Shadow Over the Heavenly Throne

The Icy Path beyond the walls of the Frozen Empress Sect was unlike anything Yareen had ever seen. Frost glittered across the surface of the glacier they were running along—a ridge several meters wide, rising high above the valleys, bordered by chasms so deep their bottoms vanished into milky mist.

Every dozen steps, massive black pillars jutted out from the ice—each carved in an incomprehensible fashion. Ancient symbols, spiraling lines, and geometric patterns like frozen vortexes adorned them. The aura surrounding the pillars was heavy, as if time itself halted in their presence.

Yareen couldn't take her eyes off them. She had never left the sect's borders before. Her breath quickened, not from exertion, but awe.

"First time?" Imara asked, running beside her with an unreadable smile. Yareen only nodded.

"Those are the Ice Seals. They maintain the balance of this path. The ice here isn't natural. It's a spiritual corridor created by the ancestors. If even one of the seals cracked, the entire route would collapse into the abyss."

Yareen glanced at one of the pillars with newfound respect, sensing its invisible might.

The sound of footsteps echoed rhythmically on the icy surface as they continued onward. Their breaths steamed in the frigid air, weaving a dance of mist between their figures. Imara kept glancing sideways, as if wanting to speak, but ultimately it was Caireen who broke the silence:

"Naleira..." she began, her voice echoing off the frozen walls. "Why are you with us? This is just a minor mission, and you're..."

"The disciple of Mistress Elvaria Frostveil?" Naleira finished gently, not breaking her stride. "My mistress left the sect for a few days. I had nothing to do. Overheard Elder Kaelis mention that the Snow Mirror Fruit was ripening, so... instead of getting bored in the library, I decided to get some fresh air."

Imara furrowed her brow, as if wanting to say more, but only glanced at Saeri. Saeri returned the look with quiet understanding. Caireen smirked, while Thalia turned her gaze to the icy horizon, trying to hide a shadow of relief.

"Do you know where your mistress went?" Saeri asked cautiously.

Naleira was silent for a moment.

"Apparently, the Black Flame Grandmaster and the Golden Dragon Grandmaster challenged two other supersect leaders to a duel. Mistress Elvaria Frostveil... along with someone from the royal family... were chosen as arbiters."

Silence fell. Moments later, Caireen growled:

"That Black Flame is a vile hyena. Always scheming something."

"Lying bastard," Imara added. "Bet he's planning another ambush."

"And he always smells like he bathes in burnt scroll smoke," Saeri muttered.

Yareen remained silent. But hearing their words, her thoughts aligned with theirs. She'd heard similar rumors. They all sounded true.

"I hope nothing happens to Mistress Elvaria Frostveil," one of the girls said softly.

Naleira merely smiled.

"Don't worry. Even if two supersect leaders teamed up... they couldn't kill her."

"Mistress Elvaria Frostveil is unparalleled," Saeri said with pride.

"No one even knows how old she truly is," Caireen added. "I heard her heart beats like crystal Qi bells."

"If only she trained us..." Imara muttered wistfully.

Hearing this, Yareen nodded slightly. Everyone knew that being under Mistress Elvaria Frostveil's wing brought immense benefits—access to forbidden techniques, personal training, the trust of the elders. But it wasn't something one could earn with work or merit. As far as Yareen knew, only Naleira had ever been accepted as her disciple.

The path forked, and the girls turned right, now running through an icy canyon. The walls grew taller, with massive, transparent icicles hanging from the ceiling. Wind rushed through tunnels in the ice, making them resonate. The sound was like a song—neither human nor spirit, both sorrowful and beautiful.

"The Singing Ice Spikes..." Thalia whispered, glancing upward. "They say they sometimes respond to your emotions."

Day began to wane, the blue ice deepening to indigo. In the distance, on the canyon slope, Naleira stopped and pointed to a half-cave sheltered by a stone ice arch.

"We'll spend the night here."

The girls entered the grotto, silent but alert. Most of them had never met before—though they were from the same sect, its vast walls often kept them strangers. But now, sharing a mission and space, they had to become one.

Instead of laying out mats, Naleira stepped toward the center of the cave and touched the bare rock with her hand. Her fingers shimmered with pale blue Qi.

"We'll create a temporary Group Meditation Formation," she said calmly. "It's incomplete, but it'll suffice."

The other girls approached wordlessly. Saeri pulled a slender crystal from her pack and wedged it into a crack between stones. Caireen spread her amulets into a circle. Yareen watched in silent wonder.

The Group Meditation Formation was a symbol of their sect. Deep within the Frozen Empress Sect was a grand hall encircled by icy columns, where thousands of disciples meditated in unison. Yareen still remembered her first time there, how the air vibrated with the subtle sound of shared breath. Qi flowed like a river between bodies, strengthening, purifying, and unifying minds.

There were many variants—for beginners, advanced practitioners, even elders. Mistress Elvaria Frostveil and the Elders possessed higher circles that supposedly required complete spiritual synchronization.

Here, in the cave, a portable version was forming. Humble, but real.

Yareen quietly sat where Thalia indicated. The girls formed a circle. When the last—Saeri—took her seat, Naleira held her hands over the ground.

"Breathe slowly. Don't try to guide your Qi. Let it flow."

At first, nothing happened. The ice beneath them was cold and lifeless. But soon, the space between them changed. The air thickened, their bodies warmed slightly, as if the earth itself exhaled. Yareen felt a subtle thread of Qi touch her shoulder, then connect with her heart.

It wasn't her own energy. It was the energy of the circle.

It had no taste, no scent, no color. Yet it felt familiar. Calm and safe.

Six girls, strangers just hours ago, now breathed in the same rhythm. Thoughts lightened, Qi softened. Deep-seated tensions unraveled, as if someone gently untied the knots of anxiety.

Time lost meaning.

When Naleira opened her eyes, the formation's glow faded. The silence that followed was different than before.

"Done," she said with a faint smile. "That's enough for today."

The girls unrolled their mats. The silence now felt natural, no longer strained. When Caireen lit the cold fire, its blue light fell across their faces, highlighting the calm etched in their features.

Yareen lay down slowly. Her body felt light, but her mind was full of new understanding.

Outside the cave, the icy spikes still sang, responding to something that words could not express.

"You always place your mat at a thirty-two-degree angle, don't you?" Saeri suddenly asked, staring at Caireen.

"What? How did you—" Caireen raised a brow.

"I just know," Saeri replied with a mischievous grin. "And you," she turned to Imara, "have a habit of counting your breaths before lying down. Eighteen. Every time."

"Is anyone else slightly creeped out?" Thalia muttered, eyeing her mat, which was oddly tightly rolled.

"You talk in your sleep," Imara said, pointing at Thalia. "And you have nightmares. Sometimes. But you never remember them."

Thalia gasped and pretended to look away indignantly, but the blush on her cheeks said otherwise.

"So..." Yareen began, shyly. "Is this... because of the formation?"

"Mhmm," Naleira confirmed, stretching. "Group Meditation Formation. But not the usual daily version, a higher variant used by senior disciples. It's not just for cleansing Qi and syncing breath... This form links auras more deeply. Opens flows not just of energy, but of spirit. For a moment, we were part of one structure—our Qi touched each other. We can't name what we saw... but the impression remains. Personality vibrations, emotional echoes, memories that left the strongest imprint. Like a footprint in snow you don't remember making, but still feel beneath your step."

Yareen nodded, clearly not fully understanding, then frowned and muttered more to herself than the others:

"Is that why I know Naleira likes girls with big boobs...?"

Silence fell in the cave, followed by bursts of laughter. Naleira, seemingly unfazed, simply lifted her chin with dignity, but everyone saw the faint blush spreading across her ears.

"I won't deny it, but I won't confirm it either," she said coolly, averting her gaze.

"Mhm, sure," Thalia coughed, barely hiding her amusement.

"High formation, they said... spiritual synchronization, they said..." Imara muttered.

"Half an hour, and we already know the secrets of hearts and... tastes," Saeri added with a sly grin.

"Is that why I know Thalia has a weakness for rice pudding with cinnamon, but pretends not to like sweets?" Caireen asked with mock seriousness.

"You don't!" Thalia protested—too quickly to be convincing.

"And you, Saeri," Imara said suddenly, propping herself on her elbow, "you have childhood trauma related to... ice dolls? Like the ones from ritual classes?"

"That's... private," Saeri grumbled, but didn't sound offended.

The silence that followed was soft, peppered with giggles and rustling. The girls began tossing each other blankets, exchanging glances, as if they'd known each other for months, not hours.

"Yareen," Thalia finally said, glancing sideways at her. "You pretend to be calm, but inside, you're restless. Aren't you?"

Yareen hesitated. Then smiled faintly.

"A little."

"And you're a perfectionist," Saeri added. "And afraid we won't accept you. That you don't belong."

Silence. Then Yareen nodded slowly.

Moments later, Thalia scooted closer and wordlessly offered her spare blanket, though she was already covered.

"In case yours isn't warm enough," she muttered, avoiding eye contact.

Caireen rolled off her mat and laid her head on Yareen's lap without asking.

"Your aura's the calmest among us. Easier to sleep next to Qi like that," she murmured, half-joking.

Imara waved lazily.

"If something wakes you, kick me. I'm a light sleeper anyway."

Even Saeri, usually sharp and reserved, cleared her throat and mumbled:

"Some of us have trouble trusting... But it's not like we dislike you or anything."

Yareen froze for a moment, surprised. Then smiled broadly—shy but grateful, accepting the girls' gestures of kindness.

Naleira watched it all with a gentle smile, as if witnessing something familiar. When she looked at Yareen and the others, she nodded to herself, thinking it was a good idea to bring the formation along. Even if she never said it aloud, she knew they'd built something tonight that would last longer than one evening—something that would help them on their mission.