Frostfire Legacy

Chapter 264 An Old Ally (3)

Faeloria watched as the man's fist approached her face. She was too weak to dodge, her body battered and barely standing. The world around her blurred, and she braced herself for the blow.

"Hold it!"

However, the man's fist was abruptly stopped by a hand.

The interloper's voice echoed coolly. The one who had intercepted the strike was none other than Selene, her half-sister!

Faeloria, barely able to keep her eyes open, met Selene's cold gaze. The stark contrast between the two of them was painfully clear: Faeloria, the fallen guardian, struggling to stand, and Selene, the relentless avenger, calm and composed as always.

"It wouldn't be interesting if you died too fast," Selene remarked, her tone flat but laced with venom. "We're not having a contest to see who can destroy you the quickest. Killing you slowly, as you did to me, is undoubtedly a lot more interesting."

Her words were like ice, and though they were harsh, Faeloria couldn't argue. Twisted as Selene's interpretation was, the essence of it held truth. The past hung between them like a heavy fog, impossible to ignore.

"I... didn't let you die back then!" Faeloria's voice, though weak and hoarse, carried a determination that refused to break. "You know that... You should've known that!"

"Enough." Selene cut her off, her voice sharp, as if the very idea of discussing their past was a personal affront. "I didn't come here to relive old memories anyway. Whatever you think you did doesn't matter. What matters is what I went through. You didn't expect me to survive, did you?"

The accusation stung, but Faeloria remained silent. Her mind drifted back to when they first met, not as sisters but as strangers who didn't even know of their shared blood.

They were both members of the elite Hit Squad—joining at the same time—tasked with missions that required the utmost discretion, particularly pertaining to the city's defenses.

It wasn't until they joined the squad that they learned they shared the same father. The discovery shocked them both, but they initially ignored the connection. They were comrades in battle first, and family was a distant afterthought.

Yet, as they trained together, fought side by side, and survived countless missions, something changed. What began as professional respect evolved into a reluctant bond and, from there, into a genuine sisterhood. They started to watch each other's backs, not just out of duty but out of care.

The brutal world of the Hit Squad had forged a rare trust between them, and for a time, it had seemed unbreakable.

Then came the mission that shattered everything.

The Devouring.

The plan was for it to be a straightforward containment, with no further expectations. Faeloria had been tasked with controlling the Ancient Shadow Spirit King, a volatile entity that could only be bound by her abilities as a Watcher of the World Tree. However, during the mission's execution, her failure was catastrophic.

The Spirit King had slipped from her control, its dark power spreading like wildfire. It consumed everything in its path—trees, animals, people. It was a force of destruction, relentless and unstoppable. Faeloria had done everything she could to rein it in, but it was beyond her. And in the chaos, Selene had been caught in the crossfire.

Faeloria had fought desperately to save her sister.

"Ack!"

A sharp cry escaped her lips as the pain ripped through her body, her weakened state making her defenses pitiful against Selene's onslaught.

[Is this how you plan to face me?] Selene's voice echoed mockingly from the void, her presence felt everywhere and nowhere all at once. [Still the same helpless guardian, too weak to protect anyone, let alone yourself.]

Faeloria staggered backward, her body trembling as the shadows bit into her skin, leaving trails of searing pain and blood. She fought to stay on her feet, refusing to fall despite the agony.

The shadows were relentless, attacking from every direction. Every time she tried to block or parry, they shifted, their form unpredictable, elusive—just like Selene.

'I can't keep this up...' Faeloria thought, gritting her teeth as her vision blurred from the pain.

She needed to do something—anything—to turn the tide. Selene's mastery of the shadows was far beyond anything Faeloria had anticipated, especially with it being the shadows controlled directly by the Shadow Spirit King. But she couldn't give up—not now.

"I have... the duty to protect Aster!"

Her hand reached for the acorn-shaped pendant hanging from her neck, usually hidden under her clothes, a relic from the World Tree itself. It was her last resort, her trump card. She had been saving it for a moment like this, knowing the cost of unleashing its power could be dire. But she was out of options.

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'It's all or nothing...!'

With a surge of determination, Faeloria channeled her remaining mana into the pendant, feeling the ancient magic within respond to her call. A faint green glow surrounded her as the power of the World Tree coursed through her veins, renewing her strength. The ground beneath her trembled as her connection to the natural world intensified, and with it, the power of her spells magnified.

Her eyes flashed with a fierce light as she raised her hands, calling upon the forces of nature. "I won't be helpless anymore," she whispered, her voice carrying a renewed strength. "Not against you, not against anyone!"

In an instant, the air around Faeloria changed. The shadows that had been biting at her retreated, momentarily held back by the surge of magic that poured from her. Vines shot up from the floating rocks—even on those away from her—entwining with the darkness and holding it at bay.

A gust of wind whipped through the battlefield, swirling around Faeloria as she released a barrage of spells. Each attack was five times stronger than before, tearing through the air with lethal force.

The shadows "screamed" in response, the mouths recoiling as the vines cut into them. Faeloria pressed forward, her spells raining down in a relentless assault. For a moment, it seemed like the tide was turning—like she was finally gaining the upper hand.

But Selene... she was nowhere to be seen.

Faeloria's heart raced as she scanned the battlefield, her eyes darting from shadow to shadow. The attacks were powerful, yes, but they were useless if she couldn't find her main body! The darkness was Selene's domain, and she had vanished into it like a wraith!

"Where are you...?" Faeloria muttered, her voice edged with frustration.