"The promise? I once made a promise to Loreen when we were twelve years old that we would always stay together. What am I saying? We both made this promise. And now... Now I want to keep it.", Feyra made a pause looking at the water in the fountain. "I'll find her grave and there I'll build a house to live in. Even if her grave is somewhere in the coldest places I'll build a house and stay by her side."
A tear rolled down Frieda's face and she started to cry slightly. "That's such a beautiful promise. I hope you can find it. We'll... We'll help you as good was we can."
Feyra comforted Frieda for a while until she stopped crying. It was this time Frieda who had to drink the tea to calm down.
"Finding her grave won't be easy knowing that no one has a hint. But I trust you. You can do it! Your bond was different than normal friends. You were best friends who made a promise. No matter how long it takes I know you'll find her.", Frieda said with renewed energy after calming down.
They chatted a little more before they went inside again. Frieda was laughing about what Feyra told her and in turn Feyra was laughing about her own stupidity sometimes.
"Anyway... I'll request permission to copy some of the details we have here. If I get permission do you want me to write it in your notebook?", Frieda asked putting the diary back to its original place between old documents.
"If you can do so, it would help me.", Feyra answered. Frieda came back and nodded, "Then it's settled. Come visit me again once you have your permit and received a letter from me. Oh by the way... Where are you staying?"
"I'm staying in the inn near the market in front of the government district."
"Okay. I'll also note down that we are going to pay for your stay. You are an honoured guest and helped us. In return we should also do something." Frieda put her hand on her chin thinking. "I wonder what the Alliance will do knowing the person who is supposed to be investigated helped us. Perhaps they'll make another announcement. If that were to be the case you may be received with open arms no matter where you go in the Alliance. Even if you went to other places like the Empire you may not be under suspicion anymore."
Feyra nodded. She wasn't sure what to answer knowing her stay was likely getting paid by others once again.
Is there anything I can pay on my own?
"Before I leave, I want to ask if you know where the knight's accomodations are. The general, Lydia, told me I should visit her some time. She wants to teach me something... It was called Minimisation Power if I remember correctly.", Feyra said scratching her head and looking up trying to remember if the name was correct or not.
"The Minimisation Power? You don't know it? Anyway, the knight's accomodations are near the outside of the government district. When you go from the market plaza to the main road you turn left and then towards the government district. Ah let me show you!", Frieda said and asked Feyra to take out her map to show her where she needed to go. "You don't need a permit to enter the knight's accomodations. And since you have an invitation from Lydia you don't need to worry about anything."
With that Feyra thanked Frieda before she went back to the inn.
The sun was setting, bathing the world in a strong orange hue. The air cooled down a little preparing for the night. With the next day summer would arrive and it would get even warmer.
Feyra prepared herself mentally knowing she didn't like summer that much. It was often too warm and she had never had the opportunity to try ice or go to the beach.
Sometimes the princess had a dessert that was made of frozen water but Feyra never got to try it. Other times she had a dessert made of milk and fruits that had been cooled. Feyra didn't know the exact process of how it had been made but Loreen had told her it was called ice cream. That she also never got to try in the past.
Till now Feyra hadn't tried a lot of the things the princess had had although the King and Queen had wanted her to try it too. They were glad their daughter had a friend she could talk to and meet with. However, the Father always looked over Feyra and also what she ate. He didn't approve of Feyra eating anything the royal family had unless it was a formal invitation to a feast.
Feyra was especially wondering how ice cream tasted or what made it so special that even the children in the outskirts were begging their parents for some.
Some children had even spoken about it, calling it yummy and refreshing. It was the perfect snack for summer which could cool one and taste great at the same time. It was just plain ice like the one you could find in the north.
Perhaps I can learn how to make ice cream myself one day. I truly wonder how much I'll learn on this journey... I already had someone tell me how to make soap and perfume. The processes are quite interesting and unique.
Feyra imagined various things ranging from mushroom soup to soap to ice cream and even swords.
Not long after and the moon hung in the sky bathing everything in a silvery white light. The stars shone beautifully and no clouds obscured them.
In the dark, shadows lurked while others vanished. Some noticed it while others slept.
Feyra woke up early when the sun hadn't risen yet but the moon was already disappearing.
She had went to bed early and now she was here to welcome summer early in the morning.
Great... It's time for summer... When it gets hot, storms come more violent when they come.
She opened the window and looked outside noticing people already running around the small streets behind the inn.
"Did you see that?", some of them called out running to others. There wasn't much to be seen as it was still dark but one could make out that something was lying on the ground.
"A corpse!", a female voice called out.
One of the people walked to the corpse. He tried touching it but as soon as he wanted to it fell to dust and nothing remained.
Who that person had been or what happened to them wouldn't ever be revealed.
This was a master at hand... I've never seen this kind of power but if someone wants to investigate I feel they may have to look somewhere else...
Feyra watched the whole thing play out and wondered for herself who had put this corpse there. Whether or not they had died a normal death or had been murdered it was almost obvious someone wished to hide something making a corpse fall to dust instantly when someone touched it.
Not long after did Feyra shake her head knowing it was useless to think any further on the topic. She left the window open for a while letting the fresh morning air in and listening to the voices outside that were still talking about what they had just witnessed.
Feyra packed her small bag putting her notebook and the map in. She wanted to check everything again before she got scared and jumped up from her bed to see what sound had come from the window.
A letter pigeon sat on the windowsill tilting its head to the right as though in an asking expression with a letter held in its mouth.
Feyra went over to take the letter and pat the pigeon on the head.
Let's see... The letter is from...
Feyra was a little stunned looking at the letter and wondering how fast the government worked.
It's from the government telling me my permit is ready! They're telling me I can already get it!? Wasn't I at the archive till the evening!?
Feyra was silent for a moment unsure what to think of this letter. She tucked it in her small bag changing her plans slightly before telling the letter pigeon it could return.
This pigeon had been a pigeon still in training which would only fly inside the city. Most of the letter pigeons were a special breed that had developed over time letting them fly long distances and remember who to deliver the letter to. However, even letter pigeons wouldn't be able to do so from the start and had to undergo training. At first they would fly only short distances until they got used to it and from there the distance would increase until they even tarversed whole continents.
Feyra went out and tried to hurry to the building for permits. She remembered the path this time thanks to meeting Flore, Najenda and Mattes not long ago.
She walked fast over the market until she wanted to turn right where she got scared again by a familiar voice.
"So fast? Wow. Where are you heading?"
Leaning at the corner of the building was none other than Jann who was fiddling with a dagger, looking at it from every side and angle before holding it at the tip and examining the blade.
"You scared me. What are you doing here?", Feyra asked back holding her chest trying to calm herself a little.
"Me? I was waiting for you to come."
"A stalker?"
"No... Well... It's... Okay fine... I came here trying to catch you because you've piqued my interest."
Feyra was silent for a moment unsure what to make of what Jann had just said.
"I'm sorry I...", she didn't get far before being interrupted.
"No not like that. You remember that I'm an Immortal, right?"
"Yes, I do. So what do you want?"
"I just want to talk a little. First tell me where you're headed. Perhaps we can talk while walking there.", Jann suggested finally putting the dagger away.
"I'm going to get my permit."
"Awesome. I need to go in that direction anyway. Come on! Follow me!", Jann said starting to walk slowly before turning around and looking at Feyra who was slightly bewildered by what was just happening.
"So what do you want to talk about?", she asked still standing in the same spot. Her mind was unable to think of anything that would make someone have interest in her.
"Hm... Let me think. There would be a lot I could ask you. We both have longer lifespans after all. Yet we're both so different... You have spent most of that time locked away while I was traveling and gathering intel.", Jann stood there with his hand touching his chin and tilting his head slightly. He seemed to think of various things before he smiled again and held his hands up. "Why not talk about the differences between humans and Immortals? Oh sorry... I guess neither fits you. Before that... Before becoming a Fallen Angel, what were you?"
"A God. Just a simple God with barely any power who could only destroy instead of help the people.", she answered before walking a little nearer to Jann. "Perhaps it would be best if we stayed close if you really want to talk about things like Immortals and Fallen Angels. Not everyone needs to hear the sensitive details, right?"
Jann was smiling knowing Feyra had looked through him. He had been trying to be sneaky about it yet she had clearly understood his intentions and even told him what they shouldn't do.
"Oh my... I didn't expect you noticing so fast that I have something else too. You know... I've watched you a little when you were with Frieda and when you walked around the city. There is something that I wonder about...
"Are you aware what you are?"