The awakened beasts found them just after dawn, when the caravan was navigating a narrow pass that offered no good options for retreat or maneuvering.
"Flamebeast boars," Captain Thorne announced grimly, pointing toward the heat shimmer rising from the valley floor ahead. "Whole damn herd by the look of it."
Aiden followed his gaze and felt his stomach sink. Two dozen massive boars, each the size of a draft horse, grazed in the meadow that contained the only practical route toward Drakmoor City. Their tusks glowed like heated metal, and wisps of flame rose from their bristled hides with every breath.
"Can we go around?" Pavel asked, his voice tight with the kind of tension that came from recognizing a threat beyond his current abilities.
Thorne shook his head. "Eastern route goes through Silver Hawks territory—they've got standing orders to detain any unmarked caravans for 'inspection.' Western path is blocked by a rockslide from last month's storms. We go through the valley, or we don't go at all."
Territorial politics again, Aiden thought with frustration. Even out here in the wilderness, everything's controlled by someone with the power to make arbitrary rules.
The flamebeast boars were awakened creatures—animals whose exposure to concentrated mana had triggered evolutionary changes that made them exponentially more dangerous than their mundane cousins. Their natural flame abilities would make conventional tactics ineffective, while their size and pack hunting instincts created problems that couldn't be solved through individual heroics.
"What's the plan?" asked one of the surviving guards, a weathered woman named Serra who had proven herself during the previous day's battle.
Thorne studied the terrain with the calculating focus of someone who had spent decades turning impossible situations into merely difficult ones. "The beasts are territorial, not predatory. They're not hunting us—they're just defending their grazing area. If we can distract them long enough for the caravan to pass through, they should lose interest once we're clear of their range."
"Distract them how?" Pavel wanted to know.
"Small team creates a commotion at the north end of the valley, draws their attention away from the main route. Once the wagons are through, we withdraw and rejoin the caravan on the other side."
It was a plan that would work if everything went perfectly and probably get people killed if anything went wrong. But given their limited options, it was better than trying to fight two dozen awakened beasts in open terrain.
"I'll take Aiden, Pavel, and Serra," Thorne continued. "Rest of you get the caravan ready to move fast. When you see my signal fire, push through at maximum speed. Don't stop for anything—if we don't make it out, at least the goods and passengers will reach the city."
Aiden found himself both honored and concerned to be included in the distraction team. It meant Thorne considered him competent enough for dangerous work, but also that he might be about to face creatures his abilities weren't well-suited to handle.
Flamebeast boars, he thought as they prepared their equipment for the mission. Fire-based awakened animals. My ice magic should be effective against them in theory, but theory and practice are different things.
The approach to the valley floor required careful movement through broken terrain that offered minimal concealment. The boars' senses were enhanced by their awakened status, making stealth problematic, but their attention seemed focused on grazing rather than watching for threats.
"Remember," Thorne whispered as they reached their starting positions, "we're not trying to kill them all. Just make enough noise to draw their attention while the caravan passes through. Hit and run tactics—strike fast, then withdraw before they can coordinate a response."
The first part of the plan worked exactly as intended. Pavel's lightning magic and Serra's newly awakened wind blades created impressive displays of magical destruction that drew the entire herd's attention toward their position. The flamebeast boars responded with the territorial aggression of creatures defending their home, charging toward the disturbance with the kind of focused fury that made them so dangerous.
But Aiden quickly discovered that his ice-based abilities were poorly matched against fire-oriented opponents.
His Frost Aura created the familiar zone of supernatural cold around his position, but the approaching boars seemed barely affected. Their internal flame generation provided natural resistance to freezing effects, while their thick hides offered physical protection against his icicle spears.
His first spell struck the lead boar directly in the chest—a perfect hit that should have punched through hide and bone to reach vital organs. Instead, the crystalline projectile shattered against the creature's natural armor, leaving nothing more than a shallow wound that sealed itself almost immediately.
Magical resistance, Aiden realized with growing alarm. Their flame abilities aren't just offensive—they're providing defensive enhancement as well.
The boar's response was immediate and devastating. A gout of superheated flame erupted from its mouth, aimed directly at Aiden's position with the kind of precision that spoke of intelligence rather than mere animal instinct.
He threw himself sideways, feeling his eyebrows singe as the fire passed close enough to ignite the grass where he'd been standing. His Frost Aura provided some protection against the heat, but not enough to let him stand against direct flame attacks.
This isn't working, he thought as more boars converged on his position. My magic is effective against most opponents, but these creatures are specifically adapted to counter ice-based attacks.
Around him, the other members of the distraction team were having similar difficulties. Pavel's lightning was more effective than Aiden's ice magic, but even electrical attacks seemed to cause only superficial damage to the awakened beasts. Serra's wind blades could cut through normal flesh, but struggled against the boars' enhanced hide.
Only Thorne seemed to be making real progress, his golden sword-light carving deep wounds that actually slowed his targets. But even his enhanced abilities were barely sufficient against creatures this size and resilience.
We're outmatched, Aiden realized as a boar's tusk passed close enough to his ribs to shred fabric. These aren't ordinary beasts we can overwhelm with superior technique. They're awakened creatures with natural advantages we can't easily counter.
The signal fire from the valley floor told them the caravan was beginning its crossing, but the flamebeast boars showed no signs of losing interest in the immediate threats. If anything, they seemed to be getting more aggressive as the fight continued, their pack instincts driving them to eliminate perceived invaders.
"Withdraw!" Thorne shouted over the sound of clashing steel and roaring flames. "We've bought enough time—fall back to the rendezvous point!"
But falling back proved easier to order than execute. The boars were faster than they looked, and their flame attacks had excellent range. What should have been an organized retreat became a running battle through broken terrain, with awakened beasts pursuing them with the relentless determination of creatures defending their territory.
Aiden found himself relying more on his mundane abilities than his magical ones. His Enhanced Misdirection helped him avoid direct attacks by causing the boars to misjudge his position, while his Iron Skin Defense provided protection against glancing blows from tusks and hooves.
But it was his sword work—refined by the previous evening's instruction from Thorne—that proved most useful. When magical attacks failed to penetrate the creatures' natural defenses, properly applied blade work could still find gaps in their protection.
His Adaptive Swordplay adjusted to the unusual opponents, focusing on mobility and precision rather than power. Instead of trying to inflict massive wounds that the boars could shrug off, he targeted joints, tendons, and other vulnerable points that could reduce their effectiveness without requiring fatal damage.
Disable rather than destroy, he thought as his blade opened a long cut across a boar's front leg. Make them slower, less coordinated, easier to avoid rather than trying to kill them outright.
The retreat took nearly an hour, with the distraction team using every trick they knew to stay ahead of pursuing beasts while gradually drawing them away from the main route. By the time they reached the designated rally point, everyone was exhausted, singed, and carrying multiple minor injuries.
But they were alive, and the caravan had made it through safely.
"One," Thorne said with grim satisfaction as they watched the flamebeast boars give up their pursuit and return to their territory. "Managed to bring down one of the big ones, but the rest were too tough for a running fight."
It was better than Aiden had expected. Against two dozen awakened creatures with natural advantages, even a single kill represented significant achievement. More importantly, they had accomplished their primary objective without losing anyone from the team.
Lesson learned, Aiden thought as they rejoined the caravan for the final approach to Drakmoor City. My abilities are powerful, but they're not universally effective. I need to understand when to fight and when to withdraw.
The city gates came into view just as the afternoon sun began its descent toward the western peaks. Drakmoor City sprawled across the valley floor like a living organism, its stone walls containing a complexity of districts, industries, and populations that dwarfed anything Aiden had experienced.
Home to over a hundred thousand people, he remembered from merchant conversations. More awakened individuals than most provinces, plus schools, guilds, and training opportunities that don't exist anywhere else in the region.
As they passed through the gates under the watchful eyes of professional guards, Thorne approached him with the kind of expression that suggested serious conversation.
"Been thinking about your situation," the guard captain said quietly. "You've got raw talent and decent instincts, but you need proper training if you want to develop real capability."
"I was planning to work with the Adventurer's Guild," Aiden replied.
"Good start, but limited scope. Guild training focuses on practical skills for monster hunting and bandit suppression. If you want to reach your full potential..." Thorne paused, seeming to weigh his words carefully. "Ever consider applying to the Academy?"
The Academy. Aiden had heard references to some kind of advanced training institution, but hadn't paid close attention to the details. Now, Thorne's tone suggested it might be more significant than he'd realized.
"What kind of academy?" he asked.
"Imperial War College. They train awakened individuals for military service, but their curriculum includes the most advanced instruction available in both magical theory and combat technique. Normally requires noble sponsorship or demonstrated exceptional ability, but..." Thorne smiled with the satisfaction of someone solving a problem. "I've got connections from my military days. Letters of recommendation from caravan guards don't carry much weight, but letters from decorated veterans might get you a chance to audition."
The offer was more generous than anything Aiden had expected. Access to advanced training, potential connections to imperial power structures, and the kind of education that could accelerate his development beyond what guild missions could provide.
But it would also mean scrutiny of his background, questions about his origins, and the kind of official attention that could prove dangerous if anyone connected him to the escaped slave from Drakmoor quarry.
Risk versus reward, he thought as the caravan moved deeper into the city's crowded streets. Advanced training that could make me significantly more dangerous, balanced against exposure that could get me captured or killed.
"I appreciate the offer," he said carefully. "Let me get established in the city first, see what opportunities the guild provides. If I need something more advanced..."
"The offer stands," Thorne said with understanding. "Take your time, figure out what you want. But don't wait too long—the Academy only accepts new students twice a year, and the next enrollment period starts in three months."
Three months to decide whether he was ready for the kind of advanced training that could prepare him for confronting the remaining names on his list.
Three months to build a reputation and cover identity strong enough to survive official scrutiny.
Three months to determine whether he was still the careful survivor who had endured six years of slavery, or the confident predator who was ready to hunt in more dangerous territory.
As the caravan dissolved into individual parties heading toward their respective destinations, Aiden shouldered his pack and walked into the maze of streets that would be his new hunting ground.
The Path of Frost and Steel pulsed with anticipation, ready to teach him new lessons about power and its applications.
But first, he had a city to learn and a reputation to build.
The real test was just beginning.