Edgar's Frozen Resolve
We pushed forward through the blizzard. Every breath I drew scorched my lungs with icy air. My teeth chattered uncontrollably from the cold, but I gritted them tight.
This expedition... I must succeed. I clenched my fist. The youngest knight in the order. The honorable heir of the Haind family. I couldn't afford to fall here.
Not like brother... never.
Seven years ago flashed in my mind—that day my brother abandoned the path of nobility to become an adventurer and left the family. Father was furious, Mother wept. And I... I despised him.
"What do you even know?!"
Our last words echoed in my ears.
"A noble protects the people. Even as an adventurer, I'll walk that path."
"You'll just bring shame to the family!"
"Edgar... you're too young to understand."
Brother's final words pierced my heart. After that, all contact ceased. He was probably somewhere in this Set Hanryeong... lost forever.
The snow grew thicker. Frozen rocks and jagged ice walls loomed everywhere. Crossing Set Hanryeong was perilous. Without riding the winds, even walking was impossible.
Did he die here...? I shook my head, banishing the thought. Not the time. I crouched low, reading the wind currents swirling around me. With a flick of my sword, the air split and scattered.
This is true knightly swordsmanship.
The Haind family's secret art, taught by Father. Brother never learned it. He stubbornly stuck to the crude techniques of adventurers...
I leaped forward, light as air on the wind. But glancing back, the other knights couldn't keep pace. Their armor, soaked with ice and snow, weighed them down; their movements were sluggish.
"This pace won't do!"
"We need to rest..."
The knights' breaths grew ragged. Three had already collapsed, two more frostbitten and unable to walk.
Stuck with these weaklings...
Then—
"Monsters!"
A desperate cry rang out. I gripped my sword instantly. Ahead, through the blizzard, red eyes glowed one by one. Massive ice wolves encircled us. Frost coated their fangs; their claws scraped the snow with sharp rasps.
Frost Wolves... guardians of Set Hanryeong.
Father's teachings surfaced in my mind. Not ordinary monsters—the ancient protectors of this place.
I drew a deep breath. This was my chance to prove myself.
"Haaah!"
I gathered wind into my blade and swung. Razor-sharp sword qi flashed like lightning. The gale tore into the wolves, shredding their hides. Agonized howls erupted.
The knights joined late, their heavy swings useless against the wolves' speed.
As expected—they're on another level.
I shifted positions swiftly, riding the wind lightly, targeting weaknesses. I plunged my sword deep into one wolf's throat. Red blood spread across the snow.
But in that moment, I caught something in the wolves' eyes. Not fear, not rage... a warning, like they were trying to tell us something.
These aren't mere beasts.
Guardians of Set Hanryeong. Sentinels testing those who dared cross. Their gaze seemed to say: turn back.
"Sir Edgar!"
I turned at the shout. A knight lay torn by claws, blood spraying the snow.
Damn.
I surged toward him on the wind, blocking the wolf's attack and dragging him back.
"Are you all right?"
"S-sorry... my ankle..."
His leg was frozen solid—frostbite.
At this rate...
Then a wolf lunged at my back. I spun, but its claw grazed my shoulder.
"Ngh!"
Sharp pain lanced through me. My armor tore. But worse...
So cold!
The wound froze over instantly. No ordinary injury—a curse-like chill burrowed into my body.
Damn... did brother suffer this too...?
His face flashed in my mind. No, focus! I gritted my teeth. Infusing mana into my sword, faint flames ignited. One of the Haind secrets: warming the body with sword qi.
"Haaaah!"
I swung wide. Hot winds enveloped me, thawing the frozen wound.
I won't fall yet!
Sword raised, I faced the wolves again. Their eyes had changed—like we'd passed a test.
"Grrooooaaar!"
The pack leader bellowed. The others began retreating one by one.
"They're pulling back...?"
Someone muttered. But I knew: this wasn't retreat.
They've granted passage.
The guardians had tested us. And we'd barely passed.
After the battle, we barely set up camp. Frostbite spread among the knights; wounds were plentiful. At least no deaths.
By the fire, I slowly bandaged my shoulder. It still throbbed. The Frost Wolves' claws held special magic— the wound wouldn't heal easily.
Did brother endure this pain...? I shook my head. Why did he keep coming to mind?
In the distance, corpses from our approach jutted from the ice walls—failures from past crossings. Was brother among them...?
"Edgar."
Captain Rowen's voice snapped me back.
"Yes, Captain."
"I acknowledge your skill. But..." His gaze sharpened. "No more solo actions. We're a knight order. Facing enemies alone will get you killed."
"My apologies."
I bowed, but resentment boiled inside. This happened because the others couldn't match my speed. Still, not the time to argue.
"Sia Kalt lies beyond."
Captain Rowen pointed afar. Through the clouds, a massive snow-capped peak faintly gleamed.
"Our goal is inside. Whatever changed the saint and hero..."
"Captain."
A knight interrupted, voice trembling.
"If we continue... we'll all..."
Rowen's eyes iced over.
"If you want to cower like cowards, turn back. But..." A sneer curled his lips. "You'll lose a knight's honor forever."
No one replied. Fear and anguish mixed on their faces. But retreat was impossible. Knights marked by Rowen were shunned everywhere.
Hoo... I stared into the flames. Something seemed to flicker within.
I must endure this cold...
Suddenly, a chill surged. The fire flickered. The wind whispered like a voice. Instinctively, I gripped my hilt.
This was still Set Hanryeong's domain. Beyond the Frost Wolves, greater dangers lurked.
But I can't back down.
I gritted my teeth. This was just the beginning. True trials awaited beyond Set Hanryeong.
The next day, we pressed through the blizzard again. Deeper into the ice canyon, winds raged fiercer. Towering ice walls blocked the sky on both sides. Breathing grew labored.
"Captain!"
A knight shouted. Hard to hear over the gale, but I followed his gesture.
That’s...
Something embedded in the canyon wall—a flag half-buried in ice. The crest of Jenes Kingdom.
"Remnants of the previous expedition."
Captain's voice cut cold. He inspected around it. Then...
"Corpses."
Knight bodies impaled in the ice wall. Armor rusted, corpses pale and frozen solid. As if slammed into the wall by some force.
Last year's expedition...?
"Press on."
No hesitation in the captain's voice. But the knights' steps grew heavier. Marching toward death?
Then—
Rumble...!
The canyon shook. Ice walls trembled violently.
"To the center!"
Ice chunks rained down at the captain's cry. Several knights nearly crushed.
"Aaaagh!"
Screams echoed. I drew my sword. No natural event.
Crack— With ice shattering, the canyon wall... moved.
"That’s..."
A colossal ice golem peeled from the wall, as if the cliff lived. Two emerged from opposite walls, trapping us above and below.
Ice Sentinels...
Captain murmured. Legends made real—true guardians of Set Hanryeong.
"Regroup!"
Too late. In the narrow canyon, we were surrounded.
Boom!
A massive ice fist slammed down. I leaped on the wind. Not everyone could.
"Gaaah!"
Two knights crushed. Their screams lost to the wind.
At this rate...
Perilous. Canyon too tight, no escape. Trapped like rats.
"Attack!"
Captain raised his sword, red aura flaring. Rumors swirled about him, but his power was real.
Knight assaults began—but blades merely glanced off the ice. The golems' bodies were impenetrable.
Thud! Another fist. Three more knights gone.
This is...
Despair. No flight, no victory. All doomed?
No... I won't die here!
I infused mana into my sword. Haind secret. Swordsmanship to its peak. Winds howled around me; the blade glowed blue.
Blade of the Wind...
Deep breath. Sword raised high.
Brother... was I wrong?
His voice echoed: "Straight ahead isn't always best, Edgar."
Then I saw it—faint path on the canyon wall. An old detour, likely used by past adventurers.
"Captain! There's a path there..."
He ignored me, his sword blazing red.
"No retreat! We're knights!"
His stubborn roar. But I knew: this way, all die.
"Retreat!"
I shouted, exploding the gathered wind. A massive storm engulfed the canyon, blinding the sentinels.
"This way! To the wall path!"
I moved fast, leading survivors up the narrow trail.
"You dare...!"
Rowen's furious voice trailed. But pride could wait.
We barely escaped, racing the trail. Sentinel roars echoed behind.
Finally free of the canyon, we saw it: Sia Kalt mountains. The massive peak piercing the clouds.
At last...
But the sight stirred unease. What did the sentinels guard so fiercely?
Was this path truly right?
We trekked another week. Fewer than forty knights remained. Yet Rowen's stubbornness held.
"We're the kingdom's knights. No return till the goal's met."
But his voice lacked former authority. Mere facade. Everyone knew he'd chosen wrong.
Brother's path was different.
Climbing, I thought. Surely he'd avoided reckless direct routes, finding safer ways. And since he hadn't...