Free Book - Prequel of The Chronicles of Canes Venatici

Boreas Planet 2 (Part 10.2)

Part 10.2 –The Struggle for Survival

The full magnitude of what has been unleashed on Frosthold is sinking in. The Ancient One strides forward, its colossal form illuminated by the flashes of lightning that streak across the sky. The ground shakes violently with every step it takes, fissures opening up in the ice, swallowing buildings and streets whole. The air crackles with the sheer force of its presence, a raw and primal power that cannot be contained. The Whispering Winds, once cryptic and subtle, now scream through the city, their voices filled with warnings of doom.

The Guardians of the Forge, the city's most skilled and brave defenders, have gathered at the gates of Frosthold. Their Froststeel armor gleams under the dim light, and they hold their weapons at the ready, prepared to make a stand. But even they know that their efforts are futile. The Ancient One is not a foe that can be defeated with swords or hammers—it is a force of nature, an entity older than the ice itself, and it cannot be stopped by human hands.

"We'll hold the line," Commander Aveline, the leader of the Guardians, says as she stands at the front of her troops. Her face is set with grim determination, but there is no mistaking the fear in her eyes. "We have to give the people time to escape."

But escape seems impossible. The storm has grown so violent that it tears through the city like a living thing, ripping apart buildings, tossing debris through the air like toys. The Ice Hunters, the hardened explorers who have braved the most dangerous corners of Boreas, know that there is nowhere to hide. The city is surrounded by glaciers, and the ground beneath those glaciers is already cracking under the weight of the Ancient One's presence. They have spent their lives battling the elements, surviving in the harshest conditions imaginable, but even they know that this is not something they can fight.

Kael paces nervously, his mind racing as he tries to think of a solution, but there is none. "It's too late," he mutters, more to himself than anyone else. "There's nothing we can do. We should have listened... we should have left it alone."

The citizens of Frosthold scramble to find shelter, but the tremors make it nearly impossible. Chunks of ice and stone rain down from the shaking buildings, and the streets buckle and crack, swallowing anything in their path. The wind roars with a fury that drowns out all sound, and the air is filled with the cries of panic and despair.

As you watch, the Ancient One raises one massive arm, and the air around it crackles with energy. A blinding flash of light shoots from its hand, striking the ground just outside the city. The earth splits open, a massive rift tearing through the ice, the ground buckling and groaning as it gives way. The rift expands rapidly, the crack spreading toward the city, swallowing everything in its path.

"We have to go!" Kael shouts, his voice rising in desperation. "If we stay here, we're all going to die!"

But there is nowhere to go. The city is crumbling around you, and the Ancient One moves closer with each passing second, its power warping the air around it, bending reality itself. The Glacial Sentinels hum in unison with its movements, their towering forms glowing brighter and brighter as they resonate with the energy of the storm.

Galen stands beside you, his eyes narrowed in concentration as he listens to the wind. "It's over," he says softly. "The winds are telling us... there's no escape."

Future Glimpse!
In the face of impending disaster, the various tribes and factions scattered across Boreas will come together for the first time in centuries. The Gathering of the Tribes will be a moment of unity—or conflict—depending on how the people of Frosthold handle the delicate negotiations. This event will determine whether Boreas' inhabitants face extinction or rise as a united force.

Olav J. Insight:
"There is strength in unity, but also tension. When survival is at stake, people are forced to put aside differences—or magnify them. The Gathering of the Tribes will reveal the true nature of humanity on Boreas. In crisis, we either unite or divide, and that choice will define our future."