Chapter 4B- Princess of the Country of Snow.

“Wrong.” Lin sighed, for the twentieth time that morning as he flipped Yuelei over after an overambitious swing. “Your arm should be tucked in, and your left leg did not move back far enough.” As Yuelei picked herself up, the snow started fell in clumps from her clothing.

“Once more!”Yuelei asked between gritted teeth. This restriction Lin had placed on her was just too much- how could she possibly win without using magic?

“Your frustration blinds you.” Lin shook his head in denial.

"We will stop here for today. Remember this, one must refine and master their soul power to forge it to new heights! Your growth is splendid now, but eventually you will reach a limit!” Lin dismissed Yuelei, leaving her to her own self-training, as he returned to the cabin.

Yuelei kicked the snow in frustration. A few days ago, Lin had offered to teach her a way to make her spells grow even stronger, but she could not even comprehend any of his words about ‘whispering in a way that the world listen’, ‘moving in a form making time tremble’ and most profoundly, ‘bringing magic to an eternal sleep.’ Instead of explaining, Lin told her that she would understand in time. He demonstrated the first step in the last few sparring matches, effortlessly evading all of Yuelei’s strikes like a leaf dancing on the wind.

Without a word, she created the Frost Edge and started training in the combat form that Lin had taught her, wielding both sword and sorcery. For two hours she practiced without disturbance, save the ripples in the lake water, until she felt a presence approaching the cabin at a rapid speed.

“It seems we have a visitor,” Lin shouted as he left the cabin. “Child, return to the cabin and hide within the alchemy lab.”

Lin sat on the cabin steps, as a cloaked man carrying a large casket on his back, dashed across the blanket of freshly fallen snow and stopped a few meters away from Lin. Beneath the heavy cloak, a silvery armor with a pair of swords can be seen. Beneath the cabin, Yuelei can feel the suffocating pressure that the newcomer emitted, making it hard to breath, but just as it quickly came, it faded away.

The silver-cladded knight carefully placed the casket onto a ground, gentle as one would treat a newborn baby, before walking towards Lin, who was still casually sitting on the cabin steps. Yuelei heard the clink of metal as the stranger bent a knee and placed his swords on the ground in front of him, before bowing his head to the ground.

“Wanderer from another land, please save my daughter!”

A breeze blew by as Lin observed the man, noting that the man was a high ranked silver-knight from the Holy Land of Ecclisa. Although he seemed to have no bad intentions, Lin did not understand how he had managed to find him. The barrier around the lake had hid him for centuries, and it had never failed to keep out prying eyes. The only answer, Lin rationalized, was that Eir had allowed him to enter.

“Who told you of me?” Lin asked in a frigid voice.

“One of my friends, Sir Jolstein, told me of a healer who had once brought him back from death’s brink after he was split from his platoon. I had spent several weeks traversing these mountains before discovering your barrier, and then spent twice that time trying to find a way in. Thank you for granting me an audience!” The man raised his head to respond.

Lin frowned. He had indeed once saved a heavily injured man while he was out gathering herbs, but that was many, many years ago. The real question was... why did Eir let this man inside without consulting him? Was this her way of nudging him towards humanity?

Seeing Lin’s expression, the man placed both of his hands in the snow and his head hit the ground once more with a thud. “Great healer, please save my daughter! Even if I must dedicate my entire life to pay the price, I swear on the Goddess’s name that I will do so!”

Lin gazed at the father, his eyes picking up minute details that many would have missed. Shining silver armor that was covered in mud from days of travel, several cracks followed by claw-marks on the breastplate, the once-fine cloak was ripped and tattered, and dark pools of restless nights laid under the desperation filled blue eyes. Lin was a cautious man, but above all, he had absolute faith in Eir’s judgment.

“Stand up and bring the casket inside,” he gestured. “Yuelei! Quickly brew a warmth potion for our visitor, I’ll leave the ratios to you!”

At his words, the visitor’s face twisted with several emotions. Despite going against his code of chivalry, he held his head down and shed tears of gratitude.

“Please, drink this.” Yuelei handed the cup of half-potion, half-Taw berry tea to the visitor as he finished relaying the symptoms of the illness to Lin. Even Yuelei could see the signs of malnourishment and sickness from the man’s pale and sickly skin.

“Thank you, young lady,” the knight downed the drink in one gulp, and felt life returning to his trembling hands and legs. He had been searching non-stop nearly for a week, and despite being a silver-ranked knight, he was reaching the limits of his magical and physical power.

“Esteemed healer, how is my daughter?”

“The symptoms you gave are many, I will have to see it for myself.” Lin stood from his seat and walked over to the casket. The knight made to assist him in removing the magical seal on the coffin, but Lin rudely waved at him to sit back down.

He deciphered the inscriptions on the lid in a moment to the knight’s shock and quickly propped it open. However as soon the lid was raised, a sickly-sweet scent started to waft out from the casket, not unlike that of a rotting fruit.

Inside laid a girl, judging from her physique, she was only a few winters older than Yuelei.

Lin quickly shut the lid with a slam. Without a word he went into the alchemy lab and brought out several pale-white flowers. Placing them into small vials of green liquid, then he carefully propped open the casket again, and this time the scent was much less powerful.

As Lin went about meticulously checking the girl’s vitals, Yuelei couldn’t help but stare at the girl in front of her.

“Just like a princess...” she whispered aloud. Golden hair, skin like untouched ivory, a pristine white dress, and above all, an overflowing aura of dignity exuded from the girl despite the fact that she was at death’s edge. Here was someone that reminded Yuelei of her palace days.

Not a sound was made as Lin finished his analysis. He went over to a cupboard and went to pour himself some wine. He came back with three cups and handed one to the girl’s father, and to Yuelei’s surprise, there was a cup for her as well.

The man’s worn hands trembled as he took hold of the carved wooden cup, almost dropping it in the process. The eyes he looked at Lin with were distant, yet hopeful, a father’s hope.

“Your daughter can be saved, at a price,” Lin said slowly, downing the cup and pouring himself another. Yuelei had grown accustomed to Lin’s mannerisms, and his motions meant that he was already weighing the possible results and consequences on a scale in his mind.

“I’ll give anything if you can-” the man stood up.

“The price will be great.” Lin replied, gauging the man’s reactions. “Your daughter has been poisoned and cursed at the same time with a technique I am not familiar with.”

At his words, the knight was at loss for words. His mouth opened and closed several times as he struggled to find the right words.

“Knight of Ecclisa, what is your name?” Lin’s voice broke the man’s thoughts.

“Arfled Justinia.”

“Not Sir Arfled Justinia?” Lin’s lips curled.

“I cannot in good conscience call myself a knight when I cannot even protect my own daughter” the man quietly replied. “What can I do to convince-”

“We can discuss the terms of payment later,” Lin cut him off as he pulled out a blank scroll and started jotting down the names of herbals plants, alchemy reagents and magical beast parts. “Will you have any problems acquiring these? Half of them are relatively common, but there are likely a couple of rare items that you may struggle to obtain. The more you find, the higher the possibility of success.”

Arfled tucked the scroll beneath his cloak without even checking the contents. “I should be able to obtain them off the market, and I’m sure Gal-, my daugther’s godfather would have an idea where to find the rarer ones. No price is too great for my daughter.”

“I will need them within a week. Eat this before you go.” Lin handed over what appeared to be a golden pill.

Arfled quickly tossed the pill into his mouth and swallowed it. The taste of honey and clover spread through his mouth, as strength surged through his body. He realized that the medicine had both cleared away his fatigue while recovering his strength.

“You have my gratitude.” Arfled saluted. “I will return as soon as possible with the requisitions.”

And just as quickly as he came, the silver knight Arfled Justinia left.

“Yuelei.”

“What is it, teacher? Are we missing something?” Yuelei replied, as she mashed the roots into liquid. After they had moved the girl out of the casket, Lin had given her endless directions for herbs. The sickly-sweet smell had vanished after Lin had smeared on a poultice over the patient’s body, but Lin was still rapidly working. He had gone from grinding down an x-shaped bone, to mincing the petals of a green-colored flower, and now he was carefully weighing out a portion of a shimmering yellow powder. What truly astounded Yuelei was that all these materials came from a series of drawers that she was forbidden to ever open without his consent.

“The preparation will take roughly a month, and it will be dangerous for you if you stick around during that time.” Lin replied, not looking up. “I’m sure you have heard the term to fight poison with poison, and that’s exactly what is going to happen.”

“Are things really that bad? Were you actually unable to identify the root cause?”

“The poison is a combination of an ancient Necrohis Snake’s nerve-affecting venom, concentrated essence from Black Sage seeds, and an ancient poison made from refining Lycoris roots.” Lin explained. “In combination, they will induce a coma-like state as one’s body slowly rots and deteriorates from within.”

“But the real problem is the curse.” Lin’s eyes narrowed. “A cure to the poison would require several delicate combinations of light, water, and earth element type herbs, but the curse would cause the body to have a reaction with those elements, and in her weakened state, it would simply outright kill her.”

“I see,” Yuelei nodded. “I will leave for the garden cave next morning.” That place had become a sort of second home to Yuelei, given how many weeks she had spent training there.

“No. It is time you meet with the Snow Princess.” Lin shook his head.

“Snow Princess?”

“The whimsical being that rules over these mountains. You may have heard her name from Gallienoir before, Lumnieve.” Lin answered quietly. “She is winter given form, and you will gain some insight on frost magic if you meet her. ”

“But wouldn’t it be dangerous?” Yuelei was a bit hesitant at hearing Lin’s description. Doesn’t that mean this Lumnieve was responsible for the Whitefrost?

“She and I have a bit of history.” Lin murmured. “I’ve known her as long as I’ve known your prior mentor, perhaps even longer. Plus, I will send you along with a gift that she could not refuse.”

Something she could not refuse? Yuelei’s interest was piqued, but Lin said nothing more as he started peeling the skin off a dark green bulb. As soon as the dark-red flesh was revealed, it started to ooze a blood-colored pus.

“Go to bed, Yuelei. Your guide will be here early tomorrow and I still need to prepare some things.”

Guide…?

Yuelei. Wake up.

“Ngh… just one more hour….” Yuelei groaned and pulled the warm furs closer.

...Fine.

Yuelei tossed around for a few more minutes before realizing who the voice belonged to. “Liur?” she mumbled.

Yes, it is I.

Yuelei sat up immediately, her eyes quickly adjusting to the darkness in a few moments. Liur was sitting a few feet away, staring at a dusty chess board.

“Did you put on more weight?” Yuelei yawned as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. “Where’s Lin? What’s with the sudden visit?”

The alchemist had left an hour prior. I will be your guide to the Frost Palace.

“Great! It has been some time since we’ve last hunted together.” Yuelei was elated for her companion’s presence. Although Liur often came by to visit, she would often just perch on top of the cabin and oversee her training without saying a word. “Did you get bigger?”

I did.

“When we have time, we should try sparring. My new abilities should be able to fight on par with you.”

I doubt it. Liur smirked. I am several times stronger than the little phoenix you knew before, in another year I should be as strong as my grandmother was.

Yuelei closed her eyes and sighed inwardly. “I had thought I had finally caught up to you, but instead, you managed to soar ahead.”

It’s only natural. As a creature of the wild, our powers develop rapidly while we are still growing. But we can talk as we travel, it will take over two weeks for you to reach the Frost Palace.

“Right.” Yuelei changed into her traveling clothes, and covered herself in the Shieve Cloak. The casket was missing, and on the table was a cloth-wrapped package.

This must be the present Lin spoke of, she thought.

Curiosity got the better of her and she took a peek inside, only to find a large black lacquered box and an unmarked bottle of rosy-blue liquid.

“I wonder what’s in this… some sort of potion perhaps?” Yuelei wondered.

Whatever it is, it has been sealed. See the inscriptions on the box and label on the bottle?

“Well, whatever is in it, it’s meant for this Snow Princess.” With a shrug, she secured the cloth strap onto her shoulder. She was greeted with the sight of a orange-dawn, as she pushed opened the door.

“It is a good day to hunt.” Yuelei murmured as she breathed in the crisp morning air.

And an even better day to fly.

An urge to look back suddenly seized Yuelei right before they were going to lose sight of the cabin. She decided to get a good look at it once again - the small valley that she had come to call another home.

Is something the matter, Yuelei?

“Give me just a moment.” Yuelei turned around to look at her home for half a year, drinking in the familiar sights. In the distance, on the cabin steps, her mentor was waving at her.

Yuelei waved back for a few minutes even after Lin walked into the cabin.

That person was rather beautiful.

“Who? Lin? Or the girl in the casket?”

I meant the blue-haired lady standing next to your mentor. Who was she?

“Are you sure you want to stop here? It’s only dusk.” Yuelei asked, as she dropped the pile of sticks and twigs onto the ground.

Of course. Liur replied. She dropped off the carcass of a Ghost Hare at her feet. I’ve already scouted several locations to pass the night.

“That’s… a lot of dedication.”

This journey is not to be taken lightly. Liur replied. She waved her wingtip towards the entrance and it was immediately covered with ice. Dark things roam the night, Yuelei.

“Dark things, dark things, I keep hearing that but I have never seen any...”

Good. When the time comes, be prepared Yuelei.

Yuelei made no comment as she took out a small diamond shaped bottle. Lin had given this to her a few days back. The inside was split into four sections, and she turned the dial on the side until a red-liquid filled chamber was aligned with the stopper.

What is that?

“The first chamber is distilled Essence of a Fire Blossom.” Yuelei murmured, as she carefully tilted the bottle and a red droplet slowly dripped it onto the dry wood. With the sizzle, not unlike that of burning lava touching water, a blaze quickly ignited on the pile of twigs. With the newly created campfire, she started roasting the sliced up pieces of the hare in the flames.

“The second chamber is purified water from the core of an Aqua Orb. A single drop can nourish a plant for a month, or a person for a day. However it’s also a poison if too much is used at once. The third chamber contains extracts from a Gnome Mushroom which has wound staunching and healing properties, and the fourth contains a liquid concentrate refined from Breeze Grass which acts as a stimulant that wards off sleep.”

I see that man’s influence has rub off on you.

“Truth is, he has only taught me alchemy and how to read the flow of combat. He said he can’t teach me magic that he can’t use.”

Frost magic? I can teach you.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. Your understanding and usage is vastly different from mine. I tried to replicate Ray of Absolute Zero, but failed and ended up with my new spell, Primal Frost Edge. Lin mentioned that the Snow Princess should have some insight for me.”

… Liur was quiet and did not respond.

“Have you met her?”

I have never spoken to her, but it feels as if I have known her all this time. My ancestor’s memories speak much of her. She is a strange being, but powerful.

“…Now I feel like meeting her will be even harder.”

Perhaps… Liur’s voice trailed off as she suddenly swiveled her head towards the entrance.

“Is there-”

Quiet.

Yuelei held her breath as they sat in silence. Time slowly drift by, yet she dare not utter a word. All of a sudden, she heard the light moaning and groaning sounds from beyond the wall of ice.

Liur slowly fanned a wing towards the fire and it extinguished without a sound. With another gesture, a few more Ice Walls quietly formed at the entrance. After a few minutes, the otherworldly voices vanished and the atmosphere relaxed.

It’d be best if we don’t kindle the fire again tonight. Eat your meal and go to bed Yuelei. I’ll keep watch.

Yuelei nodded, not daring to risk opening her mouth. She forced down a few bites of the half-cooked meat and washed it down with clean snow. Try as she might, she could not get the sounds out of her mind. After shifting around four times, she finally fell into a troubled sleep, with one hand on the hilt of her sheathed dagger.

Yuelei. Wake up.

“!” Startled, Yulei immediately jumped up, drawing her Frost Edge in one smooth motion.

All is well. Dawn has come and we should make preparations to leave.

“...Alright.” Yuelei finally relaxed and stretched. After a quiet meal of what was left of last night’s dinner, they started moving again.

“What was that last night?” Yuelei couldn’t hold back the question.

One of the abominations that walk the night. I suppose you can call it a ghost. It must be getting to that time of the year, so we must make haste.

“That time of year?”

It is best for the Princess to explain it to you. It was she who spoke to my mother about it.

“This.. Princess. You keep telling me things about her...who or what is she?”

You will see in time. Right now, it will only spoil the surprise.

Yuelei made no response, but she couldn’t help feel that Liur was playing with her.

Days passed by. Two weeks has passed since they started their journey. By day, they would traverse the white landscape, only stopping for the occasional drink. Liur would often leave to scout ahead, but she would always return before dusk, always carrying their-would-be-dinner.

They had started to make their camps above the ground after that night, and thanks to that decision, their sleep went undisturbed. Tonight they had made their camp in the wall on the side of a cliff. Liur had procured some sort of bird for their dinner tonight, and Yuelei had decided to stew it along with some wild edibles she found along the path.

Yuelei.

“It’s almost done. Be patient for a little longer.”

…While the smell is captivating, I was going to ask about something else.

“You have a question for me?”

I do.

“If you’re worried about me, I’m fine. Lin put me through a lot of endurance training...”

No. I mean about your brother. It’s been a year, Yuelei. Have you come to terms with it yet?

“...” Yuelei remained quiet for a few minutes and Liur patiently waited for her answer.

“No. There’s nothing to come to terms with. Whether or not Airen is alive or not, I will find him or his body, and have my revenge on the ones that split us apart.”

Yuelei stirred the stew with a ladle made from ice, this too was a training technique Lin had devised for her, maintain the spoon so it does not melt in the hot liquid. “I fear that if we do cross paths, we may not even recognize each other anymore…”

The world only bows to those that wield power, Yuelei. You must strive to catch up to me.

“How strong are you now?” Yuelei spooned out a bit of the hot stew into a bowl made from ice and placing it in front of Liur.

Strong enough to protect you from a Glimstalker, but not from the Snow Princess or her servants. Liur admitted quietly.

“I don’t think she would intend to harm me…”

Let us pray that is the case. Liur’s voice sounded like a resigned sigh.

Yuelei. Do you need me to fly you up the mountain?

“I’m fine. Just a bit tired.” She huffed, as she sat on a small ledge, dangling her feet in the open. The trees were merely a speck below them, luckily she was used being at such great heights.

There was no need for you to come here in the first place. I alone would have been enough-

“I wanted to see what your new home looked like.”

Must you be so nosy? Liur turned away in annoyance.

“Ah! You smiled!”

I did not.

“Hehe, you can hide it from everyone, but you can’t hide it from me!”

I have absolutely nothing to hide. Liur pretended to stretch her wings.

“The way you said makes me doubt…”

Yuelei….

“Let’s keep moving! Now I’m really curious on what I’m going to find~”

Yuelei. I am tempted to kick you off the mountain right now.

“It’s alright! I can also fly!”

…..ugh.

Yuelei. What are you doing with those!?

“What do you mean? We’re going to have them for dinner!” Yuelei was rummaging through Liur’s makeshift home, which was filled to the brim with frozen carcasses. She was cutting the best cuts of meat out of a majority of them.

Those are supplies for the Whitefrost! If you want something to eat I can-

“Supplies? The Whitefrost was only a bit over a month ago!

I wanted to be prepared.

“Well, you’re going to spend winter with me anyway, so no harm done!” Yuelei gleefully started preparing to grill their meal over the fire.

I knew this was going to be a bad idea. Liur replied ruefully.

Yuelei. We should go around the lair.

“But a sleeping dragon! I want to see the dragon!” Yuelei pouted. They had chanced upon a cave and Liur had mentioned it was the lair of a friend.

He’s a drake. Not a dragon!

“But they’re related aren’t they? Plus, I’m amazed you can make friends…”

How rude. I’ll let you know I know several magical beasts around these lands!

“Then prove it!”

Yuelei...

“Your friend is most amusing, Liur.” A silvery-blue head peaked out from the cave, followed by the body of a small dragon on all fours, then a pair of powerful leathery wings

My apologies Drak..

“So this is the little human child called Yuelei?” the drake approached closer towards Yuelei.

“Um… hello.” Yuelei greeted, dazzled by the silvery blue light that bounced off the scales. She seemed to understand that Drak was speaking to her, but she could not understand his words. “What is he saying, Liur?”

He said you’re a bit small.

“What, if I’m small, then so are you, Liur!”

“The two of you get along quite well, don’t you?” Drak chuckled, and the ground rumbled a bit from his voice.

We do not. This girl almost destroyed my food supply for the next winter in two days, despite my complaints.

“Hey! You ate even more than I did!”

Drak chuckled again and decided to test Yuelei’s meddle. He approached Yuelei and placed his lizard-like head in front of hers. “I had thought she would be a bit cold, but instead she is rather fiery!”

She’s only like this around me though. I wish she would act as refined as she was with her mentor. So much respect for Lin, but none for me.

Yuelei made no comment at those words, drawn in by the emerald eyes speckled with bits of golden blue that was the size of her small fist. Without realizing it, she was already running a hand along Drak’s forehead.

Nobody said anything as the young girl petted a drake that was easily twenty times her size. It was a strange experience for everyone participating, whether it was Drak who had never encountered such a fearless human before, or Yuelei, who was feeling the texture of the scales, nor Liur, who was looking upon a sight that was never occurred before in her memories.

Yuelei… Liur coughed, breaking the trance.

Yuelei withdrew her hand and stared at it for a moment. A bitter smile crept over her face. For just a brief moment, her mind had reverted to a girl her age.

Yuelei. This is as far as I can take you.

“What? You’re not coming with me?” They were standing in front of a cave, inside was a worn path that led up the tallest mountain in the Whitefrost Mountains.

I have to go through a different path as a magical beast. This road alone is meant for your kind.

“My kind? Others have come this way..?”

The the numbers are few.

“…Then, I’ll see you later.”

Favorable winds, Yuelei. Liur saluted before leaping up into the air, flying back in the direction from whence they came from.

Yuelei watched as Liur faded into the mist, before walking into the cavern. As the light wasn’t sufficient, she took out her hairpin and tapped one of the crystals. The bright light that emanated forth revealed a spiral of dusty stairs made from ice.

So the only way is up… Yuelei held the hairpin high, but still couldn’t manage to see the ceiling of the cavern. How far do these stairs go?

She placed her foot on the first step and felt a tingling sensation. At that moment, a wave of light sprang forth beneath her feet, and the stairs started to glow a resonant light blue color. Yuelei tilted her head and sighed. as she realized the glowing stairs almost had no end above her.

Resolved that she would be walking towards the very top of the mountain, she started the slow journey upwards. On a hunch she turned around after the first steps and noticed that as soon as her foot left it, the step would vanish and melt away, and another step at the top of the column of stairs would be illuminated.

Resigned on her fate, Yuelei plodded onwards.

One hour later.

Three hours later.

Five hours later.

“There’s no end to this…” Yuelei mumbled as she crammed jerky into her mouth. She closed her eyes and bits of water gathered in a small puddle in her hand. From it she drank and repeated the spell until she quenched her thirst.

“By my estimations, I should have reached the top of the mountain by now… yet why do the crystal stairs continue to spiral upwards…?”

Yuelei frowned and closed her eyes, trying to get a sense of her surroundings using soul magic. But the instant she activated her mind’s eyes, she was dazzled by shining light.

This… this is! Yuelei opened her eyes at once, and readjusted to the darkness illuminated only by her hairpin and the faintly glowing stairs.

I’m surrounded by souls! Yet there is not a soul here besides me! What is this place?

“Come out! I know you’re there, stop playing games!” Yuelei shouted out into the darkness, towards the direction where the largest sized Aeht had been manifested.

No response came.

This place defies imagination…

Just as she was about to give up and continue walking upwards, a soft laugh reverberated around her. At the same time, a pale purple butterfly seem to materialize in front of her. It flitted around for a moment before landing on her shoulder, and Yuelei felt dizzy for a moment as her surroundings suddenly twisted and warped into something different.

When her mind cleared, she was standing before a grand door. The purple butterfly was settled on the lone handle as if urging her to push against it. With a bit of hesitation, she turned the delicate knob and pushed the doors open.

“So, you have arrived at last.”

The voice seemed to echo as Yuelei drank in the sight of the entrance. Pillars of ice stood in two neat columns, engraved in the form of kings past, while a road of red crystalline ice lead towards a large throne adorned with glowing blue butterflies.

Yet nobody sat on the throne. Instead as she approached, the butterflies scattered, seemingly to melt into the ice that made the walls of the Frost Palace. A lone purple one remained, fluttering in the air in front of her. With an elegant flap, it moved towards a series of doors to the right of the throne room.

“So violet is supposed to be a guide?” Yuelei murmured as she followed the ghostly butterfly throughout the castle. They passed through several large but empty rooms, the only sound disturbing the silence was the sound of her footsteps on the cold hard ice.

Just as Yuelei was starting to harbor thoughts on whether or not she was being lead astray, the purple butterfly twitched and vanished in front of another set of doors.

“Welcome, child of man, to my domain and my castle.” the same voice as before called out, and the doors opened. Compared to the empty rooms before this one was apparently a bedroom of sorts. A large chandelier made from ice hung from the ceiling, the strange glass bulbs illuminating a grand bed, several shelves, a set of table and chairs, and several blank paintings on the wall.

“Erm… hello?” Yuelei glanced around the room, but could not find the source of the voice. She felt something tugging at her cape behind her.

“Over here.”

“!” Yuelei had not sensed anything approaching her, but what surprised her even more was when she turned around, she saw a girl with the same stature as her. She seemed perfectly human if not for her unnaturally snow-white skin.

The girl smiled, revealing her white pointed teeth that matched the color of the snowflake symbol that ran along her right cheek. The shimmering blue dress she wore had patterns of butterflies over it and complemented the pale white hair that fell along her shoulders. There was no doubt in Yuelei’s mind that this person,if she was a person at all, was the Snow Princess.

“!” Yuelei was knocked back, as a wave of frost pushed her back into the room. The white skinned girl followed her in after and the giant doors slammed shut.

When Yuelei was about to open her mouth, the girl raised her hand and Yuelei felt herself pinned against the wall. The wall of ice quickly reformed and sealed her hands and legs. Yuelei turned towards her sealed limbs and tried to break free to no avail. When she turned to face her attacker, the girl had appeared in front of her.

When did she- Yuelei’s thoughts froze over as the girl placed a finger on Yuelei’s lips, while running one of her hands through her hair and down the side of her cheek. Yuelei shuddered as the ice cold fingers touched her skin, forming a light layer of ice on contact. Several moments passed as the Snow Princess inspected Yuelei while she was powerless to fight back.

“Passable.” a charmingvoice came from her white lips. The Snow Princess turned around while snapping her fingers, and the constraints binding Yuelei instantly vanished back into the ice wall, causing her to fall on the ground. Before she could stand, the Snow Princess had already sat down on a regal throne chair that seemed to have appeared out of the ground.

“Sit.” she spoke in a tone that exuded obedience. Not waiting for an answer, a chair appeared beneath Yuelei from the ice and propped her up. “You are the third human to enter this place. Although you are here not by your own power, but by the connection you have with us, that is something to be proud of.”

Yuelei dared not to utter a word as she felt pressure mounting at her chest. She felt as if she was being burdened by some great force and her vision was slowly going dim. Despite her wearing the Sheive Cloak, she could feel her arms and legs going numb from the unnatural cold.

“Ah. I forget, you are not like one of us yet.” The Snow Princess closed her eyes and the snowflake rune on her face glimmered for a second. Yuelei suddenly felt the weight lift and she could finally breathe again. However, the frigid coldness remained.

“Now, let us speak.”

“I have gone by many names, but you may address of me as Lumnieve. I was once a mystical being from a distant land, but I have settled here in the Whitefrost Mountains and made it my home.” The white eyes stared at Yuelei, losing their coldness from before. Yuelei only glanced at her briefly before she felt instinctively compelled to look away, like she was looking at something that should not be seen with human eyes.

“Um..” Yuelei hesitated for a moment before gathering her thoughts. “I am-.”

“I know who you are, as well as your mentors Gallienoir and Lin. Naturally, I also know most of your reasons for coming here.” Lumnieve cut her off. “My question is, did you choose to come here or were you influenced to come here?”

“I…. do not understand.”

“No, of course you don’t.” Lumnieve touched one of the butterflies on her dress. The outline glowed briefly, as she pulled her finger away, a blue butterfly came along with it, perched on her finger tips. “But I digress, allow me to show my hospitality and give you time to gather your thoughts.”

The butterfly took off as she clapped her hands together, and the room seemed to rearrange itself, the current furniture seemed to fade into the ground or walls, while new furniture seemed to carve themselves out of the same ice. Before long, what was a bedroom had turned into a lavish dining hall. As the transformation stopped, the butterfly floated on top of the large dining table and vanished. The next moment, several plants seemed to grow from the ground, quickly blooming and displaying plump fruits on their branches.

“I apologize for the fare, as I have made presumptions for your palate. If you need something...” Lumnieve stood and conjured yet another purple butterfly, placing it on the edge of the table. “Then use this one to contact me.”

“Enjoy your first night at the Frost Palace, child of man.” Lumnieve whispered as she left between the pair of doors, and as soon as she did, the temperature rose several degrees instantly.

After getting over the initial shock, Yuelei ran a hand through her hair, removing the bits of ice that were stuck to her hair, melting them with a bit of magic. Even though Yuelei herself possessed frost affinity, she felt chilled to her bones in the Snow Princess’s presence.

She… was much different than the others. Yuelei thought as she walked around the table. And she seems to already know a lot about me.

Yuelei absentmindedly plucked a square shaped fruit from a branch and bit into it. It tasted a bit like starfruit and kiwi. But what does she want with me? Lin told me to learn frost magic from her, but I don’t know how to ask that favor from her…

She tried to sit down, only to feel a weight against her back. Is this why Lin gave me this bundle to give to her? Yuelei placed the bundle down on the table. Throughout her journey here, she had not taken notice of it at all, until now.

...Well whatever happens, it’ll happen tomorrow. She yawned, tired from the ordeal. Her feet was sore and sleep was nipping at her consciousness. With a satisfied sigh, she jumped on the bed in the corner of the room, the sheets made from a transparent gossamer-like linen, and promptly fell asleep with the cold nipping at her cheeks.

I’ve arrived at last…

Yuelei had no clue what time it was when she woke up. As soon as her feet touched the cold ground, the butterfly perched on the table which had not moved at all the entire night, twitched into life and flew between the cracks of the door.

“Well, there goes my guide.” Yuelei mumbled as she watched it go. She stretched her arms for a moment before diving back onto the bed, relishing the soft covers after sleeping on the ground for the past few weeks.

“It seems you’ve rested well.” Lumnieve commented as she walked inside. Yuelei made to stand and greeted her but she raised a hand to stop her. “Be at ease. You were unlucky enough to arrive while I was in the middle of my sleep last night.”

Lumnieve clapped her hands, and the table instantly sunk into the ground.With a bit of rumbling, it rose back with an assortment of meats and winter vegetables. “It’s past noon now, I trust that you are hungry now?”

Yuelei could feel her mouth filled with saliva at the sight. She nodded.

“Good, why don’t we speak as we eat?” Lumnieve sat down at one end of the circular table and poured a blue liquid from a glass pitcher into a crystal cup. With a snap of her fingers, ice cubes formed in mid air and dropped into the drink. “Enjoy.” she slid the cup down towards Yuelei.

“Thanks.” Yuelei picked up at the cup, glancing at the wine-like liquid swirling within before putting it to her lips. The rich aroma of berries assaulted her as she sipped the delicate wine.

“This… I have never tasted something like this before!” Yuelei exclaimed. None of the rare and antique wines she had sampled back at the palace compared to the cupful she was just offered.

“I am glad you like it.” Lumnieve smiled, her euphonic voice dancing across the table. “I once chanced upon frozen seeds of an ancient plant, and the fruits of that plant was used to make this wine. It’s the specialty of the Frost Palace, and I daresay nothing made by humans can be compared to it.”

Yuelei poured herself another cup, the ancient wine warmed her and seemed to counter effect the coldness emanated by Lumnieve. At the same time, Lumnieve was carving into a whole-roasted Glimstalker with a knife resembling her Frost Edge, and preparing a large portion for Yuelei.

“I fear that our dragon in residence had no clue how to prepare a dish in the way of humans and had simply roasted the entire thing.” Lumnieve slid the plate down towards Yuelei.

Yuelei nodded in thanks and ate with her hands, chewing into the medium rare meat. Time passed by as she continuously sampled the dishes given to her by her host, although a majority of them were meat from various legendary beasts, including that of dragons.

“I have been curious for a while now, your high-”

“Just call me Lumnieve. By no means am I royalty as you are.”

“Are you... human, Lady Lumnieve? I had thought I was meeting a creature of sorts...”

“It pleases me that you choose to perceive it that way, as I have chosen this form to meet you.” Lumnieve sank into the chair and leaned back, amused by her words.

“Um… are you really the same person from yesterday?”

“I am. I already said that you have arrived in the middle of the night whilst I was sleeping. I was simply irritated, that’s all.”

“What was that all about?”

“That…?” Lumnieve’s eyes flashed. “You mean this?” In the next instant, she had reappeared behind Yuelei, one arm wrapped around her waist and tracing her face with her fingers. She buried her face in Yuelei’s hair and seemed to drink in her scent. As soon as Yuelei got over her shock, Lumnieve had returned to her chair and continued sipping wine.

“A shame that Lin had already claimed you as his apprentice, if not, I would make you mine and confine you in here.” Lumnieve sighed.

“Erm...” Yuelei placed a hand to her face where she was just touched. “Can you not do that?”

“Do what?” Lumnieve chuckled. “Do you mean-” She reappeared in front of Yuelei while running one hand along her hair, and another hand cupping her chin. “This?”

“Yes!” Yuelei pushed her away with two hands.

“Ah, you humans. So fun to tease.” Lumnieve laughed, dispelling the atmosphere as she returned to her chair again. She reclined back as she stared at Yuelei, who was eyeing her warily.

“So, Yuelei Casteya. While I have heard of you coming here, I have not heard of your reason for coming. Few humans make it to this place, and even less can survive this cold.”

“Lin asked me to hand this to you.” Yuelei handed over the bundle.

“Oh? From Lin?” Lumnieve sat up and accepted the bundle. She held out a finger and a blade of ice, like a fingernail, extended from it, which she used to remove the knot.Then she slowly took out the contents in front of Yuelei. First came the strange potion filled with azure liquid, then the black lacquered box, and finally, a small scroll hidden beneath the box’s false bottom..

Lumnieve opened the scroll and read it for a while causing Yuelei to try and contain her curiosity.

“So that’s how it is.” Lumnieve murmured, as blue flames enveloped the scroll in her hand and leaving behind shards of ice. “Your mentor is quite a selfish man. Yuelei.”

“I don’t really think so...” Yuelei replied.

“What do you know about, Lin, young alchemist?”

“I know… that he came from the east and has been traveling for a long time.” Yuelei started. “And that he can use four elements which is unheard of-”

“No, not unheard of. Let me tell you a story from a long time as a gift, Yuelei. The story of the man my kind once feared and called the Last Enchanter”

“Several, several centuries ago, just before the start of the Sinth Calender, a child was saved by one of the last ‘Enchanters’ off a battlefield.”

“Compared to a normal magician an Enchanter’s true power comes from their ability to converse with ‘spirits’, the predecessor to this day’s magical beasts. Whereas normally only a rank eight or higher magical beast has the ability to speak with others, an Enchanter’s abilities negate that barrier. Their coming of age ceremony requires them to make pacts with the current four Great Spirits of their respective elements, but in turn, they are bound to the Great Spirits of their original element. Now this child eventually became the last Enchanter. As you may imagine, each of the Great Spirits wanted control of the child, and they schemed against each other to try and bring the child into their fold. As luck, or perhaps fate would have it, that boy was exceptionally talented, which made the fighting even worse.”

“The world of humans at the time was going through a great war. A single empire had managed to unify the various continents, but after several lines of Kings, corruption was rampant and the seeds of rebellion were planted. As the flames of war started to spread, the child was caught in the mix. It is said that the maturing Enchanter walked among the battlefields, sometimes as an angel healing those from the brink of death, other times as a white-robed reaper giving the peace of death to the suffering. Nevertheless, he soon made a name for himself, and every faction wanted him to their own, whether it was the conspiring elemental spirits, or the warring humans.”

“To get away from all of it , he fled from his pursuers, eventually finding an ancient tower beneath the ocean where a water spirit resided. With a powerful spell provided to him by the Great Spirit of Water, he subjugated the water spirit without her knowing and against her will, and took residence in the tower, hiding from the prying eyes of the world. Time passed and he got to know the water spirit well, and at the same time, his guilt grew. The spell he had used was simply too powerful, and was draining the spirit of her life. Yet he could do nothing to stop it, as it was the contract laid out to him by the Great Spirit of Water. Yes, as you may have guessed, the growing Enchanter’s main attribute was water.”

“The Great Spirit of Water had plans for the boy, plans to make him into a hero in that era of strife. Everything had gone exactly as planned, up until when the young man refused to abandon the water spirit. It is said that before the water spirit faded away, she expended all her power to transform her soul into a weapon for him. During those decades he had been hidden away from the world, who knows what sort of relationship he had built with the water spirit who was meant to be sacrificed?”

“The details of their time together is not known to me. But what is known to the world is that the young man fought against his fate. He vanished for several years before reappearing a changed man. Wielding a sabre the color of larimar, he declared war against the world.”

“Even today I find it interesting, a man who had the power and potential to end the strife in that era chose to create even more chaos. Incarnations of the four Great Spirits fell by his blade and several aspiring kings crumbled beneath his magic. And each time he grew stronger, always attempting to resurrect the one he lost. It could be said he managed to do so partially. It is said that today he is still trying to truly resurrect his companion from that abandoned tower under the sea. ”

“And that, Yuelei Casteya, is the story of the man you call Teacher.”

“I….why are you petting my head?” Lumnieve had slowly shifted over until she was right next to Yuelei, and by the end of the story, she inches from her face, caressing her hair.

“Well. It’s not everyday that I get to touch a human. Most people would freeze over, you see.”

“Then… the entire story was an excuse to get closer?” Yuelei pushed her away.

“Perhaps, perhaps not. What do you think of your teacher, child?”

“I…. think he’s a just person that does not do things without a reason.” Lumnieve stared at Yuelei, contemplating her answer before nodding in approval.

“Good answer. Now, why don’t we enjoy the lunar cakes. Since I rather like you, Yuelei, I am rather willing to share.”

“Um… thanks?” Yuelei squirmed out of her embrace. Lumnieve shrugged and returned to her seat, gesturing for Yuelei to follow suit. As soon as the two of them were seated, she she placed the decorated black box atop the table. Something clicked and the top of the box opened, revealing four round cakes. Each cake had a golden glaze on the edges and on the top was an edible blue lotus.

“Magnificent. Every year she manages to improve it.” Lumnieve admired as she took one of the cakes, split it in half and placed it on a crystal plate, and slid it across to Yuelei. At first glance there were several layers of filling within the cake, each a different layer of blue.

“The layers are made from paste from various plants after mixing it with a type of dough.” Lumnieve explained after bringing a piece to her mouth, closing her eyes and savoring the taste. “It’s a shame that the art of creating them has been lost save for that one annoying man.”

Yuelei stared at Lumnieve for a moment before following her actions. Any onlooker would have found the sight rather commonplace, two young girls enjoying their food, if not for the surroundings of ice and the fact that they would have froze to death if they were in the same room.

“Hmm...” Lumnieve packed away the last two cakes and encased them in ice. A pair of butterflies appeared from the walls to lift the box and take it away. She turned towards a large circular rune on the ceiling of the room. “It seems we still have six hours before we have to go.”

“Go? Where are we going?” Yuelei asked, her body starting to tremble as the effects of the wine wore off.

“Why, back to see your mentor. For the first time in several years he actually came with a request.” Lumnieve smiled sadly. “But first, Liuralia said you wished to learn frost magic from me.”

“Liur? When did she-” Yuelei replied.

Lumnieve shook her head slowly. “You are the first human to express affinity to the frost element. But first, let me measure your aptitude and see where you currently stand. Attack me with your strongest spells.”

“...Are you sure?” Yuelei asked apprehensively.

“I am the sovereign that reigns over the peak of the frost element. The day I can be hurt by own element is the day the world ends. Do not underestimate me, Yuelei.” Lumnieve’s voice lost all semblance of warmth, and a chilling aura started to emit from her body. She snapped her fingers and all of the furniture in the room melded back into the wall and a pair of metallic fans dropped from the ceiling into her hands.

“Whenever you are ready.” Lumnieve gestured as she leisurely clicked the fan open, where the paper would have been was a dull blue ice, decorated in a manner similar to her dress.

Without a word, Yuelei started to prepare, charging several Winter Moon(s) at once. Four at the same time was her limit now, nearly double of what she was capable of before. Lumnieve made no attempt to attack nor move after despite seeing the orbs form in front of her.

Yuelei brought out her Frost Edge whilst the orbs were about to finish forming, quickly closing the distance with her magical anklets and moving to strike against Lumnieve. However, the Great Spirit of Ice did not even blink as she gracefully parried the attacks, not striking back even once.

“I created that blade of ice passed it to Gallienoir’s ancestor, Yuelei. Surely you don’t think you can harm me with it?” Lumnieve teased. “But surely those spinning orbs around you aren’t meant for show, right?” Lumnieve smiled between deflecting blows, even having the time to close the distance and play with Yuelei’s hair with her other hand.

“You….” Yuelei shot several Primal Frost Bolts with her hand after knocking away Lumnieve’s probing fingers. She was shocked as Lumnieve seemed to pluck them out of the air and crushed them in her small hands. Yuelei put some distance between them and sent the fully-formed Winter Moons towards Lumnieve, one in each direction to surround her.

“Oh? What do you call this spell of yours?” Lumnieve asked as the four Winter Moons spiraled and converged towards her.

“Winter Moon!” Yuelei shouted. “Even you can’t dodge this!”

“I wonder about that...How about a little show?” Lumnieve smiled as she opened both fans, taking a stance with one point in front of her and another behind her, each glowing an eerie blue color. Closing her eyes, she spun like a dancer leaving trails of mesmerizing light and the resulting twister both knocked Yuelei back and sucked the four projectiles above Lumnieve, where they collided and exploded harmlessly.

“Good attempt. What other tricks do you have up your sleeve?”

“….I have one more, but it’s not really practical.” Yuelei replied quietly. Placing a hand over her Frost Edge, she started to prepare the process for creating a Primal Frost Edge. Several minutes passed as the blade grew in size, vibrating at a speed that caused a dull humming sound. Even Yuelei started to fear the power instilled in the edge that she had created, but when she she looked at Lumnieve, she was casually fanning herself with a fan, clearly not even disturbed.

So confident… Yuelei gritted her teeth, hands clutching at the shaking hilt of the blade. With a mighty heave she brandished the Primal Frost Edge, preparing to swing it towards Lumnieve. Just before she did so, she whispered quietly. “I ask thee…. Eternal Time.”

A torrent of frost magic stored in the ring suddenly poured out, adding to the size of the blade. Even Yuelei had no chance of stopping the attack as the ten meter long great sword's edge flew towards its prey. Lumnieve nodded in approval as she watched the attack slowly approach her, and closed her eyes as the blade passed through her without harm.

“An impressive display.” She walked over to where Yuelei collapsed on her knees, kneeling and giving her a pat on the shoulder, and slipping the pair of fans into the ice, seemingly passing through the ground without any resistance.

“How….” Yuelei said between gasping breaths.

Lumnieve glanced behind at at the huge incisions chiseled into the palace walls slowly started to reform and fix itself. “You were unlucky Yuelei. As the one who rules over frost, it is impossible to hurt me when the origin of your frost magic comes from me..”

“How is that-?”

“Because whether or not you know it yet, you are one of us.” Lumnieve smiled as she picked up Yuelei in her arms. As she walked to the corner of the room, a large bed rose from the ground and she carefully placed Yuelei onto the bed.

“Wait… what are you doing?” Yuelei cried out as Lumnieve straddled her against the fabric, her arms too heavy and sluggish to move.

“Isn’t this what you asked for?” Lumnieve leaned in and whispered into her ear. “For insight towards using Frost Magic?”

Yuelei tried to retort, but instead Lumnieve placed a hand over her mouth. “Quiet now, my dear Yuelei, this is my first time doing this to a human. Something can easily go wrong if you keep struggling.” At her words, Yuelei quickly quieted down, but glared at Lumnieve who was caressing her face, with a layer of frost slowly forming each time.

Lumnieve waved a hand and the bottle filled with blue liquid from the bundle floated over and into her palm. She stared at the bottle for a moment and then at Yuelei, before a mischievous smile gradually took over her face. Placing it aside for a moment, she held the bottles close against her breast and started to recite in a strange language. To Yuelei’s ears, it sound like as if she was singing an old, long forgotten melody.

Radiant cerulean light poured out between her hands, and Yuelei was bewitched at the sight as a butterfly slowly formed between her hands. Compared to the ones she had seen before, this one had strange blue markings all over it’s wings, and radiated a feeling of familiar power. After the spell finished, the swallowtail butterfly flapped its wings once, taking off into the air and flew a full circle around the room before returning into Lumnieve’s hands.

“Now Yuelei, allow me to grant you the blessing both of your teachers have prepared for you.” Lumnieve warned. With one hand holding down Yuelei by the shoulder, she held the butterfly and pressed it against her chest. After a moment of resistance, Lumnieve’s hand slipped through. A searing, throbbing pain quickly followed after as Lumnieve’s hand vanished into her chest, like being poked at by a thousand red-hot irons, and then it was quickly followed by a growing cold chill.

Yuelei wanted to scream in pain, but she felt as if her insides had frozen over and could not even breathe. A pale blue butterfly sigil was traced onto her almost frozen heart, and with it came a an overflowing sensation of magic. Seeing her reaction, Lumnieve quickly poured the blue potion into her mouth before leaning in and feeding it to Yuelei with a kiss.

The last thing Yuelei can remember before falling into the cold darkness was a hand caressing her head and the taste of the azure lunar cakes.

“Five hours, as expected.” a feminine voice called out as Yuelei’s eyes opened. A soft snow-like blanket had been thrown over her and Lumnieve was sitting next to her, playing with her hair. A minute passed by as Yuelei slowly remembered the events that transpired a while ago. She quickly scuttled to the far side of the bed with her back against the wall. It was only after she did so that she realized that besides the blanket, she was naked underneath. Yuelei said nothing but instead glared at Lumnieve.

“Now, now. Yuelei my dear, what is the matter with you” Lumnieve’s voice seemed to echo in her head.

“Did you just-”

“Just as you had a connection with Liuralia, you have one with me now.”

“What did you do to me?” Yuelei accused.

“I gave you my blessing, as well as a gift.” Lumnieve smiled. “Why don’t you get dressed? I had to remove your clothes or they would be damaged while your body went through the changes.” She placed Yuelei’s cloths on the corner of the bed and turned around, but not before forming a giant slab of ice from the ground that functioned as a mirror for Yuelei.

Changes? Yuelei glanced over her body Is it me or did my skin is much lighter than before? My face is…I look like one of those depictions of fairies. Yuelei noted as she finished up dressing.

Various cuts and bruises had vanished entirely off her body, and despite being exposed to the frigid air, she felt as if it was only natural to be comfortable in such cold.

“What did you do to me?” Yuelei repeated. Even her voice was now a slightly higher pitch than before, and seemed to carried a certain mesmerizing note, just like Lumnieve’s voice.

“If you must have the details, I awakened the latent ice magic within you by injecting a bit of my own magic along with a catalyst, the distilled essence of the heart of an Ice Phoenix.”

“Distilled essence?” A sudden realization dawned on Yuelei. The familiar power she had felt was that of Gallienoir’s magic.

“Indeed, it is that of Gallienoir’s. Normally an Ice Phoenix would have its offspring eat its heart so it may grow up sooner, but going against tradition, Gallienoir gave hers to you.”

“I…. but why?”

“Only Liuralia can answer that question when she inherits her mother’s memories. That aside, I also took the opportunity to tinker with some of your magical artifacts.”

Yuelei checked for her items, but everything was missing except for the ring.

Lumnieve pointed to her feet. “There should be a tattoo of pair of butterflies near your feet, that was the magical anklets you had before. The gloves you wore also have merged with your skin. As for the strange ring however… I have no clue what it is, so I did not touch it.”

Yuelei looked over her hands, where they were once heavily calloused and scarred, they were now smooth and soft. “I….”

It seems you also have gained properties from the Ice Phoenix essence, one of which is the ability to communicate with your mind. That should come in handy. Lumnieve voice intruded on her thoughts.

“I…. did you plan to do this from the start?”

“Perhaps. There are only a few beings that represent the frost affinity, Yuelei. I will always look after my own.” Lumnieve had circled around Yuelei again, and she was gently embracing her from behind. Perhaps it was the effect of the ritual, but Yuelei no longer felt cold at her touch.

“And now I can even touch you like this without ice forming.” Lumnieve smiled impishly, wrapping both arms around her waist. “So it’s a win-win situation.”

“You….” After trying to shake Lumnieve off several times and failing. Yuelei resigned herself and simply sat on the bed, trying to come to terms with everything.

“Say, Yuelei.”

“What? I’m still trying to comprehend all of this...”

“After you leave, come visit me once in awhile.”

“No. What’s stopping you from visiting me anyway?”

“If I do, every weak being within fifty meters would freeze to death.” Lumnieve sighed, and let go of Yuelei. “I could travel along with the Frost Palace, but having it appear out of the blue would attract unwanted attention. Foolish adventurers might think it’s a dungeon or something, and then I’ll have to do a lot of cleaning. Do you have any idea how card it is to remove blood when it’s mixed in with ice and snow?”

“Lumi. You say some dangerous things.”

“Oh, you’re calling me by a nickname? And here I thought you hated me...” Lumnieve pretended to sulk, but she was still playing with Yuelei’s hands at the same time.

“Your words don’t match your actions.” Yuelei pushed her away.

“It’s alright, Yuli. I’m not human, so I can be a sole exception.” Lumnieve quickly reattached herself to Yuelei again.

“….” Yuelei sighed.

“Ah right! We have to go meet with Lin!”

Lumnieve rummaged through her attire and pulled out a clear bottle filled with golden pills. After taking one out and popping it in her mouth, she pulled on Yuelei’s hand.

“Alright, let’s go meet another one of your kind, dearest Yuelei.”

“Where-”

Without waiting for her response, Lumnieve suddenly started to turn into a flock of purple violet butterflies, and Yuelei watched in amazement as her hand started to turn into blue ones. Both flocks of butterflies merged with the Frost Palace and vanished

A few minutes later, near the rooftop of the Frost Palace.

“Who are we waiting for?” Yuelei complained. “And didn’t you say that you can’t leave the Frost Palace?”

“I had Lin make me a medicine that suppresses my abilities enough to be not a danger to others.. And our friend should be arriving anytime now....” Lumnieve peered over the battlements.

True to her word, Yuelei could hear the beat of a giant pair of wings. A shadow appeared above the clouds, and a second after wards, a large dragon was hovering next to them.

Did you call Lady Lumnieve?

“I did. Yuelei, this is Forseer, a mutant frost dragon. Forseer, this is Yuelei, a human with frost affinity”

Oh? The dragon landed in front of Yuelei and gave her a good look. Of the many millions of humans in the world. It seems your kind finally has one of our affinity. Lady Lumnieve, you must be rather happy.

“I am, actually.” Lumnieve patted Yuelei on the head again, and she flicked her hand away. “It’s a shame that dearest Yuelei doesn’t share my sentiment though. But enough idle chatter, Forseer. We need to go now or we’re going to miss the ceremony!”

Ceremony? Yuelei wondered for a moment before Lumnieve suddenly picked her up against her will and leaped onto Forseer’s back.

“Let’s go Forseer!”

…You still haven’t told me where we’re going. Yuelei thought, which caused the two to laugh since they can hear her thoughts.

Lin stood next to the small bridge on the lake, and behind him on the shore stood Arfled, who was kneeling and offering prayers to the Goddess Ecclisa. He had arrived two weeks prior and been sent out by Lin to run more errands. Normally in his country he would have passed the tasks to a lower ranked subordinate, but he did not make a single complaint no matter what the task was.

“Eir, are you sure you want to go through with this? It’s not too late...” He heard Lin speak out towards the lake. Arfled had noticed Lin the Alchemist’s strange tendency to speak to the air, but dismissed it as a weird habit. All that mattered to him was his daughter’s safety. Over the past month, her body had begun to show signs of decay despite Lin’s administrations. Today, as soon as the sun sets, the ritual would begin, but Lin seemed to be waiting for something.

Suddenly, Arfled sensed a powerful force approaching. He glanced at Lin, who had his eyes closed and lips were moving. Assuming that he was chanting a spell of sorts Arfled drew his twin blades just as a giant sapphire dragon appeared from the clouds and landed next to the lake. He barely made out two figures leaping off its back and approaching him.

“So they’ve arrived at last.” Lin murmured, turning around just as Lumnieve tackled him with a hug.

“Linnn-” Lumnieve cried. “Please give me your student!”

Lin held her away by her forehead. “Can you not? Why do you think I always hesitate to pay you a visit?”

“But, but, but, you’re one of the few humans I can actually touch and they won’t die!” Lumnieve complained. “But I still prefer Yuelei though.” She did a 180 degree turn and started zipping towards Yuelei, who was walking with Arfled. However she skid to a stop as soon as she noticed Arfled being covered in with Yuelei’s Sheive Cloak. His silver armor had frosted over and he was trembling. With a rueful sigh, she returned to Lin’s side instead.

“So Lin. How is Eir doing these days?”

“Well enough. She’s preparing for the ritual beneath the lake. I trust you are ready?”

“I am ready. But you may want to tell that knight over there to leave. I cannot ensure his safety if I release my power here.”

“Arfled? He will be fine. I gave him a potion earlier that will allow him to adjust to the cold in return for sapping his stamina for a week.”

“How did you convince him to drink such a potion?”

“I asked him how much would he give to be able to protect his daughter.”

“Cruel and blunt as always, oh- Last Enchanter”

“...I never said I was a hero.”

While the two were making casual conversation- casual despite the snide remarks and back-handed compliments, a high note echoed in the air, sending ripples throughout the lake.

“It seems like Eir is finished with her preparations. ”

Without speaking to the others, Lin simply walked towards the end of the bridge. After kicking the casket into the water with his leg, he pulled out his flute and blew a note.

Four different colored jewels floated around Lin as he started playing the flute. The torches placed in the circular valley immediately lit themselves and illuminated the area.As soon as he started, Lumnieve jumped and hovered in the air above the lake raising an arm above her and forming a translucent barrier protecting the lake.

“Wait… what am I supposed to do?” Yuelei glanced around, confused.

“We must eliminate the ones that get through.” Arfled mumbled as he gazed toward the sky, the last rays of the sun finally being extinguished as the night came.

“The ones?” Yuelei felt a dread tugging at her as she pondered the words. However, her question was soon answered as she noticed the red eyes glowing in the distant dark. A few moments later, she saw their ghastly forms. Like living shadows, they writhed and slithered on the ground towards them dripping dark saliva as they rushed forward between the valley entrance. They took on the silhouettes of beasts, but their disfigured forms were unlike any beast Yuelei had seen.

“Is this your first time fighting the Shadowless, young lady?” Arfled gritted his teeth; there was much more than he had anticipated. “Inside their bodies lies a dense shadowy core. If you attack that, their forms will disperse, otherwise they will just regenerate. Fire magic can set them aflame, and light magic could prevent their regeneration, but these numbers...”

“Hmph. For a silver knight, you seem to be quaking in your boots!” a voice taunted from above . Yuelei turned and watched as Lumnieve casually sent several giant boulders of ice rolling towards the incoming horde, dispersing it temporarily. She quickly followed up with several blue fireballs that clung to the ground and bathed any Shadowless in icy white flames.

“I fear nothing other than being unable to save those I cherish. Goddess, grant me strength!” Arfled retorted, sticking both swords in the ground and reaching to the skies. With a thundering roar, a spear of crystallize light materialized in his hands and he hurled the spear towards in incoming mass of darkness.

Not sure what was happening but going with the flow, Yuelei shot several Primal ice Bolts at the enemy, surprised to find that they had cost her little to no soul power. It felt as if casting Frost Magic was almost second nature to her.

“Yuelei, there’s no need to hold back on frost magic while I’m near!” Lumnieve shouted as she sent a hailstorm pelting the Shadowless with hailstones the size of basketballs.

Yuelei nodded in acknowledgment, and quickly started forming several Winter Moons, and send them spiralling towards the distance. The three of them quickly fell into a rhythm as they constantly hurled spells towards the incoming horde. Even Forseer, who had merely watched the proceedings, suddenly took flight and rained frost-fire upon the incoming horde.

Yet their attacks only seemed to slow the Shadowless advance temporarily. Where one died, two more would take its place. Other times when their core was not completely destroyed, they would reform and continue advancing. The only things that seem to be thinning the numbers were Arfled’s Spears of Heavenly Light and some of Lumnieve’s spells, which seemed to cleanse and turn the creatures into a flock of blue butterflies.

“Tch, this would be much easier if we were at the Frost Palace, or I didn’t have to take that suppressive pill.” Lumnieve complained as she sent a tornado of Primal Frost Lances down the enemies ranks. “Otherwise I’d just call out the Legion of Winter and enjoy this battle.”

“Don’t you have some spell to deal with all of them at once?” Yuelei complained.

“If I used one of those spells, all of you would simply be caught in it as well!” Lumnieve sulked, and as if to express her discontent, she conjured a giant pillar of ice in front of the valley entrance. With a light kick on it’s side it started to tilt and fall onto the enemy horde. But the creatures simply slithered from beneath the fallen pillar of ice and continued to creep forward.

“So annoying.” Lumnieve grumbled and pulled out her ice fans. The edges glowed an eerie blue color as Lumnieve smashed the fan into the ground, sending waves of glaciers at the enemy, followed by a wave of blue butterflies that seemed to explode whenever they touched one of the Shadowless.

“Who is she?” Arfled watched in shock as the sea of enemy parted under her attack. The girl called Lumnieve glowed a white and blue light, and any Shadowless that tried to attack her would cry out as their shadowy appendages turned into butterflies. “I have never heard of someone like her in any of the five countries…..”

That’s because she isn’t human, despite her looks. Yuelei smiled.

“A friend.” she decided to reply.

“You...” Arfled’s gaze turned from the figure annihilating the Shadowless, to the figure playing a flute near the lake oblivious to their situation, then to the casket that seemed to move of its own will towards the center, and finally, on the young girl that was younger than his daughter. Despite being a knight of the Silver Guard who had an aptitude at slaying the Shadowless, he had seen things today that defied his imagination. That abomination and dragon floating in the air aside, even a little girl managed to obliterate a group of Shadowless with a single spell that she seemed to casually tossed out.

“Young lady, are you not afraid?” Arfled asked as he hurled another Spear of Heavenly Light at the foe. “At this rate, they will soon be upon us.”

“Afraid? Of course I am. But what is the point of being afraid now?” Yuelei replied coldly.. Using frost magic gave her a feeling of exhilaration and a surge of adrenaline, likely perhaps due to Lumnieve’s presence. “To show fear to your enemy is admitting defeat.”

“...Is that so?” Arfled replied, shaking his head sadly. This girl was much younger then his own daughter, but she lacked the warmth that children brought.

Yuelei nodded in acknowledgment. She had watched as the man endlessly hurled Spears of Light at the enemy, and while she was being fueled by Lumnieve’s strange magic, the man was obviously starting to tire.

Yuelei took out her diamond-shaped potion bottle and used a bit of magic to create a small cup of ice. Carefully mixing three drops of Gnome Mushroom concentrate and one drop of Aqua Orb extract, she handed the cup to Arfled.

“It’s a basic potion, but it should keep you awake and nourished for the night.”

Arfled accepted the cup and without a word he chugged it down. True to her words, he felt more awake and his shoulder that he had strained while throwing the spears loosened a little. Arfled glanced at Yuelei incredulously, he had thought she was merely an assistant, but this girl who appeared to be younger than his daughter even knew how to brew basic potions.

“My thanks.” Arfled saluted Yuelei before turning to face the valley entrance again. The torches’ light and Lumnieve’s onslaught seemed to barely hold the Shadowless back. Yuelei went over and stood next to him as they watched the one-way slaughter unfold.

“Help should be coming soon.” It took a while for Arfled to register the meaning of her words. Just before he could managed, he was about to question her meaning he sensed several presences quickly approaching them. He turned to the skies just as a streak of blue zipped across.

It took a while to find them, but we have arrived.

Liur gracefully perched on Yuelei’s shoulder, and six other creatures landed on the ground next to them. Among them were a giant dire wolf, a Sheive Bear, a panther, Drak, a levitating golem made from ice, and a round fuzzball like creature.

Arfled stared in awe as the seven of them converged in a circle around Yuelei, seemingly curious about her. These were all powerful creatures that were hardly seen in The Holy Land of Ecclisa! Little did he know that they were actually holding a conversation and greeting Yuelei as one of their own. Occasionally one of the creatures would shoot him a glance, and he would awkwardly nod back in greeting.

A few minutes after, the girl called Lumnieve returned from the front line and tackled her companions with a hug. It would have been a charming sight if Arfled had not witness the girl casually cause an avalanche with a single wave of her fan.

Arfled glanced at the incoming horde which had re-converged after the girl called Lumnieve had stopped attacking. They were nearing the entrance now and Arfled gripped his twin blades tightly.

“Ah, what a pain.” Arfled heard a voice from behind him and suddenly a giant wall of ice blocked off the entrance. He turned around to see the group of creatures and two girls slowly walked towards him.

“You seem to be exhausted, Sir Knight. Why don’t you save your energy for when you see your daughter again?” Lumnieve commented as she slip past him. But as she walked by, Arfled could feel his skin turn cold and frost accumulating on his armor. His breath turned into fine mist, and as the creatures walked past him, and Yuelei quietly placed another cup filled with orange liquid in his hands while apologizing.

In a dazed stupor, Arfled watched as the Ice Barrier went down and eight of the nine individuals intercepted the incoming wave of Shadowless easily, his eyes momentarily halting on the phoenix and girl pair.

When dawn finally broke and the forms of the Shadowless receded. All of the individuals except for Lin had gathered at the edge of the lake. Countless blue lotuses were blooming on the lake, each of them emitting a dull glow. The ice covering the lake seemed to have vanished entirely. The ritual was finally starting to near its conclusion.

“What’s happening?”

“Be quiet Yuelei and listen. This is something that even I, who have been around for millenniums, have only heard once before. Remember this.” Lumnieve’s voice had a sense of longing in it.

Suddenly the haunting melody from the flute suddenly halted. Yuelei turned towards Lin thinking that he had stopped, but instead he seemed to be still playing except it released no sound.

A female voice started to sing in a language that she could not understand, striking her with a sense of melancholy. Lumnieve, who was leaning on her shoulder, hummed along.

Wa ylo il pfe mneo, ket eji dulr il ando

Hete na dor anima fayyen du?

Freya dor fela lentna, was da felda

Coryu yisa spelde ad aspet tare-

The voice seemed to snare all the onlookers in a trance. The blue flowers glowed at the same time reacting to the words, sending ripples that danced along the lake surface. As the song continued, various vines and ivy wrapped around the casket floating at the center of the lake. Glowing orbs formed and slowly levitated from the center of the flowers on the lake.

Rli dun nav nor pria

Nepo discl yuki noche

Lafor gon nin feley ys dor hryu-

Eco mios umba yog stuya

As the song progressed, the liquid in the lake slowly rose in the air in orbs, each one encasing a blue lotus, until finally all of the water of the lake was floating in the air.

Falltin du calado rida

Luceiyla spen fyiinal

Stal chru flounter,

Agksu nevan tirna luyxa

Agksu nevan yeir du fallas

Ness altre is strynis initer rito du

Yuelei’s felt liquid dripping down her cheeks. When she rubbed at it, she was surprised to find that there was a trail of tears leaking from her eyes. Yuelei turned towards her companions, who was also transfixed by the melody and also seemed unaware that they had shed tears.

Dun riposa, riposa duiya-

Fran kaste yen heynsita

Fou keen ri was presi

Fou keen lequen lor

Du heynsita,

Nor yein aiter hezla

As the song finished, the lake settled and the feminine voice faded away. Lin put the flute down and glanced over towards where they stood, a mixed expression on his face. He pointed towards the casket and it started to drift over to where Arfled stood.

And so Arfled embraced his daughter once more, tears streaming down his face.

Partial Translation:

Oh- Transient and ephemeral dreamer hiding in the depths of deception,

For whom have you continued to wait in the deserted woods?

A soft gentle mist

wraps your body and soul in a quiet embrace.

Deprived of her fate, the girl sank in the darkness,

seeking the whereabouts of the light

In the story that I have written, you can dream in peace

Let me cast my final spell, so your slumber may go undisturbed.

Hear my incantation, my prayers,

so the fleeting light can chase away the darkness

so the splendid dream will not be sullied

by the sadness brought out by the truth.

So, rest, rest in peace now,

In the illusion I have created.

The forest of sin that consumed the little girl,

let it wither away somewhere.

For in the world’s transient memory,

that illusion, Oh world-, let it cease to be.