Shadows of Ascension

66. The Path Through the Frozen Heights

Several days had passed since Aiden, Luca, and Riona had parted ways with Erebus and his brothers. Their wounds had fully healed, and they were now prepared to continue their journey. With their strength restored and their goal in sight, they pressed forward toward the Lawless Area—but first, they had to cross a formidable obstacle: the Frozen Peak. 

The trio stood before a vast mountain range, stretching endlessly in both directions. At the center stood a colossal, snow-covered mountain, towering over the rest. 

Luca pointed toward it. "We need to cross that mountain. It’s the easiest way to reach the Lawless Area." 

Riona crossed her arms, skeptical. "Are you sure about that? Look at the mountain next to it. It’s way smaller, and we could get through faster. Plus, that middle mountain is completely covered in snow. It’ll slow us down." 

Luca shook his head. "It’s true that the smaller mountain is faster, but… the Lawless Area begins right on the other side of the big one. We need to cross it to reach our next destination." 

Aiden raised an eyebrow. "Another stop, Luca?" 

"Yes," Luca confirmed. "When my brother traveled through the Lawless Area a long time ago, he climbed this mountain and met his mentor here. That’s where he went from a B-rank hunter to an A-rank—and he did it in a short amount of time." 

Aiden’s eyes lit up. "So we’ll get even stronger?" 

But before Luca could answer, Riona interrupted. "Wait. I get that. I’m a C-rank hunter, and I know that reaching B-rank is tough, but possible. But you two? You’re already B-rank hunters." She narrowed her eyes. "Going from B to A-rank takes years. Most hunters never even come close. It’s levels ahead of what we can do right now." 

Luca only smiled in response. "We’ll see. Let’s go, team." 

With that, they began their ascent. 

### The Frozen Climb 

The trek up the mountain was grueling. The higher they climbed, the colder it became. At first, the air was crisp and clear, but soon, the wind howled through the peaks. 

Then the monsters appeared. 

Massive ice bears lunged at them from behind boulders, their thick white fur blending with the snow. Their claws were like daggers, their roars echoing through the valley. 

Aiden leapt forward, dodging a powerful swipe and slamming his fist into one of the creatures’ ribs. The beast tumbled backward but quickly recovered. 

Luca spun his blade in his hand. "These things are strong, but we can handle them!" 

Riona unleashed a flurry of strikes, her movements fast despite the rough terrain. She slashed through the thick hide of one bear, causing it to collapse in the snow. 

They kept climbing, defeating monster after monster, but the further they went, the fewer enemies they encountered. 

Aiden wiped sweat from his forehead despite the freezing temperatures. "We’ve fought so many of those ice bears, but the higher we go, the less we see." 

Riona panted, her breath visible in the cold air. "Maybe the conditions are too harsh, even for them." 

Then, the blizzard struck. 

The wind picked up, howling like a beast, blinding them with thick snow. Their visibility was reduced to almost nothing. 

Riona hugged herself. "It’s getting harder to see. We need to find shelter." 

Luca narrowed his eyes against the wind. "We’re close to the peak. We keep moving forward." 

Aiden clenched his fists. Something felt wrong. The further up they went, the more unnatural this storm seemed. 

And then—just barely, through the snow—he saw a shadow moving in the distance. 

Someone—or something—was waiting for them at the top.