This sudden apparition startled Freya into leaping to her feet, a primal sense of danger putting her on high alert. A faint aura of wind began to swirl around her.

"What's wrong, Freya?"

Seeing Freya suddenly tense, everyone followed her gaze to the window, where they saw a snow-white owl perched, its large eyes fixed on the food by the fire.

Sensing their attention, the owl screeched and quickly flapped away into the night.

"An owl?" Rand frowned, puzzled by Freya's reaction.

As the owl disappeared into the darkness, Freya seemed to regain her composure, the gathered energy dissipating slowly.

"Is this your first field mission, Freya? You seem overly tense," Lar teased.

"No... I must have been mistaken," Freya replied, her lips tightening slightly. Her eyes drifted to Lena, still nestled in Ashburn's arms, eating slowly while gazing dreamily at him, resembling a girl in love.

Yet Freya clearly remembered that the pale face she saw earlier belonged to this very girl across from her.

'Or perhaps it was just my imagination,' she thought, shaking her head and sitting back down.

The fire crackled warmly, contrasting with the chill outside. Freya's earlier alarm had broken the silence, prompting the others to start chatting about past missions.

Freya listened quietly as she nibbled on her rabbit meat. The white mist outside thickened, obscuring the nearby trees from view.

Despite her lingering doubts about the earlier vision, Laney’s protective Screaming Dust remained undisturbed, suggesting the owl posed no real threat.

"You wouldn't believe the last hunt I took on. We had to kill a Hundred-Eyed Demon, a creature almost as powerful as a full-fledged sorcerer. If Professor Ediskot hadn't shown up in time, I'd be dead," Nick recounted, shuddering. "But that job earned me thirty magic stones, so it was worth it."

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"The Hundred-Eyed Demon is kept by Berlucodi Fortress. Although we usually avoid conflict with them, your assignment might mean our academy considers them a hostile organization," Rand speculated, stroking his chin.

"Who knows? Anyway, I'm never going back there, even if it’s a great resource spot... such a pity."

Hearing this, Freya looked up and asked, "Rand, isn't Heart Lake also a resource point for our Elgrin Academy? Why aren’t there any apprentices stationed here permanently?"

As they traveled, Freya noticed the various fire-element enchanted creatures and herbs in the Heart Lake area. These resources, while not top-tier, were valuable for lower-level apprentices.

"The specifics are unclear, but I know a bit," Rand admitted, smiling apologetically. "Heart Lake was once a regular outpost for our apprentices, but there was an incident. Most of them vanished without a trace, and those who returned were driven mad. The academy abandoned it as a permanent station due to this mysterious disaster."

"Wasn't there an investigation?" Freya frowned. Such disappearances, though troubling for ordinary people, could usually be resolved by sorcerers through tracing spells and forensic magic.

"There was, but no clues were found, even by official sorcerers. The academy deemed the area too risky for a minor resource point and abandoned it. Only those on specific missions or local hunters come here now," Rand explained.

"I see..." Freya nodded, lowering her head to her meal, though her thoughts remained unsettled.

After dinner, everyone settled into their routines. Freya spread out a thick blanket and lay down to meditate, knowing the protective barrier they had set up meant no one needed to stand watch.

Gradually, she slipped into a semi-dreamlike state. The red snow bats, nocturnal creatures, would only appear at dawn, allowing everyone a good night’s rest. Soon, the cabin was filled with the sound of steady breathing.

Some time later, a dense white fog enveloped the cabin, swirling erratically around it even in the dark.

A sharp, clear sound echoed inside, waking Freya from her light sleep. It sounded like bare feet splashing through a puddle, right at the cabin door.

She turned towards the door, noticing it was ajar, the thick fog rolling in like a liquid. Apart from the fog, there was nothing else visible.

Frowning at the cold seeping into her bones, Freya glanced around. Her companions were still sound asleep, their breathing undisturbed.

Not wanting to wake them, she approached the door and closed it. The warmth of the fire quickly dissipated the invading mist.

As she turned to return to her place, she found herself face-to-face with Lena's ghostly pale visage, mere centimeters away.

In an instant, Freya's breath caught, a chilling dread creeping up her spine. Lena’s face was eerily close, her pitch-black eyes, devoid of whites, staring unblinkingly at her.