Episode 18: The Princess of Frostfire

The broken causeway stretched endlessly, half-swallowed by mire and mist. Shards of drowned stone jutted from the swamp like the teeth of some ancient beast. Beyond lay the coastal wastes—and, hidden in their depths, the drowned city of Norvahel.

Kuro Jin adjusted the strap of his coat, his eyes sweeping the horizon. Akira walked beside him, his hand resting loosely on his katana. Both carried the weight of the last battle—the Wraithborn, the illusions, the whispers that had tried to consume them.

The silence between them was heavy, but it wasn't empty.

"…We're being watched," Kuro said finally, his voice low.

Akira's gaze flicked to him. "You felt it too?"

Before Jin could answer, the mist ahead shifted. The air dropped in temperature, the stagnant swamp breeze turning sharp and cold. The faint glow within the fog condensed, coiling into pale streaks of frost across the broken stones.

Then—light.

A circle of azure flame burst into existence atop the causeway. From within it, a figure stepped forward. Cloaked in flowing battle-robes of white and silver, her platinum-blonde hair caught the dying sunlight, shimmering with icy-blue strands that seemed to glow faintly on their own. A crystal circlet gleamed at her brow, refracting the mist into shards of color.

Her violet eyes fixed on them—piercing, regal, and unyielding.

Akira stiffened. "…No way. That's—"

Kuro's system pulsed.

[Trace Signature Detected: Elira Valenhart]

[Status: Active | Authority Class: Royal Mage]

The girl raised her hand, frost curling between her fingers like living smoke. When she spoke, her voice was clear, sharp as ice.

"State your names. This land belongs to the crown of Elaria. Trespassers in this domain answer with blood."

Akira's eyes widened. "She's—Princess Elira Valenhart."

Kuro didn't move. He studied her the way one studies a storm—cautious, but unafraid. "Royalty, huh. Figures this place wouldn't stay quiet for long."

Elira's gaze snapped to him. Her magic flared—the causeway beneath her feet coated in a sheen of frost. "You. The one with the foreign flame. I've heard the reports." Her eyes narrowed, a faint glow stirring in them. "The Outsider."

Akira tensed, stepping forward instinctively. "Wait—he's not—"

But Elira didn't wait. With a flick of her wrist, the air split into fire and ice at once—twin streams spiraling together before lashing outward.

Kuro's cloak whipped as he pivoted, his ember-blade sparking into his hand. The strike collided with his guard, the impact sending shards of ice scattering, flame roaring against flame.

Akira's katana sang free, intercepting a second wave of frost that coiled toward them. Steel clashed with magic, steam exploding into the air.

"Stop!" Akira's voice cut through the chaos. "Princess, he's not your enemy!"

Elira's eyes flashed, but her attack ceased mid-motion. Mist swirled around them, the causeway scarred with flame and frost alike.

"…Akira Daisuke," she said at last, recognition softening her tone—slightly. "You survived."

Akira exhaled, lowering his blade just enough to show peace. "Barely. And only because of him." He jerked his chin toward Kuro.

Elira's gaze returned to the outsider—measuring, weighing. "The flame you wield… it doesn't belong to this world."

Kuro sheathed his blade, his expression unreadable. "Neither do I."

Silence pressed in. For a moment, the three simply stood there—fire, frost, and steel suspended in fragile balance.

Then Elira broke it. "Norvahel lies ahead. Its corruption leaks into the marshlands. You've seen the Wraithborn—then you know this isn't a place for wanderers." Her voice lowered, sharp. "Why are you here?"

Akira glanced at Kuro. But the outsider answered for himself.

"Because the answers I need are buried there," Kuro said evenly. "And I don't plan on leaving without them."

Elira studied him for a long moment. Then, slowly, the frost in her palm dissipated.

"…Then our paths align. The crown of Elaria has business in Norvahel as well."

Akira blinked. "You're going too?"

Her gaze flicked to him. "This drowned city is older than kingdoms. Older than gods. And something within it has begun to stir." She looked back at Kuro, her voice carrying both warning and weight. "If you insist on walking this road, then walk it with purpose. Otherwise, it will consume you."

Kuro met her eyes, unflinching. "I don't need a crown's permission to fight my battles. But… if you're headed the same way, then I won't stop you."

The faintest curve touched her lips—not quite a smile, but not scorn either.

"Good. Then let's see if the Outsider fights as fiercely as they say."

---

[Temporary Alliance Formed – Elira Valenhart]

[System Sync Potential: Unknown]

---

Later that night, the three made camp on a fragment of dry stone at the mire's edge. A fire flickered low, its light casting long shadows against the mist.

Akira sat polishing his katana, sneaking glances at the princess across from him. She sat with perfect posture, her robes trailing in neat folds despite the swamp's filth. Her eyes were fixed on the flame—lost in thought, yet sharp with calculation.

Kuro leaned back against a broken pillar, cloak wrapped around him, gaze half-lidded but alert.

"You're quiet," he said finally.

Elira didn't look up. "I am weighing whether your flame is a threat—or a chance."

Akira frowned. "He saved my life. If that doesn't answer the question—"

But she cut him off. "This isn't about one life. This is about kingdoms, legacies, the balance of the world itself. Outsiders carry weight they don't understand."

Her eyes flicked to Kuro again. "The Second Flame… it responds to will, not intent. That makes it dangerous. Even more so in hands not bound by Noveria's laws."

Kuro smirked faintly. "Dangerous is one word for it. Necessary is another."

Their eyes locked—violet and ember, frost and fire. The air between them felt charged, heavy with unspoken challenge.

Akira glanced between them, exhaling softly. "Great. Two people who talk like the world depends on them. This is going to be fun."

For just a moment, the princess's lips curved slightly. And Kuro, though silent, didn't look away.

The fire cracked. The mist swirled. And in the drowned silence of Noveria's edge, a new bond had begun—not of trust, not yet, but of inevitability.

The road to Norvahel would not be walked alone.

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[To Be Continued…]

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