Frozen Mountain .2

As Aria locked eyes with the beast, something within her stirred. A realization.

She closed her eyes for a brief moment, allowing the world to fade around her. The howling wind, the weight of the cold, even the presence of her allies—everything dulled into the background. Then, like a whisper from the depths of her mind, a voice echoed.

"Relax. Calm your breathing. Focus on your enemy and the surroundings to reach that enemy. Nothing else matters besides that one strike."

The voice was serene, steady, yet commanding. It resonated deep within her soul, and suddenly—she saw it.

Paths. Countless invisible routes weaving through the battlefield, each one leading her to the beast. The snowy mountains around her were no longer obstacles but tools. The jagged terrain, the shifting ice, the untouched ridges—all of it formed a network of possibilities.

Her eyes snapped open, glowing faintly with icy determination.

Then, she moved.

Her form blurred, vanishing in an instant as she lunged forward. The wind barely shifted in her wake. Using the mountain itself as her foothold, she propelled herself at an angle, appearing beside the beast in less than a heartbeat. A single, precise slash.

Before the Ice Bear could react, she was already gone.

Aria rebounded off the snow, twisting midair before landing on the edge of a jagged outcrop. The moment her feet touched it, she pushed off, using the narrow point as a springboard to launch herself again—her blade flashing as it carved through the bear's thick hide.

Again.

Again.

Again.

She was relentless. An ever-moving specter weaving through the battlefield, her strikes sharp and fleeting like winter's breath. Each movement was calculated, flowing seamlessly into the next.

The bear, in its rage, roared violently, thrashing its colossal limbs in a desperate attempt to catch her. It slammed its massive paws into the ground, sending waves of snow and ice scattering through the air. It crushed rock, tore apart the very terrain in its frenzy—but no matter how wildly it struck, it could not touch her.

And then—just as an attack was about to predict her next landing—Dante acted.

With a flicker of movement, he activated [Phantom Replacement].

In an instant, Aria vanished from harm's way. The Ice Bear's claw came crashing down upon where she should have been, obliterating the icy ridge into a thousand shards.

But something unexpected happened.

As Aria's position shifted, her katana slipped from her grip, the momentum of her attack already set in motion. The blade hurtled toward Dante with frightening speed.

Dante, ever sharp, twisted at the last second, narrowly dodging the edge of the incoming strike. Yet, even in that instant, the sheer precision of Aria's cut was undeniable—a few strands of his hair were severed mid-motion, scattering into the wind.

The loose strands froze in the frigid air before shattering into glimmering frost.

Then, the battlefield stilled.

The Ice Bear's massive frame trembled. Across its body, intricate patterns of frost had begun to form—dozens of ice blooms growing like spectral flowers, spreading outward from every wound Aria had inflicted.

Then, with a single, deafening crack—

The frozen blossoms shattered all at once.

A chorus of breaking ice echoed through the mountain pass, and the beast let out a final, guttural howl before collapsing under the weight of its own destruction.

Silence followed.

For a long moment, only the wind remained.

Aria landed lightly on the snow, her blade back in her grasp. Unscathed. Unbothered. The snow beneath her still untouched, as if she had never moved at all.

Aria exhaled slowly, the cold air escaping her lips in a soft wisp as she sheathed her katana. The world around her, which had faded away in her moment of focus, gradually returned—her surroundings, the howling wind, and most notably, her party staring at her with wide eyes.

"D-Did I just do that?" she asked, her voice laced with genuine disbelief.

Dante was the first to react. He turned to her, a broad grin stretching across his face.

"That was fucking awesome."

Stiles and SteelArm quickly chimed in, both nodding in agreement.

"Smart use of the mountain," Stiles remarked. "The way you used the terrain to keep increasing your speed—it was a good idea."

SteelArm let out an approving chuckle. "Yeah, that was some next-level footwork. I don't think that bear even realized what was happening until it was already dead."

Dante, never one to miss an opportunity, crossed his arms smugly. "Of course, let's not forget why she was able to pull that off. That's all thanks to my expert training program." He shot Aria a knowing look. "Clearly, I'm just an incredible teacher."

Aria, who had been absorbing the sudden flood of compliments, felt a warmth creep up her face. She turned away, cheeks slightly flushed.

Stiles, ever perceptive, smirked as he caught the reaction before anyone else. "Oh? What's this? The Ice Queen actually blushing?"

Before Aria could retort, Stiles' eyes flicked downward, noticing something unusual. His playful expression shifted to curiosity.

"...Hold up." He gestured toward her feet. "What's with the whole standing on snow without it breaking?"

At his words, both SteelArm and Dante turned their gazes downward.

Sure enough, the snow beneath Aria was completely untouched—pristine, unbroken, as if she hadn't just been moving at impossible speeds across it.

There was no imprint. No disturbance.

Just untouched, perfect snowfall beneath her feet.

Aria looked down, finally noticing what the others had pointed out. The snow beneath her remained undisturbed, as if she had never stepped on it at all. A small frown formed on her lips before she shrugged slightly.

"I guess… it's something to do with my class," she muttered, her voice trailing off as a quiet thought settled in the back of her mind.

Stiles, never one to dwell on mysteries for too long, just shrugged. "Eh, who cares?" He shook his head before turning to Dante. "Hey, use [Phantom Replacement] on my bag real quick."

Dante gave a lazy nod before activating his skill, swapping a random clump of snow with Stiles' bag. The bag materialized in the air, and Stiles caught it effortlessly. He dusted off the snow, then slipped his twin blades back inside before slinging the bag over his shoulder.

Dante stretched his arms before glancing ahead. "We're close to the first checkpoint," he announced, already moving up the mountain. "Let's get going."

SteelArm followed, his heavy footsteps crunching through the snow. Aria and Stiles trailed behind, their breaths visible in the cold night air.

The climb was steady but grueling. The mountain's harsh winds picked up as the minutes turned to an hour, but none of them spoke much—they were too exhausted to complain.

As they reached the checkpoint, the exhaustion in their bodies weighed heavier than the freezing air around them. The small outpost was nothing more than a set of makeshift tents and reinforced barriers against the mountain's relentless winds. The dim glow of lanterns flickered within the resting areas, casting long shadows over the snow-covered ground.

Dante pulled back the flap of one of the tents and stepped inside, letting out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. SteelArm did the same, rolling his shoulders before settling in a corner of the tent, his massive frame making the space feel smaller than it was. Aria hesitated for a moment before stepping in, her fingers subconsciously brushing against the hilt of her katana as if grounding herself in reality.

Stiles, still outside, scanned the area with a tired but cautious gaze. His experience taught him that even in so-called safe zones, nothing was guaranteed. He let out a slow breath before finally stepping into the tent and dropping his bag beside him.

Aria sat down near the entrance, pulling her knees to her chest as she stared at the dimly lit ceiling. Her mind replayed the fight over and over—the sensation of moving effortlessly through the snow, the strange awareness that had taken over, and the icy flowers blooming from her strikes as if they had always been part of her.

She clenched her fists. "That voice—it felt familiar, yet distant."

"Oi," Stiles' voice snapped her out of her thoughts. She looked over to see him stretching out his arms before resting against the back of the tent. "You good?"

Aria hesitated before nodding. "Yeah. Just… thinking."

Stiles raised an eyebrow but didn't push further. Instead, he chuckled. "Thinking about how badass you were back there?"

Dante smirked from his spot. "She was badass. But let's be real, it was all thanks to my training program."

SteelArm let out a deep chuckle. "Right..."

Dante crossed his arms. "You say that like it wasn't a learning experience. She didn't die, did she?"

Aria rolled her eyes but couldn't hide the small smile tugging at her lips. The warmth of their banter eased the tension in her mind, if only slightly.

Stiles smirked. "Well, joke's on you, 'cause I'm officially calling dibs on that trick. Next time I get in trouble, Dante, I expect you to teleport me out of danger, too."

Dante scoffed. "Sure, but it's gonna cost you."

"I'll pay in exposure."

SteelArm chuckled again before settling into a more comfortable position, his heavy frame shifting the tent slightly. "We should get some sleep. We'll need all the energy we can get for what's ahead."

That statement made the air a little heavier. They all knew this was just the beginning. The mountain was only going to get harsher, and their challenges were far from over.

Aria laid back, staring at the tent's fabric above her. The question still lingered in her mind—what exactly had she done back there and the way it felt normal, natural, yet also foreign. 

Her fingers grazed the cold hilt of her katana once more before she closed her eyes.

The answers could wait until tomorrow.

One by one, their breathing slowed, their bodies finally succumbing to rest. Outside, the wind howled loudly brushing against their tents as they all slept.