Frostfire Legacy

Chapter 200: Making the Headlines!

Aster woke up with a headache. His ears were ringing from a loud noise echoing from somewhere, like a tornado siren. Checking the clock beside his bed, he saw it was just a few minutes past 4 a.m.

"It's still so early... let me rest some more..."

He grumbled, covering his head with the white pillow, trying to dampen the noise. However, the sound was so loud that even covering his ears didn't help. Annoyed, Aster checked his phone, only to see an overwhelming number of missed calls, messages, and chats.

"The hell?" He frowned, checking them one after another.

Most of the missed calls were from Tina, a few from Kali, and the rest from Liz. Curious why they'd call him so many times, he opened the messages and chats. As he read through, his sleepiness was blown away, and he sat up in shock.

"What?!"

Summarizing their messages, they all said the same thing: "Lorelai betrayed us!"

Each of them had relayed the situation differently—Tina blunt as usual, Kali focusing on the betrayal, and Liz trying to be objective. Thanks to their different points of view, Aster quickly got the gist of things.

Lory had been sent as a spy by the neighboring city's mayor to bring him to their side. However, it wasn't her choice—she was under orders, with her life on the line. She relayed everything to the girls, and a few seconds after she revealed the secret, her head exploded, killing her on the spot, but...

"Cassy revived her..."

Aster kind of expected this, but things didn't turn out well for her afterward. Cassy blamed herself for breaking Lory's "seal" and was still feeling guilty.

Afterward, Kali reported the situation to Magnus, which led to the current state: the loud siren echoing through the city, signaling the forced initiation of Martial Law.

Against someone from the Aracelli race, a term Aster had only learned today, even the city's defenses weren't enough. Their ability to move like phantoms meant they could easily slip through undetected. At this juncture, speed is key.

*PICHI!*

Aster moved to the living room and turned on the TV.

The news headline reported a general from Juviel City being tortured and brutally killed. Other stations covered several prison breaks across the country, with details about the prisoners' race left out to avoid global panic. Of course, Aster figured out that these incidents were all connected.

"Did Lory do all this in such a short time?"

After thinking it over, Aster realized it wasn't impossible. If she controlled a teleportation specialist, she could travel around the country quickly. He deduced that Lory was trying to free her "family"—others of her race.

However, just as Lory had a bomb implanted in her to control her abilities, the others likely had similar deterrents. So, like her, they would die when the "safety measures" activated and would need to be revived.

'And for that, they'd need Cassy!'

Aster figured they would soon come for Cassy, either to abduct or control her, keeping her long enough to help free them from their constraints. His top priority now was to ensure Cassy didn't fall into their hands.

Fortunately, he wasn't the only one who reached this conclusion.

Magnus had already arranged for Cassy to stay in the safest place possible, along with the other girls—the dungeon. They were stationed at the first camp on the 14th floor, protected by the top three clans in Orinfeld City: Dragon's Roar, Ironblood Knights, and the Light of Glory.

To further ensure their safety, the dungeon's entrance was sealed, preventing anyone from entering or exiting. This gave Magnus time to prevent the worst-case scenario.

Aster walked to the window and looked outside. Just like with the dungeon's portal, the entire hotel was covered by a powerful barrier, blocking both entry and exit. While it was meant to protect him, it also limited his movements.

"I can't get to the girls like this..."

He sighed, annoyed that he'd woken up a little too late.

While he was watching the faint figures outside rushing around in panic, his phone suddenly rang. The caller was none other than Mayor Magnus.

Aster picked up immediately. "Hello?"

Explore new worlds at M-V-L

{Aster? You're finally awake, kid!} Magnus said, his tone casual but betraying a hint of fatigue. {Just to confirm, have you heard about the current situation?} he asked.

"If you mean my party members, then yes," Aster answered flatly. "I still can't believe it, though."

{I understand your concerns. But first, I want you to undergo anti-brainwashing measures. Head to the lobby—I've sent one of my subordinates to pick you up.}

"Huh?"

'But the building is covered by a barrier!' Aster thought but decided to see for himself.

After ending the call, he grabbed his overcoat and scarf before leaving his room. His room was right next to the elevator, so he took a few steps and got in. The magic elevator quickly descended, reaching the ground floor in seconds.

At the lobby, the entire hotel staff lined up, receiving a debriefing from what looked like a strict maid. When she noticed Aster, she stopped her speech and walked over, her gait confident and intimidating.

"Mr. Aster Mistral, I'm Elizabeth Gruenni, Mayor Magnus' loyal servant," she declared in an arrogant tone. "I've been ordered to bring you to the Mayor. Please cooperate."

Her short, flaming red hair, sharp gaze, and well-toned body made it obvious that the maid uniform was just for show. This woman was clearly an active military personnel, and high-ranking at that.

"Understood," Aster nodded, meeting her arrogance with his own. "Then, get on with it. I hate waiting."

"..."

Aster wasn't trying to be difficult—he just didn't want to be seen as a pushover. Her intense glare almost made him think he'd overstepped, but she said nothing. She simply turned around and waved her hand, opening a portal.

"Go on, the mayor is waiting."

She pointed at the dark, swirling oval beside her.

Aster gulped, wondering if it really led to Magnus—or his doom. 'Maybe provoking her was a mistake,' he thought.