World of Mages - 1

01. The Girl in the Snow

20 February, 2025.

Starting for the Donovan's mansion in the middle of the snowstorm wasn't a good idea to begin with, but it wasn't like she had a choice. She had to keep going for that was what her mother had told her.

She was only four. A regular mundane kid at that age wouldn't have the guts travel through snowstorm all by themselves. However, she knew she wasn't just any regular kid. She was a Mage, that too a fire type. And Mages could do things impossible for a mundane.

The storm accelerated, cold wind rushed over her. She could feel her legs going numb. Snow slapped against her face, threatening to enter the eyes. But she couldn't stop. Her mother had told her to find the find the Donovans. They'd be in the northernmost region of Rockside. If she found them, she'd warn them. Warn them about VCS ...

Just a bit more, Nina. Don't give up ... She urged herself.

But her legs gave out. Before she fainted, she saw a blurry silhouette of  a mansion.

***

When she woke up, she found herself in an unknown place.

She was lying on a bed. The room was painted in milky white. A window of the room was open. Light cold wind blew in through it.

She was more amused to see a boy similar to her age, dozing off as he sat on a chair beside her bed. He had messed up hair that was chocolate brown and looked very silky. The way he was dozing off, he looked very cute.

Then suddenly, it all came back to her.

She and her mother Sofia Diford attending some kind of meeting in a large chamber ... A man in a cloak of lightning pointing her ... Sofia grabbing her and fast travelling to Rockside ... Sofia defending her from the man who had chased after them ... Sofia being hit by him ... Telling her daughter to find the Donovans ...
Her last smile ...

Nina clutched her head and whimpered, "Momma !"

The boy woke up with a start at this. He blinked at her in confusion. Then he got down from the chair and walked up to the open door.

"Dad ?" He called. "Hey, Dad ! She's up."

A man in his thirties showed up on the doorway. His icy cold eyes studied the little girl for a while. "Albair," he told his son. "Go call your Mom. And make sure you stay with Matt. Don't come here anymore."

Albair nodded. He walked out of the sick room and after a while, a woman entered. She was thirty three years old, the same age as her husband.

She exchanged a look with him. He nodded in silent agreement of something, handing over a small bottle of orange liquid to his wife.

"Mrs. Donovan ?" Nina asked in her timid voice.

"Oh yes, Darling !" Samantha Donovan hurried to her and sat down beside her. Meanwhile, her husband Phillips Donovan made his way out of the room. She put an arm around the little girl. "Yes, Dear, it's me."

"Momma told me to find you. She wanted to warn you about VCS."

"It's OK, Dear. We're safe here. VCS won't find us."

"But Momma ... she's gone, isn't she ?"

"No, Honey, Momma is fine. Momma would never leave her sweet Nina."

"No, I know Momma's gone. She said goodbye. Momma never lies to me," tears welled up her eyes. She pulled Samantha's dress. "Mrs. Donovan, you're Momma's best friend. Please take me to Momma. I wanna see her."