FROST
Chapter 33: Lost, Clueless, and Probably Doomed

Chapter 33: Lost, Clueless, and Probably Doomed

"You can’t be telling us that you actually agreed to this without even asking how the hell you’re supposed to retrieve that Elixir or whatever?!"

West’s right eye twitched so violently that it looked like he was about to combust. He loomed over Silvermist, who was currently doing the universal sign of "I might have screwed up"—awkwardly scratching the back of her head.

"I-I mean, if you stand face to face with three colossal gods, you really can’t say anything..." Silvermist murmured, her voice shrinking under West’s glare.

The group collectively exhaled a deep, exhausted sigh.

"I knew this journey would be the end of us," Sebastian muttered, turning away with the grace of a defeated monarch. He started kicking random rocks near the shore, each kick somehow more aggressive than the last. A particularly unfortunate pebble was sent flying into the ocean, never to be seen again.

Mila massaged her temples as if physically restraining the impending migraine Silvermist was causing. "Sil," she started, voice dangerously calm. "I don’t want to bring this up, but you already put Earth’s balance at risk by breaking your master’s staff, and now you’re telling us we’re going to die on this godforsaken island?"

She dramatically covered her mouth, eyes welling up with exaggerated despair. "I—I can’t take this anymore. Kiel, I need a hug—"

"I’m kidding! I’m kidding!" Mila immediately threw her hands up in surrender when Adeline yanked her uniform down before she could even attempt to launch herself at Ezekiel.

Ezekiel, however, was unbothered. He wasn’t looking at Mila, or at anyone, really. His soul had visibly left his body.

For the past few hours, he had been running under the false assumption that Silvermist, had somewhat of a plan. That she had, at the very least, asked for basic information before accepting a mission handed down by literal gods.

He was wrong.

Deeply, deeply wrong.

The only thing he knew for sure was that the Elixir was heavily guarded by malevolent forest spirits—creatures that had a particular vendetta against humans. And considering how terrifyingly vague the gods had been about the Elixir’s actual location, Ezekiel could only assume one thing:

They were all going to die.

Or worse, get cursed.

"I should’ve asked Blaze," he muttered to himself, dragging his hands down his face. "Or literally any Guardian. Or a plant. Or a rock. Anything would’ve been more reliable than Silvermist’s half-baked decision-making skills."

Silvermist, still scratching her head, gasped in offense. "Hey! That’s rude! I—wait, are you implying a rock has better judgment than me?"

Ezekiel blinked at her. "Yes."

Sebastian, still kicking rocks, chimed in. "I second that."

West crossed his arms. "Make it three."

Mila sniffled. "Four. And I want snacks. If we’re dying, I at least want to be well-fed."

Adeline, who had been eerily quiet until now, finally spoke. "Five. But, Silvermist, I am genuinely curious... do you even know where we’re going?"

Silvermist opened her mouth. Then closed it. Then opened it again.

Then promptly looked away, whistling.

The silence that followed was deafening.

Ezekiel inhaled slowly through his nose. "You... don’t know where we’re going."

Silvermist rubbed her arm. "Uh... Well, technically, ’knowing’ is just a concept. A state of mind, really. And if you think about it—"

Sebastian flung himself dramatically onto the sand. "We’re doomed. Absolutely doomed."

Mila, fully embracing her inner drama queen, flopped down beside him. "I should’ve just stayed in my dorm, eaten cookies, and pretended none of this was happening. But nooo, I had to be supportive."

West pinched the bridge of his nose. "Silvermist, just... why didn’t you ask for directions?"

Silvermist threw her hands in the air. "I was under pressure! Have you ever had three celestial beings stare at you like they already know you’re going to mess up?! It’s terrifying!"

Adeline sighed, rubbing her temples again. "Alright, so let me get this straight. We don’t know where we’re going. We don’t know how to get the Elixir. And the spirits protecting it hate humans."

The realization hit everyone at the same time.

Mila groaned. "We are so gonna die."

Sebastian, still lying dramatically on the sand, pointed a single finger at the sky. "If I don’t make it back, tell my kingdom I died a noble death."

Ezekiel muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like "I should’ve stayed in bed."

West, despite his frustration, turned toward Silvermist with what could be described as reluctant curiosity. "Okay, let’s just... go back to the basics. Did they at least give you a clue? A hint? A mystical riddle or something?"

Silvermist brightened. "Oh! Yes! Actually, they did!"

Everyone straightened up immediately.

Ezekiel’s hope was briefly rekindled. "Thank the gods. What is it?"

Silvermist cleared her throat. "’The journey shall begin where the mist meets the heart of the forgotten.’"

Silence.

West blinked. "What does that even mean?"

Silvermist grinned. "Exactly! It could mean anything! Isn’t it exciting?"

Sebastian groaned into the sand. "I take back what I said. This isn’t my noble death. This is stupidity-induced suffering."

Ezekiel, deadpan, turned toward the ocean. "I think the spirits will take pity on us. No one is dumb enough to fear people who are this unprepared."

Mila reached into her bag, pulled out a snack, and started chewing aggressively. "Well, if we’re gonna die, at least let me eat first."

And so, the group stood at the edge of the unknown—lost, confused, and already questioning their life choices.

"Well, since we’re all here, we have no choice, don’t we?" Silvermist declared, standing straight with both hands firmly on her hips. Her gaze was locked onto the dense wall of mist ahead, so thick and impenetrable that it swallowed everything beyond it. Not even a faint outline of hope was visible.

Ezekiel, the only one who hadn’t entirely lost faith in Silvermist, let out a deep sigh and turned to Sebastian, who was still dramatically lying on the ground. With a nudge of his foot, Ezekiel kicked Sebastian’s shoe. "Get up! You’ve been a little too comfortable lately. You’re ruining your whole mysterious, untouchable image."

Sebastian sat up, dusting off his clothes as if preparing for an important event. "What do you mean? I never had a cool image." He then leaned slightly toward Ezekiel and whispered, "You know I’m just shy. It’s West who has that image."

"What?!" West groaned when he caught them exchanging knowing glances, as if sharing some inside joke at his expense. He shot them an unimpressed glare, and both Sebastian and Ezekiel immediately looked away, feigning innocence.

"Whatever," West muttered before stepping beside Silvermist, who was still fixated on the mist, as if hoping it would part in divine revelation. He crossed his arms, letting out another sigh. "They at least gave you a map?"

The moment the question left his lips, he regretted it. Why—why did he even bother asking? This was Silvermist he was talking to.

As expected, Silvermist answered without hesitation. "No."

A collective sigh of defeat rippled through the group.

But then—

"Wait, hold on!" Silvermist gasped as a thought suddenly struck her.

With newfound urgency, she grabbed the small satchel she had slung over her shoulder and clutched it to her chest. Digging inside, her fingers brushed against something smooth and cool.

"The goddess gave me this," she mumbled, pulling out an orb the size of an apple.

The moment it was exposed to the open air, the mist around them seemed to quiver—as if sensing the presence of something beyond its comprehension.

The orb was a mesmerizing shade of deep cerulean, swirling with galaxies of tiny silver specks, as if the night sky itself had been bottled into a perfect sphere. Shimmering veins of light pulsed beneath its glassy surface, shifting like waves under the moonlight. It exuded a faint glow, casting a ghostly blue hue on Silvermist’s hands. When she tilted it slightly, the colors shifted—blues turned to purples, then to a breathtaking opalescent shimmer, like liquid stardust.

A hushed awe fell over them.

Even West, the ever-pragmatic one, was momentarily captivated.

"She said to only use it when absolutely necessary," Silvermist added, her voice softer now, as if the very air around them had become sacred.

Ezekiel, who had been watching closely, clasped his hands together with newfound excitement. "Why didn’t you say so sooner?!" He stepped closer, practically vibrating with curiosity. "Can I hold it?"

Silvermist, hesitant at first, finally nodded and carefully placed the orb into his awaiting hands. "Be very careful. She said it’s quite fragile."

Mila, who had been eerily silent up until now, suddenly perked up. "Oh! Like a moonstone!" She hurried over, practically bouncing with excitement.

Adeline followed, drawn to the orb’s mysterious glow. One by one, they all gathered around Ezekiel, their earlier frustrations momentarily forgotten.

The swirling mist remained ominously still.

Ezekiel’s voice was steady as he began, "As I recall from the words of the Lunar King centuries ago—"

"Centuries ago?!" Silvermist, Mila, and Adeline echoed in unison, their brows furrowing in sheer disbelief. They all turned to Ezekiel as if he had just grown an extra head.

Ezekiel’s lips quivered, and for a split second, panic flashed in his eyes. Then, with an awkward chuckle, he quickly backtracked. "I meant a few years ago! Silly me." He waved them off, clearing his throat as if that would erase their suspicion. "Anyway! As I was saying..."

With a theatrical flourish, he raised the orb higher, effectively diverting their attention. "If my memory serves me right, orbs like this have the power to grant their holder the ability to locate whatever they are searching for."

As he hovered his free hand over the orb, a sudden shift occurred.

The deep blue within the sphere began to swirl violently, as if the very essence of the sky and sea were being drained away. Then, in an instant, the orb blazed to life—its once-cool hue now igniting into a fiery crimson. The colors licked at the surface like living flames, flickering and twisting, casting eerie red shadows across their faces.

Silvermist, Mila, and Adeline gasped in wonder, utterly mesmerized.

West and Sebastian, on the other hand, remained unimpressed.

"Seriously? You guys have never seen this before?" West muttered, crossing his arms.

"You two hang around Ezekiel too much," Mila pouted, glancing at them accusingly.

Sebastian simply shrugged. "It’s just a light show at this point."

But then, the glowing flames within the orb began to shift again—this time forming into something far more distinct. The molten hues flickered, morphing and twisting until they took shape.

A vision appeared—an enormous tree, its roots sprawling like veins across an otherworldly landscape. Its trunk was impossibly wide, thick with ancient runes that pulsed with golden light. Ethereal fireflies danced around its branches, their glow akin to scattered stars against the canopy’s dark blue leaves, which shimmered as if woven from pure moonlight. A celestial aura surrounded the tree, making it appear almost... alive, as though it breathed with the rhythm of the universe itself.

The entire group stared in stunned silence.

"Whoa..." Mila murmured, unable to tear her eyes away. "I’ve never seen a tree that huge before."

"That must be where the Elixir is hidden," Adeline deduced, her fingers twitching with anticipation.

Silvermist grinned. "Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go!"

"To where exactly?" Sebastian deadpanned. "That tree could be anywhere."

Ezekiel sighed, lowering the orb slightly. "Besides, this entire island is guarded by forest spirits. As much as I’d love to use my magic to light a path through the mist, I’d only risk disturbing them." His tone darkened slightly. "And trust me—you don’t want to piss them off. Blaze warned me about it before he sent me to accompany you."

Silvermist studied him for a moment, a small smile tugging at her lips.

For all the chaos and recklessness that surrounded them, Ezekiel remained a steady presence. Even though she hadn’t used the mark he placed on her—one that lingered above Frost’s own mark—there was no denying that he was a reliable companion.

Taking a deep breath, she turned to the group and squared her shoulders. "Before we embark on this journey, I just want to say... thank you. Truly." Her voice softened, sincerity dripping from every word. "I’m really happy I’ve come to know you guys. I hope you feel the same—"

She paused, her expression shifting into one of pure betrayal.

Without a word, every single one of them—including Ezekiel—had turned away, suddenly very interested in the distant horizon.

"Oh, wow, look at those clouds." West whistled, hands on his hips. "So misty."

"Fascinating," Sebastian agreed, nodding sagely at absolutely nothing.

"Oh, would you look at that, a rock!" Mila exclaimed, kicking at a random pebble.

Silvermist’s eye twitched and finally turned to Adeline, her only hope, but by how her right brow cock, Silvemist didn’t even dare to ask.

Sebastian chuckled, turning back to Silvermist with a confident smirk. "Well, if we can’t use Ezekiel’s wisps of flame—or whatever he calls them—to light our way, maybe I can help..."

He rolled his shoulders, stretching his arms as if preparing for battle. "This won’t do much against mist this thick, and, to be honest, it’s one of my abilities I’ve never truly mastered... but I’ll give it a shot."

Cracking his knuckles, he raised his hands, fingers moving in fluid yet intricate patterns—gestures that the others instinctively tried to follow but failed to comprehend.

Then, something changed.

The air around them trembled, and the amber hue of Sebastian’s left eye began to shift. Shades of gold and fiery yellow flickered like liquid sunlight, illuminating his gaze with an almost divine radiance. The glow intensified, growing brighter, until suddenly—

A warm, pulsating light emerged between his palms.

It started small, like the first rays of dawn peeking over the horizon, but with every second, it expanded, its brilliance spreading outward in golden ripples. The very atmosphere seemed to hum in response, and the mist, thick and all-encompassing, recoiled from its presence.

As Sebastian slowly parted his hands, the golden light followed, stretching and unfurling like the blooming petals of a celestial flower. The warmth it exuded was neither harsh nor blinding, but soft, like the sun’s gentle embrace at the break of dawn.

Then, with a flick of his wrist, Sebastian tossed the glowing sphere skyward.

The moment it ascended, the light burst outward in a radiant halo, cascading over them in waves. The swirling mist that had once obscured their vision dissipated in an instant, retreating from the luminescence as though fleeing from the touch of something sacred.

For the first time since their arrival, they could see.

A couple of meters around them lay revealed—a clearing amidst the sea of mist. Though the light did not pierce far beyond their immediate surroundings, it was enough to grant them a precious glimpse of what lay ahead.

Sebastian exhaled sharply, swaying slightly on his feet as though the effort had drained more from him than he had anticipated. "This won’t last long," he warned, voice slightly breathless. "We better move fast."

Everyone nodded in silent agreement. Seeing the pallor in Sebastian’s lips was enough to shake them back to reality—this was no mere adventure. This was a battle for survival.

Ezekiel immediately stepped forward, steadying Sebastian as he faltered slightly. "Lean on me if you need to," he muttered, gripping Sebastian’s arm as they trudged forward.

The air thickened with an eerie stillness as they approached the towering trees ahead. Shadows stretched unnaturally beneath the fading glow of Sebastian’s conjured light. The mist, though momentarily parted, lingered at the edges of their vision, swirling like something sentient, something waiting.

Just as they reached the threshold of the unknown, Silvermist sucked in a sharp breath.

A shiver crawled up her spine, a suffocating pressure settling against her ribs—as though something unseen had its gaze locked onto her.

She spun around, scanning the area with narrowed eyes.

Nothing. Just mist.

But the feeling remained.

"Sil? What’s wrong?" Adeline’s voice was soft but laced with concern as she noticed Silvermist had stopped moving.

Silvermist hesitated before shaking her head. "Nothing... must be my imagination."

Even as she spoke, doubt lingered in her tone, but she forced herself to move. Whatever it was, now wasn’t the time to dwell on it.

Adeline gave her a wary look before nodding, and together, they followed the rest of the group into the looming forest.

Yet, hidden beyond the veil of thick, swirling mist, the darkness shifted.

A low, guttural chuckle echoed through the unseen depths.

Four pairs of glowing, predatory eyes gleamed like burning coals in the abyss.

From beneath jagged lips, glistening fangs reflected the golden remnants of Sebastian’s light, catching the edges like polished blades.

"Apprentices..." A voice rasped, dripping with malice.

Another creature snickered beside it, its hunger palpable. "And they’ve come to take the Elixir... bold of them."

The first creature’s lips curled into a sinister grin. "The gods have not forgotten about us the. After all, they sent us foods!" Its sharp hiss cut through the air as they disappeared in the mists.

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