Page 35 of Court of Aether and Shadows

The world around me was a winter wonderland, trees laden with snow that sparkled like diamonds in the ethereal light. But this was no ordinary forest. The trees seemed to sing as I passed, their branches swaying in a wind I couldn't feel. Flowers of ice bloomed in my wake, delicate crystalline structures that chimed like bells.

I looked down at my arms, marveling at the intricate patterns that swirled across my skin. They glowed with an inner light, shifting and changing like living things.

As I laughed, the markings pulsed brighter, and the very air around me seemed to shimmer with joy.

A low growl from behind spurred me to run faster, but it was playful rather than threatening.

I glanced back to see an enormous wolf loping after me, its fur a deep midnight blue shot through with streaks of silver. It was easily twice my size, but in my child's mind, it was just another playmate.

"Can't catch me!" I called out, my voice high and clear, ringing through the crystal air like a bell.

The wolf's eyes, glowing amber, sparkled with mischief.

It put on a burst of speed, closing the distance between us. Just as it was about to overtake me, I darted to the side, ducking under a low-hanging branch.

Snow exploded around us as the wolf skidded to a halt, shaking its massive head in mock frustration. I doubled over with laughter, the sound causing nearby icicles to vibrate in harmony.

"Too slow!" I taunted, sticking out my tongue.

The wolf huffed, a sound suspiciously like laughter. Then it crouched down, tail wagging, clearly ready for another chase.

I took off running again, this time heading for a small frozen pond I could see through the trees. The wolf followed, its powerful strides eating up the distance between us. But I was quick and nimble, darting between trees and leaping over fallen logs with effortless grace.

As we ran, the forest seemed to come alive around us. Birds with feathers of frost and fire swooped overhead, their calls a crystalline chorus. Small creatures peered out from hollows and burrows – rabbits with fur that shimmered like moonlight, foxes with multiple tails that left trails of sparks in the snow.

I reached the edge of the pond and, without hesitation, stepped out onto its mirror-smooth surface. Instead of slipping, I glided across it as if on wings, my bare feet barely touching the ice. The wolf followed, its claws finding solid purpose where there should have been none.

We danced across the pond, a swirling pattern of child and beast, leaving intricate frost patterns in our wake. Joy bubbled up inside me, pure and overwhelming. I threw my arms wide, tipping my face to the sky, and let out a peal of laughter that rang through the entire forest.

The sound seemed to trigger something magical.

The very air around us began to glow, countless motes of light swirling into existence. They danced around us, responding to our movements, creating shapes and patterns that defied description.

Trees at the edge of the pond began to sway, their branches reaching toward us as if wanting to join in our play. The ice beneath our feet pulsed with light, each step sending ripples of color spreading outward. Even the mountains in the distance seemed to stir, their snowy peaks shimmering with an inner radiance.

It was a moment of perfect harmony, of union between child and nature, between the physical and the magical. In that instant, I felt connected to everything around me, as if the entire world was singing a song that only I could hear.

The wolf came to a stop beside me, its warm breath misting in the cold air. I reached out, burying my small hands in its thick fur.

It nuzzled me gently, a gesture of affection and protection.

"We should go back," I said, though I couldn't have said where 'back' was. "They'll be looking for us."

The wolf nodded, its amber eyes filled with an intelligence far beyond that of a normal animal. It crouched down, and I clambered onto its broad back, my fingers twining in its silver-streaked fur.

As we set off back through the forest, the magical atmosphere began to fade. The glowing motes of light winked out one by one, the singing of the trees faded to a whisper, and the ice flowers stopped blooming in our wake.

But the sense of wonder, of belonging, lingered. As if this - this magical realm of ice and light - was where I truly belonged…

The memory faded as abruptly as it had come, leaving me disoriented and gasping for breath.

What was that? When…why…

I blinked, trying to reconcile the snowy wonderland of my vision with the autumn forest around me. The vividness of the memory –if it was a memory at all– left me reeling.

There was something about seeing that vision — the daring assumption that could have been my past…my childhood — suddenly made me angry.

Mad that I couldn’t recall something so beautiful and mesmerizing?

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