed Matthias’ eyes. If they could obtain this Frostbloom, the journey wouldn’t have been in vain.
“Find a way to break the ice and get the flower!” he ordered
The soldiers drew their weapons and tried to smash the crystal, but it was unnaturally hard. Their weapons only left shallow marks when they struck it.
Just then, the frozen lake trembled, and cracks started appearing on the surface.
“Move! Get out of here,” Matthias shouted.
Everyone sprinted for the shore, but it was too late. The ice shattered, and huge chunks sank into the lake. A powerful suction force from the lake bottom dragged several soldiers near the shore into the water.
Matthias looked back. From the depths, a massive shadow rose.
A colossal Shardturtle slowly emerged from the lake. Its shell was covered with thick layers of ice like a small iceberg, and its eyes glowed with cold red light as it stared fixedly at the people on shore.
