A massive shard of ice mmed down beside the camp, shattering on impact. Flying splinters shot out like thrown daggers, cutting several soldiers and staining the snow crimson.


    Startled by the sudden chaos, the snow foxes retreated and disappeared into the depths of the snowy in, and disappeared into the night.


    Rising to his feet, Matthias surveyed the wreckage around him with a heavy sense of dread pressing down on him.


    They had not only lost many soldiers that night, but the camp was also severely damaged. Their already scarce supplies were now in an even more desperate state.


    The next morning, the sky remained overcast, and the wind howled bitterly. The soldiers began clearing the camp, repairing tents, and treating their woundedrades.


    Matthias led several elite soldiers to climb a nearby hill to get a better look at the ind. Standing on the hilltop, he could see that the entire ce was nketed in thick ice and snow. Mountains in the distance were shrouded in mist, and strange ice formations rose like frozen castles carved from snow and frost.


    “Your Highness, look over there,” one soldier said, pointing toward a frozenke below. “Something on theke surface seems to be glowing.”


    Matthias followed his gaze and saw a huge ice crystal in the center of theke. The crystal appeared to contain something inside and was giving off a faint blue glow.


    “Let’s check it out,” he said, leading his men carefully down the hill toward theke.


    Theke surface was covered with thick ice that made crunching sounds under their feet. The group approached the ice crystal and examined it closely.


    It stood taller than a man, crystal clear, and contained a strange nt inside. The nt’s leaves were pale blue, and the petals, as translucent as ice, were slowly unfurling


    “Could this be… the Frostbloom?” Neville eximed in surprise.


    “ording to ancient manuscripts, this flower grows in extremely cold ces and can neutralize all poisons while enhancing internal energy. They’re incredibly precious herbs.”


    A sh of excitement crossed Matthias’ eyes. If they could obtain this Frostbloom, the journey wouldn’t have been in vain.


    “Find a way to break the ice and get the flower!” he ordered


    The soldiers drew their weapons and tried to smash the crystal, but it was unnaturally hard. Their weapons only left shallow marks when they struck it.


    Just then, the frozenke trembled, and cracks started appearing on the surface.


    “Move! Get out of here,” Matthias shouted.


    Everyone sprinted for the shore, but it was toote. The ice shattered, and huge chunks sank into theke. A powerful suction force from theke bottom dragged several soldiers near the shore into the water.


    Matthias looked back. From the depths, a massive shadow rose.


    A colossal Shardturtle slowly emerged from theke. Its shell was covered with thickyers of ice like a small iceberg, and its eyes glowed with cold red light as it stared fixedly at the people on shore.