Frostbound

The lengthening shadows and darkening cloudless sky promised the chilly night that would soon come. Not only because of the coming season change but because of the lingering Arctic mana smothering the area as well.

The landscape was awash with temporary marks of battle, some larger than others. One massive crater stood out over the rest, spanning tens of feet wide and just as many feet deep. The newly uncovered brown half-sphere clashed with the dying green everywhere else.

It wasn't alone in its fight against the dull green, as other, smaller circles of brown had their own battle to overcome.

Brown versus fading green as far as the eye could see.

Well, as far as the normal eye could see. I wouldn't put it past Hal or Austin to be able to see past the war-torn area in front of the wall.

Frozen blood still covered my skin and armor, as I hadn't decided to use [Frost Armor] for the battle.

An oversight I wasn't going to make again.

The layer of Ice was the usual victim of my heavy-handed slaying, but now, devoid of that layer, it was my skin and armor that soaked up the scarlet liquid. At least it wasn't sticky.

It hadn't had the chance to congeal before being frozen.

"You went overboard." A weary voice commented from beside where I sat, "Again."

I scoffed.

He made it sound like a bad thing and in some ways it was, but he didn't need to be so dreary about it. It wasn't like it was unfixable.