Chapter 15: Yup! I’m fu**ed!

I gasped for air, my chest heaving under the oppressive weight of the woman's presence. Each breath felt like a struggle against an unseen force, as though the very air around me had turned to lead.

Seconds stretched into eternity as I fought to remain upright, my limbs growing heavier with each passing moment. I glanced at my status, the countdown ticking away ominously: [Time remaining to update: 00:00:01:02]. Just one minute left. One minute until I could escape this nightmare.

Desperation clawed at my mind, urging me to flee, to run as far and as fast as I could. But running away was my only option in the face of this monster.

Impatience radiated from the woman as she gripped my face, her fingers digging into my skin as she sought answers. But before she could speak, a voice cut through the tension like a knife.

"They found him," Narb's interruption shattered the silence, his words hanging in the air like a death knell. Narb was using a communicator with his fingers pressed up against his ears.

The tension in the air dissipated as the woman released her grip on me, a triumphant smile lighting up her features. With an ecstatic gleam in her eyes, she turned to Narb and issued her command with an air of authority. "Good. Tell them to bring him to me."

As she rose to her feet and straightened her attire, Narb swiftly relayed her orders to those on the other side of the communicator. Meanwhile, the woman's smile widened as she added a chilling directive, pointing directly at me over her shoulder. "Oh, and drag him along."

It became clear that she had no intention of letting me go, even after achieving her goal. Resigned to my fate, I surrendered to the inevitable. Narb bound me with rough rope, pulling me along like a captive as the woman led the way into the depths of the forest, disappearing into the shadows of Frostveil.

We pressed forward through the unforgiving terrain, each step weighed down by the relentless snow. Narb, relentless in his task, yanked on the rope whenever I faltered, urging me onward through the biting cold.

At last, we reached a clearing, only to be met with a sight that sent a shiver down my spine. Stretching before us stood a formidable army, their ranks bristling with gleaming armor adorned in white and gold. Shields emblazoned with the emblem of the Ashborn clan, swords hanging at their hips, and spears held with an air of unwavering determination.

The sight of their imposing presence sent a chill through the air, casting a shadow of fear over the clearing as we stood amidst the might of the Ashborn army.

"Welcome back, Cass," greeted a towering figure, his armor distinct from the rest, marking him as a leader among them. With a gruff demeanor, he removed his helmet, revealing a weathered face adorned with strands of white hair streaked with yellow. Scars crisscrossed his rugged features, mapping out a lifetime of battles, while a patchy beard framed his jawline with an air of rugged determination.

"Where is he," she asked impatiently.

The man smiled and pointed toward a cave nestled within the craggy peaks of the mountains. Her eyes glimmered with anticipation at the sight, her resolve unwavering.

Turning his gaze towards me, the man's expression soured with disdain, his eyes flickering with contempt. It was a look I knew all too well, one that spoke volumes of superiority and entitlement. In that moment, I recognized the unmistakable mindset of those who considered themselves above others, a chilling reminder of the hierarchy ingrained within noble society.

As the pieces of the puzzle fell into place, my sluggish mind finally made the connection. I had encountered these individuals before, during one of my previous missions. The woman was none other than Cassandra Ashborn, a figure of entitlement and power within the esteemed Ashborn clan. As the sister of the former head of the Ashborn Family, she wielded considerable influence and authority.

Beside her stood the imposing figure of Camus Ashborn, a distant uncle within the Ashborn lineage. Despite his rugged appearance and gruff demeanor, he too held a position of significance within the clan's hierarchy, his presence commanding respect and deference.

It was a revelation that sent a chill down my spine, realizing that I stood in the midst of Ashborn royalty, surrounded by those who held sway over the fate of nations. And as the gravity of the situation dawned on me, I braced myself for the trials that lay ahead, knowing that my fate was now intertwined with that of the illustrious Ashborn clan.

What do I mean by all that? Basically, I'm fucked!

Yup, I'm fucked!