Archive of Our Own

Snap

Snap

Snap. 

And the fire goes off in the torches, allowing darkness to embrace all parts of the tavern. 

With the cackling of fire gone, the tavern turns ghost-quiet, save for the howling of wind knocking against the windows — so strong that the creaks of the wooden walls were heard indiscriminately with the wind. 

Without the warmth of the fire to defend against the cold, the harsh winter of Novingrad swiftly sweeps into the tavern, cooling everything within it. A feminine hand stretches out into the moonlight, intercepting it’s path into the tavern as if to gather warmth.

Warmth.

A term that is foreign to the woman herself. Not even the summer sun that shines into Novingrad would be able to warm her entire being. After all, being the vassal of an ice goddess effectively shields her from any potential harm all kinds warmth might bring her.

Except one.

Only one kind of warmth would be able to burn her entire being and she would willingly surrender herself to that warmth. 

But it doesn’t exist anymore. At least. Not in the very place she resides in. 

it’s ironic, really, that she would continually crave for that warmth although she was, is to be the very embodiment of ice. 

It is as ironic as her being able manipulate fire at will ever since that disastrous mission five lifetimes ago.

Chuckling lowly to herself, the woman watched the dust illuminated by the moonlight dancing around her fingertips.

She then rose from her seat and makes her way around the tavern perfectly in pitch darkness. her hands, sweeping across the cool mahogany everytime she passed a table. Relishing in the way the wood interacted with the palm of her hand, she closed her eyes to enjoy the rustle of wood underneath her fingertips. Nature has always calmed her down in turbulent times. This was no exception either.

Moving swiftly to the back of the counter, she grabbed a few bottles of alcohol and mixers and proceeded to concocting a cocktail. It’s not as if she didn’t know what bottles she got a hold of. She had already memorized the placings of each bottle on the shelf. 

Even if this wasnt her place to begin with. 

Mixing the cocktail in a cobbler shaker to a steady rhythm, she closed her eyes and listened to every sound there was to hear.

The sound of ice hitting the sides of the glass.

Her own breathing. 

The cold winds that were battering against the walls of the tavern. 

And — 

The tavern was once again bathed in light. 

Eyes shooting open, she tried to quickly adjust to the blinding light but her vision was still unfocused.

“What the fu—“

“You still have that idiotic habit of mixing drinks in the dark, Ms Bartender?”

“You still have that annoying habit of lighting torches without my permission?” The bartender spoke, all the while continuing the motions of preparing her beverage.

No words were exchanged between the stranger and the bartender as the latter skilfully poured the contents of her mixed beverage into a glass. Not a single drop wasted. 

Placing a coaster at the edge of the table, the bartender set the glass down on top and inserted a mini umbrella into the drink. With a small smile, she gestured for the stranger to take a seat in front of the beverage.  

A small scoff and eye roll on the stranger’s part pulled the edges of the bartender’s lips ever so slightly as she kept her eye on the stranger moving and sitting in front of her. As the stranger made her way over, the bartender quickly took a once-over at the stranger before her. 

Dressed in a navy collared top, black leather pants and high knee length boots with it, it looks as though this stranger was underwhelmingly equipped to face the winter in Novingrad. 

The eternal winter she had brought into Novingrad 

But then again, she wonders if the cold has never affected this stranger at all.

“What is this?” The stranger seated down asked, a question she already knew the answer to. 

“If you take a sip, I’m sure you’ll be able to guess what it is.” The bartender smoothly replied, taking a stool from the bottom of the counter and sat on it.

Taking the drink in her hand, the stranger slowly brought it up to her lips, pausing ever so slightly to take a glance at the bartender seated across her. Tipping the glass, she took a sip of the contents and closed her eyes, savouring the taste of it. 

Sweet tasting peach with a hint of rum and chocolate. 

Just the way she would have liked it. 

“Her favourite drink.” The stranger spoke, immediately after she swallowed the drink. “As usual Yeon, as usual.”

“Not like I can make anything else nowadays, Jihyo.” 

“Nayeon...” 

“If you’re here to lecture me, save your breath. I cant believe Momo sent you all the way down to Novingrad for this.” Nayeon rested her cheek against her palm, her other hand taking the umbrella off the glass.

“Besides,” Nayeon continued, fiddling the mini umbrella across her fingers, expertly moving them between each finger. “Shouldn’t you, the great vassal of Odin, have better things to deal with? Momo can see me anywhere just fine - i’m sure of it. Why come all the way down here when you can summon her to ask about my whereabouts?”

For a moment, Jihyo did not reply and only opted to down the rest of the alcohol in the glass. Sweeping her eyes across the tavern she was in, she feels that this place was so misplaced, but at the same time, familiar. A 15th century tavern on the outside, a 20th century decoration and selection of drinks on the inside.

Best of both worlds I guess. Jihyo thought to herself. 

Licking her lips together in a small effort to clean them, Jihyo mirrored Nayeon’s posture before replying her. 

“Fair point, Nayeon. But, if I’m here, personally to see you, then that means there is something I wish to relay to your ears personally.” Jihyo’s gaze turned hard as she focused on Nayeon, who in turn, had her eyes set on the window, looking at the amount of snow steadily building up outside. 

I’d probably have to shovel some snow off tomorrow... What a pain.  

“And that is...?” Nayeon drawled out, shifting her eyes upwards, trying to count the number of icicles forming at the top of the window. 

“We found her.” At this, Nayeon visibly straighten up, looking at Jihyo with almost accusatory eyes.

“WHAT?!” At that proclamation, a distant howling could be heard, and Jihyo realised that the snow was picking up speed.

 A blizzard is on its way... Because of the turmoil in her heart? Jihyo wondered.

 “You could have told me five minutes ago when you entered this place and you had the gall to tell me now? Who are you to—“

I need to calm her down or this scrawny tavern would need some rebuilding again... and Jeong will never let me hear the end of that.  

“SILENCE.” A crack of thunder was heard, too close for comfort for Nayeon’s ears. Curse Jihyo and her talents in sorcery. Her magical affinity to thunder is as good a level as Thor’s. 

At the corner of her eye, she could see Kaldr baring its fangs against Freki. Both wolves were circling around each other in inches of snow, probably deep enough to bury them fully if one were to pounce on the other. Nayeon had started to wonder how did she not even notice Freki’s presence even though she was on full alert.

With a small sigh escaping her lips, she mentally ordered Kaldr to stand down and focused on Jihyo once more.

“If I had told you immediately after I came in, you would have probably throttled your way down to wherever she is and bang your head against the wall, lamenting the fact that she never remembered any of us.” Nayeon reluctantly agreed in her head, not that she would ever let Jihyo have the pleasure in knowing that.

“Besides, having Momo befriend her would be the best option now, since she would be able to keep an eye on her wherever she is. And you know how Momo is with her. Momo would never let her out of her sight ever again.” Jihyo looked out into the windows, finding both Freki and Kaldr playing in the snow without a hint of animosity. Funny how their familiar’s attitudes change so quickly once their master’s heart had settled down.

“Can I see her?” Nayeon asked after a moment of silence.

Momo. Show us where you are. Jihyo called out.

Nayeon immediately recognized that jungle of concrete her mind was pulled into.

Japan.

The streets looked familiar, with some modern touches. after all, Nayeon had lived in japan during the late 20th century.

willing Momo to guide her, her mind’s eye was gradually being pulled into focus and she was soon standing at the entrance of a school.

"To your right, Nayeonie” Nayeon heard Momo’s voice reverberating in her head.

Turning to her right, Nayeon’s breath catches when she saw the landscape in front of her.

Two teenagers walking side by side, speaking to each other in excited tones. Laughter bubbling out from their throats and their eyes forming crescents. Nayeon could immediately recognized the two women. The blonde was undoubtedly Momo, seeing how the latter had always gone blonde at every opportunity she had when she needed to return to earth for missions.

The other, was in her signature shoulder length hair and side swept bangs. The only difference about her hair that it sported a dirty copper, instead of the black that Nayeon was so used to. But, she was still beautiful, blindingly so. Even after so many reincarnations, she still looked the same. IF possible, it looked as though she became more beautiful with each reincarnation.

Even though Nayeon was just nothing other than an illusion, she could not stop herself from panicking, just a little, at the fact that the copper-haired girl might be able to see her.

“She can’t see you, don’t worry about it Nayeonie. just stand there and don’t move” Momo said with a lilth of laughter tinting her voice, as though she had read Nayeon’s mind just from the expressions she was making.

Momo met Nayeon’s eyes briefly and nodded slightly in acknowledgement before turning her full attention onto the other girl once more.

in just that few fleeting moments where Nayeon would be passing the girl Momo was walking with, she could feel the present willing time to slow down just a little

“M—mina...” Nayeon’s voice hitched, breathing out the sacred word that has not been uttered out of her lips ever since 110 years ago. 

taking the opportunity, Nayeon took a quick glance at Mina walking towards her and slid her hands further outwards, as though trying to grasp her to a stop. 

Naturally, being an ethereal figure that cannot be seen by mere humans, Nayeon’s hands ghosted through Mina and the latter hadn’t had the slightest idea what transpired.

Although Nayeon knew this was to happen,

Although Nayeon knew she could not be seen,

it didn’t soothe the deafening cry of her heart.

hands balled up into fists, eyes closing shut as though trying to reject the reality of it all, Nayeon couldn’t bring herself to watch the pair walk to the school gates.

Willing herself to get out of Momo’s mind, Nayeon forcefully pulled herself out of the trance state. Seeing Jihyo already standing beside her, a smooth palm running against the length of her arm, Nayeon let out another small sigh.

“Seems like Tzuyu knew we were attempting at it huh.” Jihyo spoke, trying to gauge Nayeon’s current mental state.

“Yeah.” Nayeon weakly agreed, any energy left in her had been sapped out in those few moments she spent with Mina in that same space.

I know you can hear me Tzuyu... So, thank you. 

Jihyo led Nayeon to one of the tables and sat her down, moving quickly to get themselves two glass of water before pressing herself beside nayeon. powerless to resist, nayeon took the glass in her hands and took a small sip.

“It was Jeong wasnt it. without her foreknowledge, you wouldn’t have been able to track her.” nayeon pressed the heels of her palms onto her eyes, grasping the images of mina and imprinting them into her mind.

“That is only half correct. We were only able to confirm the fact that it IS mina through Jeong’s foreknowledge. We found her in Japan thanks to me.”

“Good job, Park Jihyo.” Nayeon sarcastically replied, knowing how Jihyo used to get a kick whenever she managed to best her and Jeongyeon at any mission using her intellectual knowledge.

“Well, Huguinn definitely did a great job this time. 110 years. That’s frankly the longest we have gone without finding Mina. I was starting to get worried that the Fates has meddled in something.”

Nayeon remembers the cunning raven, always darting every time and space, in thirst for knowledge. Not like there isnt anything that they didnt know, but still, Nayeon supposes its a characteristic of Huguinn to continually thirst for knowledge.

And the fates... cunning witches. Nayeon almost wished she could freeze their bodies and command Kaldr to crush them.

Bloody fates that brought them into this eternal war.

“Arent you going to meet her?”

“Not so soon. As you said, i’m not in the right state of mind to meet her as of now.” Nayeon took another sip of water before continuing

“If she remembers me... I dont think she has anything kind to say to me.” 

After all, I left her to die. 

Jihyo did not reply to the hidden answer Nayeon had replied with, knowing that no response was needed. The 8 of them blaming themselves every time it happened. if this could be solved with either of them offering themselves, they would have fought to be chosen to replace Mina. 

Jihyo only opted to sit beside Nayeon, hoping the weight of her body leaning against the older one could provide at least some minute form of comfort and safety.

.

.

. 

I have to go, Jeong is expecting me and we are moving to Vjhelik to deal with scrimmages between the two empires living there. Care to join us?” Jihyo rose from her seat and drew her hand across the space in front of her. A cloak was extracted from nothingness and Jihyo put it around her shoulders.

So she isnt that inviolable to the cold afterall. She must have hidden her cloak upon immediately entering the cavern. 

“It isnt snowing at Vjhelik now, so i think ill pass.” Nayeon rose from her seat too, crossing out of the counter and paced across the tavern, opening the door. Jihyo followed close behind, pulling the cloak close to her. The winters at Novingrad had always been difficult, but it has been getting more and more difficult as the years go by 

After all, Novingrad winters are a direct reflection of the master’s heart.

Just before conjuring a magic circle for teleportation, Jihyo reached into her cloak and produced an object - a small, opaque marble.

“Ah, Momo asked me to hand this over to you”

“What’s this? I aint no gypsy yknow.”

“Wish on it, and it will show you who you want to see the most. Momo crafted it specifically for you.”

“Thank her for me.”

“Do that yourself. I’m not your mother.”

Opening the portal into her desired destination, Jihyo hesitantly stepped into the edge of the circle and turned to Nayeon once more.

“Home isnt really home without you around. Try to come back soon?”

“I’ll try.” Lies. It has been five lifetimes and Nayeon has never set foot in the place they called ‘Home’.

But maybe, she could try.

“Momoring...”

Yeah I know, Sana. You don’t have to remind me again and again alright? Don’t you have to travel to Vjhelik in like.. 5 seconds.

How rude momoring. I was just kindly reminding you.

I can literally hear you pouting from here. that’s sucks. Jeong, can’t you just whisk Sana over already.

Jihyo isn’t back from Novingrad yet. So, there’s nothing much we can do except to wait around. 

“Momoring...”

How do you think Nayeon would be feeling? She just saw her a few minutes ago.  

Not good, judging from the past few lifetimes. I mean, every lifetime we see her —

Burnt in flames. Beheaded. Crucified —

Okay Jeong, we don’t need a recollection of the endings she faced.

Do you think... there’s a way to break this?

I don’t know Sana... I really don’t.

Me too... at least, i don’t see a possible timeline of it right now. 

“MOMORING!” A slap on the small of her back snapped her back into her sense, breaking her trance.

Whipping her head over to see the culprit, her eyes landed on a scrunched up face, crinkling with smiles of laughter spreading across her face. Unknowingly, a smile had spread across Momo’s face as well.

“I’m sure you didn’t even hear Ms Seo’s last words to the class huh.” The girl asked, turning her back towards Momo, packing the last of her belongings into her backpack.

“What did she say?” Momo replied, quickly stuffing her stationery into her bag as well.

“Hmmm.. I don’t know... should I tell you? After all, you’ve been spacing out so much today.”

“Of course you should!! That is what friends are for right! To help each other in need!”

“Well, if you didnt hear what Ms Seo said, technically you dont need to do the assignment.” She mischievously replied, leaving Momo’s mouth ajar just as they were about to leave the classroom.

“... You’re kidding me.” Momo deadpans.

Bubbles of laughter could be heard from the other girl once more as she pulled Momo along with her to their next class.

“The next assignment is a six thousand word essay on any Norse God. Anything about the chosen Norse God is fine, but extra points would be given if the essay writes about their contribution to culture, both modern and ancient culture.”

“Huh... That seems... easy?”

“Really Momo? You were spacing out the WHOLE lesson. Need I remind you that it was only today that Ms Seo started out on Norse Mythology?”

“I have google on my side.” Or more like, technically i’m a vassal for a Norse God so... 

“You do know that Ms Seo can detect if you took anything from Wikipedia right?”

“... Well that aside, who are you going to right about eh?”

As they turned into the next classroom for their lesson, the pair sat down and the girl took out a notebook from her bag. Giving Momo a small smile, she flipped to her desired page and handed it over to Momo. Scanning through the contents of the book, Momo was not exactly sure to look since so many names of the Norse Gods were scribbled in all corners of the book.

A light chuckle whispered into Momo’s ears and she brought her attention to the girl in front of her. Using her index finger, the girl pointed at the name circled in red. Looking at the name, Momo had to stifle a gasp from escaping her lips as she realized who this girl was going to write about in this monstrous essay.

“Baldr. That’s the god I would be writing about. What about you, Momo?”

Oh Mina... if only you knew.