Embla’s eyes fluttered open. Her pillow was unexpectedly soft and warm. She felt like she could sleep on this comfortable pillow all day and wake up completely refreshed. However, to her, that didn’t matter much. She was in an unfamiliar room. The ceiling wasn’t the bland white of the barrack medical center. This ceiling was that of the Grandmaster’s. Confusion seeped into her brain. Wasn’t she supposed to meet someone in here-

Her body shot up. She jumped off wherever she lay and frantically looked around. Was it all a dream? She wondered.

“Hmm? Are you okay?”

Embla’s heart skipped a beat. Tears pooled at the edges of her eyes. Her body shook once more.

“Oh dear, are you going to cry again? You cried so much earlier that you passed out so you’ve been sleeping on my lap,” the voice said.

“V-V-Va…” Embla couldn’t formulate the word in her mouth. She slowly turned around, revealing her tear ridden eyes to her older sister.

Valentina smiled and got up from the chair. She placed the papers down on the table and walked over to her. “Come on, you already cried yourself dry earlier. Are you still the little crybaby you were when we were kids?” she asked, wiping Embla’s tears away.

“Is… is it really you? I’m not dreaming right? This is real right?” Her hands shakily gripped her older sister’s biceps tightly.

Valentina’s gentle smile never left her face. She pressed her forehead against Embla’s. “I’m here, Em. This is real.”

“Val… Val!” Embla hugged her sister tightly again.

“At this rate, I might have to change uniforms… but,” Valentina smiled and hugged Embla tightly. Tears of her own began to fall onto Embla’s jacket. “I missed you so much, my precious baby sister.”

“Waaah!”

Valentina rubbed soothing circles on her back while Embla cried herself hoarse in her sister’s arms. “Shh, shh, I’m here. Big Sister is here. Please don’t cry anymore. I’m not going to leave. Shhh,” she soothed.

After a few more minutes of crying, a red eyed Embla pulled away from her older sister’s embrace and wiped the tears from her face. She began to hiccup from all the sobbing she had done.

“Um, Val, can I get some water?” she asked shyly. Her sister was the same as she remembered. While Val wore her hair down rather than in a ponytail, she hadn’t changed a bit. She had gotten older but her looks were still the same. Valentina still had those gentle blue eyes and enchanting snow-white hair. She still had that same reassuring kind smile on her face and that loving embrace that Embla always experienced when she was younger.

“Here,” Val said, pulling her over to a chair.

The two sat down and Embla gulped down her glass. After finishing it, she put her glass down and suddenly, without warning, punched her sister in the arm with a prana-enforced punch.

“Ow!” Valentina jumped in her seat and rubbed her arm. She looked over to Embla, who gave her a glare with fresh tears forming in her eyes. “I guess I deserved that.”

“Why? Why did you just up and leave me!? Do you know how I felt after seeing you weren’t here? I waited for days for you to come home! Days!” Embla screamed.

Valentina remained silent. Embla had the right to yell at her. She did leave her for seven years. Her reaction was justified.

“Why didn’t you tell me anything? I could’ve helped! I was strong too! I had… I had… was I just a burden?”

“Em, I told you in my lett-”

“A letter I didn’t get for seven years! I was led on a wild goose chase across the entire country and then I find out you were in Alfheim?”

“H-How? How did you know that?”

“My party leader is the First Princess of Alfheim… but that’s beside the point! Why did you keep me in the dark? After Mom and Dad died, you were all I had and I trusted you with everything… and I knew you had your own secrets to keep but, I thought we were supposed to have each other’s backs,” Embla said, looking down at her shorts.

Valentina frowned. “Em, this wasn’t about me not trusting you. I didn’t tell you because I couldn’t risk you getting hurt.”

“Well, what good did that fucking do!? I ran away from Hnitborg and all the way here just to find you! And then Koji sent me on a scavenger hunt across Midgard,” Embla said, crossing her arms.

“You know when Koji told me that you were looking for me and that he sent you to different locations across the country instead of back home, I wanted to rip him a new asshole,” Valentina said. “But… the way he phrased it…”

“Phrased?”

“What good would it have done if he just sent you back? You would have left anyway so I sent him a list of places I’ve been within the country. Places I knew were safe for you to investigate around,” Valentina said.

“I got hurt during those,” Embla said.

“I know… not my best move in a while but it was better than leaving you in that town where Kvasir’s mole was,” Valentina said, pouring herself a glass.

“Why didn’t you take me with you?” Embla asked.

“Because, the spy watching me was watching you too. If I left with you, they would’ve court-martialed me on the spot for revealing highly classified information and assassinated you as punishment,” Valentina said bitterly. “Instead, I intended for you to stay with two Sages but… well, you know how you are.”

“So you’re saying me running away is my fault?”

“What? No, you’re someone who can’t be restrained. Ironic right? The rune pin I wear, ‘Raido’, means traveler but the rune fits you far more than it does me,” Valentina said, touching the golden pin on her hair.

“That is… true. I’m still mad at you! Don’t change the subject! You could’ve at least told me!” Embla protested.

“Would you tell a ten year old highly classified government information and expect them to keep it while there’s a mole with an unknown identity living in arm’s reach of you and your family?” Valentina asked.

Embla shut her mouth. All her sister’s arguments were logical thus far. Knowing her own personality, Valentina was right. There was no way she would have stayed in town, knowing that Valentina was out there. And it would be an extremely idiotic thing to tell a child about government secrets.

“You could’ve written. I thought you croaked several times,” Embla said, looking down at her chair.

Valentina flicked Embla’s forehead.

“Ow! Hey!”

“Hmph, do you really have that little faith in me? Your sister is the strongest military officer in-”

“Koji said that he has a one up on you so…” Embla shrugged.

“Tch! Fine, your sister is one of the two strongest military officers in Midgard’s Military, the Valkyria! I’m not going to die that easily,” Valentina said, ruffling her hair.

Embla swatted her hand away. “I’m still-”

“Mad. But you’re right. I should’ve written at least. I’m sorry for going radio silent on you for seven years. I know I’ve missed a lot. I’ve missed seven years of your life. Updates from Koji aren’t enough… I’ve missed seven birthdays. I missed your first quest. Your first quest completion certificate. Odin, I missed so many things. Even your first boyfr-”

Embla rushed over to her sister and covered her mouth with her hands.

“I… I don’t have a boyfriend yet,” Embla said. Her face was a bright red.

Valentina raised an eyebrow and removed her hand. “Really? I mean… I get why but I’m just surprised is all,” Valentina said.

“Surprised? What? Can I not get a boyfriend?” Embla asked.

“No, I know why you didn’t. You were too busy looking for me right? But… are you sure no one’s at least tried? I don’t wanna brag but you are my sister,” Valentina said.

“Er… sis, who would wanna date a tomboy?” Embla asked.

“Don’t be so down on yourself. I was a bit of a tomboy myself!” Valentina said, patting her back.

“So where’s your boyfriend?” Embla asked.

“Eh? Well, I don’t have one,” she said, scratching her cheek. “E-Either way! We’re getting sidetracked. Embla, I promise you I’ll make up for the seven years that I missed.”

Embla went silent and looked at her sister’s pleading blue eyes for a few seconds. She sighed. “I… I really can’t stay mad. You’re the only family I have left… so please,” Embla wrapped her arms around her sister’s waist and buried her face in her sister’s chest, “Don’t leave me again… at least without telling me.”

Valentina’s eyes widened. A tear streaked down the side of her face. She smiled and hugged Embla back. “I won’t. Even if I’m on an assignment, you’ll always know where I am.”

I’ll light up the night sky for you… little sis.

“So… how’d it go?”

Embla jumped in surprise. Cal was leaning against a pillar with his arms crossed. He had a few bandages wrapped around his arms and she could see the bandages under his shirt.

“Woah, the great and sneaky Embla Feuerdrache, esteemed sister of the Valkyria, is jumpy,” Cal said.

“Shut up,” Embla said, walking past him.

“You wanna head back to the group while your eyes look red as hell?” Cal asked.

“So what if they see? They knew I’d cry,” Embla said.

“So how was it?”

“Huh? How was what?”

“Seeing your sister again. How was it?”

“I… I punched her,” Embla said.

“You punched her? Ahaha! What?” Cal began to laugh uproariously.

“Shut up! She had it coming! Leaving me for seven years like that,” Embla said, rubbing her left arm. Her heart was beating fast. She was never this way around Cal. Stupid Val! Stupid boyfriend talk!

“Hey, you okay?” Cal asked, waving a hand in front of her face.

A light blush erupted across Embla’s face. “Y-Yeah! I’m fine! Come on! The others are waiting for us!” Embla said in a pitch higher than she intended too. She walked off ahead of him with a pace higher than she intended.

“What’s her deal?” Cal muttered. “Huh! Wait! Oi! Wait for me!” he yelled, running after her.

“Ah, welcome. We’ve been waiting patiently for you, Lady Valkyria.”

Valentina said nothing and met the eyes of the person she hated most in the room.

Kvasir sat in one of the chairs, furthest to the end. His slimy hands were folded in front of him and his face was contorted into an attempt at a kind smile, yet his attempt only revealed the blackness that resided in his heart. Her eyes shifted to a golden color, eliciting feelings of unease in the man’s cowardly gaze. She let out a quiet sigh and her eyes reverted back to their icy blue color.

“I apologize for being a few minutes late to this briefing. I understand you all have duties to attend to,” Valentina said.

“No worries, little Val! Siegfried and Hilde would be so proud of you if they saw you. Top of the Midgard Military!” Samuel said.

She smiled at the mention of her parents. It had been so long since she heard their names. “Please remove your feet from the table, Lord Antares,” Valentina said, wiping the smile off her face.

“And there she goes,” Samuel said.

“Hilde would have pinched your ear off if she saw you acting like this, Sam,” Lilim said, crossing her arms.

“Nah, sis is too nice for that. She’d just let me off with a slap on the wrist as usual,” Samuel said.

“And do you remember what Hilde’s slaps on the wrist felt like?” Mizore piped in, fondly remembering the woman she called friend.

“Er… I’d rather not,” Samuel said.

“Ahem.”

The three Sages ceased their conversation and turned their attention to Valentina, who stood at the edge of the table.

“Sir Kojiro and I will begin our presentation and briefing. Since the Empress of Alfheim is here, I believe it most appropriate if we show her that our country is capable of displaying the most basic of manners,” Valentina said.

“No need to be so formal with me, Lady Valkyria. It’s just an old tale between war buddies,” Mizore said, waving it off as a mere trifle she enjoyed.

“Very well. We shall begin this briefing. An update. Those two that were spotted attacking Princess Shirayuki Honokami and her party were nowhere to be found in the city. It appears that the two escaped in the chaos of mobilizing Midgard’s military,” Koji said.

“So we don’t know where they are?” Kvasir asked.

“As of the moment Prime Minister, no.”

“Need I remind you, Lady Feuerdrache, that this takes precedence above personal matters. Those can be dealt with accordingly later but this should have had your full attention,” Kvasir stated.

“Valentina left the investigation in the very capable hands of the Vice Grandmaster, Azalea Komatsu. As you know, of the three of us, she is the most magically attuned and she deduced that the two used a spatial skill in order to escape. Even if we were in pursuit, our Knights would have lost them the moment they activated it,” Koji interjected.

Kvasir merely nodded and said nothing more.

“Ahem, continuing. The two were able to enter this city and… in addition, the tournament thanks to one method,” Valentina said.

She pulled a crystal out of her breast pocket and placed it in front of her. The crystal shimmered and projected a screen of light with images.

“Passports?” Samuel asked.

“Our screening system could use some work,” Kvasir muttered.

“These passports are hard to replicate and can be used to enter another country. But, we were able to deduce their falseness thanks to a small difference and that was the material used to make it,” Valentina said.

“The paper?” Lilim asked.

“The paper is made from an Eld Tree, a unique piece of wood from which passport paper belonging to only one country could be made from,” she said.

“Muspelheim.” Mizore placed a hand on her chin.

“Muspelheim has been our allies for decades now. We’ve declared an armistice with them. Don’t throw out accusations you can’t defend, Lady Valkyria,” Kvasir said in a suave, cocky tone. A mocking smile appeared on his face.

“I wouldn’t have called it out if I didn’t run tests on this,” Valentina said. “All our tests confirmed that it was Eld and that the mana samples didn’t match that of Midgard’s. The logical conclusion drawn by the forensics team was that it was material was acquired from and manufactured in Muspelheim.”

“So Muspelheim’s involved in this as well. Do they hold a grudge from the war perhaps?” Lilim asked.

“It’s possible. The royal family of Muspel has been quiet ever since that small civil war between the Scarlet Dragon and Black Dragon Kin Families happened,” Mizore said.

“Either way, it’s safe to believe that Muspelheim is aiding operatives of this organization in their efforts to infiltrate whole countries such as Alfheim and Midgard,” Valentina said.

“Organization?” Samuel raised an eyebrow.

“I believe you’re familiar with this organization, Sages Antares, Altarf, and Eschamali,” Koji said.

“Mmm. Yes, tell me. Have you ever heard of the organization, Fimbulvinter?” Valentina asked.