Nate gritted his teeth and slammed his fist into the thick ice pinning him to the wall. The impact sent a jolt through his arm, but the ice didn't even crack. It was too solid. Too strong. His flames flared around his knuckles, heating the surface, but still, it refused to melt.
No matter how much strength he put into it, it wouldn't break.
His breath came out in short bursts, fogging in the cold air. His body ached from exhaustion, and frustration clawed at his mind. This wasn't just any ice—it was something different, something beyond normal.
Then the old man spoke again.
"Who are you?"
His voice was slow, deliberate—each word felt like it carried centuries of weight. His pale, sunken eyes shifted away from Nate and landed on Alice.
And in the next moment, a thin, razor-sharp shard of ice shot from his palm.
It moved faster than a bullet.