Frostfire Legacy

As promised, exactly five minutes later, Faeloria finished checking the logs that the other spies had left behind. She closed the terminal and moved toward Aster and Vanessa, who were "flirting" behind her, and smiled.

"Ms. Vanessa, please hold back, alright? We're in the middle of the enemy's domain right now."

She lightly reprimanded her before her smile turned to a frown as she addressed Aster and explained.

"I've scoured the logs and discovered that the Aracelli Race has already left this place. They only left brainwashed citizens behind as obstacles for anyone trying to track them down."

Aster frowned. At this rate, it would take too long to find Cassy's whereabouts! Just as he wondered if there was no other way to hasten their search, Faeloria's lips curled into a smile again.

"...However, it's not like there's no other way."

"Do you have a different method to find Cassy's location?!" Aster asked impatiently, almost jumping at her.

Contrary to his hopes, Faeloria shook her head.

"Unfortunately, I can't find Miss Cassandra directly," she explained. "But by examining the brainwashed citizens, I can backtrack the mana residue left after they were brainwashed and pinpoint the location of the enemies."

"...!"

Aster was speechless. He didn't know such a method was possible!

"Isn't that claiming a bit too much, Ms. Faeloria?" Vanessa skeptically asked, her eyes narrowing to slits. "I know how hard it is to track someone's mana, and you're telling me you can find them using just a trace of residual mana?"

Faeloria chuckled lightly, her composure unwavering. "Of course, it's not easy. However, I have a skill that can accomplish this. As such, I can guarantee a 99% chance of success."

Aster turned to Vanessa and nodded firmly. "Vanessa, let's trust Fae on this."

"...Alright, if that's what you want."

Vanessa shrugged her shoulders, dismissing the sharp aura she had earlier. Aster smiled before turning back to Faeloria. "So, what should we do now? Should we catch some brainwashed individuals for you?"

This time, it was Faeloria who began pondering. The entire Juviel City was littered with brainwashed people, but they couldn't tell who brainwashed them at a glance. There was a 50-50 chance that those controlled were by individuals already killed by Faeloria and Zena. To avoid alerting the enemies too quickly, they needed to act fast.

"No, let's all move together. We'll adapt depending on the situation."

---

Juviel City was practically destroyed, not only by the brainwashed citizens but also by the damage Faeloria had caused earlier during their escape.

Of course, as they passed by a mysteriously large and deep crater, as if caused by a powerful explosion, Faeloria didn't bat an eyelid. She would never let the others figure out that it was her who did that.

Beyond that, looters and unattended fires had caused extra damage. The entire city was the very image of the aftermath of a brutal war.

"Uuuuugh..."

Ahead of them, a few citizens wandered aimlessly, resembling zombies. It was, of course, due to the brainwashing they were under. Ordered to "watch over the city and report any disturbances," every citizen had been watching the city ever since.

They had no time to eat, sleep, or even drink, and their bodies had reached their limits. Aster felt pity for them and thought of trying to save everyone, but he quickly shook his head.

If he did that and interrupted the stream of status reports, their presence would be discovered quickly. If Lorelai grew more cautious and hid even better, there would be no way for Aster to save Cassy in time.

After confirming that the man ahead of them didn't have any communication devices, microphones, or cameras on him, their plan was set in motion.

*Thump!*

Vanessa moved quickly, sending a powerful chop to the man's vertebrae, effectively paralyzing him in one hit. It was irrevocable and would lead to death soon, but they only needed a little time to finish what they wanted.

Faeloria didn't miss a beat and knelt beside the man lying face-down on the rubble-strewn road. Vanessa and Aster both kept watch, ensuring no one saw or interrupted them.

Faeloria touched the man's head, closed her eyes, and her body glowed with a faint green light. After a moment, she turned to Aster and shook her head. This one was another miss—brainwashed by someone already dead. The location she found was near Orinfeld City.

"Shit..." Aster cursed. "This is the twelfth one already."

Vanessa sighed, turning to the right. "We'll reach the next zone soon. Hopefully, the result will be different this time."

The three rationalized that the Aracelli Race members had split up the task of brainwashing the Juviel City citizens for efficiency. A different zone could represent a different Aracelli Race member. Unfortunately, the first three they found had already been killed.

They moved quickly, matching Aster's running pace.

Explore more adventures at empire

"Haste!"

Since Aster had picked up new skills at the Class Exchange Hall, his speed was impressive.

One of the skills he gained after reaching **n's Avatar (III) was "Haste," which doubled his movement and reaction speed. Along with his new sword skill, "Divine Slash," and magic skill, "Compound Magic," Aster's battle strength had increased significantly.

"...!"

After running for a while, they found another lone citizen. Once he entered an alley out of sight, they acted. Aster blocked the retreat path while Vanessa took him out with one strike, then moved to guard the other end of the alley.

"This is...!"

Faeloria's reaction this time was different. A smile crossed her face, making Aster feel a surge of excitement.

"I did it, Aster! I found their current hideout!"

At last, they had caught the enemy's trail!

---

"Wake up."

*Slap!*

A powerful strike landed across Cassy's face, the force of it sending a sharp sting through her skin. Her body jolted in pain, her head ringing from the impact, and her cheeks burned with a pulsing ache. Yet, with her arms and legs tightly bound, she couldn't even raise a hand to soothe the throbbing pain.

"..."

Despite the agony, not a single cry escaped her lips. She pressed them together, swallowing the pain deep within. Slowly, she turned her head in the direction the slap had come from, trying to focus on her attacker. But her eyes were gone, and she saw nothing but the same impenetrable darkness that had become her reality.

*Tsk!*

Her silent defiance infuriated the man standing over her. He clicked his tongue in frustration before driving his boot into her stomach with a vicious kick.

*BAM!*

"...!"

The pain was unbearable. A searing, white-hot agony coursed through her body, and her instincts screamed for her to curl up, to protect herself.

Despite the overwhelming desire to cry out or shield herself, she remained still, enduring the torment in silence. Each breath was a struggle, but she refused to give him the satisfaction of hearing her scream. Her lack of reaction only deepened the man's frustration.

Lionel—the red-haired brute who had been tormenting her for days—scowled. He had expected more of a reaction, more fear. Instead, she remained motionless, seemingly indifferent to his cruelty.

Anger flickered in his eyes as he delivered more blows, each one harder than the last.

By the time he grew tired, Cassy had suffered dozens of strikes. She lay crumpled in a heap against the cold stone wall, her body trembling from the barrage of pain. The dimly lit room, cluttered with old furniture and crates, felt more like a forgotten dungeon. Yet, despite her shattered body and the gnawing ache of hopelessness creeping in, Cassy refused to despair.

She had already used her Revive ability three times. Each time, she had delayed it as long as possible, enduring Lionel's brutality until Lorelai had stepped in to stop him. That last act of defiance had earned her half a day of precious time.

'It must be noon now... I still have 46 hours left... I can hold on.'

Cassy's resolve was strong, built on her unwavering belief that Aster would come for her. But even the strongest beliefs have limits, and hers was being tested. Each passing hour of torture chipped away at her spirit, and doubt began to worm its way into her mind.

'What if Star can't find me?'

'What if he's too weak to defeat Lorelai and her minions?'

'Will I even last until he gets here?'

These poisonous thoughts swirled through her head, eroding the fragile confidence she clung to. She could feel her faith faltering, the crushing weight of her situation threatening to overwhelm her.

"...No. Star will come. He promised." Cassy whispered the words to herself, trying to hold on, trying to remind herself of the vow he made.

"I bet he would."

"...!"

A voice interrupted her thoughts, sending a chill down her spine. Cassy flinched at the sound, her heart racing in sudden fear. It was a familiar voice—stern, commanding. A voice she had once trusted with her life. Lorelai.

"I've brought your lunch," Lorelai said, her footsteps soft as she approached. "I heard you didn't eat last night. I'm here to make sure you don't faint from hunger. You won't be escaping through starvation."

"Lory..." Cassy whispered her name, barely audible, her throat tight with conflicting emotions.

Even now, after all that had happened, Cassy didn't know how to feel about her former comrade. Should she hate her for betraying them? Or should she forgive her, hoping that Lorelai would return to the person she used to be?

Lorelai stopped in front of her, gazing down at Cassy, particularly at the disfiguring scar where her eyes used to be. Her face was unreadable, her expression a mask of cold indifference. Her thoughts were hidden, letting no one know what was going through her mind.

The silence between them hung heavy in the air, filled with unspoken words and buried memories.Nôv(el)B\\jnn