I created my own system

The tower was buzzing for a different reason and Apollo despite seeing this kind of environment each season still cant get used to it. He doesn't like the tension it brought especially the blood season of winter.

"Although I hate to admit it I like the blood season of summer more"

[Really Creator? I thought you hated the heat in that climate?]

"Yeah but at least it doesn't remind me traumatic memories"

The two continue to converse until they arrive inside Arthur's room. There him and Alicia series of files that estimates the arrival of blood season, and how long it will last.

"Sir how are you"

Apollo greeted and immediately the senior mage signal them to take a seat.

"I already spoke to your friends I even offered them to spend thier winter break at the imperial palace, but they insisted to remained here to help"

Apollo just nodded but his focus was set on the files that covered the entire office.

"It seems the blue snow is coming, for how long this time sir Arthur"

The senior mage look at him and replied with a heavy tune.

"Five days"

This time Alicia reacted, the reason that is because the typical days of blood season only last for one to three days.

"You don't look good lady Alicia"

She couldn't help but sigh at those words then.

"I just cant help but worry, the last time that a blood season last much longer brought deaths and..."

"Calamity.... Alicia, are you referring to the novem mortes"

Novem mortes refers to the nine lives that died during the events of the blood season.

"Nine celestial rank powerhouse of the empire died in the span of seven days, that why it was called the Novem mortems of blood season"

"Apollo do you think the artificial soldiers can help deal with this kind of enemies?"

Apollo just shook his answer, the soldiers may be strong but against strong and hungry beasts it will fail. The type of beast that they will face are in a whole different. In the season of winter hungry enemies will arrive along their urge to increase thier rank. That desire will require for them to look for a great source of mana. One of them are the mines containing mana which are being protected by many high ranking people of the empire. The mines containing mana crystal and stones are essential for many people since its the main source of energy for many tools. Losing them means crippling multiple livelihood that is why many organization will risk everything to protect their own mines.

"I should know when the blue snow will arrive"

[Calculating.....]

[Creator today is 29 of December please be prepared once the 30th arrive the blue snow willa arrive]

Apollo just nodded acknowledging that he must prepare.

"Little sun do you plan to fight?"

"Sir Arthur I will defend the mines in Afra if you don't mind"

"I don't and how about your friends?"

"I will talk to them on who they want to help out"

the senior mage just nodded he flick his finger.

"Before you two go I will show you what we have tackle while you were gone.

Images floated some are even maps and historical records that Apollo didn't expect to see.

"According to our calculation, It will fall in three days, at most. The first Blue Snow. And with it, the start of the Blood Season begins."

Apollo studied the image. "So we need to prepare."

"No," Arthur said. "We investigate. The mages are preparing fortifications. But I want the two of you—and your group—to survey the leyline rifts beyond the barrier."

Alicia blinked. "You're expecting them to come from the leylines?"

Arthur gave a short nod. "These beasts are no longer just acting on instinct. Something's guiding them—channeling their bloodlust toward structures of power. Like our tower."

Apollo took a deep breath. "Understood."

Before they left, Arthur held up a thin, frozen scroll. "And Apollo… if you allowed it I want you to visit the Blue moon tower, help Gavin and reinengineer your mechanical soldiers. But this time I want you to put this magic"

He then gave the scroll to Apollo, curiously the two look closely a its contents.

"That scroll contains a magic circle theory tied to the World Tree fragments you've been collecting. We are thinking of transferring our mana towards the soldiers to help it during battle, using the theory how the world tree take energy from the world. Though its still a theory I hope you and Gavin can make it come true"

Apollo took the scroll and nodded. "Thank you, for believing me"

The boy cant help but smile, Arthur then affectionately stroke his head.

"No pressure even if you can't finish it since we have gollems prepared to be deployed"

Apollo just smiled then as he beckon Alicia to leave with him.

"I will return later"

As they walked back through the tower's great halls, the frost that lined the walls began to pulse in an eerie rhythm. Outside, the clouds rolled low.

But still, no blue snow fell.

There are no visible signs

Not yet.

And that was the most terrifying part.

.

.

.

The night was turning the temperature into icy cold breeze, that many mages fear as the winter fully show its madness

Inside Apollo's room, his friends are there resting except to Agnes, Blair, Aaron, Samael, Keith, and Jillian, were resting by the fireplace. The warmth from the enchanted fire soothed their weary bones, but tension still lingered in the room like smoke.

Few moments went by and the two arrive.

"Guess you all cant sleep"

Alicia sat nearby, her body rested at the cushion it seems despite her strength she really want to rest.

It was Agnes who broke the silence.

"It feels the same every year," she said softly, her fingers twirling a pocket watch in midair with a flick of temporal magic. "The stillness before the snow. That tension. Back home, my grandmother always said, 'If the bells ring before the frost cracks, the ghost are already hunting.'"

"You lived in the south, right?" Blair asked, lounging lazily on a velvet couch, his eyes glowing faintly. "You said your family handled time-based rituals?"

Agnes nodded. "We manipulate local timeframes. During the blood season, we slow down time over the village by nearly fifty times normal flow. Everything outside still moves, but inside our pocket—no beast ever reached us."

Blair chuckled, twirling a strand of his hair. "Lucky. Where I'm from, we couldn't hide. My father made us face them with our minds."

Strangely probably because of the talks about the blood season, Blair's tone was heavy and out of character

"Mind Dominance. We controlled their instincts and made them devour each other before reaching the walls. But every season, it got harder. I remember once someone lost control… and one of the beasts got in."

Blair's voice dipped for a moment, but he forced a smile.

Aaron stood up and cracked his neck, as if trying to shrug off a chill. "You all had rituals. Me? I had void anchors, though I am not sure why they call it in that way'

He raised his hand, forming a compressed vortex of golden energy in his palm.

"Our village floated in spatial bubbles—constantly shifting. Beasts couldn't attack what they couldn't find. But often times some beasts with space properties will fight us, although it should be an easy win but if one of us get distracted some beast might get in"

The fire crackled.

Then Samael spoke. "Where I'm from, we don't hide from the beasts. We burn them."

His aura flared subtly, the tips of his fingers igniting with sacred flame.

"As you know the coast of Evaristo produce the most savages beast that is why our flames can basically melt them if we control it properly, but as you know I was the last of the family that is why the paladins of the chuch usually takes care of the blood season."

He looked at his hands, then to the others. "Every winter everyone at the church would come and praise me for helping out, but I know they just want me to feel proud."

Everyone turned to Keith, who hadn't spoken yet. He leaned against the window frame, snowflakes glinting in it glass surface. Jillian sat beside him, quietly watching.

"We didn't fight them," Keith finally said, his eyes reflecting the frost. "We just survived."

His hand touched the glass.

"In the North, winter never ends. The beasts never go away. The land itself is their bloodpath. Every child born inside our village inherits a part of the Evergale something that was given by our ancestors to reward the people in the village for serving us, it was a force of nature older than magic. My mother commands the wind. My father, as you know masters the fundamental forces. me? Well I just cooked."

His friends can't help but laugh expecting great from him but instead heard him cooking.

"I see so you are a cooking master now huh?" Aaron tried to joke.

"To think with all the power the empire had it still fear the Blue Snow."

A heavy atmosphere fell on them again, when Aaron said those words.

Apollo look at the fire and could only say, "I need everyone to prepare"