Emilia's POVOur victory in the Burning Desert was short-lived.By dawn, we were already traveling north.The desert’s warm winds gradually faded behind us, replaced by a sharp, icy breeze that grew colder with every mile.The Seven-Star Crystal floated beside me.Five stars shone brilliantly.One glowed silver—Caelum’s, still suspended between light and darkness.Only one star remained dormant.The Guardian of Time.“The Frozen Kingdom lies beyond the Frostfang Mountains,” Aurel explained as we crossed a snow-covered pass.“It has been isolated for centuries.”“No one enters.”“And no one leaves.”Magnus pulled his fur cloak tighter around himself.“I never thought I’d say this,” he muttered.“I miss the desert.”Kael laughed.“Yesterday, you said you hated the heat.”“I can hate both.”Even in the freezing wind, everyone laughed.Those small moments reminded me that we were more than warriors.We were a family.---By sunset, the Frostfang Mountains came into view.Towering peaks of
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