"Ugh..."
Fluttering eyelids slowly drift apart, revealing a world of scant light.
There was something soft beneath her head, and a warm embrace draped around her body.
As she raised herself, Dawn found herself in the dimly lit interior of a carriage.
"So... you're awake, Dawn?"
"...?"
Dawn's eyes widened slightly before she slimmed them and peered into the dark.
Her drowsy vision settled upon a figure sitting on the floor, back slumped against the wall, with his arms slack.
Slowly, she realised that this voice was familiar to her.
"Senior? What are you doing there...?"
"Ah... don't worry about it..."
"..."
There was no vigour in his voice. It carried the same deep tone, but had a different kind of 'depth' to it that wasn't merely his 'pitch'.
Looking at Silver Extreme, Dawn could smell the scent of blood emanating from the wall his back was against.
As Dawn's drowsiness waned, her vision becoming clearer and clearer, she began to make out the finer details before her.
Lines were crudely carved into the wall, blood staining the wood. Silver Extreme's nails bore many splinters, dripping with crimson desperation.
"Was I brought to your carriage...? What happened, Senior?"
As Dawn tried to move, she felt what could only be described as an insatiable hunger in the pit of her stomach.
Not only that, but an emptiness in her heart, and a heavy weight in her mind.
"Do not move around, you still have yet to recover from your battle and... mysterious condition."
Before she could reply, a deafening howl shook the carriage.
An intense howling could be heard outside, smashing against the carriage walls and bringing panic into Dawn's heart.
"The winds... The protective veil...! Is Maiden outside right now?"
"Yes... Yes, she is..."
"...?"
"Regardless, is it safe to have her outside, handling this situation alone?"
"We are already nearing the border of Cold Flake Valley..."
"...!"
Fear was swept away by shock, Dawn's jaw slightly gaping at a loss for words. Then, a subtle curve twisted her lips.
"So we have passed? That is good news! I was not expecting Maiden to handle this situation alone..."
After a few breaths' time, the intense howling quietened; the Four Corners Defensive Array had activated once more.
"This should be the last usage of the protective veil. In an hour, we will have left Cold Flake Valley..."
"Senior, what has gotten you so down?"
Despite the situation having fallen into disaster with Dawn's sudden ailment, Heart Tethering Maiden was able to turn the situation around, all on her own.
To Dawn, such a feat could be praised as the utmost of heroics, a righteous achievement that will be praised for decades, if not centuries.
It was unusual, too, for such a selfish woman to do such a selfless thing; it was surprising.
Silver Extreme raised his hands to brush his dishevelled hair back. Dawn just noticed the faint streaks of red in his silver hair.
This situation meant something else to him.
Silver Extreme raised a question to Dawn, his tired eyes meeting her inquisitive light.
"I will tell you when we get out of Cold Flake Valley. For now, please rest. It has been... a tough time for everyone."
"...?"
Without an answer to her inquiries, Dawn sat up and leaned her back against a wall.
"Senior..."
Sighing, Dawn closed her eyes and focused on her Qi Cores.
She began to draw in Qi, but there was little foreign Qi in this carriage. Actually, besides the wisps of Qi intertwined with the howling winds, there was little foreign Qi in general.
However, that was not a significant problem.
Siphoning a little Qi into her Qi Cores, she felt a smidge of strength return to her.
'As long as I stay connected to the ground, I can recover Earth Qi and utilise that for the replenishment of my Cores.'
'I should listen to Senior Silver and recover in this bed, but I wish to replenish my Qi first...'
"Senior. I am going to step out for a moment."
As Dawn shifted herself to step off the bed, Silver Extreme shook his head.
"You can't."
"Why?" Dawn inquired and actually received an answer, albeit laced with a hesitant tone.
"Maiden had us... No... it would be better for you to look outside..."
"...?"
Sensing that Dawn would not get further information from Silver Extreme, she sighed and closed her eyes.
Rousing what little strength she had left, Dawn could move her Divine Eye Immersion out of the carriage, and...
"What had happened!?"
Dawn's sudden outburst was not stifled; it was as abrupt as the howling winds.
Her eyes opened wide in surprise. She blinked her eyes—a pointless gesture—but Dawn could not believe what she saw.
"Senior, where is the rest of the convoy? The people?!"
"..."
"Senior... this can not go unanswered!"
"Maiden... she let the howling winds sweep away the convoy, restraining Four Corners Defensive Array to encase this carriage alone. She... killed them all... I let them all die..."
"It can't be..."
Ignoring Silver Extreme's self-depricating remark, Dawn searched through Immersion once again.
She saw the tight and numerous red strings restraining the carriage.
A statue of a tortoise, dragon, phoenix, and tiger was resting upon the roof of this carriage.
It was also the only carriage. Consequently, there was also the only beast left of the convoy.
On the very top of the carriage, the weaver of red strings, and the face of cruelty itself, was Heart Tethering Maiden.
'Maiden... Maiden. Maiden!'
'What have you done?! To sweep the people and beasts... Why?!'
Dawn could not find an answer within herself, no matter how many times she questioned herself.
'What caused you to do this?!'
Was this selfish visage really the truth behind Heart Tethering Maiden?
Was her true visage one of a Demonic Cultivator?
Had she really let the convoy die? Not entirely.
It was by her hands that the convoy was killed!
'Why did she do this...!'
Wanting to confront Heart Tethering Maiden, Dawn stood up immaturely, disregarding her wounds and lack of Qi.
"Dawn... what are you doing?"
"That is what I should be asking you... You and Maiden...! How could you let them die like this?! How could she just kill them like—!"
Grasping the empty air beside her, Dawn's gaze fell to her hand.
She tried to grab something, but there was nothing.
Cutting her sentence off short, her brows tightened and writhed as a grim tone left her mouth.
"Where is... my weapon...?!"
"Dawn...?"