The frost-covered chamber trembled as Velkharion stepped forward, the pulse of the Frost Sigil in his hand echoing throughout the cavern. His fiery eyes narrowed as he faced Vrothael, the Icebound Sentinel, the emissary of the Eight Dragons. The towering figure before him radiated an oppressive cold, its glaive crackling with shards of pure frost energy. The Sentinel's glowing eyes locked onto Velkharion, and for a moment, the overwhelming force of its presence made the air around him feel suffocating.
"You are unworthy of this domain," Vrothael boomed, its voice resonating like glaciers grinding together. "The blessings you bear defile the sanctity of Kryntar. You shall be purged."
Before Velkharion could respond, Vrothael raised its glaive and unleashed a wave of frostbound magic that engulfed the chamber. Velkharion's HUD lit up with notifications as a series of debilitating effects ran through his system:
[System Notification: Severe Debuffs Applied]
- Blocked Classes: Tempest Warden, Shadow Sovereign, Chronomancer.
- Reduced Mana Pool: 40% penalty applied.
- Cooldown Extension: All abilities' cooldown times doubled.
Velkharion's interface glitched momentarily, his status menu showing the effects rippling through his character. Almost all his signature classes had been rendered useless, leaving him with only his Rune Sage abilities and his base stats. Even the residual blessings of Yggdrasil seemed to falter under the weight of Vrothael's magic.
"Well," Velkharion muttered, gripping Crimson Fang tightly. "Looks like I'm playing at a handicap."
Vrothael wasted no time, charging forward with surprising speed despite its massive frame. Its glaive arced downward, aiming to cleave Velkharion in half. Velkharion activated Rune Sage's Elemental Safeguard, layering resistance against the frost-bound attack, and dodged to the side with a quick burst of movement.
The ground shattered where the glaive struck, sending icy spikes exploding upward. Velkharion countered with Maximize Magic: Chain Dragon Lightning, golden bolts arcing toward Vrothael's exposed side. The attack landed, crackling against the Sentinel's enchanted armor, but barely left a scratch.
"Figures," Velkharion muttered, his fiery eyes narrowing as he analyzed the situation. Vrothael's armor was reinforced by Kryntar's essence, making it nearly impervious to conventional attacks. This wasn't going to be a straightforward battle.
Vrothael pressed the advantage, summoning frostbound minions to swarm the battlefield. Spectral warriors emerged from the icy floor, their hollow eyes glowing as they charged toward Velkharion. The chamber became a chaotic storm of frost and magic, forcing Velkharion to adapt quickly.
He activated Rune Sage's Frozen Barrier, creating a protective wall to block the incoming attacks. As the minions collided with the barrier, Velkharion unleashed Maximize Magic: Frostfire Bloom, a devastating AoE spell that combined fire and frost elements. The minions disintegrated in the blast, but Vrothael remained unfazed, its glaive glowing brighter as it prepared its next attack.
The fight dragged on, each passing minute testing Velkharion's endurance and strategy. Despite the debuffs limiting his abilities, he relied on his Rune Sage class to keep up with Vrothael's relentless onslaught. Every attack he launched seemed to chip away at the Sentinel's defenses, but the cost was high—his mana pool dwindled rapidly, and the cooldown penalties slowed his progress.
Vrothael unleashed another wave of frost magic, creating blizzards that reduced visibility and drained stamina over time. Velkharion activated Rune Sage's Temporal Runeward, a skill that temporarily negated environmental effects, allowing him to maneuver through the storm.
"Not bad," Velkharion muttered, dodging another swing of Vrothael's glaive. "But you're going to have to do better than that."
As the chamber trembled with the force of their battle, Velkharion noticed cracks forming along Vrothael's enchanted armor. The Sentinel's movements slowed slightly, its attacks growing more deliberate as the strain of the fight began to show. Velkharion's fiery eyes gleamed with resolve—he was wearing it down.
Vrothael raised its glaive one final time, the weapon glowing with an overwhelming surge of frost magic. The air around Velkharion seemed to freeze solid, trapping him in place as the Sentinel prepared to deliver a finishing blow.
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