See you at the first sign of spring

Prologue

Kalaen suddenly woke up from the white snowy ground. But then, he experienced a slight headache, as if something just hit right at his head and caused him to pass out.

He slowly stood up and looked around. The world around him was shrouded in darkness. At first, he could barely make out shapes, but slowly, almost unnaturally, his vision adjusted. Shadows shifted and morphed, and what was once impenetrable gloom became faintly discernible outlines.

What did this mean? Kalean was wondering with full of questions in his mind. According to his knowledge of magic, night vision enhancement magic can only be learned from the adult wizard. Meanwhile, a 7-year-old child like him, who had never learned advanced magic, could never do that.

Throwing away the confusion, now what mattered the most was Elisa. After the blow of the magic explosion which caused the ruin to collapse, Kalaen couldn't find her.

"Elisa! Elisa!! Where are you?"

Panic surged through him as memories of the explosion flooded his mind. The collapse of the ancient ruin, the magical surge that had separated them. Elisa - His best friend, the girl who meant everything to him, was missing.

Kalaen kept yelling, he ran around the stoned ruin and looking for her. He kept praying to God with a little belief that his dearest friend, also the girl that he had a crush would be safe and sound.

Just like that...

With just his little wish like that...

It is already his happiness if it comes true...

There she lay! Kalaen sighted with relief. He found her lying on the ground after being thrown away by the magical explosion. And then, by a miracle way, a fragment of the ruin's wall had covered her from the impact of the magic, so she was totally safe and there was no injury to her body.

"Elisa, thank the heavens you are safe!" Kalaen knelt beside her, a smile breaking through his anguish "Elisa, we have to get out of here and go home now. Otherwise, your parents will be worrying about you..."

But then when Kalaen tried to reach her, his hand suddenly passed through her body...

What...? Kalaen froze, got confused. He didn't understand anything and kept trying to touch her body again. However, the result still remained, as if it was trying to show a reality that kept slapping on Kalaen's face.

"Elisa, Elisa! Can you hear me? Answer me, Elisa!"

Unable to touch her, Kalaen clenched his fist and slammed on the ground. He desperately called Elisa, with fear and confusion filling in his head. He also tried to cast a simple piece of magic in order to wake her up, but it couldn't be used. His magic kept passing through Elisa.

In this case, the worst possibility that Kalaen had thought about appeared in his mind. He heavily returned to where he woke up, toward the truth that he wasn't ready for. Eventually, he found his body lying on the ground. Around him, a puddle of red color was coloring the white ground, highlighting the scenery of snow weather.

Kalaen was dead... And now, he exists as a soul.

Knowing the truth, Kalaen mindlessly dragged himself near Elisa and silently wept, although no one right now would be around to see him. He still didn't believe that his life would eventually end right in front of a bright future waiting for him. Besides having a dream of becoming a magic professor, Kalaen wanted to be beside Elisa forever...

After a moment calming himself, Kalaen wiped his tears with a belief: No, he might be gone, but if he could be conscious then it meant he could still do something! In that case, he would become a soul to protect Elisa. Wherever she goes, he will be there to support her. Wherever she falls, he will be there to stand her up.

As Kalaen vowed to safeguard her, the faint sound of boots crunching against snow reached his elf's ears. Soldiers, combing the ruins for survivors, drew closer. Realizing that, a ray of hope passed through Kalaen. He then cast a magic spell that caused a fragment of ruined stone to collapse and attract the attention of the soldiers. When they eventually found Elisa and rescued her to safety, Kalaen was relieved.

As the sunrise appeared from the horizon, Kalaen whispered Elisa before disappearing:

"Elisa, wait for me. I will come back to you soon...

... See you at the first sign of spring, in 10 years later.

... I promise."

And with those words, Kalaen dissolved into the morning light, leaving behind a silent vow that would echo through Elisa's life.