Frieren: Twin Souls

Chapter 18 A Promise Kept

"You know, Frieren..." he wheezed, his voice weak but still carrying that familiar velvety politeness. "It might be interesting to try that clothes-vanishing spell on you... Elves have always had a charm of their own."

Before Frieren could answer—or even blush—Geist's head lolled forward against his chest. He had lost consciousness, drained completely of mana and overwhelmed by the suffocating burden of the pact. Tod let out a quiet croak and settled onto Stark's shoulder, as though keeping watch over his master.

In silence, broken only by the crunch of snow beneath Stark's boots, they made their way back to the abandoned village. They laid Geist to rest in his family home—the very place where he had earlier reminisced about the warmth of the sun and the color of his first love's eyes. Fern lit the fireplace and prepared a simple meal, while Stark stood guard outside, still shaken by the power he had witnessed within the tomb.

Frieren sat by the window, staring out across the lifeless village. She rested her staff across her lap, absentmindedly running her fingers along its polished wood as her thoughts drifted. Stille's words about Flamme and Himmel's return refused to leave her mind. Magic held many theories about the world's memory and the curvature of time, but bringing someone back from Aureole was beyond anything she had ever believed possible.

"Flamme..." she whispered. "If you're really here... if Wandler truly bent the laws of this world... how am I supposed to find you?"

Closing her eyes, she began to examine the mana flowing through the air, searching for the faintest trace—the unique signature of her master's magic, one she had known by heart a thousand years ago. If Flamme truly lived again, her presence would inevitably leave its mark upon the world's mana, just as a great boulder forces a river to change its course.

Seated within a circle of silverite dust, Frieren felt her consciousness reach beyond the boundaries of time and space. Then, without warning, the darkness gave way to a warm golden light. A familiar presence embraced her, and for a heartbeat, her heart seemed to stop.

"Frieren? My dear apprentice... I'm so happy to hear your voice, and even happier to know you're safe."

Flamme's voice echoed clearly in her mind, as warm and vibrant as it had been centuries before.

Frieren remained speechless while her master continued.

"You're wondering how this is possible? We were summoned by a peculiar old man with a blindfold covering his eyes. He looked elderly, but he was certainly no human. He restored our strength—and returned us to the age when our magic was at its greatest. When we asked why he had chosen us, he simply shrugged and said, 'I honestly don't know. Fate chose you for a reason. Nothing more, nothing less. It simply means you already possess everything you need to succeed.'"

Flamme chuckled softly before her voice grew gentler.

"Himmel is alive, Frieren. He's doing wonderfully—and yes, he still talks about you all the time. We've met others as well. There's Fauna, an elf overflowing with energy who insists she inherited it from her human father. I have to admit, she's the finest healer I've ever encountered. Her magic borders on miraculous. Then there's Menno, known as the Shadow of Death. He's quiet, reserved, and perhaps a little gruff, but I can't shake the feeling he'd give his life for any of us without a second thought. You know..." She laughed softly. "There's something rather attractive about that stoic personality of his. His story is a long one, though. I'm not sure I have enough time to tell you today."

The vision began to waver, and Flamme hurried to finish.

"We won the tournaments, and tomorrow we're attending a ball in the Central Kingdom while tracking down a demon that's been wreaking havoc here. Don't worry—we can handle it. Before that, we're actually going to be fitted for formal clothes." She laughed again. "I have to go now, Frieren. Stay strong."