COME HELL OR WINTER

A strange entourage was currently standing in front of a gaping hole at the side of a desert’s hilltop. There was a slightly pale boy wearing white robes, with furry, sleeping monkey on his right shoulder, and glistening, azure bird, also sleeping, on his left, while a lizard-like creature standing on two feet was following behind.

Next to the boy was a slightly tanned girl, wearing rather revealing clothes, with only her chest and thighs covered, her arms linked behind her head. Next to her feet was a small cub, white-furred with black spots around its eyes and limbs. It was currently growling adorably in a low tone as it rubbed its head against her leg.

“Tsk,” Lynne clicked his tongue, grumbling in a low tone. “The freaking bastard forgot I’m its Master. What the hell is this?!”

“Cute things are naturally drawn to cute things,” Thalia said, smiling teasingly. “Besides, you’ve already got more than enough of strange beasts following you around.”

“Hey, don’t call my friends beasts!” Lynne exclaimed.

“Aah, Master considers me a friend?” Liz-boy exclaimed joyfully.

“Of course,” Lynne nodded. “Oh, wait, it’s you Liz-boy. When did you join us?”

“… from the start…” Liz-boy cried.

“Anyway,” Lynne coughed awkwardly, looking away. “I still can’t believe we ran across a panda in the middle of the desert. Isn’t that just insane?”

“Yup, pretty much,” Thalia nodded. “But, oh well. It’s ours now, so just let it be. Anyway, are we heading in or not? We’ve only got a few more days until the departure.”

“Yeah, let’s go,” Lynne nodded. “What the hell was I thinking, promising so much shit… ugh. I’m an idiot.”

“Nobody’s going to dispute that,” Thalia chuckled as the two entered the hole at the hill’s side, leading downward in a spiraling manner. “I’ve gotta say, though, you’re walking around pretty leisurely for someone who’s most-likely a prime target for assassination these days.”

“I agree,” the monkey suddenly woke up, yawning. “I still can’t believe that rotten brat I met in a cave who was crying over some shitty Mana Spring became a focus of attention of nearly every major power in the World. It’s just so… pathetic…”

“Oi, screw you, monkey-brain! I’ve fed you pills and potions for three fucking years, and you haven’t changed at all! Just where do those things go?!”

“Who are you calling monkey-brain, you rotten-brained brat?! You’re a hundred years too early to be throwing insults at me!”

“I swear I’ll shave you dead one of these days! Shoo, go explore this damn thing and let us know if there are any traps on the way.”

“As if I’d risk my life for a brat like you!”

“Risk your life for her,” Lynne suddenly pointed at the small cub that was resting atop Thalia’s head. “Look how innocent that thing is! How can you risk her life like an animal?!”

“… aah, she’s adorable…” the monkey’s harsh tone suddenly shifted as he looked at the small panda. “Khm, I mean, I’ll obviously check up front. It’s my duty as the leader of this group. Hear that, little one?! I’m the leader of this group!” and thus, monkey went ahead to explore.

“… why is every male – regardless of species – in the world an utter horndog?” Thalia asked, looking at the disappearing monkey.

“… that’s the thing you’ve got a problem with?! How about the fact that a monkey wants to screw a damn panda?!” Lynne said.

“Well, to be fair, here I am, angelic beauty, screwing some dog shit,” Thalia said, smirking. “So, you know…”

“… why are you so grumpy, like an old hag, all of a sudden?”

“… we’ve been traveling alone for over a day, and you didn’t even touch me. Once. Let alone do anything more.”

“…”

“…”

“I kind of suck, don’t I?” Lynne said.

“Yup. But I won’t, anytime soon anyway.”

“… khm, anyway, as the future Queen,” Lynne quickly changed the subject. “Can you advise me, m’ Lady?”

“No need. You’re doing a great job at royally screwing over your future.” Thalia said, smiling.

“That damn turtle wouldn’t talk to me ever since I kind of wrecked her home,” Lynne said, sighing dejectedly. “Even though Meredith protected her from any true damage, she’s still giving me a silent treatment.”

“Well, you did go a bit overboard,” Thalia said. “However cool it was.”

“… of all the compliments you’ve ever given me, I think that was the first time you’ve called me cool.” Lynne said as his eyes beamed with glint of pride.

“Hm? Really? Well, to be fair, before that moment, you were almost always a damsel in distress that I had to rescue. So you can kind of see my point of view.”

“… give me back my moment!”

“Ah, enough with the flirting,” Thalia said, breaking the conversation’s chain. “What about the backlash? You shouldn’t be postponing it so much.”

“I’m not,” Lynne said, finally turning serious. “I’m planing on entering prolonged secluded meditation, both to recover from the backlash and train.”

“… and abandon your Kingdom? Wow, you truly are great.”

“That’s why I’m still enduring,” Lynne said. “I’ll first get it back on track as much as I can before entering. I need to stack up on valuable items, assign people to proper roles, establish facilities, guilds, trade market, teleportation arrays, defensive outposts, primary army, Tower of Knowledge point system… ugh, all this is already giving me a headache. Oh, right, I’ve been meaning to ask you: want to enter the seclusion jointly?”

“Oh? Would you miss me so much?” Thalia asked, smiling wryly.

“Yeah,” Lynne said, smiling gently. “Truth be told, I don’t think I would ever be able to truly calm myself, knowing you’re out there.”

“… not fair.” Thalia said, looking away as her cheeks turned red.

“Ha ha, so, what do you say?”

“… alright,” she nodded slowly. “I’ve been meaning to try and break through anyway, so I may as well do it with you.”

“… aah, will I ever be able to catch up to you?” Lynne said, sighing. “To even come remotely to matching you, I always have to suffer heavy backlash. Yet, you just seem to cruise through everything…”

“Eeeh, where is this inferiority complex coming from? Aren’t you the ever-cool and ever-proud Lynne Hyorn, the greatest man alive?”

“… wait for me,” Lynne said. “One day, I’ll be standing at the same podium.”

“There’s no need, idiot,” Thalia said, suddenly patting his head. “I don’t want you to play the role of my knight in shining armor, but the love of my life.”

“… aii, you just said something so cheesy with absolute confidence. Truly, I can’t hold a candle to you.”

“Oh, please, you’ve said plenty cheesy things in your life. I’m a book compared to your library.”

“Aah, I really like it when you ruffle my hair,” Lynne said relaxingly. “Although, it’d be even better if your hand actually felt girly. Ouch. Yup, deserved that one.”

“Besides,” Thalia said. “You’ve already saved me twice.”

“Twice?” Lynne asked, arching his brow.

“Aye,” she nodded. “During the last battle, I was at my wits’ end, before you went and shat out something that shouldn’t be possible.”

“Oi.”

“And, on that day when I thought my heart would break,” she said, suddenly looking toward him, her eyes full of warmth. “When you kissed me instead.”

“… a King and a Queen of cheesy lines,” Lynne said. “Doesn’t have a bad ring to it. Still, if we’re talking about saving,” Lynne said, looking down. “I probably won’t be able to catch up to you in ten lifetimes. You’ve seen me at my absolute worst, and you stayed, giving me a push when I needed it the most.”

“Eh, don’t give up yet. There may come a time you’ll have to do the same.” Thalia said, smiling.

“No,” Lynne shook his head firmly. “I’ll never let you hit the rock bottom in the first place.”

“Oho, strong words for a cheesy brat.”

“A vow,” Lynne suddenly paused, taking her hand in his, while he placed the other one on her cheek, stroking it gently. “One I’ll no doubt be too embarrassed to express during our wedding day. Come hell or winter, I’ll either cool you or warm you.”

“… you can’t keep doing this,” Thalia said, tilting her head slightly, reaching out for his cheek. “My heart won’t be able to handle more of you.”

“Eh, if we all have to die one day anyway, wouldn’t dying due to overflow of love be a good way to go?”

“… aye, it just might be.”

For the next few days, until they returned back to the Kingdom, Lynne, Thalia and others visited several sites that the monkey found, all of which contained some forms of treasures. Catching barely any sleep, they tried to stock up on valuable items as much as they could; not only for the upcoming ‘farewell with package party’, but also for the imminent future.

As days passed, Thalia realized that Lynne was growing weaker and weaker. His already pale skin thinned out, and bags began showing underneath his eyes, regardless of whether he slept or not. Although she wanted them to go back earlier than planned, he refused and pushed on. For the most part, they scoured the northern landscape of the Eastern Wastelands, rummaging through either buried sites or even abandoned villages of Beastkin and others.

With one day left until the deserters’ departure, the two decided to head back. However, as it would take too long to return on foot as Lynne was considerably weaker than the day the two departed, it became Phoenix’s time to shine, carrying them above the colorless desert beneath.

For the most part of the journey back, Lynne didn’t wake up from his sleep, and Thalia didn’t bother him, merely putting his head onto her lap and occasionally caressing his hair and face with care. Although he appeared weak, Thalia didn’t worry much.

“He won’t be able to endure much longer after returning,” a child suddenly appeared next to Thalia, startling her slightly. “Looks like most of his plans will have to be postponed.”

“Yeah,” Thalia said, nodding. “I don’t really care, though. As long as he’s fine.”

“He will be,” the child said. “I’ll force him into a year-long seclusion. Are you sure you want to accompany him?”

“Hm,” Thalia nodded. “Although I probably won’t be able to break through in just a year.”

“… the Spirit and I will coordinate with Y’se and others while the two of you are away,” the crimson-haired child said. “There shouldn’t be any outside disturbances though.”

“Just in case,” Thalia said. “I’ll leave behind a whiff of my consciousness. Contact me if anything goes awry.”

“Hm,” the child nodded. “I don’t think I’ve ever thanked you.”

“Thanked me?” Thalia asked, confused.

“Without you,” the child said, his gaze shifting onto Lynne. “He wouldn’t have an anchor to keep him steady.”

“… I’m kind of jealous of you, you know?” Thalia chuckled, looking down at the sleeping Lynne. “Being a part of his Soul, you probably know everything there is to know about him. However, he still won’t open up to me fully…”

“I wouldn’t worry,” the child said, smiling. “In the end, you probably understand him better than I do. And, if you asked, he’d tell you, you know?”

“… this year will probably be the last rest period for us, no?” Thalia asked, sighing.

“Maybe, maybe not. In the end, no living can see the future.”

“I should probably contact my Master and Sisters before entering seclusion,” Thalia thought out loud. “They would worry otherwise.”

“They’ll play a big role in the future that’s to come, I can predict at least that much,” the child said. “Share with them some of the things Lynne shared with you.”

“About False Gods in Clans?” Thalia asked.

“No, we can’t leak that just yet. It’s too sensitive.”

“… I still have a hard time believing it.”

“… we all do.”

The rest of the journey was spent in relative silence as day and night shifted between gently. It was a calming journey back, and Lynne woke up for the last part of it. The two sat leaned against each other, hand in hand, high up in the clouds as sun bathed them in serene colors. Both hearts and minds calm, the chaos they walked through was almost forgotten in that brief moment of complete tranquility…