Child of the maw. Draped in black.

Traverse the caverns of umbral stone.

Claim your knowledge; fulfill the pact,

In the frigid lands of ice and snow. 

Seek the magus, the king, and hunter,

Within the lands of perilous white. 

Invoke your pawn till torn asunder,

And claim your bishop and your knight.

In the dimly lit laboratory, Tetra stood at his desk amidst beakers of bubbling black liquids and the scattered remains of crushed Mana crystals, his face twisted in disgust.

 

"These lowly creatures have such unrefined palettes," he sneered, as he walked over to the stasis chambers that lined the walls. He placed his hand on the glass of one of the chambers, where a writhing, inky black mass remain inside. "Fret not, my children," he murmured, "I will feed you soon. Though surely not with these dregs."

 

With a flick of his wrist, Tetra sent the remaining crystals crashing to the ground, shattering them into thousands of tiny fragments. He spat onto the ground in disgust before turning to leave his laboratory.

 

As he climbed out of the lab, he found himself in the room of a small keep; a foreboding space, with stone walls and floors, cold to the touch. The furnishings were sparse, but each piece was strategically placed to serve a purpose. A large, ornate wooden table stood in the center of the room, headed by a singular high-backed throne made of dark, gnarled wood. A fireplace, currently unlit, took up one corner of the room, while a few small tapestries hung on the walls, each depicting an ornate rendering of each of the twelve primary elements. Outside, he could see his companion, Kirin, hard at work smashing boulders into usable bricks.

 

"How goes construction, my friend?" Tetra asked, a hint of pride in his voice as he admired Kirin's work.

 

"Great, Tetra! I think I should be able to make a fully formed castle by the end of the year," replied Kirin, beaming with excitement.

 

Tetra let out a sigh, "Ah if only my research was going as swimmingly."

 

"Is something wrong?" asked Kirin, noticing the look of frustration on Tetra's face.

 

"The specimens are growing rather peckish, but the mana crystals I've been harvesting are of dreadful quality. I need to find some beings on this rock that have even a fleck of talent so that I might sate their thirst for power," Tetra explained, his voice tinged with anger.

 

"You've only been hunting around here and the fringes of Zaikarte, right Tetra?" asked Kirin.

 

"Yes, that is correct. Those Verdatians are far more crafty than they let on," Tetra replied, massaging his side as if remembering a painful memory.

 

Kirin, with three of his hands on his hips and one on his chin, appeared to be deep in thought. "Hmmm… I think I may have a solution for you," he said, a hint of excitement in his voice.

 

Tetra stared at Kirin's innocent grin in disbelief for a moment before responding, "Ho ho? Pray tell, my boy!"

 

"You should go through the mountain!" exclaimed Kirin.

 

Tetra's expression turned to one of confusion, "Well, I suppose if I really focus I could probably tunnel my way through a solid blackstone mountain range…"

 

"No silly! We'd take the tunnels," interrupted Kirin.

 

"The what now?" asked Tetra, his confusion only growing.

 

"There's a bunch of tunnels on the royal grounds that connect Enderteria to the other side of the range. I use them to collect this!" said Kirin, as he held up a ball of snow.

 

"What…is that? And what exactly do you use it for?" asked Tetra, intrigued.

 

"I'm not sure what to call it, but it's really cold, but when I heat it up it makes water! If I combine the water with the smooshed-up stone, I can create a compound that allows the bricks to be super strong!" explained Kirin, his excitement growing.

 

Tetra chuckled, "Kirin, you continue to astonish and amaze me with your talents." He patted the back of Kirin’s leg, and the younger being let out a giggle, "Thank you, Tetra!"

 

"Very good, now, show me to these tunnels!" exclaimed Tetra, his mind already racing with the possibilities of what lay beyond the mountain range.

 

The pair made their way up the mountain, navigating through a network of snaking tunnels in pitch-blackness. Tetra's steps were hesitant, as the dark and unknown made him uneasy. His red eyes barely illuminated the space before him. But Kirin, moved with an ironic grace as if he had traversed these tunnels a hundred times before. Finally, they reached a dead end, and Kirin turned to Tetra with a grin. "Here it is! Just a moment Tetra!"

 

Tetra stared at the Ryokan dumbfounded as he performed a series of poses and hand sigils with his four arms. As he concluded, the stone wall before them faded away, revealing an expansive snowscape known as Icarus. This territory appeared to be a direct antithesis to the molten wasteland that was Enderteria, trading the scenery of stone, lava, and aberrations for an endless expanse of ice, snow, and trees that seemed to touch the sky.

 

"Wow, it's..." Tetra began but was interrupted by Kirin's shivering. "It's so cold here. I hate it! I'm going back home," he said.

 

Tetra looked at the shivering Ryokan fondly, "You take yourself on home, Kirin. Thank you for your help."

 

"You're welcome Tetra!" Kirin yelled, bounding away from the cold as fast as he could.

 

Tetra shook his head in amusement, "Hmm. Who knew he could run that fast."

Tetra glided down the mountainside, touching down on the undisturbed blanket of snow and leaving a set of fresh prints. He looked down at his shoes now engulfed in the powder, "Curious," he said, "But I think not." He stepped out of the snow and began levitating slightly above it, pressing onward into the dense frosty forest.

 

Taken aback by the beauty of the environment, Tetra failed to stop himself from bumping into a massive quadrupedal creature feasting on another of its kind in the snow, leaving an accent of crimson upon the endless white. The creature stood tall on its hind legs, towering over the Netherian. Its body was broad and powerful, boasting a barrel chest and a thick, muscular tail that twitched in rage. Blood and sinew spewed from its maw, splattering Tetra's garb as it unleashed a powerful roar and unsheathed a powerful and dangerous-looking set of claws.

 

Tetra shook his hands, wiping the various liquids from his body in disgust. "Well," he said, "I suppose I could eat." His eyes flashed a familiar hue of scarlet as he readied himself for combat.

The beast reassumed its posture on all fours, staring Tetra down. Its eyes changed to a pale blue as an aggregation of icicles formed around the beast before launching themselves at Tetra, who barely dodged out of the way. Tetra picked himself up from the snow and began channeling his mana. A look of pure terror washed across the brute's face as the environment began to grow dark. And as Tetra was about to cast his counter, an arrow whistled across the sky, landing itself in the beast's eye.

 

Tetra immediately ended his cast, frantically trying to discover who loosed the bolt, when he heard a gruff voice in the distance. "Go on now! Get! Shoo you thing! Shoo!" the man shouted.

 

The creature got back on its hind legs, turning and discharging another thunderous bellow at the archer. The man stood his ground, muttering an incantation under his breath. "Sulo Manathe Ignus Exparte!" he shouted as the chant concludes. The arrow lodged in the beast's eye exploded, sending a hollowed husk of a skull and the attached corpse flopping to the icy ground.

 

The man approached Tetra, "Good Lord's man! What are you doing all the way out here in the wilds? Are you mad!?" he asked.

 

"More lost than mad, I’m afraid," Tetra replied.

 

"Ha! You must be. This is Icarion territory after all," the man said, as he approached the dead creature slowly, stowing his bow on his back.

 

Finally coming into full view, Tetra inspected the rugged and weathered Eltian man. He sported a strong, muscular build adorned by a stern and serious expression.  Numerous scars and callouses suggest that the man was no stranger to physical labor, though his scorched fingertips hint towards an affinity for flame magic.

“I’m sorry, what territory?”, Tetra probed.

 

The stranger crouched down and pulled a massive fang out from the beast's charred skull. "Icarion Frostclaws," he said, shoving the fang into one of his many satchels and standing up, wiping his hand on his garb laden with fur from the same family of savages that now lay before them.

 

"Though you must be particularly unlucky to stumble across the Dreadclaw variant. Are you hurt?" the man asked.

 

"No, I’m quite alright, thank you," Tetra replied.

 

"Well, you certainly won’t be for much longer dressed in that. I don’t know how you’re not freezing to death as it is. You’re all skin and bones!" 

 

The man let out a hearty laugh before quickly recomposing himself after noticing Tetra’s deadpan stare. 

 

"I jest of course, but the weather here is no joke. Especially when nightfall comes, which will be soon. We should head back to the village," the man said.

 

Tetra was surprised, "There's a village nearby?"

 

"You really must be lost. Yes, Mmemtuan is just up the way. Follow me, Sir?" the man said.

 

"Tetra, and you are?" Tetra asked.

 

"Iilthane Sturmtuan, at your service," the man replied

 

Tetra nodded, "Well then, Iilthane. Shall we?"

As Iilthane and Tetra walked through the village, Tetra couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder and curiosity. The village of Mmemtuan was unlike anything he had ever seen before. It was a quaint and cozy hamlet, with its extensive history seeping out of every pore. The community was tight-knit and efficient, with different races working together in harmony. Eltians, Anamalis, and Ascendants could be seen working together to tan hides, prepare food, and watch over the children scampering across the snow. A series of longhouses lined the back side of the village, inlaid with intricate runes, inscriptions, and depictions of great battles.

 

As they walked through the village, each member of the community took the time to turn towards Iilthane and make a small gesture with their hands, which he returned with a smile. Tetra couldn't help but notice the respect and admiration the villagers had for Iilthane, and he realized that the man must be someone of great importance.

 

As they walked, a snowball went rogue and flew in an arc, landing directly on top of Tetra's head, exploding into a powdery mist. The young Anamalis responsible quickly covered his beak in a gasp, attempting to hide behind a large statue depicting a mage casting a spell. All eyes quickly fell on Tetra, whose fierce gaze threatened to burn a hole straight through the crystalline statue. He bent down, picked up a handful of snow, packed it into a ball, and threw it far above the statue, where the kid remained in hiding. The villagers' eyes followed the snowball's path as Tetra quickly flicked his hand, causing the snowball to change course and nail the kid right in the face.

 

After a brief moment of awkward silence, the rest of the kids began to cheer and continue their frosty battle. Iilthane laughed and patted Tetra on the back. "Haha, what a first impression! You definitely have the scholarly look, but I wouldn't have pegged you for a mage," he said.

 

Tetra smirked, "I'm actually fairly accomplished in numerous schools, believe it or not. My research is what brings me out this way."

 

Iilthane's eyes widened with intrigue, "Well, this tiny little village is actually one of the few remaining settlements of the cataclysm. Many generations worth of magical knowledge are stored within the archives deep below the village."

 

Tetra was amazed, his mind racing at the prospect of discovering some new devastating magic. "And to think I believed that there was no Elder knowledge left to be studied in the world. Perhaps you could enlighten me with the knowledge of your ancestors?"

 

Iilthane’s expression quickly changed and he gave him a stern look, "Perhaps, Tetra. That knowledge is not just for any random newcomer. You are welcome here in the village, but please, remind yourself of your place."

 

Tetra, somewhat annoyed, replied "You must forgive me, Iilthane. I tend to lose my head when I come across new magics. All of it is just so fascinating."

 

Iilthane's expression softened, "Undoubtedly! The pursuit of knowledge is what makes the practice of magic so exciting." He let out a relaxed sigh as they reached the steps of the main house. "It is refreshing to have another mage in my company. Come, let us discuss your research inside."

 

Tetra nodded, "After you..." 

 

Iilthane led Tetra into the grand foyer of his home and gestured for Tetra to take a seat on one of the plush chairs draped in the pelt of a Frostclaw.

“Please, make yourself at home”, whispered Iilthane. “I’ll be just a moment”.

As Tetra sat, he closed his eyes and focused his mana, attempting to spy on Iilthane as he moved to another room.

 

Iilthane spoke softly, "I'm home now, Iillanoct. You won't believe what I found out in the forest today." He pulled the Dreadclaw fang from his pocket and sliced open his hand, pouring his blood into a mortar. He placed the fang into the bowl, crushing it with a pestle before casting a quick spell, illuminating the fang and changing the blood to a pale blue color. "Another mage! All the way out here. Can you believe it?"

 

Sitting his sister up, Iilthane poured the concoction into her mouth, watching closely as the tincture flows through her veins beneath her nearly translucent skin. 

 

“I can’t say for certain, but he says he’s accomplished in many schools. Perhaps he may be able to assist with your affliction.”, he whispered, hoping to soothe his patient.

 

She coughed weakly before laying back down and resting her hand on the covers. Iilthane placed his hand on hers, comforting her. "Don't worry, my dear sister. I promise I will make you well again."

 

Iilthane bent down and kissed her forehead before exiting her bed chamber and moving back toward Tetra. "Thank you for your patience, Tetra," he began.

 

"Think nothing of it.", Tetra replied, shaking his head. 

 

Iilthane smiled, "Now, shall we discuss the magical arts?"

 

Tetra's eyes flashed a shade of carmine and cunning "I'd like nothing more."