Chapter 43: Is This the Northern Realm?

The ice wall behind was shattered one by one by Allen, but Anya didn’t spare a glance backward, only rushing upward with all her might.

The Altar grew clearer and clearer in her sight.

Suddenly, the six Torches surrounding her burst into flame without warning, as if silently welcoming her arrival.

Yet those flames weren’t the ordinary orange-red, but a strange, eerie purple, radiating an inexplicable sense of unease.

Bathed in the purple glow, the outline of the Altar became even more distinct.

Anya noticed that beside each Torch, a thick Chain was coiled, and at the other end, they were tightly locking down the ancient Heavy Sword at the center of the Altar.

The sinister light flowed over the sword’s blade, lending it an even more chilling aura.

“So this is the legendary Artifact?” Anya muttered to herself, filled with doubt.

Iris glanced around as well, but didn’t notice anything particularly special.

Resting her chin in her hand, she mused, “It should be, I guess. But where’s the secret realm? Did they really just leave the Heavy Sword out in the open like this?”

“Roar! Roar! Roar!” Allen had already charged up behind them.

At this moment, his eyes were bloodshot, murmuring words no one could understand, looking completely out of his mind.

“Found you, found you…” Allen kept repeating this as he lunged at Anya like a cannonball.

Anya’s heart tightened. She had lost her Heavy Sword down below for the sake of speed. Now, barehanded, she could only dodge clumsily, trying to avoid him.

But as she tried to move, she found she was as if under some Freeze Spell, locked in place, and she was seized by terror.

At the same time, Allen opposite her was also frozen, fist raised, his crazed expression fixed in place, chilling to behold.

“What’s going on?” Anya discovered she couldn’t even speak, not to mention move a finger.

The world seemed, at that instant, to have hit the Pause, leaving everything in deadly silence—only the purple flames on the Torches danced soundlessly.

“Iris!” Anya screamed in her heart, but the only reply was endless emptiness.

Anya had never experienced anything like this; her heart began to pound wildly, an inexplicable fear spreading inside her.

“Bzzz—”

A faint sound came from behind Anya. An overwhelming surge of Magical Power exploded forth, and the next instant, a powerful force pulled her back.

Anya only felt her body spinning out of control, the world whirling before her eyes.

The space around her seemed to be collapsing; she saw the Stone Steps under her feet shatter inch by inch, and she herself was plummeting into an endless Abyss.

Anya felt dizzy, about to lose consciousness against her will.

“Little Anya!”

Somewhere in the void, Anya seemed to hear Iris calling her. She struggled to open her heavy eyelids, reaching out for that hand, but ultimately, she couldn’t resist the encroaching darkness and slipped into unconsciousness.

“Hey, wake up, you’re not dead, are you?”

A clear, crisp girl’s voice sounded in her ear, rousing Anya from her faint.

She sat up abruptly, the memory of Iris calling her flashing through her mind.

“Iris!”

“Iris? Who’s that? That’s not my name.” The reply came from a black-haired girl.

The girl’s features were sweet, yet she had a chilly, distant air that seemed to keep people at arm’s length. Right now, she sat beside Anya, arms crossed, wearing a look of utter disdain.

“Who are you? Where am I?” Anya asked blankly, glancing around.

She found herself in a dense Forest, sunlight streaming down, the breeze brushing past with a hint of coolness.

“That’s how you treat your savior? Not even a word of thanks? I just saved you from a Wolf, you know.” The black-haired girl puffed out her cheeks, clearly displeased.

Anya finally came back to her senses. She pinched her own cheek, confirmed she wasn’t dreaming, and said with some embarrassment, “Sorry, I was rude just now. If you really saved me as you say, thank you very much. My name is Anya. May I ask, Miss, what should I call you?”

She quickly collected herself; in unfamiliar territory, a lapse in manners was understandable.

“At least you know what’s what!” The black-haired girl hugged her arms and raised her chin. “Saving you wasn’t anything major. My name is Zephyra. Since fate has brought us together, you should just become my maid!”

“Huh?” Anya’s eyes widened, her head tilting in confusion.

“What, you’re unwilling?” Zephyra frowned slightly. “Do you even know who I am? Being my maid is an honor and a privilege!”

“Never heard of you, not interested.” Anya shrugged and stood up, shaking her still-dizzy head.

“Hey, hey, hey! You—! I saved your life, and you dare talk to me like that? Damn it, are you looking for trouble!” Zephyra saw Anya’s disinterested attitude and immediately jumped up, pointing at Anya and yelling.

“Enough already.” Anya looked around. “I’m more curious where this is, and where you’re from. Why is it that in a place this big, there are only the two of us?”

She realized that in this vast Forest, aside from the cries of birds and insects, there really seemed to be only the two of them.

“This is the Northern Border. Wait, why am I answering you? With that attitude, I should’ve let the Wolf eat you!” Zephyra said with hands on hips, cheeks puffed up in anger.

“Northern Border?” Anya looked confused, glancing about in disbelief. Finally, she asked again, “I didn’t hear wrong, right? This is the Northern Border?”

“That’s right, this is the Northern Border. I’ve lived here for so long—I should know where I am! But you, jumping at shadows, don’t tell me you’re from somewhere else?” Zephyra’s eyes narrowed as she scrutinized Anya up and down.

Anya was momentarily speechless. This lively, thriving scene was nothing like the Northern Border as she knew it. Plus, she didn’t know how she’d come here at all. It was all too bizarre.

After a moment’s silence, Anya decided to try once more, calling for Iris.

But only silence answered her—she couldn’t even sense the System.

“Even the Converter doesn’t work anymore…” Anya clenched her hand, her tone tinged with disappointment.

“What are you muttering about, Anya?” Zephyra came closer, circling around Anya, puzzled. “Something’s off. From the look of you, you don’t seem like an outsider. How can you not know the Northern Border? It’s one thing not to know me, but to not know your own homeland? That’s a bit much, isn’t it?”

Anya could only feel helpless at her words. She hadn’t even gotten the chance to ask why the Northern Border looked like this, yet the other girl was already questioning her.

“Miss Zephyra, may I ask, which family are you from?” Anya pressed down the doubts in her heart and asked.

She had no choice; upon waking, the only person around was this strange girl. If Iris were still here, she wouldn’t even bother talking to her.

“So you really don’t know.” Zephyra sighed, then lifted her head proudly and declared, “I’m not from any family. I am Zephyra Nordrak, the current Princess of the Dragon Clan!”