After twenty-three days of marching, they had finally reached the Frozen Sea.
There had been several monster attacks along the way, but thanks to Legion leading the frontlines, almost none had reached the rear. The noble knights and holy knights were able to handle whatever stragglers managed to break through.
However, the more they witnessed Legion's power, the stronger their desire to claim him for the Holy Church became. A Celestial Knight was too valuable to serve a single person, especially an Empress who lacked authority.
With every battle he fought, the respect and admiration of the Holy Knights for Legion grew.
Unlike other high-ranking knights, who would boast of their victories, Legion never sought recognition. After every battle, he simply remained silent.
And since the Holy Order allowed even commoners to rise in rank as long as they possessed high light-affinity magic, many of the commoner-born holy knights had started gravitating toward Legion.
"Celestial Knight."
A holy knight approached Legion as he adjusted the reins of his borrowed horse, one that had been provided to him by the Holy Order for the march.
"The Duke is requesting your presence. He's in the dining tent with the other commanders."
"I'll handle the rest, Legion," Mara offered.
Legion gave her a curt nod before following the holy knight.
Inside the large command tent, every high-ranking officer participating in the expedition was already seated.
The moment Legion stepped inside, he immediately felt the disdain from some of the nobles, especially Sir Draven, whose smug expression suggested he knew something amusing at Legion's expense.
"You called for me, Your Majesty?" Legion asked, giving a slight bow toward Duke Aurelian.
The Duke was watching him intently, brows furrowed, as if trying to figure out something that didn't make sense.
"We have arrived at the Frozen Sea. Tomorrow, before dawn, us frontliners will check the three islets."
Aurelian gestured toward the map spread before him, pointing at the three small islands that formed a triangle within the frozen waters.
"You will be joining us," the Duke continued. "However, you must leave that woman behind with the rest of the non-combatants. We cannot afford distractions from you."
"Tomorrow's mission is crucial, Celestial Knight," Saintess Xul added, her voice gentle yet persuasive.
"If we succeed, this expedition will be over, and we will finally end the yearly expeditions. This is the final one."
Legion remained still, standing a few steps away from the table. "I understand, Your Majesty. Is there anything else?"
Before Aurelian could respond, Sir Draven spoke up, a smirk tugging at his lips.
"Is it true?" he asked, voice dripping with amusement.
Legion narrowed his eyes. "What are you talking about?"
Sir Draven's grin widened.
"That you're the Empress's lover."
A sharp ringing filled Legion's ears.
His jaw tightened, his fists clenching subtly.
His gaze flickered toward the Saintess, realization dawning.
So she had spread it.
He had only admitted it to her in frustration, hoping it would stop her from seducing him and summoning him to her tent.
Saintesses were supposed to have exceptional decorum.
Clearly, he had been mistaken.
By the time this expedition was over, the entire royal court would know about what happened between him and the Empress.
It wasn't uncommon for an Emperor or Empress to have lovers, but their lovers were always nobles.
Legion was just a commoner.
This revelation would further weaken the Empress's influence, and if she found out he had carelessly let this slip, she would hate him for it.
He had no right to tell anyone.
Especially since that night had only happened once.
Legion took a deep breath, suppressing his growing anger.
"Whatever my relationship is with the Empress, I do not think it is any of your business, Sir Draven."
Draven raised his hands in mock surrender.
"Don't get me wrong, Celestial Knight." His smirk deepened.
"I'm actually worried for you. I feel sorry that, because of your Knight's Oath, you had to swallow your pride and sleep with a woman like our Empress."
He chuckled, shaking his head.
"That must have been a nightmare for you."
Legion's temper snapped.
But before he could react, Aurelian's voice cut through the tension.
"Enough."
Aurelian's voice was calm, but his authority was absolute.
"You are right, Celestial Knight," he said, shifting his gaze to Legion. "Your relationship with my stepmother is none of our concern. It is your personal matter."
His gaze flickered toward Draven, his tone darkening slightly.
"But let us not forget why we are here. We set aside our differences for this expedition. I suggest we continue to do so."
Legion exhaled slowly, his rage barely contained.
"If there is nothing else, I'd like to take my leave," he said, his voice cold.
"I need to escort Mara to Captain Hugo's camp before tomorrow's departure."
"You may leave," Aurelian allowed. "But ensure you return before dawn."
Legion gave a brief nod, then turned and walked out.
He ignored everyone else in the room, especially the Saintess.
Legion returned to his tent and quickly explained the situation to Mara.
She agreed without hesitation to stay behind with Captain Hugo's group until his return.
Mounting his horse, Legion took Mara to the rear end of the caravan, where Captain Hugo and the rest of his former party were camped.
"Welcome, Celestial Knight!"
A mocking voice called out as soon as they arrived.
Legion gritted his teeth.
"Don't call me that, Faelan," he snapped in irritation.
As soon as Mara dismounted, Legion and the others entered the tent where Captain Hugo, along with their companions, including the noble knights Cecilion, Robin, and Renee, were gathered.
Captain Hugo leaned back in his chair, grinning.
"So, tell me, Celestial Knight," he teased, his tone laced with amusement.
"What can we do for you?"
Legion groaned in frustration, which only made everyone in the tent laugh.
"The frontliners will be scouting the three islets tomorrow," Legion informed them. "We leave before dawn, so I'm leaving Mara in your care for now."
"That's all?" Captain Hugo chuckled, walked towards him and threw an arm over Legion's shoulders. "That's not a problem. Especially if it means we get to eat Mara's cooking again."
The others nodded in agreement.
"Actually, that's not the only reason I came," Legion admitted. "They said that if tomorrow's mission succeeds, then the expedition will end immediately. I wanted to ask if you could collect the Frozen Sea ice for the Empress. Once everything is over, I'll teleport it to her."
A brief silence followed.
Everyone knew how serious Legion was about this. After all, it was his main reason for joining the expedition.
Captain Hugo gave him a firm nod.
"Consider it done, Legion." He smiled. "Besides, this is the least we can do for the Empress after she sent us those stat-boosting food supplies. We've lost fewer people than in previous expeditions, all thanks to her."
"She saved many lives with that food," Cecilion added, stepping forward. "So don't worry about it. We'll take care of Mara and the ice."
"Just focus on tomorrow's task," Conn said.
"But once this is all over," Dorian chimed in with a smirk, "you have to introduce us to the Empress. We want to thank her personally."
The others nodded in agreement.
Legion allowed himself a small smile. "Thank you."
The group spent some time talking, about random things, about what they would do once the expedition ended, and about what they expected when they finally met the Empress.
Legion only returned to his tent when it was late enough to rest.
A holy knight shook Legion awake a few hours later.
"We leave in a few moments."
The frontliners, composed of noble knights, holy knights, and mages, were divided into three groups, ensuring that each islet had a balanced mix of fighters and magic-users.
Each group set off in different directions, heading toward their assigned islet.
Legion was assigned to the Duke's group, which included Duke Aurelian, Saintess Xul, High Court Magician Celion, Holy Knight Commander Lady Layla and Noble Knight Commander Sir Draven
Sir Draven, as expected, still wore that infuriating smirk, sending mocking glances toward Legion every chance he got.
But Legion ignored him.
He focused solely on the mission.
After today, he would return to the Empress's palace, whether the Duke liked it or not.
However, as they made their way to the islet, Legion couldn't shake the unease creeping up his spine.
Something felt wrong.
He tried to dismiss it, assuming it was just nerves, but the feeling only grew stronger.
Like the sea, everything on the islet was frozen solid.
Legion recalled a story his mother had once told him.
The Frozen Sea had once been the richest sea in all of Solmara, even richer than the waters of Vaelundis, the kingdom of water magic users.
It had been home to the Narfs, water-dwelling creatures with Celestial blood, whose water magic was beyond comprehension.
But now, the Narfs were nothing more than a myth.
Before midday, their group reached the mountain peak of the islet.
From there, they could see the two other islets and even the main camp in the distance.
And that's when Legion realized something was wrong.
The whole point of scouting ahead was to check for threats.
Yet in all this time, they had not encountered a single monster.
His eyes narrowed.
Something wasn't right.
Then he saw it.
From both islets, signal flares went up, indicating that the other scouting teams had completed their sweeps.
One of the mages with their group sent up a flare as well.
That was when Legion saw it.
A portal opened near their camp, and from the portal, monsters began to pour out.
Legion's blood ran cold.
"We have to go back!" he shouted.
But no one moved.
Instead, the mages raised their staffs, their voices weaving together in an unbreakable chant:
"Our will is strong, our bond unshaken,
No force shall break what we awaken.
No claw, no flame, no wrath nor war,
Shall breach this shield forevermore."
"Sky and earth, heed our call,
Raise this wall, let none befall!
Bound in light, sealed by decree,
Stand unbroken, eternally!"
From all three islets, a barrier began to form, its golden energy encasing the battlefield below.
Legion's heart pounded in his chest.
"We have to go back!" he yelled again.
Yet no one moved.
The Duke remained stoic, his expression unreadable.
The Saintess stood calmly, as if the slaughter about to unfold meant nothing.
Even Sir Draven, always smug and arrogant, merely crossed his arms, watching with amusement.
Legion turned desperately to High Court Magician Celion, searching for any sign of protest.
There was sadness in Celion's eyes. But he stood firm, his gaze locked on the camp below.
Beside him, Lady Layla trembled, then, to Legion's horror, a single tear fell from her eye.
Legion's stomach twisted in dread.
He turned his eyes back to the camp, and that's when he saw it.
Chaos had begun.
The monsters had emerged, pouring from the portal, rushing toward the unprotected people left behind.
"Our people are going to be slaughtered!" Legion roared.
Yet no one moved.
The mages continued chanting.
Legion whirled to Lady Layla, the one person he had thought still had a conscience.
"Lady Layla!" he called, desperate.
She shook her head sadly.
"No, Sir Legion," she whispered, her voice thick with sorrow.
"This is a sacrifice we need to make for our kingdom."
Legion froze, his eyes widening in horror.
Sacrifice.
That's when it hit him.
They are not scouting.
They were the ones chosen to survive.
The Duke, the future Emperor, the Saintess, the commanders, the strongest knights and mages,
They had all abandoned the people to die.
The common soldiers, the innocent civilians, they were left to be slaughtered.
Legion turned to Celion, his hands trembling.
"Your brother, Sir Cecilion, is in that camp!" he shouted.
Celion's jaw clenched, his fists tightening.
"Then you should realize," he said through gritted teeth, "that this is not easy for me either."
Legion's chest ached with rage.
"Stop, Celestial Knight!"
Saintess Xul's voice rang out, sharp and commanding.
"You cannot save them," she said, her tone eerily calm.
"This barrier will not break as long as even one mage continues to chant. Your eleven armor knights will be useless even if you strike every mage. And by the time you break the barrier, they will all be dead."
Legion's hands curled into fists, his breath ragged with fury.
A Saintess was supposed to protect the people.
Her heart was supposed to be pure.
But as Xul stood there, watching thousands of innocent lives being sacrificed without a single trace of remorse, Legion knew the truth.
She was no Saintess.
She was a monster.
"And even if you tried to teleport to them, you can't." Xul continued, her voice smooth.
"As long as the barrier is up, no magic can get in or out of it.
"Let their lives be a noble sacrifice for our kingdom's prosperity."
Legion couldn't breathe.
His entire body shook with the force of his rage.
His vision blurred, not with pain, but with a fury so raw, so consuming, that he felt his magic crackle through his veins.
But before he could lash out, the ground beneath them shook violently.
A deep rumbling echoed across the frozen sea.
The ice cracked beneath them.
Then, from the depths of the Frozen Sea, a colossal serpent-like creature emerged.
Its body was massive, its scales shimmering like frozen crystal, reflecting the sunlight like an ancient god reborn.
Its head alone was larger than an entire warship, its golden eyes glowing with unearthly power.
It rose higher and higher, its body seemingly endless, shaking the very heavens with its presence.
The ground trembled beneath their feet.
"The Holy Beast!"
Sir Draven's voice was filled with awe.
They had succeeded.
They had awakened the Holy Beast.