Published at 25th of October 2026 7:51 am

Chapter 2140: Magin in the Air

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

Winterdale was the northernmost region of the West Coast.

Here, winter reigned throughout the year. The cold was harsh enough to freeze rivers solid and turn roads into stretches of hard, treacherous ice.

Snow covered the land for most of the year, piling against rooftops and walls until entire streets sometimes disappeared beneath the white expanse. Bitter winds swept down from the north, carrying needles of ice that stung any exposed skin.

The people of Winterdale had learned to endure it. They were a rough and hardy people, shaped by the unforgiving land they called home.

Children learned from a young age how to survive the cold, while hunters and adventurers ventured into the frozen wilderness in search of food, materials, and monsters. Thick furs, heavy coats, and sturdy boots were necessities rather than luxuries.

Winterdale was also a member of the Free City Alliance. In its own way, it was as bustling as the other metropolises of this Alliance.

Adam sat by the fireplace, hands thrust forward as though he didn’t mind embracing the flames. Despite his physique and the warm clothes he wore, he still felt cold and uncomfortable. Meanwhile, Luca sat at the window ledge, feeling right at home.

"Can you shut the damned window? It’s freezing!" Adam complained.

Luca turned to him and smiled. "No."

Adam growled, knowing that his friend was doing it on purpose. "Damn you!"

Luca’s smile widened. He took a deep breath, gazing at the sprawling city through the window. They were currently staying at a reputable tavern.

It had taken them eight months of travel to reach the city. However, that was four months ago.

Luca had tried to convince Adam on many occasions to return to Davos, but the latter had adamantly refused.

So now he refused to shut the window.

Adam tossed a log into the hearth and grumbled, "What the hell is taking them so long? Four months just to do a background check on us? Do they think we’re going to break someone out of the prison? And why is it so damned cold? Dragonshit!"

Luca took a large mouthful of wine directly from the bottle. He gazed into the distance, his grey eyes settling on the behemoth rising far away.

"There’s magic in the air. In the land. In the water," he said. "The weather is affected by magic too. It’s because of that thing over there."

He was referring to one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

Far to the north, the western end of the Wall could be seen in the distance, stretching across the horizon like an impossibly long monument built by giants.

To the left lay the Frozen Sea. An endless expanse of pale ice and freezing water stretched beneath the sky, disappearing into the horizon.

When Adam first arrived at the Wall, he had been filled with awe.

When he climbed it and saw the vast world that stretched northward, he had been utterly mesmerized. If not for his objective, he would have loved to venture beyond the Wall and go on an adventure.

But here he was, four months into waiting, and still without a go-ahead to enter the damned prison. Just thinking of it made him agitated.

He really hated the weather here.

Adam’s head suddenly snapped toward the door, his eyes flashing with hope.

A few seconds later, there was a knock, and a stout dwarf entered the room. Coiled in warm furs, his face was ruddy pink from the cold.

"Letter for Magus Constantine!"

Adam shot to his feet and accepted the letter.

The moment he had been waiting for had finally arrived. He couldn’t help but let out a hearty laugh. Fortune’s End had vetted Adam and Luca’s background information through its sources, and they had granted permission to enter.

Adam looked at the dwarf and grinned.

"Reebo, ready the sledge!"

***

Though it was called the Frozen Sea, there was no water in sight. It had frozen solid, transforming into a vast white expanse of land that stretched toward the horizon.

Reebo, the dwarf, steered the reins of half a dozen direwolves as they pulled the sledge across the frozen wasteland.

The direwolves’ massive paws raced across the ice as they bounded forward, their breath steaming in the frigid air. They were in their element.

And it appeared so was Luca. So much so that he did not even voice a single complaint about having to share the same air with a dwarf.

Adam, meanwhile, was huddled on the floor of the sledge, wrapping his arms around himself and shivering like a lone leaf caught in a storm.

Fortune’s End was far from Winterdale. Two months of travel across the Frozen Sea still lay ahead.

Thankfully, the direwolves were sturdy beasts and didn’t require as much rest. Throughout their journey, the group camped very few times. The weather was not conducive to outdoor camping—not even for the northerners.

Adam cursed the entire journey. At long last, Reebo stopped the sledge.

"What’s wrong?" Adam probed.

The dwarf pointed at the signpost in the distance. "You see that, boss? Beyond that line, I cannot enter. I do not have the invitation token. If I take even a step beyond..."

He shuddered. And it wasn’t because of the weather.

Two iron tokens had come with the letter, granting Adam and Luca passage. That meant only they both could go beyond this point.

"Very well." Adam jumped off the sledge, his boots meeting the frozen water.

He tossed a small leather pouch to the dwarf. "Thanks for the ride."

"Sure, boss!" The dwarf beamed. "Stay safe. And don’t get eaten!"

With that said, he whipped the direwolves. They howled and whirled and sped back to Winterdale.

Adam had a strange look on his face. "The fuck?"

Even Luca was a little dumbfounded. "What did he mean by—"

Rumble!

Vibrations spread through the surface of the Frozen Sea.

The pair turned around. They scanned the surroundings warily.

Then, through the snowfall, they noticed giant shadows.

Not in the sky. Not above ground.

Below.

Giant shadows swam beneath the Frozen Sea.

"Oh." Adam swallowed.

"So that’s what he meant..."

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