Disclaimer: Neither High School DXD nor Elder Scrolls belongs to me, all rights to their respective owners.
Chapter 7
Whiterun - Middas 17 of Evening Star of the 202 of the Fourth era
The sun was beginning to set as Edzard and Asia rode together, quickly approaching the ancient Nordic tomb called Rannveig's Fast. Edzard already knew this ruin, as he had been there a few months ago; however, it seemed that some draugr had been coming out and causing trouble on the nearby road.
"Ed, are we there yet?" Asia asked as she adjusted the dark blue tunic she was wearing. Underneath, she wore a dark gray long-sleeved gambeson covered by a chainmail shirt. She also had dark brown leather pants, along with tall black boots and steel gauntlets. On the right side of her belt hung a small, enchanted pouch for carrying various items. On the left side rested a slender sword, a gift from Edzard. The blade, eighty centimeters long, was made of dragon bone, and the hilt, guard, and pommel were made of ebony.
The last few months had been difficult for Asia. She had trained tirelessly with Aela to manage weapons, and Serana had taught her destruction magic based on lightning and ice. She went from not lasting even ten seconds in a fight with Aela to enduring more than ten minutes. When they mentioned this to Edzard, he smiled and gave her a box with the sword inside. However, Asia had to buy her armor with the money she earned helping at Jorrvaskr.
"No, but we're almost there." Edzard replied as he guided his horse towards the ruins.
Asia looked where he was pointing: the ruins on a hill. They looked like the hull of an inverted ship, supported by old beams, many of which had already collapsed over time.
When they got close enough, they saw a small group of draugr. Edzard quickly eliminated them with a chain lightning spell, which not only struck his target but also damaged the nearby draugr.
"We should leave the horses here." Edzard said before dismounting.
Asia nodded and got off her horse. Edzard's horse was his, bought a long time ago, while Asia's was one, they had rented for the occasion.
After dismounting, Asia saw Edzard take off the cloak he was wearing, leaving only his armor. His outfit consisted of a chainmail shirt over a long-sleeved, high-necked black gambeson, a black surcoat, loose leather pants, and black boots reinforced with steel. He also wore steel gauntlets. On his left hip hung a one-handed sword, ninety centimeters long, with a dragon bone blade and an ebony hilt. On his back, he carried a greatsword, one meter thirty centimeters long, which looked like a larger version of his one-handed sword, made of the same materials.
After tying the horses to a nearby tree, they both began to climb the stairs leading to the entrance of the ruins. Edzard looked at Asia, who seemed a bit nervous, and smiled to reassure her before opening the door. Inside, the main hall was partially lit by the small rays of sunlight that entered through the cracks in the ceiling.
They proceeded north, descending some stairs until they reached a wooden wall. They turned right and, after following a corridor, arrived at a room with several coffins. As they approached the center of the room, the coffin lids fell, and several draugr appeared. The undead were armed and wore leather and iron armor.
"Well, it looks like we have company." Edzard joked as he drew his sword. Asia nodded and drew hers.
Edzard quickly blocked a draugr's attack and countered with a solar fire spell directly to the face, killing it instantly.
Asia, for her part, dodged an attack by jumping backward and, upon landing, drove the tip of her sword into the draugr's mouth, killing it. This action shook her, as it was her first kill. Although she was no longer the shy girl she used to be, thanks to training with Serana and Aela, she had never fought in a real battle.
While Asia processed what she had just done, Edzard continued eliminating the draugr with great efficiency. One tried to attack him from behind, but he simply stepped aside and decapitated it. However, they soon found themselves surrounded by more draugr.
Seeing the situation, Asia concentrated a large amount of magic in her hand and unleashed an explosion of golden fire that turned all the draugr to ashes.
"You know, when Colette mentioned you had a great affinity for restoration magic, I didn't expect this." Edzard said with a smile, approaching her.
"What can I say, I'm good with magic." Asia replied, sticking her tongue out playfully.
"I think Aela and Serana are bad influences on you." Edzard joked, sweating slightly. Those two were transforming sweet Asia into a bolder version of themselves.
They both scanned the room for more enemies. Finding none, they decided to continue through a side door. After exploring several rooms, they found no more draugr.
"Looks like that was all of them." Edzard said as he sheathed his sword. Asia nodded and sheathed hers as well.
Back in the room where they had fought the draugr, they continued towards the main entrance. Upon arrival, Edzard's danger senses suddenly activated. Without thinking, he grabbed Asia in his arms and jumped backward, dodging several ice spears that struck the ground.
"Wow, you have good reflexes." said a voice from the ceiling.
Edzard set Asia down and quickly drew his sword.
"Asia, stay alert. These aren't simple mages." Edzard warned as he scanned the area with his eyes.
Asia nodded and drew her sword as well.
"Asia, duck!" Edzard shouted as he saw a shadow approaching from behind her.
Asia at once ducked upon hearing the shout. Edzard swung his sword, but only the sound of steel clashing against steel was heard.
"You're right, of the two presents, only the boy could be troublesome." commented an arrogant voice from the room.
The place filled with footsteps, and the shadow that had been behind Asia positioned itself in front of them. Two more figures dropped from the ceiling, positioning themselves next to the first. When the moonlight illuminated the hall, Edzard could see their attackers: a Dunmer, a Breton, and an Orc. They all wore leather armor, black pants, and boots of the same color.
'Vampires.' Edzard thought, noticing their glowing eyes. 'Of course, that's why I couldn't smell them. We're in a ruin, which is equivalent to a cemetery; their scent was perfectly camouflaged.'
"Asia, fall back." Edzard ordered as he adopted a defensive stance.
"No, I'll stay to help you."
"Asia, these guys are beyond your current capabilities."
Asia tried to keep arguing, but seeing the plea in Edzard's eyes, she relented. However, as she turned to hide, the Breton lunged at her. Before he could get close, Edzard punched him square in the face with such force that it sent him crashing into one of the walls, causing a great crash and burying him under the rubble.
The remaining vampires were stunned to see their companion taken down with such force.
"You're not an ordinary human, are you?" the Orc commented with a bloodthirsty smile as he raised his axe.
"They tell me that often." Edzard responded sarcastically. "But you shouldn't smile. I just killed your companion."
"That blow didn't kill him." the Dunmer interjected, pointing to where the Breton had fallen.
To Edzard and Asia's surprise, the Breton appeared from the rubble without a scratch. Asia began to worry; she had never seen anyone get up after taking a hit like that. Edzard was much stronger than an ordinary human, and even Farkas would be knocked out by a similar blow.
"That hurt." said the Breton, rubbing his face.
The three vampires surrounded Edzard. The Orc charged at him with his two-handed axe. Edzard dodged with a backward jump, and the impact of the axe on the ground created a small crater. Immediately, Edzard began to run around the room, avoiding the ice spears the other two vampires were throwing at him.
Asia watched the fight in amazement. Edzard exchanged blows with the Orc while dodging the spells of the other two and counterattacking with fireballs and lightning. However, a spell passed close to Asia, causing her to scream. Distracted, Edzard turned his head towards her, and at that moment, the Orc struck him in the chest with the flat side of his axe, sending him flying into a wall.
Dazed, Edzard managed to stand up in time to dodge the spells being cast at him. He quickly returned to the fight against the Orc, both exchanging blows at high speed and causing each other minor injuries.
The fight reached a stalemate. Edzard defended against the Orc's physical attacks and counterattacked with magic at the other two. The vampires using magic exchanged glances and, nodding, drew their weapons and charged at him. Seeing them coming, Edzard kicked the Orc in the chest, sending him flying.
He blocked the Breton's axe, but the Breton used the gap between the blade and the handle to trap Edzard's sword, immobilizing him. The Dunmer took advantage of the moment to attack from the left. Edzard found himself trapped: if he dodged the attack, he would have to let go of his sword and be exposed to the Orc, who was already getting up.
Breathing deeply, Edzard brought his left hand to the hilt of the greatsword on his back. When the Dunmer lowered his sword to strike, Edzard blocked the blow with the greatsword. However, in doing so, he became trapped, and the Orc, taking advantage of the situation, jumped with his axe raised to try to split him in two.
"Edzard!" Asia screamed, desperate at the imminent danger.
When the Orc was two meters away, Edzard smiled. He began to open his mouth, from which smoke emanated.
"YOL! TOOR! SHUL!" Edzard roared, unleashing a powerful flame that completely engulfed the Orc, sending him crashing against the wall above the door.
The two remaining vampires were momentarily paralyzed by the shock. Edzard seized the opportunity and threw the Dunmer into the air with a swing of his greatsword. The Breton, seeing this, tried to flee, but Edzard immobilized him by placing his sword in the gap of the axe. With a swift movement, he raised his greatsword and, with a single strike, split the Breton in half.
The Dunmer, recovering from the blow, got up just in time to see his last companion fall split in two. He tried to escape, but Edzard threw his greatsword, blocking his escape route. The vampire looked at him in horror, seeing that Edzard's left eye was glowing a bright red, and his canines had elongated.
"What are you?" the Dunmer asked, retreating in fear.
Edzard didn't respond. Instead, he advanced and kneed the vampire in the stomach. The vampire felt the air leave his body but couldn't do anything else as Edzard grabbed him by the face and formed a ball of solar fire.
"Arghhh!" was the Dunmer's agonizing scream as his face burned under the power of Edzard's spell.
Seeing the vampire's suffering, Edzard increased the amount of magic in his spell, causing the flames to completely engulf him. The Dunmer quickly burned to ashes.
With the enemy defeated, Edzard sighed and began to restrict the influence of the remnants of wolf blood he had used to temporarily enhance his physical abilities. Slowly, he approached Asia, who was still in shock. When he was close enough, Asia hugged him tightly. Edzard returned the embrace, whispering words of comfort. They both smiled after separating, but the moment of calm was broken when the Orc, gravely injured, staggered to his feet, third-degree burns covering his body. It was clear his minutes were numbered.
"Damn mortal scum! If I die, I'll make sure to take you with me!" the Orc bellowed, gathering what was left of his magic to activate several hidden runes on the pillars supporting the ceiling, causing a massive collapse.
Seeing the danger, Edzard instinctively reacted, covering Asia with his body and shielding her as rocks fell around them. The Orc was crushed by a huge stone, disappearing under the rubble.
When the dust from the collapse settled, Asia, with great effort, lifted part of the debris covering them.
"Ed? Are you okay?" she asked in a trembling voice, seeing Edzard lying on the ground.
However, she got no response. Seeing the pool of blood beneath him, Asia brought her hands to her mouth, trying to hold back her tears. She knelt beside him and pressed her ear to his chest, feeling a faint relief upon hearing his heart still beating, albeit weakly. Desperate, she began casting healing spells on him, but the wounds wouldn't heal.
Panic overtook her when her healing attempts had no effect. She was about to use her sacred gear on Edzard when she heard a voice resonate in her head.
'You shouldn't use that power on him, my child.'
Asia started, looking around for the source of the voice but saw no one.
"Who are you?" she asked aloud, bewildered. "And why shouldn't I use my sacred gear on Edzard?"
'I am the mother of the prodigal earth.' the voice replied calmly. 'Your sacred gear cannot heal a curse of that magnitude.'
"Curse? What are you talking about?" Asia asked, alarmed.
'The axe that wounded him was imbued with a curse that nullifies natural regenerative abilities and renders healing magic useless.' the voice explained. 'To save him, you will need someone to lift that curse. Fortunately, I know someone who can do it.'
Asia felt a slight sense of relief knowing there was a solution, but it posed a new dilemma.
'How will I get Edzard to Whiterun to be healed?' she thought, anguished.
'Don't worry.' the voice intervened again, 'I have guided someone to help you.'
Before Asia could respond, a powerful roar echoed in the sky. Looking up, her eyes widened as she saw a large dragon flying in her direction. The dragon landed in front of her, baring its fangs. Terrified, Asia mustered her courage and stood guard in front of the dragon, drawing her sword.
"Ha, ha, ha. Girl, lower that sword before you hurt yourself." the dragon mocked, laughing.
"Can you… talk?" Asia asked, surprised.
"Of course, I'm not a primitive beast." the dragon replied disdainfully. "I introduce myself, little mortal girl. My name is Odahviing."
Upon hearing that name, Asia's eyes widened. Edzard had told her about a dragon with that name, his companion.
"You're Ed's companion!" Asia exclaimed, relieved and surprised as she pointed at the dragon.
If Odahviing had eyebrows, he probably would have raised one in confusion.
"Ed?" he repeated, perplexed. "I don't know any Ed."
"Ed, it's Edzard." Asia clarified, waving her arms. "You know, the Dovahkiin!"
"Ah, of course, I know him." the dragon responded, looking at Asia intently. "But I didn't know they called him Ed."
Asia blushed slightly. "Sorry, my name is Asia Argento. I'm a friend of Edzard." she said, giving a quick bow.
"Ha, you're more polite than the brat." Odahviing commented with a laugh. "But I think you already know why I'm here."
Asia nodded seriously. The dragon approached Edzard and opened his enormous jaws.
"HAAS! DUR! VOKRI!" Odahviing shouted, and a golden wave appeared from his mouth, enveloping Edzard. A purple miasma rose from his body, evaporating into the air.
"It is done." Odahviing announced as he saw the curse disappear.
Relieved, Asia ran to Edzard and began applying healing magic. This time, the wounds started to heal slowly.
"Well, I've done my part." Odahviing said, looking towards the sky. "I'm leaving. You can tell the brat that the old one wants to talk to him."
Asia nodded, watching as the dragon took flight towards the southwest. When Odahviing disappeared over the horizon, Asia improvised a small camp, placing Edzard in his sleeping bag. She lay down beside him, staying alert but more at ease now that her friend was beginning to recover.
Edzard's eyes opened with the sunlight.
'What happened?' was his thought; the last thing he remembered was covering Asia when the roof collapsed on them.
'Asia.' Edzard quickly got up to see where she was. Looking around, he could see Asia resting beside him, curled up in her own sleeping bag. Edzard couldn't help but watch her as she slept.
'She looks so peaceful.' Edzard smiled; however, Asia began to wake up.
"Eh, Ed?" a sleepy Asia asked upon seeing Edzard.
"Good morning, sleepyhead." he joked.
Asia quickly pounced on Edzard and hugged him as tears fell from her eyes.
"Idiot! Why did you do that?" Asia cried, holding him tighter. "Do you have any idea how scared I was when I thought you died?"
"I'm sorry." Edzard replied as he returned the hug. "I just wanted to protect you."
Asia continued crying on his shoulder, and Edzard felt worse for making her cry. When they finally separated, Edzard was surprised when Asia kissed him. As she pulled away, she smiled at Edzard's stunned expression.
"A…A…Asia?" was all he could stammer. "Why did you do that?"
"Isn't it obvious? I love you." The blush on her face was atomic.
"You… love me?" Edzard asked, still in shock from Asia's words.
She nodded. She hadn't been sure of her feelings for Edzard; however, both Aela and Serana had made her realize that she had fallen in love with him.
Flashback
Serana and Aela were worried as they watched Asia drink mead as if there were not tomorrow.
"Asia, stop it." Serana said, taking a bottle of mead from her.
"No." Asia replied, completely drunk, snatching the bottle back.
"No, Asia. Stop drinking." Aela insisted, taking the bottle away again.
"But…" Asia tried to reply but ended up resigning herself when she saw that her friends wouldn't give in. "Fine."
"What's wrong with you? Why are you drinking so much?" Serana asked, concerned for her friend.
"I read a letter Ed received."
"All this fuss over a letter?" Aela asked, confused. "What did the letter say?"
"It was from a lord. He was offering his daughter's hand in marriage."
"And?" Aela asked, not understanding. "Ed usually receives those kinds of letters almost daily."
Aela remembered all the times large amounts of letters arrived from all corners of Skyrim, all of them marriage proposals.
While Aela internally laughed at Edzard's dilemma with the marriage letters, Serana, closely seeing Asia, began to smile as she realized what was happening.
"So, why don't you like Edzard receiving those letters?" she asked, smiling.
"Because if Ed accepts, he'll go with someone I don't know."
"So, is it okay if he goes with someone you know?" Aela asked, smiling as she realized where Serana was going. "Maybe with me or Serana?"
"No! Ed is mine!" Asia shouted, blushing as she realized what she had said.
"And… and… I…" Asia stammered, looking for an answer.
"Ha! Ha! Ha!" Aela and Serana laughed as they saw Asia fuming.
"So, all this is out of fear." Serana said, recovering from her laughter.
"Fear?"
"Yes. You're afraid that someone will take Edzard away from you." Serana replied, taking Asia's hand. "And do you know why you're afraid?"
"No." Asia lied, although deep down she knew why she feared Edzard marrying someone else.
"Yes, you do." Aela said with a smile, as she had heard Asia's heart racing.
"It's because I like him." Asia confessed, with her head down.
"It's not just a passing fancy." Serana said, gently squeezing Asia's hands. "Tell me, what comes to mind when you think of Edzard?"
"His smile. His kindness." Asia replied, looking Serana in the eyes.
"His shirtless body, glistening with sweat when he trains under the sun." Aela joked.
Asia blushed, remembering Edzard training shirtless. Seeing her blush, Serana hit Aela to stop her from interrupting.
"So, what do you want?" Serana asked with a small smile.
"I want to be with Edzard forever."
End flashback
However, a cold wind brought her back from memory lane to the present.
"Don't you love me?" Asia asked, fearful of having ruined her friendship with him.
Edzard didn't respond immediately, which made Asia feel sadder and more nervous. But she was greatly surprised when he took her by the waist and, pulling her close, kissed her. As they separated, he was smiling.
"Does that answer your question?"
Asia began to cry with happiness as she hugged Edzard again, and they started kissing as if there were not tomorrow.
When they finally finished their kissing marathon, Asia told him what had happened after he passed out.
"So, you heard a voice that introduced itself as the mother of the prodigal earth." Edzard said, mimicking the gesture of stroking a nonexistent beard.
"Yes, she told me that you had been cursed by the weapon that gave you those wounds." Asia explained, while offering him a piece of bread and meat. "She was also the one who sent a dragon to help you."
"A dragon?" Edzard asked, taking a piece of bread to his mouth and swallowing quickly. "What was this dragon like?"
"Umm… It was red, spoke with a deep voice, and was a bit rude." Asia replied, remembering the dragon and pouting at the end.
"I only know one dragon with those characteristics." Edzard sighed, as a drop of sweat fell from his forehead. "Did that dragon mention anything else?"
"Yes, he said to tell you that an old man wanted to talk to you."
Hearing that, Edzard almost choked on the meat.
'That disrespectful idiot.' Edzard thought, grimacing. 'But I wonder what Paarthurnax wants from me.'
After this conversation, Edzard took the vampires' weapons and stored them in a magical bag, capable of holding many items regardless of their weight. Then, he and Asia mounted their horses and returned to Whiterun.
Solitude - Turdas 24 of Evening Star of 202 of the Fourth era
The snow had blanketed the entire city of Solitude in white. Children were running around the plaza, adults were out shopping at the market, and the taverns were filled with people drowning their sorrows. However, everyone was excited about the festivities. The current residents of Proudspire Manor were no exception.
Proudspire Manor was one of the most valuable properties Edzard owned, having cost a total of thirty-nine thousand septims, including furniture. This mansion had three floors and a basement. On the first floor were the armory, the enchanting room, the alchemy lab, and the room of the housecarl Jordis. On the second floor were the kitchen, the dining room, and a small library. On the third floor were the bedrooms: the master bedroom and two others where guests would stay. Outside, there was a small patio offering a view of the forests surrounding the city, the Sea of Ghosts, and in the distance, the lands of Winterhold could be slightly seen. And not least, in the basement was the bathroom, which had a large hot water pool.
Asia was quickly walking back and forth in the mansion, decorating everything for the party that would take place that night. She had been a bit sad about missing several festivities of her religion, like Christmas, but thanks to the calendar studies she had done with Edzard, they discovered they had a similar calendar. This allowed her to know precisely when the festivities would be.
"Ed! Help me put these decorations on the tree!" Asia shouted from the mansion's dining room.
"I'm coming!" Edzard replied as he ran to where Asia was.
Upon arriving, Edzard took the decorations Asia had and began placing them on the tree. For Edzard, this festivity was called Saturalia, while for Asia it was known as Christmas. While in her land they celebrate the birth of Christ, in Tamriel it is an ancient festivity dedicated to Sanguine, the Daedric Prince of debauchery and carnal excess. However, nowadays, it had become more of a family celebration: a party where gifts are exchanged, there are parades, and people wear special clothes just for this occasion.
They had arrived in Solitude that same morning, after riding from Whiterun. The journey was quick since they were not traveling in a carriage but each on their own horse. Edzard had decided to buy Asia the horse he had rented for the mission in Rannveig's Fast, so she would have her own mount. It is worth mentioning that this earned him a few kisses from Asia, which put him in a good mood.
'I still remember how Serana reacted when she found out how close I came to dying.' Edzard thought as he finished placing the final decorations on the tree.
Flashback
Edzard and Serana were chatting in a private room at the Bannered Mare. In front of them were some already opened bottles of mead.
"So, you almost got yourself killed for being arrogant and trying to show off in front of Asia." Serana said bitterly after Edzard told her what happened at Rannveig's Fast.
"I wasn't being arrogant or trying to show off." Edzard replied with a pout.
Serana didn't respond, she just raised an eyebrow.
"Ed, I've seen you kill vampires as easily as a sickle cuts wheat." Serana said, smiling. "So, admit it, you wanted to look like a hero in front of your new lover."
Edzard didn't respond; he simply focused on looking into Serana's eyes, who did the same. They stayed like that for a while until Edzard looked away.
"Alright, I admit it, I wanted to show off a bit."
Serana started laughing out loud. "Ha, ha, ha. Only you, Ed, only you."
"What kind of vampires were they?" Serana asked, setting aside the amusement.
"They were pure-blood vampires." Edzard replied while taking a sip of mead.
"Weren't they vampire lords?"
Edzard shook his head, but before Serana could speak again, he interrupted her by pulling out the axe that had wounded him.
"What is this?" Serana asked, taking the axe to examine it and grimacing at the smell it emanated.
The weapon reeked of blood magic and necromancy, although it looked like an ordinary ebony axe.
"It's the weapon that wounded me." Edzard replied while watching Serana evaluate the axe's edge. "I wouldn't do that; this axe has an enchantment that allows it to place a curse on whoever it cuts, no matter how slight the cut."
Serana quickly withdrew her finger before cutting herself. Looking more closely at the weapon, she could notice the enchantment, although she didn't know what it was.
"Ed, can I borrow this for a while?" Serana asked, pointing to the weapon. "I'll take it to my mother to see what we can find out about the curse."
"Alright." Edzard replied. "About your mother, is there any response to what we talked about when I arrived in Whiterun with Asia?"
"Yes, my mother told me to give you this." Serana replied, pulling a letter from her pocket.
Edzard received the letter and read it. When he did, his eyes widened in surprise.
"Serana, tell your mother she can keep the axe as part of the payment for her services."
Before Serana could ask, Edzard handed her the letter. When she read it, her eyes also widened.
'I knew my mother was capable of many things, but this…' Serana thought as she read the letter. Her mother had managed to find basic information about the magic needed for Edzard to travel to another dimension, the magic known as shadow magic.
Shadow magic is a very powerful type of dark magic. Theoretically, shadows are not just an absence of light but reflections of parallel worlds or alternate universes. This type of magic focuses on manipulating the forces that create shadows to alter events of the past, present, or future. If used by someone of great power, it can affect the flow of time itself and create dragon breaks. This magic can also be used to create portals that allow travel to other places and between worlds.
"Ed, I don't quite understand. I know you promised Asia to send her back to her world. But wouldn't that separate you two?"
"I'll cross that bridge when I come to it."
"So, did you enjoy kissing Asia?"
Edzard simply blushed while looking away. This reaction brought a smile to Serana's face, but she didn't stop there.
"And have you two…" Serana said, inserting her left index finger into a circle she had formed with the thumb and index finger of her right hand.
Edzard's blush deepened as he understood what that meant. He tried to respond, but only stammering came out of his mouth. This, of course, made Serana start laughing out loud.
End flashback
When Edzard returned from that train of memories, he realized he had finished decorating the tree completely. Looking at it from top to bottom and feeling satisfied with his work, he decided to leave the dining room.
Upon arriving in the kitchen, he saw Asia preparing some cookies in the oven. Sneaking up on her, he hugged her from behind. Asia stopped kneading the cookie dough and leaned back against Edzard. They stayed like that for a few moments.
When night fell, the guests had already arrived. These included Fortunata, Laure, Vilkas, Farkas, Aela, and Serana, in addition to the residents of the house: Edzard, Asia, and Jordis. Everyone was dressed in outfits appropriate for the celebration. The men wore red tunics down to their knees with gold details, over which they wore blue vests with white edges, brown leather belts at the waist, and pants and boots of the same color. The women wore long red wool dresses with gold details and embroidery, also with brown leather belts and low boots of the same tone.
"So, let's start with the gift exchange." Laure announced excitedly. "Alright, everyone takes out what you brought!"
Everyone had sweat drops on their foreheads as Laure began to pull out several bags. Edzard just shook his head while smiling. Taking Asia's hand, they went to the first floor, from where they returned with a chest. The others also took out their presents.
"So, who starts? The twins? The redhead? The girl with the strange eyes? The new couple? The imperial? Or me?" Laure asked, pointing to the attendees.
Everyone was astonished by what Laure said, however, they all looked at Asia and Edzard.
"It's tradition for the hosts to go first." Serana joked, looking at Asia and Edzard.
Edzard and Asia looked at each other and smiled. Getting up from their seats, they opened the chest Edzard had brought and took out several bags, which were distributed among all the attendees. The gifts consisted of small amounts of gold and a special item for each one. Farkas and Vilkas received enchanted weapons. Fortunata and Laure, books and spell scrolls. Aela received a new bow, and Serana, some bottles with Edzard's blood. Jordis received a set of steel plate armor.
After this first gift delivery, the other participants also began to distribute their presents. These included decorations for their rooms, jewelry, weapons, and liquors. When the gift exchange ended, the party began. Everyone drank, ate, danced, and laughed until late into the night. At the end of the celebrations, all the guests went to their rooms to rest.
Edzard and Asia went to the patio, where they began to contemplate the sea.
"Asia, I have a gift for you." Edzard said as he reached into his enchanted pocket, pulling out a small package wrapped in cloth.
Asia received the package and, upon unwrapping it, was astonished. In her hands was her Bible. Asia opened it and began to look at it closely, then looked up, her eyes moist as she looked at Edzard.
"How?"
"It's not the original." Edzard replied with a smile while wiping her tears. "I used an Auramancy spell on the cross you carry with you."
"Auramancy?" she asked, taking the cross and looking at it closely.
"Yes, Auramancy is a magic that allows you to see the memories of objects that have strong emotions from their owners." Edzard explained with a smile. "After seeing your memories of always reading that book, I started copying it with the help of an enchanted quill."
Asia took the copy of her Bible and pressed it against her chest, still tearing up.
"I'm sorry, Ed, but I don't have any gift for you." Asia said, looking at the ground.
"You already gave me a great gift, Asia." Edzard replied, gently taking Asia's face and kissing her.
Asia opened her eyes at the implication of Edzard's words, but then closed them again as she enjoyed the kiss.
Author's note:
To those who have made it this far, Thanks for reading. Don't forget to leave a comment if you liked the chapter or if there is anything that needs to be improved.
With nothing more to say, until the next chapter.