Frostfire Legacy

Aster stood in stunned silence, his gaze fixed on the surreal scene before him. Moments ago, they were struggling at their breaking point, barely holding back their enemies, unable to shield Cassy from danger.

But then, Faeloria's arrival changed everything; the tides of the battle shifted in the blink of an eye as if someone had flipped the entire situation over with a snap of their fingers.

"This can't be real…" Vanessa whispered, equally astonished by Faeloria's sudden show of power.

The last time Vanessa had seen her, Faeloria had been nearly useless, so weak that her presence on the battlefield had seemed more of a hindrance than a help. Yet now, she stood as a radiant force of nature, brimming with power and fury.

The only reason Vanessa could imagine such a drastic change was a re-connection to the World Tree's energy. Somehow, due to an unknown glitch or oversight, the dimension's "seal" had weakened, allowing the World Tree's energy—its "signal"—to reach Faeloria again.

It was like a lost phone suddenly reconnecting to a network, receiving every missed message all at once, reigniting the power within her.

'But that kind of state can't last long,'

Vanessa thought, eyes narrowing as she assessed Faeloria.

It wasn't a permanent surge, just a temporary boost from a concentration of energy. However, even if it would fade in minutes, it was enough time to turn the tide in their favor.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Faeloria, let's strike together!" Vanessa called, not about to let such an advantage go to waste.

With only one opponent left, this was their moment to attack as a team, overwhelming him from every side. But before they could move, Arima was already preparing his counterattack, one step ahead as always.

"How cruel of you, killing all my associates in cold blood," he sneered, his voice taking on a melodramatic tone as if he were the lead in some twisted theater performance. "Well, I can't have things end like this, can I?"

*SNAP!*

With a flick of his fingers, Arima triggered something powerful. Behind him, a ghostly image of a towering, ancient grandfather clock materialized, its face dimly glowing with a metallic gold sheen. It loomed above them, ticking ominously—but in reverse, with the minute hand moving counter-clockwise, slowly rewinding time itself.

"No...not this again!" Vanessa shouted, realizing the devastating implications. But it was too late to stop him.

In an instant, the entire scene around them froze, caught in a stilled moment, before suddenly surging backward. Everything started to rewind, each movement and event undoing itself in rapid succession. The seconds rolled back, reversing the events of the last few moments, carrying everyone back to the exact instant Faeloria had broken into the dimension.

The dead were resurrected, returning to life in the positions they'd held just before Faeloria's assault.

"What… just happened?" Vanessa breathed, unable to believe her eyes.

But what puzzled them most was that everyone retained their memories, as though they'd seen a glimpse of the future, rather than having their time reversed.

*CRACK!*

Just as before, the atmosphere splintered, cracks splintering across the air like fractures in a glass wall. They all knew what would come next: Faeloria's massive roots, spilling forth in relentless waves, were poised to claim the lives of their enemies in an instant.

"Damn it!" Lionel cursed, realizing the imminent threat as the crack widened.

"No—NO!" Yinfa shrieked, the horror of their impending fate seizing her.

This time, however, they had foreknowledge; they knew what was coming. With split-second timing, each of the three remaining Aracelli members acted to change their fates.

Lionel dove out of the way just as a massive root shot through his previous position, ripping through the air where he would have been. If his reaction had been even a fraction of a second slower, he would have been skewered and obliterated.

Yinfa, who was hastily carrying Cassy, dropped her charge immediately. Without looking back, she sprinted away from the roots, weaving through the battlefield with careful, calculated movements. She kept her eyes on the ground, making sure no stray root could creep up and ensnare her this time.

Meanwhile, Sebastian also wasted no time. He backed away from Aster, slipping both guns back into his storage ring with practiced ease.

With his other hand, he pulled out a small, shimmering vial, uncorking it, and drinking the potion in one quick gulp. He scanned his surroundings, positioning himself well outside the range of any roots, ensuring he'd keep a safe distance this time.

"Hmph!"

As the torrent of roots subsided, Faeloria appeared just in time, her expression stormy and voice laced with anger. "How dare you!" she exclaimed, her sharp gaze locked onto Arima, who was nonchalantly sidestepping the relentless roots lunging toward him.

Unlike the other enemies, Arima faced a swarm of roots, at least a dozen times more than anyone else. It was almost baffling to see him emerge unscathed amid the writhing mass as if the roots were deliberately avoiding him. Yet, on closer inspection, it was clear Arima was using his destructive powers to graze away at the roots, creating just enough space to slip through, rendering each attack futile.

Your adventure continues at empire

"This... is hardly entertaining," Arima muttered, sounding more annoyed than worried, as he continued dodging the roots, effectively trapped in defense mode.

Because the roots blocked his view, he couldn't direct his ability toward anyone in Aster's group, leaving him isolated and unable to act offensively.

"Ugh!"

As Faeloria landed gracefully, she sidled behind Aster, clasping onto him as if he were her personal talisman. Her arms wrapped around him, squeezing tight, refusing to let go. Aster tried to pull away, but her hold was far too strong, the disparity in their strength undeniable.

"Aster, that masked bastard is bullying me~!" she wailed, her face buried in his dark hair, her voice a blend of fake tears and playful whining. "Since he's upsetting me, I need to hug you to feel better!"

Vanessa's patience wore thin at this display, a mixture of irritation and urgency flashing across her face. "Stop acting like a spoiled child! We should be running now while we still have the chance!"

Indeed, Faeloria and Arima were too perfectly matched in their abilities, making this the ideal moment to retreat. Trying to continue the fight? That was far too risky; staying longer could spell their end if Arima managed to break free.

"That's exactly right!" Aster agreed fervently, catching Vanessa's urgency. "Let's fall back for now! Our priority is getting Cassy to safety."

At the moment, Vanessa was carrying Cassy like a sack, the young woman still unconscious despite Arima's time reversal. They'd achieved their primary mission: rescuing her. There was no logical reason to stay and risk more danger.

"… Alright."

Faeloria reluctantly nodded, her hand raised as she tapped on the air in front of them. The very space before them split open, revealing a shimmering path leading back to familiar surroundings—the dimension where Faeloria had once taken Aster, where they'd even shared a steamy time together.

Vanessa entered the rift first, carrying Cassy securely in her arms. Aster watched them step through, his shoulders loosening in relief as they disappeared safely on the other side.

"…"

Just as he was about to follow, Aster turned his gaze, his eyes meeting Lorelai's from a distance. She was watching him intently, her pupils glowing with a strange, eerie light—a clear sign she was using her powers.

They held each other's gaze in a brief but intense standoff before Aster turned away, breaking eye contact without a second glance. Without hesitation, he stepped into the dimensional rift.

Faeloria followed him, casting one last glance at the battlefield before closing the rift behind them. Silence settled over them once they were safely through. After a few tense seconds, both Aster and Vanessa let out deep sighs of relief, the weight of their escape finally hitting them.

"That was too close!" Vanessa exclaimed, finally allowing herself to wipe away the cold sweat that had accumulated on her brow. "Who would've guessed the God of Destruction had allied with the Aracelli Race?"

"God of… Destruction?" Faeloria mumbled, her half-drowsy consciousness barely comprehending the weight of Vanessa's words. She hadn't gotten a clear look at Arima, so his identity as her opponent had remained a mystery.

"Not that it matters anymore," Vanessa replied, shrugging as though attempting to shake off the memory of their narrow escape. They'd succeeded in rescuing Cassy, and for now, that was all that counted.

Aster, however, did not share her optimism. "But their forces remain untouched," he muttered, his tone serious as he stared into the distance, lost in thought.

They had fought with everything they had, each risking their lives in the process. Yet, despite their efforts, they hadn't managed to claim a single life. And all of it boiled down to one man's interference—Arima Hajime.

"…"

Taking a steadying breath, Aster closed his eyes, struggling to quell the lingering unease churning within him. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shake the sense that their battle was far from over.