Year 1105
A beautiful snowflake illuminated by soft rays of light falls slowly and melts at the tip of her nose. Her eyes opened slowly, savouring the feeling of the cold morning. Aris had a long dream, one she hadn't dreamt of for years.
How long was it since she first woke up in this world?
She rubbed her nose whilst slowly getting up. The endless white must've dulled her senses for her to be dreaming in the wild.
Looking slightly upward, she reminisced. It should be about…
'3 years…yeah…3 years' Aris nodded at herself. After waking up from her battered state, she was at a medical tent in a military camp. There she met her wonderful master, the one and only, dead idol of the female lead.
'A war hero! The great general! And the female conqueror, Serie Hajun!' She scoffed at the thought. The cynicism was not unwarranted from her. Her master was a slave driver to her subordinates, especially her one and only disciple…,which she foolishly is. It was her unlucky fortune to have caught her master's interest. In the narrative, she was dead before the novel even began. But, her heroic tales of 'greatness' remained, making her the dead idol to be quoted and quoted on.
3 years of being dragged to whatever self-assigned missions and impromptu lessons that Serie had in mind brings her to where she is now.
Aris dragged her stick to help her stand and continue traversing the snow. She was on another special mission that she gladly took. She needed a solo mission badly after her recent assignments. It brings about a headache when she thinks about it, so let's avoid thinking about that for now.
'Soren' With a tap of her stick, the cold wind carried away the dust and snow from her body. Her eyes followed how the wind flowed around until the spell stopped. It's still very fascinating how magic made life very convenient. She has herself to thank and maybe a small credit to her master for her proficiency.
Magic can be very tricky. Looking at her stick, it's already quite handy despite its appearances. One large limitation of magic in this world was its side effects. Without the proper artifact or control, one could die or lose a limb from simple casting. She supposes such a power-up can't be without a price. You really can't say if magic is a blessing or a curse especially when no one helps you train it. One wrong move, then…, BOOM!
Aris shook her head out of her thoughts, she should rest her mind in this mission, it wouldn't do her good to exhaust herself. She exhales a breath and continues traversing the frost-filled roads.
…
"...three hundred and forty-five pigs on the farm, three hundred and forty-five pigs, if one pig should happen to die, it will be eaten by me! 344 pigs on the farm, 344 pigs! If one happens to die, it will be eaten by me!" Aris sang obnoxiously loud, getting the number lower and lower and lower and lower...
She coughed feeling her throat was a bit hoarse. But it was nothing compared to being killed by boredom and the unchanging, unforgiving cold.
But Aris, isn't it very stupid to sing so loud especially in war time? Not to mention, you're on a mission? The rational side of her also bothered her obnoxiously. The more rational voice at her other shoulder nodded but obnoxiously replied, so what?
She can't sense anyone for miles and the wind just scatters her voice.
Aris was stopped abruptly from her crazed state of talking to herself when her stick bumped into something. She was passing through a forest with knee-deep snow. Her handy stick truly proved its purpose, helping her navigate her way. She poked a few more times trying to find where to step before the snow groaned.
"???" She looked closely at the snow and sighed. It seems she found trouble.
"Soren." The spell was also effective in scattering the snow away from someone.
The spell revealed a man's body. No, more accurately, it reveals an unconscious man. If it had more life in it, she would've sensed it from a distance away, but with how it stands, the man seems to be barely hanging on.
Squatting down, she almost used the stick to poke him again but as basic human decency, she lightly tapped on the man's cheek instead.
"Hey…Heeyyyy… Are you dead?" Well, obviously a stupid question, the man was still breathing though almost unpersceptible. It was really troublesome to come across someone. A live one at that. She glanced back at the man and sighed.
Let's just count it towards good karma.
She double-checked the man's condition. He should be able to roughly reach the next village. With that thought, she roughly hoisted him up her shoulders and slightly increased her speed.
Well, where was she…?
Ah!
"...three hundred and twenty pigs on the farm, three hundred and twenty pigs! If one pig should happen to die, it would be eaten by me! Three hun..." She continued her attack on the ears. The body roughly dragged along with her only slightly twitched before returning to unconsciousness.
…
"So…kid…" Saul let out a big sigh and had one hand on his head. He can't seem to find the right words to admonish…? Question..? This no-good junior of his.
"Come on senior, just keep an eye on him until he wakes up and leaves or something." Aris puts down the sack she was carrying down to the bed. It was quite the journey to drag a man here and it was very fortunate to see this senior from the good ol' days of bloodshed and exhausting battles just a few months ago. Saul was the good senior she followed apart from many others when her master just didn't have time to keep her. With her master being a big shot and all. It was very fortunate that someone recognized her or she might have to spend a few days in prison, since she was hauling a body while walking through the middle of the town. Not the best idea, noted.
"You can't just dump him on me. That… that's just too much wor—"
"Hecouldbeabitjumpysoitwouldbe best to be careful…gottago, stillonamission, bye" Aris cut him off and rushed her words. She promptly left a small bag of coins and got the hell out. As an experienced junior, newbie, youngest in a lot of things; you just have to know when a lecture starts because you just won't know when it'll stop.
"Kid! KID! YOU Fuckin- GET BACK HERE!" Saul made good use of his lungs and shouted. He really didn't like extra work, extra things, extra responsibilities. It's why he was at the border anyway. Just to get away from being promoted and getting a fancy title for nothing.
He looked back at the pack of coins that seemed familiar as time passed.
…
!!!
It was his money pack that went missing MONTHS ago! He wrongly blamed some of his brothers back then! That little shit! It's even noticeably less heavy!
In a little white note that was folded inside,
~tehee ^-^
…best to say the note was ripped to shreds.
…
A distance away Aris had a feeling she forgot something but she waved it off. Totally forgetting that the money pouch she left was actually returned to the rightful owner and there she was feeling proud for being responsible and paying back favors.
Well…, she was now on her way to complete her mission. Aris increased her speed and covered the distance to the border. For some reason, she was feeling uneasy. There was something she can't put a finger on, something at the tip of her tongue, something that she just can't connect. Indeed, it's better for her to complete this mission and head back. Whatever it is…, whatever it is, will eventually come to her sooner or later.
Aris abruptly stopped and dodged to the side. The place she was last standing was already covered with a whirlwind of snow and dust. Whoever had attacked had already hidden themselves. A volley of harsh wind came at her seemingly wanting to end the battle at once.
"Spears." With her chant, the wind was met head on with spears that vanished with the wind it met.
"Why don't you come out?" Her words were met with another volley of harsh wind seemingly endless.
"Flash. Flash. Flash." With continuous chants, deadly white flashes came out of her stick that hunted the surroundings and followed mana fluctuations. She slightly tapped her foot and locked on the target.
It was a hooded figure that chanted silently against the wind, blocking and running from the white flashes that chased. It was a short battle of wind and ice before it slowly settled. The figure fell down as a hidden sharp ice followed through and reached its heart.
"Soren.", the dust and ice slowly settled.
Aris waved her mighty stick again and sighed. It was troublesome that a simple survey mission actually resulted in something. Before she could come near and check the body, it disintegrated before her eyes. She stood still and felt a bit tired.
It seems that the flames of war are continuing to ignite. Bodies just don't disintegrate into the wind… That's just dark magic and all that shit.
"Ynes." A summoning circle came on her feet as a blue bird flew out.
"I was beginning to think you forgot about me, chirp." Ynes, the little blue bird muttered.
"How could I?" Aris replied sheepishly
Ynes just stared at her summoner resignedly. Due to the nature of Aris' missions. Ynes couldn't join in most battles since she was not really built for those. From the lack of better words, her style is really fit for being a gift to and accompanying a little princess, and not this war monger. She didn't know why her summoner bothered to form a contract aside from needing someone to pass messages (which she does a lot).With Aris' abilities as a frontliner, her summons should be a neat assist in attacks or enhancing her abilities.
With that said, it really wouldn't be much of an issue if the soul could handle more than one summon. But, in this world? You'd be lucky to even have one. The bird shook its body and flew. At the very least, she'll help when she can.
She really wants to say that she's not a messenger bird.
Aris increased her speed and flew around the perimeter to finally complete her mission. Aside from the earlier attack, the rest came smoothly. She should head back to the village, then return back to base.
Her shoulders slumped at that thought. What a short break to have.
…
Post-
Aris woke up from a long and winding dream. Or a reality? She supposes.
As she opened her eyes, she was greeted by a pair of light red eyes. Which prompted her to blink slowly for a few times denying reality, before resignedly avoiding the strong gaze and looking outwards to the window besides the woman. She senses big trouble behind this woman.
"How are you feeling?" Serie asked the child, observing and evaluating her. Casting those kinds of spells at her young age should be improbable but it happened. She always has a place for these talents. Serie leaned back at the chair she was sitting in and sighed, the child is still too young.
Aris turned her gaze back at the woman in front of her. Serie seems troubled, well, leading an army would do that to you.
"I'm… well." Expecting death and managing to live despite that condition, she should say she is well. The glaring question now would be,
What now? What happens now?
Serie directly met her gaze. Oh? Did I say that out loud?
"Yes, you did."
Oh, I must still be out of it.
"Child? Would you like to stay with me?" Serie held her gaze and asked seriously. But…
"If I don't want to?" She tilted her head and asked. She never looked away from the eyes that searched her or that widened in response. After a few moments, a grin split into Serie's face.
"Oh? Do you not want to?" She asked back, challenging and testing the one in front of her. Something's odd about the child; she just can't place it. It's not loss nor devastation that's in her eyes. Hmm, it should be something like indifference. Now, she knows the war brings about many peculiarities. Indifference in a child? Should she say that it's because there's a lack of experience? No, now what tells her that it's not that but more. She's curious. Very. Curious. A child? Pshh. She forgot about that. Right now Aris was a valuable tool- ah, talent. A talent. She feels it.
Aris was the first to break eye contact. For some reason the woman's eyes are turning crazed.
She offers a classic eye-smile, "Joking ma'am. I-Iw-wo-would appreciate being able to stay." A little stutter for a half-hearted attempt to be a child. Ah, it's really not her style. She took a peek, and indeed, there was still that crazed look.
"Oh! That's wonderful!" The woman returned a smile.
A lunatic, who smiles like that? Aris suppresses the instinct to get away. She still hasn't recovered yet.
Who knew that would seal the deal?
…
~À suivre