White.
As far as the eye could see, there was nothing but an endless expanse of snow. Alicia walked alone across the vast white plain, swallowed by silence.
The cold pierced straight to the bone. Too quiet.
Her breath escaped in thin wisps of vapor, trembling in the air. Her heart pounded hard, her body reacting to a sense of danger long before her mind could fully grasp it.
Then… a low growl rose from within the dense snowy fog.
Grrr…
Alicia froze.
The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end, reacting faster than her thoughts could command. From behind the veil of fog, a pair of sharp eyes stared at her—followed by more pairs, emerging one by one.
Snow Wolves.
They advanced slowly but surely. The heavy sound of their breathing echoed through the frozen air. Strangely, their powerful paws made no sound at all upon the snow beneath them…
Too quiet.
Alicia wanted to scream, but her voice caught in her throat.
Instinct took over before her mind could process the situation. She turned and ran with all her strength.
Snowflakes whipped against her calves as she sprinted, her lungs burning each time she dragged in a breath. Behind her, the heavy pounding of paws drew closer—fast, feral, relentlessly closing in.
Don't look back.
But her trembling legs began to lose their strength. One of the Snow Wolves lunged into her field of vision, its sharp fangs snapping through the air, missing her shoulder by only a hand's breadth.
She stumbled.
Her body crashed into the cold snow. The freezing sensation seeped through her clothes, instantly numbing her joints. When she looked up, a massive shadow blotted out the pale light of the overcast sky.
The jaws opened wide.
Rows of fangs gleamed with menace.
"Wh—!?"
Just before those fangs could tear into her—
Alicia jolted awake, gasping.
She sat up abruptly. The dark, warm room could not chase away the lingering chill clinging to her body.
"Hah… hah…"
"That dream again…" she murmured.
It had been two days since Alicia returned from the forest, yet the image of the Snow Wolves still haunted her thoughts.
Why do they keep appearing in my dreams?
She rose from her bed, dragging her heavy limbs toward the door. As soon as she stepped outside, she tried to leave the remnants of the nightmare behind.
On her way to the bathroom to wash her face, she crossed paths with her mother—Kalia—in the dim hallway.
"You're awake already?" her mother asked gently.
Alicia only gave a small nod and continued on without a word. The cool water against her face helped clear her senses a little, though the exhaustion still lingered in her eyes.
Afterward, she went downstairs and pulled out a chair at the dining table. Kalia was busy at the stove, preparing breakfast for the two of them. The aroma of sautéed spices slowly filled the room, attempting to chase away the quiet that clung to Alicia.
While stirring the pot, Kalia glanced over her shoulder. "Alicia, could you watch the shop today? I want to prepare more potion stock."
Alicia paused, staring blankly at the wooden table before her. "…All right," she replied quietly.
Breakfast passed in a calm silence. Once finished, Alicia bathed and changed, preparing to open the shop.
She stepped out of her room looking more presentable. A white, high-collared blouse draped softly over her frame, paired with a layered black skirt that swayed lightly with each step.
At the front of the house, which also served as their shop, she flipped the wooden sign hanging on the door. The side marked Closed turned to Open.
She busied herself tidying the potion shelves, letting time drift by.
At least staying busy is better than spacing out…
Before long, the bell above the door chimed. A man entered, followed by two others who looked like guards or fellow adventurers.
The man approached the counter. "Do you have healing potions?"
Alicia looked at him flatly, answering with cool efficiency. "Healing potions, yes. How many would you like, sir?"
"Five healing potions and two antidote potions, please," he said, wiping sweat from his brow.
Alicia swiftly gathered the requested bottles and wrapped them neatly in brown paper. "Five healing potions and two antidotes. The total is eighty silver Lira."
The man produced a pouch of coins, counting out the amount before handing it over. Alicia accepted the silver and passed him the wrapped potions. Without further words, the group departed.
Without her noticing, noon arrived. Boredom slowly crept in; Alicia had no one to talk to and stood alone behind the wooden counter. Occasionally, townsfolk familiar with her mother stopped by, offering brief greetings or small talk.
The shop door opened again. This time, a girl stepped inside with an easygoing air. She looked about Alicia's age, with short, slightly wavy dark brown hair. Her ruby-red eyes sparkled warmly when they landed on Alicia.
She waved cheerfully. "Alicia! I stopped by. I looked for you at our usual spot, but everyone said you weren't there, so I came here instead!"
Alicia regarded her with the same unchanged, flat expression. "Mother asked me to watch the shop. She's busy brewing potions," she said in a monotone voice.
The girl was Sofia Blake—Alicia's childhood friend, who had been by her side since they were five.
Sofia walked closer and dropped into the chair beside Alicia.
"So… what brings you here?" Alicia asked plainly.
"I just wanted to ask you to hang out. But it looks like you're busy," Sofia replied with a faint smile.
Alicia stared at her blankly, as if questioning how someone like this had ever become her friend.
How did I end up friends with someone like her?
"By the way," Alicia continued, "is Uncle Louis still in the imperial territory?"
"Hm… Papa? Yeah, he's still there. I really want to go with him, but Mom prefers staying here." Sofia paused, then glanced at Alicia with a probing look. "Speaking of that, Alicia… why have you barely gone out lately?"
"I'm fine—" Alicia stopped mid-sentence. The world around her seemed to fade as fragments of last night's vision dragged her mind away.
"Alicia?" Sofia called. There was no response. "Alicia!"
She flinched slightly and turned, looking awkward. "Ah—what? Sorry. I was… spacing out."
"What's wrong with you? Are you sick?" Sofia leaned forward, studying her face. "You look really pale."
Alicia swallowed hard, her throat suddenly dry. The image of gleaming white fangs flashed through her mind, sending a chill crawling up her spine.
"I'm fine," she replied quickly—too quickly. Her fingers unknowingly clenched the fabric of her dress.
"Oh, right," Alicia said abruptly, changing the subject. "How's your magic? Auntie's been teaching you the basics, right? Show me sometime…"
"Yeah, I've been learning from Mom…" Sofia hesitated, looking down at her own palm. "But I still can't control it properly. She said I don't need to worry—that I'll learn more once I enter the academy—"
"I see…" Alicia murmured, curiosity flickering across her face. "But if I remember correctly, you awakened your element at thirteen, right? Why didn't you enroll back then?"
Sofia turned to her with a small smile. "That's right. My element suddenly awakened when I was thirteen—it's inherited from Mom. But the rules say you have to be fifteen to apply. Oh, and this year, I'm heading to the Empire to enroll."
"To the Empire…?" Alicia looked at her, her voice faltering. "That's so sudden…"
"It's not really sudden," Sofia said cheerfully, trying to lighten the mood. "Ever since my element awakened, Mom planned on sending me there. I just had to wait until I was fifteen. When you come to the Empire someday, you should visit my place, okay?"
Alicia lowered her gaze, fingers gripping the hem of her dress tightly. "Why would I go to the Empire? It's more comfortable here. Besides, I've never even stepped outside Nordil."
"That's a shame," Sofia said softly, noticing the trace of sadness on her friend's face.
Their conversation continued—stories and idle dreams exchanged—until they realized the sun had begun to dip toward the west, and afternoon had turned to evening.
Mid-conversation, the shop door opened slowly. Kalia stepped inside.
"Oh, Sofia? You came by?" Kalia asked, her eyes settling on the girl beside Alicia.
"Yes, Auntie!" Sofia replied brightly. "I was looking for Alicia at our usual spot, but she wasn't there… hehe."
"I see," Kalia said with a small nod.
"Are you done, Mom?" Alicia asked.
Kalia let out a relieved breath. "Yes, I'm done. You two can head home if you want. I'll watch the shop now."
"No, it's fine, Mom. Sofia's here too," Alicia replied, but Sofia quickly cut in.
"Oh, it's okay. I should head back anyway—it's already getting late," she said.
It wouldn't feel right to keep Alicia here.
"I see…" Alicia murmured.
"Well then, I'm heading home!" Sofia said, stepping outside and waving.
Alicia returned the wave before standing up. She turned to her mother. "I'll head home first, Mom."
"All right," Kalia replied gently, watching her daughter leave with a warm gaze.
Alicia walked home with heavy steps. The orange glow of the setting sun brushed her face as the evening breeze played with strands of her hair. Upon arriving, she went straight to her room without a word.
Her feet carried her up the stairs to the second floor, her thoughts in turmoil.
It must be wonderful to use magic… when will my element awaken?
Her bedroom door creaked softly as she opened it. After closing it behind her, Alicia walked to the small bookshelf in the corner. Her fingers traced the dusty spines until they stopped at a worn, brown-covered volume.
History of Sorcerers.
She sat on the edge of her bed and began turning the pages. The neatly lined letters should have calmed her, yet her mind drifted elsewhere. The words seemed to bounce off her thoughts, refusing to sink in.
Unnoticed, the twilight faded. The sky beyond the window dimmed, turning into a canvas of deep black. Alicia stood, closed the window, and drew the curtains to shut out the cold.
---
Night fell completely.
Kalia eventually returned from the shop. Mother and daughter ate dinner in comfortable silence—only the clink of utensils and the soft crackle of firewood in the stove filled the space.
From time to time, Kalia glanced at Alicia, silently asking if she was all right. Alicia answered only with a small nod. Since the incident in the forest, Kalia had seemed far more anxious than usual.
"Don't stay up too late," Kalia said gently, breaking the silence.
Alicia nodded. "Okay."
After washing up, Alicia returned to her room. She turned off the lamp and lay down on the soft bed, pulling the blanket over her shoulders in search of warmth.
Slowly, her eyes closed.
---
White.
The snowy plain spread out once more, endless as before.
Alicia stood alone in the vast whiteness. Strangely, there was no one else—only her. The profound silence and emptiness stirred a sense of confusion and unease within her.
---
At the same time, downstairs, Kalia—who had been clearing the dinner table—suddenly froze.
The air around her changed, growing heavy, pressing down on her chest.
She frowned, carefully setting the dishes aside. Her breath caught, her heart pounding erratically. Her eyes widened as she sensed something she knew all too well—something that should not be here.
A violent surge of Aether energy rippled down from the upper floor.
Kalia's face drained of color, cold sweat forming at her temples. Her body trembled violently.
"…That's impossible," she whispered.
The wave of Aether did not subside. Instead, it grew stronger, pulsing intensely, shaking the very foundation of their old house.
The source was unmistakable.
That energy was pouring out from Alicia's room.