Kaide blinked, the memory fading. He glanced at his reflection in the mirror, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"First crush, huh?" he muttered to himself, running a hand through his hair.

As he stepped outside the bath, the warmth that kept reminding him of an unforgettable memory from his childhood lingered.

He hadn't thought about Neptune in years, but the memory still brought a bittersweet smile to his face. It was funny how the past had a way of sneaking up on him, even in the quietest moments.

Taking his time, Kaide finds himself entering their shared room, the two sat across from each other, the fire in the small hearth crackling softly. Kaide leaned back in his chair, while Filyn scribbled on a piece of parchment, sketching rough ideas for her gauntlets.

"So," Filyn began, setting her quill down and looking at Kaide,

"Where do you think we should commission your three-sectioned staff and my gauntlets? We've got the materials now. We just need a forge and a skilled smith."

Kaide considered her question, leaning forward and resting his chin on his hand.

"It depends. There are some great smiths in this world, but if we want the absolute best. . . we'll probably need to head to another one."

Filyn raised an eyebrow.

"Another world? Like which one?"

"I was thinking of one that specializes in blending magical and physical craftsmanship," Kaide said thoughtfully.

"I have a rough idea on what place comes to mind."

Filyn grinned.

"I like the sound of that. Do you think the Dimenswatch EXA can send us there?"

Kaide pulled the watch-like device from his pocket, its intricate gears and glowing runes faintly humming with power.

"I'll check. I should be able to pinpoint it with information — or at least be able to point us to it."

Filyn stretched and reclined in her chair, satisfied.

"Perfect. Once we've got the location, we'll head out. I can't wait to see what they'll make with these materials."

Kaide smirked.

"Neither can I. Let's get some rest first. Tomorrow, we'll finalize the details. I'm tired from today's work. . ."

The fire crackled softly as the two prepared for bed, their minds buzzing with the possibilities of their upcoming commissions.

|♪♪♪♪♪|

The next morning arrived gently, sunlight streaming through the curtains and painting the room in soft, golden hues. The warm light crept across the floor before finally landing on the faces of two familiar figures.

Kaide groaned, shifting slightly as the brightness pried at his eyelids.

"Ugh. . . morning already?" he mumbled, raising an arm to shield his eyes from the invasive light.

Across the room, Filyn stirred, letting out a muffled grumble before firmly pressing a pillow over her face.

"Too bright. . . just five more minutes," she muttered, her voice muffled but resolute.

For a while, the two lingered in their state of half-consciousness, unwilling to face the demands of the day. Kaide eventually swung his legs off the bed, rubbing his eyes with a resigned sigh.

"Alright, I'm up. . . kind of."

Filyn, still clutching her pillow, peeked out from beneath it with one eye. 

"Fine. . . but I'm not rushing," she said with a yawn, tossing the pillow aside and stretching lazily.

Once they shook off the morning grogginess, the pair set about tidying their shared space. Clothes and belongings were folded and returned to their places, the room slowly returning to order. The refreshing sense of accomplishment didn't take long to set in, and it was quickly rewarded by the long-awaited indulgence of a hot bath.

Some time later, the two found themselves lounging back in their room, dressed in comfortable, casual attire. The lingering warmth of the bath left them relaxed and at ease, their earlier reluctance to face the day now replaced with a contented calm.

Kaide leaned against the edge of the bed, his fingers idly tracing patterns on the cover.

"You know," he started, a faint smile playing on his lips,

"we really don't have mornings like this often."

Filyn, sprawled across a nearby chair, tilted her head with a lazy grin.

"Maybe we should start making it a habit. . . after all, I wouldn't mind a bit more luxury in life."

Their shared chuckles filled the room, a quiet reminder of the rare moments of peace they could carve out in their otherwise unpredictable lives.

Kaide adjusted the strap of the Dimenswatch Exa on his wrist, its sleek, otherworldly design glinting faintly in the soft light of the Hyperdimension's sky through the window. Pressing down on the holographic interface, he activated the communicator feature.

A distorted voice emerged from the device, laced with static and a slight edge of annoyance.

"Finally! You decide to call. I was beginning to think you forgot this thing even worked."

The AI of the watch complained.

Kaide rubbed the back of his neck, a sheepish grin forming.

"Yeah. . . About that. I got a bit — uh — distracted. Turns out there's a lot going on in this place. Anyway, I need to ask you something important."

Before Kaide could continue, the EXA AI cut him off with a dry laugh.

"Important? Like the twenty-seven missed calls from my family? They've been trying to get a hold of me through your Dimenswatch."

Kaide blinked, then turned crimson.

"Wait, they can do that? How long has that been going on?"

"Since the moment you decided not to check the notification settings, genius."

Groaning, Kaide slumped against a nearby wall.

"Okay, okay! Let's put that aside for now. I was. . .a little too engrossed with stuff here. Didn't think the watch could do so much. My bad."

"Not just your bad — this thing has interdimensional functionality for a reason, you know."

Kaide straightened up, determined to change the subject.

"Speaking of functionality, can the Dimenswatch locate specific worlds?"

The EXA's voice grew more serious.

"Of course it can. It uses a combination of dimensional coordinates and energy signatures unique to each world. As long as you've got a basic idea of what you're looking for — like distinct features or a strong memory associated with that place — the watch can narrow it down."

Kaide perked up, his curiosity piqued.

"So. . . if I describe a world in detail, can it lock onto it and give me a way to get there?"

"Absolutely. The more details you provide, the better the precision. It's like honing in on a signal. Think of it like trying to remember a dream — you just need a clear enough image to anchor it."

Kaide's fingers hovered over the watch's interface, his mind racing.

"Okay. . . this changes everything. Let's see if we can find —"

He stopped himself, hesitating.

"Find what, exactly? Or should I prepare for more 'missed calls' in the near future?"

Kaide chuckled nervously, his excitement mingling with a hint of apprehension.

"Just. . . hold on. Let me think about how to phrase this."

For the first time in what felt like weeks, Kaide felt a tangible connection to the worlds beyond. And for better or worse, he knew this was just the beginning.

The morning peace didn't last long. After finishing breakfast, Kaide checked his quest log and turned to Filyn, who was still lounging in the chair, sipping a warm drink.

"Filyn, we gotta grab the Glacier Bear quest up north,"

Kaide said, his tone a mix of determination and practicality.

"We can splurge a bit of money, but there's really no need to spend too much. I might purchase a laptop later though — get the manuscripts digitally edited."

Filyn raised an eyebrow, her interest piqued.

"A laptop? Fancy. Finally moving up in the world, huh?" she teased, but her smirk softened into a thoughtful expression.

"Still, I guess you're right. Glacier Bears aren't exactly common. If we're lucky, we could walk away with a decent haul. Guess the guild really helped gather information because there was a quest regarding them."

Kaide nodded, tightening the strap of his Dimenswatch as they gathered their gear.

"Exactly. Let's get going before someone else snatches it."

|♪♪♪♪♪|

The frigid air nipped at their faces as Kaide and Filyn climbed the icy slope, their breaths visible in the cold. The sound of distant growls sent shivers down Kaide's spine, though he wasn't sure if it was from the cold or the anticipation of what lay ahead.

As they approached a ridge, the Glacier Bear came into view — a hulking mass of fur and frost, its crystalline claws gleaming in the faint sunlight. It let out a thunderous roar, shaking loose icicles from nearby rocks. Next to it was a second glacier bear that they were unaware of. Much to their luck, the second bear left to go somewhere in the distance, but still close by.

"Here we go," Kaide muttered, unsheathing his blade.

The first bear charged, its heavy paws thundering against the snow. Kaide darted forward, meeting its charge with a precise horizontal slash. Sparks flew as his blade struck the icy sheen of the bear's thick hide, leaving a shallow cut.

Filyn stayed back, her hands glowing with fiery energy.

"Keep it busy!" she called out, releasing a volley of fireballs that collided with the bear's flank. The flames hissed against the frost, causing the creature to flinch and redirect its focus.

The fight continued with Kaide weaving in and out of the bear's swipes, narrowly avoiding its massive claws. When the bear reared up on its hind legs to strike, Kaide lunged, delivering a critical blow to its exposed chest.

The Glacier Bear let out a pained roar before collapsing, its massive body kicking up a cloud of snow.

Kaide exhaled sharply, kneeling to inspect the spoils. He picked up a small shard of miranium and held it to the light.

"Not bad," he muttered, glancing at the two decently sized ice crystals nearby.

Filyn joined him, her breath visible as she crouched down.

"This'll fetch a good price. But we're not done yet. There's supposed to be another one, right?" tossing one crystal to Filyn, who caught it deftly.

"Decent haul," she agreed, brushing snow off her gloves.

"But we're not done yet. There's supposed to be another one nearby, right?"

Kaide stood, nodding. "Yeah. Let's keep moving."

Getting the attention of the other glacier bear, it roars in anger. Its fur glistened with a layer of frost, and its sheer size was enough to make Kaide hesitate for a moment. With a ground-shaking roar, it got closer to meet them, the impact sending a tremor through the snow.

Kaide barely had time to react as the bear charged, swinging a massive paw. He ducked just in time, feeling the wind from the attack graze his face.

"This one's a lot stronger!" he shouted, rolling to the side.

Filyn launched a concentrated burst of fire, but the bear countered with a sweep of its claws, scattering the flames before they could fully connect.

"It's resistant, definitely stronger than the other!" she called, her voice tinged with frustration.

She was right. The battle was brutal, the bear's strength and speed far exceeding the first.

Kaide gritted his teeth and pressed forward, aiming for the bear's legs. His strikes were fast but lacked the force to penetrate its icy armor. The bear retaliated with a backhanded swipe, sending him skidding across the snow.

"Kaide!" Filyn shouted, rushing to his side.

"I'm fine," he grunted, pushing himself up despite the ache in his ribs.

The bear roared again, charging toward them with unrelenting ferocity. Filyn stepped forward, her hands blazing.

"I'll distract it — just get ready!"

Her fire magic flared brighter as she summoned a wall of flames, forcing the bear to halt. The creature hesitated, growling as it attempted to circle around the barrier. Kaide seized the moment, dashing forward to land a deep strike across its hind leg.

The Glacier Bear howled, its movements faltering as the injury slowed it down. But it wasn't done yet. With a desperate lunge, it swiped at Kaide, its claws grazing his arm.

"Argh!" Kaide staggered back, clutching the wound as blood seeped through his fingers.

Filyn's eyes narrowed, her frustration giving way to determination.

"Enough of this!"

she shouted, her magic surging. With a burst of energy, she unleashed a fiery explosion that engulfed the bear, forcing it to stumble.

Kaide took advantage of the opening, delivering a powerful, two-handed strike to the creature's chest. The bear let out one final roar before collapsing, its massive body hitting the ground with a deafening thud.

Finally, with a coordinated effort — Kaide landing a decisive strike while Filyn immobilized the beast with a fiery barrier — they brought it down. Exhausted, they stood over the massive corpse, their breaths visible in the icy air.

Panting, Kaide leaned on his sword for support.

"That. . . was way too close."

Kaide knelt, retrieving the spoils: a massive chunk of miranium and a pristine, oversized ice crystal. He held it up, the light refracting through its flawless surface.

"Jackpot," he said, though his voice was strained, and his movements slower than before.

Filyn frowned, her eyes narrowing as she noticed blood seeping from a cut on Kaide's arm.

"Kaide, you're hurt!" she exclaimed, rushing to his side.

"It's not that bad," he insisted, but his attempt to brush it off faltered when Filyn placed a firm hand on his shoulder.

"Not bad is still bad enough," she said firmly.

"We're heading to the hospital. No arguments."

Kaide tried to protest but stopped when he saw the stern look in her eyes. 

"Fine. . . you win."

Filyn helped him down the slope, the spoils of their hard-fought battle packed away: a massive chunk of miranium and a flawless, oversized ice crystal.

"At least it was worth it," Kaide said with a weak smile, though the pain in his arm was hard to ignore.

Filyn rolled her eyes but couldn't help smirking.

"Yeah, but next time, try not to get mauled, okay?"

|♪♪♪♪♪|

The hospital was warm and bustling with activity, a stark contrast to the cold, desolate mountains. Kaide sat on the edge of a cot, his arm wrapped in bandages while Filyn leaned against the wall, arms crossed.

"Thanks for dragging me here," Kaide said with a half-smile, though the gratitude in his tone was genuine.

Filyn raised an eyebrow.

"Dragging? You could barely argue with me."

He chuckled softly, shaking his head.

"I guess. Still, it's a good thing we came out of that alive. That last haul was worth it."

Filyn smirked, holding up the oversized ice crystal.

"You mean this beauty? Yeah, I'd say so. But next time, don't get yourself mauled, okay?"

Kaide laughed, though he winced slightly at the motion.

"I know. . ."

Kaide sat on the edge of a cot in the hospital's recovery ward, his arm wrapped in fresh bandages. The antiseptic smell of the room was sharp, but the warmth of the space was a welcome contrast to the biting cold they had endured in the mountains.

Filyn stood by his side, leaning casually against the wall with her arms crossed. Despite her relaxed posture, her eyes betrayed a mix of concern and annoyance.

"You've really got a knack for getting yourself banged up, you know that?" she said, raising an eyebrow.

Kaide chuckled lightly, though the motion made him wince. "Sorry. . . ."

Filyn rolled her eyes but moved closer, pulling a chair beside his bed.

"You're lucky it wasn't worse. That Glacier Bear could've taken your arm clean off."

"I know." Kaide replied, offering a faint smile.

"And besides, you were there. I knew you wouldn't let things get out of hand."

Her expression softened for a moment before she quickly masked it with a mock scowl.

"Don't think flattery is going to get you out of trouble next time."

As they bantered, a nurse entered the room, a clipboard in hand. She was a kind-looking woman with a warm smile that put Kaide at ease.

"Mr. Kaide, how are you feeling?" she asked, glancing at his bandaged arm.

"Better." Kaide replied.

"The pain's not too bad now."

The nurse nodded, jotting down a few notes.

"That's good to hear. The wound wasn't deep, but it'll need a couple of days to fully heal. Try not to overexert yourself in the meantime."

Kaide gave a half-hearted shrug. "I'll try."

Filyn shot him a glare. "He'll rest. I'll make sure of it."

The nurse chuckled softly. "I'll leave him in your capable hands, then. Let us know if you need anything."

She left the room, leaving the two alone again.

The hospital room fell quiet for a moment, the only sound the faint hum of machinery monitoring nearby patients. Kaide leaned back against the cot's headrest, staring at the ceiling.

"You know," he started, his tone more subdued,

"During that fight, I thought. . . maybe this is it."

Filyn tilted her head, watching him closely.

"But it wasn't. You pulled through. We both did."

"Yeah," Kaide said, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

"But I realized something out there. I'm trying too hard sometimes — to prove something, I think . . ."

Filyn frowned, leaning forward slightly.

"Prove what? You've got nothing to prove to me, Kaide. We're partners. I'm here to back you up, not watch you throw yourself into danger for no reason."

Her words hung in the air, heavy with sincerity. Kaide turned to meet her gaze, his expression softening. 

"Thanks, Filyn. I mean it."

"Somebody has to keep an eye out for you." she said with a smirk.

Though, her eyes betrayed a flicker of relief.

Later that day, Kaide was discharged with strict instructions to avoid strenuous activity. The hospital provided him with a sling for his arm and a small packet of medicinal ointment to aid the healing process.

As they left the hospital, Filyn walked a step ahead, carrying the loot they had fought so hard to earn. Kaide trailed behind her, his steps slower than usual.

"You know, this doesn't mean you're off the hook," Filyn said over her shoulder.

"You're going to rest, and I'm going to handle the errands for the next few days."

Kaide groaned. "But I was going to look for that laptop. . ."

"You can shop for a laptop once you're back to full strength," Filyn said firmly.

"Until then, you're banned from anything that is remotely exciting."

Kaide sighed dramatically, but a small smile played on his lips.

"Fine. . ."

Filyn smirked. "Good. Now come on, let's get you back to the room. You've got a long recovery ahead, and I'm not letting you ruin it."

Back in their room, Kaide settled onto the bed with a deep sigh, the warmth of the space comforting after the day's events. Filyn placed the loot on the table, her gaze lingering on the oversized ice crystal.

"Think we'll get a good price for this?" she asked, holding it up to the light.

Kaide nodded, his eyes heavy with exhaustion.

"Yeah. But you should handle the negotiations. You're better at it anyway."

Filyn smiled, setting the crystal down. "Rest up, Kaide. You've earned it."

As she turned to leave, Kaide called out softly.

"Hey, Filyn?"

She paused, glancing over her shoulder.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks. . . for everything."

Filyn's smile softened, and she nodded.

"Anytime, Kaide."

|♪♪♪♪♪|

Chapter 6

Glacier Bears

3146 Words