If you’ve made it this far, let me take a moment to thank you sincerely. I hope you’ve enjoyed the journey so far or, at the very least, found it intriguing.
Your continued trust and interest mean the world, and I’m excited to share what lies ahead.
Happy reading, and thank you for staying with the story.
Chapter 27 - Helgard
Love stopped in front of the Gates of Helgard, colossal arches of translucent ice artistically carved by the city's blacksmiths.
Each step she took towards them seemed to amplify the grandeur of the city.
Her eyes, wide open like those of someone seeing everything for the first time, lingered on every detail: the spires towering in the distance, the walls sculpted from the very ice of the mountain, the guards watching over the wagon entrance with gleaming armor.
Ayperi floated beside her, her tiny glowing body danced.
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> "Little lost one, you look like a bird out of its nest," she said in her usual teasing tone. "Look how your hands tremble... are you excited or scared?"
Love tightened the cloak Zeydran had given her, her fingers nervously playing with the edges.
> "Maybe both," she whispered, not taking her eyes off the slowly opening gates.
She seemed mesmerized by what she was seeing, her face, her cheeks and little nose reddened by the wind, clearly revealed her thoughts.
When she entered, the city revealed itself in all its majesty.
Helgard was a vibrant and pulsating city, built around a giant ice column that rose high into the sky.
Around the column, suspended walkways, stairs carved directly into the ice, and bridges connected different levels.
Each step Love took revealed new wonders: shops embedded in the ice walls, small windows framed by hand-carved trims, and balconies adorned with silver-flowered plants that defied the cold.
> "A really interesting place," commented Ayperi, curiously watching a group of artisans carving ice figurines. "But it seems... cold."
> "What do you mean 'seems'?" Love replied with a grimace. "What’s wrong, little lost one, now do you want to be a spirit too?" Ayperi said, with a pleased expression. "Someone as clumsy as you wouldn’t even know how to float," he added jokingly.
Love nodded, wrapping herself more snugly in the cloak.
> "Little pest," she muttered, her eyes wandering to a child running and laughing, leaving footprints in the snow. "How do they live here?"
> "Adaptation, I guess," Ayperi replied, hovering over a cart transporting heavy blocks of ice. "But look there, little lost one. Don’t you think that market looks promising?"
The central market opened before her like an explosion of sounds and colors.
Wooden stalls, decorated with skins and colorful fabrics, displayed all kinds of goods: spices that filled the air with pungent aromas, jewelry carved from ice crystals, and silver fish still frozen, displayed on slabs of ice to keep them fresh.
Love approached a stall selling strange fruits, with rough, silver-colored skins.
> "What’s this?" she asked, pointing to the fruits.
> "Winter tears," replied the vendor, a burly man with a frozen beard. "Sweet as honey, if you can break the shell."
Love nodded with a shy smile but didn’t buy anything.
She walked away, Ayperi floating beside her. Her playful tone contrasted with her evident worry.
> "Don’t you feel... watched?" Ayperi asked, lowering her voice.
Love shrugged, a shiver that had nothing to do with the cold ran down her back. "Maybe. But it’s normal, right? I’m new here."
> "And unique," Ayperi replied. "Remember, those who shine always attract attention, little lost one."
Love sighed, trying to ignore the overwhelming sensation.
She continued, leaving the market behind and exploring the winding alleys of Helgard, her steps sometimes sinking into the fresh snow, other times, they clinked on the ice.
Her expressions quickly shifted from wonder to curiosity, and sometimes to apprehension.
> "Come on, little lost one," urged Ayperi with a smile. "Now’s not the time for heavy thoughts, we’ve come this far, let’s have fun, but then let’s leave, didn’t your little friend tell you not to stay long in the places you visit?"
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Love was in the center of the market, surrounded by the colorful chaos of Helgard, when a man approached her.
He was short and thin, with small, cunning eyes that seemed constantly on the lookout for opportunities.
He wore a shabby cloak, but it was tightly fastened, and his hands were tucked into his pockets as if hiding something.
His exaggerated and forced smile betrayed a mean nature.
> "Good morning, my dear," he said, his voice low and oily. "You’re new around here, aren’t you? I knew it right away. I have an eye for these things. Perhaps I could help you... a girl like you could easily get lost in a place like this."
Love simply observed the man with suspicion, pulling the cloak tightly around her.
Beside her, Ayperi floated with a visibly skeptical expression.
> "Little lost one," whispered Ayperi, speaking only to her. "I don’t like that guy. He has a look that smells like a trap."
Love gave him an irritated glance, but didn’t answer.
The merchant seemed to not notice anything, continuing with his honeyed tone.
> "I have something to show you," he said, making a subtle gesture with his hand. "A rare item that might interest you. Come with me, I promise you won’t regret it."
>
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> "It’s not a good idea," insisted Ayperi, floating in front of her face to draw her attention. "Did you see how he looks at you? As if you were something to trade. Be careful."
Love sighed, annoyed by her persistence.
She merely shot a glare at the little spirit and, against all advice, followed the man.
The merchant moved with surprising agility through the narrow, shadowy alleys of the city, often turning down side streets that all seemed the same.
Love followed, her heart beating faster with every step.
There was something about that path that made her feel increasingly uneasy, but she couldn’t stop.
Around them, the ice houses grew lower and less cared for, and the noise from the market slowly faded, replaced by an oppressive silence.
> "He’s trying to take you away from the center," Ayperi hissed, her voice filled with warning. "You’re really stubborn, little lost one. This is going to end badly, I’m telling you."
Love ignored her again, clenching her fists as the merchant stopped in front of a shabby wooden door.
He turned to her, his smile even more false than before.
> "You’ll find something inside here that you’ve never seen," he said, pushing the door open and ushering her in.
The interior was a dark, cramped room filled with stacked crates and ropes hanging from the walls.
The merchant closed the door behind them with a sinister click and turned toward her, his smile gone.
> "Alright," he said, his voice now cold and sharp. "Let’s see what we have here."
Love stiffened, her eyes quickly scanning every detail of the room, looking for an exit.
Before she could take a step, the merchant approached, his hands reaching out toward her.
> "Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you... as long as you do what I say."
But just then, the door swung open with a loud crash.
A knight in gleaming armor, decorated with glowing runes, stormed into the room.
His sword was drawn, and his eyes, as cold as ice, fixed the merchant with a silent fury.
> "What’s going on here?" asked the knight, his authoritative voice filling the room.
The merchant stammered something, backing into a corner.
Before the knight could reach him, the man lunged for an open window, slipping away with surprising agility.
The knight tried to chase him, but it was too late.
The merchant had disappeared into the darkness of the alleys.
Love stood still, breathing heavily, while Ayperi floated beside her, an air of relief about her.
> "I told you so, little lost one," whispered the spirit. "But no, you never listen to me."
The knight turned toward her, lowering his sword.
> "You’re safe now," he said in a calm but firm tone. "But we need to talk. Come with me."
Love walked beside the knight, still shaken by what had just happened, but reassured by the imposing presence of the man.
His armor glimmered faintly in the dim morning light, each movement producing a rhythmic clinking.
He introduced himself in a deep, measured voice.
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> "My name is Valrik," he said, throwing a fleeting glance at her, "and I’m a member of the Order of Eternal Ice. The security of Helgard is our responsibility, and we don’t tolerate crimes like the one you’ve just witnessed."
Love nodded without replying, her gaze lost in the frozen alleys and buildings surrounding them.
Ayperi floated beside her, curiously eyeing Valrik’s armor, but remained silent.
> Valrik continued: "Helgard is a complex city. Despite its beauty and apparent order, there are shadowy areas. Groups like that crooked merchant try to take advantage of outsiders. That’s why we maintain a strict surveillance system. The Order is everywhere, even where you can’t see it. But we can’t do everything alone; sometimes, we need the support of the citizens."
As he spoke, they arrived in front of a massive structure of ice and stone, carved directly into the ice column supporting Helgard.
The entrance was guarded by two knights armed with spears decorated with glowing runes.
Valrik exchanged a brief nod with the guards before allowing Love to enter.
The barracks was a maze of cold, austere corridors illuminated by blue light crystals that emitted a soft glow.
Valrik led her into a small waiting room, furnished with a bench and a simple table.
> "Stay here," he told her, "the situation is delicate."
Love sat down, her heart still in turmoil.
Ayperi approached her, whispering with a playful tone: "Little lost one, it seems you’ve found a very important place to tell your adventures."
The door to the room opened with a heavy sound, and Love looked up.
A man entered, immediately filling the space with his presence.
It was Aton, an emissary from the central government.
He wasn’t wearing armor, but he didn’t need it.
His figure was sculpted like granite, tall and imposing. Muscles defined under a simple black cloak, while his face, etched with severe lines, conveyed an unsettling calm.
His eyes, a luminous yellow, seemed to peer directly into the soul.
Aton moved with the grace of a predator.
When he spoke, his voice was deep and filled the entire room.
> "You have clear orders," he said, addressing Valrik, who had reentered with him. "If anyone spots this ‘woman,’ they must immediately report it to the central government authorities. The capture order is general and applies to every corner of Elysium."
Valrik nodded, his face betraying some tension.
> "We haven’t received any sightings yet, Aton, but your presence here is... significant."
Aton looked at him with a cold smile, one that didn’t reach his eyes.
> "I’m here because the situation demands it. Don’t underestimate the importance of this mission, knight. The creature we are looking for is no ordinary demigod. It’s an anomaly, a potential threat."
Love held her breath, trying to stay calm as Ayperi approached her again.
> "Little lost one," she whispered in a more serious tone than usual, "it’s time to go. This man must not know you’re here."
Aton paused for a moment, as if sensing something, but then returned his focus to Valrik.
> "Don’t disappoint me," he concluded before leaving the room with the same silent, lethal pace with which he entered.
As soon as the door closed, Ayperi turned to Love with an urgent tone: "Move now. We don’t have time."
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The words from the spirit were full of urgency, and Love nodded, her mind racing as she searched for an escape route.
The door to the room was closed, but a small skylight on the opposite wall let in a faint moonlight glow.
She quietly approached, and with a look at Ayperi, pointed to the window.
> "That’s our exit," she whispered.
> "Ah, finally some adventure!" Ayperi replied with a playful smile. "But be careful, little lost one. The fall won’t be gentle."
With an effort, Love opened the skylight.
The cold air of Helgard hit her face, bringing with it the scent of ice and stone.
She looked out: the skylight overlooked a narrow, deserted alley.
With a deep breath, she climbed onto the frame and dropped agilely to the ground.
She landed with a dull thud, bending her knees to soften the impact.
Ayperi appeared beside her, floating gracefully.
> "Well, you’re still in one piece. Now, let’s move before anyone notices."
Love slipped into the labyrinth of icy alleys, her heart pounding with fear and adrenaline.
The shadows of torches on the walls danced ominously, and every sound seemed amplified: the crunch of snow beneath her feet, the distant clang of weapons, the footsteps of a patrol in the distance.
As she ran, she heard a voice in the distance. It was Aton, speaking in an icy tone.
> "Check every exit. No one leaves this barracks without my permission."
They had realized, after showing the recognition portrait, that the witness they had was none other than the most wanted person.
Love stopped, holding her breath. Ayperi approached, placing an incorporeal hand on her shoulder.
> "Calm down, little lost one. You need to be smarter than him. Follow me."
The spirit led her through a maze of narrow passages, some so tight she had to crawl to get through.
The cold bit at her skin, but she didn’t stop. Ayperi, with her dim glow, was her only beacon in the darkness.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, they emerged into a small courtyard at the back of the barracks.
A guard was facing away, staring at the sky.
> Ayperi gestured to Love and whispered: "Wait for the right moment."
Love remained still, her breath short from anxiety.
When the guard moved to re-enter, she silently slipped past her, the cloak fluttering slightly in the wind.
Once outside the barracks perimeter, Ayperi turned to her with a bright smile.
> "You made it, little lost one. But don’t relax too much."
> Love nodded, her face marked by tension. "Thank you, Ayperi. I never would’ve made it without you."
The spirit floated beside her, laughing softly.
> "Oh, no need to thank me. But now, we have to leave this city before the sun rises. Aton won’t give up easily."
With one last glance at the barracks, Love turned and began running toward the exit of Helgard.
Love ran, her steps sinking into the packed snow covering the streets.
The torches hanging on the walls of the houses cast flickering glows, painting shadows that seemed to move with a life of their own.
The biting wind hit her face, carrying with it the echo of distant voices.
She couldn’t stop.
Not now.
Ayperi floated beside her, her dim glow a silent guide in the dark.
> "Little lost one," she whispered with an almost amused tone, "still so curious to explore this city?"
Love didn’t respond, focusing only on moving forward.
Her heart hammered in her chest, her warm breath turning into clouds of vapor.
Every muscle in her body screamed with exhaustion, but fear was stronger.
She heard the footsteps of a patrol nearby, the metallic clatter of armor mixing with the hiss of the wind.
She paused for a moment, her back against a cold wall, her breath heavy as she tried to listen.
> "You need to move," Ayperi said, her tone blending urgency and warmth. "They’re close, but not close enough to see you. We can make it."
She resumed running, turning the corner and finding herself in a deserted square.
The snow glistened under the silvery light of the moon, making the place almost ghostly.
An ancient statue of a forgotten hero stood in the center, covered by a layer of ice.
Love ignored it, moving towards an archway that seemed to lead outside the city.
Her legs were starting to give out, but Ayperi encouraged her.
> "Just a bit more, little lost one. The gates are close."
When she finally reached the exit of Helgard, her breath was shallow and her body trembled from the cold.
She turned for a moment, gazing at the imposing walls of the city against the starry sky.
Ayperi floated beside her, watching with curiosity.
> "You have the gift of escape, you know?" she said with a smile. "Although I have to say, you make it quite dramatic."
Love looked at her, a mixture of relief and exhaustion in her eyes.
> "We made it, right? We’re out."
> "For now," the spirit replied, her voice more serious than ever.
> "But Helgard doesn’t forget, and neither does Aton. We have to keep moving."
Love nodded.
Then, with Ayperi at her side, she ventured into the darkness of the night, leaving Helgard and its dangers behind...
Thank You for Reading!
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Until next time,
Teo