WINTER'S SWEET EMBRACE

Back at the Silver-Leaf Sanctuary, quiet moonlight filtered through the high, arched wooden windows of the mother tree’s inner hall.

*Flip*... *Flip*

Maelle stood quietly before a towering bookshelf, looking down and reading a book of ancient texts.

*Flip*... *Flip*

As soon as she was done with one, she’d immediately pull out another, flipping open the pages to read the complex diagrams on magical summoning rituals.

Across the room, sitting at the low wooden table with a steaming cup of tea, Bran tilted her blindfolded head toward the Princess.

"Curious. Why is the Princess of Ebonspire so deeply immersed in foundational summoning texts? Has the Imperial Academy ceased teaching such elementary topics to one of its most important students?"

*Flip*... *Flip*

Maelle’s eyes kept scanning the runic circles. Her brows furrowed slightly before she snapped the tome shut with a heavy thud and shoved it back into the shelf. She reached out, grabbing another thick volume on contract bonds.

"I am well aware of how summoning’s work," she finally said. "I know... More than I care to admit."

Bran smiled faintly while swirling her tea. "Then what troubles your mind so deeply, child? Is this restless search perhaps... about your own Familiar? Vincent?"

Hearing that, Maelle’s hand rested on the spine of the book for a long moment before she let out a quiet breath.

Turning away from the bookcase, she walked over to the low table and sat down on the woven cushion across from the Elder.

Bran simply tilted her blindfolded head as an innocent, gentle smile graced her youthful features.

"I am simply attempting to comprehend what – and who – Vincent actually is," Maelle confessed.

"He calls himself a demigod, but what does that even imply? He insists I was supposed to summon a dragon, claiming ’fate’ interfered. He speaks in infuriatingly broad statements about ’destiny’, leaving me with a chaotic mess of information I cannot begin to process."

She quieted for a second and shifted her gaze toward the glowing moon outside the window.

"At times... I get this lingering impression that he feels forced to be here. Like he is compelling himself to stay around me... He even called himself my ’temporary’ Familiar. As if he’s just waiting for the right moment to... abandon me."

Hearing the vulnerability in the young Princess’s voice, Bran reached up and untied her blindfold.

Maelle watched as her eyes opened. Bran’s heterochromatic eyes began to swirl in a multitude of colourful luminescence.

A soft breeze whipped through the sealed room, causing the white denim jacket to flutter and her hair to dance in the air. As quickly as it had gathered, the mystical wind gently subsided.

Bran’s eyes ceased their swirling glow, settling into a warm comforting amber and light brown. "Do not burden your heart with such heavy thoughts, Princess. Regardless of his strange words, I can see that he is your familiar. The bond between you is absolute."

A playfully wicked smirk suddenly curved the Elder’s lips. "Of course... if his vagueness bothers you so terribly, you hold the master reins. You could simply use your authority to command him to reveal every secret he harbors."

Maelle’s eyes narrowed as a spark of disgust flashed across her features. "I will do no such thing. I will not subject him – or anyone – to mental slavery."

Bran’s expression softened into one of genuine approval. "I am glad to hear that answer. Especially from a Princess of Ebonspire. One worthy of a true ruler."

"...."

Picking up her blindfold, Bran tied it back over her eyes. "Princess Maelle. The thread linking your souls is bound forever. I do not understand what he means by a ’temporary’ arrangement either, but I advise you to give the boy time.

"He possesses a noble, honest heart. I am certain that when the right moment arrives, he will open up and tell you everything you need to know."

Looking back out the window to admire the starry skies, Maelle could only sigh. "I hope so..."

Bran took another slow sip of her herbal tea, setting the cup down with a soft click. "Tell me, Princess... Do you know what rank Familiar he is?"

"I... do not." Maelle turned her head back. "I have not had the opportunity to take him for an evaluation since my abduction."

"Oh my. That will not do. Show me your hands."

Maelle complied, placing her hands across the table and into Bran’s warm grip.

Another soft breeze swept through the room. Bran’s posture stilled as her mystical sight behind the blindfold pierced through Maelle’s hands, tracing the crimson thread of the familial bond.

Her lips parted slightly as a sudden shock passed over Bran’s youthful face.

Noticing the Elder’s uncharacteristic reaction, Maelle asked, "What is it? I assume he is S-rank. Perhaps A-rank at the very least?"

"Neither..." Bran’s voice carried an awe that bordered on reverence.

She released Maelle’s hands, her own palms trembling slightly.

"In all my hundreds of thousands of years guiding this sanctuary, this is only the second time I have ever sensed an aura of this nature. The first... was when I stood beside the legendary Hero who saved our world from annihilation."

"The Legendary Hero? Such a rank? Don’t tell me..."

"Yes. The Hero once called it a classification far beyond SSS-rank. An EX-rank."

.

..

...

Miles away, high up the moonlit cliffside of the dark mountain range, Vincent and Roxa scrambled up the path leading toward the upper cave entrance.

As Roxa maintained her rigid silence, Vincent, flying slightly behind her, couldn’t help but sense her hyper-vigilance. Her eyes darted incessantly to every shadow and her hand never strayed more than an inch away from her dagger hilt.

’Holy nervous edge... I wonder what the hell happened to make her like this?’

Roxa suddenly flattened her back against the corner of the pathway, raising a hand to stop him. Vincent floated above her to take a peek.

A few feet ahead were three bandits. Two were sitting comfortably along the edge with their legs dangling over the drop as they passed a pipe back and forth and chatted lazily.

The third bandit was leaning casually against the mountain behind them, maintaining his crossbow and aiming it down sight.

"I’ll take the two sitting down," Vincent whispered. "You drop the guy by the post."

Roxa’s icy blue eyes narrowed with focus as she drew her daggers with a faint, metallic hiss. "Do not mess this up, human."

"Don’t worry. This’ll be easy." Vincent raised his right hand, shaping his thumb and forefinger into a finger gun shape, pointing it straight at the two sitting bandits.

"What are you doing, huma–?"

Suddenly, a swirling aura of blue and gold erupted around Vincent’s forearm, flowing toward his hand.

The power he conjured condensed rapidly, gathering into a dense marble of light right at the tip of his index finger. The concentration of power was so volatile that it made the air around his hand hum with high-frequency vibrations.

Roxa’s jaw slacked slightly as she looked at his glowing hand in wonder.

"Alright, Roxa. I’m ready. On three, ok?"

"... R-Right."

"One... two... three!"

PEW!

A beam of divine light shot from his finger, punching straight through the side of the two sitting bandits’ skulls, killing them before they could even know that they were hit. Their lifeless bodies keeled forward, plunging silently down the cliff face into the abyss.

"What the–?!" The third bandit’s eyes bugged out in horror as he watched his comrades drop dead.

Roxa burst out from the corner, rushing in to cut his throat. But the terrified bandit panicked and threw his arm out blindly. The crossbow slammed into her chest, catching her mid-stride and throwing her off balance.

"Argh! Human bastard–!"

They collided, tumbling across the dirt.

STAB!

Roxa drove her dagger into his chest, causing him to collapse over the edge, his dying grip snagged the fabric of her cloak. But as he was falling over, his dying grip snagged the fabric of her cloak.

The weight of his falling corpse dragged Roxa off with him.

"Ah–"

She fell into the open air, tumbling and rolling violently down the mountain face before clearing the cliff edge entirely, plunging straight down toward the dark canyon floor below.

With the wind roaring in her ears, she opened her mouth to scream for help – to call for Vincent – but the words caught in her throat. Her pride and deep-seated prejudice slammed that door shut.

’No...’ she thought as tears of pure rage and helplessness welled in her eyes. ’He’s a human... he won’t save me. Humans don’t care about us. Only themselves... Dammit! I... failed.’

She closed her eyes, bracing for the bone-crushing impact when–

Thud!

A pair of strong arms caught her mid-air, scooping her up seamlessly against a broad chest. The downward force vanished as a soft gust of wind began to ascend instead.

When Roxa snapped her eyes open, Vincent was holding her securely in a bridal carry.

"Gotcha! You alright?!"

Panicking from the proximity and the shock, Roxa began thrashing wildly in his grip. "L-Let go of me! Put me down, you brute!"

"Whoa, calm down! You’re gonna slip out and fall again if you keep squirming!"

As she struggled, Roxa suddenly felt a soothing warmth spreading from his hands through her entire body. Looking down at her arms and torso, she realised a faint, golden light was enveloping her skin.

The painful scrapes, bruises, and cuts she had sustained during her roll down the rocks were knitting back together.

Realizing he was healing her while carrying her up, Roxa pulled her hooded cloak down her face in embarrassment, flushing crimson as she went still in his arms.

Soon. Vincent landed softly on the upper cave ledge, setting her gently on her feet.

"You good?" he asked, deactivating his divine form.

Feeling ashamed of herself, Roxa stared at the ground, refusing to meet his eyes. "I... I am fine."

At that moment, two more bandits rushed out of the cave entrance, drawn by the noise.

Vincent flash-stepped, delivering a swift palm strike to the first guard’s chin, while Roxa leaped over his shoulders, driving her dagger cleanly through the second guard’s neck before spinning around mi-air to finish off the staggered first bandit.

... boom...! kaboom...! Bwaaaahhhh...!!!

A series of explosions echoed from the main camp. Bright orange flames lit up the area far below as horns started blasting.

"Talia’s team started their ambush." Vincent said. "We need to hurry up before the bandits in here decide to try something funny."

They bolted inside, navigating the narrow, one-way stone tunnel.

As they pushed deeper, bandits rushed out from side-chambers, panicking over the explosions outside.

Despite Roxa’s stubborn distrust for Vincent, their combat rhythm fell into a terrifyingly efficient groove.

Vincent moved with absurd, superhuman speed, blocking heavy sword swings with his forearms and throwing brutal kicks and strikes that shattered wooden shields, while Roxa glided around him like a phantom, launching razor-sharp wind blades through the gaps in his opening provided.

"Hahaha! Hey, we actually make a pretty good team, huh?!"

"Silence! Your existence remains an annoyance!"

Suddenly, as they turned a tight corner into a wide corridor, Roxa stepped on a slightly raised stone tile.

CLICK!

A concealed wall trap sprung, launching a volley of poison-tipped iron darts straight toward her unprotected side.

"No–!"

SWOOSH!

Vincent threw his body directly between her and the wall, using his back as a shield.

THWACK-THWACK-THWACK!

The iron darts struck his back, but instead of piercing his flesh, they bounced uselessly off his skin like plastic straws, dropping into the dirt.

"You... you idiot! Why did you do that?!"

"I’m pretty durable. Poison doesn’t really work on me anyway."

Roxa bit her lip as she brushed past him, "...Stop doing stupid things like that......Thank you."

"Anytime. Let me lead the way from here."

Clearing the remaining guards, they finally reached the cavern’s inner sanctum. Stretched across the side walls were the familiar iron cages he had escaped from with Maelle. Now they’re holding dozens of weeping, terrified elven children.

When Vincent stepped to them, the children shrieked softly, shrinking back into the corner of the cages.

Roxa immediately rushed forward, pulling out a lockpick.

Her terrifying combat persona vanished, replaced by a soft, motherly tenderness. "Shh... it is okay, little ones," she whispered gently, while picking the iron lock. "The big bad men are gone. You are safe now."

"Wow, look at that... so you can make other faces besides a scowl."

Roxa ignored his comment as she swung the cage doors open, gently guiding the weeping children out one by one.

Just as the last young elven girl stepped out of the cage–

BAM!

A wooden door at the far end of the cavern was violently kicked open, slamming against the stone wall with a deafening crash.

A large, heavily armored man stepped into the cavern. He wore dark, spiked steel armor, his face scarred and twisted into a brutal, sadistic sneer.

In his right hand, he dragged a massive, two-handed executioner’s broadsword that scraped loudly against the stone floor. It was the bandits leader.

"Well, well, well. Look what we have here. A little elven bitch trying to steal my hard-earned inventory!"

His smirk widened into a repulsive sneer as locked his filthy gaze onto Roxa, "You know, elf... since you decided to break into my house... I think I’ll break your legs, throw you in a collar, and keep you for myself. I’ve always wanted a pretty elven pet to clean my boots."

"You disgusting human scum!!"

"Hahahaha! Oh, how I love the feisty ones!"

Driven by pure fury, Roxa planted her boots in the ground and launched herself straight at him with a burst of wind magic.

She unleashed a flurry of acrobatic moves, similar to that of Talia’s, but the bandit leader was a seasoned, heavy-hitting veteran.

With terrifying speed for his size, he raised his broadsword, blocking her daggers with loud metallic clangors.

CLANG! CLANG! BANG!

"Hahaha! Too weak, girl!" The leader parried her blow and delivered a devastating kick straight to her stomach, sending Roxa skidding backward across the stone floor.

Before he could step forward to crush her, Vincent appeared in his path, stepping between them.

"Leave her out of this, ugly. You’re fighting me now."

Roxa pushed herself up, spitting a drop of blood, and stepped right alongside him. "I am not sitting out, human!"

"Haha! Come at me then! Both of you!"

In a seamless, explosive display of teamwork, the duo engaged the leader.

Roxa glided around his flanks, delivering swift cuts that aimed to strip away at his armor plates, while Vincent stepped inside his guard, using his physical prowess to shatter the broadsword with focused bare-handed strikes and landing denting punches to his dark armor.

Despite his size, being outnumbered by these two proved to be too much for the leader to handle.

BOOM!

Vincent delivered a powerful right hook straight to his jaw. The force launched the armored brute across the cavern, sending him crashing violently through the wooden wall of the shed he had emerged from. The structure collapsed in a shower of splintered wood and dust, burying him beneath it all.

"Hmph. And stay down."

Roxa lowered her daggers, breathing heavily as she looked at the rubble, then turned her head toward Vincent with a reluctant, genuine nod of respect.

"Not bad... for a human."

"Half human. But I’ll take that as a compliment. Now come on. We gotta confirm the kill before–"

"DON’T YOU DARE RUN AWAY WITH MY MONEY!"

"–he wakes up..."

The bandit leader stumbled out of the dust, his face covered in blood, and his eyes wild, looking completely unhinged.

He clutched a glowing, pitch-black summoning scroll in his bleeding hands, tearing the seal open with his teeth.

"If I can’t have those kids, NONE OF YOU WILL LEAVE THIS CAVE ALIVE! DRAKE... HEED MY CALL! SUMMON!"

SHEEN!!!

A violet summoning circle tore open in the air above him. From the hellish vortex, a massive, terrifying draconic Drake erupted into the cave.

*SKRRRRRRAAAAGH!!!!*

"KILL THEM, DRAKE!"

*SKRRRRRRAAAAGH!!!!*

With unnatural speeds, the beast lunged straight across the cavern floor, its razor-sharp jaws snapping open wide – aimed directly at Roxa.

Roxa’s eyes dilated in sudden horror. The beast was too fast. She couldn’t dodge. Death stared her directly in the face.

"ROXA! LOOK OUT!!"