Emma listened patiently, without interrupting, placing her empty cup beside her. Once Diana had finished, a heavy silence hung between them. Emma broke it with a soft but firm voice.
Emma:
"Yes, I understand. A nightmare can feel more real than reality. But you must ground yourself in what you know to be true. You are in no way responsible for Ashley's death. She was a warrior; she made a choice. And as for Johan... he is nothing more than a bad memory. You know he perished at the hands of Duck Bum Darly. He can no longer harm you."
Emma's words taught her nothing new, but hearing them spoken so calmly and definitively by her mentor had a soothing effect. It was one thing to *know* the monster was dead; it was another to *feel* that the threat had truly vanished. The irrational fear left by the dream finally began to dissipate.
As Diana let this sense of peace settle in, a faint sound caught her attention.
Right beside her, on the wooden floor of the dojo, a small green sprout had just broken through the surface. In a matter of seconds, it grew, blossoming into a magnificent white flower with luminous petals. The flower slowly opened, revealing a small, rolled-up scroll at its heart, sealed with the symbol of the Stellar Zenith.
Emma smiled.
Emma:
"Ah. It seems you finally have a new mission."
Diana put down her cup and gently took the scroll, her heart quickening with a new energy, no longer of fear, but of anticipation.
Diana:
"Yes... and it's been a while."
She broke the seal and unrolled the scroll, her eyes quickly scanning the lines.
Emma:
"And what does it say?"
Diana's face grew serious, her determination returning to the forefront.
Diana:
"The scouts sense a strong presence of Blood Burns in the city of Goma. I am among the Astroforges selected to carry out this mission."
A combative smile appeared on Emma's lips. She placed a hand on Diana's shoulder, her gaze full of pride and encouragement.
Emma:
"Then go, what are you waiting for? Go kick those damn Blood Burns' asses and come back safe and sound."
An hour later, Diana was ready. Her travel bag on her back, her combat gear fitted, she stood at the edge of the forest, ready to take the path that would lead her to the nearest teleportation gate. The whole group had come to see her off.
Emma: (handing her a small pouch)
"Take this. It has some medicinal herbs and enough to eat. Be careful, Diana."
Diana: (bowing)
"Thank you, Master Emma. For everything."
She turned to her comrades.
Adley:
"Take care of yourself, Diana!"
Raley:
"And don't hesitate to kick their asses for us!"
Diana gave them a sincere smile, then her gaze met Yan's and Carless's.
Diana:
"See you soon, you two. Train hard."
With those words, she turned and disappeared into the forest, her silhouette quickly vanishing among the trees.
The four apprentices stood there for a moment, watching her leave.
Yan: (with a sigh)
"I hope we get promoted soon too. I'm tired of making trees bloom."
Carless: (his gaze still fixed on the path where Diana had disappeared)
"Yes, I hope so too. I must admit, she is sublime, that Diana."
Adley, who was standing right next to him, turned to him abruptly, her eyebrows furrowed.
Adley:
"What? What did you say??"
Carless jumped, realizing he had spoken his thoughts aloud. He began to cough awkwardly, his face turning red.
Carless:
"Nothing, nothing! I... I was just coughing. Just like now. Cough, cough."
Yan burst out laughing, while the twins looked at him with suspicion.
(Transition – Night, City of Goma)
Night had fallen on Goma. Far from the hustle and bustle of the festival, the alleys of the East district were dark, silent, and labyrinthine. The only light came from the distant glow of lanterns and the moon, which struggled to break through the clouds.
The silence was suddenly shattered by the sound of hurried footsteps and gasping breaths.
A man, dressed in a local law enforcement uniform, stumbled around a corner, his face sweaty and twisted with panic.
The Man:
"Help! Help me!"
He held a pistol in his hand, which he pointed behind him, firing blindly. The shots echoed brutally in the narrow alley, but had no effect.
Three figures pursued him, moving with supernatural speed and agility. Blood Burns. They dodged the bullets with disconcerting ease, their cruel smiles widening with every step that brought them closer to their prey.
[...]
The man stumbled, fell, and crawled backward, his weapon now empty. The three Blood Burns stopped before him, savoring his terror. One of them crouched down, his hand outstretched, ready to grab him.
Suddenly, a calm, cold female voice echoed from the rooftops overlooking the alley.
???
— "Celestial Kara: Frost Rain."
At the same moment, a multitude of small, icy green projectiles descended from the sky, as fast as arrows. One of them barely grazed a Blood Burn on the ground.
And he froze instantly.
A thick layer of frost covered his body, his face frozen in an expression of eternal panic. He had become a statue of ice.
The three Blood Burns straightened up abruptly, their gazes sweeping the dark rooftops, searching for the source of the attack.
Blood Burn 1:
— "Who's there?! Show yourself!"
In response, a silhouette dropped from the roof. She didn't land heavily, but slid down the wall like a shadow, her feet touching the ground without a sound.
It was a young woman with long black hair, dressed in dark combat attire. Her face was calm, but her eyes shone with a cold, determined light. It was Diana Kurogami.
Blood Burn 2: (sneering)
— "A Zenith? All alone? This is going to be fun."
He lunged at her, a Black Kara dagger in his hand. Diana didn't back down. She took a step to the side, dodging the attack with disconcerting fluidity. Her hand passed near her opponent's arm, and a thin layer of ice instantly formed on his glove, stiffening it.
Taking advantage of his surprise, Diana spun around. Her movement was not a strike, but a dance. She placed a hand on the alley floor.
Diana:
— "Elemental Kara: Slippery Ground."
The cobblestone floor beneath the three Blood Burns' feet was instantly covered with a film of black, smooth, and incredibly slippery ice. The two who were in the back lost their balance, their feet sliding uncontrollably.
The first attacker, destabilized, tried to correct his posture. This was the opening Diana had been waiting for.
She shot forward, but not by running. She *slid* on her own ice, her speed multiplied. She reached him in a fraction of a second.
Diana:
— "Internal Kara: Frost Palm."
Her open palm struck the Blood Burn's chest. There was no violent impact, just a touch. But a wave of intense cold spread from the point of contact, freezing his internal organs. His eyes widened in shock, and he collapsed, a lifeless statue.
The other two, having barely regained their balance, looked at her with a mixture of fury and fear.
Blood Burn 3:
— "She controls ice! Attack her from a distance!"
They raised their hands, concentrating their Black Kara to launch projectiles of energy.
Diana didn't give them time. She stomped her foot on the frozen ground.
Diana:
— "Elemental Kara: Ice Spikes."
From the ground, dozens of sharp ice spears shot up, heading for the two Blood Burns. One of them was impaled on the spot, his scream muffled by the cold that consumed him.
The last survivor, the leader, managed to dodge by jumping against a wall. He clung to it, looking down at her with pure hatred.
— "You bitch! You'll pay for this!"
He launched himself from the wall, his Kara sword raised, aiming for Diana's head in a diving attack.
Diana didn't move. She simply raised a hand toward him. The air around her became visibly colder.
Diana:
— "Celestial Kara: Eternal Ice Prison."
Instead of an attack, a translucent and beautifully sculpted ice cage materialized in the air, right in the Blood Burn's path. He crashed into it head-on and found himself trapped inside, his movements slowed as if in a dream.
He struck the ice walls, but they didn't even crack. He was trapped.
Diana slowly approached the ice prison, her face impassive. She placed her hand on the icy surface. The Blood Burn inside looked at her with terror as the cold began to seep in, slowly paralyzing him.
Diana: (in a voice devoid of all emotion)
— "This mission is off to a pretty good start."
She clenched her fist.
The ice prison contracted violently upon itself, crushing and freezing everything inside in a dull, final sound. Then, it shattered into a thousand glittering shards that fell to the ground like a rain of diamonds, leaving no trace of what was once a Blood Burn.
Diana stood there for a moment, in the middle of the silent, frozen alley, her breath forming small clouds of mist in the cold air.
The police officer, who had witnessed the whole scene, speechless, got back on his feet, trembling. He looked at the glittering remains of the ice prison, then at the young woman who had just saved him.
The Man:
— "Who... who are you?"
Diana didn't even turn to him, her gaze already scanning the shadows of the alley, on the lookout for other threats.
Diana:
— "My name is not important. Please get to safety."
The Man: (regaining some composure)
— "I'm from the Agiscor police force and I can..."
He didn't have time to finish his sentence.
Four more Blood Burns burst around the corner, screaming, their red eyes fixed on Diana.
Diana, without taking her eyes off the newcomers, addressed the officer in a firm voice.
Diana:
— "I urge you to leave if you value your life. And above all, don't tell anyone about this."
The Man: (understanding the situation)
— "Thank you... and good luck!"
He got up and started running in the opposite direction. As he moved away, his thoughts swirled.
"Incredible... I would have never thought it possible. This would explain all the unexplained circumstances of the murders in the country. I have to inform them... and hope they don't think I'm crazy."
In the alley, Diana now faced her four new opponents. An aura of Celestial Kara, a pale and icy green, pulsed around her.
She didn't give them the initiative. She rushed towards them, sliding on the ice she had created herself, her speed making her almost invisible.
The first Blood Burn attempted a wide attack with his sword. Diana ducked, passing under the blade, and struck the ground with her palm.
Diana:
— "Creeping Frost Wave!"
A wave of sharp ice crept across the ground, freezing the feet of her two closest opponents, immobilizing them on the spot.
She continued her slide, arriving behind the third. He turned, surprised, but Diana was faster.
Diana:
— "Internal Kara: Ice Serpent's Kiss!"
She didn't strike him. Her slender, agile fingers touched several pressure points on his neck and chest. With each touch, a mark of frost appeared. The man froze, his eyes widened, and then he fell down dead, his nervous system completely frozen.
The last Blood Burn, seeing his companions fall one after another, flew into a mad rage. He concentrated all his Black Kara into his fists and struck the ground.
— "DIE!"
A shockwave of dark energy spread out, shattering the ice on the ground. Diana jumped back to avoid it, landing gracefully.
She raised both hands, joining her palms. The air between her hands became so cold that it condensed into a bow of pure ice.
Diana:
— "Celestial Arc: Absolute Zero Arrow!"
She drew the invisible ice string, and an arrow of icy light shot out at incredible speed. The Blood Burn tried to parry it, but the arrow passed right through him, freezing him from the inside out before he could even scream.
Silence returned. Diana remained in position, her ice bow slowly dissolving. She had eliminated seven Blood Burns in a matter of minutes.
She let out a breath, the tension finally subsiding.
And it was at that exact moment that a hand emerged from the brick wall right next to her.
It was not a hand of flesh. It seemed to be made of the stone of the wall itself, but it was moving. Before Diana could react, the stone hand closed around her throat, lifting her off the ground and slamming her violently against the wall.
Her breath was cut off. Her Kara, disrupted by the shock and lack of air, flickered. She tried to struggle, but the grip was inhumanly strong, as if the entire city was holding her captive.
END OF CHAPTER 20