Chapter 55 – Shadows from the North

The wind from the north carried an unnatural chill that morning, sharper than usual, almost biting. A thin fog rolled across the grassy plains, blurring the horizon until the silhouettes of the trees seemed to sway like moving shadows.

Zareen walked through the busy marketplace, but the usual clamor of merchants and hagglers felt distant, muted. The air itself felt heavier, as if the whole city were holding its breath.

“Zareen!”

Doni came running from the guild’s direction, almost tripping over a vegetable cart as he waved a rolled-up parchment. His breathing was ragged, panic written across his face.

“Bad news from the guild!”

Zareen snatched the parchment and unrolled it. The bold, urgent handwriting of the Guild Master spread across the page like a command carved in stone:

> **The Ice Dragon’s aura has intensified in the north. Monster mutations are accelerating at a dangerous pace. All elite parties are to gather immediately to prepare for the raid.**

A shiver ran down Zareen’s spine. *So… the time has finally come.*

---

### The Changing Beasts

The guild wasted no time. That very day, Zareen, Yuna, Sari, and Doni were assigned a reconnaissance mission into the northern forests to confirm the situation.

The deeper they went, the thicker the mist became, clinging to their clothes and making each breath feel icy.

Then they saw it—a deer stepped out of the underbrush. But this was no ordinary creature. Its fur was gone, replaced with pale scales that shimmered like frost. Its antlers had transformed into jagged crystal-like branches, and its eyes glowed a malignant red. When it exhaled, its breath froze the grass at its hooves.

“This… this isn’t just a wild animal anymore,” Sari whispered, her voice almost trembling.

The creature let out a bone-chilling cry and charged.

Yuna was there to meet it, her black sword flashing as she braced herself. The impact sent vibrations through the ground, rattling leaves from the nearby trees.

“Doni!” Zareen shouted.

“On it!” Doni nocked an arrow, his fingers steady despite the tension. “Meteor Rain Shot!”

A volley of glowing arrows descended like shooting stars, piercing the beast’s body. The mutated deer let out a final, twisted cry before collapsing.

As it hit the ground, black smoke leaked from its wounds, curling into the air before dissipating.

Zareen’s grip on his staff tightened. “This smoke… it’s the same thing I saw when Gino lost control.”

Yuna nodded grimly. “The Ice Dragon’s aura. It’s spreading faster than we feared. The longer we wait, the more of the world it will consume.”

---

### A Guild in Motion

When they returned to the city, the guild hall was already overflowing with adventurers. The air buzzed with voices—some excited, some nervous—but all serious.

Names of famous parties echoed through the hall: **Crimson Fang**, **Silver Hawk**, and even veteran teams from faraway regions had arrived. The sight of so many powerful adventurers gathered in one place was enough to make the atmosphere feel like a festival—but there was no celebration here.

Instead, tension hung in the air like the moment before a storm breaks. Everyone knew what was coming. Everyone knew what was at stake.

The Guild Master stepped onto the podium. His crimson robe swayed behind him as his commanding voice boomed across the hall.

“Listen well! The Ice Dragon is stirring. Its dark aura spreads faster by the day. If we do not act soon, this world will fall into ruin!”

The hall fell silent, the words cutting through every murmur. Some faces turned pale. Others hardened with resolve.

“In two weeks’ time,” the Guild Master continued, “we will launch the **Second Ice Dragon Raid**. All parties who passed the guild trials—you will be part of the assault.”

A collective gasp rippled through the hall. Some clenched their weapons in excitement, others exchanged uneasy glances.

---

### The Party’s Reactions

Sari swallowed hard, her hands tightening on her chain weapon. “The Ice Dragon raid… that’s the one that wiped out half the elite guilds last time, right?”

Doni’s face was pale. “I’ve seen the old recordings. Just one wingbeat flattened twenty people. And that was just its opening move.”

Zareen gripped his staff so tightly his knuckles turned white. *Sensei once told me… the Ice Dragon is the world’s hatred made flesh. Level 200… against us who barely reached half that? Impossible—but we have no choice.*

Yuna, however, did not flinch. Her gaze was sharp, her voice like tempered steel. “This time… we won’t fail. I won’t let history repeat itself.”

---

### Gathering of Giants

In the following days, the guild became a hive of preparation. Supply crates lined the hall, blacksmiths worked day and night to sharpen weapons and strengthen armor, and scroll makers inscribed wards against ice magic.

Everywhere Zareen looked, parties were training, sparring, or mapping out potential strategies on wooden tables. Even Crimson Fang, usually too proud to mingle with others, was seen exchanging information with other teams.

The sight filled Zareen with a strange mix of fear and pride. *This is it… the world itself is preparing for war.*

---

### The Northern Glow

That night, long after the guild had gone quiet, Zareen stood alone on the balcony of the inn. The wind from the north was sharper than a blade, chilling him to the bone.

Far away, beyond the northern mountains, a pale blue glow shimmered like a haunting aurora. It should have been beautiful, but instead it made his heart pound with dread.

He closed his eyes—and that was when he heard it.

A whisper, soft yet everywhere at once.

*Come…*

His eyes snapped open.

*Come to me… and watch this world drown in darkness.*

Zareen stumbled back, clutching his chest. Cold sweat rolled down his temple.

“That voice… the Ice Dragon.”

He looked up just in time to see it: a vast, winged shadow gliding across the distant clouds, so massive it blotted out the moon for a moment before vanishing back into the mist.

The night was silent again, but Zareen knew the truth—time was running out.