SnowFall

Lake Phobia

Eira said she was going to take a walk. Her mother gave her a wary glance.

"Eira, are you sure-"

"Mum. It's safe."

"But-"

Her dad raised a hand, his eyes leaving the book, "Penny, let her. She needs it."

If her dad didn't jump out to save her, no doubt it would be a small thunderstorm between her and her mother.

Her mum wasn't the giving up type. She was about to stand, words at the tip of her tongue, but her dad held her back down and Eira was already out the door.

***

The closest and safest place to retrieve her items would be the Reserve, aka The Lake. But she refused to go there. She hasn't been there for a long time.

That day, when she passed the pathway leading to The Lake, she kept her eyes focused on the road ahead. She passed by it with a steady pace, not realising she was holding her breath as she did it.

She walked another few metres, passing some local stores before she met Jess at a nearby park. Jess was wearing a loose blouse, jeans and a pair of shoes that she only wore when she expects rain. Eira knew Jess had seen her coming, her green eyes lit upon her arrival.

"Hey!" Jess embraced her tightly. "So good to see you."

"You sound so formal," Eira followed Jess' moving footsteps. "We saw each other two days ago, you know?"

"Can't a girl miss her lover?"

"How flattering," Eira said with a shake of her head. They walked a short distance in the park, laughing about something when Eira realised she had been following Jess without asking her where they were going.

"You need water, right?"

"I'm not thirsty-"

"Not you dummy! You need to collect your things!"

Eira paused, "Oh!"

"Christ, Eira, you're normally the one good at these stuff."

"I've been distracted. Lately."

"I know the look in your eyes when you're in love."

"No you don't, I've never been in love."

Jess laughed, "Have you texted him?"

"Only asking him if he's okay now. He just messaged a bunch of reassurances and said he was staying at his dad's."

"Right," Jess shrugged and said nothing. They passed a few people but the area was relatively quiet. Jess eyed the horses munching on fresh grass nearby.

"I just..." Eira couldn't say it. She couldn't tell her. "Where's the water?"

"There's a nice lake nearby. Hardly anyone's there."

They took a woody pathway, curving around the greenery. Eira enjoyed the walk as much as Jess did, the air had a mixture of rain and soil. When Jess and Eira turned the corner and Jess pointed to the place she was thinking of, Eira had gasped at the beauty.

Spring flowers were blooming next to the edge of the lake and the lake was so vast that Eira felt something lift away from her chest, taking flight. Beyond the waters were snowy mountains that seemed both far and close.

"I hope this helps with your lake phobia."

Eira eyed Jess gratefully, "You knew, didn't you?"

"It used to be our favourite place for a walk but now you choose to go elsewhere instead."

Eira stepped forward. "So... how does this work?"

Jess didn't reply and Eira didn't need her to. She was already approaching the water herself, bending down as she felt the particles tremble beneath her — a sensation unique to an ice manipulator, eager to close the atoms.

Eira held a part of her power like the thread of a kite and her palms moved to touch the surface. Something drawing her in. The surface froze and Eira found her hand moving into the ice. She didn't hiss at the icy touch, she was alert of the feeling between her grip.

She pulled away and between her hands was a ball of ice, a cloudy smoke sliding off the edges of the ball.

"W-wow," Eira skidded back, staring at the ball of ice that was now glowing, the light coming from her Ryder ring. "What do I do next? I should put this down-"

"There," Jess pointed to the bench.

Eira laid the ball on the bench and watched it slowly expand itself like a flower blooming in fast motion.

"Mine was a ball of lotus," Jess grinned happily.

After the blooming ended, the ice rendered themselves into water, dripping through the wooden gaps of the bench. Inside was a small scroll, tied closed a blue ribbon, and another ring. Eira grabbed both items before it grew soggy.

"Read the scroll first."

Eira did exactly that. She rolled open the scroll, surprised to find that it was written with beautiful fountain calligraphy and smelt faintly of something crisp and forest-y, though she could not grasp the exact scent of it.

Congratulations, Brave One, this is an official offer of place at our Academy of Kallos. We welcome all those who wish to learn and discover the beauty of their capabilities, as the founder, Lady Kallos would have wished.

Though this acceptance or non-acceptance is completely at your own choice and freedom, we dearly hope you will accept our sincerest offer. If you do wish to accept this offer, please place this ring together with your Ryder training ring. If not, please return the ring to a natural place of your element.

Eira's eyes scanned the scroll again.

"Did you already put the ring on?" She said once she was done.

Jess showed off the ring on her finger as though it was an engagement ring. "It merges with your training ring and it carved a unique pattern on it! I'm not sure what they mean but they look like those stained glass windows that tells a story, you know?"

"Yeah, I know," Eira took Jess' hand and studied the ring around her index finger. It had a lotus flower, lotus leaves and vines that curled in intricate patterns.

"So? Gonna talk to your parents about it first?"

Eira twirled the ring around her fingertips, a slanted smile and a rebellious glint in her eyes. She turned the plain ring around the right way, slipping it onto her finger, hearing Jess give an excited squeal.

The ring circle grew bigger and covered her training ring, it clasped itself onto the metal and began to thin, merging. Eira felt a cold, painless tingle and watched in awe as a blue light flowed around the new ring like rivers merging into the ocean. Then, Eira could saw what was carved on her ring. Wintersweet flowers, lined with frost. Eira almost thought she could smell Wintersweet right by her nose.

"Didn't take you for a rebel, Eira."

Her smile grew wider, "There's always a first."