This stunning turn of events left everyone utterly speechless.
Fortunately, there weren't many soldiers in the garrison camp at the time, as most of the troops were hundreds of miles away, engaged in the Empire's spring military exercises.
Sir Span was the first to snap out of his stupor. His face twisted in alarm as he snatched up his sword and roared, charging out, "Who dares to attack the local garrison?!"
Panic gripped Span; attacking an imperial military camp was an unthinkable act of rebellion! The camp's banner had been set ablaze right under his nose. If he couldn't apprehend the perpetrator, his dereliction of duty would be undeniable.
The other officers in the hall, their eyes now bloodshot with fury, grabbed their weapons and followed Span out. Soon, the sound of thunderous explosions, bursts of red light, and faint groans echoed from outside.
Inside, the guards of the Rowling family had swiftly surrounded Du Wei to protect him. Robert, his expression darkening, stepped forward to block the doorway. He was stunned by the sight outside—the soldiers who had charged out moments before were now sprawled on the ground. Their clothes and hair were singed, and though groaning in pain, they were unable to rise.
Before him, a streak of silver shot up the steps and into the hall at an incredible speed.
The figure moved so quickly that even Robert could barely discern its form. He growled, "Stand down!"
Channeling his battle aura, Robert's sword glowed faintly as he gripped it with both hands and brought it down in a swift strike. A shimmering barrier of light appeared across the steps.
Yet the silver blur didn't slow. It smashed into the light barrier without hesitation.
In an instant, Robert felt a biting cold surge through his sword, making him shiver uncontrollably. His fingers turned numb, and he could barely maintain his grip on the hilt. A tremendous force followed, coursing through the blade and into his body. He let out a muffled groan, his limbs paralyzed as if struck by lightning.
Clang!
The sword fell to the ground, and Robert collapsed, his clothing and hair scorched. His lips pressed tightly together as he lay unconscious, grievously injured.
The intruder had taken down a fourth-tier knight in a single move. Amid the stunned cries of the Rowling guards, the silver figure finally came to a halt, standing motionless in the center of the hall.
It was, unmistakably, a woman—the same one who had spoken outside moments before.
The woman who had called Vivian "sister" was tall and strikingly beautiful. Her features could rival those of any man's dream, though her lips were a shade too pale, hinting at a lack of vitality. Her bright eyes gleamed, yet their gaze carried an icy detachment.
Her face seemed sculpted from ice, with an air of menace that only enhanced her mocking smirk and arched brows.
She wore an unusual white suit of light armor, adorned with intricate, decorative patterns. It was hard to imagine such ornate, hollowed-out designs offering any practical defense. But Du Wei and Solskjaer noticed the faint magical engravings woven into the armor, possibly imbued with protective enchantments.
A long white cloak trailed behind her, brushing the floor.
In her white armor and cloak, this woman, with her exquisite beauty, looked as though she had emerged from the heart of a snowstorm.
But it wasn't her appearance that shocked Du Wei the most.
For once, the young noble's usual composure deserted him. His eyes widened as he stared at the woman before him, as if struck by lightning.
The woman's silver hair—flowing like a cascade of snow—her eyes, her lips, her delicate nose…
Du Wei recognized her.
Just days ago, in the secret chamber beneath the Rowling castle, he had seen the visage left behind by the legendary astrologer and creator of celestial magic—Semel!
If he didn't know Semel had been dead for centuries, Du Wei would have thought her standing alive before him. The resemblance was uncanny—this woman looked over 90% like the projection of Semel he had encountered!
Du Wei's stunned silence might have appeared to others as pure terror. His guards huddled protectively around him, their swords leveled at the woman. "You treacherous rebel! How dare you attack the Empire's garrison?!" they shouted.
The woman burst into laughter, her icy gaze sweeping the hall. "I've already acted, yet all you can do is yell empty threats?"
With a flick of her finger, an icy arrow shot out, striking one of the shouting guards before anyone could react. His body froze instantly, toppling to the ground in rigid stillness.
Her attack came without warning, leaving no time for countermeasures. Du Wei exchanged a glance with Solskjaer, both reading the shock in each other's eyes.
Instantaneous casting?!
"Protect the young master! Fight to the death!" one of the guards bellowed, lunging forward. His rallying cry was quickly followed by the rest of the guards charging in, their swords aimed from all directions.
The woman laughed sharply. With a twirl of her body, a white ring of light burst forth, repelling everyone around her.
One by one, the guards were flung away like ragdolls, crashing into walls, furniture, or flying out of the hall entirely.
The once-crowded hall was now littered with groaning bodies, leaving only Du Wei and Solskjaer standing.
"Oh, a mage," the woman said, her frosty eyes narrowing on Solskjaer's robe. "Where's your badge, mage? Why aren't you wearing the insignia of the Magic Guild? What rank are you?"
Solskjaer's face turned crimson. His badge had been destroyed long ago when Du Wei captured him. Stammering, he tried to reply but failed.
The woman shook her head dismissively. "I didn't expect to find a mage in a garrison. Very well, I'll grant you the courtesy of a duel as per mage protocol."
As she spoke, she conjured a small, glowing mage badge and pinned it beneath her cloak's clasp. "Enough pleasantries. Let's make this quick," she said impatiently.
Solskjaer nearly fainted.
A duel?!
The badge she had just revealed—a golden cloverleaf—signified an archmage of the highest caliber. She was at least an eighth-tier mage!
Him, a lowly first-tier novice, against an archmage? It was like a pup challenging a dragon!
Without hesitation, Solskjaer croaked twice, then promptly collapsed in a dead faint.
"…"
The woman paused, eyeing the unconscious mage with mild astonishment before curling her lips in disdain. "Coward."
Finally, she turned her gaze to the sole remaining figure in the hall—Du Wei.
"And you? A little noble?" she asked, her voice dripping with scorn. "I heard your guards call you a Rowling. Is that true?"
"Yes," Du Wei replied evenly. "My name is Du Wei Rowling. Deputy Commander of the Imperial General Staff. My father is Raymond, Earl of Rowling."
"Ha! Do you think the name Rowling will frighten me?" She sneered, her piercing gaze sweeping over him. "You're just a child. What are you doing here?"
She quickly lost interest in him, raising her voice to call out, "Vivian! If you don't come out, I'll raze this place to the ground! Don't test my patience, dear sister. Hand over that little thing of yours, or suffer the consequences!"
The woman's icy voice carried a chilling finality, her rising storm promising unyielding destruction."P-please… Sister… Sister! I'm begging you, stop… please, stop!"
Finally, a trembling and stuttering voice echoed out. Vivienne floated out of the military camp, draped in her mage's robe. Hovering mid-air, she clutched a small, specially crafted cage marked with magical runes strong enough to contain the little terror sprite within.
Vivienne's face was filled with fear, as if she dared not meet her sister's gaze. She pleaded softly, "S-sister, I beg you…"
"Ah, poor little Vivienne." The icy beauty sneered, her tone sharp as a blade. "When will you finally learn that strength demands resolve? You possess immense magical power, yet your courage is less than a rabbit's!"
As she spoke, her hand moved swiftly to her waist, drawing forth… a strange flute!
The flute gleamed emerald green, a vivid splash of life against her otherwise silver-white presence. Pointing the flute toward Vivienne, the ice queen's smirk deepened. "Surrender the terror sprite. I need its horn and will leave as soon as I have it. Otherwise, my dear sister, I'll teach you a lesson you won't forget."
With a flick of her wrist, radiant rings of light erupted from the flute's tip. Even from afar, Du Wei, lying flat on the ground, winced as sharp, piercing sounds assaulted his ears. It was unmistakably a sonic magic attack.
Though far away, the noise was unbearable to Du Wei, making him feel faint. One could only imagine what Vivienne, much closer, must have endured.
The timid girl trembled visibly, raising her hand to cast a quick incantation. A crystalline, polygonal magic shield materialized before her, intercepting the incoming light rings. Desperation filled her voice as she cried out, "S-Sister! Chuchu is t-the teacher's pet! If… if you kill it, t-the teacher…"
"Hmph! That old man? Everyone fears him, but I don't!" The ice queen dismissed the thought with a scornful laugh. "I need that horn, Vivienne! Without it, I can't finish my ultimate magical defense weapon. Hand it over, now!"
As her last words echoed, she shot forward like a silver comet through the night sky, closing the gap in an instant. Her hand reached out to snatch the cage from Vivienne's grasp.
"No!" For once, Vivienne's voice rang out clear and firm. In a flash, she vanished, reappearing ten meters away.
"Hahaha! My dear little sister, your Emerald Flame teleportation magic is impressive. But for someone as timid as you, it's only good for running away, isn't it?" The ice queen laughed mockingly.
"S-sister, please don't force me…" Tears welled in Vivienne's wide eyes, her voice trembling with panic.
"I will force you!" snapped the ice queen, her expression hardening. "You pitiful little girl—just the sight of your tear-streaked face infuriates me!"
She raised her hand abruptly and began chanting in an arcane tongue. As her voice carried the weight of ancient power, a thick white mist began swirling in her palm, growing denser with frost and creeping outward.
Vivienne's face turned ashen as she screamed, "N-no! You can't use that magic here!"
"Why not?" the ice queen replied with a chilling smile, her incantation complete. In her hands, an enormous iceberg materialized, nearly alive with the shadows of something trapped within, writhing and clawing to break free.
Vivienne glanced down at Du Wei, panic in her voice as she shouted, "Run! R-run, now!"
But before Du Wei could react, the ice queen smirked. "Oh, little Vivienne, why so concerned about this petty noble? Could he be… your little lover?" Her cold gaze swept over Du Wei. "A son of the Rowling family? Hmm. Handsome enough, but utterly useless."
With a snap of her fingers, Du Wei found himself bound and lifted into the air, as though invisible cords had ensnared him. He was pulled toward the ice queen, suspended helplessly before her.
"Hand over the sprite, Vivienne! Or I'll refine your little lover into a soul shard!" A glint of malice flashed in her eyes.
"No! He's not—" Vivienne began to protest, but the ice queen lunged again. Despite her speed, Vivienne's teleportation magic allowed her to escape repeatedly. Frustration flared in the ice queen's voice. "Obey me, or I'll start spilling blood!"
Vivienne froze, her expression pained, as if grappling with an impossible choice. Finally, with a heavy sigh, she whispered inwardly, Forgive me, teacher… Poor Vivienne has no choice.
Her trembling hands steadied, and she looked directly at her sister. "If you w-want to release the Ice Dragon… then do it!"
The ice queen's smile turned icy. "Do you think I won't dare?"
She ascended, her figure a gleaming silver star against the dark sky. Clutching the iceberg in one hand, she produced a silver hammer-like tool, tapping it against the ice.
Ding!
The sound rang out, resonating far beyond its volume. Even Du Wei, untrained in magic, felt the eerie reverberation pierce his soul, filling him with an instinctive dread.
A deafening roar erupted from within the iceberg. The ground shook as fissures spread across the ice's surface, each crack heralding the monster's impending escape.
"Watch closely, young Rowling heir," the ice queen said with an unsettling smile. "You're about to witness your first dragon."
Before Du Wei could process her words, the ice shattered in a thunderous explosion. Emerging from the icy prison was a colossal creature, its body armored in crystalline scales radiating cold. A massive horn crowned its brow, and its powerful wings unfurled with a mighty flap.
This was a dragon, an embodiment of destruction and majesty.
Below, Vivienne trembled but stood firm. From her robe, she withdrew a small wand and began chanting in an ancient, melodic language. Flames erupted behind her, forming a wall of fire so vast it seemed to touch the heavens. From within the inferno came a roar of equal power, echoing that of the dragon above.
The ice queen's confident demeanor faltered. "So, that old fool gave you the Crimson Flame Dragon…" Her voice grew icy again. "Very well, dear sister. Let's see whether your dragon's fire can melt mine, or if my frost will extinguish yours!"
Vivienne's chant reached a crescendo, and the battlefield shifted with the shimmer of teleportation magic. Du Wei, caught in the spell, found himself suddenly standing atop Half-Point Mountain.
The two sisters faced each other, dragons summoned, the air thick with magic and destiny. The clash was inevitable.