"Wanna go on a date?"
"Huh?"
I was totally caught off guard by this proposal from Valeria. I would be lying if I said I didn't have any feelings for her, but now wasn't the best time. So I just met her gaze and didn't say anything.
I didn't want to say anything. Saying yes would mean abandoning my duties, and saying no would mean abandoning my dreams to go on a date with a beautiful woman.
So I just kept a straight face.
Valeria took a look at my face. Her smile faltered for a moment, but she quickly composed herself. "Of course, I understand. The search for the queen is the priority."
Valeria shrugged with a playful glint in her eyes. "Sometimes, it's precisely during the tough times that we need a little escape, don't you think? Besides, it's just a friendly outing. No pressure."
She reached out, her hand hovering momentarily as if she wanted to hold mine for reassurance, but she seemed to change her mind and let it fall back to her side.
I heaved a sigh of relief, but a small part of me was disappointed too. "That's it?" was all I could muster up.
"Let me know when you're free tomorrow." She said that she slowly turned towards me, still bashful.
"Uh, sure. How about the evening?"
"That would be perfect for me, and I can also do some groundwork regarding the search efforts."
"Where are we meeting?" My heart was still fluttering a little bit.
"Silver Serpent Tavern. Be there on time. Make sure to attire yourself appropriately; we wouldn't want to draw attention from the commonfolk who might recognize you." Her tone became stern all of a sudden.
"Why the Tavern?" My brow furrowed in confusion as I questioned Valeria.
"You told me you needed someone to rely on, right? We'll be meeting one such person. He's, uh, quite the character."
Confusion still etched on my face, I asked, "Huh?" as Valeria chuckled softly.
"You'll see it for yourself." she teased, her playful smile returning.
"Honorable Vice Commander Valeria, your presence is urgently required here!" A guard emerged from the shadows, panting and clearly out of breath as he delivered the message.
"I'll be there in a moment!" Valeria hollered back, her attention returning to me.
As she turned to leave, she looked back at me with a hint of bashfulness, her cheeks flushed from the falling snow. "You're okay with it, right?" she asked, her eyes searching for reassurance.
"Yeah, I'll see you there," I replied, extending my hand to catch a snowflake and exhaling a misty breath. I was relieved that there was at least someone looking out for me.
"That's great. See you then." Valeria twirled around, almost skipping her way toward where the guard had called her.
She was still very much a girl in some regard.
I blew the snowflake off my hand gently and looked up at the sky. The endless canvas of white stretched across as far as the eye could see, with the sunset now becoming a red dot almost kissing the horizon, painting that beautifully blank canvas in a warm and lush red.
I continued my leisurely stroll and ran into Zorro, who seemed to be on his way back from the Imperial Nexus. He could just read my face like a book. I could tell that he was concerned.
We walked past each other without saying a word, and he stopped. Hearing the snow crunch beneath his feet come to a halt, I stopped too, both of us facing opposite directions.
"Don't make that face, Ed." Zorro said that as he was standing there.
I turned around, facing Zorro, whose back was still facing me.
"It's not that, it's just... It wasn't enough.''
"You can't be beating yourself up over that, son. We all have a lot of regret.'' Zorro's strong voice had a reassuring tone to it.
"It's just that I feel like a lot of the slack I didn't pick up is dragging me down. It just feels impossible."
"We all feel like we're not enough sometimes. I know that feeling better than anyone. During the civil war between Mythria and Heraklion fifteen years ago, I was just an average foot soldier. Nothing special other than basic blood manipulation and amplifying my physical prowess." His voice was very melancholy, almost as if he were recounting a dream.
"I was about to die on the battlefield that day; my battalion had pushed too far ahead of the formation as part of a pincer attack that failed, and they cut off our backlines."
I listened with intent as Zorro went on.
"It was down to me standing as the last person, surrounded by countless Mythrian soldiers, and I was extensively injured and fell to the ground. When all hope seemed lost, she showed up. The countless soldiers? Gone in an instant. I couldn't even comprehend what was going on, and she stood in front of me, reaching her hand out to me."
He turned around and removed his helmet, revealing a huge scar that ran along the side of his head. I was too stunned to say anything without a response.
"Ever since that day, I've always wanted the power to stand side by side with the queen and aid her. I owe my life to her, and I wasn't there to help her.
Now I understand. I wasn't the only one dealing with guilt here.
So, Ed, don't be so hard on yourself. I've seen you throughout all these years, and from what Hagen told me, you put up a valiant fight there. I'm no hero myself, but let's make the most of what we've got." Zorro's voice was cracking a bit, and his frame started quivering, hinting at signs of frustration.
I placed a hand on his shoulder and cracked a small smile. "Thanks, Zorro." He reminded me that I was not alone and that I didn't have to carry this burden alone.
"Do you believe in second chances and all that?" Zorro asked me.
I was confused for a bit as I held his gaze. He continued. "You see, fate has this affinity for people who are frustrated. It tantalizes us with our destiny in front of us, making us realize we're closer than we think, only to pull us further away at the last second. At that very moment, we must break free of fate's will and take control of it as our own. We must take the lead in this dance with fate, and we're going to find our queen, no matter what."
His reassuring words lowered the burden on me, and I felt a little bit relieved. With Zorro at my side, I know I can muster the strength to face whatever comes ahead.
I stepped closer to Zorro to give him a hug, but as I closed the distance between us, a familiar spinning sword descended onto the floor between us and lodged into the ground, resonating with a metallic twang.
"Yo, Ed. About that duel we were supposed to have, isn't this the perfect time?" a voice echoed through the snowy air.
"Hagen..." I muttered, caught off guard by his appearance. My facial muscles started to twitch again, and I broke into a wide grin. I hoped he hadn't noticed my tic resurfacing at such a moment.
"It seems like you're looking forward to this." He had a grin plastered on his face, and it seemed like he wanted to let some steam off after an exhausting day of diplomacy.
I shot a look at Zorro, who nodded for me to go ahead.
"You're right, Hagen. Let's settle this here and now." I pulled the sword right off the ground and took a fighting stance. The air grew heavy with anticipation as Zorro watched. Brimming with confidence after Zorro's pep talk, I was ready to give it my all.
"Alright, let's see if you can keep up with me. Three touches to the body, and you lose."
"Restrictions?" I asked, swinging the sword around to gauge its usability.
"None." His voice was cold, similar to when he was fighting Gelidra. He is indeed taking this seriously.
Both of us assumed our battle stances, trepidation heavy in the air, ready to fight.
A nice little breeze had picked up, and the calm winter wonderland surrounding us contrasted with the tension here.
On pure instinct, we locked gazes and sprung forward at the exact same time.
His eyes were glowing, and so was the scar on my hand.
As our blades met, a surge of energy surged through my veins, mingling with the frosty air. The winter wonderland around us seemed to respond, crackling with an otherworldly aura.
And then, in the midst of this ethereal clash, a distant rumble echoed on the horizon, as if the very fabric of fate trembled in anticipation.
I'm not going down like last time.