Atop A Mountain

When Erik, Liam, and Mia examined the medallion and discuss about how the best way they should approach this founding, a sudden blue flash of light appeared before their eyes. The familiar glow of the System's notification flickered into view.

[You have killed unknown enemies. You gain 150 EXP.]

The three of them exchanged surprised glances. They hadn't even thinking about that amidst the chaos of the battle, that they will receive EXP when they defeat an enemy just like what happened when they are killing the giant wolves on earth that time.

Erik quickly swiped his hand, bringing up his status window. His eyes scanned the information displayed there and he could see that his EXP had increased significantly.

"Check your EXP," Erik said.

Mia and Liam both summoned their status windows, and their eyes widened as they saw the same increase in experience points. The goal of leveling up was now very close.

"We're at 480 EXP now," Liam said. "I didn't even realize we were this close to leveling up."

Mia nodded while showing the same excitement. "We've just been so focused on training and everything else that's been happening that I didn't even think about the EXP we were earning."

"Great. Just a little more and we will be at Level 2," Erik said.

Liam grinned. "I can't wait to see what kind of power we'll gain once we level up."

"Right. But now, lets focus on this first." Erik pointing at the medallion in Mia's hand.

Liam nodded then said, "We should just activate this thing and go there now. If this medallion is connected to their lair, we can take the fight to them before they have a chance to regroup."

Erik frowned, his eyes still fixed on the medallion. "That's too reckless. We don't know what we're walking into. If we rush in without a plan we could end up dead before we even realize what's happening."

Mia nodded in agreement. "Erik's right. We need to be smart about this. We don't know how many of them are left, or what kind of defenses they have. Charging in blind could be a disaster."

Liam sighed, running a hand through his hair. "But we don't know how much time we have. What if we wait too long and something terrible happens? We've already seen how dangerous they are."

As they argued, another flash of light appeared before their eyes. The System's notification materialized in front of them once more, drawing their attention away from the medallion.

[New Quest Available!]

[Quest: Proceed to the enemy's lair using the Rune of Teleportation. However, before you do, recover your Aether through meditation to ensure you are fully prepared.]

The three of them stared at the notification, the tension in the air shifting as they absorbed the new information.

"Looks like the System agrees with you, Liam," Erik said.

"Yeah. See? I always make good decision, hehe," Liam replied. "We'll meditate and recover our Aether first. Let's not waste any time. The sooner we're ready the better, right?"

The three of them each finding a comfortable position as they closed their eyes and focused inward. The energy within them was depleted from the battle and now they began to draw in the ambient energy of the world around them.

The system even reminded them about it. As if the system itself was observing them at this moment from a far away place.

---

High atop a frozen mountain where the relentless snowstorm raged and the icy winds howled, a woman stood alone on a stone balcony.

The entire structure had been carved into the heart of the mountain like a fortress of ice and rock that hidden from the world. Her bright blonde hair flowed like a golden river in the wind. She wore a black coat of armor that used to be pristine white.

Her gaze was fixed on the blizzard beyond, her sharp eyes narrowing as if she could see through the storm itself. There was a calculating edge to her expression and a look of cold anger that matched the frigid landscape before her.

From the shadows behind her a figure emerged. Nox stepped into the room. He paused, observing the woman before he spoke.

"How is your plan progressing?" he asked with smooth voice that tinged with curiosity.

The woman didn't turn to face him, her focus still on the blizzard outside. "Everything is going according to plan," she replied, her voice as cold as the wind that whipped around them.

Nox approached her, his footsteps barely making a sound against the stone floor. He reached out and gently stroked her blonde hair, his fingers brushing against the strands.

"You should show me more respect and gratitude, my dear," Nox murmured, his voice low and insinuating. "Without my help, your plan wouldn't be moving so smoothly."

The woman slapped his hand away, turning to face him with a glare that could freeze. Her eyes burned with a cold fury as she hissed, "Don't you dare touch me."

Nox's expression darkened, his jaw clenching in barely concealed annoyance. The playful gleam in his eyes vanished, replaced by something much more dangerous.

"You're not very grateful," he said, his voice carrying a sharp edge now, as if warning her of the consequences.

But the woman remained unfazed, her gaze unwavering as she stared him down.

"I don't owe you anything, Nox. I worked with your master," she spat. "You may have helped me, but don't mistake that for control. You're nothing but your master's dog that need to serve me as he said."

For a moment, the tension between them crackled like the ice in the air. Nox's eyes narrowed, but then he stepped back, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips.

"We'll see," he said quietly. "We'll see how long that defiance lasts."

The woman didn't respond, turning her back on him once more to face the storm. Her mind was focused on the task ahead, on the vengeance that drove her, and she refused to let Nox—or anyone else—distract her from it.

The storm outside raged on, a mirror of the storm brewing within her.

---