Surtr came before her two companions.
She first nodded to the Fire Keeper in greeting, offering her thanks for taking care of Frostnova when the battle began. Then she came to Frostnova's side and looked at the Frost Maiden, whose lips were tightly pursed. Suddenly, she laughed, then reached out and ruffled Frostnova's hair.
"W-What are you doing?"
That tense, pretty face immediately flushed with bewilderment.
"You remind me of what I saw when I first entered that dream." A wistful expression appeared on Surtr's face. "Back then, I was just like you are now. Faced with an unfamiliar world, unfamiliar people, and unfamiliar powers, I was completely at a loss. I wanted to do something, but I didn't know where to begin."
"I called that world Hell's Song. A group of... um, crazed Lateran Executors, crazed Sarkaz Sanguinarchs, and many other people who had lost their minds slaughtered one another in a gigantic city. And back then, I was just an ordinary civilian in that city, caught up in the chaos of war." She looked at her own hand.
"At that time, I didn't even know how to use a sword. The way I held it was exactly the same as yours now."
"Ah—" Frostnova instinctively loosened her grip, but Surtr's eyes and hands caught the movement first. Storm Ruler, which should have fallen to the ground, was caught by her. Then she shifted lightly to Frostnova's side and placed the sword's long hilt back into Frostnova's hands.
"Come, hold this sword the way I do." Surtr's hand pressed against Frostnova's, her chest against Frostnova's trembling back. Her lips were beside Frostnova's ear, and as she spoke, she sent her soft, delicate words into the white rabbit's ear.
Poor little white rabbit. Her legs were so weak that she