The Flower Of Eternity
Chapter 13: Thorns of Ice and Grief

Fire Castle, Northern Region Border Gate

Two weeks ago...

In the Northern Region, there was nothing but snow and freezing air. For hundreds of years, the Kings of Nordhalbinsel had never sent their soldiers to guard the border in the Northern Region because of the risk of being killed by the extreme cold. Only the Winterthur Wolves who had resistance to cold weather were assigned to guard the border. But since King Vlad gave the death penalty to the entire Winterthur Clan, there were no more Winterthur Wolves left but Wolfgang Winterthur and his son, King Vlad sends some of his strongest warriors to the Northern Region along with some tower magicians who can help them overcome the freezing cold air there. As Xavier began to rule, he ordered the witches to build a Fire Castle near the Border Gate of the Northern Region. So called because the castle was built with magic that can warm the air so that the soldiers assigned there will not freeze to death. Afterwards, a legion was assigned to guard the region. Yet they had all now been killed by the Snow Spirit.

Leon as the general guard of the northern border region and the owner of the power of the Northern Region brings with him the entire Winterthur Wolf in his mission at Fire Castle. He gave one clear and absolute order, which was to find and kill the Snow Spirit. He had no intention of arresting him nor of taking him prisoner for killing a legion was not something that could be forgiven. But after a week of being there, they still haven't got results. The Snow Spirit did not just appear before them.

So when the vanguard informed him that they had seen signs of the appearance of the Snow Spirit, Leon immediately rushed towards the Border Gate carrying his sword—sword King Zuidlijk who could defeat any magic.

"You better go back to the palace." Leon said to Xavier as he turned his head and found Xavier following him behind him.

Xavier. "It's not time yet."

"When is it?" Leon asked without stopping his steps.

"When I made sure I was wrong."

"You said something strange. Is His Majesty ever wrong?"

"It is precisely the King who most often makes mistakes. That is why so many people are suffering because of the king's fault."

Leon and Xavier's steps came to a halt when they saw one of the Wolves approaching them from the opposite direction. "General! we saw the sighting of the Snow Spirit from a distance! He was now heading towards the Gate!"

"All set!" Leon's orders to the Wolf army. "The Witches are also preparing!" he added.

In a moment, a thousand troops of the Winterthur Wolf transformed their form into a huge wolf that was ready to pounce. Meanwhile, Leon and Xavier along with dozens of witches under Leon's leadership ride their horses. They all quickly ran towards the Border Gate to meet the Snow Spirit. The Wolves followed Leon behind him with fangs ready to tear whatever Leon ordered them to. And behind them all, the gray Fire Castle, surrounded by thick fog stood firmly, ready to be a silent witness to the inevitable fight.

"Leon..." Call Xavier. Leon did not let down his horse, so Xavier had to compensate. "How often do you kill people?"

"Is that a question or just a test from you?"

"Jawab it."

Because of that question, Leon slowed his horse's pace. Inevitably, he recalled the bloodshed that had become his daily life since he was a teenager. Formerly the situation on the battlefield was always a nightmare that haunted him, making him unable to sleep for days and making him tasteless. But as time went on, it just became a normal nightmare for him.

"Only during war..." Answer Leon. "Schereiland was once a prosperous country that had a weak military when compared to Nordhalbinsel. Many Kings wanted our land because of its fertile soil, the mining of jewels we had, or because of its prosperity. After General Irene left, Schiereiland's military was weakened and they could only rely on a teenager who was trained to be a killing machine." As Leon said that, his expression turned cold. Xavier knows who Leon is referring to. It was himself, the Lion from the South that all his real royal enemies feared back then was just a teenager who also had fear. "When I have to face the enemies of my country, I have to kill them if I don't want the people to suffer. The situation is to kill or be killed. So I'm not killing them because I like to do it. I tried to get them to die quickly. One slash or one prick. I don't like to torture people. That's inhumane."

Xavier nodded in understanding. In this life he never plunged directly into the battlefield because during the reign of his father, the war will only be faced by the four Generals and his troops. His father forbade him to jump directly because he would replace his father to become King. But in his previous life, it had already been countless how many lives had died at his hands.

Xavier again asked, "Among all you've killed, is there a woman or children?"

Leon laughed in response, "There are women and children on the battlefield."

"That's what I mean." Xavier. "This Snow Spirit..." Xavier turned to Leon who was waiting for the continuation of his sentence, "is a woman."

As they said so, they had already reached the Border Gate and saw the arrival of the Snow Spirit from a distance.

Nordhalbinsel sky is not always bright. But at that moment, even though it was still day, the sky became as dark as night. The sun is covered with gray clouds. The air that was already freezing cold somehow became colder until the horses started to rebel. It was as if what was coming was a snowstorm itself.

Leon and Xavier immediately got off the horse, followed by the witches who also came riding on their respective horses. They let the horses run back towards the Fire Castle. The horses may have frozen to death on their way there. The Fire Castle behind them was no longer even visible due to being covered by the thick fog of ice.

Leon gave a warning to his troops. He drew his sword. Xavier beside him did the same, his sword in flames. Xavier radiated the heat of his fire to the entire army so that they would not freeze to death.

"This Snow Spirit is a black magician who uses his magic to do evil. Killing thousands of people for no apparent reason." Leon. More to convince himself that his actions are justifiable.

"He's still a woman. And he has a son." Xavier. Now she watched as Leon turned to her with a shaken expression. "The child is still a baby. A sinless newborn baby." And while saying that, the fire on Xavier's sword was extinguished. Not by the cold air or snow that suddenly descended with a rush. Except because he himself wanted it.

"Where do you know?" Ask Leon.

"Did you kill him and let the newborn lose his mother?"

"Where do you know?" Leon asked again, this time with emphasis in every word as if he was ordering his King to answer him.

"You and I know best what it's like to lose a mother from birth."

Leon turned his face. He didn't want Xavier to know what he felt as a child because he was born without parents. "Irene's different. Irene was not something as cruel as this Snow Spirit."

"You still call Mom by her name? He must be hurt for not being recognized by you."

"He's not my mom. Not in this life. But I respect him. As General. As Senior. And as the Queen Mother." Leon paused when he realized Xavier had not answered him, "Who is this Snow Spirit?"

This time it was Xavier who turned his face away, not because he could not answer Leon's question or avoid it. It was because the person they were talking about was getting closer to them. "You know him too." Said.

"Who—“

But Leon's words just stopped when he saw her. The Snow Spirit Figure. A woman with a beauty that no one could deny. A black magician who can kill thousands of people with a single breath.

Leon's pupils widened when he saw the woman. The woman was indeed beautiful, her blond hair looked so beautiful as it was blown by the cold wind around her. But it wasn't her beauty that surprised Leon. Xavier was right, Leon did know him. Because that woman is her magic teacher. "Eleanor!" His voice was a mix of surprise, anger and feelings of betrayal. Leon turned back towards Xavier. "You knew from the beginning?"

"I just guessed. Damn, my guess is right." Xavier. He lowered his sword. Xavier watched as Leon himself even looked doubtful with the sword in his hand. He still had not released the sword, but had not moved a single bit or given orders to his troops either. "Don't kill him. You don't want to do it either, do you?"

"He killed thousands of lives—“

"He did it unconsciously. He is not himself at the moment. The Eleanor I knew wasn't like this. There's something different about him. That's not Eleanor."

"Because deep inside you, you don't want to kill him. Youknow him. You've seen all the things about him. You know the secrets even the ones I don't know. You've seen Aletheia's eyes, haven't you?" As Xavier asked that, he could see the doubt on Leon's face. Leon did not answer. He was too busy with the surprise. Xavier continued his words, "Eleanor lived cooped up since childhood. My fault. If only I hadn't agreed to the engagement in the first place... No. gabe. It could endanger his family. If only I could love her, she would probably be happier and more comfortable in the Palace than feeling cooped up and lonely."

"Don't feel like you're wrong. Eleanor was like that because of herself. Why blame yourself? That's choice. That's decision. And he must know how it ends. If you have any doubts, just back off. I'll deal with it."

"I forbid you to kill him." Xavier Assertive. The word of a King.

"Why?"

"Eleanor used a magic similar to the one Selena used against Mom. He used it against you. If he dies, you die too. But unlike Selena's magic, Elle won't die if you get killed, she'll only get stronger as she regains the magic power she gave you. So don't waste your life."

"Where do you know all that? You knew that from the beginning?"

"No. I just realized it now. He shared his soul together while dividing his magic power on you. I should have realized it early. It's too late now."

"Dam."

"I'm sorry. But you better back off Leon. Let me face it."

"What's the difference between you facing it or me facing it? The point remains the same. Kill him and let me die, or let him kill me and make him stronger, more dangerous and unstoppable. Isn't it obvious what the choice is?"

"Don't be crazy!"

"Change plans!" Leon cried out to his entire army. His voice echoed throughout the snowfield. Defeating the gust of the snowstorm itself. "All of you must retreat and take refuge in the Fire Castle. We can't fight it."

A wolf came forward and said, "But General—“

"I didn't repeat my words twice." Snarled. The wolf looked surprised and scared. "Retreat!"

The entire army of Winterthur Wolves and the witches obeyed him and returned to the Fire Castle without questioning anything even though in their hearts they wondered why their General did not come to the Fire Castle with them.

"My words also apply to you, Your Majesty." Leon said without looking at Xavier beside him.

"No. I know what you're thinking right now."

Leon laughed cynically. "What indeed?"

"Leon—“

"Tell Mom, I'm sorry. And tell him too, I forgive him. His absence in my life all along wasn't his fault, so he could stop feeling guilty." He was silent for a moment. His eyes could not be separated from Eleanor who was now several meters in front of him. Even from that distance Leon could see it, the pretty Witch's eyes were purple sparkling, just like the people said. Leon realized what Xavier meant, it wasn't Eleanor. Someone or something has taken over the witch she knows.

"Please take good care of Anastasia." Add Leon with a slower voice. But Xavier heard it clearly. Leon drew his sword towards Eleanor while giving Xavier his last command, "Retreat!"

Just then, from the empty air, Eleanor gave rise to a spear that seemed to be made of ice. The spear was surrounded by a black shadow. It was his black magic that could kill anyone without exception. It was a solid form of the same magic used by Ludwig to create Morta. Death Magic.

Without saying a word, Eleanor lifted the ice spear lightly as if the weapon was made from a mere breath. The pointy tip of the spear pointed right at Leon's heart. But Leon did not try to avoid it, he drew his sword and prepared to run towards Eleanor, also targeting her heart.

If she dies, Eleanor will have to go with her. Then he won't feel sorry.

"Leon!"

The voice was so strong and clear that Leon stopped as soon as he heard it. That's Anna's voice. Right before her at this moment, Anna came out of nowhere and stood between herself and Eleanor to block Eleanor's ice spear eyes from her heart. Leon's pupils widened when he saw the tip of the spear's eyes now pointing right at Anna's heart.

The incident happened so quickly and suddenly that Leon was unable to do anything even with his magic. No. gabe. Not because of that. Leon could not move because now his legs and hands were grabbed by the roses holding him.

Leon could do nothing as he watched it all in front of his eyes.

Eleanor's ice spear was covered in the same rose tendrils. But it's too late. The rose tendrils could not stop the rapid movement of the ice spear.

The ice spear's eyes pierced through the heart. Then destroy.

Blood flowed along the spear, fused with the red petals on the rose tendrils that could not hold its movement. Blood dripped onto the snow white and turned it dark red.

The world seems to stop turning. Time is frozen. As his heart no longer beats.

Eleanor. Those purple eyes disappeared replaced with his icy blue eyes that were dripping with tears. He dropped his spear. His mouth opened, shouting a name.

"Xavier!"

Anna shouted the same name.

The spear didn't hit Anna at all. Because right at the last moment, Xavier ran towards him and hugged him so that the spear eyes pierced through Xavier's heart. Destroyed his heart. Killed him.

Ilove you...

Those words, that voice, which still contained the last drop of life from him, sounded for the last time in their channel.

Xavier still hugged her as she slowly began to disappear along with the freezing cold air that enveloped Anna.

When a dragon dies, his body will disappear with the air.

The world darkened in Anna's eyes, only she and her cries melted together with heart-wrenching screams as Xavier had completely walked away from her life. Behind all of them, the Fire Castle was slowly destroyed along with the heart of the Queen who abandoned her love. Just then, as wide as the eye could see, the snow fields on the border of the Northern Region grew the thorns of immortal roses made from ice and sorrow.

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