A new Adventure - 4

The orange‑gold glow faded as the horizon devoured the sun, leaving two silhouettes in the quiet embrace of night.

Under the moonless sky, the river hummed alongside the rustling leaves as night wind swept through the riverbed.

The two figures waited, each for the other to speak. Their mouths opened and closed, yet no words escaped.

Then, as if mana had broken into mana particles, small orbs of light rose around them, drifting and bathing everything in a yellow-gold light.

Atmik’s gaze lingered on Freya as fireflies gathered around her, their glow weaving a crown of light. The yellow-gold flicker traced the curve of her face, soft and delicate. Her eyes were distant, while her lips remained still with a quiet elegance. Each shimmer clung to her skin, and for a moment she looked like something carved for a temple wall.

The light pooled in hair, dark silk threaded with sparks, as though night itself had taken up the brush to paint her.

Atmik watched in silence, unable to look away. In the glow of fireflies, she was no longer a silhouette beneath the night sky; she was an untouchable dream.

Seeing her like that, something stirred in Atmik’s chest.

“Beautiful.”

The words left him before he could catch them.

Freya didn’t turn and only parted her lips to speak.

“Yeah. I used to like them.”

“...Used to? You don’t like them now?”

“I never liked them, really. As a child,I only said I did because everyone else did.”

Atmik tilted his head. “Ah! Well…What is it you don’t like about them?”

Freya turned towards Atmik.

“Like, I love how something so fragile can still light up the world”

“...”

“That’s exactly what I hate about them,” she continued. “They’re too fragile and their light is barely enough to touch the whole world. Isn't that sad?”

Atmik’s gaze lingered on her. Something in the way she’d said it made him feel nostalgic. Though, he couldn’t say why.

Meanwhile, Freya had gone quiet. She was watching the fireflies again, her face unreadable. Atmik somehow understood that the conversation was over, even though nothing had ended.

“Uhm…well...if everything’s settled, let’s go back. It’s getting dark,” Atmik said.

Yet no reply came back. Only the buzz of insects marked the passing of time.

Then,

“I want to go back,” Freya murmured suddenly.

“What?” The words had been so soft he hadn’t caught them.

“I want to go back to my kingdom. I want to see it for myself." Her voice was steadier and louder now.

Atmik caught on. It was about the question he'd asked her earlier. Though he hadn't expected a response now and even forgot about it. It wasn't like him to be intrested in others, but he didn't know why he wanted to know more about the haughty girl standing before him.

“What do you want to see?” The thought escaped before he could stop it. He winced. “Ah, forget it. You don’t have to answer, if you don’t want to. I don’t even know why I asked. Ha-ha!”

Freya looked at him. Then,

“No. As your master, I should tell you.” She said.

Her gaze shifted from him and settled it on her open palm.

“Truthfully, I don’t know what I want. Back then, I thought I was going to die. But you saved me and now I’m standing here.”

Her hand curled into a fist.

“Remembering that moment, those words and those faces… I feel an intense desire that I know I can’t control. It’s burning me from inside. And before it consumes me, I want to see my kingdom again. I...”

“As Freya Valkyria of Valkyria, I must bring justice to those who betrayed me. That's what must I do, I believe”

Atmik listened carefully. He knew what burned inside her. It reflected in her eyes all too well. Yet, he saw no reason to voice it to her.

So he simply put on his old carefree smile and said, “If that’s what you want, I’ll help you get back to your kingdom.”

Truthfully, he didn’t like getting tangled up in things that could complicate his life. But for now, he didn’t mind being involved with the girl standing before him, despite her overbearing personality.

Hearing those words, Freya’s cold body felt a small surge of warmth. Her shoulder loosened, if only a little.

“Well it’s not like I can’t do it myself,” She said.

“But, since you are my retainer. I suppose you’ll have to come along with me from now on.”

A faint smile touched Atmik’s lips.

“Good. At least we agreed on something.”

“Huh?” Freya glared at him.

"Do not misunderstand. I merely acknowledge the superiority of my own judgment."

“Right.”

“Why are you smiling?”

“I am not.”

“You are.”

"I'm really not."

After going back and forth for several moments, Atmik sighed with exhaustion.

“Anyway, let's head–”

“Aachoo!”

Freya’s sneeze interrupted him before he could complete his sentence.

He blinked, then walked over and wrapped his cloak around her shoulders.

“What are you doing?” She asked, narrowing her eyes.

“Aren’t you feeling cold?”

Freya smirked. “Freya Valkyria never feels cold.”

“Aachoo!”

Another sneeze undid her. She snapped her gaze toward him, swift like lightning. Atmik quickly looked away, knowing one wrong glance would cause her to blow up again.

“It’s not like that,” she muttered. “I’ve never felt cold before. I don’t know why it’s happening now. Uh, it must be because of my injuries…”

“Right…right,” Atmik agreed, though the look on his face said otherwise.

“You don’t really believe me, do you?”

“What do you mean? I do,” he replied.

How could she tell? I thought my expression was perfect.

He coughed, changing the subject.

“Anyway, let’s move. I also have to think of an excuse for the old woman.”

“You can walk, right?” He said, turning his back, hiding his face from her.

“Huh?” Freya tilted her head.

Atmik turned back, confused.

“Carry me on your back,” she said flatly.

“What? I’m not your horse, you know?”

She answered with a glare that said, You are my horse.

“This girl…” Atmik thought.

“Geez..fine.” He crouched so she could climb onto his back.

“I thought you hated being touched by a commoner like me, miss princess.”

“It’s Master for you.” she said.

“And that was when I didn’t know you.”

“And you know me now?”

“Obviously. You are my retainer. So you’re bound to do these things.”

“You…” Atmik sighed.

Under the moonless sky, the cold wind whistled through the vegetation, as two silhouettes moved away from the riverbed, while life around them hummed its quiet song.

Not of love, of hope or sadness. Just, the song of life.

And perhaps that was why, even as cold winds sank into his lithe and lean body. Atmik didn’t feel the cold.

All he felt was the warmth of life as he carried Freya back toward the village.

During their short journey, the banter carried on drifting into increasingly absurd territory.

At one point he asked, “Uhm…so, do you also enjoy biting necks?”

Freya scoffed. “Don’t be ridiculous. Are you making fun of your master?”

Their voices faded as night deepened.

But the quiet walk came to an abrupt end when the cottage came into view.

Their gazes settled on two soldiers standing near the cottage, lanterns in their hands. One of them seemed to be speaking with the old woman.

At the same time, several soldiers sat mounted on their horses, waiting for the interrogation to finish.

Villagers who had avoided them like the plague and refused to even look at them had gathered at a distance, murmuring among themselves.

Atmik slowed down, while Freya’s arms tightened around his shoulders.

“Antaboga Empire soldiers,” she murmured.