Chapter 1 She Wasn't the Last
Night fell slowly.
Under the dark sky, Strom finally wore his armor again. The metal clicked softly as he fastened it, then he wrapped the chain once more around his wrist…
He lifted her into his arms without hesitation and began walking.
Wraith (weakly): "Where… are we going?"
Strom (firm): "That parasite must fears something. We just need to find what it is."
Wraith (after a pause): "She fears my mother. My real mother."
Strom stopped for a moment: "What?"
Wraith: "When I first saw her, she mentioned my mother. But the moment she realized I'm Aurora's daughter… she vanished."
Strom: "So we need your mother."
Wraith (shaking her head): "She's dead. She can't be brought back."
Strom: "Then it's not just her. It must be something about your kind."
Wraith: "What do you mean?"
Strom: "She fears your mother, yet she can still possess you. That means she knows you don't have your blood magic anymore."
Wraith's eyes widened.
Strom: "Your blood could kill her."
Wraith (shocked): "Yes… you're right. But only you know about that. No one else."
Strom: "I don't believe that. Think carefully. Did you ever tell anyone?"
Wraith: "No. I didn't tell anyone."
Strom: "Wraith… there has to be someone."
She hesitated.
Wraith: "A few nights before everything happened… The Demon Lord came into my dream. He ordered me to free him. I refused, and he stepped back that's all."
Strom: "Then it's clear. It's him."
Wraith: "But I didn't tell him anything."
Strom: "He didn't need you to. He can read memories freely."
Wraith: "Then what's your plan?"
Strom: "That parasite isn't strong enough to control you all the time. Your demon body is resisting her."
Wraith: "So my blood could end her… but it won't work anymore."
Strom: "Yes. But what if another blue demon does it?"
Wraith: "That won't work."
Strom: "Why?"
Wraith: "My kind hates me. And I don't think any ordinary blue demon blood would help."
Strom: "Then we need a new royal blood."
Wraith: "I am the last royal blood. And I don't have that ability."
Strom (trying to lighten the moment): "Then we check your castle. Maybe your father captured someone."
For the first time in a long while, Wraith laughed softly.
She had thought everyone would leave her.
But Strom refused every excuse.
Refused every fear.
Even if she became a monster… he stayed.
Still holding her, Strom walked toward the Frozen Kingdom of the Blue Demons.
The land that hated them both.
---
Back at the House
Dravyss collapsed, crying uncontrollably.
Dravyss (sobbing): "I failed them. I hurt her. I didn't even try to understand her…"
Astrid tried to comfort her, but nothing worked. Guilt consumed Dravyss. Her love had turned into cruelty.
Strom was gone.
Only his pendant remained in the house.
His armor had been repaired using duplicate dragon scales, leaving no trace magic behind. There was no way to track them.
Sam returned after searching the village.
Sam: "There's no clue. The villagers either don't know… or refuse to speak."
Hearing that, Dravyss broke down even more. Astrid held her arm, trying to steady her.
---
The Frozen Kingdom
Strom and Wraith reached the icy land.
They were still chained together, and Strom refused to put her down.
Wraith: "I can walk on my own now. It's okay."
Strom: "No. I don't trust her."
They moved toward the castle.
Guards and villagers stared.
The knight who caused their king's death.
And the princess who walked beside him.
An old guard stepped forward, spear raised, placing its tip against Strom's neck.
Guard: "Leave our queen. Leave this place, or I will kill you."
Strom (met Wraith's eyes): "I'm sorry. I can't."
Guard: "You will die, knight. You killed our king. And now you torture our queen."
He glanced at Wraith's injuries.
Wraith: "Let us go. We don't want to fight."
Guard: "I can't allow this."
Wraith: "It's my order."
Guard: "You are not our ruler anymore. I will not obey you."
Strom: "Please… it's about saving a life."
The guard hesitated.
The strongest knight in the world was begging to him.
But it's not the reason he step back, he remember the time when little princess Wraith came here and her "guard uncle" play hide and seek.
Guard (lowering his spear): "I failed to save my king. But helping our princess… maybe that will mean I didn't betray him."
He stepped aside.
Guard: "Go!."
The castle stood empty, yet he remained at his post, believing that one day someone would return for them.
---
Inside the castle hall, Strom felt it. Wraith's weight grew lighter in his arms.
Strom: "Wraith… you feel lighter."
Wraith: "I don't know why… but I think she's not inside me anymore."
Strom: "Then this castle is strong enough to protect you."
Wraith: "But what now?"
Strom: "The same. We need royal blood."
Wraith: "I told you. I'm the last o..."
Strom (cutting her off): "The world is big. I don't believe there's only one Frozen Kingdom on the entire planet."
Chapter 2 – The Next Frozen Kingdom
Strom still held Wraith in his arms as he wandered through the empty castle, moving from hall to hall, room to room. His steps echoed against ancient stone, impatience growing heavier with every turn.
Strom (confused): "Come on, Wraith. There has to be a map somewhere."
Wraith (also confused): "I don't know… It's been more than 13 years since I left this place."
Strom: "Come on!"
He refused to stop. Finally, they entered a vast chamber lined with shelves older than memory itself. Ancient books lay frozen in time. At the center stood a table, and on it rested a map.
Strom approached it and stared.
Blue marks covered the parchment, scattered chaotically.
Strom (confused): "Who the hell designed this kind of shit?"
Wraith: "I don't know. That map is older than my grandfather."
Strom: "What the hell…"
Strom studied it for a long moment. Nothing made sense. Still, he didn't give up. He searched the shelves, opening brittle tomes until, inside one of them, he found another map.
When he unfolded it, realization struck.
The map on the table wasn't a territory map.
It was a world map.
The blue marks weren't cities.
They weren't borders.
They were entire Frozen Kingdoms.
Separated by hundreds… even thousands of miles.
Traveling between them wasn't just difficult.
It was impossible.
Strom (half jocking): "Wow… Who the hell builds kingdoms like this? Sorry to say, Wraith, but your kind is so brainless."
Wraith (offended) : "Really? And you humans are so intelligent?"
Strom (proud): "Yes. We are."
Strom continued turning pages until something stopped him cold.
The Way Stone.
A sacred place existing in every Frozen Kingdom.
A bridge between worlds.
It could teleport someone to the next Way Stone in another kingdom.
But the cost was terrifying.
Mana.
An amount so vast that only ancient Blue Demons could use it freely. Now, with their bloodlines weakend by time, the Way Stones were abandoned.
Strom: "Okay. Let's go."
Wraith: "Are you sure they'll help us?"
Strom: "I don't know. But I won't leave any chance."
Strom lifted Wraith again and walked out of the castle. But just as they neared the exit, a sensation crawled up his spine.
Someone was watching them.
He stopped and scanned the darkness.
Then he saw her.
Morvexa.
She stood outside the castle gates. She hadn't entered, because the castle harmed her. Yet she wasn't afraid.
She was smiling and waiting.
Strom: "Guess what? Looks like the bitch fears castles too."
Morvexa: "Is that how you speak to a lady?"
Strom: "You tried to take my her from me. That's enough for me to rip your head off."
Morvexa: "But you can't kill me."
Strom: "That's your luck."
As Strom stepped outside, Wraith's weight suddenly increased in his arms. Her expression twisted, her lips curling into a cruel smile.
Wraith (Morvexa): "It's fun, you know."
Strom didn't answer. He just kept walking.
Because now… it wasn't her.
It's her.
Demonic voices echoed around them. Shouts, curses, hatred. Strom ignored them all. He didn't stop until they reached the Way Stone temple.
He placed his hand on the stone and tried to activate it.
Nothing.
Moments later, Wraith gasped as Morvesa's presence faded.
Strom: "I think… now it'll work."
Wraith: "What?"
Strom touched the Way Stone again and spoke the name of the next kingdom.
Blue light exploded through the temple.
The world shattered.
---
They emerged in another Frozen Kingdom.
The moment they arrived, Strom felt it.
His mana drained instantly.
The pressure crushed him. His knees buckled. He nearly dropped Wraith, but forced himself to stay upright.
Wraith (panicking): "Are you okay?"
Strom (forcing a smile): "Yeah. Totally."
Wraith: "Strom, this isn't right. Leave me here. Go save yourself… or you'll die."
Strom: "Then I'll die for you."
He couldn't lift her anymore.
So they walked together.
Step by step, weakened but unbroken, searching for the royal castle. Soon, a knight blocked their path.
Knight: "Who are you, and why are you here?"
Strom: "We need help from your king. Please. It's important."
Knight: "Our princess doesn't speak to strangers."
Wraith: "We only need a moment. Nothing more."
Knight( hesitate ): "Wait here. I'll ask her."
Chapter 3 – The Princess
Strom and Wraith waited in silence until the knight finally returned.
Knight: "The princess will speak to you. Come."
As they followed him inside, the air grew colder. For a brief moment, Morvexa slipped out of Wraith's body, lingering behind them, smiling patiently.
Wraith (quietly): "If I don't survive this… don't cry for me. You deserve happiness. Someone better than me."
Strom: "Either we escape this nightmare… or I'll die saving you."
They entered a vast frozen hall. Ice pillars stretched toward the ceiling, and at the far end sat a crude throne carved from frost and bone.
Princess Iseryn waited.
They stood before her. Before anyone could speak, she spoke first.
Iseryn: "You are Wraith, aren't you?"
Wraith (confused): "Yes… but how do you know me?"
Iseryn: "Everyone knows you. Every Frozen Realm knows your name."
Strom (trying to speak): "Actually, we need—"
Iseryn (cutting him off): "You. Be silent. I am speaking to one of my kind. You are not allowed to talk."
Strom: "I'm sorry."
Iseryn: "Now, Wraith. Tell me what you want from me."
Wraith: "There is a hostile parasite spirit inside me. She wants to kill me. To stop her, we need royal blood… Blue Demon royal blood."
Iseryn: "So you want my blood?. Interesting!. But tell me, 'Princess Wraith'… why not use your own?"
Wraith went silent.
She couldn't explain.
She had no excuse.
(He spoke again)
Strom: "Because a possessed body loses its blood magic."
Iseryn (eyes narrowed): "And if I refuse?"
Wraith: "What…?"
Iseryn: "Why should I help a traitor who caused her father's death for a human?"
Wraith (explaining): "That's not true! He tried to kill us. We only wanted to survive!"
Iseryn: "Another lie. If you speak truth… then say this."
She leaned forward.
Iseryn: "Say you don't love him."
Wraith froze.
Her silence answered everything.
Iseryn: "Pathetic. A curse upon our kind. A demon who loves a human."
Strom: "Please. We're not here to fight. We just need help."
Iseryn (mocking): "Not here to fight?. You can't fight. You'd die, Mr. Dragon Knight."
Wraith: "He didn't mean—"
Iseryn (cutting her off): "You should stay silent. You have no idea how much we despise you. You brought shame to our kind."
Strom: "Enough!"
Iseryn: "Lower your voice. This is my castle."
Strom (angry): "You call yourself a queen… but if you refuse to help someone who's dying, then what are you really?"
Iseryn (smiled): "Mockery won't save you. But there is a way to earn my help."
Wraith: "What way?"
Iseryn: "Kneel. Prove you are not a traitor."
For a moment, time froze.
Then Strom knelt first.
Without hesitation.
Wraith followed, her knees hitting the frozen floor beside him.
Iseryn stepped down from her throne, studying Wraith's helpless state. Then she placed her foot on Strom's head.
Strom clenched his fists.
He endured, all humiliation just for her.
Iseryn (to Wraith): "You are not worth saving. Leave my sight."
Strom: "What?"
Iseryn: "Get out of my castle and take that bitch with you."
Strom almost lunged forward, but Wraith grabbed his hand and shook her head.
No.
Iseryn (turned away): "Leave before I call the knights."
Strom helped Wraith up and walked away. He wouldn't give up. Not even if it killed him.
As they reached the outer gate, Morvexa slipped back into Wraith's body.
Strom lifted Wraith into his arms and kept walking. He didn't even look back for once.
Iseryn (coldly): "Call the archers."
The guards obeyed instantly.
Within moments, archers lined the castle walls, bows drawn toward the knight carrying the traitor princess through the snow.
Iseryn: "Shoot."
One of the archers hesitated.
Archer: "They're already leaving… then why are we still shooting?"
Iseryn's eyes never left Strom.
Iseryn: "I want to show her… what a real human looks like."
Silence followed.
Then the arrows flew.
Some missed completely.
Some shattered against Strom's armor.
Then—
One arrow pierced through the back plate of his armor and buried itself into flesh.
Blood burst across the snow.
Strom staggered for a second, his grip loosening slightly.
Wraith (weakly): "Strom…"
Strom (hiding the pain): "It's… okay, Wraith."
The archers didn't stop, not for a single second.
Again.
Again..
Again...
Arrows tore into his back, shoulders, side, even near his neck. Metal sank deeper with every step he forced himself to take.
Iseryn waited for him to finally act like a human.
To throw Wraith down and save himself.
Or turn around and fight like a proud knight.
But he did neither.
He simply kept walking forward.
Step after step.
Bleeding.
Breaking.
Disappearing slowly into the frozen fog.
Back at the balcony, frustration finally cracked through Iseryn's calm expression.
Iseryn (shouting): "COME ON! LEAVE HER! RUN AWAY!"
But Strom was already too far to hear her.
Mana drained.
More than twenty arrows lodged inside his body.
Each breath grew weaker than the last.
His body screamed at him to stop.
His legs begged him to collapse into the snow.
But he kept moving.
Not because he was strong.
Because he refused to leave her behind.
Then his body finally reached its limit.
His knees gave out beneath him, crashing into the snow.
Still—
One arm held Wraith tightly against his chest.
The other pressed against the frozen ground, forcing himself back upward.
Wraith was barely conscious now, her body weakened by Morvexa's control.
Yet even then…
Strom dragged himself forward again.
A weak voice broke the silence.
Wraith: "Leave me, Strom… you can rest now."
Strom (firmly): "Shut up, bitch."
A faint smile slowly appeared on Wraith's face.
But the voice that followed wasn't hers anymore.
Wraith (Morvexa): "Oh… you really figured it out, huh?"
Strom's eyes darkened.
Strom: "Even in a crowd of thousands… I'd still find my Wraith."
Eventually after moments, blood began dripping from inside Strom's helmet.
Not from a wound outside.
From his mouth.
The snow beneath his knees turned dark red step by step, yet he never loosened his grip on Wraith.
Wraith's body hung weakly in his arms, her breathing uneven as Morvexa watched through her eyes with cruel amusement.
Wraith (Morvexa, smiling softly): "Wow… Knight. You really love her."
Strom said nothing.
He just kept walking toward the distant Stone Temple.
One step.
Then another.
Or dragging himself with his knees.
Wraith (Morvexa): "Tell me… how poor must someone be to love the person who ruined his life?"
Strom's grip tightened slightly.
Strom (low, dangerous): "Leave her. Now."
Wraith (Morvexa): "Why? So she can suffer more? Everyone around her eventually gets destroyed."
Snow crunched beneath his knees for a moment as his body nearly collapsed.
But he forced himself back up.
Wraith (Morvexa, voice sharper): "You think you were chosen for something special?"
No answer.
"You think Dravyss spared you because you mattered for her?"
Still nothing from Strom and
Morvexa's smile widened.
"No. You were never special."
"You were just a mistake."
"A mistake of your parents."
"A mistake of that wizard."
"A mistake of that dragon."
"A mistake this world forgot to erase."
For the first time, Strom stopped walking, he just stopped there.
Silence swallowed the frozen path.
Wraith (Morvexa, whispering near his ear): "And look at you now. Too weak to save her. Too weak to stop me. Not strong enough to protect anyone."
Strom's breathing became uneven.
Wraith (Morvexa): "Dravyss will leave you someday."
"She always leaves."
"And when you finally fail…"
"I'll kill Wraith slowly while you watch."
Something inside him finally snapped.
Strom (roaring): "SHUT UP!"
He dropped her on cold snow then...
His hand shot around Wraith's throat, fingers tightening violently as rage exploded through his exhausted body. His other fist rose high into the air.
Ready to crush her face.
But then—
It stopped.
Just inches away his fist trembled.
Because behind those eyes…
That was still Wraith.
The rage shattered instantly,
Strom's breathing broke apart.
His grip loosened.
His own mind froze in horror at what he almost did.
Wraith (Morvexa, smiling wider): "There it is."
"The real you."
Strom slowly pulled his hand away from her throat like it burned him.
Wraith (Morvexa): "You can't kill me."
"You can't save her."
"And you can't even hate her properly."
Her laughter echoed softly through the snowstorm.
Then suddenly—
The darkness vanished from her eyes.
Morvexa left her body.
Wraith went limp in his arms again.
For several seconds, Strom remained completely motionless.
Broken.
Staring at his own trembling hand.
Then, silently, he grabbed the arrow buried in his shoulder and ripped it out.
Blood splashed across the snow.
He lifted Wraith back into his arms once more.
His legs barely obeyed him now.
Every breath sounded torn apart inside the helmet.
But even after all of that…
He stood again.
And kept walking forward.
Moments later the Way Stone Temple was finally close.
Through the snowstorm, its ancient pillars could already be seen standing beyond the frozen cliffs like ghosts waiting in silence.
Strom staggered forward.
One step.
Then another.
Then—
Wraith finally spoke, not Morvexa but her.
The real her.
Wraith (weakly): "We failed, Strom…"
His steps slowed slightly hearing that.
Wraith (voice trembling): "Leave me here. Go save yourself. You still have a life ahead of you."
Strom answered instantly, without hesitation and not even thinking twice.
Strom: "Then I'll search for another kingdom."
Wraith looked up at him weakly.
Strom: "And if that one fails too… I'll search another."
He takes a step forward.
"And another."
One more step.
Strom: "I'll search every kingdom in this world if I have to."
Wraith's eyes began shaking.
Wraith: "No…"
For the first time since this nightmare began, fear crossed her face.
Not fear for herself.
Fear for him.
Wraith (breaking apart): "I won't let you die for me."
Using the last strength left in her body, she suddenly pushed herself from his arms.
Strom nearly collapsed without her weight balancing against him.
Before he could react, Wraith grabbed the chain connecting them.
CRACK.
The weakened metal snapped apart.
The sound echoed through the snow like something sacred breaking.
Wraith stepped backward, trembling violently.
Wraith (through tears): "Forgive me…"
Then she turned and forced herself to run.
Weak.
Barely able to stand.
Yet still dragging herself farther away from him.
Wraith (crying as she ran): "I'm the reason you have to suffer this much…"
Her voice cracked apart in the storm.
"I'm sorry…"
(Another stumbling step.)
"I'm sorry for loving you…"
Strom stood there alone before the ancient temple gates.
Broken armor.
Arrows still buried in his body.
Blood staining the snow beneath him.
His body swayed slightly, almost collapsing.
Yet his eyes never left her disappearing silhouette.
Chapter 4 – The Final Possession
The First Frozen Kingdom—
The wind screamed across the mountains like it wanted blood.
Sam and Astrid stood before the ancient Way Stone inside a trembling mana barrier. The cold here was unnatural. It didn't just freeze flesh, it froze thoughts, breath, even the will to stand.
Astrid (shouting): "Sam, hurry up! Do something!"
Sam's glowing fingers traced the frozen runes desperately.
Sam (frustrated): "I'm trying! But this thing is unreadable!"
Because Strom had activated the Way Stone earlier, traces of his mana still lingered around it. Weak. Broken. Fading. That trail was the only reason Sam managed to track him this far.
But the problem was cruelly and simple.
A Way Stone only activates when someone speaks the destination aloud.
And they had no idea where Strom had gone.
Back in castle of Iseryn—
Ice cracked beneath Iseryn's boots as she turned toward her archers, fury burning in her eyes.
Iseryn (venomous): "If none of you know how to shoot properly, then maybe you all should stay home and cook for your women instead."
The archers stood silently until one finally stepped forward.
Archer (coldly): "If our aim is so terrible, then pick up a bow and do it yourself."
Silence filled the hall.
Archer: "You mock us like it's strength. But without us…"
(His gaze hardened.)
"…you're nothing. Just a weak demon hiding behind a crown."
No one defended her this time.
The knights and archers simply turned and walked away, leaving her standing alone in the frozen hall.
Those are not just words, they were blades piercing deeper than any blade.
Her fingers tightened around her sword.
If they were the reason for her humiliation…
Then she would end them herself.
The Way Temple Path—
Iseryn knew the kingdom barrier could only be crossed through the Way Stone, so she moved toward the temple through the endless snowstorm.
Fog swallowed the land where arrows still stood buried in the ice.
And following the blood on snow... She finally found him.
Strom.
Still walking.
Arrows buried deep in his back.
Blood staining the snow behind every step.
He no longer looked alive. His body moved like something already dead forcing itself forward through pure will alone.
And in his arms—
Wraith.
Unconscious and Motionless.
Morvexa refused to let her escape. She wanted Strom to die trying… and only after that Wraith is allowed to die.
Another step.
Then another.
Then Strom's body finally gave him up.
He collapsed into the snow beside her.
One shaking hand reached weakly toward Wraith.
Even now.
Even after everything...
Strom (barely audible): "I'm sorry… Wraith…"
Iseryn approached slowly, hatred still burning in her eyes. She placed the tip of her sword against Wraith's throat.
Iseryn (coldly): "You shouldn't have come here, bitch."
Then she felt something touch her boot.
She looked down.
It's Strom's hand fully covered in blood.
His fingers weakly clawed against the snow near her feet.
Strom (fading): "Please… not her…"
Iseryn stared at the blood touching her boot with disgust.
Iseryn: "Disgusting."
She kicked his hand away and wiped her boot against the ice.
Iseryn (angry): "Look where you stand now, human."
This time she pointed her sword toward Strom's throat.
Iseryn (proud): "I am the strongest."
But no answer came back.
No anger. No pride. No defiance.
Not because they ignored her.
Because neither of them are conscious enough to reply her... No one.
And suddenly the silence felt heavier than any words itself.
Because she had come here to prove her strength against two people already dying.
For the first time, Iseryn hesitated.
Not because of mercy.
Because she realized she was wrong.
Not all humans were selfish.
Her gaze drifted toward Strom, still holding Wraith's hand. Even when dying his love never changed.
Iseryn (quietly): "You may be a traitor… but at least you have someone."
Then memories surfaced.
Her people mocking her. Leaving her. Fearing her.
No loyalty. No love.
Only obedience.
Iseryn (whispering): "And I have no one."
Slowly, she lowered her sword.
One by one, she pulled the arrows from Strom's back. Blood splashed across the snow, painting the ice crimson.
Iseryn lifted Wraith over her shoulder, then grabbed Strom's cape and dragged him through the snow toward the castle.
As she walked, her frozen crown slipped from her head and disappeared into the storm behind her.
But she never looked back for it.
Iseryn (quietly): "Real queens don't need crowns to prove themselves."
The Castle Gates —
The moment Iseryn returned to the castle, the knights rushed forward in alarm. One look at Strom and Wraith was enough to silence the courtyard.
Knight (shocked): "Should I prepare the execution blade, ma'am?"
Iseryn (firm): "No."
Knight (confused): "What?"
Iseryn: "I want to help them."
The knights froze. Uneasy silence spread through the gate before they reluctantly lifted Strom up the frozen stairs.
Then one knight lost his grip.
Strom crashed hard against the stone floor.
Metal slammed against ice and blood spilled from beneath his helmet.
Iseryn (worried): "Careful!"
The knights stared at her.
Knight (coldly): "We're helping humans now?"
For the first time, Iseryn didn't give an order.
Iseryn (quietly): "Please… help me. I can't do this alone."
The courtyard fell silent again.
A long moment passed before one knight sighed heavily, grabbed Strom again, and continued walking. No one agreed aloud. No one protested either.
They simply carried Strom and Wraith deeper into the castle.
The moment Wraith touched the castle floor, the atmosphere changed.
Iseryn felt it instantly.
Morvexa's presence weakened.
Wraith's body suddenly became lighter, like invisible chains had loosened around her soul.
Moments later, her eyes slowly opened.
Ice ceiling. Knights. A princess.
Then her gaze snapped toward Strom being carried away half dead.
Wraith (panicked): "Strom!"
She broke free instantly and rushed toward him. The knights stepped back while Iseryn watched carefully.
It didn't take long for Strom to regain consciousness.
The second his eyes opened, instinct took over.
He grabbed Wraith's hand tightly and forced himself in front of her protectively, despite barely being able to stand.
Ready to fight again.
Iseryn (calmly): "Relax. We're not here to hurt you."
Silence followed.
Then Strom immediately started walking again while holding Wraith's hand.
Iseryn (serious): "You really don't trust me."
Strom: "Tell me what you gain from this."
Iseryn: "I just want to help."
Strom: "Why?"
This time her voice carried no pride.
Iseryn (quietly): "Because if I can't save someone from dying… then I am nothing."
The hall grew still.
For the first time, her words sounded honest.
Not like a queen trying to appear strong. Just someone terrified of being useless.
And because of that…
They finally stopped walking.
Iseryn looked toward Wraith thoughtfully.
Iseryn: "So possessed blood won't work on her?"
Strom: "We lied before. We didn't know what else to do."
Iseryn remained silent for a moment before an idea suddenly crossed her mind.
Iseryn: "If Morvexa needs a body… then what if she takes another one?"
Wraith: "Your blood would destroy her. Why would she risk that?"
Iseryn: "Will it work?"
Strom (certain): "I think it will."
A small smile appeared on Iseryn's face.
Iseryn: "Good enough."
She grabbed Wraith's hand.
Ancient blue magic exploded through the hall. Ice spiraled upward while mana cracked violently through the air.
Slowly, Iseryn's appearance changed.
Blue skin. Silver eyes. The same voice. The same presence.
A flawless copy of Wraith.
Iseryn (as Wraith): "Then let's finish this."
She grabbed Strom's hand tightly and walked with him outside the hall.
Beyond the castle walls, Morvexa waited within the frozen fog.
The moment she sensed "Wraith," hunger flooded her eyes.
Still… something felt wrong.
Morvexa (narrowing eyes): "Why do you feel different this time… Wraith?"
No scent of Aurora's blood. No fear. Only greed remained.
And greed completely blinded her.
Morvexa lunged forward without hesitation.
The moment she touched Iseryn, royal blood magic ignited.
Blinding blue light erupted across the snow.
There was no scream. No struggle. No escape.
Only silence.
Then ash drifted slowly onto the frozen ground.
Gone completely.
Strom (exhausted): "Finally… the greedy bitch is dead."
Iseryn stared at the ashes quietly.
Iseryn: "That's all it took?"
Return
Later, near the Way Temple, Iseryn stopped walking.
Her crown still rested in the snow where it had fallen before.
For a moment, she stared at it quietly… but never picked it up because in her mind, she had already lost the right to wear it.
Near the Way Stone, Wraith looked back at her.
Wraith: "Maybe you should visit us someday. See something other than snow."
Iseryn (hesitation): "But humans don't like… demons."
Wraith stepped closer and grabbed her hand gently.
Wraith: "Trust me… they did."
For the first time in a long while, Iseryn gave a small nod.
Strom quietly held Wraith's hand and activated the Way Stone. Ancient light surged around them as the teleportation circle awakened beneath their feet.
Then they vanished.
Silence returned to the frozen kingdom. Again.
Iseryn exhaled slowly and turned away, walking alone through the snow with her head lowered.
Then she froze.
Her entire army stood before her.
Knights.
Archers.
Soldiers.
And at the very front stood the same archer who had once insulted her.
Now he held her crown carefully in both hands.
Iseryn swallowed hard and slowly stepped forward.
Then suddenly, every soldier dropped to one knee at once.
"WE ARE SORRY… FORGIVE US, QUEEN."
The cold wind finally stopped feeling lonely.
---
Back in the First Frozen Kingdom—
The teleportation completed violently.
Strom and Wraith crashed directly onto Sam and Astrid.
Sam (furious): "WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU TWO?!"
Astrid (angry): "I swear I'll kill both of you if you ever do that again!"
Wraith tried to stand but immediately collapsed again. Astrid quickly caught her before she hit the ground.
Sam looked toward Strom with forced annoyance.
Sam (trying to joke): "Strom… don't say 'Aura farming' this time."
Silence.
No sarcastic reply.
No stupid joke.
Sam (expression slowly changed): "…Strom?"
Wraith suddenly coughed violently and collapsed beside him. Blood spilled from her mouth onto the stone floor.
Astrid (panicked): "WRAITH!"
Sam immediately turned Strom over and ripped his helmet off.
His eyes were closed.
Blue veins spread across his skin like cracks in ice. Blood leaked heavily from his mouth and nose, while his breathing was so weak it barely existed.
For a terrifying second…
He looked dead.
Sam (shaking him): "Strom! Wake up!"
Astrid: "Sam, use a healing spell!"
Sam's eyes moved rapidly, calculating mana loss instinctively.
Sam (grim): "No. It won't work."
Astrid (shouting): "USE IT!"
Sam (snap): "IT WON'T WORK!"
Everything fell silent instantly.
Because Sam never raised his voice.
Never.
He forced himself to calm down, breathing hard.
Sam (quietly): "Listen to me… they don't have enough mana left. A healing spell could kill them instead."
Astrid's anger disappeared immediately.
Astrid (shaken): "Then… what do we do?"
Sam looked toward Strom and Wraith lying unconscious beside each other.
Sam: "Help me get them home. I'll find another way."
Astrid carefully lifted Wraith while Sam helped support Strom's broken body.
And together, they carried them home through the freezing silence.
Because the last time Strom used the Way Stone, his body survived the price.
But this time…
He don't have enough mana to pay...
So! the Way Stone took mana from Wraith instead.
The Letter —
Back at the house, Astrid carefully placed Strom and Wraith onto the bed while Sam rushed through shelves and drawers searching for herbs, potions, and bandages. Astrid left briefly to bring water.
For a moment, the room was quiet.
Then Strom's eyes slowly opened.
The sight of his home made his breathing calm slightly.
Safe.
Alive.
Home.
But then Morvexa's words echoed inside his head like poison.
«"Dravyss will leave you."»
His eyes widened instantly.
He looked around the room desperately.
No Dravyss.
No warmth.
No voice.
Nothing.
Then he noticed something hanging beside his pendant.
A letter tucked inside his coat.
Strom tried to stand immediately but his legs failed.
He crashed hard onto the floor and started dragging himself forward anyway, fingers trembling against the wood. Every movement looked painful, but he kept crawling toward the hanging coat.
He couldn't reach it.
So he grabbed the hanger itself and yanked it down.
The entire rack collapsed onto him with a loud crash.
But at least the letter fell into his hands.
Hearing the noise, Sam rushed back into the room.
Sam quickly lifted the broken hanger away from him, but Strom barely reacted.
His vision had already turned blurry blue from mana collapse. He couldn't even read the words anymore.
Sam (shocked): "Strom… what are you doing?"
Strom weakly held the letter toward him.
Strom: "Could you… please…"
Sam hesitated for a second before unfolding the letter and reading aloud.
---
Dravyss's Letter
"I'm sorry for what I became.
I don't know how to apologize for my words.
Forgive me… if that's possible.
I won't show my face again.
I'm sorry, son.
I failed you."
---
Silence swallowed the room.
Sam (lowered the letter slowly): "I'll find her."
Strom immediately shook his head weakly.
Strom: "No… I will."
At that moment Astrid returned carrying a bucket full of water.
The second she entered, she froze.
Strom was on the floor trying to stand while arguing with Sam.
Astrid (panicked): "STROM?!"
She quickly helped him back onto his feet while Sam explained everything.
Astrid's expression softened immediately.
Astrid: "Don't worry. We'll find her."
Strom slowly grabbed his pendant from the fallen coat and placed it around his neck.
The moment he stood on his own, his body nearly collapsed again.
Astrid grabbed him before he fell.
Astrid: "Are you okay?"
Strom: "Yeah… I'll recover in a moment."
Sam stepped forward immediately.
Sam: "I'm coming with you."
Strom: "No. You two stay here and take care of Wraith. I'll be back soon. She can't be far away."
Sam stared at him in disbelief.
Sam: "You can barely walk properly."
But Strom had already started moving toward the door.
Slow.
Uneven.
Almost like a corpse forcing itself forward through sheer willpower alone.
Then he disappeared into the night.
Inside the room, Sam quietly returned to gathering potions while Astrid sat beside Wraith and carefully poured water over her wounds.
Nothing happened.
No healing.
No reaction.
Astrid (shocked): "Sam!."
Sam turned around.
One look at Wraith was enough to freeze him completely.
The water wasn't working.
Not even a little.
Sam (stunned): "How… is that even possible?"
His Path —
Strom walked through the village like a body that had forgotten how to die.
No strength. No balance. No life left in his eyes.
Only movement.
Every step dragged across the ground like his soul had already left him behind, yet something invisible kept pulling him forward.
Dravyss.
Maybe that pull was the only thing still keeping him alive.
The villagers saw him coming and immediately moved away in fear. Doors closed. Windows slammed shut. No one wanted to stand near the broken knight covered in blood.
But Strom didn't care.
He wasn't even looking at them anymore.
Then, from behind the crowd, a man stepped forward gripping an iron rod tightly in both hands.
Slowly. Carefully.
He followed Strom from behind.
A few more steps…
Then the man suddenly raised the rod and swung it toward the back of Strom's head.
But before it could even land, a woman grabbed his arm.
She looked at him silently and slowly shook her head.
No.
The man hesitated.
And Strom…?
He never even turned around.
He just kept walking forward while the village watched him disappear quietly into the fog.
Because not everyone hated him.
Eventually, Strom reached the mountains.
Cold wind crashed against the cliffs while snow spiraled endlessly through the darkness.
And there…
Standing at the very edge of the cliff…
Was a dragon.
Massive. Silent. Watching the world below.
Dravyss.
Even through blurred vision, Strom recognized her instantly.
A weak breath escaped him.
Strom (quietly): "Hurry up, Strom… Mom must be waiting."
He started climbing.
But his body had nothing left.
Again and again, he slipped from the rocks. Again and again, he fell back into the snow.
His hands bled trying to grip the frozen stone, but somehow he kept climbing anyway.
Until finally…
He managed to pull himself halfway up the mountain.
Then Dravyss moved.
One flap of her wings shattered the silence.
The force alone sent snow exploding across the cliffs as she launched herself into the sky.
And flew away.
Higher. Farther. Leaving everything behind.
As Dravyss crossed beyond Earth's atmosphere, the invisible pull Strom had been following vanished completely.
And so did the last thing holding him together.
His hands lost their grip.
His body collapsed into the snow.
Completely motionless.
Because everyone has a limit.
And Strom had already crossed every single one of his.
Above the planet—
Dravyss flew through endless darkness in silence.
Earth slowly faded behind her while the distant glow of her homeworld appeared far ahead.
Dravyss (thinking): "You'll be better without me… I failed to protect you. I'm sorry, Strom."
She forced herself to keep flying.
Faster. Farther.
Then…
A sound reached her not a real sound. Just an old memory.
A child crying alone inside a dark cave beside the two dead bodies.
No light. No help. No one coming to save him.
Just a small boy abandoned by the world.
And somehow…
Even after all these years…
He was still alone, again.
Dravyss slowly looked toward her distant planet, her real home.
Dravyss (softly): "My son needs me."
And she turned around.
Redemption —
Calling it flying would be wrong.
Dravyss tore through the sky like a dying star ripped loose from the heavens. Flames ignited across her scales, air exploding behind her in burning waves, but she never slowed down. Nothing in this world could stop her now.
Far below, people looked up in terror, believing a meteor was falling toward Earth.
Only Dravyss knew where she was going.
She followed the faint link between herself and Strom's pendant until the mountain finally appeared beneath the clouds. The moment she landed near him, the ground cracked under her claws.
Dravyss: "Strom?... I'm here, son."
No answer.
Dravyss: "Strom, look… I came back."
Silence.
She carefully lifted him into her claws, but his body hung limp. No movement. No strength. No voice mocking danger like always.
Nothing.
Dravyss: "Please…"
The world around her faded away. Mountains. Wind. Snow. None of it mattered anymore.
She shook him desperately.
Still nothing.
Too late...
Or maybe he had simply suffered longer than any body was ever meant to.
Then a memory crashed into her mind like a blade.
Strom (flashback, smiling): "The world's best mom award goes to… my mom."
And the one who once said that… now isn't saying anything.
Dravyss lowered her head against him.
Dravyss (breaking): "Strom…"
Then she flew again.
Not toward her old planet. Not toward exile.
Toward home.
Because somewhere deep inside her heart, she still believed Sam could do the impossible.
Seconds later, she landed in front of the house.
This time she didn't hide her dragon form. She didn't care anymore.
Villagers had already gathered there. Not an army. Not a kingdom.
Just people.
Countable people who believe in their hero.
As soon as they saw Dravyss carrying Strom, voices rose one after another.
"Is he back?"
"The Knight is alive?"
"Is Strom okay?!"
Then suddenly, all at once—
"IS OUR HERO BACK?"
Dravyss slowly turned toward them because now no fear existed in their eyes now.
Only hope.
Then another voice shouted louder than the rest—
"OUR STRONGEST KNIGHT IS BACK WITH US!"
And after that, the crowd roared together like thunder breaking the sky itself.
"OUR DRAGON KNIGHT!"