Hysteria plagued the countless people who had found themselves trapped within the Derma layer alongside them. Frost could not believe just how many people were revealed behind the veil of light.

The flashbang seared her eyes for a split second before mellowing out. The sight that unfolded left her wondering just what sort of maddening disease had overtaken their minds.

“STOP! PLEASE STOP SWINGING YOUR SWORD!”

“DON’T TOUCH ME! MY EYES! MY EYEEEEEEEEEEEES!”

“Darling!? Where are you, my sweetheart! Please come back to me! Is this you!?”

“AAGH! AAAAAARGH! STOP SWINGING AT ME! STOP! I’M DYING! SOMETHING’S KILLING ME!”

“Get the fuck away from me! GET AWAY! COME ANY CLOSER AND I’LL CHOP YOU UP!”

There was no shortage of chaos present.

Around a hundred people found themselves in the rocky field before her. People wildly heaved and swung their weapons around in a fit of agony and terror, wafting loose dirt into the air as their blades shed droplets of blood.

Their weapons bit into one another, whether it be supple flesh protected by nothing more than cloth, or metal armor clanking louder than the cries of men, women, and children alike.

Their bleeding eyes spewed a vitriolic steam as they were burnt from the sheer intensity of the light.

What she at first believed to be a faint glow had become brighter than the sun. It lasted for only a second before the light returned to its gloomy state. But it was just enough to permanently liberate the cavern of its darkness.

Even Res was partially afflicted by this light, although it only garnered a wince out of her.

L.S on the other hand was not so lucky.

“Aaaaaa! Aahahah! AAAAAAH!” Steam furiously rose through the cracks of her fingers as she clasped at her eyes for dear life. “My eyes! They’re gone! THEY’RE GOUGED! A-AAAAAAH!”

“HOLD STILL!” Frost shouted, taking rein over L.S and immediately began healing her, battling the pungent fumes that left her eyes.

The nightmarish scene left her rattled momentarily as Frost tried to wrap her mind around the situation. From what she noticed, it was only her and Res that were immune to this blinding curse, likely due to either their high RESIST or DEF stats.

[Corporeal Restoration]. [Greater Healing]. [Cleanse].

L.S’ screams were quickly subdued in a matter of seconds. Cleanse was used to rid her eyes of leftover blood, as well as potential stacks that the light may have inflicted. Frost took every precaution she could, and to her relief, L.S did not immediately lose her eyes again.

“Brightest Star!?” Res seemed to recognize the phenomenon. “How did they – Hey Frost! Scrutiny! Do you have it ready!?”

“I got it! Let me get them in my field of view!” Frost exclaimed, repositioning herself with rapid footwork.

Unfortunately, only Frost had the capabilities of resolving this mess. There was little in Res’ skillset that would allow her to do it as succinctly as her.

Frost watched as parents clutched onto the bodies of who they believed were their children, all the while people groveled at the ground, clutching at their eyes or the stumps of missing limbs.

The screams of agony melded with their fury, and their harrowing woes of survival.

A knot formed in the back of her throat as she finally held over a hundred of these people within her gaze. Anguish gripped at her heart when she saw how quick people were to devolve into mindless violence. But at the same time, it was difficult to blame them here.

They were afraid more than anything else.

And with a single, judging glare – the world froze. A sudden silence befell the world, shattering immediately afterwards by a deafening roar.

“STAY WHERE YOU ARE! DO NOT MOVE AN INCH! YOU HAVE A HEALER HERE WITH YOU!”

They instinctively trembled. Even while frozen their bodies reacted at a biological level. Like how prey submitted and played dead in presence of an overbearing predator. Scrutiny ended up lasting longer than she expected, likely due to the immense stat difference.

If they weren’t already blinded, then they certainly would have been by Scrutiny.

“JUST LISTEN TO MY VOICE AND STAY STILL! Res, L.S. Move the people I heal to one side. Take down anyone that continues fighting.” Frost ordered, gaining a solid nod from Res and multiple from the other woman.

The effects soon wared off, leaving many to collapse like they were no more than rags. The wailing never ceased, for their pain could not be suppressed until Frost came to their aid. She swiftly moved from person to person, tapping them after a minor statement along the lines of, “I’m going to heal you now. Please follow my friends over here.”.

“I… I can see again…”

“Healer… oh… oh a healer. You’re stuck in this place too?”

“Thank you. Thank you so much. Where… this isn’t my son… no – no –!”

Unfortunately, Frost could only heal those that were still alive. A father carrying the body of his cold son wept uncontrollably on the spot. Res glanced over at Frost, wondering how to deal with him appropriately.

“Leave them. I’m sorry for your loss.” Frost said as Res’ nose twitched, leading her to a particular fellow nearby.

She took a single glance at the bloodstained blade they carried, and the bloody tracks that from the child’s body. By the scowl on her face, she had every intention to eliminate this person where they knelt.

“… lucky for you, I’m under the collar of my superior.” Res sneered, just loud enough for Frost to hear as L.S followed her, taking away the people she healed.

If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

She was thanked immensely for her aid, and before long, more than twenty people had regained their sight. Chatter flourished once again as the healed people stood around, watching Frost whilst others tried to decipher their predicament, some even demanding answers.

However, order was quickly imposed by the Golden Index personnel present. They were the soldiers of the Golden Middle, donned in brilliant red and wielded an arsenal’s worth of weaponry.

They instantly recognized L.S and enacted the same orders Frost gave.

“Boss ma’am Captain! You’re taking orders from that woman over there? Healer or not, you’re our Capt–!”

“Shh! Shh! SHHHHHH! Hehehehe.” L.S cradled the man’s head, pulling his face hurriedly into her near non-existent bosom. “My legs are threatened again. That’s our Color! Violent! Prone to breaking legs!”

Her words were hardly inspiring to say the least. In fact, she ended up confusing the soldiers since she described Frost, a healer, as violent. Then, L.S’ voice shifted to a more casual, almost playful tone.

“I take orders from her now, I’m afraid. Haha… It’s like I’m some sort of puppet of Act X. My build is hardly different from a mannequin to begin with.”

“S-so she’s good? Bad? That healer?” The suffocating man struggled to speak.

“Oh! Brilliant! Good question, soldier of the Golden Middle! Frost, my Colored friend! You’re good, are you not!?” L.S inquired, irritating Frost beyond words.

“Can you please shut the fuck up and help these people out already!?” She yelled, turning her head away from an elderly woman. Her face contorted nightmarishly.

Then it returned to a bubbly, warm smile as she tended back to the old woman.

“Sorry. Hey, I’m going to heal you ok? Sorry I took so long. There. Better? Please follow my friend over here. Ahem. My friend over here.” Frost reiterated with edge in her voice, causing L.S to promptly follow her command.

“Y-Yes miss Frost healer Black Dove! Follow me, young madam!”

* * *

Rivers of blood flowed beneath Frost’s knees. Following them inevitably led to a fallen body. They were burnt. Pieced by solid ice shards, now thawing in the cavities of their victims. Others drowned in a pool of their own blood.

“… What’s a healer like you… doing here and thinking like you’re in charge?” A woman armed in revealing metal armor, not too dissimilar to bikini armor, scoffed at Frost when she finally healed her.

“Does it matter what I am? Stand up. There are bigger problems here.” Frost dismissed her entirely.

She was a meager level 80 Assassin, with an AGI of 40. Her DEF stats were abysmal, but it made up for it in ATT.

Still, she was an ant in comparison to Frost.

“When could a healer talk back? I liked it better when you lot just put your heads down and heal... Get your hand off me. A small healer like you isn’t going to get us far wherever the hell we are… Please, leave that to the Golden Index people.”

Her voice became sincere towards the end. She almost begged her to back down as the leader of her small group, and potentially all of theirs.

“Listen to me. They don’t know what’s going on either. We’re all just as blind as each other.” Frost sharply said as the woman stood up defiantly, clutching at the handle of a dagger by her waist.

“I’d rather have one of them than you! You’re just a healer. Don’t make this any more worse for us! Healers… should just heal!” She yelled, swiping at Frost’s cheek with a blade.

She merely intended to intimidate her. And her views were likely not alone. Frost, as a healer, was naturally going to be seen as weak. In an unknown place that had robbed their ability to fight in an instant, they would rather have someone strong and capable to take rein.

Even Frost agreed with their sentiments. Because in a world where death lurked in every corner, people needed a stronger back than their own to take comfort in.

Therefore, she only needed to prove her strength.

She easily caught the woman’s approaching blade. She clasped the bladed part of the dagger and it shattered into a dozen pieces. Before the shards could even fall, Frost foresaw a second swipe, to which she caught preemptively.

“How did you –!?”

“Violence is the only fucking thing you people know, huh?” Frost mildly snapped.

Mildly, because she deeply understood the sheer difference in power between them. Misusing her strength would easily kill this person where they stood.

However, Frost was not so docile that she’d allow someone to attempt to slash her and get away with it. And to make matters worse – the last person who touched her head so freely became her mortal enemy.

And therefore, she finally put one of her newest skills to use.

[Goodnight].

She clobbered the woman with a swift flurry of punches to the gut, knocking her out in that very instance. Her immense AGI caused her punches to appear like a single strike in her eyes. Or perhaps the woman could not even perceive it.

But she for sure felt every ounce of pain in that split second before the Trepid stacks turned into the Unconscious condition.

And to think each punch only did 10 points of damage to her. Although, she could have sworn that she felt a rib or two crack. It was not something a simple healing couldn't fix.

None could believe what they were seeing. This healer not only possessed a vile mouth, but was also capable of combat.

“L.S. Take her. They know the Golden Middle soldiers take orders from you, so as long as you stay by my side, then they’ll be more inclined to listen to me.” Frost spoke, handing over the limp, unconscious body of the woman. “It’s for their sake, more than anything.”

“So you are a good person!” L.S applauded.

“What do you want to do now?” Res needed to ask.

“For starters, let’s try to get everyone up to date with the situation. We’re in the Derma layer. Leaving them oblivious will work against us. Then… Res. You know what that light was. I want an explanation. Please.” Frost succinctly formulated a short-term plan. “If you or anyone else has any better ideas, then please bring them up. I’m all ears.”

“Big crowds aren’t something I like dealing with. Neither are my sisters good with them. It’s all you Frost… but I’m telling you right now – if any of them slow us down, then I won’t lift a single finger to help them.” Res deeply spoke. “None of them are worth more than my sisters. Remember that.”

After Frost healed the last person, she had L.S, Res, and the Golden Middle members stand by her side as she took it upon herself to directly address the entire crowd.

The Golden Middle personnel took long glances at Frost, attempting to comprehend just what she was exactly.

The name of the Black Dove circulated quickly. It seemed like the woman she took out was well known amongst them in some way or form. Furthermore, the soldiers had no choice but to obey her seeing that L.S did, even though they worked under Broker’s command.

That aside –

Everyone was eerily quiet. Not a single person out of the hundred, not even the weeping souls, made a sound. Frost demanded their attention. What stood before them was no normal person, but someone with the appearance and apparel of perhaps a deity.

Blue and red flames bellowed in all their hearts as the took a mental note of who these people were. If they acted wrongly, then she’d have no choice but to put them down. Like Res, she also desperately wished to see her loved ones.

But she was also sure that there were people amongst them who wished the same.

She saw a familiar face in the crowd. It was the woman who asked her to find her little brother.

Her heart ached.

She did not want the innocent to die down here. Or anyone for that matter. But if it truly came down to it, then she’d have no choice. If anyone jeopardized their lives, then they were more of a liability than any non-combatant.

In the end, Frost was not going to force anyone to come along. Instead, she kindly offered them all two options.

To either join her, or to be left behind.

* * *

Afterwards, when the confusion eased, and when these people were faced with the truth of their predicament – Nav brought something to her attention.

“Frost! I bear good news! Ignis has found Ber!”

She did!?

“… She did… Res. Res! Listen to this!”

Frost could barely hear Nav amongst the plague of lucid chattering. The news warmed her heart as she tapped Res’ shoulder to get her attention. Upon sharing the news, the saddened wolf flashed one of the most adorable smiles she had ever seen.

image [https://i.imgur.com/sfbcbvb.png]

“… Ber… She’s… thank you. Thank you. I’m happy someone managed to find her. Give Ignis my thanks. Give her all of it.” Res took Frost’s hand and placed it atop her head, lathering her palm with her fuzzy ears.

All seemed well now.

It was only just a matter of reuniting with the others. Everyone could see the same glowing orb, so it was likely that they’d see each other soon enough. Frost shared a long, deep breath with Res as they stared at the light with renewed hope.

It felt like they had already overcome the worst.

However –

“Ber – Wait – FROST! Something wrong with Ber! She’s – She’s SHE’S ATTACKING IGNIS!”

– Things could never be so simple.