The frostbound oath

The chill air of the night stung Rey's face as he carried Iris to the flying carriage, her small, limp form cradled against him like fragile glass. He couldn't stop himself from looking at her, even as the world rushed by in a blur of distant lights and snow. The moment he saw her, unconscious and vulnerable, a storm of memories had struck him, memories he thought he'd buried long ago. "So it's you, Iris… the Phoenix Princess. The one they called powerless…" His voice was barely a whisper, lost in the wind, but his heart felt heavier with each passing moment.

Rey remembered the first time they met. It was a fleeting moment, almost laughable now—a child's misunderstanding of the world, as simple as it was pure. Iris, as young as he was, had smiled and offered him a sweet piece of candy when he was at his lowest. It was a simple gesture, but it had touched him more than he cared to admit at the time. "You always knew how to make people smile, didn't you?" he thought. He remembered his mother's voice, always speaking of Iris with a quiet reverence, urging him to protect her. "Protect the Phoenix Princess," she had said so often. "There's more to her than meets the eye."

But after that day, everything changed. Rey had left with his teacher, training in places far from home, leaving behind the young girl who had once brightened his darkened heart. He had thought it was just another forgotten memory—until today. Now, seeing her again, his heart ached with a confusing mix of nostalgia, regret, and something else, something deeper. "You haven't changed a bit."

But beneath that soft smile, there was unease. There was too much at stake now. As the carriage hummed through the night sky, his master appeared beside him. Irathion's silver eyes gleamed with concern as he glanced at Iris.

"How is she?" Irathion asked, his voice steady but carrying a hint of concern.

Rey's response was quick. "She's fine. The devilish energy has been removed. But…"

Irathion's eyebrows knitted together, sensing the hesitation in Rey's voice. "But what?"

Rey stared ahead, the snowflakes glinting in the moonlight. "There's more to this. That tree—the devilish one. It shouldn't have been so close to the academy, especially not so secretly. There's a hand at play here, someone planning something darker."

Irathion's gaze hardened. "I thought so. Keep your wits about you, Rey. This isn't over. Someone is manipulating these forces." He paused before adding, "We'll need to be vigilant. The academy is no place for such things to fester."

Rey nodded, but his thoughts were still with Iris. Who could be behind this? And why was she the target?

Phoenix Palace

The room Iris awoke in was bathed in soft golden light. The walls, adorned with delicate tapestries depicting the Phoenix Clan's long history, seemed to whisper secrets of a past forgotten. Her bed was large, carved from dark wood with intricate designs of phoenixes in flight, a reminder of her bloodline's power and majesty. Outside, the snow continued to fall, blanketing the world in an eerie silence that matched the stillness in her heart.

But that stillness didn't last long. A sharp pain pierced through her skull, and Iris gasped, clutching her head. Her memories—fragments of faces, places, and voices—rushed at her in flashes, too quick to hold onto. They slipped through her fingers like sand. She clenched her fists, her chest tightening in fear. "No… not again," she whispered through gritted teeth. "What's happening to me?"

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Klaus's voice, warm and reassuring. "Iris, you're safe now." His voice was the anchor she needed, and she turned her head to see her father standing beside her, his brow furrowed with worry. His strong hands rested gently on her forehead. She could feel the pulse of his magic, steady and reassuring. He had always been her protector.

But as her eyes fluttered open, she saw another face—the one she had seen in her dream. Rey. The boy who had carried her like a knight, whose presence seemed strangely comforting, yet distant. Her heart skipped a beat. "Who is he? Why do I feel like I've met him before?" The thought lingered in her mind, confusing and unsettling.

Her mother, Flavia, who had been silently standing by, now leaned forward, her voice soft and calm. "Iris, rest now. You've been through much. Let us take care of you."

But Iris's mind was far from restful. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, something far bigger than her or her family. She had seen the tree, felt its dark magic—and yet, it was not just the tree that haunted her. It was Rey. There was a connection there she couldn't understand, a pull between them that seemed to defy logic.

Flavia rose gracefully from her side. "Immortal Irathion," she began, her voice warm but formal, "Your help today… it is beyond words. We owe you everything."

Klaus, ever the stoic protector, nodded. "If not for you, I cannot fathom what might have happened to our daughter. You have our deepest gratitude."

Irathion waved them off dismissively. "There's no need for thanks. When my friend's daughter is in danger, it's only natural to step in." His eyes, however, flickered toward Rey as he spoke, his tone softer. "Rey has been a great help, too."

Rey's thoughts were clouded. He felt the weight of their words, but it didn't ease the sense of discomfort gnawing at him. There was something… off about this entire situation, something his instincts screamed at him to figure out. Why was Iris at the center of it? Why now?

Flavia turned to Rey, her smile kind but knowing. "We should leave you to rest, Iris," she said gently. "Rest, my child. And know we are right beside you if you need anything."

Iris watched them leave, her eyes lingering on Rey for a moment longer. He wasn't like the others. There was a quiet strength in him, but more than that—a history. A history she couldn't place, but one she felt in her bones. "I know you… but how?"

As the door closed softly behind her parents and Irathion, Iris was left alone in the quiet. Her thoughts raced. The dreams—why did they feel so real? Faces and voices, some so vivid she almost believed they were memories, others so strange, like they belonged to a time long before her. "What's happening?"

A shiver ran down her spine, and for the first time, she felt truly alone, unsure of the path ahead. Yet, in the stillness of the night, the echo of Rey's presence lingered like a secret, a bond between them that neither of them understood.

She closed her eyes, but the images returned. Faces blurred together—Rey, her parents, the tree, the strange dark magic. And behind it all, a single question echoed through her mind, growing louder with each passing heartbeat: Why now?