As the Ice Fox Empress flew through the frozen skies, her icy wings cutting across the storm, she suddenly saw him below.
The Vampire.
Her eyes narrowed instantly.
In his arms was Ashley.
Her body hung limply, unmoving, pale from blood loss. Dark energy wrapped around her like mist, slowly entering her body.
The Ice Fox Empress clenched her teeth.
"If only we knew it would take that long…" she said bitterly. "We could have finished him off…"
Her claws dug into her palms.
"Or at least told them to run away…"
Only her father could hear her words through the howling winds.
For a few moments, he stayed silent before finally sighing.
"Don't worry about it," he said quietly. "This is my fault."
She looked at him.
"I shouldn't have left the battle midway," he continued. " but I was one of the few who could truly fight that monster."
His gaze lowered toward the frozen land below.
"But I chose to follow you instead."
The Ice Fox Empress's expression darkened.
"You're my daughter," he said calmly. "You come before everyone else."
"I never asked you to help me!" she snapped.
The temperature around her dropped sharply.
"Why do you think I left you there?!"
Her father remained silent.
"You should've stayed and helped them kill him!"
Her fox tails slowly became sharper, freezing the surrounding air as killing intent leaked from her body.
"We could've saved them!"
Her voice trembled with anger and frustration.
"Even if Kai can't come out now… sooner or later he will!"
For a moment, she looked ready to turn back.
Ready to descend and attack the Vampire herself.
But she didn't.
Because deep down, she knew it was already too late.
Kai was sealed inside his evolving dragon egg.
Ashley had been taken.
And the continent behind them had already fallen into hopelessness.
Without another word, the Ice Fox Empress turned away and flew toward Africa while her father silently followed behind her through the frozen sky.