Chapter 3

The scenery gradually changed from forests to plains. They rode for a few hours before Isaac needed to stretch his legs. They stopped by a small river to let the horses drink and rest up as they rested as well.

"Are you not tired?" Isaac asked. "You didn't sleep in the carriage, didn't you?"

"Don't worry," Darius said. "I've gone longer without sleep."

"Yeah, but aren't you tired?"

"I'm used to it," Darius said. Isaac wondered what kind of hellish training Darius went through as a Sovereign Knight to be so strong.

"We can't stop for too long," Darius said. "The White Queen is in danger."

"I know," Isaac said. "If you don't care for me, at least care for the horses. They get tired too, you know?"

As Isaac rested his shaky legs, he thought about what just happened back in Ironwood. The crazy lady screaming about him being a cursed child. What did she meant by that, Isaac had no idea. Isaac must've been staring into nothing because Darius spoke up.

"Are you still thinking about what happened?"

Isaac shrugged. "Kind of hard not to."

"Don't mind her. She's just con artist. They tell you bad things about your life so you would be tempted to use their fortune telling powers." Darius snorted. "As if they have any."

Isaac sighed. What Darius said made sense. Isaac didn't think much of it, but it still made him uneasy.

As the horses rested, Isaac decided to move around to stretch his limbs and keep his mind occupied. He drew his sword and swung it around. He had no technique or even an idea of how to wield a sword properly. Instead of looking like a graceful swordmaster, he probably looked like an idiot.

Darius seemed to notice it as well. "You're doing it wrong."

"You think?" Isaac grumbled.

Darius stepped in and corrected Isaac's grip. "This is a short sword. You'll have a shorter reach compared to other swords out there, but you'll have a more powerful swing. You've held a hammer before, yes?"

"Of course."

"Grip it the same as you would a hammer," Darius said. "You would usually have a shield with the short sword, but we don't have that luxury. It's better to have both hands on the sword rather than have one of them flailing around with no purpose."

Isaac set both of his hands on the hilt of his sword. Darius corrected his grip again. "Put your dominant hand closer to the hand guard while the other at the pommel. This will give you more flexibility when swinging while also keeping your swings powerful."

Isaac tried it, but the sword felt awkward in his hands. "This feels funny."

"Because you've never held a sword." Darius pointed out, which was true. "Now, strike me." He took a few steps back and drew his own sword.

"What?"

"Strike me as hard as you can."

"Are you serious?" Isaac asked. Darius nodded. "Uh, you want me to do it downwards or sideways?"

"However you want. Just strike me as hard as you can."

Isaac shrugged. If he asks for it, then he's prepared for the consequences. "Here I go," Isaac said as he raised his sword above his head. He used all the strength he had and swung the sword downwards as hard as he could. It felt like he could've cleaved a boulder in half.

The key phrase here is 'felt like'.

Darius raised his sword to block Isaac's and his sword clanged against Darius's. He felt the impact all through his body, making his bones vibrate. He dropped the sword and clutched his hands in pain.

"Ow!" Isaac yelped in pain. He felt like he'd just slammed into a wall. Even though he held the sword in his hands, his whole body was aching, especially his arms.

To his surprise, Darius found it amusing. Isaac could see a glimpse of a smirk on his face.

"Good strike," Darius said.

"I felt like I just ran into a brick wall." Isaac groaned.

"You will get stronger, in time," Darius said. "Not everyone is good on their first try."

"Yep, I can see that," Isaac said as he tried shaking the pain out of his hands.

"It's not entirely your fault," Darius said. "Your sword is well made, but it’s not very strong. If I hadn't used the flat of my blade, it would've snapped in half."

It felt somewhat relieving to know that he didn't totally suck.

Although he was just given a reality check on how terrible he was, he wanted to learn more. "I'll just have to train more."

Darius snickered. "You do, but not now. Right now, we have to move. A storm is coming behind us." Darius gestured behind him. Isaac turned around to see dark clouds snaking its way towards them.

"Yeah, let's move," Isaac said.

It took a couple of days, but they managed to arrive at Tuplin. By the time they’d arrived, it was drizzling. They tied their horses up at the local stables and stayed there for a while, discussing a plan.

The town itself was really small. A single muddy pathway was carved straight in the middle of the town to the other side and the buildings were small and few. It looked more like an outpost than a town.

"If the bartender was right that they're heading to Whitewash Peaks, they must have stopped here," Isaac said. "There's no other town or village after this up until the mountains."

Darius seems to agree. The sky was darkening rapidly as the clouds closed in on them and the time was turning to night. "Shall we find a tavern?" Darius asked.

Isaac was hesitant. Unlike Ironwood, Isaac didn't know anything about Tuplin. He didn't know where they stand when it comes to the Sovereign Empire, he didn't know if they're friendly to outsiders, he didn't know anything.

"Sure," Isaac said. Since the rain was starting to get heavy, people were scrambling to go indoors. A few people were struggling to get their horses under roofs and some were carrying crates of goods to avoid them from getting wet.

Isaac and Darius put a leather cloak on to protect them from the rain and went towards the tavern. Their boots sloshed against the mud and Isaac had to grab on to Darius multiple times to avoid slipping.

When they entered the tavern, it was unexpectedly empty. Aside from a few people drinking and a drunk that passed out on the floor, the tavern didn't have a lot of life.

The bartender eyed them from behind the counter, but she didn't say anything. Her brownish hair was tied into a ponytail as she wore a leather vest.

"Can I get you boys anything?" The bartender asked.

As usual, Isaac ordered White Root Ale. Darius on the other hand ordered water.

"You don't drink?" Isaac asked.

"It numbs the mind," Darius said. Isaac shrugged and paid the bartender.

"You fellas looking for something?" she asked.

"A party of three. Did they come through here?" Isaac asked.

As usual, the bartender was wary of them. They usually don't give out information. At least, not for free.

Isaac slid a few gold coins to her, to which she took them without asking. "They arrived a few days ago. Stone house at the north edge of town.”

“Wait, they’re still here?” Isaac said. “I thought they’d gone up the mountain by now.”

“Something must be wrong.” Darius said. “Let’s go.” They thanked the bartender and went straight to where Scarlet was.

When they were outside, the rain definitely got heavier and more violent. The winds whipped around wildly as the rain splashed on their faces like needles. At the edge of Tuplin, Isaac could see a rundown house with three horses tied to its stables.

They approached the house slowly. Isaac asked Darius a silent question and he nodded, so Isaac proceeded to open the door.

Again, he was met with the tip of a blade pointing at his face, but this time with a different wielder.

"Handyman?" Elisa asked.

"It's Isaac." Isaac rolled his eyes. Elisa lowered her blade.

"What are you doing here?" She asked.

"Uh, he brought me here." Isaac gestured at Darius.

When Elisa realized who the Sovereign Knight was, she bowed slightly. "Sir Darius. It's been a while."

Darius held his hand up. "No need for formalities. I'm here on behalf of the Lunar Empress. We've come to see Scarlet."

Elisa looked nervous. She looked around outside before gesturing for them to come in.

When inside, Isaac could hear the walls and the roof creaking because of the heavy storm. It felt like the winds were going to tear the roof of this place.

Isaac scanned the room. There was nothing there except for a huge empty space and a fireplace. In front of the fireplace, Isaac saw Scarlet wrapped in a leather blanket with Hillut sitting and leaning against the wall, sleeping.

When Isaac took a closer look at Scarlet, she was deathly pale. Well, her natural complexion has always been pale but now she looks sick. Even though asleep, her expression showed pain. She was also shivering even though wrapped in a blanket and sleeping next to a lit fireplace.

"She doesn't look too good," Isaac said.

"None of us are," Elisa muttered. "Just before Ironwood, we were ambushed by mercenaries. Hillut fought them off. Ever since then, our journey has been treacherous. Scarlet had been afflicted with a small curse by that stupid necromancer just before we arrived here. We want to take her back to the White Kingdom for treatment, but Scarlet is in no condition to go up Whitewash Peaks right now."

"Can’t you cure her curse?" Isaac asked.

"I can if I had Mana. It’s a simple curse that could be cured with some healing magic," Elisa said miserably. "I've tried asking for any physicians or healers in Ironwood and Tuplin, but have come up empty-handed. Our only choice now is to get back to the White Kingdom as fast as possible."

Isaac knew that it was impossible. Given how hard it is to go through Whitewash Peaks, Scarlet wouldn't survive the journey. It is hard enough to do it when you're healthy and with the added threat of Icirin the Snow Dragon, they wouldn't survive.

"We need to find some place else for a physician or a healer."

"We can't," Elisa said. "It's dangerous."

"Don't worry," Isaac said. "We’re here to help."

Darius nodded. "I'll head back into town to get us some supplies.”

"Thank you, Sir Darius," Elisa said. "You too, Isaac."

Darius then stepped outside to head back to the town while Isaac stayed inside to keep warm near the fireplace.

Isaac put a hand on Scarlet's forehead and was surprised at how cold it was.

"She's in terrible condition," Isaac said. "Can't we do anything?"

"Unless you have a Mana potion or physician lying around."

An idea clicked into his head. "Teach me."

"What?"

"You know a healing spell, right? Teach it to me."

Elisa frowned. "This is no time to play around."

"I'm not." Isaac urged. "Just tell me how to do it."

“Do you even have any magic affinities?” Elisa asked.

“I’ll explain later. Just teach me. I’m a quick learner.”

Elisa was wary, but she was also desperate. "Hold both of your hands out and create a triangle," Elisa said as she did an example. Isaac mimicked her actions. "Concentrate at the tip of your fingers. Try to imagine a flow of energy coursing through your body to your fingertips."

Isaac closed his eyes and imagined his veins being a connected network of strings around his body and having the energy flow to his fingertips. His fingers felt strangely warm.

"Now imagine it flowing out of you, as if you're – holy hell!" Elisa exclaimed.

Isaac opened his eyes to see his hands glow in a warm green light. Balls of light floated playfully from his hands and into Scarlet, covering her with the same green glow.

Whatever he was doing, it was working. He could see the color return to her face and her breathing got steadier. After a minute or so, he stopped. He didn't realize how much it drained him until he broke his concentration.

His vision went fuzzy and he felt dizzy. He would've collapsed if Elisa didn't catch him. "Easy there." Elisa sat him straight.

"Did it work?" Isaac asked.

"How the–" Elisa said in amazement, which Isaac takes as a yes. "I didn't know you could do healing magic."

"A few months ago at Rost, a traveling witch told me that I had a great affinity for magic.” Isaac grunted as he sat up straight. “So I can do magic, but I haven’t had the opportunity to learn any spells.”

Elisa was in disbelief. “But an Unknown Magic? And this was your first time? You just did that perfectly as well."

“Uh, a what magic?”

“Nevermind.” Elisa shook her head. “I’m just surprised you can do healing magic.”

“Like I said, I’m a quick learner.” Isaac managed a weak grin. The spell drained his energy. "Why do I feel tired?"

"That's normal," Elisa said as she handed him some water. "Using magic tires you out, especially since it’s your first time. I would suggest refraining from doing any more magic for the time being."

It's not like Isaac could do magic even if he wanted to, but he nodded. At least Scarlet was feeling better. Elisa checked up on her to see how she was doing.

"She seems to be okay now, thanks to you," Elisa said.

"Don't mention it," Isaac said tiringly.

The two sat in silence for a while as Isaac caught his breath.

The rain was still pouring down heavily outside, but Isaac could barely care about it right now. He was so drained that he was ready to take a nap.

"Why did you look for us?" Elisa asked. "I mean I'm grateful, but why?"

"Did you know? She's making me a King Candidate." Isaac gestured at the sleeping White Queen.

"Oh, I knew," Elisa said. "Didn't think you would come right now though."

"Yeah, well, I'm here now. And I want to ask her some questions."

"Like what?"

"Why did she pick me to be the King?" Isaac asked.

Elisa shrugged. “It’s her plan. She never told me her intentions and I never asked.” Elisa said. “I have a better question. Why wouldn't you want to be a King?" Elisa asked. "Everyone wants to be a King."

"Not everyone," Isaac muttered.

"What do you mean?" Elisa asked.

Isaac explained to Elisa the reasons why he doesn't want to be the King. The doubt he has about himself, his lack of kingship qualities, and his fear of the responsibility of being a King.

"I mean, why me?" Isaac finally asked. "I'm sure there are dozens of people who are more qualified to be a King than I am. I am not able to provide and be responsible for the livelihood of thousands of people. I don't want them to suffer because of me."

Elisa pondered in silence for a while before she answered. "Maybe that's the reason."

"What?"

"You know of your responsibilities. You care for the people that are affected by your choice, which is something that most Kings and Queens don't have these days." Elisa said. "I've known Scarlet since before she became the White Queen. She's a great judge of character and if she sees you fit to be a King, then she’s right."

Isaac sighed. He wasn't sure if it was a lack of self-confidence or if he was afraid of it but he definitely does not see himself as a great King.

"And for what it's worth," Elisa said. "Even if you became King, you wouldn’t be the worst I’ve seen."

“That’s . . . strangely comforting to hear. Thanks.” Isaac admitted. "But how could you tell? You do realize that we barely know each other."

Elisa shrugged. "I'm also a good judge of character."

Isaac managed a chuckle, but he was still doubting himself. If anything, the journey he had with Darius had taught him that he had much to learn.

"Do you know why she wanted to elect a King?" Isaac asked.

Elisa stared into the fireplace. "I don't know much, but I know it was her and her sister's plan."

"The Lunar Empress." Isaac pointed out.

Elisa nodded. "I don't know the exact details of it, but I do know one thing," Elisa said.

"And that is?"

"They’re going to war against the Sovereign King.”

It took Isaac a moment before what Elisa said sunk in.

Are they really going to do this? Are they really going to war against the Sovereign King? Isaac had his suspicions when he heard that the Lunar Empress was involved and the few conversations he had with Darius, but he was hoping that wasn’t the case.

Again, the argument of 'why' pops up in his head. Why are they waging war against the Sovereign King?

Now that the true conflict has come to light, two possibilities popped up in his head as to why the war is happening.

One, there's something about the Sovereign Empire that Isaac didn't know that the Lunar Empress just doesn't agree with, hence the need to start a war for rule over Arya. Maybe he’s crueler than Isaac originally thought, maybe the Sovereign King has plans to dominate the entire continent through sheer force, he had no idea.

Two, the Lunar Empress simply wants more power. Being Queen was not enough. She wanted more. She wanted to be on top.

Isaac just doesn't see the need to wage war against him except for reason number two, the need for more power. Isaac didn't know if it was the Lunar Empress or the White Queen, but these two sisters have colluded to take the Sovereign King's power and authority.

The way Isaac sees it, it's more likely the second reason which means Isaac is about to partake in a revolution.

But before he jumped to conclusions, Isaac had to make sure.

"Why?" Isaac asked. "Is there a reason for this sudden urge to wage war?”

Elisa sighed. "I wish I knew. It's got something to do with the Lunar Empress but other than that, I know nothing."

Isaac nodded. If he was going to get answers, he'd have to ask the White Queen herself.

But because of her injuries and long travels, it was unlikely that she'll be up tonight. Probably the next morning. He'd have to wait.

Isaac sighed. "Enough about that topic," Isaac said. "Let's talk about something else."

"Well," Elisa said. "How was your journey here?"

Isaac was relieved to have something else to talk about because frankly, the issue regarding the Lunar Empress and the Sovereign King was getting overwhelming.

So, Isaac started talking about his journey, starting from when Darius found him in Rost Village to the time they traveled through the Crimson Woods and then to Ironwood.

Isaac told her about his first-time experience wielding a sword, to which she laughed. Darius joined them at some point, listening to his stories as well.

The more time went on, the more he told. He started to tell stories not only of his journey with Darius but his journey to other places. The time he visited Saori and she set him on fire, the time he helped catch a thief in Leadun, the day he helped a merchant fend off bloodthirsty bats using nothing but a teacup (long story).

By the time he was finished, the rain had slowed into a drizzle.

"You live an interesting life, Isaac," Darius said.

"Me? Not at all," Isaac said. "I just make the most out of everything. That's what my mom used to tell me."

"Used to?" Elisa asked.

Isaac gave a sad smile. "My parents passed away some time ago when I was young."

Elisa bit her lip. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine," Isaac said. "They're not the best parents, but I knew they tried their best."

"Judging from how you turned out, I'm sure they're amazing people." Elisa smiled.

"Thanks." Isaac smiled at her comforting words. "Shall I tell you about them?" Elisa nodded. She seemed eager to hear about his parents. "My mom and dad were adventurers. They've told me amazing stories of their travels before and after they met each other."

"Are they fighters?" Darius asked.

"No. Well, mom was. She knew her way around a bow. My dad, not so much. His expertise was being an idiot. Even so, they're not hardened warriors. They just travel a lot, seeing the world as they please and living their lives." Isaac seemed wistful in his voice. "I know little of where they came from since they told me nothing of their family. Nevertheless, I was happy with them. The only other family member I know of is my cousin and her uncle in Sarca "

"Free-spirited adventurers." Darius mused at the idea. "I've met a few of them. They're nice people. Well, most of them anyway."

Isaac chuckled. "If you've ever met one that was a drunkard, that was probably my dad."

Elisa chuckled. "They sound like wonderful people."

"Indeed," Isaac said. "That's why I made it a purpose to not bring the name of Frostfire to shame."

Darius and Elisa tensed at the name. "Frostfire?"

"Yep. My family name." Isaac said.

Isaac didn't know this and it might be a coincidence or they're probably just wrong, but that name sets off all kinds of alarm in Darius' and Elisa's heads.

It was a name lost in time. But if Isaac claims that it is his family's lineage, then the White Queen’s plan has just been ruined.

Suddenly, a piece just fit in. It explains how Isaac could use an Unknown Magic that easily even though it was his first time. Only one family in history could’ve done that and as far as Elisa knows, their line ended a long time ago.

Elisa gulped. "Did your parents ever tell you about your family’s history?"

Isaac shrugged. "Nope. I never asked."

In the back of her mind, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. The fact that Isaac didn't know anything about his family puts her into a feeling of uneasiness.

Sure, people sometimes hide stuff from their children. But they would always tell them about the background of their family. Their lineage. It's important to pass down the family legacy to your children.

But whatever the reasons were, Elisa wasn't going to press it. If his parents told him nothing, then it was maybe for the better.

Though it was really bothering her.

"Get some sleep," Darius said. "We're gonna have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow."

Isaac nodded as he yawned. He curled up next to the fireplace and started snoring. Elisa stood up and gestured for Darius to follow her outside.

The two went out. The night was cold, but the worst of the storm had passed.

"You heard him, right?" Darius asked in a hushed tone.

Elisa nodded nervously. She has a suspicion from Isaac's stories, mainly of his parents. If what Isaac told them was true, and if she knows her history well, Isaac is dangerous.

"Do you believe him?" Elisa asked.

"He has no reason to lie," Darius said. "But I sense that he doesn't know the true nature of his lineage."

"We can't let anyone know about this," Elisa said. "This stays between us and we need to make sure that Isaac doesn't tell anyone."

Darius agreed. If people knew who Isaac truly was, he would be the most wanted man in Arya in a bad way. It's not even confirmed. It's just a possibility of who he might be, but Elisa had a sneaking suspicion that it was true.

"Do you realize what this means?" Elisa asked.

"He’s in danger.” Darius said.

Elisa sighed in frustration. “I can’t believe there’s still a living Frostfire heir.” Elisa said. “How did his parents keep him hidden?”

“They’re allied with the Shadowseekers.” Darius pointed out. “Keeping someone hidden from the Empire is easy for them.”

“This has just turned into one hell of a mess.” Elisa muttered. “If the Sovereign King finds out he’s alive–”

“He won’t.” Darius said.

“But if he does find out . . .”

“Then he’s as good as dead.” Darius said grimly.

“And if Scarlet finds out, his life will be in no less danger.” Elisa said. “Not only that, other factions will be coming for him as well. The Three Coins, the Church of Light, the Sovereign Empire, they will all be coming for him.”

“Then we will carry this secret to our graves.” Darius said.

“You’re willing to do that?” Elisa turned towards Darius. “For a kid that we barely know of?”

“No, but I’m willing to do that for his family.” Darius insisted. “For the Frostfire family. You should know better than anyone what his family has suffered enough.”

Elisa wanted to argue, but she knew that Darius was right. In the end, she relented. “We will bring him back to the White Kingdom, and we tell this to no one.”

“Agreed.” Darius said.

Elisa wasn’t too happy about the plan, but it’s the best they could do for now.

Line Break

By daytime, the rain had cleared. When Isaac woke up, the scent of morning dew filled the air. He noticed that the spot where Scarlet had been sleeping was now a bundle of blankets.

Isaac went outside to see her basking in the sunlight as if she was absorbing it. No one else was with her.

At first, Isaac wanted to ask her how she was doing, but he stayed quiet. Watching her like that, enjoying herself, Isaac felt somewhat fascinated.

"You do know it's dangerous for you to go out by yourself, right?" Isaac said.

"I almost died last night, leave me alone," Scarlet argued. She turned around and flashed an innocent smile to Isaac. It was hard to think that this woman was the same dying woman from last night. She looked incredible, all things considered.

"You look good for someone who almost died," Isaac said. Scarlet walked over to him and gave him a warm hug.

"Thank you for saving me," Scarlet said. Isaac had to admit, it felt good saving people's lives. He helped people before, sure. But saving someone gave him an entirely different good feeling.

"You're welcome, Your Majesty," Isaac said.

When Scarlet pulled away, she cocked her head sideways. "You never said you could do healing magic."

Isaac shrugged. "I didn’t know I could do healing magic until last night." Isaac said. “I knew I could use magic, so I figured why not give it a shot.

"You used an Unknown Magic as well.” Scarlet seems impressed. “Why didn't you learn any magic if you had the affinity for it?" Scarlet asked.

Isaac sat down on the front porch and Scarlet joined him. "I didn’t know what kind of magic I could do. Plus, our village didn’t have a local sorcerer or wizard to teach me anything."

"What about Leadun?"

"Eh." Isaac shrugged. "For a hundred gold coins per spell, I'd rather not. They charge even more for non-locals of the kingdom."

"Well, when we get back to the White Kingdom I'll have my magicians give you our book of spells. As a way of thanking you."

"Yeah, about that." Isaac took a deep breath. "I heard from Darius that you told your sister, the Lunar Empress, to nominate me as the King Candidate for the White Kingdom. Is that true?"

It took her a second to answer, but she nodded. "It was my idea."

"Why?" Isaac asked. "Why did you pick me and why do you suddenly want a King?"

"I'm not sure I can answer the second one."

"Yes, you can because I'm the one whose life is on the line here. I deserve to know what I'm staking my life for."

Scarlet pondered for a bit before agreeing. "Fine." She said. "We're waging war with the Sovereign King."

Isaac waved the answer away. "I know that part. I want to know why you need a King for that and why you chose me."

Scarlet bit her lower lip. "We need you because you're a man."

Isaac was confused. "What do you mean by that?"

"This country is used to patriarchy," Scarlet said. "This means the ones who hold the most power are men, the Kings. There have been some exceptions like the White Kingdom, the Land of Hunters down south, and a few others. But the majority of kingdoms and countries are ruled by men. Because of that, they only take male rulers seriously."

She's not wrong. Usually, the King would be at the top of the hierarchy and the Queen at second place. But if a prince is born into the family, the prince gets to move up to second place and the queen moves down to third. Even if the King dies and he doesn’t have a prince, the Queen is responsible to look for a husband to elect a new King. She can try to take the throne, but it’s more often than not that the people are not willing to consider her as their leader.

It’s an unfair practice.

"Okay, that's messed up. But what does it have to do with me?" Isaac asked.

"The White Kingdom can't take on the Sovereign Empire by itself. We need allies. The Lunar Empress can help, but we need more. That's where you come in." Scarlet said. "The other Kings that want to go against the Sovereign Empire aren't too keen about being led by a woman, namely me."

The realization dawned upon Isaac. "You need a face. A King, to gain the support of other kingdoms."

"Precisely," Scarlet said. "If the White Kingdom has a King, they will be much more cooperative."

"So you want me to act as a puppet King? I’m just the face of the kingdom, basically." Isaac said miserably.

Scarlet's eyes widened. "What? No!" She said quickly. "That is not why I picked you as King. If that was the case, I would've picked someone disposable, someone of no use to me.”

“You just said you needed someone to be the face of the kingdom.”

Scarlet sighed. “Yes, that’s true. I need someone to convince the other Kings to be our allies. But I also need your help with the White Kingdom."

Isaac waited for her answer. Scarlet took a deep breath. "I noticed something in you. Something that most people don't have. It's almost a rarity in this time and age."

"What might that be?"

"Kindness," Scarlet said. "Compassion. I've seen the way you help people. I’ve experienced your kindness first hand. You help people because in your heart, it’s the right thing to do."

"I was just helping people fix things."

"You did more than that," Scarlet said. "You make them feel safe. You make them feel like they could rely on you and you would deliver. That's not something that everyone can do. It’s something that most Kings lack."

Isaac had a sinking suspicion that Scarlet wasn’t telling him everything. She told him about why he was chosen to be a King Candidate, but she failed to explain exactly why they were going to war with the Sovereign Empire.

But Isaac put that thought aside for now. Though her words were encouraging, he still had trouble with it. "But I can't be King," Isaac said. "I don't know how to. I'm not ready for it. I wasn't trained or anything."

"I'll be there for you," Scarlet said. "I will help you. I'm gonna be your Queen, remember?"

"Wait, does that mean we have to get married?" Isaac asked.

"Um, technically we already are," Scarlet said. "As King and Queen, we are automatically bound by marriage. Luna has even made it official, but not public."

Isaac let out a whimper that had a higher pitch than usual. He felt like fainting. So not only is he going to be King, but he's also going to be a husband? All within the span of a couple of weeks.

“But I’m not officially King yet, am I? I’m a Candidate.”

“Yeah, but it’s a guaranteed win if you’re the only Candidate running.”

“What?”

Scarlet grinned. “You’re the only Candidate in the running right now. Without my approval, no one else can become a King Candidate and I’m not planning to accept any new applications right now.”

“So, I’m guaranteed to be King?”

Scarlet nodded. “And also guaranteed to be my husband.”

"I . . . I . . ." Isaac stuttered.

"Relax," Scarlet rolled her eyes.. "You’re not the King yet technically. You can still see other women."

"That's not the point." Isaac pinched the bridge of his nose.

Scarlet chuckled. She put her hand on his. "I know this is a lot to take in, but we really do need you. I need you. Not just for the war, but for my people." She stared into the distance. "I'm getting desperate, Isaac. I need help. My people are suffering day by day and between managing that and my plans with Luna, it's been a lot."

Isaac wanted to tell her to forget about the war and focus on her people first, but then he caught a glimpse of her face.

She was wearing a look of misery. Her kingdom was constantly on her mind. That's what led her to getting married to the Sovereign Prince in the first place and when that fell through, she had to think of other ways.

Maybe fighting this war is the way she cares about her people. The White Kingdom cannot expand its land beyond Whitewash Peaks because of anything beyond that is Sovereign Empire territory. Taking over that land would mean war and the White Kingdom is in no state to be at war right now.

It shows how desperate she really is to help her people.

"I'm not saying I totally agree on being King just yet." Isaac said softly. “But I will help you.” It was the least he could do if he was going to be a King.

"Really?" Scarlet was excited.

Isaac nodded. "Besides, I have no choice. Either I go with you and your sister’s plan, or I die. And I like being alive."

Scarlet smiled with glee. "We're going to be fine, dear husband."

Isaac inhaled sharply through his teeth. "Let's take it slow with the lovey-dovey stuff."

"Why? You don't like me?" Scarlet inched closer. "Am I not your type?"

Isaac felt the blood rush to his face. Scarlet was very close to him. "It's not that. It's just, I barely know you, you know? We've known each other for barely a day and this is only our second meeting."

"So?" Scarlet said. "Princes and princesses often get married without notice. You could be strangers today and share a bed the next."

"Yeah, but I'm not used to that. I'm not a noble nor am I from royalty. I’m just a normal person." Isaac said. "Don't take this the wrong way. You are really beautiful and I can tell you’re a very kind hearted person. But I’d like for us to get to know each other first before we make anything official."

Scarlet looked a little disappointed. "That's fair," Scarlet said. "Well, who knows? Maybe in the future."

"Maybe." That's the closest answer to a 'yes' that Isaac could give. “For now, let’s be friends.”

“Agreed.” Scarlet smiled.

"I see that you are up." Isaac heard a voice speak behind him. He turned around to see Darius already geared up.

"Morning," Isaac said.

"Get your sword," Darius said. "Let's get some training in before we head for the mountains."

And that's how Isaac ended up in Darius's training session with Scarlet watching from the front porch.

And as per usual, he sucked. Isaac, that is. Not Darius.

"This sword stinks," Isaac said while panting.

"You stink," Darius replied.

"I thought you said it's not my fault that I'm bad."

"It's not entirely your fault." Darius corrected him. "Yes, your sword is horrible, but so are your abilities."

"Ouch," Isaac muttered. He took a deep breath and readied his sword. "Again."

Darius nodded. "Remember, don't wait for the enemy's strike. Anticipate and intercept, but don't stop it."

"You're losing me here," Isaac said. How does that even work? Intercept but don't stop?

"You're too weak to block an opponent's sword, especially from those who are stronger than you," Darius said. "But what you can do is deflect."

He went towards Isaac and showed him how to grip his sword. "Strengthen your grip, but relax your wrist. The aim is to push and change the path of your opponent's blade while also moving away to throw them off balance. See how they move and where their body is leaning towards."

"So, like dodging a charging bull," Isaac said.

"Not quite, but same idea," Darius said. He then took a few steps away from Isaac and hefted his sword. "Ready?"

Isaac took another deep breath. He gripped his sword and nodded. Darius charged at him and brought his sword downwards. Isaac took into consideration how Darius was leaning forward and the way he swung his sword.

Instead of raising his sword to block, Isaac countered with a swing of his own, aimed at the flat of Darius's blade.

The aim is to push the blade away, he repeated in his head.

So Isaac did, hitting Darius's sword out of the way and deflecting it as he also moved out of the way of Darius's sword.

Darius's strike went diagonal and his sword hit nothing but dirt. Isaac expected him to stumble from the weight of his strike, but Darius stood strong.

"Good work," Darius said. "You now know how to defend yourself."

Isaac grinned in excitement. He was going to celebrate, but Darius stopped him. "Don't get too excited. This is merely a beginner's level. The enemies that we'll meet will have skills that are far beyond that. I'd like to train you more, but we don't have the time."

Isaac's excitement fades away. Even though he's improved, he's nowhere nearly good enough.

"Speaking of which," Darius said. "We need to move soon. If we stay any longer, the mercenaries or the Sovereign Army will catch up."

Isaac and Scarlet had no arguments with that decision. They went inside to see that Hillut and Elisa had already woken up.

"Shall we head off?" Isaac said.

And so they started their journey up the mountain.

Whitewash Peaks was an area with harsh conditions. The Peaks are made up of a long mountain range that divides the Arya mainland from the White Kingdom's area. As per its name, the mountains of Whitewash Peaks were covered in a thick layer of snow since it's snowing almost all the time. The thick trees and dense forest made it difficult to navigate and while they didn't have to worry about bandits, they still had to be wary of monsters.

One, in particular, is Icirin, the Snow Dragon. If possible, they would like to avoid any form of encounter with the Snow Dragon.

Dragons were called Lords of the Sky. They're among the strongest beings that exist in the world and facing one would mean certain death.

With that information, Isaac had no excitement heading up the mountain.

"Remind me again," Isaac huffed. "Why can't we bring the horses along?"

"The paths here are steep and narrow. The normal passage hasn’t been maintained in a while because of the threat of the dragon," Darius said. "It's better to go by foot. Also horses can’t climb."

The higher up they traveled, the colder the air became. Soon enough, Isaac's breath started steaming. Within two hours of walking, the ground starts to change from dirt to snow.

White flakes of snow slowly glide down from the sky and gently land on everything.

Starting from here, Darius stopped the party for some final preparations.

Thanks to Elisa's magic bag that has infinite storage, she prepped everyone with a set of thick fur clothing for warmth. Although the ones on Isaac were a bit too big.

Darius tied a rope around his waist and handed one end to Elisa. She did the same and handed it to Scarlet, and so on with Hillut being the last one in the chain.

"What's this for?" Isaac asked.

"It's so that we won't split up," Scarlet said. "With harsh winds and snow up there, it gets hard to see things. Having a rope like this makes sure that we'll stick together and not get lost."

Isaac had never been up Whitewash Peaks, so he was somewhat nervous.

"Keep your eyes peeled," Hillut said to him. "Let us know if you see any Snow Goblins."

"Uh," Isaac was confused. "What do they look like?" He knew what Goblins looked like, knee-high, humanoid green monsters with tusks and pointy ears. They're generally weak monsters, but they are always in a group. What made them difficult to handle are their overwhelming numbers.

"You know what Goblins look like, right?" Hillut said. Isaac nodded. "So imagine that, but blue. Snow Goblins are more devious than the ones you're used to. They use camouflage and act like animals to move undetected. This is a common hunting ground for them and we are easy targets."

Isaac gulped. "Keep an eye out for Snow Goblins. Got it."

As they climbed higher up the mountain, their thick clothing started to become less effective. Isaac could feel the chill in his bones even though he was wrapped in fur. Their legs sank halfway to the knee in snow as the winds started to pick up.

The rope helped. There have been a few times when Isaac thought he was going the right way until he felt the rope being tugged in the opposite direction. Like Scarlet said, it got harder to see because of the snow. Isaac could barely see a few meters in front of him.

Unexpectedly, their journey was significantly harder than it should've been. The winds started to pick up violently, whipping them back and forth. The snow was getting thicker as well. From the looks of it, they’re walking straight into a blizzard.

"We need to find a safe spot!" Elisa shouted as the wind picked up speed. With the snow flying around, Isaac couldn't see anything but white. Even Scarlet, who was just a few meters in front of him, was barely visible.

It wasn't until moments later that the group dipped into a cave and away from the weather. After being in the loud whipping wind for so long, the silence in the cave was almost deafening.

The cave itself wasn't very deep. Isaac could see the end of it just after a few steps, so they didn't have to worry about anything ambushing them from the depths of the cave.

"Whew," Elisa said. "We definitely picked the worst timing to climb this mountain."

Darius seemed to agree. "The weather is unfavorable. Looks like a blizzard is upon us. Better rest up here until the weather clears up."

"Won't the Sovereign Empire catch up to us?" Isaac said.

Darius shook his head. "Not in this weather. Unless they’re insane, that is. They will also have to wait until the blizzard passes."

Hillut snorted. "They're insane, but they're not stupid. They're going to wait out the blizzard."

"I'll get a fire going," Elisa said. "Hillut, help the Queen."

Hillut nodded as he helped Scarlet get settled. Isaac brushed off the snow powder on his clothes while Darius stared at the cave entrance as if waiting for someone.

"If the Sovereign Empire isn't coming, there's no need to keep watch is there?" Isaac said.

"That's true, but I'm keeping an eye out for other threats," Darius said.

"Are there even monsters that could travel in this weather"

"You'd be surprised," Darius said. "Plus, there's the Snow Dragon to worry about." With that delightful thought, Isaac didn't press further.

Scarlet came up to him with a grin. "How are you feeling about the snow?"

"It's cold," Isaac said as if it wasn't obvious enough. To his surprise, Scarlet laughed. "Didn't think climbing a mountain would be this cold though."

"You'll get used to it after a few more times." Scarlet said. "Before this, there's a safer and easier way to go up the mountain using the Snowy Path."

"What's that?"

"It's like a specially made passage that leads from the foot of the mountain to almost near the summit. They're like stairs. It leads to a cave system that goes through to the other side of the mountain. Merchants use that path all the time to get to the kingdom."

Isaac frowned. "Then why the hell aren't we using that path right now?"

"It's because of the Snow Dragon." Scarlet sighed. "Ever since she made her nest here, we can't keep the path safe. Also the cave collapsed a while ago and the stairs leading up are covered in thick snow, so the path needs to be maintained and cleared out. But again, Snow Dragon. It's too risky."

Isaac sighed as well. "I guess we had no choice."

After a minute of silence, Scarlet nudged Isaac. "Hey, check it out." Scarlet nodded at Elisa and Hillut crouched over a fire, talking in a hushed tone.

"What?" Isaac asked.

"I think Hillut has a crush on Elisa," Scarlet said. "They've known each other longer than I've known them. And I’ve noticed some signs from both of them."

"Oh," Isaac said. He was unsure what to do with that information, but he went with it. "Are they, like, lovers or something?"

"Hm? Oh, no." Scarlet shook her head. "It's like a Sovereign Knight thing. Duty first. Everything else is secondary despite what his feelings are."

"I mean, we're not with the Sovereign Empire right now," Isaac said. "If they love each other, they should just admit it."

"Ehem," Hillut said. Isaac looked at the couple to see that they were staring at them.

"Uh, you heard?" Isaac asked.

"It's a small cave," Elisa said with a little tinge of red on her cheeks.

"I have no time for romance," Hillut said. "I uphold my duty first and foremost."

"You didn't say I was wrong though." Scarlet grinned. Hillut refused to say anything as he averted his eyes away.

"Looks like the blizzard will be going on for a while," Darius said. "I suggest you get some rest. We’ve been traveling for half a day. Once the storm has passed, we'll journey on at a quick pace."

Isaac had no idea why, but being around Darius made him feel safe.

Isaac sat nearby the campfire that Elisa had started. Well, not a campfire to be exact. It was a floating ball of flames. It seems Elisa knew more magic other than healing.

"How are you holding up?" Isaac asked Elisa.

"What, you're worried about me?" Elisa raised an eyebrow.

"Somewhat. You used magic so I was concerned that you'll be tired or run out of Mana."

Elisa chuckled. "The reason I ran out of Mana last time was because I was constantly using magic to heal and to defend ourselves. Now that I've got a good rest, that is no longer a problem." Elisa said. "But thanks for your concern."

"Just checking in." Isaac smiled. Despite their circumstances, this seems normal to him, even though he'd never been on an adventure like this before.

Then his mind drifted back to the main issue at hand. His ascension to the throne of the White Kingdom.

Scarlet explained very well why Isaac was chosen and the purpose of her actions. But it still baffles him as to why she, and the Lunar Empress included, would want to go to war against the Sovereign King.

Isaac was not siding with the King, nor was he against him. It's just confusing. There has to be a reason.

And whatever that reason may be, Isaac wanted no part of it. Isaac was going to focus on helping the people of the White Kingdom to overcome their suffering.

He did not want anything to do with any war.

"Seems like you're in doubt." Isaac heard Darius say. Isaac looked up from the flames to see Darius looking at him.

"Somewhat," Isaac admitted. "What would you do if you woke up the next day and you’re suddenly responsible for the lives of many people?"

"I don't have any experience in the matter, so I have nothing for you," Darius said. "But Scarlet said you'd help, right?"

"I would, but I don't know how. I can’t help get a kingdom back on its feet with a snap of my fingers like that.” Isaac snapped his fingers as an example. “I'm good with fixing things and helping people one at a time. I can't lead a kingdom into prosperity."

"Then just do that," Darius said. "Stop thinking about helping the kingdom or everyone all at once. Just fix things and help people one at a time."

Isaac was silent for a while. Darius had a point. Why should he be stressing about everyone when he can just do things one at a time?

"But won't it be slow?" Isaac argued. "The White Kingdom is in an urgent and dire situation. They need help fast."

"It's not the worst idea." Scarlet joined their conversation. “There’s no need to rush yourself.”

"But you said you’re desperate."

"I am," Scarlet admitted. "But I would prefer if you help people in ways you can rather than overwhelm yourself and not get anything done. A slow progress is still progress."

Isaac heaved a great sigh before contemplating that decision on his own. Before he knew it, he was asleep.

Line Break

He didn't know how long it'd been, but Isaac got woken up by Hillut shaking his shoulders.

"What's wro–" Isaac tried asking but Hillut quickly put his hand on his mouth, silencing him.

"Don't. Make. Any. Sound." Hillut whispered in a nervous tone. He tilted his head towards the cave entrance. The blizzard had passed, but the outside was covered in a deep layer of snow which will make traveling harder.

But that seemed like an afterthought when Isaac saw what was lurking outside.

It was night time, but Isaac could see her clearly as her scales glinted from the moonlight.

With each of her steps, the cave shook slightly. Everyone else was surprisingly still asleep, except for Isaac and Hillut.

Because of the snow, her scales were almost invisible as they blended into the background. Despite that, the low rumble of her growl was unmistakable. Isaac felt like he was hearing rocks scraping against each other.

The Snow Dragon's body slithered along. Isaac didn't see her head, but he saw her claws that looked like blades of scythes, her massive wings, and her whip-like tail. Everything on her body was colored white and light blue, which made her difficult to spot in the snow.

Isaac tensed. He could feel his hands trembling. Icirin didn't even see them, but her mere presence was enough to have him rattled. Isaac could almost feel the Snow Dragon's presence pressing against his skin, suffocating him in intense pressure.

He almost fainted, but as Icirin moved past them, the pressure subsided. The suffocating feeling gradually subsided as his heartbeat returned to normal.

After Icirin was out of sight, it was then Isaac realized how heavily he was breathing and how much he was sweating. His bones and muscles ached. Had he tensed up that much?

"We're lucky," Hillut said with controlled heavy breathing. It seems that he was nervous about Icirin as well and Isaac didn’t blame him. "If she'd seen us, we'd be dead."

Isaac was still in shock from what just happened. Hillut turned to Isaac with an impressed look.

"You're strong," Hillut said. "Didn’t think you’d stay awake."

"What do you mean?" Isaac could hear the quiver in his voice.

"It's Aura," Hillut said. "You felt it, right? That feeling of pressure. Like you’re submerged deep underwater."

Isaac nodded. "It felt suffocating. Like the air was squeezed against me."

"An Aura is when someone exerts their willpower into their surroundings. It affects everything and everyone around them. The more powerful the user is, the more powerful their Aura will be. As you can feel with the Snow Dragon, it's really powerful." Hillut said. "Not many beings possess the ability to do so. Normal people wouldn’t have stood a chance against it, especially with a monster like the Snow Dragon."

What Hillut described was similar to what he experienced with that mysterious man he met in Sarca.

"Trust me, I was close to passing out." Isaac admitted

"The fact that you didn't is amazing," Hillut said. "You can relax. Icirin won't be passing through any time soon."

Isaac took a few deep breaths as the tension left his body. His muscles felt sore and everything. When he relaxed, a wave of relief washed over him. 

The feeling of pressure reminded him of the man he met in Sarca. It was a similar feeling of being suffocated. Did that man have an Aura as well?

He was disrupted from his train of thoughts when he noticed something. "Why did you wake me up and not the others?"

Hillut had an amused smirk. "You were snoring," Hillut said. "Very loudly, in fact."

"No way."

"Yes."

Isaac felt embarrassed. It's not like he could control what he was doing when he was asleep, but it was still embarrassing to know that his sleeping habit was the reason they almost died.

"Can we keep this a secret between us?" Isaac asked.

"You have my word." Hillut gave him a slight nod which Isaac was grateful for. With that in mind, he went back to sleep.