Well, I'm back with a new chapter and I've changed the title from "The Human Boy and the Half-Elf Girl of Elior Forest" to "The Early Arrival" from certain commentor from Ao3.

That reminds me, I've crossposted this fic to the aforementioned site above, hope you guys enjoy, that is all.

The Frozen Forest.

It was the name given by the local villagers as a forest of permanent frost. An eternal winter where the weather it has it's either snowy or cloudy. Never experiencing the seasons of Spring and Summer. And it has been that way for more than a century now.

No one knows how the Frozen Forest came to be. Some speculated that it was done by a powerful, unknown magic user, who, in their rage, froze the forest into an eternal slumber of winter and snow. Or a vengeful Great Spirit resided the forest and froze the land, marking the Spirit's territory.

However, for the two, a human boy and a half-elf girl. They never knew the myths and speculations that surrounded the forest they're in. Especially when they got to the forest by unforeseen means.

Given by the fact that they've gotten themselves in this place by a black portal of all things, it was understandable that these two children had no idea of the legends this forest of frost has over the span of a single century. Including the hundreds of debates from Lugunican scholars and abroad at the possible event that occurred that led the forest to be frozen with.

Trekking through the forest, with neither of two having any winter clothing. They made their way through the sea of snow-covered tree and land, while the boy shivered at the cold whereas the girl was seemingly not bothered by the cold itself; led by a lone Quasi Yin Spirit as their guide. Which said Spirit had gone its way to survey the forest prior to their journey they had taken.

"Subaru."

"Hm? What is it, Emilia?"

The boy, Subaru, asked his companion, Emilia, as he turn his attention towards her. With his body showed signs of the cold affecting the young boy, to which the half-elf was worried of.

It had been less than two hours since they came to the middle of the Frozen Forest. In that same timeframe, they've walked and walked, and never stopped since then.

She could see that her friend was visibly tired of the journey and so was she. Although she was physically stronger than her friend, she was worried of the current state he was seen.

Emilia shook her head.

"It's nothing. Sorry to bother you, Subaru."

She said in an apologetic tone, seeing the only person, who had been with her side since Archi thrown them at the portal, leaving them alone with Kuro to fend for themselves. With the raven-haired boy having a few broken fingers on arrival to this foreign land that they don't recognize.

"You sure, Emilia? If it's my broken fingers you're so worried about, didn't I tell you it's all patched up. See?"

He held his left hand, revealing three crystallized fingers, from his pinky finger to his middle finger. Straight and unmoving as they had been since he encased his fingers in purple before they started their trek.

"But." The half-elf nearly hesitated. "You had to force yourself to straighten those fingers in the first place. And you had Kuro put them in that purple crystal thing you never told me about."

She vividly remembered the pained grunts she heard him do while doing the process. It was painful to her ears, she couldn't imagine what was like to have broken fingers forced to be straightened up.

The silver-haired half-elf felt guilty at seeing her human friend in that state. Even though the said friend insisted it wasn't much, but she knew he was lying.

"Ah, sorry about that." He admitted sheepishly. "The spell is called Minya, an offensive Yin Magic I learned from Kuro. It's something about a crystallized stagnation of time or something. Other than that, so long me and Kuro switch to maintain this without losing mana, my fingers would be back in top shape in no time. Don't worry about that, Emilia."

"Muu." Emilia pouted. "You're always putting up a tough act. You need to stop that, Subaru."

"No way." He shook his head in refusal as well as a bit hurt when Emilia worded what she said. "If I did that, you'll make a fuss about it nonstop. I can't have that while we're here in the middle of nowhere."

The silver-haired girl pouted once more at the boy's stubbornness. Making as if she looks like a giant balloon waiting to be burst.

Seeing this, Subaru poked at her cheek, and as he did so, it deflated releasing a stream of air from her mouth. As a result of this, the boy grinned at her and gave her a reassuring look. To which the half-elf couldn't help but return it with a smile as well.

Eventually, she reluctantly agreed to his reasoning as they continued to walk once more towards the direction where the Yin Spirit guided them.

As they've continued to walk, Subaru tried to recall what happened to when he lost consciousness from the time he pushed both Fortuna and Emilia from the black mass before coming to this snow-filled forest.

He recalled the feeling of something squirming inside him, joyfully making itself inside of his body as if it made itself home. Which it was a creepy feeling, that he admitted to himself. He even attempted to talk to it but to no avail.

Now that I've think about it, why does it want me to use it?

He recalled once more, he remembered that it wants him to use it, but why?

Attempting to call it, Subaru felt a slithering inside his body.

Wanting to be used. Wanting to be called upon. Wanting to make itself known.

It was odd. Really. Especially when it voluntarily wants to be used. Which was really strange, but Subaru ultimately decided not to us it. Leaving a rather disappointed squirm inside him.

One of these days, I'm starting to wonder if it is my stomach doing that or the strange stuff that's inside of me…

He thought all of it to himself, not wanting Emilia to know that the black mass she saw him engulfed earlier wanted it to be used. Especially when it was only a couple of hours since it came inside of him.

After several tens of minutes of walking, passing through to unfamiliar yet somewhat familiar land, as the human, the half-elf, and finally, the Quasi Spirit; witnessed the site they would never thought would see.

Within what they can see with their eyes, statues made out of ice, gathered on an open spot. Surrounded by large trees that were twice, or perhaps, thrice the width of the trees they normally saw in Elior Forest.

But most surprising out of all of it was the pointed ears the statues had.

"No way…"

Subaru uttered breathlessly, in shock and awe at the sight thereof.

When he first heard from Kuro that there were ice statues of elves that they have the same Od as the villagers he knew from Elior Forest, he didn't believed it at first. But, he came to a realization that these might be the same people he got to know since the three months he was transported to this world. The notion of them being the elves he knew became ice statues as to who did it to them scared him.

Emilia was on the same boat as her friend, but came to a sudden feeling of guilt washing over her. As if she had done this. But the question is, how? Why did she feel it?

With reluctance and hesitation, they went towards an ice statue, featuring two adults and a child in between.

Subaru looked at Kuro, the Spirit sensed it's Contractor's intention, went towards to the statues for a brief moment then returned to the Spirit Arts user. Relaying as to what Subaru intended it to do.

"Fayette. John. Eura."

He uttered the names. The three names that belonged to the small elven family of three.

Subaru knew them as a happy bunch, with Fayette, the elven woman, taught him a thing or two in his already existing sewing skills, courtesy from his mother, Natsuki Naoko when he found interest in sewing.

With John as a loving father to his daughter, Eura, and a husband to Fayette, he was the kind of man who would put his family above all else. Making Subaru respect the man as he reminded of his father to a certain extent.

Eura was a hyperactive child, who often went to see her uncle, who so happens to be Braun, on certain days. And one of those days were during his magic training with said elf.

Believe it or not, he was able to improve his magic skills, despite having an average mana reserves, he was able to use El Shamak. An El-class modifier that he just happens to master yesterday. After three months of magical training, and doing chores around the village, he was able to do it with ease. Especially making a new goal of casting an Ul-class Yin Magic.

However, he didn't get to show off to his newly mastered ability to Emilia earlier due to the attack that happened not too long ago. And he had just forgotten about it until he remembered it just now.

"Subaru... are they…"

The black-haired boy turned to Emilia, who, the girl, held her hands. Anxiously waiting for the confirmation that these statues were the elves that they knew.

"…Yes. They're the same people that we knew… Just… what happened that turned you guys into this?"

Uttering a somber and shocked tone as the recognition and realization that all of the statues around them were the elves that they knew and loved. Subaru balled his free hand to a fist, wondering as to who froze them and especially turning, what they now realized, Elior Forest into a winter snow-filled land.

According to what he heard from Fortuna, the seasons in Elior Forest never changed thanks to the Spirits that surrounded it. Keeping the forest the same as it is all year round. With occasional rainfall being a common sight.

To turn it into a frozen land just baffled Subaru to the core, as he never had thought that there something or someone capable of doing such a feat he wouldn't knew was even possible to begin with.

Then it brought up several questions, why did they do it? What would they gain from freezing Elior Forest? How are they able to do it? When did it happen?

Similar questions began popping up in Subaru's head, with possible answers turning into more questions as it went on. But the fact that Elior Forest is currently a frozen wilderness still remains a mystery as how it had happened.

Emilia, seeing Subaru thinking all of it with his right hand cupping his chin, frowned at the sight. Turning her eyes towards the other statues. Frowning even more as she begins to recognize who they were based on their figures alone.

Although she wasn't as smart as Subaru, she understood that something bad had happened that it turned Elior Forest into what is now and have the elves turned to ice statues simply scared her. Not to mention the feeling of guilt she suddenly had when she first lay her eyes on the statues.

Not sure what to think about it anymore, she subconsciously held Subaru's left hand, which resulted in Subaru breaking his thoughts off as he saw the half-elf holding his left hand.

Looking at her face, he could tell what she was feeling and simply said to her.

"Don't worry, Emilia… I'm sure we can get the bottom of all of this… I promise."

The silver-haired half elf looked at her friend, who simply gave her a smile, as she gave him a nod in response to hi reassuring words.

If there was anyone who she could rely on, she knew it would be Subaru.

Though the feeling lasted only a few minutes when Kuro suddenly appeared, alerting the two instantly.

"What is it Kuro? What did you find?"

In a way that only Subaru, the Yin Spirit's Contractor, could only understand, the Spirit alerted him. In turn, Subaru widened his eyes in surprise.

Seeing this, Emilia asked immediately.

"Subaru, what did Kuro said to you?"

"He said there's two people." He answered her instantly. "Both of them are strong, and Kuro said that one of them is a Spirit."

"A Spirit!? Then, the other person must be a Spirit Arts user."

"That might be actually the case, Emilia. Tch. Who would've thought that we encounter a Spirit Arts user so soon."

He said as he looked at his left hand, still encased in a purple crystal that is yet to heal. Wondering if he could take on the incoming group with Emilia.

Suddenly, he had an idea that might work.

"Emilia." He said to the half-elf besides him. "I have a plan. And I need you to climb that tree over there."

He pointed at the nearest tree, which was tall enough to not be seen at a glance.

"What do you want me to do?" She asked him, not sure what he exactly meant by that.

"Just climb on top of that tree and wait for my signal. I need you to trust me on this."

"How about you, Subaru?"

"I'll stay here, and the fact that you're a better tree climber than me, means you have a far higher chance on getting on top of that tree." He said to her as he remembered the time that he and Emilia had a tree climbing race before

"Huh? I thought you were a better tree climber than me?"

"I cheated using Murak."

"…Eh!?"

"No time to explain. Once this is over I'll apologize, okay?"

"Muu. You better be."

And cut!

Well, this is certainly a rather short chapter. But, I want to keep it short for awhile.

Also, to inform you guys, I have something to work on for a bit, but updates of the fic should be with the 1-2 week timeframe. A month, if I'm a bit lazy.

Anyways, hope you enjoyed this story, be sure to press the fave and follow button if you like it a be sure to leave a review.

That is all, gabrielchiong11, also known as user/ Mamon Ramon from Reddit, and see you guys soon.