In the beginning, his steps were shaky and hesitant. After all, walking into a trap willingly by himself, how could he not be afraid? This was no game. This was playing with his life! He could be crippled, maimed, mortally wounded, mentally scarred, tortured, or killed the next moment! Just imagining everything was enough to make his palms sweaty and butterflies flutter in his stomach. If it were normal, then he would have thrown in the towel and surrendered. He was powerless, he knew that much. Without magic, it was doubly worse. Freon closed his eyes and tried to relax his muscles. His body and mind were tired. So much had already happened in the last few hours that it seemed like a cruel joke. His uncle returning, the connection with the Arcellius Family, the attack and collapse of their home, and now… Freon really had to curse the heavens for this!
But he did not give up. He could not! His family and friends were intruded upon. His home was invaded and stomped on. What he held true and dear was violated! That was the final bottom line that must never be crossed. Nassandra, Avin, Yuna, Shirley, and even Gunther… Anyone who pointed a blade at them must pay the price! Freon will admit that he did not have many friends. He was unsocial and distant, barely understanding what you would call emotions. He was cold, heartless, and logical to the core. Everything in the world could be analyzed. Things like emotions were illogical and pointless. They were discarded. This was how Freon could survive in this cruel world.
However, he did not grow up like this. He was a typical happy-go-luck child when his parents were still alive. They were a simple family with two working parents, a baby sister, and a loving household. There was no need to be so cool and calculating. Everything changed when the war arrived, and his home was destroyed. Freon could still remember the menacing gazes of their killers. Their figures were permanently etched into his brain. He never saw their faces, but he would never mistake them if he saw them again. They killed his parents as casually as chopping vegetables. It was like killing was not a taboo, but a given to them. That night… was the first time Freon was exposed to the ugliness of the world.
Since then, it was all downhill. The Xingyuu Empire ravaged the Zino Kingdom beyond repair. The citizens were mercilessly annihilated. Entire cities drowned in blood, as regions were conquered one by one. Even the invincible Ten Dawns died like chickens… It seemed like nothing could stop their march. The Xingyuu Empire would destroy the Zino Kingdom! That was what everyone thought. That was what everyone believed. Hope was lost… That was the tragedy of the Teria Sea Campaign. Freon was no exception. He was a child, lost in a world rife with blood and war, drifting through the crowds of refugees with his baby sister, while mourning the loss of his parents and home. They travelled from town to town, city to city, living between the cracks like rats. A miserable life.
Freon got smarter. He had to. Freon got cold. He had to. Freon got cruel. He had to. That was the type of world it was. None of his friends would understand. Elizabeth lost her home and family, Benedict lost his lover and honor, and Shirley lost her dignity and freedom… But Freon lost everything. Did he suffer more? Did he struggle more? No one could say. The heart was impossible to fathom. However, the truth was that he had to abandon his softness. His child-like behavior would get him killed! For the sake of his little sister, he sacrificed everything. He begged when needed, stole when needed, and fought when needed. To survive in that world, he did everything to protect his family!
That was why he could not back down now. He could not! His family was all he had, and he would never… ever let anyone tarnish that. That was something he would never betray. Never in a million years. Over time, his family expanded to include Yuna, Gunther, and later Elizabeth, Benedict, and Shirley. Just like how he did not relent in the Yunyun Stronghold all those months ago to run away and forget about Elizabeth, he would not relent one step when it came to Gunther. Perhaps… that was why he could understand Shirley's resolve to help him. Although their personalities could not be more opposite, they shared that uncanny similarity. They would never give up their family or friends!
Strength to protect himself. Strength to protect his family. Strength to protect his friends. This was like a baptism of fire for him. Freon needed to see this through! That was the same determination that let Freon and his sister survive. That was how he persevered through the pain and pushed toward Medium Gaseous Fog! Despite his fears swallowing him, that remained as a pillar of light in his heart, illuminating the way forward. His footsteps steadied, his breathing calmed, and his eyes sharpened. He was aware of the odds and the dangers. He was not hoping to defeat them by himself. He was not an idiot. But he would perform his duty splendidly, delaying them while fishing for answers, right before reinforcements arrive to annihilate them! That was all he could do!
"You're awfully brave to come alone," a man said slowly.
He stood in the middle of a wide alleyway with a menacing air. His figure was frail and unassuming, like any average person on the street. In fact, he looked as pathetic as Freon. However, Freon did not mistake his anxiety. This man was dangerous! Beside him were two others and behind Freon were another two. In total, there were five enemies surrounding him. Freon could sense a distinct playfulness almost in their motions, as if cornering prey. They looked forward to his fear and cowardice, hoping to elicit any form of fun in their otherwise boring mission. But Freon surprisingly stood strong, refusing them that satisfaction. This baffled them.
Just seeing their reactions, Freon cracked the slightest of grins before his mood turned serious. "I'm here as you wanted. Where's Gunther? And… who are you people?" The leader glared at him as Freon grew tense. If they attacked him now, his plan would go bust. He had to delay them as long as possible before Shirley came.
However, the man revealed a large smile and said, "I don't know what you're planning, but do you seriously think it could work?" Before Freon could react, he continued, "That plan with the servants… It was an interesting one, I agree, but you're underestimating us."
"What did you do with them?" Freon shouted. They were innocent and if they were harmed, then he would never forgive himself. Although he hoped that his enemies would see this as well and ignore them, that might be his own foolish idealism.
"After using them like tools, you decide to treat them like humans? As expected of a descendant of the legendary Arcellius Family!"
"Stop dodging the question!"
The smile on the man's face gradually intensified. "It's the same with your friend. After his use expired, it was only natural that his end came."
"You!" Freon nearly charged in and attacked him. However, he forcefully restrained his urges. He must stay calm. He must not lose his temper. The second he does, then he knows he will lose.
"Oh? Even facing the death of your friend, you don't react. It seems like you weren't good friends after all."
"You talk an awful lot, don't you?" the boy snarled. So that he would not fall into a rage, he had to change the topic. "Who are you people?"
"We're the same people who attacked you before… is what I would like to say, but you wouldn't believe it, would you?"
Freon narrowed his eyes, his gaze as sharp as daggers. "Just from seeing the five of you, I can tell you're nothing similar to the previous attackers."
The previous attackers were scary for sure, yet that resulted because of their numbers and surprise attack. Freon had no idea who they were or what they were after. However, one thing was overwhelmingly obvious. They were ordinary! That was not to say they were weak, but they were not special either. While their abilities, coordination, and demeanor might be threatening to Freon and Shirley, against true powerhouses like Avin, they were lacking still. That was to be expected though. They were not even that well-regarded in the Rellion Family. The fact that their leader could be swayed into action by a mere side family spoke more about the man's status than the side family's influence.
Unfortunately, Freon did not feel a single shred of normality from the people around him. They were releasing such an overwhelming pressure that his knees felt weak. If not for his incessant blabbering, then he might have collapsed. The attackers before might be wolves, but these people were true monsters! The bloodlust was so thick that Freon almost hallucinated scenes of death. On the surface, he might appear strong; however, the truth could not be further… His throat and mouth were so dry that it felt like a desert. His breathing was so staggered that his vision flickered. He was doing everything in his power to restrain his fear. The difference between the enemies before and now were worlds apart, truly incomparable!
The man revealed a demonic grin. "You can try hiding your fear all you want, but your body can never hide it. You're still wet behind the ears if you think you can fool us, the Third Hand of the Whispering Shadow!"