As Colin approached the chest, still suffering from his wounds and the fatigue of battle.
The object seemed to recognize his presence, opening as if of its accord.
Inside, among the treasures and artifacts, lay a glass sphere that immediately captured his attention. In it, a fairy was sleeping, curled up and serene.
Is that... really a fairy?
The fairy was small, no bigger than the palm of Colin's hand, with hair the color of green leaves in the height of summer. Her white dress flowed around her like mist, and her wings, thin and iridescent like those of a dragonfly, reflected a mystical light that still filled the chamber.
Colin, despite everything he had been through, couldn't help the feeling of fascination that filled him at the sight of this creature.
There was something about it, something he couldn't understand.
With caution, Colin reached out and touched the glass sphere. On contact, the sphere didn't resist; it shattered into countless fragments that disappeared before it even touched the ground.
"Hey, little girl, are you alive?"
Upon being released, the fairy slowly opened her eyes, revealing a deep green iris. When she saw Colin, her eyes flashed. It was as if, somehow, she knew him, as if their freedom and their meeting were destined to happen.
"You're free," said Colin, his voice a sigh of relief and admiration.
The simple phrase carried an enormous weight, especially for the fairy who, now awake and free, looked at Colin, a gleam of gratitude in her eye.
"Thank you very much, sir!" she said in a high, funny tone of voice, as if a little mouse was learning to speak.
A smile escaped his lips, despite his condition. He pressed his clenched hand against his mouth to hold back his laughter and coughed slightly, feeling a twinge in his chest.
"Did I say something funny, sir?" asked the little girl, looking confused and even a little offended.
Colin nodded and turned away, trying to disguise his laughter.
"It was nothing. You don't have to call me sir; my name is Colin. And yours?"
Her eyes sparkled with enthusiasm as she answered:
"My name is Brighid, nice to meet you!"
She extended her hand to him, as if to say hello. Colin took her hand gently, feeling her soft, warm skin. He squeezed lightly and let go.
"My pleasure, Brighid," he said in a gentle voice.
Safira approached him quickly, visibly curious.
"You really are a fairy..." she murmured.
Colin held out his palm, inviting the tiny fairy to jump into it.
She was reluctant for a second, after all, fairies could sense the essence of every being's soul, and Colin's was something she couldn't say for sure.
The man oscillated between a half-Elf and something else she didn't know. She felt a strange and powerful energy about him, something that attracted her and frightened her at the same time.
Despite her distrust, her heart was racing, and she was more embarrassed than usual.
Perhaps it was because he was the first being in years to treat her politely, or perhaps it was something else.
Brighid felt a connection with him, an inexplicable affinity.
After swallowing, the little girl jumped into his hands, and Colin lifted her up to show her.
"This is Brighid, and Brighid, this is Safira."
With her index finger, Safira poked Brighid's face, curious about the tiny, shiny creature.
The fairy began to laugh, feeling tickled.
"Don't do that, Miss Safira, it tickles, haha!" she said, laughing out loud.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…"
"It's okay, laughing is good sometimes!"
The little fairy looked at Colin and frowned. She noticed the bruises on his face. She looked around, seeing dust, cut marks everywhere, and the head of a witch nearby.
The fairy wanted to return the favor, to show her gratitude in some way.
"I-I can help you if you like," she said, shyly.
"Help me?" he asked, surprised. "What do you mean?"
Brighid nodded. "I can heal your wounds if you come closer..." she repeated, her eyes shining.
Then, with an almost maternal gesture, she reached out, touching Colin's face with her fingertips.
Where once there had been battle marks, open wounds, and signs of pain, now there was only softness and light.
At the moment of contact, a wave of pure, healing energy emanated from the fairy, enveloping Colin in a warmth that penetrated to the core of his being.
The wounds on his body began to close, the pain and fatigue dissipating as if they had never existed.
Marks from cuts and bruises faded, leaving his skin intact, as if remade by the purest, most ancient magic. Even the deep cut on his chest healed perfectly, leaving no trace of the near fatality.
"Wow…" he stammered.
"Consider it a gift for setting me free!"
"You really are a fairy..." murmured Colin, still amazed.
Brighid took on a serious expression on her face. She looked him firmly in the eye, as if she wanted him to understand something important.
"Not every little being that flies is a fairy, but yes, I am a real fairy!" she said proudly.
The fairy flew around them, getting a better picture of the whole situation.
"You two did all this?"
Colin shrugged. "For the most part, we came with our companions, but one of them ended up dead."
"Wow…" Brighid murmured, impressed. "I felt a great concentration of mana coming from both of you, especially her." She pointed at Safira.
"From me?"
"That's right! So, where do we go from here?"
Colin pondered. The fairy was trapped, and even if he wanted someone with such formidable abilities, he wouldn't force her into anything.
I'm probably going to regret this…
"You're free now, you can go on your way."
Brighid put her hand to her chin and grimaced thoughtfully.
She pondered the possibilities open to her now that she was free. She could go wherever she wanted, look for other fairies or other magical beings, explore the world and its wonders.
But she also thought about the dangers she might face alone, the nobles who might still pursue her, the traps that could capture her.
She thought about Colin and Safira, who had been kind to her, who had given her a gift she could never repay.
Part of her felt an affection for them, and also curiosity.
Brighid wanted to know more about them, their stories, and their destinies.
After a few seconds, she crossed her arms and nodded twice, as if accepting their offer of freedom. But then she nodded negatively once, as if she were refusing something.
She looked at them with a mischievous smile and said:
"I'm free, yes, but I'm not leaving. I'll stay with you two, at least for now. You look like you need a fairy to look after you!" she said, winking.
"Are you sure about that, fairy?" asked Colin. "It's nothing personal, but hanging around with me means getting into a lot of trouble… People think I'm a dark elf, and Safira… well, she has horns."
The fairy seemed confused by his words.
"The three of us are creatures of the veil," she said. "And some humans will always despise us, no matter where we go."
Brighid turned away and flew over to Safira.
"Miss Safira, is there a problem if I accompany you?"
Safira scratched her cheek with her index finger, looking a little indecisive.
"Well, I don't think so…"
Brighid celebrated excitedly.
"Then it's decided!"
"Listen, both of you!" said Colin sternly. "It's best not to do anything rash, especially you, Brighid."
She pouted and crossed her arms, wrinkling her nose.
"Just do what I ask, and if you have any doubts about anything, ask me before you act, understand?"
They grunted in agreement.
"Good, now let's get out of here."
"Colin! Safira!" Renovich came running from the back. "Are you all right…? My goodness, is she really a fairy?"
"Hello!" quipped Brighid.
His eyes passed over what was left of Noretu and then to Kylone leaning against the wall. He was dead too, his guts were in his hands.
From the destruction, Renovich knew it had been an intense fight, but not having witnessed it, he judged that these two were extremely skilled.
Colin picked up the witch's head and threw it into the trunk, holding it under his arm.
"We're going back, Renovich, but help me get the bodies of these two. Let's bury them."
"Right."