Rekindle The Light

Chapter 9: Mysterious Encounter

Nearly a year had passed since Alice had been to Solgard. Currently, that's where they were headed. Alice purchased tickets for her and Nagano to travel to in a carriage. The cart wasn't anything special. It had enough room for four people and thin cushions on the seats. It was nothing like the royal palace's carriages, but it sure was better than walking.

Alice stared at Nagano. He had fallen asleep, his head resting against the carriage window. The subtle glow from the sun contrasted his pale skin and made his blonde hair shimmer. She wondered how someone so grumpy could look so ethereal while resting. Nagano had never told her directly, but she could tell he had been through a lot recently. Although she wanted to learn more about his past, she feared it would have to wait.

Alice yawned. She was exhausted as well. She figured it would be a good time to catch up on some more sleep while they had the chance.

***

When Alice woke up, she stretched widely. She glanced over at Nagano, who was already awake. He looked out the window at the passing scenery, though it seemed he was occupied by his thoughts rather than enjoying the view.

"What's on your mind?" Alice spoke up, breaking the silence between them.

He looked at her, his cold eyes locking onto hers; though they didn't seem as intimidating as before, they were still empty. "The other day, at the goblin camp," Nagano paused and reached into his pocket, pulling something out.

The orb. Alice tensed up; she had managed to force the orb out of Nagano's hands while he was under control, yet it was no easy task. "A-Are you sure that's safe?" She couldn't hide the hesitance in her voice.

Nagano nodded. "At first, I thought the same thing. However, I believe it is okay now." He studied the orb briefly, rolling the smooth object between his fingers. "When I first encountered the orb, a strange energy emanated; however, that seems to have disappeared."

Alice was unsure. She hadn't felt anything from the object when she first saw it, but she didn't want to question Nagano. After all, based on the orb's effects, there was no doubt something suspicious was going on with it. "Why don't we get a mage to examine it once we get to Solgard?"

Nagano thought momentarily. "Are you sure that's a good idea? I don't know if this case is something we want to get out to the public."

Alice nodded. "Don't worry about it; I know just the person for the job." She said with a prideful smile.

Nagano looked at her a moment longer. She couldn't tell what was going on behind those icy eyes.

He nodded and returned his gaze to the window, looking at the mountian range in the distance. "Alright, I put my trust in you."

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Back on earth, Nagano had traveled to cities most people would consider marvelous, such as New York and Tokyo; however, Solgard was something else entirely. Alice had said Solgard was known as a kingdom in the mountains, and Nagano finally understood when he got out of the carriage. There were towns on top of leveled mountains. Bridges nearly half a mile wide spanned valleys and carried even more stalls and shops. As they walked along the cobble roads, shops selling various goods surrounded them. Each one has its own tantalizing, magical items on display. The smell of freshly baked goods and perfectly cooked meat swirled with the cool air. There was little natural vegetation, presumably due to the mountainous environment, but various planted trees, small gardens, and potted plants made up for it. Nagano couldn't fully comprehend it. Based on the design of the buildings, it appeared that Forseti was in a medieval era, similar to Earth's; however, this kingdom seemed far too advanced for something like that.