“Why? Why must the sun set so soon?”

He sat there, and held her tightly, as she weeped.

It was inevitable now. What is going to come, will come.

They heard a blast, and the iron door to the hideout was broken open. A tall man, with fading-white curly hair and a bushy black beard, wearing a dark robe with a blue star symbol, strolled through the broken door. Behind him was an army of men in armor, and of ice leopards.

Gusts of wind howled across the opening. The man’s hair waved in the air. He held his hand up, and glared at the man and woman in the hideout. The man spoke softly, “You caused this upon yourselves. If only you haven’t committed the sins you committed twenty years ago, it wouldn’t be like this. King Lysander and Queen Livia.”

She looked at the intruder as she held her sleeping child. She closed her eyes.

“Almost.” King Lysander whispered.

Ice swirled around and engulfed King Lysander. It appeared to be very graceful, as if a white serpent was wrapped around him. Then the ice melted, and King Lysander had not another word.

“Spare the child.” Queen Livia pleaded, “Good Archmage of Vrie.”

“I’m afraid of the consequences, Livia. I’ll be quick and gentle to both of you.” The Archmage spoke as he raised his hand once more. It pained him to so much to do so. He hesitated, raising his hand and then dropping it. Then he decided he must carry on, and he raised his hand again. This time an icicle emerged from his hands in the shape of an arrow. It struck Queen Livia’s heart directly. The child flew out of her hands, and as the Archmage prepared to have the child meet his mother’s fate, a hooded figure invaded the scene.

Thunder flashed, and the Archmage was almost blinded by the impact of the light. A few blinks later, the child, along with the bodies of King Lysander and Queen Livia, were both gone.

The Archmage sighed, “If fate will have it this way, so be it. So be it. Let’s get out of here.”

The Archmage stepped outside, he trod past the shatter iron pieces of the door. The blizzard didn’t bother him. The snow was beautiful, so was the frozen lake, and everything about the Vrie Glaciers. He navigated the maze of pine trees which led to this hideout to return for a much needed rest.