Shadows Over Iceport

The biting cold wind swept across the wilderness, making their cheeks ache.

Even at noon, the sunlight seemed weak and powerless, unable to dispel the bone-deep chill in the air.

Xia Lin drew his cloak tighter and watched the first snowflake drift down from the distant sky.

"Looks like winter arrived earlier than expected," he told his companions. "Continuing west would be too inefficient."

"The original plan was to cross the southern hills of Numelia. That route is relatively safe, but it's far too long." Sera's tail had already curled inside her cloak.

"And I heard," Celia said, rubbing her hands together, "that there are many ancient machines gone out of control within Numelia. They become even crazier in winter."

Kade nodded in agreement. Even his heavy plate armor could not completely keep out the cold. "And the farther north we go, the more drastic the weather changes become. If we run into a blizzard, we could be trapped on the road for a long time."

Xia Lin took out a map from his Space Bag and spread it over a flat rock.

Sera's fingertip traced across a vast region marked with all kinds of danger symbols and twisted metal icons. "Numelia—hmph, a country supposedly littered with chunks of iron that fell from the sky and madmen."

A flicker of curiosity crossed Xia Lin's eyes.

He was rather interested in that mysterious land rumored to have unearthed technology fallen from beyond the heavens.

Maybe I could pick up some power armor or a laser sword or something—

Still, he knew this was not the time to indulge his curiosity. Survival and time were the priorities.

"Let's change routes." Xia Lin made his decision, pointing to a huge body of water at the northern edge of the map. "We'll head north