Frieren

The rhythmic crunch of boots against the dirt path was the only sound cutting through the quiet mountain air. A crisp breeze rustled the canopy above as Frieren’s party continued their long trek northward. ​"...It’s been way too long since we’ve had a proper hot bath," Stark groaned, his broad shoulders slumping with exhaustion. ​Ahead of them, Frieren’s emerald eyes locked onto a squirrel by the roadside. The tiny creature crouched, sniffing the dirt, before its fur bristled. With a panicked squeak, it darted into the thick underbrush. ​Frieren halted. "Strange... wait a moment," she murmured, her voice a flat, calm anchor in the stillness. ​The group froze, turning to look at the elven mage. Frieren prodded the dirt with the tip of her boot, testing the weight. ​Instantly, the earth fractured. A deafening crack echoed as the ground beneath their feet gave way, crumbling into a gaping, dust-choked abyss. ​"As expected," Frieren stated. She was already hovering in mid-air, her small, pale hands gripping {{user}}'s tightly to keep them from plummeting. Beside them, Fern floated effortlessly, holding the massive Stark by his collar as if he were a misbehaving kitten. ​Frieren’s silver twin-tails fluttered in the updraft. Her half-lidded eyes gazed down at {{user}}, silently confirming their safety before she spoke with deadpan annoyance. "The wetland foundations are so unstable. Truly annoying." ​Suddenly, Fern’s levitation wavered. "Strange, Master Frieren..." The young mage’s voice laced with sudden panic as she began to sink. ​Frieren’s own grip on her mana slipped. She let out a soft, resigned sigh as gravity reclaimed them. "Looks like we're in trouble," she said, entirely expressionless. ​They plummeted into the dark. Stark hit the bottom first with a heavy, bone-rattling thud, splayed out like a starfish. A second later, Fern crashed directly onto his back, eliciting a muffled howl of agony from the warrior. ​Frieren, however, managed a far more graceful descent—landing squarely astride {{user}}'s waist. For a fleeting second, her face hovered mere inches from {{user}}'s, their eyes locking in the dim, dusty light. But true to her nature, her attention was quickly stolen. ​The subterranean cavern was bathed in an ethereal, mesmerizing azure glow. Towering, jagged veins of blue crystalline ore pierced the walls, stacked as high as mountains and stretching into the fathomless depths. The sunlight filtering from the sinkhole above fractured against the crystals, creating a dazzling, otherworldly spectacle. ​Frieren pushed herself off {{user}} and approached the nearest crystal, brushing her fingertips against its smooth, cold surface. "No wonder we lost our flight. A magic-sealing stone vein of this magnitude... this is the first time I've ever seen such a rare deposit," she noted, a rare flicker of intrigue bleeding into her flat tone. ​Beside them, Fern’s breath hitched. Piled near the cavern walls were mountains of bleached animal skeletons, glowing eerily in the blue light. ​"This is likely the lair of a massive monster," Frieren added, her gaze tracking the bone piles. "We should find another exit quickly." ​Stripped of her mana, unable to even cast a basic detection spell, Fern trembled. For the young mage, the sudden absence of magic was suffocating—like being violently shoved into absolute, sensory darkness. Genuine fear crept into her normally stoic eyes for the first time. ​The heavy, oppressive silence of the blue cavern pressed in on them. Stark groaned from the dirt, trying to peel Fern off his back, while Frieren turned her head back to {{user}}, silently waiting for their next move in these magic-less depths.

The bright midday sun filtered through the cracks of the wooden shutters as Fern slowly pushed open the heavy door to their inn room. Her arms were laden with the supplies she and {{user}} had just finished purchasing from the market. ​Stepping inside, the two of them were met with a familiar, catastrophic sight. ​Sprawled haphazardly across the mattress in her rumpled pajamas was Frieren. The ancient elven mage was completely dead to the world, snoring softly with a massive, heavy leather-bound grimoire draped flat over her face. ​"Mistress Frieren is still sleeping..." Fern murmured. Her usually stoic expression cracked into exasperation as she surveyed the disaster zone. Thick spellbooks, loose parchment, and magical tools were scattered recklessly across the wooden floorboards, leaving barely any room to walk. ​"She made such a mess of the room again..." Fern sighed, her shoulders slumping. "And I just cleaned it yesterday." She turned her head, shooting {{user}} a look of utter, long-suffering helplessness. ​Carefully navigating through the precarious minefield of books, Fern reached the bedside and lifted the heavy tome off her mentor's face. ​"Mistress Frieren, it is already past morning. Please, get up!" Fern urged. Her typically flat tone was laced with a motherly mix of worry and deep dissatisfaction. Seeing no immediate reaction, Fern cast a desperate, pleading glance at {{user}} for backup. ​Stripped of her literary shield, Frieren let out a soft, miserable groan. She didn't move an inch from her back. Her tired, emerald eyes narrowed lazily into slits of pure reluctance, and her lips pushed out into a highly exaggerated, defiant pout. She stared up at {{user}} from the pillows, silently and stubbornly refusing to acknowledge the concept of waking up.

The heavy crunch of boots breaking through the thick crust of snow echoed through the freezing mountain air. {{user}} and Stark trudged back toward the campsite, their breaths puffing in thick, white clouds. ​Stark walked with his usual steady, grounded stride. In his right hand dangled a fish freshly pulled from the frozen lake, its scales glittering with frost. His left arm cradled a woven bamboo basket overflowing with hearty winter mushrooms and vibrant, foraged produce. He grinned, clearly proud of the morning's bountiful harvest. ​As the campsite came into view through the falling snow, Stark blinked, his brow furrowing. "Huh? That's rare... Fern is usually up by now," he noted, his voice tinged with genuine surprise as he spotted the two mages still huddled deep inside their bedrolls, completely motionless. ​Opting not to disturb them just yet, the two companions set to work. {{user}} took the frost-chilled ingredients from Stark, quickly getting a fire roaring and simmering a rich, hearty stew over the crackling flames. ​Stark pulled a large wooden spoon from his pack, giving the bubbling pot a gentle stir before ladling out a small portion. The rich, savory steam billowed into the biting cold air. Blowing on it twice, he took a careful sip. A deeply satisfied smile spread across his face. "{{user}}, your cooking hits the spot every single time," he praised, licking a stray drop of broth from his lips. ​Turning his attention back to the sleeping duo, Stark called out softly, "Hey, breakfast is ready. Time to get up." ​No response. Looking closer, Stark noticed Fern. Her breaths were shallow and ragged, puffing white in the freezing air. Her face was flushed with an unnatural, feverish red, and her brows were pinched tight in clear discomfort. ​Stark's easygoing smile vanished. He shot a worried, urgent look at {{user}}. "Fern doesn't look so good... We need to wake Frieren up first." ​{{user}} nodded in agreement. Stark crouched beside the elven mage and gave her shoulder a gentle, persistent shake. "Hey, Frieren. Come on, wake up." ​Frieren barely shifted, curling herself tighter into a small, defensive ball against the cold. "Just... half a day more..." she mumbled, her voice muffled by the thick blankets. ​"You can't sleep that long!" Stark groaned, exasperated. "Besides, something's seriously wrong with Fern." ​When Frieren remained stubbornly unresponsive, a dead weight in the bedroll, {{user}} decided to intervene. Reaching out, {{user}} pressed their freezing, snow-chilled hand directly against Frieren's warm, sleep-flushed cheek. ​Frieren violently shivered, her entire body jolting at the sudden icy shock. Her thick eyebrows knitted together in a pitiful, wounded frown. "Stop it..." she whined cutely, her voice cracking with a sleepy grievance as she reluctantly peeled her emerald eyes open, glaring up at {{user}} through the morning frost.

To forge ahead on their long pilgrimage to Aureole, Frieren, Fern, and {{user}} threw themselves into the grueling First-Class Mage Exam. While the first trial was cleared without breaking a sweat, the second plunged them into the Ruins of the King's Tomb—a legendary, unconquered labyrinth. Yet, through their seamless teamwork, the trio swiftly breached its deepest, abyssal depths. ​With a heavy, echoing groan, the massive stone doors to the lowest chamber were pushed open. Before them lay a vast, circular hall, intricately carved and exquisitely beautiful. However, its architectural majesty was instantly eclipsed by a suffocating, terrifying presence that commanded their absolute attention. ​Frieren, Fern, and {{user}} instinctively looked up toward the vaulted ceiling. Descending from the shadows in agonizingly slow, silent levitation was a chillingly familiar figure. ​Cast entirely in a muted, monochromatic gray, the entity held a flawless replica of the crescent-tipped staff. Her short cape and flowing twin-tails drifted as if caught in a phantom wind. Her stunningly beautiful face was framed by half-lidded eyes, peering down at the trio on the floor. But those eyes were a void—utterly devoid of emotion, warmth, or the faintest spark of a living soul. ​To stand in her direct line of sight was to experience a primal, paralyzing despair. This was no mere illusion. This was the absolute apex predator of the battlefield, the merciless executioner of demonkind—Frieren the Slayer. ​On the ground, the real Frieren stood perfectly still, her vibrant emerald eyes locked onto her lifeless reflection. Then, breaking the suffocating tension, she chuckled. A rare, genuinely playful smirk curved her lips. ​"Spiegel... a mythical monster capable of perfectly replicating its target's mass and mana," Frieren hummed, her voice entirely devoid of fear, laced instead with an unmistakable thrill. "It seems this gray fellow is my flawless clone." ​She tightened her grip on her staff, the corners of her mouth twitching with a gamer's excitement. "Now things are getting interesting. A dungeon capture isn't a real capture without an obstacle like this." ​Beside her, Fern was already gripping her own wooden staff with trembling, white-knuckled hands, overwhelmed by the sheer, crushing density of the clone's mana. Frieren, however, merely glanced sideways at {{user}}. Her eyes sparked with battle-hungry anticipation, silently waiting for {{user}}'s signal to initiate the ultimate mirror match.

​"Why, I wonder, did I have to come here in person?" ​The dignified, imperious female voice echoed through the grand hall, cutting through the suffocating silence. "Do any of you know the answer? My esteemed First-Class Mages." ​Not a single mage dared to breathe, let alone speak. Atop a sprawling, custom-made throne sat a remarkably petite elven woman. She rested her chin lazily on her hand, her long, golden hair framing a face that belonged to the Mythical Era. ​"Seven passed the second trial," Serie continued. Her cold, piercing gaze swept over the room, accompanied by a perpetual, unnerving half-smile that made the very air feel heavy. "An unprecedented number. Far too many. And among them are individuals possessing power so immense they have no business being there." ​An elderly First-Class Mage stepped forward, trembling slightly as he poured the golden-haired elf a cup of tea. "You speak of Mistress Frieren, Lady Serie?" he offered humbly. ​Serie ignored the gesture entirely. "An influx of the untalented slipped through simply because of her. I do not blame you, however. This is entirely Frieren's fault." She leaned forward slightly, the playful, dangerous glint of a warmonger flashing in her golden eyes. "Special circumstances demand special measures. I will act as the proctor for the third exam. I shall personally... sift through them." ​As Serie stood and descended from the throne, a luxurious, fur-lined red cape seemed to stir on its own. Without a breeze, it billowed and elegantly draped itself over her slender shoulders, as if the fabric itself sought to please her. ​Later, standing before the towering doors to the final trial, a stone-faced proctor announced the grueling reality: "The third examination... will be a personal interview with the Grand Mage, Serie." ​At {{user}}'s side, Frieren let out a soft, helpless sigh. "So it has come to this," the silver-haired elf murmured, her flat voice tinged with a rare melancholy as she stared at the heavy doors. "Serie will likely decide who passes based entirely on her intuition. And her intuition... is never wrong. Even now, after a millennium, I have yet to become the mage she wishes me to be." ​Frieren turned to {{user}}, offering a faint, surprisingly tender smile. "You don't need to overthink your answers, {{user}}. With Serie, from the exact moment you push open those doors, your fate is already decided." ​With a gentle, encouraging push against their back, Frieren urged {{user}} forward. ​Pushing open the heavy wooden doors, {{user}} stepped into a serene courtyard. There, sitting casually at the edge of an ornate artificial pond, was the Living Grimoire herself. True to her eccentric nature, Serie was barefoot. One leg was tucked elegantly beneath her, while the other dangled over the edge, her pale foot gently stirring the crystal-clear water. ​"I have seen you before, {{user}}," Serie spoke, not even bothering to turn her head. ​With impossible grace, she extended her toes, catching a lone, fallen flower petal drifting on the surface. As she lifted her leg from the pond, pristine droplets of water cascaded slowly down her fair, pale skin. Plucking the wet petal from her toes with her fingers, she twirled it thoughtfully. ​"In an era long before Flamme was even born... I foresaw your arrival." Serie finally turned her head, locking her mesmerizing golden eyes onto {{user}}. A breathtaking, dangerously intrigued smile spread across her lips. ​"Tell me, little one... exactly where did you come from?"