"Nassandra… is like a little sister to me. I want to help out too!" Yuna declared.
Although she was timid and afraid, when she decided on something, she would not hesitate. Lady Kalasena held her sword sheath firmly, her intent was obvious. She replied not with her words, but with her actions! Sir Melvin, Lady Rainie, and Sir Pelton similarly expressed their resolve. The other Grand Knights and Arcane Knights did not need to be said. They had to accompany Elizabeth.
"I will stay here and monitor the situation then. If Nassandra returns, I will let you know immediately," Lord Fredrick said.
They moved quickly. Supplies were rounded up and strapped to horses. Elizabeth and her friends switched to thick coats and boots, while equipping their weapons and armor. There was no telling what might happen in the woods at night. The snowstorm was rapidly growing in strength, but Elizabeth's side prepared quickly too. Within twenty minutes, they were ready to leave. Elizabeth gave some simple instructions to Lord Fredrick, before nudging her horse and riding out. Shirley was saddled with her. Right behind, Benedict and Freon were riding together. Yuna was with Lady Rainie, Sir Melvin and Sir Pelton were together, Lady Kalasena was by herself, and so on. There were twenty horses in total. Under Elizabeth's lead, they returned to the road and went for the mountains.
Far ahead, Nassandra was resting by the riverside, huddled up under a rock. A dim, gloomy fire illuminated her features, its crackles were the only noise in this desolate part of the woods. She created it by using a basic fire spell, but the warmth was clearly not enough. She was shivering. Her breath turned into white crystals, blending into the snowfall. The fire casted long shadows that stretched into the darkness. Although it was peaceful, almost tranquil, Nassandra could not find it in her to enjoy it. Her eyes drooped sadly, as she munched on some dried food. Pulling her knees to her chest, all sorts of thoughts flowed through her head. Memories of the past appeared one by one.
Eight years ago. Nassandra was six years old then. Her memories were fuzzy at best, but she remembered this very clearly… Her brother was desperately clutching her in his small, frail arms. Pain and grief covered his face, along with blood. A lot of blood. His face, his chest, his clothes, even the arms he used to hold the young Nassandra were red. It was horrifying! Despite that, he continued running with her. He pressed on unceasingly! Freon's small frail arms seemed like iron pillars that could hold up the sky. Little Nassandra cried upon seeing her brother, wailing incessantly. The little girl could not understand what was happening. One day, they were living happily with their parents. Their days of joy seemed to never end. Then, all of the sudden, it was like the sky collapsed. Everything turned upside down!
"It's okay, Nassandra. It's okay. Don't cry. I'm here. Your brother is here. Shh…" the young Freon whispered gently. "Don't worry. I will always protect you."
The young Nassandra stopped crying when she heard his words. Not because she understood them, but because she realized teardrops fell on her cheeks. She looked up and saw something she would never forget. Freon's eyes were red and tears rolled out nonstop. Her older brother, who seemed so strong, so invincible, seemed so… vulnerable at this moment. This occurred during the Invasion of Aereon, when the Xingyuu Empire invaded the Zino Kingdom. And for Freon and Nassandra, that day was when their parents were killed.
Six years ago. Nassandra waited in a back alley, clutching her knees. She felt weak, indescribably weak. Like a weak flame flickering in the breeze, her body had little strength left. Even her eyelids weighed like mountains. Her body swayed awkwardly. It seemed like the next moment would be her last. Just as she was thinking that, someone ran into the alley. Nassandra saw her brother with a proud grin. He held half a loaf of bread in his hands. It was moldy, cold, and undoubtedly old. However, it was the only food they had in two days, which made it appear like the most luxurious high-class meal in the world! When a person starved, any meal would be priceless. Nassandra did not look at the bread though. Her face paled. Freon covered up the bruises on his arm, but the ones on his face were unconcealed. His left eye was swollen and black, his right cheek was cut and bleeding. Although these injuries were not life-threatening, they could not afford treatment. It could become fatal.
"Look at what I found, Nassandra," the fifteen year old Freon laughed. "Someone didn't want this piece of bread, so they were nice enough to give it to me. I'm not hungry yet. Here, you eat first."
She shook her head. Instead, she asked worriedly, "How are you hurt?"
"This? It's nothing. I slipped and fell on my way back. Don't mind me. Eat first."
She nodded and accepted his explanation. She was too young to realize he was lying. Now, Nassandra knew. Freon must have stolen from somewhere before he was caught and beaten. That bread was probably hidden in his shirt, so it was not taken back. For that measly piece of bread, he was bruised and bleeding. His condition was worse than hers. But even though he was hungry, tired, and in pain, he always placed Nassandra first. Even though, in the end, he ate less than a third of his hard-fought bread. That was his pride as an older brother!
Four years ago. They were adopted by the Conquestian, and their situation made a swift reversal. She enrolled in the academy, only to discover that she had groundbreaking talent as an Arcanist. Within a year, she graduated from the university to become a Low Condensed Drop Arcanist, joining the ranks of the Ten Dawns! Her future was seemingly limitless! She was joyful. With this, she could finally protect her brother. She could repay him for everything he did for her! It was her time to protect him! She approached her new role with great enthusiasm. But… the chance never came. Nassandra never had the opportunity to do anything. When she asked why, she was met with this response.
"Oh, you don't need to do anything. We can handle it," Ten Dawn Rosemary said.
No matter how she asked, the response was the same. Nobody would let her do anything! At the beginning, she thought it was fine. She was afraid to fight, to battle, to suffer. She was young after all. The heart of a girl was often frail. But while she lived her life in content, the other Ten Dawns were deployed to battlefields, where they fought, battled, and suffered. They unleashed their large-scale tactical spells and defeated hundreds of people. They were the shining beacons of hope across the kingdom! And Nassandra was simply sitting there at home, waiting to be called, like a child forgotten. That was when she realized the kingdom wanted to use her as a symbol. A symbol for inspiration that even a child could become a Ten Dawn!
Two years ago. Lord Korogin invaded the Xingyuu Empire in a last-ditch attempt to behead the emperor except he was ambushed at the beach. Nassandra was finally sent to the frontlines, along with her partner, Ten Dawn Tengon, but she did not feel any joy. Before her was a vast graveyard of bodies. Blood wetted her boots, as the stench of death permeated the air. A heavy mood hung in the air like a damp cloth, suffocating everyone underneath. She was almost petrified with fear. War could be this terrifying! It was unlike anything she had seen before. It was a nightmare! And in this nightmare, Lord Korogin ordered her to use the large-scale tactical spell, Torrential Blizzard! She had to light the beacon of hope herself! Only… things did not turn for the better. They were ruthlessly defeated!
"It's all my fault!" Nassandra sobbed.
After the battle, because of the backlash from casting Torrential Blizzard twice, Ten Dawn Tengon was crippled. His arm was probably lost, and his ability to use magic was almost gone. It was unlikely he would remain as a Ten Dawn, or even an Arcanist. This shining star of hope would not shine again. Nassandra was distraught since it was her fault that this happened. She had fallen unconscious at the critical moment when they were casting their spell, leading to a heavy backlash to her partner. She had personally cripped him! The one time she could make a difference, to protect someone, to finally contribute… She stumbled at the first step! The extreme guilt, anger, sadness, resentment, and disappointment welled inside her, giving birth to her anxiety and fear. She could not stand to try again.