“Wait,” Del said as she stared out at the valley.

She pulled her hair pack, gathering it into a ponytail. “Do we need to clear each fortress ourselves, or are there other people here?”

As if on cue, one of the domes flashed with red light, and a boom echoed through the air.

Del shrugged. “Well, that answers that.” She turned to face them. “I figure we clear this as fast as possible, then help the other people in their domes? We have an actual group of people working together, which is probably not the case for most others. We can probably blast through pretty quick.”

Steven nodded. Del was surprisingly relaxed for this situation, but then again, so was he. “Sounds like a plan.”

Markus began to stretch as his blue eyes focused on the fort. “Chances are a horde of snowmen will swarm us once we get down there, so be ready. Nobody needs to take a hit from Frosty.”

Margie cracked her neck while Micheal started stretching next to Markus.

Steven eyed Micheal. Going into danger with him always made Steven nervous. Micheal could help keep them all safe with his Skill, but he couldn’t give it to himself. Now Micheal could even heal them, but if he took a single solid hit, he might be out of the fight…or dead.

Which was why Steven would make sure he didn’t get hit.

Steven paused as a thought struck him.

He hadn't paid much attention to it since his Traits were straightforward, not to mention he only had three of them in his Trait shop.

But Micheal hadn't picked any last time he checked. "Micheal, have you bought a Trait yet?"

He shook his head. "I didn't get any new ones from passing my Threshold, and at this point, with how close we are to level 10, I've decided to hold off and see what I get."

Steven frowned. He didn't like sitting on a potential resource, but since they were almost to level 10, he understood.

He still couldn't purchase his expensive Trait, despite how much he wanted to.

A flat 50% increase to shield strength would be incredible right now, but he wouldn't be able to afford it for another 3 levels, assuming that a better Trait didn't catch his eye at level 10.

"1 level, actually."

"What?"

"You'll be able to get that Trait after 1 more level. I may have forgotten to include the bonus Trait and Skill points you got after beating the Mad Doctor. Though maybe I should increase the cost now that I'm thinking about it. 50% shield strength is a big buff."

"Are you fucking kidding me?"

"In fact, I'm certain of it now. Oh, I've got an idea! One sec."

Steven didn't hear or feel anything different, but after a beat, the System spoke up. "And done! That Trait is now locked behind reaching level 15. I feel that is more balanced."

"YOU FUCKER!"

"SYSTEM OUT!"

Steven clawed at the air for a second before taking a deep breath. Fine. This was fine. The System being a dick was nothing new. This didn't change anything.

Except how fast I'm going to get the fucking Trait!

Still fuming, Steven joined Micheal Markus in their stretching.

After a minute of warm-up, they started down the hill.

Markus’s Skill kindled to life around him, the amber light shining like a suit of hazy armor.

Del rushed ahead of Steven, charging down the hill with reckless abandon.

Steven’s boots were swallowed by the snow as he slipped and slid, barely able to keep his balance.

Margie and Micheal took it a little slower, making it to the hill behind him.

Buford flopped over and slid down the hill, building up some real speed as he went.

Noodle ran in the path cleared by the bigger dog.

Steven’s breath puffed in the air, but he wasn’t winded.

He’d been getting plenty of exercise since the Systems arrival, and his levels, his Traits, and Micheal’s Skill took care of the rest.

They reached the fort’s front yard, as it were, and snowmen began to pour out of the barracks.

They looked like the earlier snowmen, but with the addition of snowy breastplates and knight's helms—the fancy-looking ones with a red feather in the back.

Buford and Markus met their charge as Noodle flanked around the side.

Steven narrowed his focus and started to call.

Shields flew out, smashing into snowmen and blocking swords mid-swing.

Buford crashed through a snowman with Markus right behind him. The man covered for the dog, lashing out at snowmen that tried to tag him.

Del moved to the left as a curtain of white light washed over her. She tore into the frontline, taking a few hits here and there that didn’t even slow her as she focused entirely on attacking.

Everything else the snowmen threw at them Steven blocked.

They tore through the snowmen, their icy forms barely surviving two hits from Markus before caving.

Micheal and Margie stood next to Steven, watching the battle unfold.

Margie growled. “I want my goddamn guns back.”

Micheal patted her on the shoulder.

The snowmen closed ranks as more poured from the barracks.

Steven noticed with a start that the newcomers had icy bows, and they didn’t look weak, either.

The bows glowed with blue light, and each arrow tip seemed to warp the air around it.

Half a dozen archers took aim at them.

Micheal stepped forward and snapped, "Steven, Tower-Shield!"

Steven didn't hesitate. He started calling in front of Micheal as the man threw his hands out.

He sucked in a breath, and the air shook with streams of blue as Micheal shouted. "LOOK AT ME!"

The snowmen snapped to Micheal, and the archers loosed.

Just as Steven finished calling his shield.

The arrows thudded into the wall of green with a sound like breaking glass.

Steven blinked. Those arrows packed a punch. It wasn't enough to even crack the Tower-Shield, but he wouldn't try to stop them with anything else.

He turned to Margie. "Don't let Buford try to tank the arrows."

She stepped past the shield. "I won't, but I don't think I'll need to worry about that." She pointed.

Steven also moved past his shield to see Noodle tearing into the archers. Caught in Micheal's taunt, the poor snowmen didn't stand a chance.

Black teeth tore through snow and ice as the little dog blitzed his way past.

The others hadn't stood idle, and nothing but powder remained of the taunted mob.

Micheal rolled his shoulder and bounced from foot to foot, a deep blue light coating his boots.

"Holy crap, this feels cool!" He danced back, and the motion was noticeably faster than usual.

Steven hadn't forgotten about the speed Augment, but they hadn't gotten the chance to test it.

Couldn't really test a power that required enemies to activate.

Steven turned toward the fort.

"Can we move on?"

In response, the barracks doors exploded off its hinges.

The ice crashed down with a plume of snow. Steven covered his face with his arm as the snow reached him, and when he lowered it, a shape was standing there.

It was easily ten feet tall, with shoulders that made linemen look like babies and massive trunks for arms.

The cloud settled, leaving Steven to gawk at the giant.

Long manacles of ice hung from its wrists, leaving twin furrows in the snow, and its pale hands were clenched into fists.

Symbols were carved into its broad chest, sweeping elaborate things that reminded Steven of kanji.

Its face was blank, like that of a mannequin, but could still display plenty of hostility as it turned to Steven.

The thing growled, the sound reverbing through his chest like a fog born before it lowered its head and charged.

"Fuck."