Chapter 34 – The Ice Kingdom
The sky over Britania was a deep blue, still marked by the last light of dawn. On the ramparts of the capital, Arthur, the seventeen-year-old king, stood tall despite the fatigue weighing on his shoulders. Beside him, Merlin calmly adjusted his cloak, his eyes shining with boundless wisdom.
Below, hundreds of soldiers had gathered to witness their sovereign's departure. The wind made the banners, stamped with the golden lion, snap sharply.
Arthur raised his hand, and a respectful silence fell over the assembly.
— "Soldiers of Britania, my brothers…" he said in a firm, though slightly trembling voice. "Today, I leave our land for a short time. Two days, no more. I am going to Atlantis to seal an alliance that could ensure our future. During my absence, you must not falter."
He turned his gaze to his generals: Glann, his face marked but his gaze unwavering, and Gosh, the teleporting mage, dressed in a long midnight-blue cloak.
— "Glann, watch over my men as you always have. Gosh, if danger arises, do not hesitate to join us in Atlantis."
Gosh bowed deeply.
— "You can count on me, Your Majesty."
Glann stepped forward a few paces. His features softened for a moment.
— "Take care of yourself, Sire. Your life is worth more than a thousand battles."
Arthur held his gaze, a faint smile on his lips.
— "Take care of Britania… and of yourselves."
Then, he placed his hand on Merlin's shoulder. The mage raised his staff slightly, and a golden aura enveloped them. A gust of wind rose, vibrating with magical energy.
In the blink of an eye, their figures vanished.
Atlantis
When they reappeared, the air took their breath away. Before them lay Atlantis North, a kingdom frozen in eternal winter.
The sky was veiled in pristine white, and immense ice mountains encircled the horizon, their peaks disappearing into the clouds. The ground, covered in thick bluish snow, sparkled like crystals under the pale light of a glacial sun.
Merlin tightened his cloak, his breath forming mist.
— "Hm… we've arrived. But how cold…"
Arthur stood in awe at the majesty of the landscape. Massive ice walls, tens of meters high, protected the capital. They seemed almost alive, pulsing gently with veins of blue light, like a beating heart.
Beyond them, the palace of Agnor, ruler of Atlantis, could be seen. A fortress of pure white, built directly into a colossal glacier. Crystal towers rose into the sky, reflecting a thousand shards of light, and long blue banners flapped in the wind.
A squad of Atlantean soldiers approached immediately. Their silver armor gleamed under the sun, and their discipline commanded respect. Leading them was Edward, advisor and emissary of King Agnor. Tall and slim, with silver hair falling to his shoulders, he bowed with perfect elegance.
— "Welcome, Arthur of Britania. Welcome, great Merlin." His voice was gentle but carried authority. "I must admit my surprise… I did not know Britania possessed mages capable of teleporting over eight thousand kilometers."
Arthur replied simply:
— "It's thanks to Merlin. Without him, we'd still be on the road."
Edward inclined his head slightly toward the mage.
— "Impressive. Very impressive."
Noticing their shivers, he gestured. Two attendants stepped forward with thick white fur coats, adorned with blue embroidery.
— "The climate of Atlantis is not kind to strangers. Please accept these garments."
Arthur donned the coat with gratitude.
— "Thank you."
But Merlin frowned, carefully observing the walls, soldiers, and ice towers. His gaze seemed to pierce beyond appearances.
— "Hm…" he murmured.
Edward, noticing his suspicious look, continued with a polite smile:
— "His Majesty Agnor is… occupied this evening. He will receive you tomorrow. In the meantime, I will take you to your quarters."
Merlin frowned.
— "We traveled thousands of kilometers in urgency. And he asks us to wait?"
Edward replied in a measured, almost icy tone:
— "The king bears the weight of this kingdom alone. If you must wait, there is a reason. Be grateful that he agrees to see you, given… the economic and military situation of Britania."
Arthur cast a stern glance at Merlin.
— "Enough. We will wait."
Edward led them through the icy halls of the palace. Each wall seemed carved from pure crystal, covered with runic inscriptions. Ice chandeliers burned with blue flames, casting an unreal light.
When they reached their quarters, Arthur sat heavily, his features drawn. As Edward took his leave, Merlin observed the young king.
The moon rose high above the Etheria Academy. Its bluish rays passed through the large windows of the dormitories, casting long shadows on the stone walls. The nocturnal silence was barely disturbed by the rustling of leaves in the hanging gardens.
In the boys' dormitory, Seth sat on his bed, arms crossed, unable to find sleep. The mission scroll he had seen earlier kept replaying in his mind.
"The Land of Dragons…", the words still burned in his thoughts like an omen.
Across the room, Damian lay awake, turning toward him.
— "You can't sleep either?" he whispered.
Seth did not respond immediately, his eyes fixed on the window.
— "Damian… are we really ready?" he finally asked.
The serious tone surprised Damian, usually so carefree. He sat up, resting his elbows on his knees.
— "Ready for what?"
— "For the missions. For… all of this. For what it entails." Seth clenched his fists. "A rank S mission is no game. If we make a mistake… we die. That's as simple as it is."
Damian remained silent, the moonlight casting shadows across his face. He lowered his eyes.
— "…You think I don't think about it?" he finally whispered. "I'm scared too. But… I can't just sit and wait for life to pass. Did you see our scores? Our rankings? We'll never make the top 100 just with classes."
He lifted his head, a gleam of determination in his eyes.
— "So yeah, it's scary. But if we don't try… what's the point of all this?"
Seth studied him for a long moment. Damian, beneath his clownish demeanor, also carried an anxiety he hid behind humor.
— "Damian…" Seth said more softly. "If we go, we might have to kill. Are you ready for that?"
Silence fell again. Damian inhaled slowly, his hands trembling slightly.
— "No," he admitted. "I'm not ready. But… if it's to protect my friends, then… maybe I can do it."
Seth looked away, troubled. A night breeze passed through the half-open window, making the curtains flutter.
After a long moment, Damian offered a tired smile.
— "Hey… whatever happens… promise me one thing, Seth."
— "What?"
— "We come back together. Alive. No way either of us leaves the other behind."
Silence settled in the dormitory. Damian expected Seth to fall silent and drift into thought as always. But this time, something in his gaze, fixed on the moon, betrayed an inner struggle.
After a long moment, Seth straightened, placing his hands on his knees.
— "Damian… do you know why I doubt so much?"
Damian opened an eye, intrigued.
— "Because you're afraid you won't be good enough?"
— "No… it's more than that." Seth took a deep breath, hesitating, then let out a whisper: "I don't remember my past."
Damian sat up instantly, eyes wide.
— "Wait… what? You mean… nothing at all?"
— "Just… darkness. No family, no home, no faces to cherish. I don't know who I am, where I come from…"
His voice tightened, and he lowered his head.
— "Every night, I try to remember… but it's like a black abyss. And the more I try, the more I fear what I might find if the truth ever comes back."
Damian stayed frozen, at a loss for words. Seeing Seth, usually so calm and cold, reveal such vulnerability caught him off guard.
Finally, he offered a sad smile.
— "So that's why…"
— "Why what?" Seth asked, lifting his eyes.
— "Why you always wear that serious mask. You have no past to hold onto… so you only live in the present."
Seth looked back at the moon.
— "Maybe. But it eats at me. Everyone has a story. I… just have a void."
Damian moved closer, placing a firm hand on his friend's shoulder.
— "Listen. Maybe you lost your memories, but you haven't lost who you are today. And that, you build. That's yours."
He smiled more openly this time, with his usual sincerity.
— "And besides, you're not alone. You've got me, Alma, Kael, Tara… we'll be your damn family if that's what you need."
Seth remained silent, quietly touched. A rare, subtle smile tugged at his lips.
— "…Thanks, Damian."
— "No problem, man. But you better return the favor: if I ever lose my memory, you'll have to remind me how awesome I am."
Seth shook his head, amused despite himself.
The moon bathed the room in pale light, as if sealing this confession. For the first time in a long while, Seth felt that, even without a past, he had found a present worth living.
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To be continued…