Chapter Fourteen

Memories of a Phoenix– Part Five.

The storm from the previous night had passed.

Aelius and Violet had sought refuge hidden in the cave. When morning came, snow stopped falling, allowing the unlikely couple to venture out.

As Aelius followed Violet out into the flat snowy peaks, he had to squint at the blindingly bright and white light reflecting all around him.

For almost as far as his eyes could see, white sprawled out in every direction. It was truly a land of death; there was not a single sound, not a single semblance of movement, not a single life to be seen.

“A-ah CHOO,” Aelius sneezed loudly and sniffled his snot back into his nose.

“Whatcha doing? Come on,” Violet called from a few steps ahead and he disparagingly observed her bare feet treading in the snow.

“Okay– ACHOO.”

“Oh, right. You must be a bit cold.” She quickly jumped back over to him and then offered a small, delicate hand. “Here.”

Aelius gulped, looking at the enticing and thin fingers with intimidation. “W-what’s this?”

Violet rolled her eyes. “Just take it, go on.”

At her insistence, Aelius reluctantly raised his hand to meet hers.

Their fingers intertwined at Violet’s usual assertiveness, but before Aelius could be overwhelmed by the sudden skinship, his attention was drawn away by the fact that his entire body quickly warmed up.

“Whoa…” Looking down, the snow around him was melting just by him standing on it.

“You’ll be able to shield yourself from the cold on your own once you gain some degree of ability to move Mana,” Violet winked. “For now, please bear with it.”

*

They walked hand-in-hand all day, from the beginning of the morning with the sun hanging high, through midday, all the way to when it began to set.

By the time the sun was starting to set, Aelius had gotten all but too used to Violet excitedly seeing something and then dragging him through the snow.

The fruits of their labour was little, but it appeared to be enough to Violet. All they’d find was the odd plant sticking out above the snow– all alone, nothing else around it.

When the two of them came across such plants, Aelius wondered if it was the same for Violet– all alone in the snow, with nothing else around her.

But Violet was a cheerful person. She kept them occupied with upbeat chatter and her gleeful laughter.

Normally, Aelius disliked talkative people– he preferred a brooding silence. But in time, just like how Violet did with the snow, her unique power over warmth was able to melt his cold exterior.

In what felt like no time, two months had passed by. The only time they spent apart was when Aelius went hunting.

The novelty Violet displayed at being delivered a hunted animal never wore off– she was always as excited as the first time.

With nothing else to do except grind herbs, eat, sleep, maintain the campfire and simply exist, the two would occupy each other through conversation.

Very quickly, Violet became the closest person to Aelius in two whole years. That’s how long it had been since Alea’s death, and how long it’s been since he’s been hunting down the skals alone. That’s how long it’s been since he’s let anyone into his heart.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

No one else ever mattered to him. But Violet was different to all the other people whom he had met.

She was secretly kind, secretly lonely, but openly cheerful and clearly intelligent.

Aelius thought that he’d rather be stuck with no one else in these snowy mountains.

*

Another change after two months was that Aelius was beginning to feel the Mana in his core. It was like regaining movement in a limb– it felt natural yet unfamiliar. It was the first time in his life he could move Mana.

One day, as they were eating together, Aelius decided to ask, “How long have I had this poison obstructing my Mana pathways?”

“Hmm?” Violet reached up to wipe the soup from her mouth. “I’d estimate you’ve had it since you were 5 or 6 years old.”

Aelius frowned. “And… it’s not natural, right? Someone… someone poisoned me, right?”

At his question, Violet nodded. “Someone very cruel. Can you think back to then and recall anyone suspicious?”

“Hmm…” Aelius tried to remember if there was anyone who hated him at that young age. He really couldn’t think of anyone.

But there was one particular memory that’d pop up.

When he was still young. It was an average blinding winter day. He was on the pavement leading to the front door of his parent’s manor, his hand being clutched by his mother’s.

His father was smiling over him. His voice was very warm.

“Kiddo, I’ve got someone to introduce you to today. You remember how I said Uncle Leo had a daughter your age? She’s coming to visit today. Play nice, okay? The two of you are going to be together for a very long time.” His father stepped aside, gesturing down the pavement to the carriage bay.

Aelius looked down the long path to see a single carriage flying the Aerianne crest. The door opened and tentatively, a dash of light blue stepped out.

Dressed in a cutesy dress was a little girl of sky blue hair, carrying a small briefcase. She looked up and Aelius excitedly took a step forward, meeting her emerald eyes.

“A new friend?” he asked his father, who smiled back.

Yes, it was around then that Aelius met Aria for the first time. But she was just a girl. A little, frail girl. It couldn’t have been her.

“Hmm… I guess I’ll have to investigate some more when I get back,” he sighed, turning to Violet. “Anyhow, there was something I wanted to discuss with you. I plan on heading out of the Northern Ice Ranges.”

Violet looked up at him with an annoyance stemming out of worry. “What? No, you can’t. How many times have I warned you?”

“A lot of times. But I just can’t sit back for ten months doing nothing,” Aelius answered firmly.

“Is there someone that needs you?”

“No.” He rose to his feet, approaching the cave entrance, gazing out over the boundless snow. “I’m on the hunt. The hunt that never ends. There’s something I must eradicate at all costs.” Aelius clenched his fists. “I don’t care whether it be through hell or high water, I will have my vengeance.”

*

After hearing his conviction, Violet was silent for the rest of the evening. But after some time, she gave in and agreed to let him depart.

Like Violet explained, Aelius only has two weeks of free time. He has to absolutely be back before that time. It’s a tight schedule, because it takes four days on horseback to reach the nearest medium-sized Adventure town. Considering the length of a return trip, Aelius doesn’t have very long.

But it was better than nothing. However, no matter what, he has to be back within fourteen days, or else his life will be at risk.

The morning after his treatment came, meaning he had fourteen days until the next treatment, and he was all packed, standing at the front of the cave.

“Alright, off I go,” he smiled warmly to Violet.

She wore an expression of worry for a moment, but quickly masked it with a small smile. “Yeah. Not to nag but, I’d better see you back here in under fourteen days.”

“Of course.” They finished their exchange of words, and Aelius realised an awkward silence was hanging in the air between them. “Ahem. Well.” He reached out to pat her head. “Don’t worry. I promise I won’t leave you alone in these mountains. I still have lots of meat to feed you, after all.”

She wryly smiled back. “That’s a promise, then. I’ll be waiting.”

With a smile, he obliged, turning away. As he tread out into the snow, he looked back past his shoulder to see Violet at the cave. They waved. And then he took a deep breath and turned away.

“It’s time to lock in,” he whispered to himself, closing his eyes and concentrating on the Mana in his core. It moved the same way his Divine Power did, so he was already used to channelling it through his body.

It reached the soles of his feet and he felt power surge. Then, snapping open his eyes, he leapt out forward, jumping further than he ever had in his life.

Off he went, making a straight line for the southern border.