Bye? or maybe not!

"I really appreciate everything you've done for me, teaching me." She said.

Shimo waved her thanks away. "You don't have to thank me, Lyra. It's just what anyone would do for a friend."

Lyra's words hung in the air, a fragile snowflake against the backdrop of their growing bond. "You've become more than just a friend, Shimo." Even to her own ears, the confession sounded unexpected, yet utterly true. She had found solace in his stoic strength, amusement in his dry wit, and a spark of something deeper in the glimmer of his cold eyes.

Shimo's heart hammered against his ribs, a wild bird trapped in the frozen cage of his past. Her words, both a revelation and a challenge, tugged at the threads of his carefully constructed solitude. More than a friend? In the desolate tundra, friendship had been a rare and cherished thing, but this… this felt different, warmer, like a spring thaw threatening to crack the ice around his guarded heart.

He met her gaze, his own widening in surprise, then quickly masked by a facade of icy calm. "I'm glad you feel that way, but our paths are different Lyra," he murmured, the words stiff and formal on his tongue. Yet, even as he spoke, his fingers twitched in her direction, drawn to the warmth she emanated like a beacon in the frozen wastes.

His destiny lay etched in the frosted sky, driven by revenge, a solitary crusade against the shadows that lurked beyond the horizon. Hers lay in the bustling halls of the Ice Tower, a champion for a brighter future. But in the space between, a fragile bloom of possibility had taken root, defying the harsh winds of reality.

Lyra, sensing his internal struggle, stepped closer, the distance between them shrinking to a whisper. The air crackled with unspoken emotions, her eyes reflecting the sunrise fire that danced in his soul. Then, before he could retreat further into his icy shell, she reached out, her hand a tentative snowflake landing on his arms and hugged him.

The touch, unexpected and electrifying, sent a jolt through him. It was a simple gesture, yet it spoke volumes.

"Thank you," she whispered.

He felt a smile tug at the corners of his lips, a warmth blooming in his chest that had nothing to do with the cold.

"You should get going," Shimo said, breaking the silence.

After recovering from their battle with the Frost Giant, Lyra prepared to leave his camp. Lyra had to reach the Ice Tower which wasn't located in the fosty lands.

She turned to Shimo and asked him if he could take her until the ends of the icy lands.

Shimo knew that he couldn't go further than that, but he agreed to accompany her until the edge of the icy lands. The duo set off towards the populated area out of the icy lands, and as they walked, Lyra couldn't help but feel sad for Shimo.(Not because she would be separated from him)

The journey was both treacherous and beautiful. They had to traverse through harsh blizzards, over icy terrain, and cross frozen rivers. But Shimo's ice skills were a huge advantage.

The frozen landscape unfurled before them, a canvas painted in shades of white and blue. Towering ice cliffs glistened like diamonds, frozen lakes mirrored the ethereal hues of the dawn, and fields of snow stretched as far as the eye could see. The sun, a shy visitor in this realm, with the sunlight glinting off the ice crystals and casting rainbow colors over the snow.

Their path crossed with a pack of red venom hounds, their eyes burning with predatory gleam. Lyra, fear momentarily freezing her steps, watched as Shimo, swift and deadly as a glacial wind, erected a barrier of ice around the snarling beasts. Their frustrated howls echoed through the icy air as they lunged against the shimmering wall, their fangs useless against its unyielding embrace.

When they were far enough from the hounds, Shimo released the skill.

They pressed on, each day weaving them closer to the edge of the frozen realm, each sunrise illuminating a deeper understanding in their eyes. The eighth day painted the horizon in streaks of gold as they reached their destination: buildings made of rocks and cement, marking the boundary between the icy wasteland and the world beyond.

She leaned in and planted a gentle kiss on his cheek as a gesture of gratitude and farewell. Shimo felt a warmth spread through his body, and he couldn't help but smile as he watched Lyra turn and walk away.

He watched as she disappeared into the distance. Her departure etched a bittersweet chill onto his glacial heart, the echo of her laughter and warmth lingering in the crisp air. He knew, with a pang of certainty, that he would never forget her, or the journey they had shared.

Gone was the dawdling pace of their shared trek. Shimo moved back towards his camp. He went back with twice the speed as he was alone and Lyra wasn't with him to slow him down.

Dawn greeted him like a familiar adversary, its pale light glinting off the frost-dusted landscape. He woke, refreshed by the crisp air and the echo of his own determination. He got up and stretched his muscles, feeling the warmth of the sun on his skin.

He prepared a simple breakfast for himself, a stew and ate it while enjoying the serene surroundings.

But his true focus lay not in sustenance, but in strength. The emerald crystal, pulsing with forbidden energy, thrummed in the camp like a beating heart. He knew the perils it held, the danger of attracting unwanted eyes from creatures driven by instinct. Yet, its power was a siren song, beckoning him with the promise of a blade sharpened against the evils that loomed in the shadows.

He formed a sturdy and powerful ice shield imbued with magic, as he knew that absorbing the green crystal would attract a lot of unwanted attention from wild creatures in the area.