Dawn brought the simple satisfaction of a job nearly completed.
The remaining iron-hide bull proved even less challenging than expected—isolated from her herd and visibly nervous about the scent of death that clung to the valley. A coordinated assault lasting less than ten minutes left her body cooling beside her fallen companions, ending the threat that had plagued the farming settlement for weeks.
"Clean work," the village elder said as he counted out their payment in mixed silver and gold coins. "Haven't seen teamwork that effective since the garrison troops were stationed here during the border troubles."
The gratitude was genuine, accompanied by offers of free meals and lodging that spoke to real relief at having their problem permanently solved. It was the kind of positive outcome that made adventurer work feel worthwhile rather than simply profitable.
"Word of advice," the elder added as they prepared to depart. "Might want to stay clear of the main roads today. Imperial knights came through this morning—full company with banners and escort. Whatever business they're on, it's got everyone stirred up."
Imperial knights, Lyra mused as they loaded their gear for the return journey. "Haven't seen regular military in this region for months. Wonder what's important enough to pull them away from capital duties."
The speculation continued as they traveled back toward Drakmoor City, but answers became apparent long before they reached the gates. The main road was crowded with merchants, farmers, and other travelers all moving with the kind of urgency that suggested significant news was spreading rapidly.
"War," Marcus said simply after overhearing fragments of conversation from other groups. "Has to be. Nothing else gets the military mobilized this fast."
By the time they reached the city gates, the crowds had become substantial enough to slow traffic significantly. Guards were checking documentation more carefully than usual, while the general atmosphere carried the electric tension that preceded major political developments.
"We'll get better intelligence at the guild," Elena decided as they joined the queue for entry. "Someone there will know what's actually happening versus what people are speculating."
The guild hall was buzzing with activity when they arrived to process their contract completion. Adventurers clustered around bulletin boards that had been updated with new postings, while senior members conducted urgent conversations that suggested significant opportunities were developing.
"Iron-hide elimination, complete success," the clerk noted as she processed their documentation. "Payment as specified, plus performance bonus for efficiency." She handed over a substantial purse of coins that represented more money than Aiden had ever legitimately earned. "Your team's moving up in the ranking system—might want to consider E-rank evaluation soon."
Lyra divided the payment according to their agreed splits, giving Aiden his quarter share with the professional efficiency of someone who understood that fair compensation built team loyalty.
"Interested in another contract?" she asked as they reviewed newly posted opportunities. "Looks like demand is increasing rapidly, probably related to whatever has the military stirred up."
Several promising missions had appeared since morning—bandit suppression, monster hunting, escort assignments that paid significantly better than usual rates. The kind of opportunities that suggested clients were willing to pay premium prices for reliable security.
"Definitely," Aiden replied. "Pick whichever looks most interesting. I'll meet you tomorrow morning for briefing."
"Excellent. We'll have something selected by evening." Lyra's expression was satisfied—the look of a team leader who had found a reliable fourth member. "Same time and place as today?"
After confirming the details, Aiden left his teammates to their planning and headed into the city for independent intelligence gathering. The guild provided excellent information about immediate opportunities, but understanding larger political developments required broader sources.
The marketplace provided exactly the kind of unfiltered rumors he needed. Merchants who had traveled recent trade routes, city officials discussing policy changes, and tavern conversations that revealed what people actually thought about current events.
War with the Western Kingdoms, he learned from multiple sources. Border incidents escalating into formal military mobilization. Plus internal troubles in the southern provinces—rebellions, bandit activities, general breakdown of imperial authority.
The information was professionally interesting but not immediately relevant to his personal objectives. Wars created opportunities for advancement and profit, but also increased scrutiny of anyone with questionable backgrounds.
Something to monitor, he decided. But not something that changes my immediate plans.
More interesting was the conversation he'd overheard at the runework shop—references to advanced magical techniques that weren't covered in standard guild training. Innovations that required both theoretical knowledge and practical experimentation to develop properly.
Time for some private research.
The forest north of the city provided exactly the kind of isolated practice area he needed. Dense enough to muffle sounds, remote enough to avoid casual observers, and populated with the kind of minor threats that made good test subjects for experimental techniques.
Aiden's goal was ambitious but theoretically sound—modifying his Icicle Spear ability to create more sophisticated effects than simple projectile damage. He'd seen references in the spell books to techniques that used ice magic for area denial, delayed activation, and multi-stage attacks that provided tactical advantages beyond immediate injury.
Basic principle should be sound, he thought as he prepared to engage a territorial badger whose awakened status made it appropriately dangerous for testing purposes. Create the spear as usual, but maintain magical connection after impact. Then trigger secondary effects once it's embedded in the target.
The first attempts were complete failures. His icicle spears behaved exactly as they always had—forming, launching, and either shattering on impact or penetrating to cause immediate damage. When he tried to maintain magical control after impact, the spells simply dissipated without producing any secondary effects.
Wrong approach, he realized after the third unsuccessful attempt. I'm thinking about this like weapon enchantment rather than progressive spell development.
The breakthrough came when he started treating the embedded spear as a foundation for additional magical construction rather than a completed attack. Instead of trying to control existing ice, he used the spear as an anchor point for generating new crystalline structures.
His sixth attempt produced something genuinely interesting. The icicle spear penetrated a dire wolf's flank as intended, but instead of stopping there, Aiden channeled additional power through the magical connection. Ice began growing outward from the embedded projectile—sharp crystalline formations that spread through muscle tissue like frozen thorns.
The wolf died messily, its internal organs shredded by expanding ice formations that had grown beyond the original wound. Not elegant, but devastatingly effective against opponents who might survive conventional projectile damage.
Progress, Aiden thought with satisfaction. But still too unstable for reliable use.
He tested his essence absorption on the wolf's corpse, but nothing happened. Not every creature seemed compatible with his ability—either they lacked sufficient awakened development, or their particular type of enhancement wasn't transferable to his core.
Another limitation to remember, he noted. Essence absorption works on some targets but not others. Need to understand what determines compatibility.
Further experimentation revealed interesting patterns. Small beasts and minor awakened creatures rarely provided anything useful. But when he encountered a centipede the size of a horse—clearly enhanced by significant magical exposure—his absorption ability again failed to activate.
Not just about power level, he realized. Something about compatibility between different types of awakened development.
But his spell experimentation was progressing rapidly. Each attempt refined his understanding of how to maintain magical connections through embedded projectiles, while practical testing revealed the tactical applications of delayed-effect ice magic.
By evening, he had developed a technique that produced reliable results. His icicle spears could be programmed to remain dormant for several seconds after impact, then trigger explosive expansion that created dozens of sharp crystalline formations. The effect was brutally effective against living targets, while also creating temporary area denial through scattered ice formations.
[EXPERIMENTAL TECHNIQUE DEVELOPED]
[ABILITY GAINED: Delayed Frost Burst (Uncommon)]
[Icicle spears can be programmed to trigger secondary expansion effects after impact]
Excellent, Aiden thought as the new knowledge integrated with his existing magical understanding. A technique I developed through experimentation rather than theft. Proof that I can innovate beyond what I've absorbed from defeated enemies.
The sun was setting by the time he returned to the city, tired but satisfied with his progress. Independent research had provided both practical advancement and theoretical insight into how his abilities could be developed beyond their current limitations.
Tomorrow would bring another team mission, more opportunities to refine his coordination with professional allies, and continued progress toward the kind of reputation that would support Academy admission.
But tonight had proven that he could advance through personal effort as well as collaborative achievement. The combination of stolen abilities, team experience, and independent innovation was creating something more sophisticated than any individual component.
I'm becoming genuinely dangerous, he realized as he settled into his inn room for the night. Not just through raw power, but through versatility and tactical awareness.
Seven names still waited on his list, but each day brought new capabilities that would make those eventual confrontations more likely to succeed.
The Path of Frost and Steel continued its steady progression, enhanced by techniques that belonged uniquely to him rather than being borrowed from others.
Progress was accelerating, and his enemies had no idea what was coming for them.
The boy who had been helpless was becoming something far more formidable.
And someday soon, that transformation would bear fruit in ways his family's killers could never anticipate.