FROST

"From now on, I will be with you, my ass..." Silvermist groaned, throwing herself back against the chair as frustration clawed at her chest.

Frost's words echoed in her mind, mocking her with their false promises. "I will be with you." What a lie. He had led her into the Guardians' realm, given her no choice but to follow him, and yet—where was he now?

She scoffed, crossing her arms. "The audacity."

Across from her, Ezekiel sighed, rubbing his temple as if already exhausted by her complaints. "Badmouthing your master is taboo, you know." He glanced at Sebastian, who remained silent, arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against the desk.

"How am I not supposed to?" Silvermist shot back. "He said he'd be with me when I came here. I thought he was going to help me figure things out, but now? He's avoiding me like I'm some kind of disease!"

Sebastian, who had been quiet since they returned to East's office, finally exhaled, his expression unreadable. "Look, even East has no idea what's going on. None of the Guardians do."

Silvermist frowned. "What do you mean?"

Ezekiel leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "The twelve apprentices were supposed to be officially introduced at the auditorium earlier, but East was quick to get you out of there before that could happen."

Silvermist's stomach tightened. She already had a sinking suspicion, but she needed to hear it from him. "For what exactly?"

Ezekiel hesitated. His gaze flickered from her to the floor, as if trying to choose his words carefully. "East didn't say much. We haven't heard anything from the Moon King either," he admitted. "But if I put all the pieces together, I believe..."

He trailed off.

"Believe what?" Silvermist pressed.

Ezekiel exhaled sharply. "Frost is reacting to your presence."

The words landed like a punch to her gut. "What?"

Sebastian nodded solemnly. "It makes sense. The moment you stepped into this realm, something shifted. Frost has never acted like this before. And now, the staffs are cracking, the Guardians are on edge, and you—" He gestured at her. "You're standing at the center of it all."

Silvermist clenched her fists. "Why? Is it because of my emotions? My anger?" Her voice rose, frustration and confusion tangled in her words. "I'm not all hate, you know. I—I love my family. I was loved. I was—"

She faltered. The words tasted bitter in her mouth.

Her chest tightened as memories flashed before her—her mother's cold indifference, her father's absence, the hollow feeling of never being enough. She had spent so much time convincing herself she was loved, that she belonged somewhere.

But deep down—

"Tarnished," she whispered.

A heavy silence followed.

Ezekiel and Sebastian exchanged glances, but neither spoke.

Silvermist bit her lip. "Is that why? Because I'm... impure?"

Sebastian's expression darkened. "I don't think it's about impurity, Silvermist. But something inside you is interfering with Frost's nature."

Ezekiel tapped his fingers against his knee, thoughtful. "Or maybe... Frost is interfering with yours."

Before Silvermist could say another word, the office door swung open with a sharp creak, hitting the wall with a dull thud.

Everyone turned just as West stumbled in, his usually pristine appearance looking as though he had just fought a battle. His dark hair was a mess, strands sticking up as if he had run his hands through it too many times. His uniform, which was always neatly pressed, was now crumpled and slightly askew, his tie loosened and one sleeve rolled up higher than the other. Dark circles framed his eyes, making him look dangerously close to collapsing.

"What on earth happened to you?" Ezekiel was the first to recover from the shock, his brows shooting up.

Silvermist and Sebastian exchanged glances, equally taken aback, but neither spoke. West was always composed—calculating, quiet, almost untouchable. But now?

He looked utterly drained.

West let out a tired groan, rubbing the back of his neck as he leaned against the doorframe. "If you overuse your abilities, you'll find out soon enough," he muttered, voice rough with exhaustion.

He ruffled his hair absently, trying to smooth it down before half-heartedly straightening his uniform. There was something off about his movements—sluggish, uncharacteristically careless. He didn't spare them another glance as he crossed the room, heading straight for the Victorian couch in the corner.

Without a word, he dropped onto it, his body sinking into the cushions like all the energy had been drained from him.

A heavy silence settled in the room.

Even without speaking, everyone could sense his annoyance, the way he pressed his fingers against his temple as if trying to shut out the world.

Ezekiel, however, leaned slightly toward Silvermist and whispered, "East's personality contradicts his. Being lively back there must have drained his social energy."

Silvermist bit the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling.

"So, about what you said to East earlier," Sebastian cleared his throat, breaking the silence. "Something about the purification Frost told you? Did he say anything about the process?"

Silvermist exhaled sharply, shaking her head. "No, nothing." Her fingers curled into fists on her lap. "Supposedly, it was supposed to happen tomorrow… but I guess that's not going to happen anymore?"

Sebastian and Ezekiel exchanged looks before Ezekiel muttered, "Maybe not."

"East was just as surprised as we were," he continued, leaning back against the desk. "He didn't know anything about the purification Frost was talking about. Which means…"

"Frost planned to take matters into his own hands," Sebastian finished the thought, "but before he could, he started losing control."

Silvermist felt her chest tighten. "W-What should I do then?" Her voice came out strained, her nails pressing against her palm. "We can't let this go on, right? The Moon King will step in, won't he?"

"Calm down," Ezekiel reassured her with a small smile, though his eyes held something unreadable. "We'll figure things out. For now, focus on training. If you can figure out your abilities and control them, you might be able to help Frost yourself."

A cold scoff cut through the air.

"Give it up."

Silvermist turned, surprised to see West finally speaking. His voice was laced with exhaustion, his fingers rubbing slow circles against his temples, eyes still closed.

Sebastian and Ezekiel also turned their attention toward him.

"I was near him," West said, his voice unusually quiet yet heavy with meaning. "He was on the verge of creating havoc. His coldness wasn't just spreading—it was growing exponentially. So much so that Tim had to step in."

Silvermist blinked. "Tim?"

West finally opened his eyes, sharp and calculating. "The Time Guardian," he clarified. "He had to reverse Frost's time to prevent him from stepping into the auditorium. I heard they'd seal him for the meantime."

The room fell into stunned silence.

"Wait, what?" Ezekiel was the first to break it. "Is that even possible?"

West exhaled through his nose, his gaze unfazed. "They're Guardians. Gods, basically. This realm belongs to them. They can do whatever they want… as long as it doesn't cause too much imbalance."

"What about the apprentices inside? What happened to them?" Ezekiel asked once again, turning his full attention to West who only shrugged.

"I don't know. I've seen what happened, but I guess all of them didn't or maybe one of the guardians altered everyone's memories. Must be to protect everyone's peace of mind. Who knows."

West finally opened his eyes, sharp and unreadable, locking onto Silvermist without even bothering to turn his head. "You've caused too much in one day, haven't you?"

His words cut like ice, unrelenting and matter-of-fact.

Sebastian, who had been silent the entire time, suddenly looked away, as if the bookshelves and dim lanterns of East's office had suddenly become far more interesting. He wasn't going to disagree—West had a point. They were on the same wavelength, after all.

Sebastian was just a little more understanding.

"Oh, come on now, West," Ezekiel interjected, his tone lighter, attempting to push away the suffocating tension. "Everyone make mistakes, and mistakes can be straightened out."

West scoffed, his voice filled with quiet scorn. "Mistakes and sins have a clear line between them, Kiel. Don't keep defending a tarnished soul."

Silence followed.

Ezekiel clenched his fists, his jaw tightening. He knew West was right. And deep down, so did Silvermist.

But still…

He didn't want her to break under the weight of it. He didn't want her to feel like there was no way out. Because if she lost control—if she lost herself—then what was left? Chaos?

His heart twisted in his chest when Silvermist suddenly dropped to her knees.

Sebastian and Ezekiel both startled, their eyes widening in surprise. Even West's expression briefly flickered with something—something like shock—but it was gone just as fast as it appeared.

"Sil—" Ezekiel barely had time to react before she bowed, her forehead nearly touching the cold marble floor.

"I'm so sorry."

Her voice didn't waver. It was steady, strong. And yet—there was raw, undeniable sincerity in it, something that sent an unexplainable weight through the air.

"I-I'll t-try my best to fix everything, but please, please help me," Silvermist's voice trembled as she clutched her hands tightly, desperation clouding her eyes. "No one knows I am Frost's apprentice except for Adeline and someone I knew, but I believe only the three of you can help me."

Her resolve wavered, and in a final act of desperation, she moved to press her forehead to the floor—a plea for help, a silent surrender. But before she could, Ezekiel was quicker, his hand sliding between her and the ground, stopping her just in time.

"Hush now, Sil. Of course, I'll help," he said, his voice steady and warm, as if his presence alone was enough to hold her world together. He guided her back to her seat, his movements careful yet firm, as though he feared she might break.

A small smile tugged at his lips as he tucked a stray strand of her hair behind her ear. "And it's not okay for a lady to fall on her knees in front of men. Keep your chin high."

His hand rested lightly on her head, a touch so gentle it made Silvermist's breath hitch. "Frost is a Guardian, a god. He might be struggling, but you two will figure things out. While he's fighting his demons, I'll be the one to stay with you for now."

Ezekiel had always been a presence she couldn't quite decipher, but right now, he felt like a lighthouse in her never-ending night. A comfort she never realized she needed until now.

She wanted to speak, to thank him, to say something—anything—but her throat closed up. No words came.

"Oh, please, Kiel. Save your cheesy words for when we're not around," Sebastian scoffed, arms crossed over his chest.

West merely blinked at the scene, his expression unreadable before he turned away, looking utterly disgusted.

Ezekiel sighed dramatically, gesturing toward them. "See? That's the reason why I'll be the only one to stay with you... They're basically useless."

Silvermist giggled, the tension in her shoulders easing ever so slightly. Ezekiel felt a quiet relief wash over him at the sight—at least, for a moment, she wasn't drowning in the weight of her burdens.

But then his expression grew serious as he reached for her wrist, gently pulling it toward him. Silvermist watched curiously, her breath catching when his hand hovered over the snowflake mark that Frost had left on her skin.

To her surprise, the mark shimmered, shifting like rippling water. A faint glow spread from the center, and suddenly, it changed—where once there was only frost, now flames licked around the edges, intertwining with the ice like a delicate yet powerful balance of opposing forces.

Silvermist's eyes widened. "What...?"

"Now, we're also connected." Ezekiel smiled, his crimson hair catching the light as he met her gaze.

Sebastian, who had been observing in silence, finally spoke up, his brow furrowing. "Hold up, doesn't that affect Frost's mark on her?"

"Nope," Ezekiel shook his head with certainty. "I didn't touch anything. As a matter of fact, I couldn't. Guardian marks can't be broken by a mere apprentice's spell."

He turned back to Silvermist, his voice dipping into something softer, something reassuring. "You can summon me whenever you want from now on."

Silvermist blinked, stunned by the revelation, before her lips curled into a grateful smile. "Thank you, Kiel."

"Don't mention it," he said, ruffling her hair. "Now run along. Go back to Adeline and get ready for the next activities."

With a final glance at him, Silvermist nodded and stood up. As she walked away, she felt lighter—like, for the first time in a long while, she wasn't entirely alone.

The moment she disappeared from sight, the air in the room shifted.

West, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. His voice was low, edged with something unreadable. "Why do you go above and beyond for that woman?"

Ezekiel turned to him, his usual playful demeanor slipping into something more solemn. His gaze drifted for a second, lost in thought, before he smiled—not his usual grin, but something softer.

"She kinda reminds me of someone."