FROST
Chapter 57: Gates of Oblivion

Chapter 57: Gates of Oblivion

"J-Just don’t m-move, will you?!" Estes groaned, his grip tightening around Silvermist’s arm as he struggled to pull her toward the engraved symbols.

Silvermist, however, had no intention of making things easy for him. She dug the heels of her boots into the damp earth, twisting her body in resistance. "E-Estes, c-can we talk about this first, please?!" she groaned, her fingers clawing at the moss-covered ground in desperation.

Estes let out an exasperated sigh, his grip not loosening in the slightest. "I-I just need your blood, otherwise y-you see no Elixir!" His voice came out in frustrated bursts.

Silvermist shot him an incredulous look. "And you think this is the best way to ask?!" she hissed, her limbs straining against his hold.

But Estes was bigger, stronger, and completely unwilling to lose this battle of wills. With an annoyed grunt, he shifted tactics, bending down and scooping Silvermist up as if she weighed nothing.

"H-Hey! Put me down!" she yelped, kicking her legs uselessly in the air.

Ignoring her protests, Estes marched toward the ancient markings. His arms, though firm, were careful—perhaps too careful for someone supposedly forcing her into a blood sacrifice.

Silvermist wriggled, hands pushing at his scandalous muscular chest—she paused a little to admire those muscles—ohhh alright done.

"I swear if you drop me—"

Without a word, Estes reached the engraved circle and unceremoniously set her down right in the center, adjusting her stance as if she were a mere decoration.

"There," he huffed, stepping back slightly, admiring his work. "Now just stay still."

Silvermist, stiff as a board, glared at him. "You cannot be serious..."

Estes merely cracked his knuckles. "Dead serious."

"Estes."

"Silvermist."

"We are going to have words after this."

"Not if you pass out first."

Estes reached for his belt, prepared to draw whatever weapon he had left—only to realize, with a sudden jolt of frustration, that he had nothing.

Right. Sebastian threw everything off the cliff earlier.

He exhaled sharply through his nose. "Oh. Sad." His voice was disappointingly neutral, as if he had just realized he’d run out of his favorite tea rather than lost his only means of making this quick. "That would’ve been the less painful way to do it, but—"

Something in the corner of his eye caught his attention.

To the right, nestled among the moss and roots, a jagged stone jutted out of the ground. Its surface, though rough and uneven, bore an edge sharp enough to glint under the soft glow of the moonlight.

And as if the universe itself approved of his next course of action, a beam of silver light struck the stone at just the right angle.

For a moment, there was silence. Then somewhere in the distance, an angelic choir sang.

Estes squinted, tilting his head slightly as if debating whether the moonlit rock was truly his best option.

Silvermist, still frozen in the engraved circle, followed his gaze, her stomach dropping. She could feel where this was going, and she absolutely did not like it.

"Wait—wait—hold on," she stammered, slowly inching back, her hands raised in a defensive plea.

Estes ignored her. He took a single step toward the glimmering stone, his fingers flexing with newfound resolve. "You can regenerate an arm, yes?" he asked, in a tone so casual it made her brain short-circuit.

Silvermist stared at him, utterly appalled. "I’m not a lizard, you motherfuc—"

She didn’t even get to finish before Estes lunged for the stone.

It was then that the ground suddenly shuddered, a deep, rumbling tremor that sent a violent ripple through the earth beneath them. Estes and Silvermist both buckled where they stood, struggling to keep their balance.

Silvermist barely had a chance to react before Estes moved fast driven by instinct. In one swift motion, he reached for her, wrapping an arm around her waist and locking her in place.

His grip was firm, kind of protective, though it was hard to tell whether he was shielding her or making sure she didn’t bolt.

"W-What’s going on?" Silvermist stuttered clutching at one of Estes’ arm which somehow amused the damned elf which silenced him for a few seconds.

His eyes darted toward the engraved symbols at their feet, watching as faint, pulsating light began to seep from the grooves.

"You might have angered some vengeful Spirit," he muttered, teasing.

Silvermist’s head snapped toward him. "Why me?!"

"Why not?"

The ground convulsed into such violent force that even Estes, despite his solid footing, staggered. A sharp crack echoed as the engraved symbols beneath them pulsed with an eerie crimson light—only to splinter apart moments later.

His instincts kicked in and with a sharp inhale, Estes lunged backward, pulling Silvermist with him just as the ground underneath them fractured. The surge of raw energy sent dust spiraling into the air, the force of it making his cloak whip behind him and it’s entirely suffocating.

Then, as if summoned by the tremors themselves, something began to emerge.

The earth groaned, parting like a wound, and from its depths, a colossal structure pushed upward—slowly, like an ancient tree forcing its way through stone.

Towering gates, their surfaces adorned with intricate carvings of twisting vines and celestial emblems, rose higher and higher until they loomed over them, casting a heavy shadow. The air crackled with power, the very atmosphere bending beneath its presence.

Silvermist stared, her breath caught in her throat, a strange mix of awe and apprehension swirling in her chest. Her fingers unconsciously tightened around Estes’ sleeve.

Before either of them could react, the massive gates let out a deep, guttural groan, splitting apart with a slow, agonizing creak.

The cracks along the ancient structure exhaled waves of blistering heat and a fiery glow seeped through the widening gap, illuminating the swirling embers and molten veins that pulsed beneath the stone.

The instant the heat licked at her skin, Silvermist recoiled, instinctively stepping behind Estes, using him as a shield against the suffocating blaze.

"Y-You mean to tell me," she stammered,"the Elixir is in there?"

Estes remained silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on the infernal abyss beyond the gates. "You don’t have to take my word for this, but I think the Nymph Queen wanted you dead."

Silvermist took two steps back, shaking her head furiously. "Absolutely not." The heat clawed at her skin, stealing the moisture from the air, making her throat feel like sandpaper. "I can’t even inhale the fumes it’s emitting, and now I have to retrieve the Elixir inside there?"

Estes suddenly turned to her, his expression strangely serene despite the inferno before them. "It’s okay," he said smoothly. "Whatever your mission is, you can just forget about it and be my bride."

Silvermist’s lips thinned into a grim line. "If I throw an elf in there," she gestured towards the gates, "would it be considered a sacrifice or a murder?"

"Meh," Estes shrugged, completely unfazed. "I was just giving you an easy way out, but..." He paused, tilting his head slightly. "You seem to have forgotten the reason why you came here."

Silvermist opened her mouth to argue—but nothing came out. For a moment, and for the first time in forever, Estes actually made sense.

She let out a deep sigh, running a hand through her hair as if shaking off the hesitation clouding her mind. "You’re right. I came here for a mission."

Estes nodded, satisfied. "Yes, to become strong."

"And to be worthy of becoming the apprentice Frost deserves," Silvermist added, her voice steadier now.

"Yes, Frost—" Estes echoed, nodding along—then suddenly stopped mid-sentence, his expression blanking. "Who’s Frost?"

Silvermist didn’t bother answering him. Instead, she took a step forward, letting the scorching air coil around her like unseen hands. The moment it touched her skin, she winced—damn, that was hotter than expected.

"This is madness..." she mumbled, watching the flames lick at the edges of the massive double doors. The heat was so intense that the very air wavered like a mirage, distorting the ancient carvings on the gate. "If the gods wanted me dead for this mission, they could have just said so... but here we are."

Steeling herself, she lifted her foot to take another step forward when something heavy landed on her head, then draped over her shoulders, swallowing her in a cocoon of unexpected warmth that wasn’t searing hot. The oppressive heat eased, just enough to make it bearable.

Blinking, she glanced up. Estes was still standing beside her, his cloak now wrapped around her form. One hand remained on her head, fingers lightly pressing against her hair, but his gaze stayed fixed on the burning gate.

"You can use this," Estes murmured, adjusting the cloak around her shoulders. "It’s woven from the fur of the mystical fire fox. It repels heat and fire itself. Wrap yourself in it, and you’ll be okay."

His fingers lingered for a moment before pulling away, his gaze fixed on the massive, flame-wreathed gates before them. The glow of the inferno reflected in his eyes, but there was no hesitation in his stance—only quiet understanding.

He gave her head a careful pat, a rare gentleness in his touch. "I wanted to say that I could retrieve the Elixir for you," he admitted, voice dropping to something soft. "But I believe this is your fight."

Finally, he turned to her, offering a small smile.

"It would be a disrespect to a warrior if someone else fought their battle, right?"

Silvermist blinked, momentarily caught off guard by his sincerity before giving him a firm nod.

"Thank you," she mumbled. "In any case, if I don’t make it out in an hour, you can leave. But please—tell Ezekiel and the others that I fought well. Write novels about me. Spread my legend. Make sure my tale is told for generations to come."

Estes grimaced. "Your tale must be so boring, no one would ever believe it actually happened."

Silvermist smiled and then flicked his hand off her head. "You know," she grinned, "we’re not even close enough for you to joke around with me like that."

Estes only giggled, thoroughly enjoying himself, before nudging her forward. "You better get going so you can come back right away and tell your boring tale yourself."

Silvermist rolled her eyes before looking straight ahead. She took a deep breath, then pulled the cloak up, wrapping it tightly around her from head to toe, thankful that Estes’ cloak was long enough to cover her entirely. Without another word, she stepped forward, vanishing into the searing inferno.

Estes watched as the flames swallowed her, the glow reflecting in his eyes. The massive gates remained wide open, flickering embers drifting into the night air like restless fireflies.

With a sigh, he turned on his heel, trying to find a comfortable spot to wait but the moment he took a step back, a surge of mana pulsed through the air behind him.

His muscles tensed.

From the depths of the forest, beneath the twisted roots of the largest tree, a figure emerged, its form weaving in and out of the shadows. A voice, layered with multiple tones—some deep, some barely whispers—spoke in an ancient tongue unknown to men. The very ground trembled at its presence.

"Why are you helping a human, Sylvestes...?"