The altitude sickness made Illyia queasy, but it was nothing compared to the torture of being stuck inside.

  “How lovely,” thought Illyia, sweeping her fingers through a mound of fresh snow. The cold pricked at her fingertips, melting on her slender fingers. The city of Kharburn was stuck year-round in a relatively warm climate, so even though it had only been a few days since she and the sisterhood had left, this much snow was a welcome surprise. She never quite felt at home in the capital despite living there for fifteen years. Yes, the warmth was nice, but she was always warm, always the damn same feeling. Here, the biting frost made her feel alive. She pulled down the hood of her cloak as she sucked in a breath of cold air through her dark brown mask.

  Though, like father always said, “Good things must come to an end.”

  He’d always made sure of that.

  “Found the little bugger,” said Lathloss, peeking through the spyglass and perched on a cliff. The sister of penance closed the long cylindrical tube and strapped it to her belt, turning to Illyia

  Despite Lathloss’s own mask, however, she could just feel the condescension oozing through her steely gaze.

  “I still can’t believe you; you know that?” said Lathloss.

  “Believe me or not, the permission was granted all the same. Where’s the target?” said Illyia.

  “11’o’clock. Roughly 300 meters. But we gave you freedom! You’d still be prancing around at tea parties if not for-,” said Lathloss.

  Illyia leaped off the cliff with a backflip, smirking at Lathloss behind her mask before diving through the air. The wind whistled in her ears, drowning out the sound of the sister’s cursing as she plummeted. She thrust out her left hand, summoning a pearly white skill orb.

  As Illyria's skill came to life, she howled with laughter as she slid on her backside down the jagged cliffside, quickly twisting her body as she flipped up onto her feet. Adrenaline coursed through her veins as she reveled in the thrill! She surfed down the rocky terrain, kicking up wakes of frosty snow as her skill weaved her around each nook and crag.

  This was it! This was real freedom! Lathloss was wrong, the sisterhood hadn’t freed her, just bound her in a different way. She felt bitter just thinking about it. She would have her freedom.

  Or she’d die trying.

  Illyia stretched out her hand, aiming at the tip of a nearby Pinetree.

  She felt her feet lift off the ground as she was launched in the air, soaring above treetops as she lurched upwards. Taking in a deep breath of crisp mountain air as she soared above the treetops, Illyia quickly stabilized herself, scanning the area like a hawk. As her eyes darted between the near-infinite rows of pine needles and trees, finally, she spotted a small figure trudging in the snow.

  “There!”

  A well-built man with a thick fur coat stomped through the snow below, slowly making his way up a steady incline as he hauled a large brown sack on his shoulders.

  Illyia stretched out her hand, activating her pull skill.

  Using the falling snow as camouflage, Illyia burst through the air with a twirl as she drew a thin silvery dagger from its hilt.

  Before the man could even react, Illyia blinked to his side. The man yelped as Illyia slid the dagger across the man’s left wrist before he could even react. A spray of blood dyed the snow red as Illyia leaped back, readying her dagger as she lowered her stance.

  The man howled in tongues, as he dropped the bag and drew his sword from its scabbard. The man charged Illyia, swinging the sword wildly with a flurry of chops as the blade rolled harmlessly off her body. Before he could even blink, Illyia dashed into the man’s body, landing another clean cut on the man’s wrist as blood splattered over her mask.

  The man dropped the sword with a roar. Panic filled his face as he desperately tried to slam his arms down on the slim girl but to no avail. He couldn’t find purchase on her body as his arms slipped harmlessly off Illyia.

  She quickly circled the man, blinking behind his back and making another two quick cuts on the tendons in his heels. The man dropped to the ground, writhing in pain as he squirmed helplessly in the snow.

  Illyia looked away, she knew that it was all for a purpose, but it was still difficult to experience all the same.

  A few moments later, Illyia turned around to see Lathloss standing over the now-dead man’s body, wiping blood off her blade.

  A silent and efficient kill. This is what the sisterhood wanted her to become, a heartless killing machine. She couldn’t help but curse her younger self’s foolishness. There was no such thing in this world as a free meal. She’d accepted their bargain of freedom but simply ended up chained another way instead.

  “No longer,” thought Illyia, looking at Lathloss in disgust.

  “That’s one,” said Lathloss, walking towards the large brown sack that the man had dropped.

  “What about the other?”

  “No time. The Grand Academy is starting school early, you’ll be heading back.”

  “It is?” said Illyia, “So what do I do now?”

  “Leave,” said Lathloss. “like the coward you are,”

  Illyia’s temper flared. “Already attempting to,” she spat.

  Lathloss ignored her comment and rummaged through the large brown sack as Illyia peeked over her shoulders but recoiled at the sight.

  There were no skill orbs or treasure. Neither gold nor precious metals. Inside was the carcass of a creature with a carapace of deep black with legs that could tear through flesh like butter. The smell was putrid and even dead, the creature emanated a terrifying aura.

  “What in the world is that?!”

  Lathloss zipped the bag closed and slung it over her shoulder.

  “None of your damned business anymore,” said Lathloss. “Come, time to leave.”