Twice Reborn Transmigrator

The first thing I did after entering the Heart Chamber was set up a little camping area. The glow from the white crystals provided me with just enough light to see by. When I bought supplies to go into seclusion, I also bought camping equipment enchanted with warming spells, which cost me most of my money. Given Clan Frostheart's name, I suspected their sacred land was related to ice and cold. My prediction proved correct.

Good. Thanks to my preparations, I wouldn't die of exposure or hypothermia. As a martial artist, I was more resilient than normal people. However, I still had my limits.

After setting up my camping area, I took a look around the Heart Chamber. It was quiet in here. Peaceful. It reminded me of looking over a field of freshly fallen snow at night. Solitude, but not loneliness. This made it perfect for seclusion.

The white, translucent crystals that took up the entire chamber looked beautiful. However, their placement seemed random. The floor was smooth and flat. Crystals jutted out everywhere else, seemingly with no rhyme or reason to it all. I tried to see a pattern, to find some semblance of order in the chaos, but found none.

Even the Frostheart itself, which sat in the center of the Heart Chamber, appeared irregular. Unlike the other crystals, which consisted of straight lines and sharp points, the Frostheart was curved and rounded. It reminded me of something, though I couldn't figure out what.

And then there was the strange resonance I felt with the Frostheart, which I still didn't understand.

After a while, I turned my attention to a nearby wall and touched one of the crystals jutting from it. The crystal felt hard and cold, but still warmer than ice. I wondered what it was made from. It was similar to quartz, but it was too… Pure, for lack of a better term. It was similar to an elemental crystal, but wasn't. I found it interesting. However, I didn't come here to study strange crystals. I came here to cultivate.

To that end, I took one of my Spirit Elixirs from my pack and settled down near the Frostheart. Guildmaster Charity didn't say I needed to cultivate next to it, but I figured it wouldn't hurt. I drank the Spirit Elixir and started cultivating. The cold made it a little more difficult to concentrate. However, thanks to Teacher's training methods, I was used to much worse conditions.

As soon as I started cultivating, I noticed an immediate effect. My cultivation progressed several times faster than usual, even taking the Spirit Elixir into account. When I realized this, I stopped and chuckled.

Before I entered this place, Guildmaster Charity mentioned that people with a certain affinity with the Frostheart gained additional benefits when cultivating in the Heart Chamber. It appeared that I was one of those people. Was this related to the strange resonance I felt towards the Frostheart? It appeared so.

This deepened my interest in the Heart Chamber, the Frostheart in particular. What was it? What made it so special? And why did it stir something inside me? I felt tempted to poke around the Frostheart, to see if I could figure things out. However, I held back. The Frostheart was Clan Frostheart's sacred treasure. If I damaged or broke it, Guildmaster Charity would never forgive me. So, I set my curiosity aside.

A part of me wondered if I would be lucky enough to gain an affinity for Ice. It wouldn't help me right away, since I didn't know any Ice techniques, but it fit in with my current affinities. I thought of several ways I could combine Ice with the Mist Sword style. Less so for the Storm Cloud style, but I could still think of some.

However, after indulging myself for a moment, I tempered my fantasies. As enticing as gaining an affinity for Ice was, I needed to remember why I came here in the first place. If I wanted to make any kind of impact during the coming demon incursion, I needed to reach Second Star as soon as possible.

I cleared my mind and continued cultivating.

Over the next several days, I spent almost every waking moment cultivating in the Heart Chamber. Time lost all meaning to me. When I grew tired, or needed to warm up, I rested using my enchanted camping equipment. It was boring and monotonous, but the results were worth it.

For every day I spent cultivating in the Heart Chamber, I saved myself months of arduous cultivation. A part of me wished I could spend all of my time in the Heart Chamber. The rest of me knew that this was a poor idea.

While my enchanted camping equipment helped keep me warm for now, the cold was gradually getting to me. I needed to leave at some point, or risk serious health problems. Besides, secluding myself for too long wasn't good for my mind either. Humans weren't meant to live in isolation. Besides, there was an impending demonic incursion on the horizon.

I noticed something peculiar as I spent more time in the Heart Chamber. I felt a presence in here with me. In the beginning it was slight, but in time it grew stronger. At first, it seemed unaware of me. However, this presence began observing me. It didn't feel malicious, which was why I left it alone at first, but it was starting to get distracting. I needed to confront it, otherwise I wouldn't be able to focus on my cultivation.

As for where this presence came from? Simple. I felt it from the Frostheart. That was how it entered the Heart Chamber even though the entrance remained closed. It had been here all along. I just never noticed it until it revealed itself.

I sat on the floor, staring at the Frostheart. The presence "stared" back at me, assuming that was even the right word. The two of us faced each other for a long time. After a while, I broke the stalemate.

"You might as well come out." I said. "I know you're there."

At first nothing happened. However, a few moments later, a translucent figure made of frosty blue light climbed out of the Frostheart and perched on top of it. About the size of a cat, it had a long, serpentine body with four limbs that ended in wicked looking claws. It had a slender and elegant looking neck. Icy blue eyes stared at me from a triangular head, the pupils thin slits. A row of sharp spikes ran along its entire body, going from its head to its tail. Two nubs protruded from its back.

I sucked in a breath. A spirit. Not just any spirit either. It was a spirit in the form of a frost dragon, if I guessed right. Well, not a full grown one. Dragons' life cycles were measured in four major stages: hatchling, nestling, drake, and dragon.

This spirit looked like a frost drake, one on the verge of becoming a full grown dragon, based on the nubs on its back. If given the chance, they could've become wings.

Now for the most important question. Was this the spirit of an actual frost drake, or a spirit that took on the appearance of a frost drake? While spirits could affect the physical world, they weren't physical beings. They had no set form, though some aspect of their appearance always resembled their true nature.

Either this was the spirit of a frost drake, or an Ice spirit pretending to be one. The former was far more powerful, and far more dangerous, than the latter.

Just as storm dragons were the rulers of the skies, frost dragons were the rulers of ice and snow. While rarer than storm dragons, since they resided in the frozen places of Lumina, they were just as powerful.

Dragons became more powerful as they matured. Hatchlings were at Tier Three, while full grown dragons were at Tier Six. That was the bare minimum. Some dragons became far more powerful, becoming the stuff of myths and legends.

"Who are you, Human?" The spirit demanded. "Tell me, or face my wrath!"

The spirit hissed at me, and the temperature in the Heart Chamber plummeted. At this point, I believed this was actually the spirit of a frost drake. In that case, I needed to proceed with caution. One wrong move, and I might end up as an ice sculpture.

However, I couldn't help but think that the spirit looked… Cute. The way it hissed at me reminded me of a cat. A part of me wanted to pet the spirit, despite the danger.

"My name is Gabriel Sturm, Mighty Frost Drake." I said, holding back a smile.

The frost drake spirit looked happy with my flattery and became less wary of me. The temperature in the Heart Chamber returned to normal. I held back a sigh of relief.

"Well," it said in a haughty voice, "You have good eyes. That makes you more perceptive than the other humans who come into my abode." It looked me up and down. "You also feel different from the other humans that come into this place. I sense something familiar from you."

The answer hit me like a thunderbolt.

"I'm a descendant of a storm dragon." I said, to myself as much as to the frost drake spirit.

No wonder I felt a resonance with the Frostheart. It stirred the draconic blood flowing through my veins. This frost drake spirit and I were kin, from a certain perspective. However, it didn't feel the same way.

"Ugh." the frost drake spirit said, letting out a dismissive scoff. "Storm dragons. Prideful jerks. They think they're so great, calling themselves the rulers of the skies. Even their name reeks of arrogance. Storm dragons! As if they're the only ones who can summon storms! We can too! Better ones even! Snow storms are much more dangerous than thunderstorms."

As the frost drake spirit ranted, I resisted the urge to chuckle.

"Snow storms are indeed dangerous, Mighty Frost Drake." I said.

The frost drake nodded, looking pleased with itself.

"Smart, perceptive, and the descendant of a storm dragon." It said. "I would prefer the descendant of a frost dragon, but you'll do."

I looked at it, confused.

"What do you mean?"

The frost drake spirit pulled itself up to its full height. This wasn't much, since it was the size of the average house cat.

"Rejoice, Human!" The frost drake spirit said. "I have chosen you to be my new vessel. Form a contract with me, and I shall grant you power beyond your wildest imagination!"

Okay, I was not expecting that. Humans could make contracts with spirit in exchange for a measure of the spirit's power. There were two requirements. One, the human needed to be Awakened. Two, they needed to share some affinity with the spirit. For example, a Water wizard could make a contract with a Water spirit but not a Fire spirit.

Stolen story; please report.

While forming a spirit contract came with benefits, it also came with serious downsides. The spirit contract forged a bond between the Awakened and the spirit. In rare cases, if the two had high enough affinity, the spirit could even inhabit the Awakened's body as a passenger. This was a potential downside, depending on how well the two got along.

Another downside was that when the Awakened cultivated, some of it went to the spirit. This was why spirits made contracts with humans in the first place. It was one of the ways they grew more powerful. This slowed down the Awakened's cultivation speed.

A third downside was that the amount of power gained depended on the spirit's power. Weak spirits gave less power than strong spirits. However, strong spirits often didn't need to form a contract in the first place.

This was why few Awakened formed contracts with spirits, House scions in particular. The downsides were often not worth the benefits. It was better for them to just focus on cultivating using their House's mana formula. I didn't know how it worked with the Clans, but I imagined it was similar.

Spirit contracts were more common among less talented Awakened, the ones who couldn't go above Second or Third Rank no matter how much they cultivated. The benefits helped them more, while the downsides bothered them less.

"No, thank you." I said.

While forming a spirit contract with the spirit of a frost drake tempted me, I didn't need it. I was better off growing my own power instead of relying on another's.

"What?" The frost drake spirit stared at me in disbelief. "Why not?"

I shrugged.

"I don't need it."

The frost drake spirit stared at me for a moment, before it hissed at me again. The temperature on the Heart Chamber plummeted once more. It even started to sting my skin. Despite this, I maintained my composure.

"Arrogant human! How dare you reject my generous offer?" The frost drake spirit snorted. "I shall give you a chance to correct the error of your ways. Make the wrong choice again, and you shall suffer my wrath."

I frowned.

"Why do you care?" I asked. "I'm not the only human you can make a contract with. In fact, the scions of Clan Frostheart have an affinity for Ice. Why not make a contract with one of them?"

The frost drake spirit snarled.

"Stop asking questions and form a contract with me. Hurry, while I'm still being generous."

The frost drake spirit's behavior confused me. While spirit contracts benefited the spirit as much, if not more so, than the Awakened, it wasn't the only way for them to gain power. Why was the frost drake spirit so adamant on forming a contract with me of all people?

I thought back to its words earlier. It called me a vessel. Wait a moment. I was the descendant of a storm dragon. Did that mean that the frost drake spirit and I could form one of those rare spirit contracts? The ones where the spirit inhabited the Awakened's body as a passenger?

Well then. That was interesting. The frost drake spirit wanted to inhabit my body. Why? I thought of one reason.

"You're trapped in here, aren't you?" I asked.

The frost drake spirit's eyes widened.

"How did you-? No, I mean, that isn't true! I can leave whenever I want. I just haven't had a reason to until now."

I stopped holding back my smile.

"In that case, prove it. Leave this chamber."

The frost drake spirit huffed and looked away from me.

"Why? I don't need to prove anything to you."

"Fine. I'll leave then."

With that, I stood up and walked towards the door. This was a bluff, of course. If I truly intended to leave, I would have packed my enchanted camping gear first.

"Wait!"

The spirit rushed over and blocked my path. Well, it tried. However, given the size difference between us, I could get past it with ease. Despite that, I stopped walking.

"Admit you're trapped and we can talk." I said. "Otherwise, I'm leaving."

The frost drake spirit roared at me.

"How dare you? Do not mistake my kindness for weakness. Taste my wrath!"

The frost drake spirit leapt towards me. I tensed, ready for a tough fight. It appeared that my bluff had backfired. At this point, my best option was to flee the Heart Chamber.

However, despite my worries, the frost drake spirit proved weaker than expected. I avoided its attacks with ease. No matter how hard it tried, I kept dodging its attempts.

At the same time, I kept an eye out, in case the frost drake spirit tried to attack me with Ice magic. However, nothing happened. Yes, the temperature in the Heart Chamber remained below freezing, but that was it.

"Is this it?" I asked. "Is this the extent of your power?"

The frost drake spirit, ready to leap at me again, stiffened. Aha! It had been bluffing this entire time. Maybe it wasn't the spirit of a frost drake at all. I smiled at my own cleverness. However, my smile faded away when the frost drake spirit started sniffling.

"Why-why are yo-you being so mea-mean to me?" It asked, sobbing. "I jus-just want to le-leave! I'm so lon-lonely!"

The frost drake spirit started crying. I stood there, not sure how to react. Well, fuck. Now I felt like an asshole. I walked over and crouched next to the frost drake spirit.

"I'm sorry for acting like a jerk." I said.

The frost drake spirit eyed me, before it leapt towards me. I didn't have enough time to dodge. However, I sensed no malice, so it mattered little.

I caught the frost drake spirit and hugged it to my chest. It felt like hugging an icicle. The frost drake spirit curled up in my arms and cried its heart out. We stayed like that for a long time.

It took a while for the frost drake spirit to calm down and regain its composure. By that point, I was shivering. While my clothes offered me some protection, they weren't enough to stave off the below freezing temperatures forever. However, I didn't use my enchanted camping gear since I didn't know how the frost drake spirit would react to it. I still felt a little guilty for making it cry. So, I put a smile on my face and bore with the cold.

After the frost drake spirit stopped crying, I tried to put it down on the ground. However, it clung to me and refused to let go. I found this both adorable, and exasperating.

"Mi-mighty Frost Dr-drake," I said, my teeth chattering, "I ne-need to warm up, le-lest I freeze to de-death."

The frost drake spirit snapped its head up and stared at me with wide eyes.

"Oh no! I forgot! Here, let me fix that."

The temperature in the Heart Chamber rose to just above freezing. While this was an improvement, I kept shivering. If I didn't use my enchanted equipment soon, I would end up getting sick.

"I do-don't know if my equi-equipment will harm you," I said, "So sta-stay out here."

I tried put the frost drake spirit on the ground again, but it kept clinging to me.

"No." It said, pouting. "I'm not letting go until you make a contract with me."

I rolled my eyes. Nevermind. I tried to warn it. It had no one but itself to blame for what happened next.

My camping equipment consisted of a tent and a sleeping bag enchanted with warming spells, as well as an enchanted portable stove. I opened the enchanted tent and crawled into it. The warmth inside felt divine. I let out a relieved sigh. I loved magic.

When the shivering subsided, and my teeth stopped chattering, I checked on the frost drake spirit. It grimaced, as if in pain.

"I told you." I said. "Stay outside where it's cold."

In response, the frost drake spirit huffed and looked away from me. I sighed. It was like dealing with a petulant child. Actually, that might not be far from the truth. Drakes were adolescent dragons. In human terms, they were preteens and teenagers. That would explain the frost drake spirit's immature behavior.

"How about this?" I said. "I'll leave the tent flap open, so you can see me."

The frost drake spirit gave me a wary look, but nodded.

"Fine." It said.

I opened the tent flap all the way. The frost drake spirit leapt out of my arms and left the tent. It then turned around and stared at me. Well, at least it wasn't uncomfortable anymore. I turned my attention away from the frost drake spirit and focused on warming myself up further.

I started boiling water on the enchanted stove in order to make some tea. While I fussed about, I glanced at the frost drake spirit every now and again. It watched me with a fascinated expression on its serpentine face. I suppose it had never seen anyone make tea before.

"Tell me about yourself." I said while waiting for the water to boil. "How did you end trapped up in a place like this?"

The frost drake spirit pouted.

"I never said I was trapped."

I shook my head.

"We'll have a much easier time going forward if you're honest with me."

The frost drake spirit hesitated, before it nodded and let out a resigned sigh.

"I don't know." It said. "I had just left my parents' nest to find my own place in the world, when a human attacked me with magic. I don't remember what happened after that. The next thing I remember is waking up in this place as a spirit, bound to that thing." It gestured to the Frostheart. "I've been stuck here ever since. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't leave."

I frowned. Strange. I had never heard of anything like this before.

"Why didn't you ask the scions of Clan Frostheart to help you?" I asked.

The frost drake spirit sneered.

"Why would I? For all I know, they're in league with the human that attacked me in the first place."

That… Was a fair point.

"Besides, none of them felt right." The frost drake spirit continued. "I couldn't make a contract with just any human. In order to leave this place, I needed the right vessel."

"Me."

The frost drake spirit nodded.

"As a dragon's descendant, you're the perfect vessel for me." It paused. "Well, not perfect. Your ancestor isn't a frost dragon. However, you're better than nothing."

I gave the frost drake a wry look.

"Thank you." I said in a dry tone.

"You're welcome." the frost drake spirit said with complete sincerity.

The water finished boiling, so I made myself a cup of tea. When I took a sip, it filled me with warmth. I let out a satisfied sigh. Perfect.

"In theory, what would happen if I made a contract with you?" I asked. "Would the Frostheart lose its power?"

As much as I sympathized with the frost drake spirit, the Frostheart was Clan Frostheart's sacred treasure. If something happened to it, that would imperil their entire future. I couldn't do that to them, not for the sake of a stranger.

"No." The frost drake spirit said, shaking its head. "All of my power is trapped in that thing. I can't access any of it. Even if we make a contract, that won't change. I would be bound to you and not that thing, but that's it." It gave me a sideways glance. "You're lucky. If I had access to my full power earlier, I would've made you pay for your arrogance."

I snorted.

"If you had access to your full power, you wouldn't have needed my help in the first place."

The frost drake sighed.

"I know." It said. "Right now, I'm so weak that I'm reduced to begging humans for help. It's… Infuriating."

I shrugged.

"It could be worse. At least you have an opportunity to leave." I sipped my tea. "Now then, let's talk terms. If I make a contract with you, what do I get out of it?" I nodded to the Frostheart. "I won't be getting any of your power, so what would I get?"

The frost drake spirit gave me a serious look.

"An affinity for Ice." It said.

Well now. That tempted me. However, not enough to make a spirit contract. I would have to share some of my cultivation with the frost drake spirit, slowing down my progress overall. The trade-off wasn't worth it.

"I can also speed up your cultivation." The frost drake spirit said.

I narrowed my eyes at it.

"How so?" I asked.

"Spirits cultivate as well. That's one of the ways we can grow more powerful, though this is a slow process. It's faster to make a contract with a human. However, we can speed up our cultivation by consuming objects and phenomena related to our essential nature. Ice, in my case. Water is… Fine, but Ice is better. Crystals imbued with the power of Ice are best."

"You mean elemental crystals?"

The frost drake spirit nodded.

"Yes, those. If you make a contract with me, I can share my cultivation with you just as you share yours with me."

I mulled it over. This was a much better deal. I could speed up my cultivation by feeding elemental crystals to the frost drake spirit, mitigating the downside of making a spirit contract in the first place. As long as I broke even, it would be worth it.

"Mighty Frost Drake," I said, grinning, "You have a deal."