Dungeon of Niflheim

"Roooaaaarrrrr!!!" Kiba let out a tumultuous roar, so loud that he conjured up a minor windstorm. The iceborne huntsman who was moving to deal a severe blow to him while he was preoccupied with its venom was blown back, its rear legs stepping into the ring of ice fire.

"Scrrii!" It screeched in pain as the ends of its legs started to corrode and freeze over but before it could even remove them it suddenly lost stability. Its front half starting to tilt.

The massive spider stared up at Kiba and saw its remaining front leg dangling from his mouth. It was shocked it didn't even feel it getting torn from its socket. The monster then turned a few eyes towards the stub that remained, blood was gushing forth from the wound and with that realisation came pain, intense pain.

"Sssscccrriii!!!" It screeched even louder this time, but its wails were quickly brought to an end, Kiba was done playing with his food.

Crunch! Crunch!

He devoured the iceborne huntsman's leg, allowing its green blood to stream down his white fur before swallowing the remaining chunks. It tasted absolutely disgusting but its what his animal instincts told him to do.

Then once his meal was done he stomped his claws upon the iceborne huntsman's shoulders, pinning it in place as he stretched open his deadly maw and bit down on its skull.

Crunch! Crunch!

The sound of bones being snapped, and muscles being torn apart along with frantic bestial screams reverberated throughout the area before soon all that remained was the sound of chewing and the occasional spitting.

Kiba killed the iceborne huntsman and devoured its body, leaving just the fangs and venom glands for loot. He hated the taste of the spider but once he finished eating all of it, the magic crystal included he felt a wave of energy pulsing through his system, he had become stronger, ascending to the peak level of C-rank.

Just a little more and he'd be able to assault the barrier to B-rank and be able to boldly stand side by side with Frost, Khuno, Findley and Yuna. Then those damn evolved coeurls would show him the respect he deserved.

Kiba was so entranced in his meal that he didn't even notice the ring of ice fire dissipating and Frost appearing next to him with a displeased expression.

"You moron!" Frost lightly slapped Kiba's rump. "Did I or did I not tell you to be wary of its venom?

And have I not told you a thousand times to not jump the gun, geez if I hadn't warned you you'd have spider venom tearing up your insides and this battle couldn't gone very differently." Frost was annoyed by Kiba's actions but at the same time proud of him for winning, a strange mix that's why his slap was light, and his tone wasn't all that lecturing.

"Grrrr." Kiba submissively growled knowing he messed up and the moment he did the pain in his wings cropped up.

"Come here, you're lucky I stocked up in the Lambda camp." Frost pulled out a potion from his storage ring and poured the contents directly onto the affected area. The liquid was blue in colour and served as a perfect antidote to the iceborne huntsman's venom.

Kiba immediately felt a cooling sensation, then tingling and then finally itchy. The antidote was working but would need a flew minutes to flow through his system and remove all aspects of the venom.

But since he was feeling much better Kiba licked Frost's face affectionately which immediately erased his frown, instead making him smile.

"Haaaaa you did good Kiba, very good." He scratched the big cat's neck and ears making him purr like a kitten. A rather warm image if you ignore the litres of blood on the floor and decorating the tiger's white fur.

While Kiba waited for the antidote to finish its magic Frost made sure the area was clear of any spider monsters before returning to Borris and the still sleeping V.

"Kiba's not all that hurt, nothing a potion can't fix. V however needs a proper rest."

"What do you suggest?" Asked Borris.

"We double back to the Lambda camp, stay there for the night, get our bearings and decide our final route." Frost was more than happy to take both V and Borris through the riskier route after today's expedition but in the end he wanted to hear V's opinion. Plus they could deposit the proof of kill to the order of ice shield's sentry while there and receive a hefty reward.

"I'm alright with that, I quite fancy a decent drink and some good food after all that carnage." If he didn't see a spider again for the rest of his life he'd be one happy dwarf.

"Well said, Kiba we're heading back to the Lambda camp, just let me know when you're ready to leave."

"Garow" Kiba waved his wing while Frost whistled, calling on his contracted frost wolf who had to sit out of the fight due only being E-rank.

A little over an hour later the group pulled up into the Lambda camp. Borris was on the frost wolf while Frost rode Kiba with Avira resting against his chest, still asleep.

"Back so soon sir Frost?" The manager of the camp was on his regular rounds and spotted Frost and his team pull in. His eyes revealed curiosity as well as hope. It was no secret to him that Frost left to take care of the iceborne huntsman as he asked him about it the previous night.

"Yeah the battle didn't take quite as long as I thought it would but my companion's quite exhausted, we'll stay here for the night before continuing our journey North." Frost gently leaped from Kiba's back with Avira in his arms.

Reading between the lines Grant couldn't help but feel excited, finally that dreaded spider had been dealt with, he and his subordinates could now get a full nights sleep.

"Hahahaha that's fantastic please allow me to offer you and your companions our finest lodgings free of charge." Grant bellowed with a smile on his lips.

"Thank you for your generosity Grant." Frost wasn't one to pass up a free service especially one that would normally cost him tens of silver coins.

"It's the least I can do hahahaha." Only Grant knew how nerve wracking it had been for him having to run the lambda camp so close to the iceborne huntsman's territory.

Grant personally led Frost and his companions to the dorms and arranged for their lodgings, waving all costs.

Frost thanked him again before whispering. "I'll see to my companion's health first before coming to brief you on the outcome."

"Much appreciated." Grant then left the group and headed back to his office.

The Lambda camp just like the Beta camp had high class yurts that were usually reserved for travelling nobles, they cost a pretty penny even for a single nights stay but you get what you pay for.

Inside the yurt that could house Frost, Borris, Avira, Kiba and even the frost wolf with room to spare there wasn't even the slightest speck of cold, it was as if they walked into a completely different world.

The walls were covered in thick skins and fur pelts, all from high grade monsters while several magic crystal operated devices helped regulate the temperature inside and provided many creature comforts. Hot water was in unlimited supply and was provided almost instantly. There was even cooking appliances that could prepare and store high quality meats and fish. A true glamping experience.

"Seems that the iceborne huntsman was a bigger deal than we thought." Borris shook his head with a wry smile. If it wasn't such a nuisance then Grant would never willingly gift them a free night in such a high class yurt even with Frost's status as a city lord and highly gifted B-rank prodigy.

"Agreed but it's a pleasant surprise." Frost replied as he placed Avira down on one of the beds and tucked her in tight.

"Can you keep an eye on her while I meet with Grant?"

"No problem, I could do with a rest myself." Borris then started to remove his plate armour, boots and greaves.

"I've left a mid-level health potion on the table, have V drink it when she wakes up."

"Will do, oh and bring back some good liquor on your way back so we can celebrate our victory." The old dwarf made a drinking hand gesture causing Frost to wave his hand as he left the yurt.

"I'll see what they have." A celebration was certainly necessary after such a hard fought victory.

'I'll make a stop at the merchant quarter on the way back. They should have some high quality monster meat available.'

After checking in to the yurt and seeing to Avira's safety Frost made his way towards Grant's office to inform him about the battle and to hand over the iceborne huntsman's right fang which was the required proof of kill.

Don!

The iceborne huntsman's large right fang dropped down onto Grant's desk, its weight substantial enough to make it tremble.

Seeing the item Grant quickly go to work; he placed a strange monocle over his left eye and started to inspect the fang. The whole process only took about 30 seconds.

"It's the real deal." Grant leaned back into his chair and let out a repressed breath, the proof of the deed was sitting before him. There was now no question that the territory lord, the iceborne huntsman who had caused him and his staff so much misery had been dealt with.

"Thank you for coming to me personally, it means a lot Sir Frost." Frost was under no obligation to deal with Grant directly but since Grant was the most affected by the monster he believed he should be the first person to be informed of its passing.

"No problem Grant, you can rest easy now."

"Yes, yes I can, thank you Sir Frost…..now about your reward, do you have any special requests, or would you just prefer cash?" The order of the ice shield occasionally -especially for high value requests- offered alternative payments for their rewards. i.e. instead of coins the client could request ores, armour, weapons, herbs etc...

"Keep it as coins, that way it'll be easier for me to split it with my companions." Though Frost and Kiba effectively carried the group he wouldn't deprive Avira's and Borris of their earnings.

"Very well that makes the transaction quite simple, Nala please bring me the coin vault allocated to quest rewards as well as the necessary documents." Grant called on his assistant who promptly left to fetch the storage vault that held the coins reserved for quest rewards.

When Frost left Grant's office he was 34 gold coins richer, a substantial bounty, at least double the usual reward for a territory lord of similar standing.

The iceborne huntsman was really quite hated/feared by the nearby inhabitants.