"Frost King Alpin?! Ugh.....of course it was him! Why would it be anyone else?" Coldsnap exclaimed frustratedly.
"Geode hear through grapevine about existence of Seared Hand mages," Sledge explained further. "He overhear Coldsnap, Hydraxus, and other friends discussing them in Grand Terminus......rushed back to alert me. But....Frost King and mean guards break into Stonemount Gorge and kidnap Geode, make him maintain silence."
Firebird shook her head in disappointment. "I knew Alpin wasn't all he appeared to be, but this.....? It's appalling....."
Sledge nodded. "Frost King likely ally of Flamestar and Seared Hand. Seek to blackmail me by abducting son. King threaten son with death if move against Seared Hand in any capacity."
".....So that's why Firebird said you've been in a depressive slump lately...." Leo realized.
Keena chimed in. "Is that why you won't do anything to help us yet?"
The Earth Sect leader responded affirmatively. "King want me to remain neutral in upcoming war, to not choose sides. I act, son Geode gets killed. Sense of helplessness never more apparent until now," he lamented. "Long to join Coldsnap's cause....care for Earth just like other Aspects. But hands tied. Motivation long gone. Everyday tasks feel tedious. Heroes.....help me, and Earth Sect will be in debt for sure."
"So you want us to mount an infiltration into Aurora Keep, make our way down to the dungeon cellar, free Geode, and get him back to the Gorge safely?" Firebird recapped.
"Return son to me.....and Earth Sect become one with Coldsnap and company," Sledge promised.
"He could just be bluffing, you know. Maybe it's just that; blackmail, and your son isn't in any real danger," Coldsnap protested. "Trying to intimidate you to make you back off. Sure, he's succeeding, but you're letting him do so."
But Sledge gently shot down her suggestion. "Frost King and minions have ability and power to kill Geode on dime. Could encase son in ice, then shatter casing. Could break apart body with a simple freezing blast. Besides, it kidnapping, is it not? Transgression against fellow Sect Leader......inconceivable. Geode still child, too.....cannot defend self easily."
Coldsnap looked at her three friends for their thoughts, and a decision was made almost instantly.
"Alright, we'll do this for you," the icy heroine agreed. "Geode won't be imprisoned for long. You'll hold up your end of the deal, too, right?"
"Of course. Ever since Geode mother—wife of mine—passed, I dedicate much time to watching over him. Promised her that Geode would remain safe. And now this happens.....want nothing more than for him to be by side again. Will give anything to see it through. You succeed, we join you in planet's defense; no questions asked," Sledge responded.
At that moment, he called the Boulder Brothers to his side.
"Enforcers. You grant Coldsnap and friends unhindered passage in and out of cave. They agree to help son Geode. No hindering them, as before," he instructed.
"As you command, Big Rock!" the enforcer on the right replied. "No trouble will come to them. It shall be so!"
Then, they both rolled away once more.
Coldsnap glanced at Sledge.
"Do you have some kind of room we can settle in for right now? We need time to plan our strategy," she requested.
***********************************************************************************************
In a dark, icy hallway in the deepest depths of Aurora Keep, a young Earth Sect mage sat helplessly against the jail cell's inner wall, sobbing softly.
YOU ARE READING
Coldsnap: Harbinger of Ice
Teen Fiction~PARAGON CINEMATIC UNIVERSE: PHASE 1, BOOK 5~ *This novel serves as a concurrent story to both Viper's Bite and Shocker Rising. It does reference some minor events from those novels, but this story may otherwise be enjoyed separately.* "Alpin would...
