STAGE THIRTY SIX: The Devil's Temptation

Late at night, Freyja couldn't sleep. They'll be leaving Hawsdark tomorrow and though she's already decided that she'd not push the matter with the possible Celestial Guardian in the continent further, she still couldn't help but feel anxious.

Freyja sat by the windowpane of her room, staring at the night sky. All of a sudden, a strange feeling enveloped her entire body, she jerked away from the window. Freyja closed her eyes and heightened her senses. A chill ran through her spine. "That's...." Freyja can't believe what she just felt. It's the same feeling as Astrid and Aria's. She can't be wrong this time, a Celestial Guardian is nearby.

Without thinking, she opened the windows and stuck her head out from the 2nd floor. "Astrid, can you feel that?" She pulled the medallion out of her shirt. "Astrid, can you hear me?"

"Most likely, Lenfiare," Astrid replied from inside the medallion. "It is the same faint aura as ours."

It was all she needed. Astrid warned her to be careful, as she jumped out of the window with her short sword and quietly sneaked towards the inn's gate. Then, she rushed outside and followed the direction of the aura. "Just a little while," She convinced herself, "Just within the town. I won't go further."

And true enough, she heard a voice amidst the quiet night. "Freyja, help me."

She was so focused on listening, she couldn't even hear Astrid's warning anymore. "Lenfiare, please calm down!"

"I am sealed in the north, I am a celestial gragon. Please hurry and unseal me, else I will disappear soon...."

"What? You are in the north? You can feel my presence too?"

"Yes, please hurry, I won't last by tomorrow. I...can't... hold it much longer. I'll disappear..."

"HANG IN THERE!"

Freyja's fear of losing the guardian took over. Without any one of them, she will never be able to open the gates to Celestia. She will never see her home again. Freyja trembled in confusion. "No. I have to go back and tell Kirin and Alaric first." Just as when she turned around to return to her friends, she felt her legs lose feeling, making her fall face-flat. Soon, her arms too, lost its feeling. Her entire body paralyzed with a mysterious aura she didn't know how it got to her. Struggling for consciousness, she forced herself to call Aria and dispel whatever it is that bound her. And it worked. But not fast enough. Just as she was about to stand, lightning speed, she felt a strong, aura-reinforced fist hit her neck hard. So hard, she thought her neck snapped into two. The attack happened so fast, she wasn't able to defend on time, much less summon her guardians. Instantly, Freyja's vision turned black, completely passing out.

"Where is Freyja?" Kirin hysterically ran around the inn. "Freyja! Where are you!?" He shouted, waking every single sleeping person. Kirin felt his heart pound faster and faster, with every second that passed without her in sight. Freyja didn't take her belongings with her. She didn't say anything at all.

"Kirin, calm down. Freyja is strong, she should be able to ward off Aethelmaer minions by herself at this point. Plus, she has Astrid and Aria with her." Alaric reasoned out. "That's right," Kirin thought. "Freyja should be pretty capable at this point already." Aside from the direct members of the Aethelmaer clan, he didn't see Freyja easily losing to any of their minions. But that was until he found a note on her window. Kirin was relieved for a few seconds, until he read it.

Kirin's pupils dilated, sweat rolled down his forehead.

"What's the matter Kirin?" Alaric asked, seeing a disturbing face he's making. "Hey Kirin! Where's Freyja!?"

"She is...." Kirin crumpled the note, clenching his fists so hard. "Aethelmaer manor... She's there."

Dearest Kirin,

If you hurry back, you might still see her alive.

Rest assured that she'll be treated properly in the manor.

Ahrin

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