By the time the light faded, I was back home… Home sweet home, a vast landscape filled with flames everywhere you go, nothing is better than to be in this lovely deserted home… Oh, who am I kidding? I miss Aria already.

I sighed and started flying around without a specific destination in mind, I should use this time to find a way of stopping Aria from overdoing it again… Though I lost count of how many things I tried that weren’t successful, maybe I should bribe her with a kiss on the cheek?

“Iris, you’re back!” Or maybe I will spend my time chatting and getting nothing productive done… I sighed and then turned towards the fairy that flew in my direction.

She was flying too quickly and crashed with me, making us both roll through the flaming ground. Can’t she hold back a little? “How do you always find me, Freya?” I asked.

She giggled, “A woman’s instincts of course!

Just kidding, it was about time your contract ended, so I just wandered about the area you usually come back to.”

“… Don’t you have anything better to do?” I asked.

“Nope! What is there to do in here anyways?” Fair point. “So, how was it, how was it? Did you finally confess to her?” Again with this!?

“For the last time, I’m not confessing!” I shouted at her, she flew a small distance away while putting her hands in her ears.

Freya then pouted, “But why not? You’re totally in love with her…”

I sighed and put my fingers in my forehead, “Do you really need to ask this every week?”

“Yes! Until you tell me you confessed to her!” She proudly exclaimed… Sometimes I wonder why I hang out with this lass.

“Just what part of different races, different planes, temporary time together and different lifespans is that hard to understand? It would never work out…” I explained for the millionth time.

She immediately replied, “The part that says it would never work out!” I want to punch her.

I didn’t bother with giving Freya a reply and started flying away, though she flew towards me, clung to my back and started saying, “Come on, come on! Tell me, tell me! Just what is the big deal with you two? You’re in love! And it’s mutual! Of course it would work out!”

“You’re heavy… Get off.” Was my answer.

“Not until you give me a proper reply!” Dear gods, just what is wrong with her today?

“You’re being pretty persistent, even more than usual.” I answered without hiding my annoyance.

“Urd and Skuld announced their marriage yesterday! You missed a big party because you were off! Then we need to make it up to you by celebrating your own!” That’s it? She just wants to party more?

… Sometimes I forget how insensitive this lass can be, “Give it up, Freya. There is no marriage happening, alright?”

“But why not!?” Oh, for heaven’s sake!

“Because it would just make things worse!” I shouted. That seemed to finally shut her up…

Or so I thought, but she flew from my back to right in front of me and asked, “Why?”

I sighed and started flying away, she pursued me. “You wouldn’t understand…” I answered.

“You can’t be sure of that until you tell me.” She kept insisting.

I took a deep breath, “Look… Aria is really dependent on me right now, she is all shine and joy when I’m near, and then she becomes all gloomy and depressed when I’m away.”

I was about to continue, but she interrupted me, “How do you know what she’s like when you aren’t near!?” Damn this lass, she was the one that asked and then she doesn’t even let me finish!?

“I used the clairvoyance mirror in the water plane, anyways…” I clarified.

“You went all the way there to spy on her!? Oh gods! You’re so dedicated, I can feel your love emanating all the way from the material plane!” I really should punch her face already…

“Anyways!” I continued, “Can you imagine how Aria would feel if I was in an actual relationship with her?”

She paused for a moment before answering, “Super duper happy?” No, you dumbass.

“I meant in the times we were far from one another…” I sighed for the umpteenth time today, “If I were to return her feelings, I have no idea how she’d cope with the distance between us, she barely endures it right now…

“It’s better if she finds someone else that can actively be there for her, someone she can rely upon when she needs them the most… Not someone that only makes her suffer whenever we’re apart. I’m not good enough for Aria.” I explained.

She stayed silent for a few moments before saying, “That’s so dumb!”

“See!? That’s why I didn’t want to tell you! I knew you wouldn’t understand, you dumb airhead!” I started pinching her cheeks.

She flew away from my attack and shouted, “You’re the one being dumb! Stop overworrying about it, you’re in love! In love! Love can transcend all barriers, I’m sure Aria would deal with the time away from you much better if she knew she could be as lovey dovey with you as she wanted!”

“… I wish things were this simple, I really do.” I took a deep breath before continuing, “But reality is not that simple, alright?”

“You won’t know unless you try.” She kept pushing…

“And then what!?” I snapped, “What if I do tell her? What if I do say I fell in love long before she did? What if I tell Aria how hard it was to watch over her as she walked away from me and went to Rose’s room to make love? What then? You expect our life together to just sail smoothly and perfectly without complications then?”

“… Even if it’s not perfect, wouldn’t it be better than the way it is now? You always look so down while you’re away from her…” Of course I’m down, who wouldn’t be down when they’re away from the one you love?

Freya continued though, not paying any heed to my internal dialogue, “Besides, this muddy relationship is clearly stressing you, look how easy you’re snapping, you weren’t like this before.”

“Don’t go putting the blame on Aria, she’s innocent in this…” I answered angrily.

“I know, you’re the one at fault. For letting all this pile up on your shoulder instead of being honest with your feelings… For how long are you going to do this? Until she dies?” Why does Freya now act all mature when she behaved like a child just a few moments ago? It’s irritating.

I got sick of it, so I decided to just tell her, “What if she dies?” She unsurprisingly replied with a ‘Huh?’ at my sudden question, I continued, “What if Aria dies?” I asked again, “The closer we get, the harder it is for her to deal with my absence… I’m a drug to her, she latches on to me and rely on my presence to keep herself sane.

“If I get too close… I’m scared she’ll break once I’m away.”

“… Aren’t you overvaluing yourself a bit too much? She’s a grown woman, she can take care of herself.” Freya asked.

“I wish I was… I have been with her long enough to know how much I matter to her though.” And I also saw her for far more time than I should in the clairvoyance mirror, she doesn’t deal with my absence well at all. “Aria says I was the best thing to ever happen to her, but she is wrong. I’m the worst. By always answering her summons and being a constant in her life, she started viewing the value of her life through me… And then when I’m away, she sees nothing of worth in her…

“She’s a fool, and I’m a bigger fool for letting her get this far…” I started crying, “I don’t know what else to do… If I don’t put some distance between us, if I don’t find a way to make her see what makes her worth it by herself… Then I might lose her for good.”

Freya embraced me, “And you really don’t think your love could be that? The thing that makes her see worth in her own self?”

“It’s not a solution if it makes her depend even more on me…” I answered.

“Then you’ll push her away? Forsake your own chance of happiness, and even her own, just because you’re scared she might kill herself if she’s any closer to you?” Her words stung. I wish I could deny them, but… They were the truth, I knew that much, I was forsaking everything due to my own fears.

“If it keeps her alive…” The one to sigh this time was Freya, but she didn’t push the matter any further… For once, she was able to be understanding… I’m glad.

---

It’s been 3 days since I came back to this plane, I’m getting worried… Why didn’t Aria summon me yet? She should have summoned me yesterday, she’s never waited more than a few hours since the week finished passing to summon me… I wonder if something happened…

Do I even need to wonder about it? Something definitely happened. I suppose I have no choice but to go to that dreadful place again… It can’t be helped, it’s for Aria’s sake after all.

I quickly flew through the flaming plains I usually spent my days on, it’s a good thing they’re close to the border between planes, so it didn’t take long to find the interplanar portal and its usual guard, a giant minotaur made of bright white flames.

I approached him and asked, “Could you open a portal to the water plane for me, please?”

The gatekeeper laughed, “Going to stalk your lover again, Iris?”

I pouted, “It’s not stalking, I’m just checking up on her! And she’s not my lover!”

He kept laughing, “Of course, of course, pardon my misunderstanding…” Dear Gods, he can be so annoying!

“I’m serious… And I’m in a bit of a hurry today, so could you get started, please?” I asked him.

I was worried that I might have sounded rude, but he seemed to not mind. For he put his hand in the currently inert portal and made an image slowly start forming in it. While he was doing that, he asked, “Something happened?”

I answered honestly, “Nothing happened, and that’s the problem.” He seemed confused, so I clarified, “By now Aria should have already summoned me…”

He started cackling again, “You sure she just didn’t find someone else!? Maybe you took so long to confess that you lost your chance!” Gods damn it, doesn’t he get it that this is serious!?

“Don’t laugh! I’m really worried for her right now, alright!? Besides…” I took a small pause before saying it… It was harder to put it into words than I imagined, “I’d be glad if she actually did find someone… It would be the best for her.”

He stopped his laughter, “You know, I don’t know your circumstances, but… You certainly doesn’t look like you’d be happy if this girl found someone else, wouldn’t you die of jealousy or something?”

He is not wrong, however… “Being jealous of her and being happy for her are not mutually exclusive sentiments…”

“Technically true, but I’m pretty sure you’d enjoy it a lot more if you were the one by her side.” I know he is right, but it would still be the best for Aria. Luckily, the path to the water plane finished opening, so our conversation was cut short.

I thanked him for his help and flew through the disgustingly blue image within the portal, and now I was surrounded by water everywhere… I shivered as some nymphs played around and almost threw some droplets at me. I hate this place!

I flew as high as I could in order to get away from the never-ending ocean below, then went west towards the clairvoyance mirror.

After I saw the giant mirror on top of the ocean’s surface, I took a deep breath and started flying lower in order to get close to it, while always being wary of any wild water drops that could hit me. Luckily, the area didn’t seem to have many people today, so it was a safe trip.

And suddenly, I heard a shout, “Hey Iris, you’re back!” Immediately after that, the water fairy that screamed this collided with me.

While hurriedly stabilizing myself mid-air in order to not fall in the deadly ocean below me, I pushed her away, “Get back! You’ll erase my flames, Ilya!” Doesn’t she realize how weak I’m here? She could kill me with those, as she calls them, high-speed-no-hold-back-hugs.

She just giggled though, “Sorry sorry.” Don’t say sorry if you don’t mean it… “So, you’re going to stalk Aria again, right?”

I sighed, “Don’t call it stalking…” She giggled more, “I’m just checking up on her, alright? Something might have happened…”

She patted my head, her wet hand erasing the flames of my hair whenever they connected… This hurts, you idiot! “Of course, of course… Well, you know the drill by now, fly over the mirror and focus your mind on her, it will show what you want to see.”

I did as Ilya told me while she flew to the mirror’s border and slowly touched it while whispering something, its surface slowly started having ripples appear through them, until an image formed.

I could see her, Aria was there, sleeping… Though that was not our inn, and it seems like there is a magic circle around her. It was made of twigs, but it was definitely a magic circle… This is worrisome. “Can you change the view to the outside?” I asked.

Ilya made more ripples flow through the mirror, and I could now see the outside of the place she was in. I never saw this house before, and judging by how bright it is, it’s probably way past dawn in her plane at the moment… She definitely should not be sleeping at this hour.

“She’s surely a heavy sleeper, isn’t she? To think it’s this late already.” Ilya commented. I pray she’s right.

“I don’t think that’s just it… Say, do you think you can check her mana flow from here?” I asked.

She seemed a bit confused, but answered anyways, “That’s a very specific request… Do you have a good grasp of how her mana should feel?”

I nodded, “As if it was my own.”

“Then focus your mind on its feeling, and the mirror will reflect what you want to see.” She calmly replied, and then made more ripples go through it.

At first the mirror showed nothing, but I closed my eyes and started remembering. I remembered each and every time Aria went through mana deficiency, how I felt the influx of mana that was maintaining my summon was distorted, how I felt that the usual calm flow was now being hit by a heavy and unwieldy power… I can’t believe Aria never noticed I always knew exactly when her mana ran out, how could I not notice when I was suddenly being supplied by life force instead of mana? She’s such an idiot. A lovely and hopeless idiot…

I shook my head, now’s not the time to think about that! I focused my mind in that calm feeling I had when she supplied me with mana, on its steady and constant flow that gave me a material body and allowed us to be together… Then, I opened my eyes and looked at the mirror.

What I saw was really weird, in the clear white background of the mirror, an orange shapeless shadow roamed about. It was mostly peaceful and moved in circles, going nowhere in particular. I believe that’s the visual representation of her mana flow…? It seems stable.

“She doesn’t have much mana, does she?” Ilya asked, confirming my suspicion, although…

That confused me, “What do you mean?” I asked back. Aria’s mana pool should be about average for a human mage.

“Because it’s filling so little of the mirror’s surface. Usually speaking, a human’s mana should be able to fill the whole thing.” She clarified. “You shouldn’t be able to see the mirror’s background as easily as you can right now.”

I paid more attention to it, the flow of the mana was indeed steady, and it did look like it was going nowhere, but… The amount of mana was definitely getting smaller, little by little, a small amount with each passing second, but it was definitely fading away. That damned Aria, she got lured by the relic, didn’t she?

“Ilya…” My voice got stuck in my throat. I needed to ask her something that I knew I shouldn’t, for I was going to pry into something very personal that I had no right of knowing. However, I had to be sure if Aria was safe or not, “Could you make the mirror show Aria’s dream?”

She didn’t reply for a moment, but eventually said, “That’s a huge invasion of privacy…”

“I know… Please…” I told her.

Ilya hesitated for a bit, but I think she realized I was not simply stalking on her, so she simply told me to focus my thoughts on Aria again, and the mirror would show me my desires… And show them it did.

This time the image was very clear, both me and Aria were inside it, Aria was sitting under a tree shade, while the me there gently caressed her ears as her tail wagged back and forth… She had such a gorgeous and blissful smile that made me jealous of the dream me.

“That’s a pretty cute dream.” Ilya commented.

“It is indeed…” And this lovely dream made me grit my teeth, for Aria hasn’t had a peaceful night sleep in a long time. The only reason I can imagine for her to not have a nightmare is if that crystal is interfering with her. I suppose I should seek some confirmation though, “Can you make the mirror distance the image? I want to look outside the normal boundaries of the dream.”

Ilya was confused, “But there will only be a black nothingness in there…?”

“Let’s hope so.” Sadly, I had no hopes we’d find nothing there. At this point, I just needed to convince Ilya there was something fishy going on, for I’d need her help later.

She nodded and made more ripples go through the mirror, the image slowly distanced itself, making the dream’s get smaller and smaller until we could start seeing the outside. At first there was nothing aside from the pure darkness of the dream realm near it, however… Before long, we saw it. That blasted red shining crystal that Aria told me about. Not only that, but we could also see multiple dream-like spaces surrounding it in the endless darkness.

“You shouldn’t be here.” A voice suddenly echoed from the mirror, then red light filled the surface that once had the dream realm, and now the mirror was showing nothing, only its own clear background.

“… What was that!?” Ilya asked.

I answered clearly, “The thing I was afraid of. Ilya, can you put in a good word for me? I need to go to the dream realm. And we both know the gatekeeper won’t open the path for that realm if I don’t have a good reason to go there.”

She hesitated for a bit, and then nodded.