"And you know what? I slapped her face with my hand!"
Freyja laughed out loud, speaking with her friends Van, Skar, and Aya from a mirror in her room. "That's great! Next time they do that to you! Make sure to kick em hard!" She shouted, laughing. Then, there was a loud knock on the door. "Talk to you later, guys! Alaric is here!" She said, before turning the power off the transmission mirror.
"Come in!" Freyja hurriedly fixed her wrinkled dress, before Alaric could see her. "Hey there!" Alaric let himself into the Lenfiare's chambers with his usual bright smile.
Freyja ran to him excitedly. She immediately noticed his now short blonde hair, reminding her of the day the first met in Runerich. He also grew a bit more muscular than the last time she saw him, and she could even see beard growing on his chin. But Alaric hated facial hair so he would always shave it off. Freyja chuckled, remembering how she teased him about it last year.
"Alaric! It's been a while!" She hugged him, and he wrapped his arms around her fondly. "I'm so happy to see you well, Freyja."
Alaric eyed her from head to toe. Then he sighed. "You never age. This is awkward. It's been ten years since you became Lenfiare and you didn't age a day!" Freyja laughed, grabbing his hand, leading him outside. "Come, I had some snacks prepared. Join me." Like a kid, she skipped her way to the next room pulling Alaric with her.
Alaric visits Celestia once a year. Ever since Freyja's ascension as Lenfiare, Alaric was made emissary of the human realm, occasionally reporting the dimensional cracks in his world. It will still take around three thousand years to fully repair the cracks. What they can do for now, is to maintain the peace and balance of the worlds. And to do that, Celestia needs as much help as they can get. Alaric graciously volunteered to help, and has been working hard ever since. Freyja couldn't help but admire his determination.
Freyja requested privacy from the attendants. After serving them pastries and drinks, they left Alaric and Freyja to talk in the room. Alaric's eyes sparkled upon seeing his favorite pastries. No matter how hard he tried to copy the recipe, he just couldn't get it to taste the same as the one in the Celesial palace. He didn't wait for Freyja to tell him to dig in. He took a slice of cake, breaking royal protocol. Freyja laughed. "They're really good, huh? I had them make those cakes especially for your visit!" She bragged. "It's sad that Alyon didn't become king of Phrein. And he rarely visits too." Freyja sighed.
"Well, the last time I saw Alyon, he looked much more energetic than he used to. He must be really enjoying his current job, if you ask me." Alaric shared.
The new Queen of Phrein is Alyon's elder sister, whom he has been serving with utmost loyalty ever since. Alyon was supposed to be the King, but he refused and chose to work with Alaric to protect the dimensional barriers instead. "Well he must have enjoyed travelling so much." Freyja giggled. "I can't blame him! I would if I could."
"Anyway, how���s the punishment for the Aethelmaer clan and the usurpers?" Alaric changed the subject. He has been curious ever since. Freyja mentioned about it last year, but she never followed through. "Well, I did give them punishment. But it's good that the Famirth clan was there to keep my punishments in check. I don't want to decide based on personal feelings." Freyja sequestered some of their properties and erected a research facility. She promised the council and the Famirths that she would support research on alternative ways to control the core. She wanted to fulfil that promise not only because of the Famirth clan, but because she genuinely loved the idea. She studied a lot back in the human realm, and it's making her both excited and nostalgic.
Alaric put down his fork, and a sad smile on his face all of a sudden. Freyja noticed it and grew worried. "What's wrong Alaric?"
"Hey Freyja, do you think Kirin didn't really intend to kill me that time?" The thought suddenly came to his mind, remembering how they fought their friend ten years ago. "I've forgiven him for that already but, I just find myself wondering about him from time to time."
"I don't know. Maybe he's trying to kill you?" Freyja replied with a poker face, making Alaric pout. But they laughed soon after. "Well, he could have killed me if he really wanted to. But, I think he knows you'll come to me. And he also knows Alyon stayed behind that time, when we left for Hawsdark."
For some reason, being able to talk about the past so freely now, cheered the two of them up. "As for me, I think he really wasn't holding back. But he's probably thinking I can beat him even so." Freyja blushed, a sweet smile on her face as she recalled the times when Kirin was strictly training her.
"But I think he was really trying to kill Saifer though." Alaric whispered, they both burst in laughter as they both agreed. "Gosh, we shouldn't laugh about that, now I feel bad for Saifer." Freyja slapped her forehead.
After some lighthearted talk, Alaric finally had the courage to ask. He put down his cup and faced her with a serious look. "Freyja, how about your health? You know…" The reason why Alaric came to Celestia that day, was to ask that question. He nervously waited for her reply.
"I have five more years, at most." She answered, nonchalantly. Freyja could see tears form at the corner of the runemaster's eyes. She held his hand, assuring him that she's fine.
"Alaric, I lived most of my life as a human. Five years is a lot of time." Freyja assured him with a smile. "And besides, I can't wait to pay 'him' back for what he did." Alaric smiled. He totally knew what she was talking about. "When you meet then, give him a punch or two for me."
"Of course!"
Alaric squeezed her hand back. "I am always here for you, you know that, Freyja." Freyja smiled, feeling warmth on her chest. She nodded.
All of a sudden, then, they heard loud footsteps approaching. "Alfiore! Alfiore!" Astrid's voice echoed around the hall, surprising the two of the them. "Astrid!?" Alaric was shocked, seeing the guardian Astrid dressed in white and crimson robes, his hair tied in a ponytail. "I can never get used to seeing you out of the medallion." Alaric sighed, shaking his head. Freyja laughed. "Me too! I always get shocked when I meet them walking around from somewhere and not from my medallion."
"Lenfiare, please don't gossip while I'm here." Astrid walked to them, greeting Alaric. "Of course I don't need to leech off Lenfiare's aura anymore. The celestial core has been restored. As long as I'm in Celestia, I can move as I like." Astrid sternly explained, crossing his arms. "Anyway, the Alfiore ran away!" He said, angrily looking around. Freyja sighed.
"Kanji!" Freyja yelled, and the ten-year-old boy finally came out of hiding, from under one of the tables in the room. "Come on, you shouldn't do that to Astrid! Make sure you apologize, okay?" She scolded the ten-year-old boy, who had an adorable pout on his face. "Yes, Lenfiare."
"Anyway! Come here and say hello to uncle Alaric!" She called.
Alaric's jaw dropped, seeing the young prince walk towards them.
"Hello. I am Kanji Alfiore of Celestia." The boy said with a straight face, as if he just wanted to get it over with. The young prince glared at Alaric with his slanted golden eyes. Freyja ruffled his pitch-black, wavy hair. "Alright, now make sure you return to Astrid. If you do well today, I'll take you to the west to buy crystals, how's that?" The boy gleamed, and nodded before running out of the room excited.
Alaric was stunned. The resemblance is so uncanny, even his mannerisms and the way he looked at him. "Wow. He's grown up now. And he looks exactly like Kiri—"
"Saifer." Freyja corrected. "He looks exactly like Saifer, right?" She smiled.
Alaric smiled back. "Oh, sorry. Yeah, he does." Freyja sipped her juice, giggling.
Alaric and Freyja chatted for hours, laughing, giggling, talking about the past. Time flew so fast, she didn't realize it was already night time. When it's time for Alaric to go, Freyja showed him the runestone he gave her from many years ago. "I'm always keeping this with me. Thank you, Alaric. For living, for surviving, and for remembering all that." Tears started rolling down her cheeks. Alaric wiped them off and gently held her hand. "No Freyja, thank you for giving me those memories. Of course, I will never forget them, what are you talking about?" He squeezed her hands to comfort her.
Freyja wiped her tears off and bid him farewell. This may be the last time she would ever see him, and that terrified her. But she let him go, with a wide smile on her face. Because even if she will no longer be there the next time Alaric visits Celestia, a part of her is excited, hoping, for a new adventure.
And to fulfil her promise, to find Kirin, and see the world with him again. He is waiting for her somewhere. She knows.
CELESTIAL SAGA END