"Zabriel… Zabriel, it's time to wake up."
A voice, her voice, called out to me from the darkness, a voice I longed to hear once more.
"Silvia…," I whispered, her name simply a distant echo of an era long past.
I tried to reach out, but my body refused to respond. I felt trapped, encased in something. Then, the biting cold and searing pain washed over me, forcing my consciousness back into reality.
Where am I? My thoughts drifted in and out of lucidity. My eyes remained sealed shut. All I sensed was the pain and the chill. I struggled to move, but I felt immobile. Was I alive? Uncertainty gripped me as I heard faint voices.
"All the insignias are faded; I can't tell…"
"The armor is all black…"
"We can't see its face…"
"Is it even still alive…"
"Where did it…"
"Whoa, look at that shield…"
None of these voices were familiar. I attempted to break free from my confinement, but I was powerless.
Then, I heard a sound – "click clack click clack."
My eyes snapped open, revealing my icy prison. I scanned my surroundings, spotting numerous adventurers gathered around me. Some stared in awe, others scrutinized me, and a few attempted to chip away at the encasing ice. Progress was agonizingly slow, and I considered using one of my magic spells to break free, but my body remained unresponsive, and I was in no condition to risk detonating myself just to escape. All I could do was wait.
"Aaaaah," I sighed deeply, the sheer boredom nearly unbearable. The ice numbed the pain but offered little else in the ways of comfort. My gaze remained fixed on the adventurers who persisted in their efforts to free me. Some had resorted to using fire magic with limited success.
Suddenly, a young boy with white hair and red eyes emerged from the crowd. He bore an uncanny familiarity, I couldn't place the source of this feeling, and his left arm was cradled in a sling. The boy approached me, locking eyes with mine. His gaze widened, and he shouted to the others.
"He's alive!" he exclaimed, his voice heavily lined with surprise. He looked back at the onlookers and shouted, "He's alive!".
Several others emerged from the crowd, I assumed they were from his familia.
The boy's eyes filled with determination as he placed his hand firmly on the ice encasing me. Initially, he recoiled from the cold, but he quickly regained his resolve. I heard the distant tolling of a bell, and a soft white glow emanated from the ice. The boy shot me a reassuring smile, and for the first time in what felt like an eternity, I couldn't help but smile beneath my helmet.
"This is beyond reckless," I thought, fully aware of what he was about to do.
"Fire bolt!" The boy's shout rang through the plaza.
The ice cube erupted into steam and water as his fire magic surged through it, causing it to shatter into countless shards. I fell to the ground with a metallic thunk, my armor hitting the floor. It hurt, but the pain was nothing compared to the relief of being free. Quickly, I rose to my feet, brushing off the remaining ice with my right hand. My left hand, still fused to my shield, would require attention later.
The boy sat on the ground, staring at me with wide eyes as I stood tall, feeling a sense of liberation I hadn't experienced in years.
"Who… are you?" he stammered, his voice filled with awe.
The anticipation in the air was palpable as the entire plaza awaited my response. I extended my free hand towards the boy on the ground.
"I am Zabriel, Vice-Captain of the Zeus Familia," I declared.
A hush fell over the crowd as the boy hesitated for a moment before accepting my offered hand and allowing me to pull him to his feet.
"And to whom do I owe my debt of gratitude?" I inquired.