[Silvia]

Silvia's mind was shrouded in darkness, her thoughts slow, and her senses dulled. But she felt it, the feeling of someone holding her hand. Something soft was brushing her forehead, her cheek. She heard a voice, a very familiar but distant voice, calling her name. It was muffled and barely audible, but there was no doubt who it belonged to. A gentle, sweet, and soothing voice. Her brother's.

"Silvia," the second voice appeared, equally sweet and loving, "Wake up, darling. Please." This one belonged to her mother.

— 'Mommy?' she thought, the word echoing in her head. 'Mom, I'm here!' she shouted, but no sound escaped her lips. She tried her best to open her eyes. But she couldn't. No matter how much she tried, her eyelids were glued together.

— 'What's going on? What's happening to me?' she panicked, unable to move a single muscle. It was like her whole body was paralyzed as if something was keeping her immobilized. 'Why can't I wake up?' she tried to lift her arms, to no avail.

Silvia was lost, terrified. She felt how cold spread from her heart, reaching every part of her body. It was freezing, as if all the warmth had been sucked out of her, leaving her with nothing but pain.

The darkness swallowed her completely. 'Please, someone... Please, help me...' she begged, hoping her silent cry would reach someone. But it never did.

Minutes went by. Then, hours. Her sense of time got blurred by the constant pain and being unable to wake up or fall asleep, making her existence as miserable as it could ever be. How long had she been in the dark? Was it a day? Or a week? It wasn't easy to tell. She was floating in nothingness, trapped inside her mind, only being able to feel how the cold slowly consumed her body. The voices disappeared a while ago, leaving the girl completely helpless, alone, and scared. Really scared.

Then, everything changed. She felt it with every fiber of her being. Something that had always been part of her, hidden deep within, began to stir, awakening from its slumber...

— 'W-What's happening?' Silvia thought as she sensed how her heart started beating faster. Much faster. The girl felt how the strange energy from somewhere outside seeped into her, filling her every blood vessel, slowly but surely trying to reach her heart. It was like a stream of pure life itself flowing through her veins, bringing her back from the brink of death. The heart kept drumming louder and louder, making the blood pump faster, as if calling out for that mysterious force. And this strange energy answered the invitation.

In mere seconds, the energy reached its destination - her heart. It began to spin rapidly, causing a chain reaction. The coldness that had gripped her whole body suddenly reacted, trying to fight the invader. A battle of nature against the ice began inside her. The two opposing forces clashed in a fierce struggle for dominance.

Silvia couldn't comprehend what was happening. All she knew was that her body was shaking violently, and the pain was unbearable. It was as if her entire body was ripped apart and reassembled repeatedly. With a great struggle, the coldness was pushed into a tiny luminous orb deep inside the little girl's heart. Her body stopped shaking, and the pain finally faded away. And with that, she finally fell asleep.

...

 

Silvia woke up in a so familiar and comfy bed, wrapped in thick blankets. Her entire body was sore, and her lungs felt like they were burning with each breath the little girl took. Her vision was blurry and unfocused, and her head was spinning. She struggled to recall what had happened, as her mind was foggy and her memory was muddled. She could not produce any sound except for a weak, raspy cough when she attempted to speak.

"Silvia?" a voice called, and her head turned toward the sound.

— "A-Asty?" Silvia croaked, her voice dry and her eyes squinting, struggling to focus on his blurry form.

"You're awake! You're finally awake!" he cried, hugging his sister tight, squeezing her. Silvia groaned but didn't utter a word. She felt his tears dripping down her neck, but it was certainly tears of joy. She could tell. With great effort, she slowly lifted her left arm, her fingers tangled with his silvery hair.

"We were so scared," he sobbed, burying his face in her shoulder. "Me and mom... We thought we would lose you," he sniffled, his voice cracking and his grip getting tighter. "Two weeks..." he whispered, sniffling. "It's been two weeks, Silvia..." he added, his voice barely audible.

— "I'm... sorry..." she whispered, her voice still weak, her lips dry. 'Two whole weeks...' she thought, taking in the information. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "Where's... Mom? I wanna see her," she mumbled, trying her best to hold her tears, nervously looking around and trying to see the blurry figure of her mother.

"She's outside," Aster explained, his voice muffled by her shoulder. "Hunting," he added, lifting his head and wiping away his tears with his sleeve. "She should be back soon," he smiled warmly. He stared at her for a moment, his golden eyes locked on her as if trying to reassure himself that she was really awake.

— "Alright..." Silvia mumbled, feeling disappointed, rubbing her eyes to clear her vision. She wanted to see her mother so bad, to feel her warmth and smell her sweet scent. The little girl needed her mother now more than ever.

"Do you need anything, Silvia?" Aster spoke up, his voice still a little shaky.

— "A drink. Can you get me some water, please?" she asked, her gaze fixed on the cave's entrance.

"O-of course," Aster nodded, quickly getting off the bed, his feet almost tripping, and rushed to the kitchen. He took a wooden bowl, filled it with water, and returned to his sister. "Here you go," he kneeled beside her, moving the bowl closer to her parched lips.

Silvia sipped the water, her throat burning, and swallowed with difficulty. She coughed violently, making Aster spill water on her blanket. "Sorry, sorry," he apologized, putting the bowl on the floor and wiping the spilled drops from her chin with his sleeve.

— "It's okay," she replied, taking a deep breath and closing her eyes. "Thank you," she smiled weakly, her hand resting on his. She tried to relax and calm herself, but suddenly, memories of her sickness came back, and with it, the pain and suffering she had gone through. This caused a wave of fear to wash over her, making her breathing shallow, her heart pound faster, and her palms sweat. She opened her eyes and looked at her brother, who had a look of worry on his face.

"H-how are you feeling?" he asked, his gaze fixed on her face, observing her every move.

— "Fine," she lied. She couldn't tell him how scared she was. How terrified. She didn't want him to worry. But deep down, she knew he saw right through her lies. "I'm... fine," she repeated, her voice shaking, her hand gripping the blanket, her knuckles white.

"Are you sure?" he inquired, his expression full of concern.

— "I'm..." Silvia paused, biting her lip, trying not to cry. "...fine," she whispered. But once she looked up at him, her vision quickly got blurred with tears, and she couldn't hold them back anymore.

"Silvia..." Aster whispered worriedly, his gaze fixed on his crying sister, his heart aching.

— "I-I was so scared, Asty. I thought... I-I thought I would die, and I will never see you or Mom ever again. I was so afraid... I was so, so, so afraid..." Silvia whimpered, her shoulders shaking.

"Silvia, I-" he mumbled, struggling to form a sentence. But then, the girl threw herself into his arms, crying her eyes out. Aster wrapped his arms around her sickly thin body and held her tight. "Shh... It's alright, Sis. I'm here," he murmured, gently stroking her hair.

But the girl couldn't stop crying. It was as if a dam had broken, releasing all the tears and fears accumulated within her over the last two weeks. Tears kept flowing down her face, her chest rising and falling quickly, her breathing ragged.

"Hey, hey," he shushed her, trying his best to calm her down, rubbing her back and kissing her cheek. "Everything is okay now. You're alive. I'm here with you. You're safe," he comforted her, pulling her closer, holding her tightly, and rocking her gently back and forth. "Mom will be here soon. You'll see her again," he reassured her, whispering sweet words to ease her sobbing.

But she didn't stop. She couldn't control her emotions, and her whole body was shaking.

"I will never leave you, do you hear me?" he promised, looking directly into her eyes, his tone serious. The girl vulnerably looked at him from below, with such hope in her eyes... Then, Aster continued, "I'm always here. Always. Nothing will happen to you. Ever. I will protect you," he assured her, stroking her hair and kissing her forehead. 

His words made her cry slowly subside, her shoulders no longer shaking. "No matter what..." he then added, his golden eyes never left hers.

"I love you so, so, so much, Silvia," he whispered, wiping away the tears from her face with his sleeve, a warm smile on his lips. "And mom loves you just as much," he told her, gently removing a strand of the hair from her face. "We'll always be there for you, no matter what happens or how hard things get. Okay?"

— "Okay... I-I love you too," she sobbed, giving him a weak smile and snuggling against his chest, her arms wrapped around his waist, her hands grasping the back of his tunic.

"It's all over, Sis. Everything is alright," he whispered, his chin resting on her head. "Don't be scared. I'm here," he added, his voice soft, his embrace tender.

— "Mhm," Silvia hummed, closing her eyes and listening to his heartbeat, her head nuzzling his chest.

They stayed like this for a while, simply holding each other. Aster didn't dare to break the embrace, giving his sister all the time she needed. He could feel how her chest moved against his as she inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly. Silvia closed her eyes and focused on her brother's warmth, her muscles relaxing, her body melting into his, her sobs fading away. She let out a deep sigh, enjoying the safety of her brother's arms, basking in the comfort of his cuddles and the feeling of his presence.

Finally, she's not alone.

 

[Nivalis Silverfrost]

Nivalis walked silently through the pine forest, the sun hidden behind the clouds. Her long silver hair danced in the breeze, the branches crunching beneath her feet. Her blue eyes were focused on her target, her bow raised, and her finger on the bowstring, ready to release.

With one quick motion, she released the string, and the arrow flew forward. The bird instantly fell from the tree, the arrow piercing its chest.

— 'Perfect,' she thought, walking toward the fallen prey and taking it from the ground. She quickly pulled the arrow from its body and decided to process the catch right there.

She put the bird on the ground and kneeled, taking out a knife. She gave a quick prayer, as she usually does, before slitting its throat, letting the blood flow freely, and then started gutting it. The process went smoothly and quickly, thanks to her years of experience in this forest. Once finished, she stood up, placing the remains in her leather bag.

— 'This should be enough for today,' she concluded, walking away from the area. Her steps were light and fast, her bow in her hand. "Time to go home," she whispered under her breath.

As she made her way towards the cave, her thoughts were consumed by her daughter, Silvia, her little sunshine, who had been unconscious for two weeks. Nivalis was so worried about her that she barely slept or ate. Terrible thoughts haunted her, torturing her, and the fact that she couldn't do anything made her feel powerless and weak. She didn't know what to do. All Nivalis wanted was to see her daughter's smile, her golden eyes, and hear her laughter again. But with each passing day, Nivalis's hopes continued to fade.

The wind blew in her face, and her long silver hair flowed in the air, the strands covering her blue eyes. She could feel the breeze caressing her skin, carrying the smell of pine trees, grass, and damp soil. She looked at the sky, the clouds floating lazily above her, and felt a pang of sadness in her chest. 'Why?' she thought. 'Why does this have to happen to my daughter? Why couldn't it have been me?' She was so tired of worrying, of the constant fear and uncertainty... All she wanted was to go home and hold her child. Feel her warmth, hear her breathing, and see her beautiful smile. To see her daughter healthy.

As she approached the cave's entrance, Nivalis could hear voices coming from inside. She quickened her pace and stepped into the darkness, her eyes adjusting to the dim light. She couldn't contain her tears when she saw her son and daughter hugging each other tightly.

"Mommy!" Silvia called, looking up at her mother, her face still tear-stained, her arms reaching out for her.

— "My darling," Nivalis answered, running toward her child and throwing her bow on the ground. She knelt beside her and hugged her daughter, pressing her body against hers, her fingers tangling with her silvery hair. "Oh, my little angel," she sobbed, kissing her daughter's cheek, her lips wet from tears. "You're awake... You're finally awake," she whispered, her voice quivering.

"Mhm," Silvia nodded, hugging her mother back, burying her face in her neck, wetting her skin.

The world around Nivalis seemed to disappear. Nothing else mattered anymore. Only her daughter mattered. Her little baby. The little girl she was so worried about.

She didn't know how long they stayed like this, holding each other, crying, laughing, and exchanging words of love and affection. Minutes? Hours? It didn't matter. Time ceased to exist. Only the three of them, a mother and her children, a family, were there.

At some point, Nivalis noticed her daughter's weak body and how hard it was for her to sit and helped her lie down. "Let me prepare something to eat," she said, standing up and heading toward the kitchen. "I'll make your favorite soup, honey," she announced, looking back and smiling at her daughter, who smiled back and nodded.

"Do you need help, Mom?" Aster offered.

— "No, dear. I'll manage," Nivalis replied, ruffling his hair with a smile. "Now, be a good boy and stay with your sister, alright?" she asked, turning around and heading to the kitchen corner.

"Sure, Mom," Aster agreed, sitting beside his sister, holding her hand and giving her a gentle smile.

 

[Silvia]

Days went by since Silvia woke up. Slowly and gradually, the little girl began to recover from her illness. It was a slow process, but with each passing day, she felt better and better, the fatigue and weakness finally fading away. Her mother and brother took extra care of her, never leaving her alone for more than a few minutes, feeding her, giving her baths, helping her dress, and carrying her outside to let her get some fresh air. And Silvia secretly enjoyed the pampering. It felt nice.

Today, it was a bit rainy. A light drizzle fell on the grass outside the cave. Silvia was sitting on her bed, wrapped in blankets, enjoying a cup of herbal tea, listening to her brother and mother chatting in the kitchen. They talked about the hunting trip her mother went on yesterday, the weather, and other trivialities.

Silvia took another sip from her cup and smiled as she watched them from afar. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, breathing in the steamy, warm air that carried the aroma of her tea. 'Life is good,' she thought, sighing happily. She was about to take another sip when suddenly, a strange feeling rose in her chest, making her feel uneasy. It reminded her of that feeling she had experienced during her illness, that sensation of coldness spreading inside her.

— 'What is this?' she wondered, her fingers trembling slightly. She could hear her heartbeat pounding in her ears, making her close her eyes and clench her jaw. The feeling grew stronger, and the girl found it hard to breathe. It was as if something was constricting her chest, making her heart race and her palms sweat.

She heard her mother and brother talking, but their voices were silenced by the sound of rushing blood pumping through her veins.

Silvia's eyes snapped open, her golden irises wide, her pupils dilated. The girl clutched at her chest, her heart beating so fast she thought it would jump out of her ribcage. "Mom... Asty..." she gasped, her voice weak, barely audible. But it was enough.

Within seconds, the two rushed to her side, worry written across their faces.

"What's wrong, honey?" Nivalis asked, kneeling beside her. "Are you okay?"

Silvia didn't answer. Her mind was occupied by the strange feeling growing in her chest. 'What's happening to me?' she thought, trying to calm herself, but the fear wouldn't fade away. Her eyes darted from side to side, her breathing fast and shallow, her fingers trembling.

"Silvia? What's wrong?" Aster's voice echoed in her mind, snapping her back to reality. She blinked several times and stared at her brother's golden eyes. "Are you alright?" he asked again. Strange, but this feeling was now completely gone. But a trace of uneasiness remained.

— "Y-yes..." Silvia mumbled, blinking once more and nodding slowly. "I... I just had a weird feeling," she explained, taking a deep breath and relaxing, her racing heart slowing down. "My heart felt funny... But it's gone now... I think," she added, placing a hand on her chest, feeling it slowly rise and fall.

"Funny?" Nivalis frowned, her blue eyes focused on her daughter. "What kind of funny?" She brought her palm to the girl's forehead, checking for fever.

— "It felt like something was pressing against my heart. It was... painful, a bit. I'm not really sure," Silvia answered, shaking her head. "It was strange. Like... like a cold, freezing feeling..." she trailed off, trying to make sense of her words. "I... I don't know how to describe it, really."

Nivalis gave her daughter a concerned look and turned to Aster. "Stay with her and keep an eye on her. I'll go and prepare her more tea. Maybe it will help her with this strange feeling," she suggested, reaching for the cup in her daughter's hands. Silvia was about to say that she still had plenty left, but then her eyes widened, and she shrieked in surprise, staring inside the cup. It was frozen solid, the steam no longer rising from the hot liquid.

Nivalis took the cup from Silvia's hands and stared at the ice-covered contents. "What in the world...?" she mumbled, her expression a mixture of shock and confusion. "How...?" she muttered, her mind unable to comprehend what happened.

"What's wrong?" Aster inquired, confused by her mother's reaction. Nivalis handed him the cup, and he inspected the icy drink. "Huh," he uttered, furrowing his brows. "That's... weird. It's hot in here. How come the tea froze?" he wondered aloud. But then something inside his head clicked. The puzzle pieces all seemed to fit perfectly. The strange illness his sister had gone through, the odd feeling she felt a few seconds ago, and now the strange phenomenon that occurred in front of their eyes. Suddenly, it all made sense. His mind instantly made the connection.

"Magic..." he whispered, his eyes narrowing, his gaze fixed on the frozen cup. A smile appeared on his lips, and he looked up at his mother, meeting her equally surprised blue eyes. "Mom, was it magic? Did Silvia awaken her powers or something?" he asked, his voice full of hope.

— "Did I?" Silvia exclaimed, her eyes lighting up. "Was it magic!? Really!?" she asked excitedly.

"I-I don't know... The awakening usually doesn't appear with such illness... It happens without any pains or symptoms..." Nivalis mumbled, glancing at her daughter. "But..." she hesitated for a moment before continuing. "...I think there's a high chance it was magic... Yes, it's probably what happened, darling," she scratched her cheek.

Silvia's mouth broke into a big grin, her eyes shining bright. "So, I'm a mage!?" she asked again, her heart racing excitedly.

"Well, yes, maybe... Probably," Nivalis answered hesitantly. "But..."

— "Oh my, yes!" She threw away the covers and jumped out of bed as if she wasn't ill. She couldn't suppress the urge to jump up and down in joy. "I finally awakened my magic! Yes! Finally!" she cheered, doing a happy dance on the spot, laughing loudly, her smile brighter than the sun. "Wow! Oh my, oh my! I can't believe it! This is so awesome! Asty! Mom! I'm a mage now!" she screamed, grinning ear to ear.

"Silvia, be careful," Nivalis warned, looking worried. "You're still recovering, dear."

— "I'm okay, Mom!" Silvia giggled, bouncing on her feet and spinning in circles, unable to contain her happiness. "Oh, I can't believe it! This is the greatest day of my life! I have an affinity!"

Nivalis and her son were sitting next to each other, watching the little girl with warm smiles on their faces, enjoying her childish dance. Aster laughed, seeing his sister's excitement.

— "Wait, what affinity is this anyway?" Silvia halted her celebration and glanced at her mother curiously.

"Hmm..." Nivalis hummed thoughtfully, stroking her chin with a finger and looking at the frozen liquid. "I think, just like your grandpa, you have a very rare ability to control and create ice, which is actually a part of water magic," Nivalis paused. "It explains the frozen tea and that feeling you had, I assume," she told her daughter with a soft smile, making her squeak immediately and hug her mother.

Silvia squealed and laughed, jumping up and down, holding her mother close and swaying her body. "Yay! Yay! Yay!" she exclaimed, overjoyed by the news. Not only a mage but with a rare gift! Nivalis chuckled at the sight, placing her right hand on her daughter's naked buttocks to be able to quickly catch her if she suddenly fainted from all this burst of activity. The little girl giggled, wrapping her arms around her mother's neck and starting to shower her face with kisses.

Nivalis laughed happily, returning every kiss on her daughter's cute little face and feeling her sweet lips on her cheeks. "Okay, okay, slow down, Silvia. Calm down, honey," Nivalis said warmly to her overly excited daughter.

— "Hehe~" Silvia giggled, giving her a toothy smile. "Asty, your turn!" she suddenly exclaimed, releasing her mother and hopping toward her brother. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a hug, kissing his face all over, planting soft kisses on his forehead, cheeks, nose, and lips.

"Eeeek~" Aster chuckled, pretending to struggle, letting her assault him. "S-stop, Sis. Haha, that tickles," he tried to push her away, but the little girl only held on tighter, giggling merrily.

— "Oh! We need to test how it works!" Silvia said after finishing her attack on her brother. She sat down next to him, smiling broadly. "Right, Mommy? Do I need to concentrate or something?" she turned to her mother, waiting for an answer.

"No, no, no," Nivalis shook her head and wagged her finger. "You must recover fully before even thinking about using magic, okay, honey?" she explained calmly, gently ruffling her hair. "Now, lie down and rest, alright?"

— "Aww, but..." Silvia protested, pouting.

"No buts," Nivalis insisted. "Magic is dangerous. It kills people, and It's not something you can play around with," she added sternly, her tone serious. "The best course of action is to wait until you get better. Once you've recovered, we can try it. No magic until then. Understood?"

Silvia sighed dejectedly but nodded obediently. "Alright, Mommy." She knew her mother was right, so she complied. Even right now, her head spun slightly from all the dancing, making her dizzy. "I'm sorry," she apologized.

"No, honey, don't apologize," Nivalis reassured her, giving her a gentle smile. "It's okay. You're excited, and it's understandable. Just promise me you won't try to use it until I tell you it's fine, okay?" she asked, tucking her in.

— "Yes, Mommy," Silvia answered, nodding again. "Promise," she said quietly.

"Good girl," Nivalis leaned forward and kissed her daughter's cheek.