Eternal Winter

Precious Findings: Part V

After a few minutes in the stuffy space, we began trudging through the snow again, each step heavier than the last as we prepared to abandon this town in need. No, we are leaving in order to help them. I told myself, time and again...as only to convince myself.

As we headed for the train station—seemingly the only option we had, now—Sammy would intermittently pause and imitate what Jakob had done earlier with the ice-wall. Each time would result in nothing but chapped, red hands and still settled snow.

Finally, after what seemed the tenth time, at least, he huffed and fell back to Jakob, "How did you do it? The walls from the snow." I glanced back and watched him pull his gloves back onto his hands with trembling fingers. "The snow doesn't respond, not like it does with Lyra."

Jakob maintained Sammy's pace and responded patiently, "Well, Lyra is a magician of Nature. It is only practical that you do not have the same control over the raw elements as she does."

"Then, how were you able to? You're a Shifter, like me," Sammy replied, with a furrowed brow peeking from beneath his hat.

"As you say, Elementals and Shifters are not the same. Whereas Lyra may change the water to ice by calling for the water to interlock with itself, Shifters have to take a different approach. In my example, I used pressure. By shifting the snow tighter and tighter and putting it under pressure, I was able to create ice. The ice is what I then moved, shifting it upwards into a wall. Does this make sense?" Jakob asked, pausing the conversation so Sammy could follow.

Ever the teacher and student. My heart twisted and I forced myself to look ahead.

"Yes...well, I suppose," Sammy murmured his reply. "So, it is less to do with the element and more to do with...hm, with how it is...handled?"

"Very astute explanation," Jakob praised. "If you think more on it, other Arts use the elements in a similar manner: Crafters use cottons to create cloth—cotton is earth, yet a material; Dividers will use material which combusts upon dividing, thereby fueling a furnace—this is both earth and fire; even non-magicians are still capable of creating fire, stitching clothes, chopping wood, or melding steel all without any magic because, in place of magic, they use materials."

Just then, the train station began to come into view. Jakob ended the lesson there, "If you continue practicing Shifting with that mindset you will surely be able to use it however you desire."

"You say that as if you will not be teaching me any longer," Sammy stated, puzzled.

"Are you not coming with us?" I asked, falling back to them just as we arrived at the train station. It was an open shelter with rough stone floors largely protected by the roof overhang. Julian and Michaela had already hurried over to a signboard, leaving us for the moment. "I thought you would be joining us in Austa...for your sister." The word came off my tongue coarsely.

Jakob shrugged, the backpack shifting heavily on his shoulders. "It was my intention...but, perhaps, it would be better if I didn't." A heavy light sat in his eyes, drooping with sorrow. "I fear my judgement may cloud what needs to be done."

"Even though...she's our mother?" I forced out, for that word was bitter to the taste and grating to my ears. My hand sought out Sammy's, the reassuring warmth and presence that shared—

I grabbed air.

My head whipped around, seeking him out, because he wasn't—he wasn't—no...

"Sammy!" I screamed; the word ripped from me as my heart lurched for him.

Him—Sammy—still standing in the snow, restrained by a beastmen whose every breath heated up the air and whose eyes burned holes through me.