Iris tailed the guards and the survivors back to the southern gate and looked out across the treeline once everyone was safely through, expecting someone to be following them. When no one greeted her sight, she nodded and sheathed her sword and followed the others in. She watched as the woman sat down next to a healer and the children joined a couple of guards who provided water and fresh towels for cleaning.

Iris felt triumphant. They may be the only survivors, but they survived. She grew tired of people dying for no good cause, killed before they had a chance to properly live. Not everyone had a Titan who could save them; not everyone was as lucky as she was.

“Where’s Arylos?” Sentarus asked, coming up behind Iris.

“He told me to head back here and that he will handle it,” Iris explained to the king. “I don’t think it will be long before he comes back with us.”

Sentarus nodded and counted the survivors collected. “Six in total, counting the young child. Was that really everyone?”

Iris looked over to the survivors, wishing she had more to show. “The city was already completely on fire by the time we got there. Arylos took to entering the city himself and sent me back here before I could help him look.”

Sentarus groaned and rubbed his eyes. “Which very well means these are the only ones.”

“What do you mean?” Iris responded in confusion.

Sentarus continued rubbing the stress from his face. “If he sent you back here with this group, no one else would be joining them.”

Iris lowered her head for a moment before coming back towards the gate and leaned against the stone wall. “Then we wait here for him to come back if there are any others.”

“You really should get out of the cold,” Sentarus insisted. “Arylos will be fine but you’ll start getting frostbite.”

“I am waiting here,” Iris insisted, unmoving from her place.

Sentarus raised his voice to protest but decided against it and returned to the refugees as they needed his attention more. Iris would not be moved in either case and in her mind, Arylos was not really safe until she saw him again and she would take no other explanation. He came for her when she was in trouble and so she will wait for him until he returns.

“Finally out of the torotsu, aren’t you?” a familiar woman’s voice called out.

“You’re late, Bellona,” Iris responded with a scoff.

“I was busy getting a response team together,” Bellona returned, coming up next to Iris with two steaming cups of a dark liquid while she wore heavy pelt armour to combat the cold.

“Hell of a response team, I’ll give you that,” Iris answered with heavy sarcasm, not taking her eyes off of the road for any sign of Arylos.

Bellona chuckled and handed Iris one of the piping hot cups. “Here, it’s a melted chocolate drink I made for the kids.”

“Melted chocolate?” Iris asked, taking the cup and looking at the dark liquid, taking in the aroma of bittersweet chocolate.

“A little something from Templarius,” Bellona explained and took a sip of her own cup. “I’m surprised you Kaiyumae never came up with anything like this. I usually take mine sweetened and with cream, but we’ll make do for now.”

Iris thought about it and took a drink, the chocolate flavour hitting her hard in the face but the liquid smoother than silk and potent like a strong tea. It gave her a shot of energy and made her stomach feel warm, bringing some life to her freezing hands.

“This came from Templarius?” Iris asked, trying to process just what she was drinking.

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Bellona chuckled and took another drink. “It’s a really simple recipe so I’ll teach you some time. Then again, the climate here on Kaiyumi is very unforgiving to cocoa plants so I wouldn’t be surprised if you’ve never heard of it.”

Iris shook her head, trying to process these unfamiliar words. “I’ve never heard of it, and I come from the south where it’s pretty warm compared to this far north.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice,” Bellona responded with a smile. “Where I come from on Templarius is pretty cold like here. I’m pretty sure cocoa only grows in the Watermont region of Templarius, far to the southwest.”

“Watermont?” Iris asked, unfamiliar with the name. “What kind of place is that?”

Bellona took a drink, reminiscing of her homeworld. “It’s a nice place. Situated on a peninsula to the southwest of the Royal City, our capitol. It’s very warm and humid and primarily houses fisheries and farms.”

“And what about you?” Iris pushed forward. “Where do you come from?”

Bellona gave a light laugh as she responded and a wide smile. “I grew up in Abritus of the Aurelia region, far to the north along the mountains, north of Akhet and Snogard. It’s cold there for most of the year, but maintains a stable climate at least; seasons swing less dramatically over the course of the year.”

“That sounds pretty nice,” Iris responded with a smile, taking another drink. “I still wonder where Arylos is from.”

Bellona thought about it for a moment before answering. “Well, he’s not really Templarian. I’ve only interacted with him in Snogard and the Royal City.”

“I mean his homeworld,” Iris corrected.

“Ah,” Bellona realised and rubbed her chin. “I wish there was anything I could tell you, but Arylos would have to be the one to tell you. We know nothing would be underestimating just how little we know about the Titans.”

Iris thought to herself while taking another drink of the warm chocolate. She wanted to ask Arylos and she has been trying, but she can tell it hurts him each time. It’s a wound she really didn’t want to keep opening over and over. She wanted to know, but what if it hurt him too much? What is he trying to hide?

Iris’s thoughts were cut short by a shadow of a person limping through the snow, dragging a sword along the ground with them. Without hesitation, she put the cup down on a crate nearby and ran towards the person, Bellona following closely behind. As she approached, Iris could make out the telltale outline of Arylos, beaten and bleeding. She ran up to the limping Arylos and grabbed his arm but he waved her off.

“I am alright,” he assured in a groaning voice, using his sword to hold himself up.

“You don’t look alright to me,” Iris returned, swimming in concern.

Arylos laughed under his breath. “When have I let you down, eh? I always get back up.”

“There’s always the one time that you don’t,” Iris responded in a quiet voice.

“Holy hell man,” Bellona exclaimed as she approached Arylos, examining his wounds. “What the hell happened back there?”

“Baldr happened,” Arylos answered.

Bellona processed the name for a moment before letting out a chuckle. “You’re joking.”

Arylos simply looked up at Bellona, letting his expressionless eyes speak volumes.

“...Oh you’re being serious?” Bellona asked again, her smile quickly fading.

Arylos remained silent as the grave.

“Holy fuck,” Bellona whispered, rubbing her temples and pacing back and forth.

“Who’s Baldr?” Iris asked.

“Only one of Odin’s fucking sons, that’s who!” Bellona exclaimed, not breaking from her pacing. “Did you kill him?”

Arylos shook his head. “Beat the shit out of him for a while so he won’t be coming back if he’s smart.”

“You just let him go?” Iris asked while bringing Arylos’s arm on her shoulders to help him up.

“He’s more useful to me alive right now,” Arylos explained, shifting his weight onto Iris. “Odin needs a reminder that he really shouldn’t be trying to fight me.”

Iris pushed and lifted Arylos up while Bellona picked up his sword from the snow and inspected it for damage.

“Did the others make it back to the city?” Arylos asked with a groan, uncomfortable putting weight back on his legs.

“They did, and they’re getting treated,” Iris explained, slowly walking Arylos forward towards the gate. “I was worried about you so I wanted for you to come back.”

Arylos chuckled under his breath. “Thanks for your concern, but you’re more important than me.”

Iris felt a twang of pain run through her and all she could do was lower her head and nod. She remembered what Arylos said about the guards protecting the survivors and felt an odd parallel here that made her uncomfortable.

“You’re going to have to be careful though,” Bellona warned as she walked with the duo. “Frygg isn’t going to take very kindly to you beating up her son.”

“I’m more concerned about Frygga letting Odin send Baldr after me,” Arylos retorted.

Bellona could find no explanation, and so the group continued their approach to the gate, silent as they tried to consider what to do next.