Argalan and Verrin soldiers marched in a sea of competing colors. The golds and charcoal of the Verrin uniform standing out against the Argalan greens and blues.

The rumbling of a drum filled his lungs and he urged his horse forward still, pressing his lips into a firm line.

Enthri had insisted that capturing control of the northern passage to the celestial islands was vital to securing their kingdom, but Elvarte felt himself growing more and more wary of his queen.

She was a sharp and dangerous woman, and he had no doubts that she murdered his parents.

There was some greater scheme to every word, every movement, every look.

As enthralling as it had been, as intoxicating as it was to have a woman like that at his side, Elvarte was beginning to wonder if he was blinded by her affection.

“King Elvarte!” A soldier rushed up to him, her breath puffing out in clouds of mist. “There is a valley up ahead, what are we to do?”

Elvarte frowned, swinging off his horse and moving to the ridge of the hill. “Valley? The maps have no record of mount nor vale.”

His captains drew up beside him, each looking increasingly concerned.

“Did we get turned around in the snow storm?” Captain Leonard turned to face the direction from which they’d come.

“We’ll make came for the night.” Elvarte ordered. “The soldiers need to rest and we need to identify where in the ever spark we are. I will not rush into unknown danger.”

They bowed and began giving orders, settling the camp for the night.

No matter the time and focus he poured into studying every variation of every map they had, Elvarte couldn’t even identify a landmark that could be mistaken for a mountain.

As the night fell, the mists grew thicker, the temperature dropping and the snow growing thicker.

They couldn’t simply wait, they couldn’t afford to waste supplies. Traveling this far north had already cost so much already, they had to locate something of value - even if it was a carving depicted in the mountain sides.

The chill settled itself into his skin as he let out a breath, the air fogging in front of his face and obscuring his vision.

Was this his wife’s ploy to get rid of him?

But he couldn’t imagine her sacrificing 13 thousand troops just to be rid of him. She was far too clever for that.

Which meant she expected them to find something here in the north, to claim and conquer.

But what and where?

No map could even locate where they had somehow deviated from all known land markings.

A loud scream broke the night air. And the one scream quickly turned into panic.

Elvarte searched for one of his captains, but in the dark mist and chaos he couldn’t find a single one of his commanders.

Then he heard it.

Heavy footsteps that shook the earth. A guttural roar promising violence.

The monster appeared through the mists, and the soldiers all around him froze.

This was what Enthri had sent him to conquer.

This was the monster that 13 thousand soldiers had been sent to slay.

And for the first time, Elvarte feared his wife had predicted incorrectly. For 13 thousand men are nothing against a Frost Guardian.