The white snow outside the Ice Tower now seemed to have lost its voice. Inside the majestic, silent structure, Luma, Kael, and Ereth stood frozen before an ancient symbol carved into the frozen wall. A soft bluish light glowed from the engraving, as if welcoming their presence—or issuing a warning.
Kael glanced anxiously at Ereth. "Do you recognize this symbol?"
Ereth didn't answer immediately. His eyes were locked on the carving, his fingers trembling as he touched the surface. "This isn't just a symbol," he said quietly. "It's a time seal. A mark that can only be activated by blood of the lineage."
Suddenly, the wall behind the symbol cracked and began to rotate, forming a circular door that opened to a level never recorded on any map.
Without wasting time, they stepped into the hidden chamber—Reflektora, a round room with transparent crystal walls emitting an extraordinary aura. But what made the place truly strange—there were no reflections of their bodies. Instead, the walls displayed shadows of the past.
"This… isn't an illusion," whispered Luma.
The image of a young man appeared. His face resembled Ereth's but was gentler, glowing with confidence. "My father," Ereth whispered, his voice catching. "King Salvarion, before the curse… before everything fell apart."
They watched as King Salvarion led with compassion and wisdom. But the vision quickly shifted—a man in a black robe emerged from the snowy mist. He spoke with a sly tone, convincing the king of greater power if they united the spirits of earth and ice. Ereth frowned. "That's… the royal advisor. Argen Val."
Scene after scene unfolded—Argen Val's betrayal sparking the kingdom's downfall, the destruction of the original crystal, and finally, the king's desperate choice to protect his legacy: freezing Ereth with ancient magic so he might one day right the wrongs of the past.
Ereth collapsed to his knees. His hands clenched the icy floor, eyes filled with tears. "I should've known… my father wasn't punishing me. He was protecting me."
Luma approached Ereth. "Sometimes we need to look to the past not to place blame, but to understand. And to move forward."
The final vision appeared on the wall—a massive, heart-shaped crystal pulsing slowly in the tower's underground depths, guarded by the shadow of a colossal dragon with shimmering scales. A voice echoed:
"If the world wishes to rise, then the Heart of Froskarn must be opened again. But beware… Valtherion does not sleep forever."
Kael inhaled sharply. "That's the answer. The true core that could end this eternal frost."
Ereth stood. "And also awaken the truth. We have to go. Now."
As they turned toward the corridor leading to the tower's base, a wave of cold surged through. Their journey had only just begun, but Luma—moved by something she couldn't explain—felt compelled to repeat the ancient phrase engraved into the crystal wall. Without realizing it, she whispered:
"Zorveth nual arkan, Valthor un shuur."
A powerful tremor shook the floor. The crystal walls flared with blinding light. Ice around them cracked like glass. A deep sound echoed from within the earth—like the breath of a beast that had slumbered through an endless nightmare.
"Luma… what did you just do?" Kael asked, panic rising.
From afar came a long, deep roar—as if the entire tower trembled with the echo of an ancient voice. Ereth pulled Luma back.
"That's not the sound of a storm…"
It was Valtherion.
The last guardian dragon of Froskarn—
had awakened.