The journey to Frostveil should have taken nearly a month.
For most adventurers, it did.
Mountain roads were unforgiving.
Snow buried trails overnight.
Avalanches erased landmarks.
Animals required rest.
People required sleep.
And neither appreciated freezing to death.
Jax's party had advantages.
Several advantages.
The first was Grim.
The second was Steed.
The two shadow beasts pulled the hovering caravan across mountain roads with tireless determination. They never complained. Never slowed. Never demanded feed.
The third advantage was the Transit Nexus.
Instead of crossing half the continent, they used Jax's growing network to shorten the journey dramatically before ever touching the northern roads.
What should have taken weeks took days.
Inside the caravan, life remained comfortable.
Meals.
Training.
Reading.
Occasional arguments.
Mostly caused by Nyxian.
As was tradition.
By the time Frostveil appeared on the horizon, the Vixens were practically bouncing with anticipation.
The city sat atop a massive plateau surrounded by towering mountains.
Snow covered rooftops.
Smoke rose from chimneys.
Ice glistened in the morning sunlight.
Jax stepped out of the caravan first and immediately smiled.
"Ski resort."
Four heads turned toward him.
"A what?" Zee asked.
"A place where people pay money to slide down mountains."
Bunny blinked.
"They pay?"
"Lots of money."
Nyxian frowned.
"They could just fall down the mountain for free."
"That is technically the budget version."
The city walls rose before them.
Massive stone.
Reinforced with frost-runes.
Guards watched from above.
The caravan rolled forward.
One of the guards stepped down.
His eyes immediately locked onto Grim and Steed.
Then widened.
"Those are Grimsteeds."
"They are."
"They are dead."
"They are."
The guard stared.
Jax smiled.
The guard decided not to ask follow-up questions.
"Purpose of visit?"
Jax handed over guild documentation.
The guard reviewed it.
His eyes widened again.
"A-Rank Contract?"
"Correct."
The guard looked at the Vixens.
Then at the paperwork.
Then back at the Vixens.
Clearly something wasn't adding up.
Still, paperwork was paperwork.
Eventually he handed everything back.
"Welcome to Frostveil."
The gates opened.
The city beyond was beautiful.
Warm stone roads cut through white snow.
Steam drifted from vents built into the streets.
Businesses bustled despite the cold.
Goat-kin merchants negotiated loudly.
Dwarves hauled cargo.
Humans and elves moved between shops.
The entire city felt alive.
Jax noticed something else.
Trade.
Everywhere.
Import goods.
Export goods.
Warehouses.
Storage facilities.
Shipping contracts.
His merchant instincts immediately activated.
The Vixens noticed.
"Oh no."
"What?" Jax asked.
"You've got the look."
"The merchant look."
"The dangerous look."
Jax ignored them.
Which confirmed everything.
They stopped first at the guild.
Inside, warmth immediately greeted them.
A massive hearth burned in the center of the building.
Adventurers crowded tables.
Ale flowed freely.
Stories flowed even more freely.
Several people glanced toward the newcomers.
Most dismissed them immediately.
Until someone noticed Grim and Steed outside.
Then whispers started.
Guild Master Willvard Stonehorn was exactly what Jax expected.
Older.
Experienced.
The kind of man who looked like he trusted actions more than words.
"You got here quickly."
"We travel efficiently."
The goat-kin snorted.
"I've heard that."
His eyes lingered on the paperwork.
Then on Jax.
Then on the Vixens.
"Kaelor speaks highly of you."
That earned a few looks from nearby adventurers.
The Solmere Guild Master was respected.
His recommendations carried weight.
"We're here for Frost Crystals."
Willvard nodded.
"You'll find plenty."
"Assuming we survive."
The guild master smiled.
"That is generally the first step."
The conversation shifted toward business.
Jax asked about warehouses.
Storage yards.
Abandoned properties.
Struggling merchants.
Willvard watched him carefully.
"You're planning something."
"I usually am."
The guild master laughed.
"I know three warehouses currently for sale."
Jax immediately requested details.
Of course he did.
Within twenty minutes he had meetings scheduled.
Nyxian buried her face in her hands.
"We arrived less than an hour ago."
"Efficiency."
"You need help."
"Probably."
Later that evening they settled into the guild tavern.
Food arrived.
Drinks followed.
Conversation flowed easily.
The armor drew attention.
Not because it looked impressive.
Though it did.
Because it behaved strangely.
Jax had already noticed.
The Titan-forged upgrades were evolving.
Living wasn't quite the right word.
Aware was closer.
Nyxian proved it accidentally.
Or intentionally.
With Nyxian it was always difficult to tell.
She slid beside Jax.
Far too close.
As usual.
"My shoulder hurts."
"You fought an ancient Titan."
"Rub it."
Jax sighed.
Then reached over.
Expecting to touch armor.
Instead—
The armor moved.
Not dramatically.
Not quickly.
Simply parted.
Like liquid crystal.
His hand touched skin.
Warm.
Soft.
The opening continued moving upward.
Across her side.
Toward her waist.
Then higher.
Jax immediately stopped.
Nyxian looked down.
Then looked at him.
Then looked back down.
"...Why did you stop?"
The table exploded.
Bunny nearly fell out of her chair.
Zee choked on her drink.
Llandra covered her smile.
Jax pointed at the armor.
"The armor moved."
"Obviously."
"That shouldn't happen."
Nyxian looked offended.
"It should absolutely happen."
The armor slowly sealed itself again.
Like nothing unusual had occurred.
Everyone stared.
The armor ignored them.
Eventually the conversation returned to business.
Then adventure.
Then rumors.
The cave.
The Frost Giant.
Missing adventurers.
Frost Crystals.
The deeper they dug, the more interesting the situation became.
Jax listened carefully.
Every detail mattered.
Every rumor mattered.
Because somewhere beneath those mountains was the real objective.
The Frost Crystals weren't simply valuable.
Eldrich needed them.
The scientist believed they could stabilize several experimental designs.
Dimensional infrastructure.
Power storage.
Advanced cooling systems.
Potentially even improvements to the Nexus itself.
Jax intended to bring back every crystal he could reasonably acquire.
And probably several unreasonable amounts as well.
The next morning arrived quickly.
Armor settled around them like a second skin.
Weapons answered their owners willingly.
The cold barely touched them.
Outside the city gates, the mountains stretched endlessly into the distance.
The Frostveil Cave waited.
Unclaimed.
Unconquered.
Dangerous.
Exactly the kind of place Jax enjoyed exploring.
The Vixens gathered beside him.
Ready.
Excited.
Confident.
Jax smiled.
"Let's go see what everyone keeps dying over."
Together, they stepped onto the mountain path.
And began the climb toward the cave.