The Freed Slaves Are Obsessed

"Let’s gooooooo!"

The deep, thunderous battle cry of the dwarves erupted.

From the underground bunker, dwarves poured out in waves, flooding the streets of Doomheim.

Carrying dwarven-made torches soaked in the oil of monstrous beasts, they wielded a searing flame that defied the bitter cold threatening to consume their city.

Divided into eight groups, the dwarves moved in chaotic unison, heading for their homes along the city’s avenues.

"It seems Wulbram succeeded in persuading them," Karami observed.

"Yes," Ashies replied.

Narrowing her eyes, Skadia looked down at the scene below with disinterest, letting out a derisive snort.

"Hmph. Whatever they’re scheming is meaningless. The dwarves will return to being slaves, living under the rule of dragons once more."

"Meaningless, you say. Are you sure about that?"

"Do you honestly believe that pitiful swarm of insects could turn the tide of this battle?"

"Of course not."

"What?"

Skadia’s response faltered at Karami’s unexpected answer.

"They’ll never succeed. So why not leave them alone and let them flail about?"

"Hah! I thought you had something worthwhile to say, but it’s just the prattling of a pathetic creature. Fine. I won’t interfere with their little antics."

"Do you swear it?"

"How dare you, a mere human, demand an oath from me—"

"Oh? Why the hesitation? Are you planning to go back on your word later? That’s not very becoming of you."

Skadia’s eye twitched in annoyance.

This trembling wretch, barely peeking out from behind Ashies, had the audacity to run his mouth. She couldn’t fathom why Ashies would even tolerate such a creature.

"Fine. If you’re so eager for my assurance, I will grant it. I swear not to interfere with whatever foolishness your kind is up to."

"Is that a promise?"

"Don’t get too excited, insignificant insect. Once I’ve swallowed every last one of those dwarves, I’ll chew you to pieces."

Karami responded with an unfazed grin, his calm demeanor only fueling Skadia’s irritation as her gaze shifted back to the city below.

The underground city of Doomheim, once a haven for the dwarves, was now blanketed in frost and ice.

"Hm?"

From one corner of the frozen city, a single spark of light flickered.

It was small and faint, trembling in the darkness.

Clang.

The first strike of a hammer echoed softly, breaking the eerie silence of Doomheim.

A second ember awakened. The faint light grew brighter, accompanied by another strike of the hammer. The sharp, resolute sound cut through the darkness like a blade.

A third ember ignited. Light and sound chased each other, growing stronger and more vibrant. As the crimson glow of forges began to stain the icy walls, the hammering became louder and more relentless.

The fourth ember, then the fifth. One by one, flames were born, pushing back the darkness. The glow spread, and the hammers sang louder and deeper.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Before anyone realized it, all of Doomheim had synchronized with the rhythm.

It was no longer the sound of hammers—it was the heartbeat of the earth itself.

When every forge was alight, the interconnected ley lines illuminated the underground city in a dazzling display.

Light and sound.

Fire and steel.

The dwarves’ song filled the air, blending everything into one harmonious force.

"What... is this?" Skadia muttered.

If the sky had its stars, then the dwarves had their fire—a blazing Milky Way of forges.

The dwarves’ passion and souls flowed through the ley lines, channeling their energy into Magmar’s Heart.

Clang—! Clang—!

Inside the core chamber of Magmar’s Heart, Torvar struck the dying ember with his hammer.

Sparks flew in every direction.

The massive forge roared back to life, fueled by the dwarves’ collective flames.

Despite the sweat pouring down his face and the suffocating heat, Torvar didn’t stop.

As the Ember Keeper, he carried out his duty with unwavering determination.

Beyond the shattered door, Ferca watched in awe.

"Wow..."

She burned the sight into her memory.

The Meister every dwarf admired, hammering the dying ember with sheer force of will.

Her pupils reflected the blazing flames, her heartbeat resonating with the hammer’s rhythm. Her dwarven blood stirred in response.

The ice enveloping Doomheim began to melt.

"You dare defy me with such nonsense!" Skadia roared.

"Wow, really? After swearing not to interfere, you’re actually doing it? Is that what dragons call honor?"

"Did you really think a dragon like me would keep a promise to a human?"

"I figured as much, you miserable bitch," Karami cursed inwardly.

"Centuries of life, and you’ve learned no shame. Isn’t that right?" he said aloud.

"Yes," Ashies replied, unfazed.

Skadia ignored Karami’s mocking tone. For some reason, even speaking to him made her uncontrollably irritated.

She began preparing her magic, aiming to snuff out the ember that had reignited.

Karami moved as well. His role here was over.

It was time to pass the baton to Ashies.

Ashies stood, turning to look at Karami. She extended her hand toward him.

"Your hand."

"...What?"

"Hold my hand."

So that’s what she wanted.

It wasn’t a difficult request.

Karami placed his hand over hers.

Ashies flinched slightly at the sudden warmth but didn’t pull away. Instead, she stared at him, as if waiting for something more.

Karami chuckled softly, understanding the gesture.

"You’re a greedy slave. At this rate, I’m not sure who’s the master and who’s the slave anymore."

Intertwining their fingers tightly, he made sure their hands wouldn’t separate easily.

"Will this do?"

"...Yes."

"Go, then."

He let go of her hand.

Ashies, holding onto the warmth that lingered, leapt forward with grace.

*****

The heat and roaring cheers of Doomheim filled the air.

Magmar’s Heart, now blazing with the passion and souls of the dwarves, burned hotter than ever before.

The Absolute Zero Domain began to melt, suppressing the bitter cold.

Skadia was rapidly losing her strength.

To him, Magmar’s Heart was the ultimate antithesis.

"These persistent pests. Still refusing to give up!"

This was becoming dangerous. He needed to end this quickly.

Skadia lifted his head high, jaws opening wide.

The air spiraled into his mouth, forming a ferocious vortex that wrapped around his body.

A deep, blue radiance began to glow from his maw.

It was the breath that could blanket the world in ice.

The third breath of Skadia was preparing to descend upon Doomheim.

Even though Magmar’s Heart had regained its power, it couldn’t shield them from such a direct assault.

Ashies moved to block Skadia’s path head-on.

"You still dare to resist me!"

"...Yes."

"Fine. Then resist all you like. Witness the full extent of my power!"

The light erupted like an explosion.

Skadia unleashed a breath of ice, compressed to its absolute limit.

A piercing, blue beam shot straight toward Ashies.

Ashies raised her sword, drawing on all her magical power to erect a barrier.

The icy radiance engulfed her.

CRRRRACK!

"Urgh...!"

The deafening sound of shattering ice filled the air as the protective barrier cracked and splintered.

Even within it, Ashies wasn’t unscathed. The cold seeping through far exceeded her own frosty aura, spreading like spiderwebs across her skin.

The chill pierced her mind and soul, echoing the atrocities Skadia had inflicted on her in the past.

It sought to render her once again into a doll devoid of emotion.

Though Ashies had high resistance to cold, she was up against Skadia, the master of ice. Fighting her with ice magic alone was a theoretical impossibility.

"Why do you not understand my heart? You are different from those insects. Mixing with them will reduce you to just another ordinary human. Is that the future you desire?"

"I don’t... know."

She had never thought of herself as beautiful.

Never considered herself different from others.

She didn’t even understand what it meant to "become ordinary."

What she did know was that she was foolish.

She didn’t understand what Skadia was saying.

She didn’t understand what she herself was feeling.

She didn’t even know what emotions she should have.

But.

Ashies looked down at her right hand.

The warmth that lingered there refused to fade.

His touch.

His heat.

It was still there.

She clenched that warmth in her hand.

"I don’t want to let go."

Now she understood.

She finally understood why the people of Lake Fortress had grieved Darca’s death.

She didn’t want to be separated from him.

"I want to stay with him."

The people of Lake Fortress.

The dwarves of Doomheim.

She wanted to watch them laugh and talk from beside him.

And most of all, she wanted to be with him.

This feeling, this desire—no one could take it from her.

The emotions Ashies cherished combined with the warmth in her hand, melting away the ice that had been consuming her.

At that moment—

Crack.

Like a bird breaking free from its shell, the ice encasing Ashies fractured and shattered.

Her brilliantly blue pupils glowed with magical light.

A surge of frosty white and red energy erupted around her in a storm. She poured it into her sword, then swung the blade in a diagonal arc.

The slash cleaved through the breath.

"What?!"

It wasn’t just Ashies’s magic that severed the breath.

A faint crimson haze enveloped her—a gift from Magmar’s Heart, which had resonated with her newfound passion.

"Strike the heart! Burn the soul! Forge the legend!"

The earth pulsed with life, and Ashies’s slow heartbeat began to sync with its rhythm.

CLANG!

Each strike of the dwarves’ hammers sent sparks flying into the air, imbued with their sweat and passion.

Those sparks flowed into ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) Ashies.

"Hot..."

It was beyond warmth—she was burning.

The dwarves were blacksmiths. Their role was to forge weapons for heroes.

And now, Ashies herself had become a weapon, growing stronger with every strike of their hammers.

She was no longer alone. She carried the strength of countless others with her.

With this—

"I can do it."

Ice wings unfolded on Ashies’s back.

She cut through the breath and surged toward Skadia. In one swift motion, she reached the dragon and slashed upward with her blade.

CRACK!

"Khak!"

The blade struck Skadia’s jaw, forcing his mouth shut and abruptly halting the breath.

But Ashies didn’t stop.

She pressed the attack, slashing relentlessly.

Each flash of her sword sent Skadia reeling, the dragon staggering from blow to blow.

As Ashies grew stronger with Magmar’s power, Skadia weakened. The prolonged battle had drained him, and now the balance of power was tipping in Ashies’s favor.

The time spent wearing down Skadia’s stamina was finally paying off. Victory was now within Ashies’s grasp.

But Skadia, recovering from his initial shock, quickly regained composure.

No matter how fierce Ashies’s assault, she had yet to deal a decisive blow.

Meanwhile, the sound of hammers was fading.

The dwarves’ passion, their energy, was being poured into Ashies, but even dwarves couldn’t hammer indefinitely.

If he could hold out just a little longer, victory would still be his.

Or so Skadia believed—until Ashies aimed for the underside of his wing.

In a panic, Skadia flapped his wings to create a gust of wind.

"Coincidence...?"

The thought crossed his mind briefly, but Ashies kept targeting the same spot. It was no coincidence.

Skadia was alarmed.

"How does the princess know...?!"

Ashies was targeting his weak spot—his reverse scale.

Though favored by Skadia, she had never been told where it was. And yet, she knew exactly where to strike.

Ashies recalled Karami’s words from before the battle.

"Listen carefully. Dragons are strong, but they’re a masochistic species that expose their weak points for all to see."

"It’s called the reverse scale. For Skadia, it’s the dark-colored scale inside the base of his wing. Aim for that spot—it’ll drive him insane."

Ashies’s actions declared her intent:

With this sword, I will kill you.

For the first time in his long life, Skadia felt fear. And alongside it, anger.

"How dare you, a mere girl, think you can kill me!"

Skadia swung his claws, but they were deflected by Ashies’s blade.

Even if he revoked her blessing now, it wouldn’t matter.

The balance of power had already shifted irreversibly.

His arrogance and carelessness had led him here.

"I need to retreat..."

Turning his back, Skadia prepared to flee.

It was the first poor decision he’d ever made, born of terror. It was tantamount to asking Ashies to finish him.

She didn’t miss the opportunity.

Swoosh!

Accelerating, Ashies leapt onto Skadia’s back.

Grabbing his massive wing, she wrenched it open, exposing the lone, dark scale.

Skadia tried to shake her off with reckless maneuvers, spewing icy fog and firing spiked shards, but Ashies clung tightly to his wing, unmoving.

"Stop this, princess! I gave you my blessing—I am as good as your parent!"

"..."

"Fine! Don’t you want to return to your kingdom? I’ll release the king and queen! I’ll restore your memories and emotions—whatever you want!"

Humiliating as it was, Skadia held back his pride.

If he could survive just this once, he could reclaim control.

But it was too late.

Karami had ensured long ago that Ashies wouldn’t falter.

Drawing on all her remaining strength, Ashies infused her blade with crimson heat and frosty blue magic. The clashing forces combined into a single, lethal strike.

"Princess!" Skadia roared.

Ashies quietly murmured, "I’m... sleepy."

"What?"

"I want to sleep."

In his arms.

With that, Ashies, expressionless, drove her sword into Skadia’s reverse scale.

*****

The dragon falls.

The once fearsome creature that had threatened the world crashes to the ground.

The impact ripples instantly across the globe.

"Chieftain! The sky!"

At Lake Fortress.

The villagers look up.

The clouds that had blanketed the frozen tundra of Isengar for ages begin to dissipate. The relentless blizzards subside. The unnatural cold vanishes.

The sky clears, revealing countless sparkling stars and the vibrant glow of auroras.

"Chieftain, it looks like they actually pulled it off."

"..."

Jorn quietly gazed at the sky, recalling the fairy tales Darca had once told him.

Not only that, but the cities and people frozen by Skadia begin to thaw.

In Doomheim, the dwarves stop their hammering and watch as the icy crystals around them disintegrate.

Ferca, and the seven dwarves alongside her, stand in stunned silence.

Meanwhile, Karami is perched atop the ice bird, soaring leisurely through the sky. Having overcome yet another towering obstacle, he drifts into contemplation.

A shadow falls over him.

Snowflakes descend from the sky.

Ashies lands.

Without a word, she sits beside him as if it’s the most natural thing in the world, then lays her head on his lap.

She lets out a small yawn before closing her eyes.

Before long, the soft, steady sound of her breathing fills the quiet air.

Karami gives a wry smile as he gently strokes her hair.

Though Magmar’s heat had faded, Ashies was undeniably warm.