Clenching his teeth, Noah closed his fist. He wanted to touch her, but he couldn't. He shouldn't. The desire consumed him.

  According to the system warning, a minimal amount shouldn't be a problem, so... Infuse the energy... He sighed. Carefully, just to guide the flame outwards.

  His eyes wandered over the delicate, pale face, the lips and red hair streaked with a growing bluish hue. They drifted away. His focus faded faster than he expected.

  Passing over her clothes, he placed his palm lightly on her cold belly, closed his eyes and, not allowing himself to make a mistake, began to concentrate. His Qi entered her skin, going beyond the muscles and through the flesh, trying to approach Ting's inner flame. Even though it seemed easy to him, the process wasn't quick. Still, when the result came, it was more than obvious. The flame, which had seemed tiny before, suddenly grew into an intense blaze, enveloping her.

  Noah withdrew immediately, while her body was enveloped by blue flames before his eyes.

  Did it... work?

  She showed no signs of feeling anything, whether discomfort or pain, so he continued. He looked at the palm he had used, and in his hand, a small remnant of flame remained, connected by a thin thread of Qi that extended to Ting's body.

  Now all that's left is to absorb the flame, but the message left by the system doesn't explain this part in detail, it only says that the phoenix will act... Maybe I should get closer?

  Before he could do anything, when he looked toward the bed, he saw the flame detaching from her and leaping toward him. Something inside him vibrated and leapt out. Noah saw the phoenix appear before him in a reduced version, so that she and the fire rose to the ceiling after meeting.

  At first, Noah raised his eyes to follow the unique, majestic sight unfolding, and every gesture or the beating of the ever-growing wings was amazing. But while his side of the room was ablaze with scalding heat, the other half sank into absolute cold, instantly freezing everything, including the girl, who was no longer under the influence of the Icy Flame. He rushed to get her out of there. It was more than reflex, it was natural, conscious action. However, his legs suddenly weakened, so he collapsed onto the bed, only able to watch as, upon touching her, the ice on her hair and face stopped spreading.

  The wing beat, and the ceiling exploded.

  In a panic, the old man and the woman looked in the direction of the noise and only had time for that action. Their bodies were pressed to the ground by an overwhelming external force, and the phoenix appeared alongside the Icy Flame, coloring the skies and making them doubt their eyes.

  That is... impossible! A phoenix?!

  They couldn't believe it. It was impossible. A beast seen only in story books, something that, to beings as small as them, was nothing more than a fairy tale. This kind of creature was now melting their protective barrier and scorching one side of the forest with searing heat while the other was steadily frozen.

  Is that the Icy Flame? Did he... Did he make it...?! But what did that boy do, after all? Who is he? Or rather... what is he?

  Trying to get up was impossible, and moving only caused even more excruciating pain. Their breaths froze as they left, chins trembling. Yet, nothing could compare to the feeling of powerlessness and the realization of their insignificance that arose when the golden beak opened and the deafening roar echoed through the forest and beyond, covering the whole city.

  As the sky above the forest was torn with fire and ice and the nearby trees and beasts suffered these punishments, everyone in the city fell to the ground. Motionless bodies, crushed as if being trampled by something that couldn't even be bothered to show itself. None of them were worthy, and they knew it. So all they could do was accept the burning of their blood and feel it run from every orifice, as their homes were reduced to ashes or engulfed by impossible temperatures. Only this way could most survive until the creature decided to go there and wipe them out.

  Undric turned his eyes down the stairs, looking at the dark steps leading to the underground room.

  Mirabel...

  His worry was mounting, but also divided. Mirabel might have been safe, but Isadora was not in that place. She was walking near the flowers when her legs gave out, pressure pinned her and would not let go. The sound of something falling behind her reached her ears, along with a brief groan of pain. Isadora immediately wondered what the cause might be. Both father and daughter hurried down the stairs as quickly as they could, not that they wanted to, when all calmed down, and found Mirabel still motionless, immersed in untouchable darkness. Finally, they could both sigh in relief and catch their breath.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

  The old man forced the slightest movement from his eyes, making his vision turn red. The blood concentrated, and, if he forced a little more, he would be unable to see anything at all.

  Is this the method he talked about...? But what is he going to do with it now? Even if he pulled the Icy Flame out of Ting, it will need to go somewhere else...

  The phoenix beat its wings one last time, then grabbed the flames with its talons. When a drop slipped into its eye, the old man watched it descend back into the room.

  Is he going to seal it...?

  The heat vanished and the cold was gone in the blink of an eye. The pressure ceased.

  — Ling, are you okay...? — he asked, standing with the steady cracking of his bones.

  The pain would soon pass, the cracking would stop, he was counting on it.

  The woman nodded, but failed to get up. Her arms weren't strong enough to push herself.

  The old man pulled her up with much effort, almost failing, and together they walked back home, leaning on each other.

  — Stay here and rest a while. — he said, leaving her sitting on one of the chairs — I'll go check what happened.

  Climbing the stairs was a painful, slow, almost torturous process. He wasn't really climbing step after step, more like dragging himself, leaning more on the wall with every new movement. His chest tightened, his legs trembled, and his vision darkened at times. He could have collapsed right there. But he didn't. He reached the door, breathing heavily, using up what little strength he could muster with his aching throat and nose, raw and sore. If he had to continue much longer, he was certain he would give in.

  He lifted his hand to the door and paused. He trembled. He feared what might be on the other side.

  Is she alright, is she...? he wondered, knowing the answer might not please him.

  He bit his lower lip before giving himself a push. Not a step, he wouldn't be able to, but he threw himself inside. And after blinking, he was there. In an unrecognizable place where his hopes churned within his heart. He swallowed hard. His eyes hesitated to travel to the bed, where Ting lay untouched.

  Red tears fell with a step that failed. He knelt, only to crawl to her. Touching her face revealed the cold was gone and now Ting was breathing as calmly and lightly as she ever had before.

  The old man turned, leaning against the bed so that he could rest, to cry. Tears were his form of relief.

  — I... I did it, Zhenhui... She'll be able to live from now on. She'll be able to... — he looked at Noah — ...Thank you.

  His gratitude to the one who not only seemed to have thrown himself over Ting to protect her from the influence of the phoenix and the Icy Flame, but was also the one responsible for saving her, was impossible to measure in words. Anything... Even his life, if Noah asked for it, he would have given.

  But to think he would say something like that... He sighed. Is this a blessing or a curse? Zhenhui, you won't blame me, right...? I couldn't save her, and I won't be able to protect her either, so... You understand this is the only way?

  The old man stood, his knees cracking loudly.

  This boy is strange and maybe too dangerous to be wandering around so freely, but... I believe that's exactly why he's the perfect person to be at her side right now. Someone no one would dare to act against... I can't be that kind of existence, but he... if he's not already, maybe he'll reach that level soon.

  Enduring the pain, he lifted Noah and placed him beside Ting. However, while his unconscious body lay on the cozy bed, Noah's consciousness awakened somewhere else... Dark and lonely, or maybe... not as much as he would have liked.

  A bright, blinding light appeared far away, making him raise his hand to shield his eyes. It was not still, and ran through the inhospitable darkness. Its intensity increased as its altitude did the same, always dazzling, like a rising sun. Although that light kept getting overwhelmingly brighter, making his hand useless. Stopping it was impossible, so Noah saw no choice but to try to move away. Even so, he didn't get very far.

  Insurmountable and strange, seeming to move, a wall appeared to stop him. It wasn't wood or brick, much less earth. Its scaly composition was something that, by mere association, made him shudder. His steps continued almost automatically, seeking to move away from what he already suspected who the owner was.

  — You know, this time in particular, I really wish I was wrong... — he muttered as he turned and looked up at the vastness overhead.

  Rising in the darkness was the giant shadowy body, whose red scaly patches stood out even in that desolate place. The red eyes watched him, much brighter than the last time they met, as if, ironically, they seemed to be brimming with life.

  — So, if you're here, that light was... — he turned, watching the brightness and trying to see through it, only to catch a glimpse of a pair of wings moving for a split second — Of course...

  Both of them watched the wandering light in silence, waiting for something to happen. It came after a while, when everything went dark. The heat and brilliance of the phoenix disappeared. Noah thought it was over, but the half-dragon acted faster. Something exploded, sending its blue color everywhere.

  Is that... the Icy Flame?

  The intense cold froze his body and cracked his skin. But that wasn't his real body, he knew, so was it his very existence being affected? With the circulating darkness that seemed to surround him, he saw the red glow distinct in the shadows.

  ...Is he protecting me?

  The cold no longer haunted him.