Enmity of Atlas

Trenton opened his mouth, thinking to say something to wrap up the night, let everyone be to bed, but just as he did, he noticed Kiva was already fast asleep on his shoulder. It was probably best to leave her to rest in peace. Words weren’t really necessary to express everyone’s collective weariness, their eyes did the job well enough. Seeing his plight, Garrote and Walibeld silently packed away whatever food remained, quelling the fire and heading off to bed, Karfice having nodded off himself at some point.

Slowly, Trenton leaned back onto the ground with Kiva, supporting her so as to not disturb her rest. It was difficult, and took him quite a while, but eventually, he managed to get the both of them laying down comfortably, his own consciousness slowly fading away from himself. Typically Trenton would be worried about sleeping so close to someone else, but it had been a long day. The only thing on his mind was getting some rest, and good rest, at that.

The next morning, when Trenton awoke, he felt oddly satisfied, pleased with himself over something unidentifiable. He had the distinct impression he didn’t dream that night, just an empty blackness filling his head. Yet, he was still left with one lingering thought from the night, a word which bounced around his head without end.

Good

The 6 of them quickly packed up their things, setting out east along the river, Garrote carrying Leo. They didn’t really need the water, Trenton’s storages long from empty, and they were quickly exiting out of the desert terrain, the weather slowly getting colder, but it was a nice way to keep their heading. Apparently, Avar was pretty close to the end of the river, so it was the most direct route they could take. And with Walibeld’s protection, they weren't in nearly as much danger as on their own.

While they traveled, ascending the various cliffs and grassy hills, Millie rode on Trenton’s back, a cruel depression hanging in the air around her. Something like that was a horrendous experience for anyone, let alone for someone her age, and it was something Trenton had never experienced, either. So, he really didn’t know how to comfort her. He had a warm embrace to lend her, physical comfort in a dark time, but that was about all. Hopefully it was enough, and she’d talk to him when she was ready. It wasn’t like they were rushed for time. They had a ways to go before they got to Avar.

Even after a full week of travel, the Thalian only just came into view, its majestic peaks stretching high into the sky, disappearing behind the veil of clouds hanging in the air. It truly was something to behold, the massive snow capped mounds of stone unlike anything Trenton had ever seen before, each contour perfectly sculpted as if every mountain had been made by hand. To put it bluntly, it was beautiful–breathtaking–even. But they didn’t have time to stand and ogle. So instead, they walked and ogled, the mountains getting even bigger the closer they got.

Another week passed without too much issue, their pace only slightly hindered by conflicts, monsters from the river and beyond. In fact, unlike before, the only real problem they were having was the weather, the chill invading their bodies like a foreign plague. It was the 108th day since the fall of Aria, which meant it was currently December 4th. So not only was it the middle of winter in the northern half of the world, they were also steadily rising the closer to the mountains they got, the whole of the land sloping upwards, only compounding upon the already unbearable cold.

He had hoped they’d be fine until they got to Avar, but that clearly wasn't the case, doubly so when it started to snow. The snow was light, pretty little flakes decorating the air, but the sheets beneath them quickly grew, surrounding them in a never ending sea of white. Luckily Karfice had some spare mountain gear on hand from his time spent living in the mountains: thick boots, pants, and jackets which he passed out to everyone. They didn’t fit Trenton well, or really at all, his stature much larger than Karfice’s, but it helped somewhat, the insides lined with calm fire runes.

Finally, two weeks since leaving Zerital, they neared the end of the Liafer, a notable marker of the progress they were making, “There it is!” Kiva exclaimed as they crested the top of a hill, everyone coming to a stop as the scene before them came into view. Before them, a grand lake splayed out in every direction, its crystalline waters frozen into a perfectly clear veil of ice. It was marvelous, but not entirely useful. The ice meant they’d have a hell of time trying to fish, something they had been doing every night on the Liafer to keep themselves well fed.

“This is the lake you were talking about before, isn't it? The one at the end of the Liafer?” Trenton asked.

“Yeah, it is. I know I said we could go swimming, but it’s a little too cold for that now, which actually gives me another idea,” Kiva said, leaning over to Karfice to whisper in his ear. Trenton couldn’t hear what they were saying, but Karfice was nodding along, his one eye gazing far into the distance.

“Yeah, I could do that,” Karfice replied to Kiva.

“What are you two scheming? We’re right her-” Trenton said, getting interrupted by Kiva suddenly grabbing his hand and pulling him forward.

“C’mon, slow poke! We’re going to live a little!” She shouted.

Trenton didn’t really know what she was doing, but he was curious; so he let himself be swept away to wherever Kiva demanded, which happened to be the middle of the frozen lake itself. She pulled Trenton out onto the ice, managing to keep her balance in an awkward sort of slide with Trenton close behind. Then, just as Trenton was wondering what she was doing, Karfice stepped in behind, the ice below their feet rising and solidifying into blades–ice skates.

Trenton stumbled backwards, unsure of his footing with the unusual apparatus attached to his feet. Kiva, on the other hand, was thriving, her whole body swooping low with the tide of the momentum, her movements elegant and graceful like an angel dancing through the air. She circled around Trenton, taking his hand and guiding him further out onto the lake, showing him how to skate little by little. It wasn’t easy, but Trenton was a fast learner.

“You got it?” Kiva asked, her eyes brighter than Trenton had ever seen.

“I think so,” Trenton said.

“Then try it on your own. It should feel natural, like you were born with blades on your feet,” she said, letting him go and skating to the side.

It was tentative, but Trenton really was getting it, slowly picking up speed to match Kiva, his balance only getting better the longer he went. He even started throwing in unique movements he’d never thought himself capable of, his body gliding about with a pristine precision. Faster now,Trenton and Kiva came together, their movements intertwined with a special rhythm beholden only to them.

They swirled together, spinning around each other hand in hand, splitting apart before coming together again. It was nostalgic, in a way, a dance painfully familiar to him. But this time, there was no fire, there was no death. There were only the two of them and the world, dusk fading quickly to twilight, Kiva’s smile and laughter like shining rays of sunlight amidst the encroaching darkness. It was perfect, a serene moment away from the horrors of the world, the stresses of yesterday and tomorrow. This moment, beautiful and eternal, wouldn’t last forever, but that was alright. It didn’t have to be forever. It just had to be now.

For the first time in a long time, Trenton was truly happy, the weight of the sky lifting from his shoulders, reminding him he was still young, fresh. He had gotten so lost in the constant threat of death and chaos, that he’d forgotten he was still just a kid stumbling his way through the world. It was nice, even be it temporary, to remember that. And he was right, it wouldn’t last forever. Come morning he’d take on every responsibility just as he had the days prior, picking up his stone without regret, but not tonight. Tonight, he was free.

“There’s an entire world waiting out there, so what’s stopping us?” Trenton said, crossing over Kiva in a helix pattern.

“Nothing, absolutely nothing,” she replied, joining hands with him and spinning them endlessly round, their momentum slowly fading to nothing. It was wonderful, but it was dark. It was risky to keep going, even as much as he hated to admit it.

“Are you ready?” Trenton asked, looking down at her.

“Not yet,” Kiva said. Before he could even react, Kiva stepped up on her tiptoes, planting a kiss on his lips. “Okay, now I’m ready,” she smiled, pulling Trenton back towards shore. It was unexpected to say the least, but it wasn’t bad. It felt almost like the actualization of what could never be, a life he was never meant to live. Maybe things weren't so bad afterall.