The next morning started before the sun even touched the horizon.
The outpost was still buried in darkness when the train crew began warming up the engine. Steam rolled from the sides of the massive transport, lights flickering on one by one as workers rushed through the snow, loading supplies, checking damage, and securing the cargo that had survived the night.
The conductor climbed into the front car, face tense as he looked over the weather readings.
"Ice King," he called through comms, "we've got a blizzard ahead. If we stop too long, the whole train could freeze to the tracks."
Ice King stood near the middle cars, staff resting against his shoulder. "Understood. Keep it moving. We'll handle whatever comes."
The train lurched forward.
Slow at first.
Then steady.
Within minutes, the outpost disappeared behind them, swallowed by snow and fog.
For a while, all they could hear was the endless rhythm of metal wheels cutting through ice.
Then the White Maw returned.
They came out of the storm like ghosts, snowmobiles and snowskimmers sliding alongside the train. White armor, covered faces, weapons raised. Their engines barely rose above the howl of the wind.
On top of the train, Shadow lowered his thermal rifle and started firing. Every shot cut through the blizzard, dropping raiders before they could hook onto the train.
Blue Blaze stood beside him, staff glowing faintly. Visibility was almost useless, so he fired short, controlled bursts of Kia into the whiteout, forcing the raiders to scatter and hoping each blast found its mark.
"This weather is cheating," Blue Blaze muttered.
Shadow didn't look away from his scope. "Then aim better."
Blue Blaze glanced at him. "I can't see."
"Neither can they."
Before Blue Blaze could respond, Shadow noticed something wrong on the thermal scan.
The rear section of the train was drifting.
One of the carts had separated.
Shadow's voice sharpened. "Ice King, we've got a detached cart in the back. It's sliding away."
Ice King was already moving. "Nightcoil, with me."
The two sprinted through the train, past civilians gripping their seats, past wounded soldiers looking up in panic. When they reached the rear, the broken connection sparked violently in the snow.
The detached cart was falling farther behind.
Ice King slammed his staff down and formed a thick ice bridge between the train and the drifting cart, locking it in place before the distance grew too large.
Nightcoil jumped onto the gap, chain spinning in his hand as raiders tried boarding from the sides. He knocked one off the edge, wrapped another by the ankle, and sent him flying into the snow.
Then another roar cut through the blizzard.
A snow beast charged out of the whiteout and slammed into the detached cart.
The entire car shifted sideways.
Nightcoil reacted on instinct. He launched his chain, wrapping it around the cart's frame and pulling with everything he had. His boots scraped across the ice, arms shaking as the cart dragged toward the ravine.
"Little help!" he shouted.
Ice King reinforced the ice bridge, freezing the wheels and stabilizing the connection just enough to keep the cart from tipping fully over. But a few military vehicles strapped near the rear broke loose and slid off the platform, disappearing into the ravine below.
Nightcoil gritted his teeth and yanked one last time.
The cart snapped back into line.
The raiders backed off after that, fading into the blizzard once they realized the first strike had failed.
Ice King checked the damage, then contacted the conductor.
"We lost a few military vehicles," he said, "but nothing with heavy weapons or classified tech."
The conductor let out a rough breath. "That's going to hurt the report… but it's the best possible outcome."
Ice King looked out into the white storm. "Yeah. For now."
The train pushed forward.
Hours later, the terrain changed. The endless snowfields narrowed into tall walls of ice and rock. The train entered an icy canyon, its tracks twisting between steep frozen cliffs.
Shadow stood on the roof, scanning both sides.
"I'm not gonna lie," he said over comms. "This looks like a trap."
Inside one of the cars, Ice King was sitting in a reclined seat with his staff across his lap.
"Yeah," he replied calmly, "it probably is."
Blue Blaze looked at him. "That's all you got?"
Ice King stood and stretched. "We'll fight them off."
The attack came seconds later.
Harpoons fired from the canyon walls, slamming into the train's armor. Raiders appeared from hidden ledges, snow vehicles racing along narrow paths beside the tracks. Explosions cracked against the cliffs.
Then the canyon shook.
An avalanche started above them.
Ice King stepped onto the roof and lifted his staff. With one heavy swing, massive ice walls rose along both sides of the train, shielding it from falling snow and crashing rock.
Blue Blaze stood behind him, firing precise Kia beams from his staff, cutting down harpoon lines and blasting raiders off the canyon paths.
Snowskimmers pulled alongside the train again, weapons firing into the cars.
Nightcoil jumped onto one of them.
For one glorious second, it looked like he had it under control.
Then the raider tackled him clean off.
Both of them rolled through the snow beside the tracks, tumbling hard. Nightcoil managed to land on top, knocked the raider out with one punch, then launched his chain toward the train.
He swung back just in time, boots slamming against the side before he climbed up onto the roof.
Shadow stared at him.
"Nightcoil… why would you try that?"
Nightcoil brushed snow off his shoulder. "I thought it looked easy. And cool."
Shadow sighed. "Come on."
Then the roof shook.
Varrik Frostbane landed on top of the train.
His heavy white armor was lined with frost. His long white beard whipped in the wind, skulls rattling against his belt. His massive battle axe scraped against the roof as he stepped forward.
Ice King turned slowly.
Varrik charged.
Their weapons collided with a violent crack, axe against ice staff, the impact sending frost and sparks into the air. Varrik pushed forward with brute strength, forcing Ice King back a step before driving a kick into his chest.
Ice King rolled across the roof, caught himself, and rose with a grin.
"Alright," he said. "You're stronger than you look."
Varrik didn't answer.
Ice King slammed his staff down, freezing Varrik's foot to the metal roof. Then he sprinted forward and drop-kicked him hard in the chest.
Varrik flew backward and vanished into the storm of ice and snow.
For a moment, there was silence.
Then the canyon began collapsing.
The avalanche wasn't just falling anymore. The walls themselves were breaking apart.
"Conductor!" Shadow shouted. "Full speed! Now!"
The train surged forward.
Ice King stayed on the roof, holding up what barriers he could while Blue Blaze blasted apart falling chunks of ice. Nightcoil and Shadow cleared raiders from the rear as the whole canyon came down behind them.
The train shot out of the canyon just before the cliffs fully collapsed.
Snow and rock crashed down where they had been seconds earlier.
Then the world opened into a clear stretch of frozen land.
The train kept moving.
No one spoke for a moment.
Blue Blaze finally lowered his staff and looked back at the destroyed canyon.
"So… we're calling that a win, right?"
Shadow stared into the distance where Varrik had disappeared.
"No," he said quietly. "We survived the second test."
Ice King's expression was calm, but his grip tightened on his staff.
"And next time," he said, "he won't be testing."