"I won."
Vivian said it softly, disbelief threading her voice. "I actually won."
For a brief moment, I looked at her. I'd had my doubts but she had shattered them all on her own.
"You did," I said, reaching out to ruffle her hair. Pride warmed my chest despite everything. "If you'd lost, I was fully prepared to show this place what hell actually looks like."
She laughed, the sound light but it didn't last. Unease crept into her expression as her eyes met mine.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," I replied, forcing myself upright.
What I didn't say was that the curse was still rampaging inside me, tearing at my core like a living thing. That my legs felt half-dead beneath me, numb and unresponsive, held together by sheer will. I stood anyway. Like always.
"Vivian," I said evenly, "wake them up. We're leaving."
Her brow furrowed, but she nodded and turned away.
A sharp sigh echoed in my mind.
"Have you gone insane?" Nox's voice snapped through our link, "You jumped in front of a curse like that were you planning on dying?"
Concern bled through every word.
"I don't planning on dying before I've accomplished my objective," I answered quietly. "I don't know why I moved. I just did."
My gaze drifted back to Vivian as she shook the others awake.
"…And I'm sorry. For worrying you."
Another sigh, heavier this time. "Are you going to be okay? I can tell, you're in pain."
"I can fake it," I said. "At least until we're out of here."
There was a pause. Then, softer, more serious:
"You'd better. Stay out of trouble while that curse is still tearing through you."
I let out a breath that might have been a laugh.
"I'll try," I said knowing full well that trouble had never waited for my permission.
Vivian shook them awake one by one. They were groggy at first, minds sluggish and unfocused, but it didn't take long for awareness to return along with the horror of their surroundings.
"What happened here?" Renoir asked, pushing himself upright. His gaze snapped between us. "Why are you two covered in blood? And where's the monster we were fighting?"
"It's been dealt with," Vivian said, grinning as she flashed a victory sign.
Cerise narrowed her eyes. "Did you two fought it together?"
"Yes," I replied calmly. "And don't worry most of it isn't our blood."
That did nothing to ease the tension. They still looked on edge, uneasy in a way they couldn't quite explain. Of course they were. When I had moved them I altered their memories and smoothed over pieces of their memory while they were unconscious. Their Confusion was inevitable.
"Renoir," I said, breaking the silence, "may I suggest something?"
He nodded.
"We should leave," I continued. "We have no more business here and the longer we stay, the worse this place is going to get. There's no telling what else might crawl out."
"She's right," Yeshe said immediately. "We should get out of here."
The words had barely left his mouth when the ceiling groaned.
A deafening crack split the air. Dust poured down in choking waves as the entire castle shuddered.
"Run!" Renoir shouted.
They did but it was pointless. We were deep in the innermost part of the fortress. You couldn't outrun a collapse like this.
Nox's warning echoed in my mind, sharp and irritated, but my eyes were already on Vivian.
I wasn't letting her die here.
"Vivian!" I yelled. "Lead them out now!"
I slammed my palm into the ground and forced a barrier into existence just as chunks of stone came crashing down. The shield screamed under the strain, mana flaring violently as it held back the collapsing ruin.
"But—" Vivian started, Cerise and Yeshe echoing her protest.
"There is no time for your pointless protesting," I snapped. "You'll be doing me a favour."
That stopped them.
Vivian clenched her teeth, then turned and ran, pulling the others with her. That was all I needed. I only had to hold the barrier until they made it out. Lux would signal me the moment they were clear.
"You idiot," Nox said, materializing beside me in a flash of dark light. He smacked my shoulder not hard, but not gently either. "You're doing exactly what I told you not to. Are you trying to break the seal?"
"No," I growled. "Let me focus. We'll argue about it later."
The curse still gnawed at my core, burning and invasive, making concentration hell. My vision swam. Every second felt stretched thin, and they were taking far too long for my liking.
Just as irritation tipped into anger, Lux's signal brushed my senses.
They were out.
I dropped the barrier.
The castle chose that exact moment to finish collapsing.
Stone and ice came crashing down in a single, merciless wave, and before I could move, the world disappeared beneath it.
Vivian burst out of the fortress mouth first, boots skidding across the frost-slick ground as she stumbled into the open air. Cerise followed close behind, nearly dragging Yeshe, while Renoir emerged last, already turning back the instant his feet crossed the threshold.
They barely had time to breathe.
The castle groaned behind them, low and deep. The sound of something ancient finally giving up.
Vivian spun around. "Cecilia—!"
The ground shook violently. Cracks spiderwebbed across the frozen stone beneath their feet, racing outward from the fortress like veins. Snow and debris cascaded from the battlements above as the structure began to fold inward on itself.
"Where is she?" Cerise demanded, panic sharp in her voice.
"She said she would be right behind us," Vivian said, already moving back toward the entrance. "She said—"
The roar drowned her out.
The inner halls collapsed first. Pillars snapped like brittle bones. Entire sections of the fortress caved in, floors pancaking downward as centuries of ice and stone surrendered to gravity. A violent shockwave threw the group backwards.
"Vivian, stop!" Renoir shouted, grabbing her arm as she tried to lunge forward. "You'll die!"
"Cecilia is still in there!" Vivian screamed, struggling against him. Her eyes were locked on the entrance to the space where Cecilia should have appeared.
For half a heartbeat, there was hope.
A flash of mana flickered inside the collapsing structure faint, unstable, unmistakable.
Vivian sucked in a breath. "She's coming out—she has to be—"
The ceiling gave way.
The entire fortress imploded on itself, a thunderous avalanche of ice, stone, and ruin crashing down in a blinding cloud of white and grey. The entrance vanished completely, swallowed by rubble as the shockwave slammed into the clearing and sent snow spiralling into the air.
The sound was deafening.
Then—silence.
When the dust finally settled, the Ice Fortress was gone.
In its place stood a jagged mound of broken stone and shattered ice, still shifting, still settling, like a freshly filled grave. No entrance. No gaps. No sign that anyone or anything could have survived beneath it.
Vivian went still.
"No," she whispered.
She wrenched free of Renoir's grip and staggered toward the ruins, boots crunching against debris. "No...no, she wouldn't...she said she'd follow...she said..."
"Vivian," Cerise said softly, stepping after her, fear tightening her voice. "There's nothing left standing."
Vivian dropped to her knees at the edge of the rubble, hands digging uselessly into snow and stone. "She's strong," she said, as if repeating it would make it true. "She's stronger than this. She wouldn't just...she wouldn't—"
Renoir stared at the collapsed fortress, his expression grim, unreadable. He could still feel traces of mana lingering in the air fractured, distorted, fading far too fast.
Yeshe swallowed hard. "There's… no way anyone could've made it out in time."
The words hit like a blade.
Vivian clenched her fists, knuckles white, breath shaking as she stared at the place where Cecilia had been mere moments ago.
Buried beneath tons of stone and ice.
Gone from sight.
And for the first time since stepping into the fortress, the silence that followed felt heavier than anything else.
Vivian didn't accept the silence.
The moment the last stones settled, she was already moving.
"Spread out," she said sharply, panic bleeding through her voice despite her effort to sound composed. "She's not dead. Don't say it. Just look."
Cerise and Yeshe immediately joined her, scrambling over the rubble, ignoring the sharp edges of broken ice and stone tearing at their gloves. Renoir followed, already chanting a detection spell under his breath, eyes scanning the collapsed fortress with growing dread.
"Cecilia!" Vivian shouted, voice cracking. "Answer me!"
Nothing.
Only the soft grind of settling debris and the distant whistle of cold wind.
"She was holding the barrier," Yeshe muttered. "If anyone could—"
"Don't finish that sentence," Vivian snapped, digging harder. "Just keep searching."
They tore at the rubble with bare hands where they had to, tossing aside chunks of stone far too heavy for common sense. Vivian's breathing grew frantic, her mana flaring erratically as she tried and failed to sense anything familiar beneath the wreckage.
"She has to be here," Vivian said desperately. "She was right behind us. She couldn't have gone far."
Renoir frowned. "…That's exactly the problem."
"What do you mean?" Cerise asked.
Before he could answer—
A loud crunch echoed from the far end of the ruins.
Everyone froze.
Then—
Thunk.
Another sound. Followed by an unmistakable, deeply irritated sigh.
"…Ow."
They all whipped around.
From the opposite side of the collapsed fortress, far, far from where they were desperately digging stones, it suddenly shifted outward. A slab slid aside, then another, as if something underneath was actively shoving the rubble away rather than being trapped by it.
A hand emerged.
Then an arm.
Then, with a grunt entirely too unimpressed for someone presumed buried alive, Cecilia crawled out from under the debris hair dusted white with snow, coat torn at the hem, face flat with mild annoyance rather than trauma.
She stood, brushed herself off once.
Twice.
Looked down at a cracked boot. Clicked her tongue.
"…I liked these."
Silence.
Absolute, stunned silence.
Vivian's jaw dropped.
Cerise blinked. "You were over there?"
"Yeshe stared, "We were digging like idiots for ten minutes!"
Renoir looked between the massive pile of rubble they'd been clawing through and Cecilia standing perfectly fine at the far end. "…How."
Cecilia glanced at them, then at the ruined fortress behind her.
"I took a wrong turn," she said calmly.
Vivian stared at her for a full three seconds.
Then she screamed.
"DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU JUST DID TO US?!"
Cecilia winced slightly. "Judging by the noise, yes."
Vivian stormed across the rubble and grabbed her by the collar. "We thought you were DEAD."
Cerise pinched the bridge of her nose. "You let us think you were crushed under a collapsing castle."
"I didn't let you," Cecilia said mildly. "You assumed."
Vivian finally released her, fists shaking. "You're unbelievable."
"Yes," Cecilia agreed, brushing a final bit of dust from her sleeve. "I get that a lot."
She glanced back at the collapsed fortress, expression briefly unreadable then turned back to the group, perfectly composed, as if crawling out from under a mountain of rubble had been nothing more than a minor delay.
"Now," she said, "are we done sightseeing, or would you like to collapse another building before we leave?"
----
I teleported us straight to the entrance of Vernisul.
The world lurched the moment we landed.
"We're here," I managed, the word tearing out of my chest as I staggered forward. My breath came sharp and shallow, each inhale burning. I shouldn't have done that. I knew better. Teleporting in this state was—
"Cecilia, you don't look good," Vivian asked, voice suddenly too loud, too close.
"I'm fi—"
The word never finished.
The ground tilted violently, the sky spiralling as if someone had grabbed the world and shaken it. My legs gave out without warning, strength draining all at once, and I hit the ground hard.
"Cecilia!"
Hands reached for me. Voices overlapped panicked, frantic, blurred.
My vision darkened at the edges, heart hammering erratically in my chest, each beat wrong, off-tempo. I clutched at it instinctively, fingers digging into my coat as if I could physically hold it together.
"Get her inside," Renoir barked. "Now. The nearest inn, move!"
They lifted me, but every jolt sent agony rippling through my body, the curse twisting tighter, laughing at my defiance.
"Don't," I gasped, forcing the words out through clenched teeth. "Don't—call a healer."
Someone protested. I couldn't tell who.
"If you do," I said, breath hitching, vision tunnelling, "I'll kill you the moment I wake up."
That got their attention.
The world grew heavier, sounds muffled as if I were sinking underwater. Faces hovered above me, fear, worry, anger, all blurring together.
Cold crept up my limbs.
The last thing I felt was the uneven pounding in my chest…
and then.
Nothing.
I don't know how long I was out.
When I finally regained consciousness, the first thing I noticed was warmth soft, steady.
Vivian was holding my hand, fast asleep beside the bed. Her grip was firm, as if she'd been afraid I might disappear again. The rest of them were sprawled across the room in various undignified positions, sleeping peacefully on the floor, exhaustion finally claiming them.
Carefully, I eased my hand from Vivian's grasp, making sure not to wake her or anyone else. My body protested, but I ignored it and slipped outside.
Cold air brushed against my face, sharp and clean, instantly clearing my head. Snow fell gently from the sky, blanketing the world in quiet white. The moon hung high and brilliant, casting silver light over the rooftops.
"Nox," I said softly.
He appeared beside me without a sound and sat down, arms crossed, staring straight ahead. I could feel that he was furious. Sulking, even.
"You're not going to talk to me?" I asked.
He turned his head away.
I sighed. "Come on. I'm sorry. I won't do it again."
Silence.
I leaned closer, lowering my voice. "Please forgive me? Just this once."
Still nothing.
I puffed my cheeks slightly, then softened my tone something I rarely did. "Can you let it go… just this one time?"
He clicked his tongue. "You rascal. You really think you can get away with acting cute?"
"I know I can," I said, giggling before I could stop myself.
He huffed, then reached out and pinched my nose. "And why did you come out without your coat? Are you trying to get sick now too?" He tugged me closer. "Sit properly. Right here."
I obeyed.
His voice dropped, serious again. "Now tell me. Why did you jump in front of Vivian? Weren't you ignoring her until yesterday?"
"I was," I admitted. "I don't really know why I did it. It just… happened." I stared out at the snow. "Maybe I saw my siblings in her. Maybe that's why my body moved before my head could."
He was quiet for a moment. "You might be right," he murmured. "I still remember that—"
"Lia!"
Vivian's voice called from behind us.
I turned. She stood there awkwardly, rubbing her arms against the cold.
"Vivian? What are you doing up here?" I asked.
"I just… wanted to sit with you," she said.
I shifted slightly and motioned for her to join me. She sat down at my side, careful, hesitant. I knew why she'd followed me. And I also knew that digging into it would only reopen wounds neither of us was ready to face.
"Lia, listen—" she began.
I cut her off gently. "You don't need to say anything." I glanced at her, then back at the moon. "Let's just leave the past where it belongs. We don't have to talk about it."
She hesitated, then nodded.
We sat there in silence for a moment, snow drifting around us.
"…How did you know I'd be on the rooftop?" I asked finally.
She smiled faintly. "How long do you think we've been together?"
I snorted softly.
For a while, none of us spoke.
The snow kept falling, soft and relentless, muffling the world below. The city lights of Vernisul glowed faintly in the distance, blurred by the cold haze. It felt unreal how quiet everything was after the chaos we'd just crawled out of.
Vivian hugged her knees, staring ahead. "Have you finished stabilizing the curse?" she asked quietly.
I didn't look at her. My gaze stayed fixed on the snow drifting down, each flake dissolving the moment it touched the stone.
"Yes," I replied.
I lied.
The next morning, we gathered to discuss our return.
"I suggest teleporting back," I said, rubbing my temple.
An immediate chorus of protests followed.
"Absolutely not," Cerise said.
"No more teleporting," Yeshe added.
"We are either taking a carriage or walking," Renoir concluded firmly.
I sighed. "Of course."
After a brief pause, I glanced around the room. "Can I ask something?"
"Sure," Renoir replied.
"Who," I asked calmly, "thought it was a good idea to book a single bedroom for five people?"
Cerise coughed. "We were in a hurry. It was the only room available."
"You could have put it on my tab," I said. "I would've paid in the morning."
I tilted my head. "Even if you're the illegitimate children of your respective families, you should still receive some form of allowance."
They all stiffened.
"How did you know that?" they asked in unison.
I shrugged lightly. "It's nothing special. I am the heir of a margrave."
Their expressions shifted, surprise giving way to alarm. I stood and began pacing slowly, each step deliberate.
"Renoir Eirwen."
He straightened instantly.
"Cerise Khione."
Her jaw tightened.
"Yeshe Towser."
All three were rigid now, eyes fixed on me. They knew what those names carried powerful families, proud lineages and children quietly discarded, sent to the academy with the unspoken hope that one day an 'accident' would solve the inconvenience.
Renoir swallowed. "What do you want from us?"
Fear was clear in their eyes.
I smiled. I did enjoy that part being the reason people felt afraid. Still, this wasn't the moment for indulgence.
"You're far too tense," I said, laughing softly. The humour vanished from my voice in an instant. "There's no need to fear me."
I paused, then added evenly, "You're my seniors. For now."
Vivian, who had been silently watching the exchange, finally stepped in. "Lia," she said sharply, "stop scaring them."
I clicked my tongue and dropped onto the edge of the bed, bracing my hands beside me. "I was having fun."
"Our seniors are not your toys," she said, glaring at me before turning to them. "I apologize on Cecilia's behalf."
I leaned back slightly, utterly unfazed, and watched with quiet satisfaction as they filed out of the room one by one. Boots shuffled. A door opened, then closed. Silence followed thick, comfortable.
Only Vivian and I remained.
"Are you satisfied?" she asked, using the same tone she'd used before we fought.
"Extremely," I replied without hesitation.
She sighed and folded her arms. "So… how exactly are we supposed to go back now?" She gestured vaguely toward the door. "Judging by the way they left, I don't think we'll be travelling together."
"That's fine," I said easily. "If they don't come back, we'll just ride Lux halfway."
She blinked. "Ride Lux?"
"Yes," I said. "You've never wanted to ride a dragon?"
Her eyes lit up instantly, all restraint evaporating. "Riding a dragon sounds fun," she muttered, almost to herself.
"If you don't want to, we can always take a carriage," I added casually.
"No," she said at once, turning to me with fierce conviction. "I do want to. I want to ride a dragon."
She paused. Then frowned. "Speaking of dragons…there's a baby dragon next to your legs?"
"What?"
I looked down.
There, curled neatly beside me as it belonged there, sat a baby frost dragon small, fluffy in a very misleading way, pale blue scales shimmering faintly in the light.
Neither Nox nor I had sensed a thing.
"You're alive," I said slowly, lifting it and placing it on my lap
"Of course I am," the dragon huffed indignantly. "A great dragon like myself cannot be killed so easily." It glared up at me. "And how dare you destroy our home?"
"For that, I apologize," I said sincerely. Then narrowed my eyes. "But where is that pervert of an owner? And why did I find an imitation wearing his face?"
The dragon froze.
Its eyes went blank and empty.
I stopped immediately.
"You don't need to answer," I said, my tone softening as I gently scratched under its chin. "I already know. Even without you telling me."
My jaw tightened. Whatever those temple bastards were doing now, I wouldn't forgive them. Not this time. Not ever.
I looked down at the dragon again. "Do you have anywhere to stay?"
It shook its head. "No."
A slow, delighted grin spread across my face.
Perfect.
"Then you're coming with me," I said cheerfully. "I'll keep you safe until we find your perverted master."
The dragon stared at me.
Vivian stared at me.
And somewhere deep inside, I could practically hear Nox sigh in resignation.
"So," Nox said, eyeing the baby frost dragon curled comfortably on my lap, "you finally got your wish fulfilled. Three dragons?"
I tilted my head, considering it. "I wasn't going to rest until I had three dragons in my possession," I said, "And if we count Lux…" I smiled faintly. "That makes four."
"Seriously," he muttered, half amused, half exasperated. "And where exactly are you planning to keep him? If you're thinking of the dorms, forget it."
I waved a hand dismissively. "I get away with Lux just fine. Why wouldn't I get away with this one too?" I glanced at him, grin widening. "Besides, even if something does go wrong, I know you'll have my back."
He clicked his tongue. "You really know how to corner me."
"I learned from the best."
Nox sighed, rubbing his temples. "What am I supposed to do with you asking like that?"
I didn't answer. I didn't need to.
No matter how much he complained, how many times he swore he wouldn't indulge me again in the end, he always did.
To be continued...