STAGE SIX: TO THE CRESCENT LAND
"Are you sure it's Hawsdark?"
"Yeah." Freyja said, with all certainty. "Alfiore said before he disappeared, that he had a shrine built underneath the crescent land." Alaric pulled out a world map from his satchel and laid it over the table. "Yeah, no doubt about it. Hawsdark may be small, but all leads point to it. I agree with Freyja, how about you Kirin?"
Kirin disagreed. "I get what you're trying to say. But, are we sure that Hawsdark is the only crescent shaped land here? What if your father is talking about an island, a smaller landmass?" Alaric rolled his eyes, hearing Kirin's reaction. "Kirin, please."
"I'm only saying that we have to be extra careful! Its Hawsdark we're talking about here. We know what happened the last time we went there."
"Now and then are different! We are no longer the same kids we were back then!" Alaric and Kirin's voices rose little by little.
"The alarming increase of the phreinian population spotted in this world…" Freyja interfered, cutting off the two. "We all know that for the past years, Hawsdark has been up to something with the phreinians. I agree with Kirin, we have to take every step with caution. However…" Freyja is resolved. Even if its Kirin she's up against. "These past years, we've been travelling around the world EXCEPT for Hawsdark." Freyja sighed and looked away before continuing. "There's a mysterious being, the one who saved me when I was nearly killed by Aneurin. Only a celestial guardian has the power to do something like that. I've ignored that for long, but, it's the only, remaining clue that we have right now. So, I guess it's time for me to return to Hawsdark." Freyja looked straight at Kirin, with her piercing, unwavering golden orbs. "And I want to go there alone."
Kirin was taken aback. He looked the other way and said nothing more.
"Alaric is right, we are not the same kids we were back then. I AM NOT the same kid I was back then… And you know that." Sensing that Kirin has nothing more to say, she stepped out of the room, leaving the astonished young men behind.
"What the hell is she saying!?" Alaric exclaimed. "She's with her 'I don't want to get you involved' thing again!" Although he sounded confused, Alaric knew very well why Freyja said that. It was all because of Kirin. This infuriated him. For many years, he suppressed whatever doubts he has about Kirin. But at this point, he couldn't do it any longer. "What can you say, Kirin? What are you hiding?"
Kirin looked down, said no word and was about to leave as well, when Alaric grabbed his hand and punched him straight at the face. "I said, what can you say, Kirin!?"
Still, no word from him. Alaric sighed, exacerbated. "It's your fault! Freyja is protecting you that's why she wants to go there alone! And what are you doing now? Sitting quietly like a good kid? You're making me sick!" He was so angry. "Whatever shit you're hiding Kirin, keep it all to yourself! I don't need you. FINE! I'll go with Freyja, and I'll go with her alone." Alaric stomped out of the room, leaving Kirin all by himself. His silence bothered Alaric even more. He wanted to throw a couple more punches, but he stopped himself, hoping that giving him time to think would be best. Leaning against a wall, he stared at his fist. "I'm sorry Kirin, but you have to get yourself together and fast. I don't know what's happening to you, but you can't run away forever." He remembered the painting he saw inside the Aethelmaer mansion many years ago. The one that looked so much like Kirin. He sighed, and went on his way to rest and calm his head.
"Kinju, I'm sorry. I don't understand what you're trying to say." Kirin mumbled to himself. "Alaric, is right. He is absolutely right. But what can I do?" Kirin stared at his shivering hands, "If Freyja meets Amos, if Freyja recovers all of her memories, if Freyja becomes a complete celestial… she will…." Kirin's tears fell on the floor. "She will…"
Kirin is worried about Freyja and Alaric's safety, that is true. But what he is worried the most, is finding Amos. Just thinking about it made his chest ache. Something tells him that when everything is finally revealed, the truth will not favor him. The whole night, he locked himself in his room. Not a single wink of sleep.
On the other hand, Freyja was outside, feeling the cool night breeze. Freyja sat calmly, gazing at the clear, starry sky. She smiled.
"It seems that you're pretty confident." Alaric suddenly appeared from behind, surprising the girl. She gestured for him to sit beside her. "Well, not really. I'm very scared to be honest."
Alaric laughed and sat beside her. "That sure doesn't look like the case."
"Alaric, about what I said before… It's because…."
"I know." Alaric smiled, patting her shoulder. "You're protecting Kirin. Although you have to forgive me Freyja, I punched him earlier." They both chuckled.
"I'm sure you've noticed this already, Alaric. It's not just because of the past he suffered in Hawsdark that I didn't want him to go there." Freyja explained, "It seems like there's something in Kirin that makes him suffer. It's as if he's fighting a battle against… himself."
"Yeah, I noticed that too." Alaric hesitated about telling Freyja his secret, about seeing the uncanny painting in the Aethelmaer manor that looked exactly like Kirin. Nevertheless, he trusted her this much already. She needed to know. "Actually, I saw a painting in the Aethelmaer Manor's treasure room back then. He was the splitting image of Kirin. His name was Leriouge Aethelmaer, if I remember correctly." He began. "Looking at that old painting, I felt that something's not right. What's with the Aethelmaer family's attachment to Kirin? Why is he treated so specially? It also seemed to me, after all these years that Kirin is hiding something very important from us. Why would Galun take him as hostage? Right? What would they get out of him?"
Freyja wasn't the least surprised. "As much as I wanted to dig everything up, if it would hurt Kirin, I'd rather not. Just the same that you and I, have our own share of things we would rather forget. So, I'll wait for the time when Kirin would talk about these things himself."
"Although there are things we want to forget, there are also some things that we must face, no matter how hard they are, right?" Alaric's words made perfect sense. Freyja felt a pang in her chest, hearing that.
Freyja smiled at Alaric. A wide, cheerful and confident smile that seemed like the sun to the young man. "That's why we have to be here! If that happens, then all we have to do is to stick by Kirin's side! We're together, so we'll surely go through whatever that crap is! Hehe." Her optimism seemed to dispel Alaric's worries all of a sudden. "Heh, you'll never change."
"I want to run to Kirin's side right now, but looking at things, he needs time to think. As for me, I have to go and get Amos at all costs. That's why I want to leave by myself. It's not that I don't trust you, but, please stay by Kirin's side Alaric. I know it's too selfish of me to ask such thing but… I don't want Kirin to set foot in that place ever again."
Alaric gave her an 'are you sure?' look.
"I will get Amos and fly straight back, I promise. So please Alaric, please." She held his hands tight. "I beg you, please protect Kirin. Frankly, I'm more worried about him than the enemy."
Alaric nodded, and smiled. "I understand. Don't get distracted, Kirin is in good hands. I'll protect him, I promise. Just do you best Freyja, and hurry back."
Freyja almost cried, tears forming at the corner of her eyes. She was so happy, feeling so blessed with such a friend. She hugged Alaric tight. "Thank you, Alaric! Thank you!" Alaric wrapped his arms around her, rubbed her back. "Freyja, we'll wait for you. I know you'd keep your promise, so we'll wait for you."
Morning came, and Kirin finally went out of his room, looking like his usual self. Alaric and Freyja couldn't help but stare at him awkwardly. "Uh… you alright Kirin?" Alaric asked. "What the hell are you looking at?" He sneered. Then, he twisted Freyja's ear. "Ouch! Ouch!"
"Hey, don't tell me you're going to Hawsdark with just that? What happened to preparation?"
"I am prepared!" She argued.
"There's no food there. Your demonic stomach will surely get in the way. At least stock up some food." He scolded. "We'll starve to death at this rate."
"We'll? You mean, we?"
"And you, don't tell me you didn't prepare anything?" He glared at Alaric who just fell speechless. "Jeez, you're all hopeless… let's go and get stocks first." Kirin stomped out of the room. "Oh, you're coming with me." He took Freyja's hand, dragging her out.
"Wait… wh… what? Where are we going?" Freyja, still confused, asked.
Kirin grinned. "To Hawsdark! Where else?"
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