Ashen Dragon

Stormy Ridge, temporary camp of the Frost Giants.

This place used to be a verdant forest, but the Frost Giants had chopped down all the trees, and the howling cold wind brought heavy snow.

Rough tents made of Dragon Beast bones and fur were set up on the snow, with the spoils of war piled beside them: food, fur, armor, and weapons taken from nearby areas.

The Frost Giant Sacrificers of the tribe prayed to the deity, casting ancient spells to create frozen lands, which not only made the environment comfortable for the Frost Giants but also prevented enemy incursions.

The Frost Giants used these frozen lands as bases to raid and plunder all nearby communities.

Kasa stood on the top of the slope with his double-bladed axe, overlooking the wounded Baya.

"Baya, where are your men?"

"And why did you return empty-handed, without any spoils?"

Baya bowed his head, gritting his teeth as he spoke: "Clan Leader, we encountered a tough enemy, there was..."

He hesitated for a moment before choosing to speak the truth.

"Twenty-six warriors were heroically killed in battle."

Baya looked ferocious as he said this and quickly added.

"But rest assured, I will avenge them and flatten that fortress. Just give me fifty more warriors, and I guarantee—"

Kasa frowned, angrily looking at Baya as he rudely interrupted:

"Twenty-six clansmen? You lost these many for a mere fortress? Remember, sixty years ago, your father destroyed all of Nitri City and plundered centuries of treasures, with only eleven casualties!"

Baya whispered in defense: "That was no ordinary fortress, there was a real dragon behind them."

Kasa coldly interrupted him again, not giving him any chance to defend himself: "The most important quality of a seasoned captain is patience, which you clearly lack. You'll give your position to... Teman."

"I don't want to see such rash behavior from you again."

"Yes, Clan Leader."

Baya wanted to argue but swallowed his words when he saw the unwavering look in Kasa's eyes.

Kasa gave a signal, and the overjoyed Teman took a step forward, with the Clan Leader marking his forehead with two red streaks—the emblem of a Frost Giant leader for identifying them during war.

Kasa returned to the tent, where a huge cowhide map was spread out, filled with crude markings.

Several Frost Giant Sacrificers sat around, mostly vigorous in their prime, while the old and frail Elder Nur chose to stay behind at the Vaar Glacier with the elderly and weak.

"Will, can you sense the exact location of the Eternal Frost Horn now?"

The young Frost Giant Sacrificer nodded slightly.

"Clan Leader, we can't pinpoint it exactly, but we can estimate a general area."

He pointed to the ancient map and marked out an area south of the Stormy Ridge with his staff.

"However, according to the former Clan Leader's map, there is only one human city within this range—Northwind Castle."

"Good, very good."

"Capture that city, reclaim the Eternal Frost Horn, and we shall restore the glory of the ancestors in our hands."

Upon hearing the positive response from the Sacrificer, Kasa's eyes lit up.

But he quickly thought of something and frowned, asking another question.

"Based on your knowledge, is there a dragon on this Stormy Ridge?"

The Everfrost Tribe, blocked by the towering Korhka Mountains to the south, required a great deal of time and effort for each journey, leaving them clueless about recent southern affairs, still relying on ancestral information.

The Sacrificer answered truthfully: "There's no such record."

"However, Clan Leader, pardon me for saying this, our information is sixty years outdated. For these weak mortals, sixty years is many generations, and the situation in the North may have drastically changed from before."

"Is that so..."

Kasa rubbed his chin, squinting his eyes.

But soon his gaze filled with ambition again: "Regardless of how those tiny humans change, they are destined to be destroyed by our great giant race."

"And a dragon that was unheard of sixty years ago, likely still in its youth? It was nothing, only adding to my illustrious achievements with another dragon-slaying feat."

"Once we reclaim the Eternal Frost Horn, I will turn the entire North into a frozen land, leading the Frost Giants to rule the ancestral territories once more!"

"Under the mighty power of Everfrost, all resistance is utterly futile."

...

Northwind Castle, Council Hall.

Cassius sat on the throne, reviewing the latest reports from his subordinates.

"They've reached Rock Fortress? That was fast."

Dailenna responded seriously: "The Frost Giants' rapid marches in the North are well-known. They often form small squads of several giants, accompanied by the cold wind, performing quick raids, moving faster than any human troops in the North's history."

"Currently, both Barto City and Sgurr Town have suffered small-scale Frost Giant attacks, but thankfully with minimal damage. Rock Fortress faced the main force of the Frost Giants but still held."

"According to intelligence from the Red Scale Patrol Team, it seems they've given up on raiding Stormy Ridge, intending to gather their forces and march southwards, likely aiming for—the Eternal Frost Horn."

"Based on research from the Tower of the Great Sage, Lord Ramp suspects that the horn's rune power can resonate with the Frost Giant bloodline, providing a locator-like effect, but this magical effect is too high-level to be nullified temporarily."

Cassius got up from the throne, shaking his body and slowly spreading his wings.

"No need to nullify it. Their march south fits my plan nicely. I don't like running around putting out fires and losing the initiative."

"However... this charade should come to an end."

"Inform all the Kingdom's troops to block the Frost Giants north of Triel's Throat, lest they cause too much disruption in the south's normal production."

"The age of the Giant Empire is long over, and these scavengers of ancestral heritage should go back to their graves."

Dailenna hesitated for a moment and then continued.

"Master, there's one more thing."

"The Boske Duchy has sent an envoy, claiming to assist the Ashen Kingdom against the Frost Calamity. What do you think..."

Cassius showed a bit of interest.

"Oh, is that so?"

"Quickly invite this 'kind-hearted' envoy in. I want to see what medicine the old lion has in his gourd."

The golden pupils of the Red Dragon glittered with a hint of playful light.