<>(Zack)<>

Erm…

So the roar didn't work on the weird Monster no one's mentioned before. Like… it just stared at me, blinking several times, as if it didn't care.

It stands around four feet tall, has a slender, ice-like body with arms and legs that narrow down into points, a head and shoulders with various spikes sticking out of it. Nothing like that Santa Slimes that showed up.

Ice Lord Level 25 Health: 782,097 Mana: 509,893

I guess I should've expected my attempt to fail, based on those stats. I'm assuming it's some sort of Special Monster, though I really want to know why no one's mentioned it to me. It looks OP, based on those stats.

I can probably kill it.

"Hi," I say, and it blinks a few times. "I'm Zack."

It continues to stare.

"That's very disturbing," I tell it. "Want to be friends?"

It howls, its voice screeching through the air. I grip my ears, grimacing from the force of the sound. Damn, that's loud. It's annoying as fuck, too.

"FIREBALL!" I yell at the top of my lungs, a violet orb of flames forming in front of me, then blasting forward and slamming that thing in the face. It stops. "Finally!"

My Fireball didn't do any damage to it.

I unleash another Rage-fueled Roar of Darkness because I'm pissed, then run forward, drawing my sword and cutting at the beast. It raises one of those crystal-like arms to block my attack, my sword cutting into it, but not by much. It does cut it, though, dealing some damage. Not enough to really make a difference, though.

The Ice Lord swings its other arm at me, and I jump back, ducking under it as it kicks at me as well. It launches into a series of punches and kicks that I deflect with my sword, arms, fists, and legs, doing my best not to get hit directly.

This thing is tough, and it hits hard. Thankfully, my armor takes the brunt of the attacks, and my sword stops a few. But even catching its strikes hurts like hell and deal damage to me.

As I'm debating fleeing, my Health in the teens, a message appears in my vision.

You Have Been Healed! +1,087 Health!

Uh…

I know there isn't a Heal Slime powerful enough to do that around here.

Whoever healed him waited until I mixed Rage, Blood Frenzy, and Dash, too. Crap! I probably could have used Dark Vengeance!

The Ice Lord and I continue to spar, and when I hit the teens again, I let out a roar.

"Dark Vengeance!"

I manage to cut into its arm, my Rage-fueled, Blood Frenzy-powered, Dash-quickened strike slicing off the crystal-like ice, my Health healing to full.

Damn, that was awesome! And it did even more damage because I actually did some decent damage to it!

The Ice Lord jumps back several steps, watching me warily, then suddenly, it begins to snow, and heavily, with high winds that whip at my clothes. My breath begins to fog even more…

And I realize that I don't feel cold. Not in the slightest. In fact, now that I'm thinking about it, I don't think I've felt cold at all. Not since… not since nearly dying and somehow cauterizing the wounds in my Sacred Crystal.

In other words… the only thing this blizzard it's summoning is doing to me is hindering my vision, hitting me with high winds, and making it dangerous for me to move around freely.

Because of that, I firmly plant my feet, continuing to fight this fucker while moving as little as possible. Anytime I drop to the teens in Health and can't land a Dark Vengeance or don't have enough Mana to use it, the mysterious healer uses their healing magics on me. I can't sense them, though – they're way out of my range.

Slowly, but surely, I manage to wear the Ice Lord down, cutting it apart over time, taking out its Health that way, eventually killing it.

When I finally manage to slay the beast, it melts, leaving behind a glowing core of ice, as well as several messages in my vision.

Dark General is Now Level 10! +24 Strength +8 Endurance +32 Vitality +8 Wisdom Adventurer is Now Level 8! +2 to All Stats Ice Lord Slain +500% Static Experience to Class or Classes of Your Choice, +500% Static Experience to Subclass or Subclasses of your Choice,Title [Rare Hunter], Subclass [Rare Hunter], +5Diamond, +5Frost Ingots, +5 Mystic Crystals Ice Lord Slain with less than Five Attackers +500% Static Experience to Class or Classes of Your Choice, +500% Static Experience to Subclass or Subclasses of your Choice, +5 Diamond, +20 Frost Ingots, +20 Mystical Crystals

I pick up the core glowing on the ground, examining it. The System registered me as the only attacker, so whoever healed me didn't get anything, granting me all of the bonus. At least, that's my understanding of it. That's a huge-ass reward, too. Frost Ingots are likely much, much more expensive than the other two I have. Worth diamonds, and lots of them.

I scan my surroundings, but it's difficult to take note of anything here, the blizzard still raging. Whoever was healing me has remained hidden.

Sighing, I turn to face town, only to find a boy wearing a pure-white cloak standing in front of me. He's around ten in appearance, with platinum-blond hair and icy-blue eyes.

"You must be Nathan Normar," I say.

He swipes the core out of my hand, then disappears, leaving behind only his footprints, which quickly disappear with the blizzard raging, shifting snow around and adding more to it.

Well… okay.

Now I know who was healing me, though. I guess he's claiming that as his payment for it.

Shaking my head and smiling, I return to town, where the blizzard is still hitting. It looks like even its barrier can't defend against the Ice Lord's storm.

"Hey, Zack," Jackson greets me as I enter his forge. "I was just about to close up, this blizzard is pretty intense, and I'd rather make it back home safely."

"Yeah," I say. "The Ice Lord that was in the fields out west summoned it when I cut off its arm."

"You cut off its arm?" He asks, then sighs. "How did Normar… okay."

"He already came by?"

"You saw him?" He looks stunned.

"He swiped the Ice Lord's core out of my hand."

Jackson stares at me for several long moments.

"How did it die?" He asks, and I explain the fight, as well as my realization that Nathan was healing me after he swiped the core. "You're right in that it's classified as a different type of thing, thus being the reason you gained a different Subclass instead of advancing ones you already have. Ice Lords aren't common around here… they're a Rare Boss Monster. And they're tough to kill, even for teams as powerful as Nik's."

"I probably wouldn't have beaten it," I draw my sword and knife, setting them on the counter. "Save for two things. One, the awesome weapons and armor you gave me," I start removing my armor and setting them on the counter. "And Nathan healing me from wherever he was hiding. How much is it to repair these?"

My blades have nicks all in them from the Ice Lord's attacks and blocks, and my armor is dented to hell.

Jackson sighs, then tells me he'll repair them for free this time, because of how lucky I was to survive the Ice Lord's attack.

"Eh," I say. "My gut said I could kill it. I didn't know Nathan was there, but my psychic power probably did. Thanks."

"You're welcome," he sighs. "Also – you were wrong about counting as the only one. Another tactic to steal part of the reward is to buff or heal people who are attacking during that session. Normar got half of everything. I was thinking he'd managed to kill it on his own. He just came in, dropped off some Frost Ingots, Mystic Crystals, and diamond, and asked me if I'd make him a new set of armor. I wasn't even aware he'd returned to the area."

"Oh," I say. I guess that makes sense. Damn are the rewards for killing that thing immense, then if I only got half of the reward. "Can you explain the items to me?"

"Sure," he says. "Frost Ore is excellent for making cold-resistant gear, and can provide a powerful buff to it. The type Normar wants will actually cause him to absorb cold damage from magic and Monsters. Mystic Crystals can be used to enchant various ores and materials, and won't affect the special properties of Special Metals. It's necessary in order to make the type Normar wishes to have, which is actually a pretty complex enchantment. The staff he wants me to make requires that ore he stole from you, too."

"Eh," I say. "He can keep it. Without him healing me, that thing wouldn't have died to my blades. How much are they worth?"

"Mystic Crystals," he says. "Run at fifty diamond apiece, while Frost Ingots runs at thirty apiece."

I whistle at that. I'm sitting on a goldmine with my rewards the last month and a half or so. Just from the Ice Lord's drops, I'm sitting on twenty platinum, before factoring in the straight-up ten diamond it net me.

"Indeed," Jackson says after my whistle. "That's a lot of money. Rare Boss Monsters are tough as hell, so it's not surprising they drop such valuable loot. Ice Lords actually drop some of the cheapest loot for Rare Boss Monsters. There's a Forest Guardian whose cheapest loot is worth ten platinum to sell initially."

"Um," I feel a bit nervous at that. "Forest Guardian?"

"You won't spot it," he tells me. "Rare Boss Monsters don't form in the valley, and… what the hell was an Ice Lord doing in the valley?"

"I'm wondering the same thing," I say. "Since you just told me they don't form in the valley, and the only way in or out is through this City or the Fallen City, and Monsters can't enter the Fallen City because it's been too long since it fell."

"Probably however Normar is getting past Kaelmar," he sighs. "That would explain why he was nearby, then. Now my question is if he chased it here, or if it chased him."

"It followed him," Nik says, and I turn to face the Dark Knight, who's just entered the shop. "I'd recommend leaving, Zack, Jackson. We're clearing the streets and shops, shutting everything down. An Ice Lord's blizzard can last for several days. Judging by what Normar told me, this one might last for two or three."

"Damn," I say. "There goes hunting. Also – we live pretty far, and the streets are already looking pretty covered. And the wind's looking pretty strong."

"I can get you to the Dark Temple," Nik tells me. "I've already shut Gold inside with Kulkul keeping him occupied. Jackson?"

"I know someone nearby," he tells Nik. "Normar told you what happened?"

"Yeah," Nik says. "We really should be going, though – neither of you are prepared to travel far soon."

I nod, then follow Nik out after Jackson assures him he's got a place close by he can stay. As soon as we're outside, there's a warm aura radiating off of Nik, melting some of the snow. Even still, I can still sense the cold penetrating into it, and the wind whips into it as well, despite the difference in air pressure. The snow even makes it close before finally melting, the blizzard's so strong.

It takes us a long time to reach the Dark Temple, and I can tell Nik's running low. He went through several Mana Potions to get us here. Well, and probably to sustain Kulkul's presence, too. But regardless, I know this must have taxed him a lot.

"Thanks," I say once we're inside. "I definitely wouldn't have been able to get here without that."

"You're welcome," he nods, leading me down the hall. We're probably going to the dining hall for dinner. "I just hope Blaine and the other casters manage to get everyone home safely. Normar said the thing followed him 'all stealth-like'. His wording, not mine."

"My impression is that he doesn't talk much."

"He doesn't," Nik chuckles. "His team's the only group that's ever heard his voice, and even then, it's rare. I've probably heard it the most, and that's partly because of him explaining to me the appearance of this storm."

How did he ask Jackson for the commission if only his team's ever heard his voice before?

"Where's Gold?" I ask.

Something suddenly tackles me from the side, knocking me to the ground and holding me tight. It takes me a moment to realize it's a certain doggy beastborn. His eyes are closed as he hugs me tightly, tears in the corner of them.

"I think that answers that question," Nik chuckles, and I glare up at him. "He's been worried about you ever since the blizzard started. He was pacing around like crazy when I arrived at your house, and I had to tell him to help Kulkul to get him to stop once we were here. Normar didn't tell me everything about the Ice Lord, I'm sure, seeing as you're Level 10 Dark General. Would you mind explaining to me how that happened?"

"Sure," I manage to shove Gold off of me. "While we're eating. Gold – I'm fine, I promise. I know my powers are based in fire, but the cold doesn't really bother me, and I had Nik to help me get here."

Gold nods, seeming to calm down a bit, and Nik gives me an inquisitive look. Oh, right. He doesn't really know that I can understand Gold, does he?

I wonder what he'd say if I told him that beastborn can speak, just like I questioned when he first told me about them. Gold never has, but I've gotten the impression from him that he can if he wanted to. He's scared of saying the wrong thing and getting into trouble, even if he's acknowledged that I won't hurt him.

Apart from when I accidentally stepped on his tail, but that was a different story. I was half-awake, yawning, and my eyes were closed. He forgave me.

"Let's go eat," I say. "I'm sure Gold and Kulkul made a decent meal for us."

Gold nods happily, then takes off running, probably to the kitchens. I just grin at Nik, then head to the dining room.