Snow explained everything to Rada and agreed to meet with her friend in the town in ruins. The sun was high in the sky as the samurai arrived, accompanied by Sepide and Silva. Rada walked toward him, a short sword in her hand.

"Neige, long time no see."

"Don't call me that anymore, I've given up on the past."

"I'll bring back your past, even if it's by spilling your blood."

The man took his sword out, ready to fight against his friend.

"Why are you using this blade Neige? Are the ways of a ninja shameful to you?"

"Rada, you're taking the wrong path. Everyone is happy now, you're the only one causing problems."

"You're forcing people into your vision of happiness. It's not freedom, it's not what I'm fighting for!"

"Rada... Forgive me."

The samurai suddenly swung his blade at the woman, who quickly managed to block it with her own. Sepide was about to help Neige but was quickly stopped by her friend.

"What are you doing? We need to help him!"

"No, it's their fight."

Silva focused on the fight while Snow went next to them to watch the fight happen.

"Have you ever wondered what you'd do if it happened? Like... What if I suddenly went against you?"

"Then I'd kick your balls until you come back to reason." Silva answered with a smile.

"Yeah... I think I'd do something like that too."

Rada and Neige both clashed their blades with energy. The woman used her shurikens and speed to gain an edge over her friend but none of them was winning over the other.

"Neige! I'll make you come back, I promise!"

"Please, come with me... We can live at peace in this city, away from the world's worries."

"I'm never going to, I'd prefer to die free by your hand rather than lie to myself!"

Neige hesitated for a moment, leading Rada to cut his cheek with her short sword.

"I want to fight for myself, for what I believe in! I don't want someone to decide what is good for me, I'll free you from the cage you locked yourself in!"

"I'm just trying to help everyone... I want to make sure everyone is safe..."

"Even if you're taking away what defines them? Tell me, when was the last time any of them dreamed of something? When was the last time they felt this fire in their heart for something!?"

"They don't need it... They can be happy without it."

Rada swung her blade at her friend's chest, breaking a part of his armor.

"Don't you feel alive? Isn't fighting for what's right better than the happiness that was handed to you? Isn't our friendship born in struggle and honesty?"

Neige paused for a moment, allowing Rada to put him on the ground with a clean hit.

"If you truly believe that giving up your freedom for happiness is the best for you... Then you never considered me like your friend."

Neige stood up again, trying with difficulty not to fall under his own weight.

"I just... Wanted you to be happy... I did all of that for you..."

"I don't want to be happy, I want to be free... Free with you."

"Freedom... It's impossible to reach while being happy..."

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

"Then prove it. Come with me and try your best, do everything in your power to reach happiness and freedom. Once we tried everything, then I'll accept it."

Neige chuckled slightly while looking at the eyes of her friends.

"You never give up..."

"And you give up too easily, that's why I need to be behind your back every time."

Rada walked toward her friend and carefully removed the samurai armor on him. Once she finished, the woman looked at Neige in the eyes and held his hand.

"Don't you want to show me that you're right? Prove me that it's impossible to reach this perfect world we dreamed of."

Neige smiled at his friend and took her in his arms.

"If you stay with me... I will."

"Of course, I'll stay with you silly."

Seeing that the fight was over, the three friends walked toward them, prompting the friends to break free of the embrace but still holding their hands. Neige looked at Sepide and Silva, visibly ashamed.

"I know we were supposed to capture her but... There has been a change of plan."

"So what now? You'll go against the emperor?"

Neige thought for a moment at Silva's question and looked at his friend next to him.

"I... I think I will. I want to see if this perfect world we dreamed of is possible, and this time, I won't take the easy way out."

"We have a long way to go, it won't be easy." Rada looked at Snow with a serious tone and pointed toward one of the mountains "There, this is the Dragon's nest. I'm not sure what you're doing, but I hope you get what you need and see your friend again."

"I will."

Snow looked at Silva and Sepide before going toward their goal. The two girls followed him and they waved the the two friends still holding their hands. All they could do for them was hope that everything would be alright.

The group arrived in front of the mountain. A long road of stairs stood in front of them, reaching above the sky. Neige and Sepide looked at the hard task in front of them while Silva started climbing the stairs.

"What are you doing? Let's go."

Neige and Sepide followed their friend, already exhausted from the journey ahead. The walk lasted for hours without any trace of it ever ending. Neige looked behind them and saw the long way they went through to get there. Along the way, Neige reminisced about his life, he knew everything about his past and even could imagine what the future was like. Only a bit more time and this long journey would be over.

"We've been walking for hours... At least it's over soon."

"Over soon?" Asked Silva "Do you see the end?"

"Kinda, maybe in an hour we'll be there."

Sepide squinted her eyes, trying to see the end Neige was talking about.

"I can only see clouds, we barely walked anyway so I'm not surprised that we didn't reach the end yet."

"Barely?" Silva was surprised by Sepide's words but noticed how calm her respiration was compared to hers and Neige "I guess we're just not used to climbing stairs..."

A few more minutes passed and Neige reached the end. When he looked behind, only the clouds could be seen. He was about to go back to get to his friends but was stopped by a voice behind him.

"They'll come soon, don't worry."

Neige turned around only to see a strange person in religious attire. Their face was hidden behind the clothes and their voice sounded strangely empty, making it difficult to guess anything about them.

"I'm amazed that you made it this far, not everyone gets to pass the path of life."

"The path of life? It wasn't too hard, I expected a bit harder."

"I see... That's how you feel..."

Neige looked behind him, still worried about his friends.

"Don't worry, they'll arrive when their time comes. You're here for the mystic water, aren't you?"

"Is that the reason why everyone comes here?"

"Most do, yes. However, I cannot offer it to everyone that comes here, you have to deserve it."

"Is this water that special?"

"It depends, it is for those who deem it special."

Neige looked at the man with a bit of impatience but managed to keep his calm despite it.

"I'm not sure I understand, how do I get it."

"It's simple, you just have to answer a single question."

"I hope it's not a philosophical question..."

"It is quite simple, how did you find the journey so far?"

Neige was confused by the words, trying to understand the meaning of the question. Despite his uncertainty, he tried to answer it the best he could.

"It was fine. I think it's mostly because my friends were here, I would have been bored if they weren't. Actually, it's because of a friend that I'm here in the first place."

"And do you regret it?"

"Of course not, every steps were important."

Neige wasn't sure he understood his own answer, his thoughts were interrupted by a slow clap from the mysterious figure.

"I can grant your wish, however, we should wait a bit."

Neige wasn't sure what he meant but quickly understood when he saw his two friends coming out of the fog behind him.

"Neige? How did you arrive so fast?" Asked Sepide with surprise.

"I'm more curious as to why you were so slow, I already finished the test."

"The test? What was it?"

"This guy asked me a question and-"

Neige stopped when he noticed that the person mysteriously disappeared and looked around in an attempt to find him.

"It's not important, I think it must be a bit farther, let's go."

The three friends continued on the flat path made of gravel and quickly arrived in front of a fountain. The statue of a snake-like creature was spewing water out of his mouth, Neige took the bottle he took with him and filled it with the water from the fountain before putting it back in his pocket.

"We should leave now, we got what we need."

Silva went toward the fountain and drank some of the water, ignoring Neige's request.

"It tastes like... Fresh water. Is it really useful for Emely?"

"I guess so, we'll have to ask her once we're back."

The three friends agreed and prepared to leave this world. What was supposed to be a quick adventure ended up taking most of the day, and while Silva and Sepide didn't feel anything particular, Neige felt something strange in that place. A feeling of nostalgia for the past, a feeling of trust in the future.