Northern Wind

## Spirit Costume Skill

 Everfrost Tundra+
 Spirit Leader
 Winter Sonata+
 Frost Hug

## Hera's Storyline

* Frozen Heart? 1
* Frozen Heart? 2
* Frozen Heart? 3
* Frozen Heart? 4

**Alven**: So, you want us to lend you a hand with the investigation on natural mana generation and its flow?

**Elementalist A**: Yes. At the time when the Towers of Seasons were built, all the dire monsters in the surrounding forests were expelled. However, they somehow appeared again.

**Elementalist B**: It's not a big deal, just some beasts. I'm sure someone as battle-hardened as you can take them down in no time.

**Elementalist A**: Yep. And we'll make sure you don't go home empty-handed.

**Alven**: Sure, I'm gonna be here for a few days anyways. I guess I might as well make some extra money.

**Elementalist A**: This place is the junction of the Tower of Spring and the Tower of Winter. Due to the special environment here, anomalies are more likely to appear.

**Alven**: Well... It seems you don't know this place all that well. We've been going around in circles for a while now.

**Elementalist B**: Ah ha! Now it's my turn! I made lots of friends here back when I used to practice animal communication spells. With an animal companion to lead us we'll be all set. I'll try to call her... \*Whispers\*

**Alven**: Something is running over from the woods... A... deer? (No antlers. It could be a female one.)

**Elementalist B**: Little Raby! Good girl! Take us on a tour around border woods!

**Elementalist A**: You're full of surprises. Let's go, if we don't get information we need we'll get in trouble.

**Elementalist B**: Oh, come on! I really don't want to see professor Valla again...

**Elementalist A**: Thanks to little Raby, we gathered everything we need.

**Elementalist B**: Well, it's the time to call it a day. See you again, Raby. Please take care of yourself~

**Alven**: Nothing dangerous the whole time. That was quite a relaxing walk.

**???**: Whooooo-------------------

**Alven**: ?! Animal screams are coming from behind us...

**Elementalist B**: That was... little Raby!

**Alven**: We need to check it out. Keep your guard up! Follow me!

**Alven**: (The female deer is being dragged into the woods by a wild wolf... Wait, this energy, it's a monster?)

**Elementalist B**: Ahh! Don't hurt my little Raby! Mister Alven! Please save her!

**Elementalist A**: I knew it wouldn't go that easily... Let's handle this beast. We'll support you.

**Alven**: Finally, some work to do... I'm ready!

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**Elementalist B**: \*Sob\*... \*Sob\*... Little Raby... Stay with us, please...

**Elementalist A**: The wolf ripped her throat. I stopped the bleeding with my spells, but she won't hold make it much longer like this...

**Alven**: ...You said this place was not far from the Tower of Spring. What if we ask professor Valla, the Grand Spirit of Spring, for help? She should be able to handle a wound like this no problem.

**Elementalist A**: No way. There's no telling what any of these grand spirits will do. From what I know abot her, if you ask for her help, she will definitely sneer and say "This is how nature works. The corpse of the deer will provide nourishment for other creatures blahblahblah..."

**Alven**: ...I thought the avatar of the spring would be more the warm and friendly type... So, how about professor Hera?

**Elementalist A**: I don't know much about her, but with how she always keeps people at a distance I don't think it'll be easy to convince her to help.

**Elementalist B**: B... But... \*Sob\*... If we just stand here... little Raby will...

**Alven**: ...Someone has to try. You stay here and keep her stable. I'll hurry to the Tower of Winter and ask professor Hera for help.

**Elementalist A**: ...I hope it goes well. We'll be waiting for the good news.

**Alven**: (...So, this is the Tower of Winter. I feel chill even standing at the entrance. The elementalists told me that few dare to enter the Tower of Winter, unless it's an emergency. The animals commonly seen around the other three towers are also hardly found around here. Judging from the aura of the tower... I can imagine her unkindness. However... The more I approach the top, the colder it becomes. It feels almost like being in a blizzard...) ...Hello? Is professor Hera here?

**Hera**: ...

**Alven**: I have something really important that I need your help with.

**Hera**: ...

**Alven**: (No response at all... I don't even know if I should keep talking... But if I stay silent, she will never respond. I have to try, even if she rejects me.) There's a female deer named Raby. She's a friend of your student's. When we got lost in the forest she helped us, but was attacked by a monster afterwards. Now she's in grave danger!

**Hera**: ...

**Alven**: Please, help us heal her. We've kept her stable, but you're the only one who can truly heal her!

**Hera**: ...

**Hera**: ...Where is she?

**Alven**: (...Wait... What?)

**Hera**: ...Let's hurry. If it's in the forest near Tower of Winter, I can get there by reshaping. Is your name Alven? Please, show me where they are.

**Alven**: Ar... O... Ok! Please, follow me! (...She seems... very concerned?)

**Elementalist A**: ...I just can't believe it. You really brought professor Hera here?!

**Elementalist B**: What did you say to persuade her?... You must have a silver tongue!

**Alven**: ...Well... I just explained the situation to her, and she was so concerned...

**Hera**: Before the last breath of warmth elapses, before the beating impulse of life perishes. My icicle of restoration, please heal the incurable wound... til the frost melts, till new life rises...

**Alven**: ...The frozen wound, it's beginning to heal!

**Elementalist A**: ...So, is this the power of "winter"... It brings not only death and decay, but also shelters for life as it waits for the fertility of the new year...

**Hera**: She should be Ok now. Just wait a few days and she will be fully healed.

**Elementalist A**: \*Sob\*... I'm... I'm so grateful to you... professor Hera...

**Hera**: ...I haven't touched another creature for a long time.

**Alven**: Professor Hera... Do you like animals?

**Hera**: Yes... but the animals nearby are not cold-resistant. Therefore, I hardly get a chance to see these adorable creatures around the Tower of Winter or within the Frozen Area.

**Alven**: (I never expected professor Hera's true disposition to be so different from what everyone imagined...)

**Elementalist A**: ...By the way, Alven. Did you notice that the beast that attacked little Raby was kind of weird?

**Alven**: Yeah, it seems more like a monster than a wild animal... But during the battle, I didn't notice special in its physical structure.

**Hera**: ...It was corrupted by a powerful monster.

**Alven**: Corrupted?

**Hera**: Whenever a monster has become too powerful, its aura will corrupt the other creatures nearby and control their mind. There used to be such a monster hidden in this forest, but it was expelled when the Tower of Seasons were built.

**Alven**: Could it be...

**Hera**: It's too early to jump to conclusions, it could also be another monster. In order to find the truth... I'll investigate it together with you.

**Alven**: ...Yeah, I want to get to the bottom of this too...

**Elementalist A**: With professor Hera at our side, there is nothing to worry about. Tanny, please take little Raby back and leave the rest of the work to us.

**Elementalist B**: Okay, but please be careful...

**Alven**: ...We've encountered more and more monsters as we go deeper into the forest. It must have sensed our presence.

**Elementalist A**: I've heard the rumor that the principle and grand spirits repelled many monsters from the area when the Tower of Seasons were built... I thought it was only a legend.

**Hera**: It did happen, and... though it was gravely wounded this beast escaped, and we had not spare time then to chase it.

**Alven**: ...There it is, the source of this suffocating smog.

**Beast Lord**: ...Roar...

**Alven**: (How... How gigantic! It's almost as big as a hill!)

**Elementalist A**: The piles of animal corpses around it... Are these animals all hunted by it and its minions?

**Alven**: Its scarred face is stained with burn marks, and its wounds filled with withered vines. Could it be...

**Hera**: Exactly, it is the Beast Lord from before... It... It has returned...

**Beast Lord**: ...!!

**Alven**: Watch out! It knows we're here!

**Hera**: It must have sensed my presence... Icicle, freeze the enemy steps!

**Beast Lord**: Roar!!!

**Elementalist A**: How could it be?! It didn't slow down at all!

**Alven**: Damn... Its attacks are too fierce for me to even get close to it!

**Elementalist A**: Watch out! It's charging at professor Hera!

**Alven**: There's no way to stop it!

**Hera**: -----

**???**: Roar!!!

**Beast Lord**: ?!

**Alven**: ...Huh?

**Elementalist A**: It's... made of ice...

**Alven**: ...A bear?

**Hera**: ...

**???**: Roar!

**Beast Lord**: Gharrrr... Arrggg!

**Alven**: (...It's like something out of a dream. A bear made out of ice fighting against the dreadful Beast Lord!)

**Elementalist A**: The Beast Lord is being pushed back! Mister Alven!

**Alven**: Yeah! Let's attack!

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**Alven**: Taste my blade!

**Hera**: Icefall!

**Elementalist A**: That's not good... It's still standing!

**Beast Lord**: Growl... Whoof... Roaaaaaaaar!!

**Elementalist A**: Mister Alven! Professor Hera! Get out of the way!

**Alven**: A desperate counterstrike? It's already mortally injured...

**???**: Roar!!!

**Alven**: The ice bear... it's going to use all its strength to strike it down!

**Beast Lord**: ...

**???**: ... Crack... Crack...

**Alven**: The ice bear is... cracking! Where is the Beast Lord?

**Hera**: ...

**Beast Lord**: Grhaaaa...

**Elementalist A**: ...The Beast Lord is on the ground... Its power is waning... I think we've defeated it.

**Hera**: ...I'm sorry, Umma... I needed you to protect me yet again.

**Umma**: ...

**Alven**: (The cracked ice bear... is licking Hera, as if it were trying to comfort her...) Umma... Is that its name?

**Hera**: Yes, Umma is my familiar and friend. We've been friends ever since I was young. Krate, go to the Towers of Seasons and inform the other teachers to hurry here.

**Elementalist A**: What about you?

**Hera**: ...I have some things that I need to ask Alven to help me with. Alven, I hope that you might accompany me on a trip to the Northern Border.

**Alven**: We are approaching the Freezing Sea. I'll tell my crew to keep alert against icebergs and possible sea monsters. But professor Hera, as the Grand Spirit of Winter you can just teleport there by reshaping. Why did you come with us on the ship?

**Hera**: ...Because otherwise, Umma might feel lonely. Before Umma became my familiar, he was once a living creature. Some things led to his death, and I used my powers to turn him into an elemental spirit. Different from common spirits, elemental spirits generate their body from the surrounding environment, as if they were a part of their land.

**Alven**: Therefore, to reform his shape, we must return to the place where he was born. (Umma seems like a really important companion to her...)

**Crew**: Mercenary boy! Something is wrong! Some black ships flying skeleton flags are sailing towards us!

**Alven**: Pirates? No... There can't be pirates on the Freezing Sea, though there were plenty of pirates who died after sailing here... Damn it! To arms! Those are ghost ships! Prepare for battle!

**Hera**: ...My ice barrier will block the cannonballs. Don't let these undead creatures slow us down. With Umma's condition, we can't afford to lose time here.

**Alven**: Thank you for your help. Everyone! To arms! Prepare for hand-to-hand battle!

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**Alven**: Finally, we've dealt with the ghost ships... Speaking of which, it looked like you opened your eyes while you were blocking the cannonballs?

**Hera**: Vision is also a medium for magic, and my sight contains the power of mana. I close my eyes to prevent unnecessary consumption of mana, but if I focus I can use them to seriously engage in battle.

**Alven**: By the way, I'm a bit curious... How did you and Umma become acquainted?

**Hera**: ...

**Hera**: ...Well, if you are interested.

**Hera**: ...For us, it was an incredibly long time ago... Spirits are born from creatures' understanding of natural phenomena. At the time, the creatures on land had not yet fully awakened... Therefore, I was only a spirit of the arctic. I wandering aimlessly in the snow-white world, trying to figure out the meaning of my existence. I didn't understand my purpose, I didn't understand what emotions were. I was the emotional understanding intelligent creatures had of nature... a personification of their feelings... That's what made me how I was. If there was something that propelled me, it was curiosity... I wanted to know what kind of consciousness created me, putting me in this place... Later, I ran into Umma, an agitated polar bear who had strayed from his herd. Despite his anxiety, he was curious about me and approached without showing any fear of the frost surrounding me----- This place was his home. He was already used to snow and frost. Carefully, I tried to touch his hide. It was firm and smooth, and somewhere in my depths I felt something I had never known before. It wasn't until after that I learned its name. That feeling was "warmth." After that we stuck together, wandering the northmost lands in search of his herd. During our journey, I learned many things that I had before never been able to imagine... Like the law of the jungle, and the moments when animals helped each other to survive. As my knowledge accumulated, I was constantly thinking, and constantly longing to encounter more new things. Since then, Umma has always been with me. At that time I hadn't fully mastered my power, and he helped me defeat many monsters and beasts. As the days passed by, Umma became older and older. I knew what would eventually happen, and I knew that it was the course of nature. As a spirit, I didn't know what sadness was. I just thought we would bid farewell to each other someday, that was inevitable. On that day, I saw endless angels with metal armor and sharp wings come down from the heaven. They were exactly those weapons that you would later come to call "Mecha Angels." Blood and death... As if to terminate all life forms, they killed everything they met. The white plains were dyed red with blood. At that moment, I heard a voice from the depths of my mind... "These creatures are your enemies! You are destined to destroy them!" It said. Therefore, I started fighting against the Mecha Angels. I summoned blizzards to freeze their wings, icicles to penetrate their armor and frostbite to blind their sight... But their numbers were infinite. Though I was the incarnate of the northern wind, I gradually became exhausted as my mana was drained. I fell on the ground, waiting for my inevitable destiny... And then...

**Umma**: Roar!!!

**Mecha Angel**: Hostile lifeform detected. Type - Polar Bear. Threat level: Low. Annihilation protocol activated: Death Ray.

**Umma**: Grhaaaa----- Roar!!!!

**Mecha Angel**: Target is bleeding. Damage evaluation: Lethal. Annihilation protocol error report: Target's adrenaline level is abnormal.

**Hera**: Umma, are you... bleeding...?

**Umma**: ...hoooh... hoooh...

**Mecha Angel**: Target remains hostile. Tier 2 annihilation protocol initiated.

**Hera**: Don't fight them! Run, Umma, just run!

**Umma**: Roar-----!!!!

**Mecha Angel**: Target counterattacking. Ally damage evaluation: Three, allies, lost. Strategy: Continue attacking the target, until its physiological remains are terminated.

**Umma**: Roar-----!

**Hera**: ...Why, Umma? We are not from the same race, and I'm not necessary for your survival. If you keep fighting, you will die an unnatural death from your injuries.

**Umma**: ...\*Lick\*

**Hera**: Are you saying... we are friends? You don't want... to lose me?

**Mecha Angel**: Target's life signs are waning. Reactions is estimated to terminate in 30 seconds. Target invalid. Original process resumed. Target's physiological activity has terminated. New target: Spirit.

**Hera**: ...Umma's body has become so cold... Is he dead, just like his parents? To protect me, he ignored his survival instincts and fought against powerful enemies despite his fear. And these actions caused his own death. I just... can't understand it...But why... why am I feeling so warm now? It's impossible. Why... \*Sob\*... I... I don't want to lose you, either... Umma...

**Hera**: Those were my first, and maybe my last, tears.

**Mecha Angel α**: Anomalous mana crystal detected within the spirit's body.

**Mecha Angel β**: The crystal has touched the terminated organic life. Rapid freezing reactions detected. Emergency protocol D2-W activated. Destruction process activated.

**Mecha Angel γ**: Attack sequence completed. Frozen object damage evaluation: 32%.

**Mecha Angel δ**: Warning! Warning! Massive mana reaction detected within the frozen object!

**Mecha Angel λ**: Frozen object's outer layer is cracking. Hostile activities detected. Switch target! I repeat, switch...

**Umma**: Roar!!!

**Mecha Angel**: Ten. Twenty. Thirty. Ally damage increasing. Emergency protocol F2-A activated. Target configured. Cease fire when the following objective is completed: Total annihilation. All units! Attack!

**Hera**: ...Umma... You...

**Umma**: ...

**Hera**: I... understand now. We fight together, Umma!

**Umma**: Roar-----!!!!

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**Hera**: A spirit can attach souls to her tears, and convert them into the core of an elemental spirit... In this way, Umma was resurrected. Amazed by his gigantic and crystalline body, I was enlightened. From my deepest grief, I grasped the true meaning of happiness. With his new body, Umma became even stronger. His return also gave me the courage to continue fighting. To stay together with my friend I had to defeat all enemies in my sight, no matter how many there were. -----Because Umma will always be at my side. Spirit of the north, answer my call! Restore the shattered ice of this land to its original shape...

**Alven**: (The shattered ice is slowly reforming back to its original shape...)

**Umma**: ...Humph... Roar!

**Hera**: Umma... I'm so glad you're back again.

**Umma**: \*Lick\*

**Hera**: Phew... Umma has fully recovered. All this time sailing and on alert for attacks really tired me out. Thank you so much, Alven... You really have a kind heart.

**Alven**: It's not a big deal at all. Besides, this is the first time I've ever been to the Northern Border. It was a great trip for me, too.

**Hera**: Sightseeing, huh?... Speaking of which, the landscape here is totally different from what it was back then.

**Alven**: Yeah... As time passes by and with the effects of human activity, many creatures have gradually adopted to the cold climate here. This place has become their homeland. For example...

**Hera**: Wow, what a cute fox! You're not afraid of me? Can I pet you?

**Alven**: Ehh... Hera?...

**Hera**: And white birds, too. So fluffy and cute, as cute as snowballs. Soooo cute!

**Alven**: (She completely opens up around cute animals that aren't afraid of her and the cold... I'm lucky to see professor Hera's hidden side. This has been a worthwhile journey... Like the winter snows that silently provide for future crops, Hera, the incarnation of winter, is a tender and benevolent spirit.)