Chapter 480: Sentenced To The Void
A chill settled over the hall as five soldiers from the Black Wolf Brigade stepped forward, each of them carrying a sealed case that contained one of the ancestral horns containing the last remnants of the greatest Frost Walkers of their respective eras. Carefully, working on one case at a time, the soldiers removed thick locks and heavy chains that secured each of the cases, opening it to reveal the icy horns within.
At the center of the row of horns stood a powerful horn twice as thick and half again as long as any other in the collection, radiating a powerful and oppressive chill that momentarily froze the breath of the men opening the cases.
The horns that followed were each distinct, ranging from slender and delicate with a soft, snowy presence to one so small it could have belonged to a young child, surrounded with a pure, almost innocent energy that made the heart feel lighter just to stand near.
Yet for all of their differences, each of the horns radiated the same sense of power and majesty, instantly commanding reverence from the Frost Walkers in attendance. Opposite the Frost Walkers, however, Heila and Talauia stepped forward instantly, raising their wands to ward off the powerful influence of the horns and shielding those behind them from the whispers that tickled the back of their minds.
On her icy throne, Ashlynn shifted slightly as pain flared along her skin where flesh that had yet to recover from extreme frostbite grew even colder under the pressure emitted from the horns. They hadn’t felt this... overwhelming when she first encountered them, nor when Hauke wore them, but now that they had been given an opportunity to strengthen themselves, it was clear that the horns contained even more power than they’d first realized.
"Kiss of the Void," Nyrielle intoned, raising her hand and releasing a surge of dark energy that swept over the horns. "Fading Presence."
The moment her energy collided with the horns, a formation of ice crystals began to shimmer into existence before them, momentarily pausing the advancement of Nyrielle’s dark power. The layer of ice lasted for less than a heartbeat, shattering under the force of Nyrielle’s assault and leaving the horns defenseless against the oppressive sorcery that robbed the horns of their powerful, majestic auras.
People on both sides of the great hall sat with mouths agape at how instantly the Harbinger of Death had suppressed the powerful horns. But then, moments later, the Frost Walkers shuddered in a different kind of horror as they realized how close they had come to bowing before the majestic relics of their ancestors, all but prostrating themselves in supplication to the heroes of old.
"Now you all see what Hauke endured in order to learn from these ’revered ancestors,’" Nyrielle said with a voice filled with admiration for the young Frost Walker’s endurance. "How many of you could have faced all five of them for weeks and months on end, just for the chance to learn something that might be of use to your nation?"