The wind had stopped.
The snow kept falling, but lazily, as if even the sky had given up.
Kiana walked alone.
Her feet were cold.
The coat was too big for her small body.
The backpack was empty, except for a bit of cereal he had saved "for when she was really hungry."
Siegfried had abandoned her.
And even if she didn't fully understand why, she knew one thing:
She would find him and beat the answers out of him if necessary.
Kiana sighed.
Mmm… How long had she been walking?
She didn't have a watch.
No sense of direction.
She stretched, her shoulders cracking.
The freezing air scratched her throat.
Each breath felt thinner than the last.
And now she was starting to get hungry.
What a dumb cereal. She checked the nearly empty backpack and found the crumpled wrapper.
She should have brought more stuff… or at least stolen one of those weird cans from Dad.
Dad.
The thought weighed more than the cold.
"Siegfried… idiot," she muttered, hugging her knees.
She hugged herself as she walked.
The coat wasn't enough.
Her gloves were already damp.
And the cereal… there were only crumbs left at the bottom of the bag.
Great. Good job, Kiana.
Surviving in the snow like a champion.
Sarcasm was the only thing she had left to stay sane.
She walked a little more.
Passed some ice-covered rocks, dodging frozen branches,
until she noticed something strange on the ground.
Lying in the snow, face up.
White shirt, light pants, skin too pale to be healthy.
A boy?
She ran toward him.
"Hey!" "Hey!" she shouted as she crouched down.
"Wake up!" She shook him gently.
Nothing.
The boy could barely breathe.
Without thinking, Kiana took off her coat and wrapped it around him.
Ignoring the cold now biting her arms.
Ignoring the tremble in her body.
"Don't die, okay?" she murmured in a barely audible voice.
I already have enough broken things in my life.
She dragged him as best as she could to a nearby cave, one she had used the night before. She lit a small fire with what little wood was left, hoping it would generate some warmth.
And waited.
Outside, the snow kept falling.
Silent.
Peaceful.
The fire crackled from time to time, sending faint sparks into the air.
It was the only thing breaking the silence.
Kiana hugged her legs, resting her chin on her knees.
She paused.
But if you wake up and turn out to be an enemy… I'll kick you in the face.
It was an empty threat.
She knew it.
He looked as defenseless as she felt inside.
She looked at him again.
He was breathing.
Slowly.
Steadily.
She sighed deeply and felt her eyes beginning to close, maybe from the exhaustion of dragging the boy or simply because she wanted to sleep.
She curled up next to him, as close as the fire and her pride would allow.
"If you wake up and do something stupid… I swear I'll beat you back to sleep," she murmured softly.
Her eyelids closed completely.
Her tense body relaxed.
Her breathing became slow.
And she fell into Morpheus's arms.
...
Another place I don't know. I sighed.
Before me stretched an endless field.
And a stone with a sword?
Where had I seen this scene before?
I took a step to get a better look, and as I got closer, I felt it calling to me.
Closer.
The sword's hilt glowed with a soft light, as if recognizing my presence.
"This doesn't make sense," I murmured.
But my heart beat as if I were coming home.
I wanted to touch it.
My hand moved instinctively.
"You will stop being human if you pull that sword."
I froze.
Who…? I turned my head, searching for the owner of the voice.
Behind me, in the shadow of a tree, he stood.
White clothing.
Silver hair.
A calm but sad smile.
His eyes shone with a strange compassion.
Merlin?
Yes… there was no doubt, that was Merlin.
So the sword before me was...
I turned to look again, but it was no longer just the sword; there was someone there.
Golden hair.
Green eyes.
She wasn't tall or bulky.
But her presence… was imposing.
Artoria.
She didn't say anything.
She only looked at the sword.
Steady.
Serene.
As if she knew exactly what she had to do.
Then her lips moved.
"Many people would smile if I pulled this sword."
Her voice didn't tremble.
There was no doubt.
There was no fear.
Only a deep and quiet certainty… as if she already knew the price and was still willing to pay it.
"That's enough for me."
She drew the sword.
I didn't say anything.
I just watched.
Just observed.
Because that's what I was at that moment: a spectator.
"I see… so you've chosen a thorny path."
Merlin.
His words floated in the air like a prophecy no one wanted to write.
Artoria lowered the sword.
Not with pride.
Not with victory.
Only with weight.
Her green eyes rose, looking into the distance.
To the future.
And for a moment… I thought she was looking directly at me.
...
Another unknown place...
Will this be frequent? Where am I?
The ceiling was… stone?
Dark.
Hot.
Hot?
I tried to move… and then I felt it.
A weight. On my chest.
I frowned. Slowly looked down...
Someone was on top of me.
Messy white hair.
A long coat.
Ears barely visible under a hood that was barely staying up.
She was sleeping.
A girl…?
Her breathing was calm and warm.
I felt her breath brush against my neck.
"W-who…?" I swallowed nervously.
I tried to move an arm, but it was trapped.
The girl, or whatever she was, had clung to me as if I were her heat source.
A low growl escaped her lips, like a warning not to try escaping.
Great… From nearly freezing to death to this?
I turned my head, looking for answers.
We were in a cave… or something like it.
There was a fire burning.
Clothes hanging nearby.
And then I remembered.
The forest.
The figures.
The fall.
Did she save me?
"Mmmgh…" the girl stirred slightly.
She frowned.
Muttered something I didn't understand.
And then…
she opened her eyes.
Intense blue eyes.
We stared at each other for an eternal moment.
Her, on top of me.
Me, trapped below.
Both silent.
"Ah…" I murmured, raising a hand as if that would help.
"WHAT?!" she shouted, and with a quick movement, elbowed me in the chest and jumped back.
"WHO ARE YOU?!" she yelled, standing up in one jump, still half-asleep, with messy hair and a battle-ready look.
"I just woke up too!" I replied, clutching my chest. "You were the one on top of me!"
We both went silent.
She looked me over from head to toe.
She narrowed her eyes.
Then sighed deeply.
"What a pain…"
She turned toward the fire, as if she hadn't just cracked my ribs.
I, still on the ground, watched her in silence.
"You saved me?" I asked.
"Yes," she replied.
Well… one less question.
I slowly sat up, careful not to provoke another reflex attack. I sat cross-legged, trying not to look more lost than I already was.
"Thanks…"
She nodded, and then a smile formed on her face.
"My name is Kiana Kaslana." "And you?"
I swallowed hard.
My name.
I blanked out.
I… didn't remember it.
Who was I?
I remembered my life before transmigrating.
But for some reason, I didn't remember my name.
I opened my mouth, then closed it again.
"Your name?" Kiana repeated, tilting her head slightly.
Then I remembered that earlier scene. Of a king who wasn't human.
I guess I'll take your name...
"Arthur… my name is Arthur Pendragon."