Heading further south to the location marked in the mysterious scroll, Freyja, Kirin, Alaric and Keon were forced to take a break in a small town because of a sudden blizzard on their path. Unlike the countries they"ve been to, the southern continent had astoundingly more local legends about Celestials, many of which they"ve been hearing for the first time. This includes the scholar, runemaster Alaric whose fascination only grew by the second.

This is why during their stay, Alaric and Freyja were both tasked to walk around town to buy food, gather supplies, and scout for more clues about Celestials while the Aethelmaer brothers stay in the inn to rest.

"This is boring." Kirin complained, fighting the urge to go out and follow the two.

"We"ll have to rest as much as we can. We"ll be on guard duty when those two take their break." Keon said, while wiping his daggers clean. Kirin shifted his gaze to his younger brother, and noticed the bracelet tied around his wrist. "So, you still have that thing."

"Of course, I"ve never taken this off." Keon answered, looking at the rather shabby bracelet, yet smiling subtly. "Freyja put this on me, she"s the only one who can take it off." Then, he laughed. "Like when she adjusted it for me in the ship."

"Hmm…" Kirin hummed, squinting his eyes. "So, it"s more like a collar for a dog." He mumbled, but was nevertheless heard by Keon. He dropped the rag and tightened his grip on his dagger.

"Where"s your collar, then, Kirin? I don"t see anything from her on you." Keon smirked, prompting Kirin to stand up. "Tell me something, are you worried that she might fall for me? It"s really fun seeing your rationality crumble like that. I have to thank Freyja for giving me a chance to wreck the wits out of you."

"Freyja thinks of you as a little brother, wake up."

"I know that, of course. But she also thought of you as a big brother, right? So, I guess this isn"t so bad." Keon and Kirin exchanged glares. Kirin summoned his dark aura sword while Keon reinforced his dagger with aura.

"What the h.e.l.l are you two doing!?" The door slammed open, revealing Freyja and Alaric, who are now confused. But Alaric, sensing what"s going on, sighed.

"Let them be Freyja, this is something we shouldn"t interfere with."

"But Alaric! Look at them, they are serious! What if they get hurt!? What if…"

"They are serious. That"s why we have to leave them be." Alaric was about to lead Freyja out when she held her ground.

"Whatever that is, I want to let you guys know first that we got a word about some kind of a shrine that"s supposed to be built by celestials. Just in case you"re interested. Now go fight." She groaned, crossing her arms. They stopped at once.

"A shrine built by the celestials?"

"Yeah almost everyone in town knows about that and comes to pray every summer. But since its winter, no human would be sane to go there now." Alaric explained, rolling his map out. "Here. I guess its somewhere here."

"Keyword. No sane HUMAN." Keon said, wrapping up his daggers and tools. "The four of us are either not human" Keon said, looking at Freyja, "or not sane." And then turned his eyes to Kirin. "So, all good."

Freyja chuckled, shaking his head. "I guess you"re right. So, everybody good with that?"

The four looked at each other and nodded in agreement.

Following the locals" directions, they headed to the shrine as soon as the blizzard subsided. It only took them about 30 minutes ride on Keon"s flying rune beast, and they finally reached a surprisingly small stone statue with inscriptions similar to that of Astrid and Aria"s seals. A faint, almost unnoticeable trace of white aura emanating from inside. Freyja stepped forward, tracing the inscriptions with her fingers. It was very, very faint, but she confirmed that it is indeed celestial aura.

"No guardian?" Kirin asked, and Freyja shook her head. "Nope. But it sure is something made by Celestials, I can tell that at least." A wide, sweet smile on her face as she examined it. Freyja held both of her hands together and closed her eyes, saying a quiet prayer in her mind. Kirin, Keon and Alaric did the same.

"Alfiore, my father…" Freyja prayed. "Forgive me for not being able to protect Afra. But I swear, I will get him back." Touching the cold stone for one last time, she couldn"t help but feel immense nostalgia. It was as if she"s touching a part of the home that she lost. Tears fell from Freyja"s eyes, which she quickly wiped off.

Looking back, over her shoulder, she saw Kirin bowing before the shrine. Freyja was surprised. It was the first time they saw Kirin ever give respect willingly to something. "Majesty, Alfiore Kinju and Lady Reyrah, please do not worry, we have this little dragon under control. She won"t do anything stupid." Kirin mumbled, making them all chuckle. Freyja smiled, feeling warmth in her chest. Alaric and Keon bowed before the shrine for one last time, before they headed back.

Freyja ran to Kirin, grabbed his warm hand, pulling him closer. Then, she locked her arm around his and leaned her head onto him. Kirin smiled, as he held her closer.

~ o 0 o ~

With the sun was finally out, they packed their things to leave for the next town further south. Gathering in the inn"s lobby to settle expenses, Freyja noticed that Keon is nowhere in sight. The innkeeper told them that Keon went out before sunrise.

"I"ll look for him!" Freyja headed out, even before Kirin and Alaric could say anything. "Geez, where is he? He knows we"re leaving today!" She thought, looking left and right for him. Pa.s.sing through the town and heading towards the woods, she finally caught sight of him, sitting near the edge of a cliff.

"Keon!" She shouted, surprising the young man. "Where were you? You know we"re supposed to leave today!" She scolded, but Keon just giggled. "I was playing a little game with myself." He said.

"A game?"

"Yes, and I was right. I was wondering whether you"d come looking for me and if you"ll find me." A smile on his face, as he gazed at the snow-covered mountain range before them.

"What"s with that? Of course, we"ll look for you!" She a.s.serted.

"For someone in a rush to save Afra, you take too many side trips." He uttered, finally facing her. For some reason, a chill ran through Freyja"s spine. The smile on Keon"s face was peaceful, yet unsettling. Instinctively, she grabbed both of his shoulders. "No. Don"t disappear, Keon. Promise me." Even Freyja couldn"t understand why she said that all of a sudden.

Surprised Keon looked down, took a deep breath, and he stood up. He pulled a silver locket from under his shirt. Freyja knows what it was. It"s Keon"s treasure, and the only memento by his late mother. Before Freyja could react, Keon snapped the locket off his neck, and threw it far, over the cliff.

"What are you doing!? That"s your mother"s locket! Isn"t it?" Freyja gasped, almost catching it, had it not been for the cliff.

"They say that all mothers will love their children no matter what. My mother, never loved me. I know. To her, I am just a curse, someone who constantly reminds her of her weakness." Keon explained, his onyx eyes piercing through Freyja"s soul. "She made me hate Kirin and the world so that she could avenge herself. And I believed that, because I have to. I had no one else."

"Keon…"

"But I was wrong. The strength won"t come from others" love, but from my own heart." Keon gently wrapped his arms around her, leaning his head on her shoulder. Freyja could feel tears wet her shoulders. She wrapped her arms around him, gently rubbing his back.

"Keon, I"m always here for you. Me, Kirin, and Alaric. So, don"t ever think you"re alone. And someday, I"ll take you guys to Celestia, how about that?" She grinned, excited by the thought. She felt Keon smile on her shoulder.

"You"re right. We should do that." Keon pulled away, with one of the brightest smiles Freyja had ever seen on him.

"Let"s go."

~ o 0 o ~