A month had passed since the fateful mission in Frostfall Forest. The wounds of the battle had begun to heal slowly, but the scars left behind were deeper and more painful than any physical injury. Among the many losses, one stood out painfully for Serana: Jessica, first and only friend.
Back then after the three of them out of six retreated away from the frostfall forest, among the three assaulting groups, only two remained, one Serana's team and the Jade Lotus sect, they're more fortunate to lost only one person in that onslaught.
Serana had returned to the Grey Mountain Sect immediately after the failed mission, her heart heavy with grief and guilt. The report she delivered to the sect leaders was filled with the grim details of their encounter with the demons. She spoke of the relentless assault, the overwhelming numbers, and the tragic losses, and types of demons that they've encountered in the forest. She also reported that the strength of the demons is rank 5 at peak stages, and there are even more stronger auras that didn't move during that night.
Meaning, there could be rank 6 or even higher guarding the portal.
Her detailed report shocked the leaders of the sect, but the information regarding the demons was very high in value thus the sect rewarded her for doing a great job despite the loss of her team mates, as the sect already expected such losses, they're part of statistics now.
Receiving those rewards didn't move Serana as she looked at them on her hands, she felt these rewards contained the blood of her companions and her friend, recalling Jessica again that day, her heart bled. After reporting into the sect, she threw the rewards as it reminded her of the carnage that night.
But the hardest part was yet to come—facing Skyler, Jessica's master.
Skyler, the enigmatic elder of the 4th peak, was known for her slightly aloof demeanor. Yet those who knew her well understood that beneath her composed exterior lay a deep well of care and concern, especially for her disciples. Jessica, her youngest and brightest, was like a daughter to her.
Serana stood outside the 4th mountain peak hall, her heart pounding in her chest. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself before knocking on the door. The door opened almost immediately, as if Skyler had been expecting her.
Within the hall, a lonely figure of Skyler stood in the middle. Most of her main disciples were dispatched or training. Seeing her lonely figure, who always had Jessica by her side, Serana felt a bitter taste in her mouth.
Skyler's eyes, usually calm and unreadable, were now filled with a mixture of sorrow and expectation. She gestured for Serana to enter, and they moved to a quiet corner of the room. Serana bowed deeply, her voice soft.
"Elder Skyler, I am deeply sorry. I failed to protect Jessica," Serana said, her voice soft. "She fought bravely, but the demons were too strong. She... she saved my life and our team. I'm so sorry." Serana sincerely apologized, her heart frustrated by how weak she had been that night, powerless against her foes.
Skyler's face remained impassive as Serana spoke, but her eyes betrayed her inner turmoil. She listened silently, her hands clenched tightly at her sides. She had already known about Jessica's fate when Serana reported in the grand hall, but there had been a lingering hope that her disciple was alive. That hope was now extinguished.
When Serana finished, Skyler took a deep breath, her voice soft but firm.
"Serana, I know Jessica's strength. If she fell, it was not due to your failure, but because the enemy was formidable. She chose to protect you, and that is the path she walked willingly," Skyler said, her voice tinged with sadness. "She was like a daughter to me, and her loss is... unbearable."
Skyler turned away for a moment, her shoulders trembling slightly.
When she faced Serana again, her expression was one of steely resolve. "The demons have taken much from us, Serana. They took my disciple, my... my child. And for that, my hatred for them burns as fiercely as yours."
Serana nodded, overwhelming feeling filled her emotions. "I promise, elder Skyler, I will make them pay. For Jessica, and for everyone we've lost."
Skyler placed a hand on Serana's shoulder, a rare gesture of comfort. "We will not let Jessica's sacrifice be in vain. The demons will know our wrath."
With that, the two women stood in silent solidarity, their shared grief and hatred forging an unspoken bond.
…
As the days turned into weeks, the situation in the region grew increasingly dire. The demon portal, ominously named the Demon Gate, had become a source of unending terror to the people.
The demons, emboldened by their initial success, had wasted no time in expanding their territory. Frostfall Forest, once a vibrant and mystical place, had become a stronghold for the demonic forces. The trees, once covered by snow, now stood twisted and blackened, the ground cracked as if famine hit the forest under the demonic energy influenced by the Demon Gate.
The number of demons multiplied many times, no one knows exactly how many times. During that time, the Celestial Phoenix Sect sent most of their experts and elders to prevent the demons from expanding further inland in the territory of rose kingdom.
Seeing the Celestial Phoenix sent most of their strongest experts, Jade Lotus and Iron Fist sect also sent most of their elders to provide a reinforcement, and since Grey Mountain sect is the closest in the demon stronghold, they've also sent most of their elders, leaving Rose, Luna and Skyler and the Sect master for defense of the sect in case demons attack the sect.
The sects in the region struggled to contain the spread of the demonic influence. Daily skirmishes erupted along the expanding borders of the demon-held territory. The demons, relentless and vicious, attacked without warning, their goal clear: to dominate and destroy.
Reports of villages being overrun and destroyed became common. Refugees poured into the remaining safe zones, their stories filled with horror and despair. The sects worked tirelessly to provide aid and protection, but the sheer scale of the demonic assault stretched their resources thin.
But with the reinforcements of the celestial phoenix sect arriving group by group, the demon's encroachment stopped, leaving some people sigh in relief.
…
Meanwhile, Serana, haunted by the loss of Jessica and driven by a burning desire for vengeance, threw herself into her training with intensity. She pushed her limits, as she starts practicing advance techniques after perfecting the core techniques of her Frozen Star Sword Arts, her practice strikes were both focuses on precision and ferocity that left even the most seasoned warriors in awe as cold qi kept erupting in the 7th peak mountain.
Each day, she joined the patrols and skirmishes, her dark icy blade cutting through the demonic hordes with deadly efficiency, stacking up battle experience one after another. Her presence and feats on the battlefield were well known by her fellow disciples, gaining countless admiration among the young cultivators in the battlefield. Yet, behind her beautiful cold exterior, the pain of her loss was ever-present, fueling her relentless pursuit of vengeance.
…
The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows over the Grey Mountain Sect's 7th peak compound. Serana stood at the cliff of the mountain, her sword stabbed into the ground resting her hands on it. She watched as a group of disciples sparred at the bottom of the mountain, their movements swift and precise. Her mind, however, was elsewhere, lost in thoughts of the past month's events.
A figure approached, and Serana turned to see Kayla, her expression serious. "Serana, the elders have called for you. There's a meeting regarding the recent developments at the Demon Gate."
Kayla from these past month lost her alluring looks and was replaced by tiredness but confident gaze, she lost one of her eyes making her wear an eyepatch to cover her damaged eye. Elder Rose, her master, was heart broken seeing her disciple like this, thus she trained her hard the most among her disciples.
Her training helped a lot as Kayla also began stacking weaker demons bodies in the battle field, gaining reputation respected by her fellow brothers and sisters of the sect.
May, on other hand was recuperating for almost half a month and was already dispatched again after getting healed completely, now she's in the front line, healing injured cultivators in the field hospitals.
Serana nodded, her grip tightening on her sword's hilt. "I'll be there." She followed Kayla down the mountain and to the grand main hall of the first peak, where the sect's leaders and several key disciples had gathered. The atmosphere was tense, the gravity of the situation palpable.
Elder Rose stood at the head of the room, her expression grim. "We've received reports that the demons are fortifying their positions within Frostfall Forest. They're preparing for a major offensive, one that could potentially break through our defenses."
The room fell silent as the weight of his words sank in. Serana's jaw clenched, her mind racing as her frosty expression seemed to get colder. The demons' relentless aggression showed no signs of abating, and their strength seemed to grow with each passing day, no one exactly knows when will this end, or how long will this last.
Skyler stepped forward. "We need to act swiftly and decisively. Our scouts have identified several key points within the forest where the demons are most concentrated. We plan to launch a coordinated assault to disrupt their preparations and weaken their hold on the region."
The plan was laid out in detail, each team assigned specific targets and objectives. Serana's team, the 38th Assault Squad, was tasked with infiltrating deep into the forest to strike at a critical demon outpost. The mission was dangerous, but its success could turn the tide in their favor.
Serana's reputation within the sect was high as the body count of her demon kills had reached more than a hundred, a terrifying feat for a disciple! What's even more shocking for the people in the sect is that her Master is actually Elder Gabriel!
Speaking of Gabriel, his reputation is rock bottom as many had noticed he had gone missing, many people thought he's scared to death thus hiding. Those who knew that Gabriel is in closed door cultivation is only Serana and Elder Skyler when she had asked about him to Serana.
However, that resulted Serana gaining more respect as she's able to get strong on her own feet without a master, even some disciples think that she's the real 7th peak master, and people find this suitable due to her reputation, strength and even more qualifying is her cultivation, she had already been at the peak stages of rank 5, that is the cultivation of most sect elders in the sect!
Breaking through rank 6 is hard as the cultivator needs to delve into the cycle of Samsara, gaining insights into the nature of life, death, and rebirth, as Samsara Qi will refine the body further to be able to take heaven qi. This is where the stage is where world qi is disregarded by the body, only heaven qi is accepted.
As the fate of the world is damaged, thus having a less heaven qi on the world of Celestia, it's the reason why most people are stuck in rank 5.
As the meeting concluded, Serana felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see Elder Skyler, her eyes filled with determination. "Serana, I know this mission is personal for you. Remember, you're not alone in this. We're all fighting for the same cause, be careful out there."
Serana nodded, her resolve hardening. "I understand, Elder Skyler. I'm not planning to die, as I have a lifelong promise to Jessica."
Skyler's grip tightened briefly before she let go. "May the stars guide you, Serana."
…
The night before the mission, Serana stood alone on a cliff overlooking the rest of the sect. The moonlight bathed the landscape in a silver glow, casting an ethereal light over the mountains and forests. She took a deep breath, the cool air filling her lungs.
She then looked at the pouch on her hand, inside the pouch three healing pills had remained from originally ten pills. During her first assault mission with the original 38th squad, she had only brought four pills and she used all of them by herself.
She regretted not bringing all the pills; if she had, Serana felt Jessica's fate might have been different—she could still be alive, fighting by her side.
In the distant sky, the faint glow of the Demon Gate was visible, a constant reminder of the enemy they faced. Serana closed her eyes, her mind filled with memories of Jessica's laughter, her fierce determination, and her peaceful smile on her own death.
"Jessica," she whispered, her voice carried away by the wind. "I promise, I won't let your sacrifice be in vain. I will see this through, no matter the cost."
Serana turned away from the cliff and headed back to the camp. The path ahead was fraught with danger, but she was ready. Ready to fight, to protect, and to avenge. The demons had taken what's important from her, but they would take no more. A massive battle for Frostfall Forest once again will make an impact in the history of the second demonic invasion.
…