Card Apprentice Daily Log

Date: Unspecified

Time: Unspecified

Location: Myriad Realms, Lil’ Red Storm Realm, Freedom Magelopolis

“Do you know how long it took me to figure out how to upgrade the city’s barrier formation so that everyone inside could experience a temperature optimal for their body, no matter where they were in the city or what they were doing? Do you?” Dalia asked excitedly, her eyes practically sternly dimmed as she spoke about the latest addition to Freedom City’s barrier. She clearly put a lot of thought work into it.

After all, creating a barrier that could regulate the environment across an entire city while simultaneously accommodating two species with completely different biological needs was no simple matter.

Asong glanced at the holographic city, then back at Dalia. Knowing exactly who she was talking to, she decided not to set her expectations too high, she guessed, “Five minutes?”

Dalia’s expression immediately changed, as she corrected her, “No. One minute,”

There was a brief silence. Asong stared at her confused, unable to understand the former’s reaction. Dalia didn’t look nearly as pleased as anyone in her place would have. Instead, she lightly frowned, as though the answer itself was somewhat disappointing and something to be ashamed about.

“It should have taken less time,” she muttered. Asong’s lips twitched. Dulas, meanwhile, shook her head helplessly.

She had seen this side of her teacher enough times to recognize it immediately. No matter how extraordinary Dalia’s achievements were, she always seemed capable of finding some reason why they weren’t good enough.

“To be fair, the teacher had to account for individual differences in body temperature, physical condition, race, cultivation, and the surrounding environment while ensuring the formation could react in real time,” Dulas said, coming to her teacher’s defense. “We can’t forget that the two races weren’t native to the Lil’ Red Storm Realm.”

Dalia glanced at her apprentice, “My apprentice looks so cute when she tries to stand up for me.”

Dalia reached for her apprentice’s cheeks. Dulas rolled her eyes, before giving up and moving closer to her, letting her beloved teacher pinch her cheeks. They had a deal, for every pinch, Dalia would give Dulas extra resources of her choice.

Asong struggled not to smile. Even Moon Fright’s expression softened slightly. Apparently, becoming the disciple of the Array Celestial had its own disadvantages.

Suddenly, Asong, Moon Fright, and Dulas shuddered. A chill swept through the air.

For a brief moment, Asong thought it was simply her imagination. Then she noticed the fine hairs on her arms rising and saw Moon Fright’s breath faintly mist in front of her.

That shouldn’t have been possible. Not with the city’s newly upgraded barrier formation regulating the temperature of every individual within Freedom City.

Unless the formation was malfunctioning. But that possibility was almost immediately dismissed. The array had been personally laid and modified by the Array Celestial herself. For it to suddenly malfunction moments after Dalia had proudly explained its newest function was absurd.

Unless, Asong’s gaze shifted toward Dalia. Was Dalia deliberately removing the temperature add-on to the city barrier as they were discussing? But one look at her expression told Asong otherwise.

Dalia’s face had hardened. She wasn’t responsible. Something else was interfering with the formation.

“Ceed!” Dalia suddenly called out. A tiny figure immediately appeared beside her. It was a young pixie, small enough to fit comfortably on Dalia’s palm, with delicate wings fluttering behind her. The little creature hovered in the air, waiting attentively for her master’s orders. “Except for the Half-bloods, move everyone into the Ceed World and guard them.”

Ceed didn’t question the order. She didn’t ask what had happened. She simply nodded. The next moment, space around them rippled. Before Asong could properly react, the familiar surroundings of Dalia’s penthouse disappeared. The city, its towering buildings, streets, and carefully constructed barrier formations all vanished from sight.

Then the world stabilized. Asong found herself standing on a barren floating island suspended within the vast expanse of the Ceed World.

She wasn’t alone. All around her, Card Apprentices and Froslings from across Freedom City were rapidly appearing on the island, transported there by Ceed’s authority over the Ceed World.

Confused voices soon filled the air. People looked around in alarm, trying to understand what had happened. Frosling families instinctively gathered together, while Card Apprentices reached for their grimoires.

Within moments, what had once been the population of Freedom City had been evacuated. Or almost everyone.

Dalia had specifically excluded the Half-bloods. Asong’s expression darkened as that realization sank in. Whatever was happening outside, Dalia clearly didn’t intend for them to run from it. Were they supposed to help her or were they part of the problem? Asong had felt the change in Dalia’s tone when mentioned the Half-bloods.

“Ceed!” Asong hurriedly called out to the little pixie. “What’s going on?”

Ceed didn’t answer. Her tiny wings fluttered as she turned, clearly preparing to leave and return to whatever was happening outside.

“Ceed, answer her,” Dulas demanded, knowing she wasn’t the friendly and obedient type like the pixies she had known her whole life. Dredre did keep calling her a forest spirit.

Hearing Dulas, the pixie paused to answer, “Lil’ Red Storm Realm is under attack by an—”

Ceed suddenly stopped mid-sentence. Her expression changed. She had sensed more Card Apprentices pouring into Freedom City through the inter-realm teleportation hubs. Without wasting another second, her tiny body flickered, and she vanished to retrieve the new arrivals before whatever was happening outside could reach them.

“Finish your sentence before you leave, you little cubby pixie!” Dulas shouted in frustration. Of course, there was no answer.

Dulas clenched her little fists. The strange combination of words was apparently the closest thing to profanity in her vocabulary.

She was worried about her teacher. Not knowing what Dalia was facing made it even worse. If they knew the enemy, perhaps they could judge the situation and reassure themselves. After all, Dalia was the Array Celestial. Few people in the Card World could threaten her when she had time to prepare and an array formation beneath her feet.

But now, stranded on a floating island with no information, their imaginations were doing the exact opposite. Every possibility they considered seemed worse than the last.

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