Chapter 30: The Blizzard’s Approach and a Fragment’s Warning
Dawn broke over the Ironspine Mountains with a bitter wind, carrying snowflakes that stung like tiny needles. Lin Yue stood outside the Frost Wolves’ hut, the jade box clutched in his hand, his breath fogging in the cold air. The fragment inside pulsed faster now— not with excitement, but with fear. And in his mind, he could feel it: a distant, rumbling vibration, growing closer by the minute.
“The beast isn’t alone,” he said, turning to his father and Elder Mu, who’d just stepped out of the hut. “There are others. Lots of them. Dark qi beasts— following the main one’s trail.”
Elder Mu’s brow furrowed, his hand shading his eyes as he scanned the snow-covered peaks. “A beast horde? But why? Dark qi beasts usually fight each other, not follow one leader.”
Lin Yue opened the jade box, letting the fragment’s faint glow illuminate his palm. “Because of this. The main beast has a fragment— it’s calling the others. Using its dark qi to control them. They’re heading south— toward the alliance’s main force. Toward Xiao Yu.”
His father’s face hardened. “We can’t let that happen. If the horde reaches the alliance, they’ll overwhelm them. The villagers won’t stand a chance.”
Lin Yue nodded, closing the box and tucking it back into his robe. “We need to stop them here. In the mountains. The pass ahead— it’s narrow, surrounded by steep cliffs. We can trigger an avalanche, bury the horde before they reach the plains.”
The scouts joined them, their faces pale but determined. “We checked the pass,” one scout said, holding up a map. “There’s a cluster of dead trees on the western cliff— if we cut them down, they’ll knock loose the snow. But we need to move fast. The blizzard’s coming in— in an hour, we won’t be able to see two feet in front of us.”
Lin Yue glanced up at the sky— the clouds were dark, heavy with snow, and the wind was growing stronger. “Let’s go. Two scouts with me— we’ll cut the trees. The rest of you, set up traps at the pass’s entrance— tripwires, fire runes. Slow the horde down. We need to buy time for the avalanche.”
They split up, Lin Yue leading two scouts— Xiao Wei, a young man with sharp eyes, and Ling, a woman with a steady hand— toward the western cliff. The climb was steep, the snow slippery, and Lin Yue’s hands ached from the cold, but he didn’t slow down. The fragment’s pulse grew louder, more urgent, and he could hear it now— the distant howl of beasts, carried on the wind.
“We’re almost there,” Xiao Wei said, pointing to a cluster of gnarled, snow-covered trees at the cliff’s edge. “The roots are shallow— one good cut, and they’ll fall.”
Lin Yue nodded, drawing his sword. The blade’s steel glinted in the faint light, and he channeled a wisp of dragon qi into it— not enough to glow, but enough to make the blade sharper, stronger. He swung, cutting through the first tree’s trunk with a single blow. The tree creaked, then fell, crashing into the snow below and sending a shower of powder into the air.
“Keep going,” Lin Yue said, moving to the next tree. But as he swung his sword, the fragment in his robe pulsed— hard, sharp, like a warning. He froze, his ears pricking up.
“Listen,” he whispered.
The wind died down for a heartbeat, and they heard it: the heavy, thudding steps of a beast, coming from behind them. They spun— and there it was. A dark qi bear, twice the size of a normal bear, its fur matted with blood, its eyes glowing red. In its paw, it held a Frost Wolves disciple’s body— limp, lifeless.
“Run!” Lin Yue shouted, pushing Xiao Wei and Ling toward the cliff’s edge. The bear roared, charging, its paw swinging toward Lin Yue’s chest. He dodged, his sword slicing through the bear’s paw. The bear screamed, dark qi oozing from the wound, but it didn’t stop. It reared up, slamming its paws into the ground. The snow shook, and a crack formed in the cliff’s edge— right beneath Lin Yue’s feet.
He stumbled, grabbing onto a tree root to keep from falling. The bear lunged, and Lin Yue swung his sword— driving it into the bear’s chest. The bear fell, collapsing onto the snow, its dark qi dissolving into the air.
Lin Yue pulled himself up, his heart racing. “We need to finish the trees. Now.”
They cut the remaining trees, each one crashing into the pass below. By the time they reached the pass’s entrance, the blizzard had hit— snow swirling so thickly they could barely see each other. The other scouts had set up the traps, and Elder Mu and Lin Yue’s father stood at the front, their swords drawn.
“The horde’s here,” his father said, his voice tight. “I can hear them.”
Lin Yue closed his eyes, focusing on the fragment’s pulse. He could feel them— dozens of beasts, their dark qi mixing together, their steps thudding through the snow. “They’re 50 paces out,” he said, opening his eyes. “Get ready.”