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The battle in Cirgo was fierce. Gorlak stood on the vast frozen lake of shallow waters that surrounded the castle, right in the center of the kingdom. Thankfully, he hadn't moved into any residential area.
Because of this, the soldiers were doing everything they could to keep him there. However, he consumed magic, making mages and any mana-based abilities ineffective. Physical attacks weren't much better either; not only had his skin developed something akin to natural armor, but he also had regeneration.
Gorlak didn't have any long-range attacks. He was simply a massive, nearly indestructible monster.
Even so, mages surrounding the lake continued casting spells on his body, hoping to wear down his armor. But it was pointless. He specifically aimed for the strongest spells to devour, gaining even more power.
"Damn it!" Sentil cursed.
He had already used everything he had. His skills [Frozen Prince] and [Master Archer] weren't doing anything.
The unique ability [Frozen Prince] granted him ice-based powers, such as manipulating temperature at will and creating elemental weapons or summons. [Master Archer] allowed him to never miss a shot, guaranteeing a hit on the target. Both were Class A skills.
Using them together, he conjured copies of his sword in mid-air and launched them, triggering the second skill's guaranteed accuracy.
It was a deadly combo, no wonder Sentil was an A-Class soldier. But it was useless against a monster like Gorlak. Even if he pierced its armor, the creature regenerated too quickly.
"At this rate, I'll run out of mana..." Sentil muttered.
"Young master. The creature can't move from its place, but we're not causing any damage. Not even my sword skills are effective. Its regeneration is too strong," said Roghan.
Adventurers in the city had joined the battle too. Mages and healers were doing a great job supporting the soldiers and their comrades.
Those focused on defense weren't as useful since Gorlak wasn't doing anything besides absorbing mana and screaming in pain, his body being sliced and regenerating over and over again. But they stood ready in case of a surprise attack.
The sky began to lighten. Morning was coming, yet the battle felt endless.
Then, the adventurers gathered all the support mages. A basic ability among them was [Mana Grace], a buff that created a 60-square-meter zone doubling the mana of everyone inside. Four mages cast this ability in specific spots, including themselves within the zone. Altogether, those inside received an 8x mana boost.
Inside this zone, six mages activated [Chaos Field], another enhancement skill that increased power based on the caster's mana. All of this was for one mage: Logy.
With the mana boost and [Chaos Field] effect, Logy cast [Explosive Power] on his companion, Viola Pumpkin.
This caused Viola's next attack to be amplified eightfold.
Don Hun used his skill [Celestial Shield], a barrier whose strength depended solely on how much mana was used at activation. He chose to use everything. The barrier was cast around Gorlak.
"Everyone, brace for impact!" Sentil shouted, putting everyone on alert.
"Destroy everything. [Annihilation]!"
An explosion erupted inside the barrier, engulfing the monster. The shield was made specifically to prevent Viola's amplified ability from destroying the kingdom. [Annihilation] alone couldn't destroy all of Cirgo, but amplified as it was, without that barrier, the entire place would have turned to ash.
Using all her mana to create a corrosive, destructive force, Viola collapsed after releasing her attack.
Don caught her and sighed wearily, barely able to stay upright.
"I used everything I had..." he said before collapsing beside her.
The same happened with Logy. The battlefield fell silent, everyone stunned by the magnitude of the attack.
When Don fainted, his barrier cracked and shattered.
"Did we... do it?" Roghan asked.
A groan of pain echoed. Gorlak was still alive, though heavily injured, and his body had started to reconstruct.
"Everyone! Hit it with everything you've got!" Sentil commanded, unleashing his final attacks.
The soldiers followed, striking with swords, spears, arrows. Mages hurled magical projectiles. But the monster's regeneration was accelerating.
"Damn it... don't stop!"
Then, a beam of light sped toward Gorlak at incredible speed.
Before anyone could react, the energy struck the monster, and a barrier formed around everyone.
A second later, the world exploded in light.
It was as if the heavens were torn apart. A pillar of lilac energy shot skyward. Gorlak let out a bloodcurdling scream. His flesh disintegrated. His existence was erased in a storm of energy fragments.
When the light faded, all was calm.
Everyone stood frozen, staring at the sky. Then, floating above the battlefield like an angel, appeared a small lilac orb. Its crown glowed gently, and a large speech bubble appeared beside it:
"[You all did great! Thanks to you, I finished him in a single strike!]"
A smiley emoji popped up next to the text.
For a moment, no one knew what to say. Then cheers erupted across the battlefield.
Soldiers dropped to their knees, some fell into the now-thawed lake, laughing and crying. The once-dark sky brightened.
Sentil looked up. That spirit's attack was strong enough to clear the skies...
Merlin soon approached him.
"[Hi! I'm Merlin. I'm a spirit and a friend of Victor. I'm friendly.]"
Sentil just smiled. He was exhausted, but it wasn't over. He still had to find his sister.
"Thank you, Merlin... I won't ask too many questions right now..."
"[Really? I'm good at answering questions.]"
"Victor went after the person who kidnapped my sister. We need to go..."
"[It's okay. I'm sure he's already handled everything and is on his way back. But I'll go look for him.]"
"Thanks..." Sentil said before collapsing as well.
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Darkness.
Serena sank into it, lost in the void between sleep and awareness.
Then, came the snow.
White flakes fell around her, dancing in a biting wind. The castle of Cirgo loomed in the distance, its towers glazed with ice. All was silent. All was wrong.
"Serena..."
The voice came soft, filled with affection.
She looked around, heart racing. The storm howled, and her body trembled as if dragged back into the past.
"W-who's there?"
"Serena..."
Everything had always been dark for Serena; dreams were no different. Worse, even, as her thermal vision didn't work here.
The ground beneath her cracked. Suddenly, she was in her room. The familiarity of the place sent shivers down her spine.
The wind swirled around her, the walls lined with crystal blades. She curled up, stifling sobs, feeling the ice press heavier with each heartbeat.
"Serena..."
This time, the voice was closer.
She began to recognize it — the voice of someone she loved dearly.
Solange stood there, gentle eyes, a hand reaching out.
"It's alright, sweetheart. I'm here."
Serena wanted to run to her, to embrace her once more, but held back.
She tried to speak, but her breath came out in icy clouds. The air froze around her. The light in Solange's eyes wavered.
"Don't... don't come closer... I'm a monster..." Serena whispered, her voice barely audible.
Her mother smiled, unbothered by the cold or danger.
"You're my daughter. I'll never be afraid of you."
Solange knelt, arms open to embrace her.
Serena wanted to retreat.
But it was too late.
The cold roared. The world exploded into white.
Then only shining fragments remained, falling gently on the wind. The warmth of Solange's body vanished.
The void closed in, heavy and crushing.
"Mom...?"
Silence. Something shattered on the ground like glass.
Then a scream echoed across the ice, then faded, and everything turned white.
The white around her seemed endless. Serena blinked several times, dazed. All was silent. No wind. No floor beneath her feet. Only a formless void where her own breath echoed.
Then, something changed. Something that had never been there before. She could see.
The first thing she noticed were her hands — pale, cold, with slightly curved nails. Trembling, she turned them over, testing her fingers like they weren't her own. Then she looked down. Her clothes were the same, but now she could see every fold, every thread. Her bare feet sank into the white void, as if the floor were made of mist.
And her hair... long, heavy, spreading around her like a sea of silver.
"This... is me?"
The question escaped her lips, soft and unsure. Her heart felt heavy in her chest, strangely familiar.
Then a voice broke the silence.
"Serena."
She turned so fast she nearly stumbled.
There, just a few steps away, stood a woman with silver hair and green eyes. She wore a simple white dress that blended with the void. Her face bore a gentle smile.
Serena held her breath.
"You're..."
"Yes." Solange opened her arms. "I'm your mother."
The confirmation was enough.
Serena ran.
The embrace was desperate. Solange's arms were smaller than Serena remembered, but the warmth was the same. She clung to her, burying her face in her shoulder.
"I missed you so much..." Her voice cracked, choked by sobs.
Solange held her tightly, as if trying to preserve that moment forever.
"Me too, darling..." Her fingers slid through Serena's hair, stroking it lovingly. "You've grown so much... and you're still beautiful. Though that hair needs a trim."
Serena let out a shaky laugh between tears.
"Mom..."
"What? Am I wrong?"
Serena shook her head, laughing softly, tears still flowing. It was a weak, broken laugh, but genuine.
For a moment, all that existed was warmth and comfort. A stolen moment outside of time.
But Serena knew. It couldn't last.
Solange pulled back slightly, cupping Serena's face with both hands. Her thumbs gently wiped away the stubborn tears.
"You have to move forward, Serena. Your power won't hurt you anymore."
Serena blinked, confused.
"What does that mean?"
"You'll understand. But first..." Solange tilted her head slightly, eyes full of tenderness. "Promise me something."
Serena hesitated.
"What?"
"Give yourself a chance. To the world. Live, sweetheart. Meet new people, grow. You deserve that."
The words hit Serena like a jolt.
She wanted to believe it. To believe she could move on.
But... could she?
Her fists clenched at her sides.
"I..."
"Can you try?"
Solange's eyes held no doubt or hesitation. Serena couldn't refuse.
She took a deep breath, her chest aching.
"...Yes. I'll try."
Solange smiled, satisfied.
"Good girl."
She stepped back.
"Tell Sentil and your father I love them. That I miss them a lot."
Serena frowned, feeling something pull her backward. A chill climbed her spine as her body began to lean back, like standing on the edge of an invisible cliff.
"Mom...?"
Solange just smiled, eyes shining with something indescribable.
"Now wake up."
The world unraveled, and Serena felt herself falling.
She felt the warmth of someone holding her. Her body was light, cradled by strong arms. The sound of footsteps crunching snow filled the silence.
She blinked a few times before opening her eyes, but as always, saw nothing but darkness.
"Oh, you're awake. That's good."
The voice was hard to place. Serena couldn't tell if it belonged to a boy or not, but the carefree tone felt familiar. Orion had shouted his name.
"Uh... Mister Victor?"
"That's me. Just Victor is fine. You must be Serena. It's a pleasure to meet you, Your Majesty."
Serena frowned. Majesty? What a strange way to address her...
Then she remembered.
The stories her mother used to tell her as a child, of princes and knights saving maidens from dragons and curses. Brave warriors with gleaming swords and unshakable morals.
"Are you... my enchanted knight?"
The body carrying her tensed briefly.
"Eh?!"
"Hmm?"
Serena tilted her head slightly, curious about the reaction. Victor seemed flustered for a moment. She couldn't tell if he was embarrassed or amused.
"Maybe. But I'm no knight."
"An enchanted adventurer, then?"
She heard a muffled sound, like he was holding back a laugh.
"Hey… Don't laugh…"
"Well, I guess there's no point in hiding anything. Your brother already knows. I'm a monster. A Metamorph."
The silence that followed was heavy, nearly tangible.
Serena opened her mouth to reply, but before she could, something unexpected happened.
» Notice: The unique skill [Ice Rose] has evolved into the unique ability [Ice Lotus]. A Class S+ ability. «
A white light burst before her eyes.
For a moment, it felt like she was being pulled somewhere far away.
Then, everything became clear.
She could see.
The world around her appeared gradually. The sky was white and snow fell gently.
And right before her, holding her in his arms, was a boy.
His straight black hair was slightly messy, a few strands falling over his golden eyes that glowed like metal. His face was handsome, with strong yet serene features. He wore a black shirt, dirty and torn, likely from the battle.
But none of that mattered to Serena.
Because for the first time, she could truly see the world around her.
Her eyes sparkled, and a single tear slid down her cheek before she threw herself at Victor, wrapping him in a tight hug.
"My enchanted monster!"
Victor froze.
"H-hey! Easy now, are you okay?!"
"Yes! I've never felt better!" Serena pulled back slightly, still smiling. "And you're taller than you seemed."
Victor blinked, surprised. He hadn't noticed, but his body had changed during the battle. He now stood around 1.76m, a result of his forced evolution.
Staying on his feet was incredibly difficult. Nearly all his mana had been used in his last attack. But seeing Serena smile like that, he refused to show weakness.
"I'm glad you're okay. But... are you sure 'enchanted monster' is a good title for me?"
"You don't like it?"
Victor sighed, thoughtful.
"It's not that I dislike it... I just think I'm a little too old for that."
"You are?"
"Yeah. It may not look like it, but I'm 25."
Serena's eyes widened.
"But you look so young! I'm 18."
"Ugh... this is getting kinda weird... Look at the situation you're putting me in. And the worst part, we just met today..."
Serena let out a light, sincere laugh, feeling the weight on her heart begin to lift.
After so long, she was finally free. Her mother had been right. Maybe now, she really could smile again.
Step by step, Victor walked back to the kingdom, carrying Serena with him. Eventually, Merlin found them and offered her help.
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