Aria and Akita stand behind a tree peering out at the Castle of Ice that was surrounded by guard who were seemingly frozen in ice.
"What are those things?" Aria questions "They remind me of an army we once fought in our homeland.. but ice."
"Were those warriors as terrifying?" Akita asks
"Eh," Aria shrugs
"These are what we call Blizzard Warriors," Akita tells her "stay here."
Aria raises her eyebrow as Akita transforms into her wolf form. She approaches innocently to the two Blizzard Warriors and immediately transforms back into her human form, grabbing them both by their arms and whips them in a twirl.
Akita opens the door and ushes Aria to hurry. Aria rolls her eyes before entering the castle, Akita closing the door behind her. The two make their way through the castle before finding a safe place to stop with no guards around.
"So where do you think they're keeping the prisoners?" Aria asks "That's likely where Lloyd is."
"The only way to stop this is by defeating the Ice Emperor," Akita turns to her "you said you were a great warrior like Lloyd. Do you not wish to help?"
"I wish to find my friends," Aria replies with a sigh "but I suppose where trouble goes they always follow."
"Then follow me," Akita says before running running off
They soon run into 4 Blizzard Warriors.
"We can't fight them without alerting everyone else in the castle," Aria whispers
Akira transforms into a wolf and races across the pathway. Aria sighs before also transforming into a wolf and following after her. Akita looks surprised before crashing through the window. Aria jumps out and transforms back into a human before grabbing onto Akita, pulling her onto the roof before she slid off.
Akita transforms into her human form staring at Aria looking shocked "You're a formling?"
"We're called something different in my home, to simplify it, I'd say I'm a shapeshifter." Aria replies "I can transform into many things, but so far I am only able to turn into a few animals."
"I see.." Akita says, still in shock.
The girls creep along the roof before glancing in the top window, where they spot their target, the Ice Emperor. They jump in the room and rush to hide behind an ice pillar. The room was empty and the Ice Emperor sat upon his throne with his eyes closed.
Akita then stealthily climbs the stairs towards the Ice Emperor, pulling out her dagger. Aria stood behind the column watching. Suddenly, their was a loud thrash against the door, awakening the Ice Emperor. Akita charges at him with her dagger, the Ice Emperor easily blocks her and she tumbles down the stairs.
"And she failed," Aria mutters "armature."
The Ice Emperor gets off his throne and proceeds down the stairs "Who... are you?"
"My name is Akita." Akita replies
"Akita? Another rebel thief?" The Ice Emperor says as Akita slides back slowly "A traitor come to steal my scepter?"
"I came for revenge!" Akita continues to slide back as the Ice Emperor approaches her.
"Then why are you sliding back instead of fighting," Aria mutters
"Revenge? For what?" the Ice Emperor questions
Akita sees her dagger and hides it behind her "For my brother, Kataru," She stands up slowly "and for the suffering of my people, the Formlings!"
"I have heard of the Formlings. Vex told me your people are warmongers, cruel, and barbaric." The Ice Emperor says
Aria readied a dark energy ball as the Ice Emperor approached Akita.
"And you believed him." Akita pulls her dagger and leaps at him "Aargh!" The Ice Emperor blasts her hand with Ice. She tries to pull her hand out as the Ice Emperor approaches her and prepares to freeze her.
Aria was about to fire when suddenly Lloyd bursts in and kicks open the doors.
"It's time we finished this, Zane!" Lloyd shouts "Once and for all!"
"Hmm," the Ice Emperor turns to him
"Zane?" Akita looks confused
"Zane?!" Aria redirected her energy ball at the roof as it fired.
The roof cracked and fell onto the ground in the middle of the group, making Lloyd, Akita, and the Ice Emperor Zane jump out of the way.
"Aria?!" Lloyd turned to her looking shocked and angry "What are you doing here?!"
"Hehe," Aria laughs innocently with a wave "hi honey."