Primordial Heir: Nine Stars

She did not linger. The pocket world was vast, and there were countless monsters to hunt. She stepped over the frozen remains of the orcs and marched deeper into the forest, her wand held loosely at her side.

The competition had begun, and she intended to dominate. Her expression remained cold, her steps sure. She would find Nero. She would earn enough points to secure her rank. And she would prove that she was worthy to stand beside him.

The forest swallowed her, its shadows deep, its dangers hidden. But Khione was not afraid. She was the Ice Queen, and nothing in this world could freeze her resolve. She was patiently awaiting the ambush of those two, this time she would thoroughly crush Elreth’s pride, like that she would stop dreaming of the impossible.

°°°

The forest swallowed her, but Khione was not prey. She was the predator, the cold that crept into the bones of the world. With each step she took, frost spread beneath her boots, a silent announcement of her presence. The ground crackled and crunched, frozen solid in her wake. The trees, once vibrant with green, now bore a thin coating of ice, their branches drooping under the weight.

She moved through the forest like a ghost, her white hair catching the dim light, her wand held loosely at her side. The monsters came to her, drawn by the unnatural cold. They did not understand what they were facing. They would learn.

The first to appear was a pack of frost wolves, their fur thick and white, their eyes gleaming with hunger. They circled her, their growls low and menacing. Khione did not stop. She did not acknowledge them. She simply raised her wand and pointed it at the ground.

"[Glacial Spike.]"

From beneath her feet, a column of ice erupted, jagged and sharp. It shot upward, impaling the nearest wolf before it could react. The creature yelped, then fell silent. The others lunged, but Khione was already moving. She swept her wand in a wide arc, and a wave of frost rolled from her, freezing the wolves mid-pounce. They crashed to the ground, their bodies shattering on impact.

Ten points. She moved on.

The forest grew denser, the trees thicker. A massive bear, its fur matted with moss and dirt, rose from a cave, its roar shaking the ground. It was a Rockback Bear, its hide studded with stone-like growths, its claws as long as knives. It charged, its weight shaking the earth.

Khione raised her wand, her expression unchanged. "[Ice Lance.]"

A spear of crystal-cold ice formed in the air before her, its tip gleaming with deadly light. She flicked her wrist, and the lance shot forward, piercing the bear’s chest. The creature stumbled, roared, but did not fall. It came at her again, its claws swinging.

She sidestepped, her movements fluid, and placed her hand on its flank. "[Flash Freeze.]"

Ice spread from her palm, covering the bear’s body in a thick layer of frost. It slowed, its movements becoming sluggish. She stepped back and raised her wand. "[Shatter.]"

The bear’s body exploded into a thousand frozen fragments, scattering across the ground.

Fifteen points. She continued.

The forest eventually gave way to a frozen plain, its surface glittering under the pale sky. In the distance, she spotted a herd of Frost Stags, their antlers gleaming like crystal. They were fast, skittish, difficult to catch. Khione did not chase them. She raised her wand and summoned a blizzard.

"[Blizzard Veil.]"

The wind picked up, snow swirling around her, obscuring her form. The stags could not see her. They could not smell her. She moved through the storm like a ghost, appearing before the largest stag. It reared, startled, but she was faster.

"[Ice Cage.]"

A dome of ice formed around it, trapping it. It thrashed against the walls, but the ice held. Khione stepped forward, her wand pointed at its chest. "[Permafrost.]"

The stag froze solid, its body turning to ice. She shattered it with a flick of her wrist.

Twenty points.

She continued her rampage, leaving a trail of frozen destruction in her wake. A basilisk, its gaze deadly, tried to petrify her. She countered with a reflective ice shield, bouncing its gaze back at it. The creature turned to stone, and she shattered it with a single blow. A swarm of harpies descended from the sky. She countered with a storm of ice shards, each one finding its mark. One by one, they fell, their bodies dissolving into frozen mist.

Her points climbed. Fifty. Seventy. Ninety.

She was relentless, a force of nature. Her ice was not just cold; it was absolute. It was the end of motion, the death of heat. She could feel the ambient prana flowing into her, fueling her spells, keeping her fresh. The pocket world was rich with energy, and she was using it to its fullest potential.

A giant, a massive humanoid creature with skin like granite, appeared in her path. It carried a club made from a petrified tree, its surface studded with jagged stones. It roared, a sound like grinding boulders, and charged.

Khione did not flinch. She raised her wand, and a ring of ice formed around her, spinning like a saw blade. "[Frozen Ring.]"

She flicked her wrist, and the ring shot forward, slicing through the giant’s legs. It stumbled, crashing to the ground. She walked toward it, her steps unhurried, and placed her hand on its head. "[Crystalize.]"

The giant’s body turned to ice, its roar cut short. She shattered it with a snap of her fingers.

One hundred points.

She stood amidst the frozen ruin, her breath misting in the cold air. Her score had climbed quickly, her power unmatched. But she did not stop. There was still more to hunt. The competition was far from over.

She glanced at her bracelet, then at the horizon. The forest stretched before her, dark and full of danger. She would find Nero. She would find more monsters. And she would prove that she was worthy of standing beside him.

She marched forward, the ground freezing beneath her feet, her expression cold and calm.

••••

In another, location someone else was on rampage as well, slaughtering monsters as if possessed, absorbing their essence. The carnival of slaughter have begun.