The Flower Is Finished

Morning had turned into night. After regaining our strength and checking the condition of the remaining soldiers, we decided to stay for one more night and continue our journey the next morning. Several loyal guards were stationed around the area.

The strong wind did not make me feel cold; instead, it felt refreshing and brought me a sense of calm. The sounds of animals echoed through the night. The sky was clear, and the stars were lined up across it.

"George?"

Suddenly, George sat down beside me. I called his name without turning my head.

"I owe you my life twice," George said suddenly as he took a seat beside me.

"Your lives are right in front of me. How could I possibly stand by and watch you die before my eyes?" I replied.

"Yes, I understand. Thank you for saving me again."

I simply cleared my throat in response.

"I want to ask you something."

"Have you ever—" I paused, unsure how to tell George about what the demon had said about him.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing." I withdrew my question and stared into the campfire.

"How are the soldiers' preparations? Are they ready for tomorrow morning?" I asked.

"Yes, my lord, Xanders. Conditions will improve tomorrow, and several soldiers are ready to march," he replied. I nodded in response.

"You should rest for a while, my lord. I will keep watch," George said.

I went inside and glanced back. Everything was still the same as before.

Yesterday's events lingered in my mind. Is George hiding something from me? That thought made me uneasy.

I opened the tent and found that Farrel was still inside, waiting as if he had something to say.

"You haven't slept?" I asked.

Farrel clicked his tongue irritably.

"If Lord Xanders hadn't come in, I might have stayed up all night just to talk to you," he said sarcastically. I chuckled softly in response.

"Is there a problem?" I asked.

He gestured for me to sit beside him.

"It seems some soldiers are committing betrayal against us," he said quietly.

I nodded. "Yes, I know."

I was about to take off my boots when he suddenly threw a pillow at me.

"You can still relax when they're threatening us?" he snapped.

I shook my head and ignored him.

"Don't you want to kill them?" Farrel asked.

I shook my head again.

"Why waste energy?"

He looked stunned by my answer.

"Do you already know?" he asked suspiciously, narrowing his eyes.

I didn't respond and simply closed my eyes.

"Xanders, can't you answer my question?"

"Yes. You should sleep," I replied.

Farrel clicked his tongue in annoyance, but I ignored him and closed my eyes.

I didn't know how long I slept, but I suddenly felt the urge to relieve myself. I got up and looked toward Farrel's mat.

"Where did he go?" I murmured, narrowing my eyes when I didn't see him there.

I stepped out of the tent and saw several guards still awake, though they looked exhausted and had dozed off briefly. Without waking them, I continued searching and passed by a soldier who looked startled by my presence.

"Good evening, Lord Xanders," he said. I nodded.

"Is George asleep as well?" I asked the soldier near the campfire.

The soldier immediately opened his eyes and nodded.

"I'm sorry, my lord. I dozed off," he said nervously.

"Yes, he is asleep," I replied.

"You should rest as well."

He nodded, and I continued searching for Farrel.

"Wait," I said to another soldier who was about to head to his tent.

"Have you seen Farrel?"

The soldier stopped, turned toward me, and shook his head.

"Sorry, my lord. I didn't see where Lord Farrel went."

I nodded and continued my search.

Relying only on the moonlight, I searched for Farrel but couldn't find him. Then I heard the howl of a wolf.

"It's rare to hear wolves in this forest," I murmured. This was elf territory, and according to the rules, no one was allowed to enter another clan's land without following strict regulations.

I saw a shadowy figure. It looked like Farrel, yet something felt wrong. His form resembled Farrel's, but the voice did not.

"Who is he, and why is he here?" I wondered.

He was talking to someone I couldn't see. I couldn't hear what they were discussing, but it seemed he noticed my presence. I stepped back quietly and returned to the tent, determined to find out who that figure was.

I closed my eyes and then noticed Farrel approaching the tent. He moved stealthily, and that alone stirred my suspicion.

POV: Michael

Honestly, I was still confused about how to act toward Xanders when he left us—no, not left, but returned to where he truly belonged.

Lira had been crying for a while now, and all I could do was comfort her with gentle persuasion. She kept asking when Xanders would come back.

"Goodness… it hasn't even been an hour, and she's already asking when he'll return."

At the moment, I was training, while Lira was playing in the garden not far from the house.

After Grandmother passed away, I took care of Lira with all my heart. My exhaustion disappeared every time I saw her bright smile.

Not many people knew where I came from, but I felt different—from Lira, from Grandmother, and from everyone else.

I wanted to be close to Xanders, but it felt as if something invisible stood between us. Because of that, I tried to keep my distance. He seemed to notice it as well.

While I was training, the village chief suddenly arrived, breathing heavily. He urgently told me to go inside the house and bring Lira with me.

"Michael, get inside quickly. There's something I need to talk to you about!" he said, sounding panicked.

"What happened?" I asked.

He led me inside the house. Confused, I followed him.

"The situation is quite alarming," he said.

"I'm afraid they'll find you and Lira. For now, it would be best if you went to the palace and sought help from Xanders," he added, glancing around while gently pulling Lira closer.

"Wait—what do you mean?" I asked, confused.

"You are the bearer of ice, Michael. You are also one of the stabilizers of this land," he said.

I fell silent.

"Chief, I respect you, but please be serious," I replied. I had read books about the Primordial Flame and similar powers, but I never imagined I would be the one to wield ice or freezing rain.

"Your existence is already known to the demons, and they will come after you soon."

"Aren't demons supposed to be searching for the Primordial Flame?" I asked.

"Yes, he possesses it, and the two of you share an invisible bond—like pulses connected to each other but never merging."

"Didn't the ice disappear along with the Primordial Flame?"

"I don't understand why the Primordial Flame and ice vanished so suddenly, but according to the books I've read, you will soon learn the truth," he said, letting out a heavy sigh.

"Why do I have to go to the palace?" I asked, standing up with my hands on my hips, filled with questions.

"There, you will be protected. You'll be safe," he replied.

I exhaled sharply.

"So I'll have to fight demons too?"

Demons were ferocious. Every time I encountered one, I felt my strength was no match for theirs—perhaps I was even weaker.

"This doesn't make sense, Chief. I only learned basic techniques and healing arts passed down by my grandmother. How am I supposed to awaken my ice powers?" My life felt like a sudden roller coaster, leaving me confused by the drastic changes.

"What about Lira?" I asked, glancing at her as she played with her doll.

"I will hide her, so she won't become a target while you face a choice that seems impossible to make," he said.

I took a deep breath, unsure how to respond.

"Leave quickly, before the demons find you."

"But I don't know where to go," I said helplessly.

The elder stood up, stepped outside, and suddenly shouted. Moments later, a bird flew down and perched on his shoulder.

I followed him outside and froze in shock.

"Isn't that the bird that guided us when we were lost in the forest?" I asked.