Sitting under the moonlight, Ferinish rested near her cabin. She wasn't asleep, just keeping her eyes closed, calmly breathing in the cold air.
Footsteps echoed near her ears, making her instinctively grab her sword and look around, trying to identify who was approaching.
From the shadows, Carolina and Carlos emerged. The woman carried a spear, while the man wore his gloves forged from renkatas, with an ice bow hanging on his back.
"Sorry to bother you tonight, but we want to train and become stronger."
Said Carlos, in a low voice, making it clear he was ready to train all night if necessary.
Carolina was no different. Just as serious as him, she kept a firm grip on her weapon.
"Won't you get sleepy? You still have soldier duties tomorrow."
Ferinish asked, without opening her eyes.
"Fraizen is absent. She didn't let me visit her... said she didn't want any of us around."
Ferinish slightly opened her eyes, as if she knew something they didn't. Even so, she kept her usual composure.
"Alright... let's train."
***
Inside an Inférius, after clearing all the threats around, Ferinish leaned on her sword, letting out a small yawn.
"Are you sleepy?"
Carolina asked. Ferinish just shook her head repeatedly, denying it.
"No... of course not."
But right after saying that, another yawn slipped from her lips.
"That doesn't matter. Use everything you've got against me."
She shook her head and shook off the sleepiness. Carolina and Carlos exchanged a quick glance and took their fighting stances.
The training began.
Carolina charged forward with her spear, but Ferinish blocked quickly. Carlos tried to strike from behind, but the warrior kicked him in the chest. In midair, he drew his bow and fired three ice arrows at Ferinish, who melted them all with a single horizontal slash.
The small fragments flew fast. Carolina took the chance and deflected the shards with her spear, sending them back at the warrior.
A hit.
The pieces of ice touched Ferinish's kimono, and upon contact, formed a thin but sturdy layer of ice over her body, restricting her movements.
'They make a good team…'
Recovered, Carolina went for her back, and Carlos from the front. But Ferinish tensed her muscles, breaking the ice around her, and then leaned backward. Their weapons, spear and renkata fists, clashed, forcing them both to jump back.
And there she was. Behind Carlos.
Ferinish kicked his thigh, not with full power, but enough to knock him down. Carolina reacted quickly, spinning and throwing her spear with precision. Ferinish noticed and threw her sword spinning against the weapon. They collided midair, causing a small explosion that covered a twenty-meter radius.
Both women were thrown back. Carlos too, though without serious injuries.
The two women grabbed their weapons midair and returned to combat. Carolina charged aggressively and with strength; Ferinish, on the other hand, remained calm, with no real intent to hurt her.
Carlos got up and, taking advantage of the warrior's distraction, fired three ice arrows. Ferinish had to jump. Carolina immediately resumed the attack, ready to strike at any opening.
'These two really are a good duo…'
As she landed, Ferinish touched the ground. A flame erupted beneath Carolina's feet, forcing her to retreat. Then, Ferinish dashed toward Carlos with explosive speed. He reacted just in time, trying to block with his fists, and he managed to stop the blow.
To break his defense, Ferinish briefly split her blade and slammed it against the renkata fists, knocking him down again.
Carolina ran to Ferinish and stomped hard on the ground, freezing the floor.
'Interesting… I don't usually see her use this kind of skill…'
Ferinish looked at her feet, now trapped. Carolina was preparing to strike with her spear, but Ferinish quickly melted the ice and engulfed her feet in flames, slightly burning the hem of her kimono. Then she kicked Carolina's weapon away and advanced, crouching to deliver a precise kick to Carolina's chin.
The impact made her teeth clash violently. They didn't break, but the pain was intense.
"Argh!"
She fell, unable to get up due to the pain in her chest and jaw. Carlos also remained on the ground, feeling sharp pain in his back and head.
Ferinish shook her legs, extinguishing the fire on her feet, and stretched as if nothing had happened.
"You two... okay?"
"No!"
They both replied in unison. Frustrated, but not angry, still lying on the ground.
"Do you have any weaknesses, Ferinish?"
Carlos asked. She simply shrugged, indifferent.
"Maybe I do."
Without another word, she turned and went off to find the Core of that Inférius. It was necessary to prevent the renkai creatures from invading the human world.
***
After helping them recover and return home, Ferinish began wandering through IceStorm, silently, drawn by a strange curiosity pulling her toward the top of the ice castle.
Before long, she had reached the top. The ice barrier still wrapped tightly around the castle. The view… was magnificent.
The moon looked even brighter, and the thorny ice walls surrounding IceStorm gave the kingdom an almost surreal appearance. It was all so perfect…
"What are you doing in my territory?"
Ferinish turned around at once, rising to her feet. Her eyes widened at the sight before her.
Fraizen was there, but her body, twisted by the poison, looked demonic. Black veins, like roots, covered her entire skin. Two ice wings had sprouted from her back, appearing as if made from flesh or feathers.
Her face was split into two halves: one was pure ice, with a massive horn. Even so, it still moved like a normal face, and her voice had changed too, now a warped feminine tone.
"Fraizen... don't you dare."
Ferinish took a battle stance, struggling to stay conscious, still exhausted.
"No… I haven't come to do anything bad… yet."
Fraizen smiled. A macabre, malicious grin, her teeth sharp as razors.
"I'm saving that for the perfect moment. Enjoy the peace this kingdom still has…"
She stepped closer, leaning toward Ferinish.
"Because I will turn your life into hell, just like you and your precious Slady did to mine."
Ferinish… felt fear. Not of being attacked, but of the unknown. What was in that poison Slady had created, that could cause such a mutation? What had Fraizen done to survive, and instead, transform?
Fraizen touched Ferinish's face, her claws nearly tearing her skin. Then, tears made of ice shards began to flow from her eyes, bleeding brutally from the pain.
"You destroyed my life. I will make you wish you were in the real hell. Ferinish Lawhell, I will kill you… from the inside out."
The queen stepped back, her wings spreading, and then she flew off into the distance, vanishing from Ferinish's sight in mere seconds.
The warrior remained there, unmoving… until her thoughts returned.
'She's going to the cabin…'
***
Fraizen landed in front of the cabin where Ferinish and Slady were. She began walking calmly toward the door, the hem of her clothes dragging across the ground.
"You must be here, Slady… alone, with no one to protect you."
But before she touched the doorknob, she stopped and looked over her shoulder.
"You're really fast, Ferinish Lawhell."
Ferinish was there. Right in front of her. Holding her sword so tightly that the veins bulged beneath her skin. Her usually cold gaze now overflowed with hatred. A sharp gleam in the darkness of the forest.
"You can hate me or Slady all you want…"
She drew her sword. The blade ignited in flames.
"But I won't let you attack someone who can't defend themselves."
Fraizen laughed, walking toward her, as her wings grew even more lethal.
"You really think you can beat me, little girl? Maybe the poison weakened me… but I adapted to it. And I've become stronger than ever. I'll kill you, Ferinish. No, worse: I'll kill Slady right in front of your eyes. And only then… I'll kill you."
Ferinish's eyes burned with fury. Without a word, she charged forward. Fraizen did the same, smiling with pure malice…
But just as they were about to clash, a portal opened before them. And both fell into a new Inférius.