FROST

Silvermist walked directly toward her room and locked the door as soon as she entered. Her parents weren't around yet, and she had no idea where they had gone.

She stared blankly into nothingness, trying to process everything Periwinkle had said.

"Look, Sil! Everyone's life depends on your decision. You're the only one capable of doing this job since guardians only have one apprentice, and your kind is the only one who can see the guardians' staffs, aside from them."

"Frost has gone wild," Periwinkle added, frowning. "Didn't you feel the weather? It's getting colder, and soon, he's going to freeze everything, not allowing spring, fall, and summer to take place. When that happens, humankind will surely perish."

Silvermist grimaced in frustration as she recalled what Periwinkle had said. She should be happy that she is a guardian's apprentice, right? But the fact that Periwinkle wanted her to do something so crucial was making it impossible for her to feel any joy.

Periwinkle wanted her to break Frost's staff to stop his wicked plan!

"Come back at midnight if you'll take the job, and I'll tell you how to defeat him."

Silvermist mentally rolled her eyes and threw herself onto the bed.

"My family's a mess, that asshole left me, and now this," she muttered, her voice trembling. "Should I just kill myself? I think I should kill myself."

She raised her hand and looked at the mark near her wrist. It looked like an ordinary mark, but Periwinkle had told her it was frost.

Silvermist didn't understand what Periwinkle meant because the mark didn't look like frost at all. It resembled a maple leaf more than anything.

"That mark is the reason you saw everything earlier," Periwinkle had said, pointing to the mark. "It only appears on the 18th year of an apprentice's existence."

Silvermist glanced at the calendar hanging above the mirror.

Oh, she realized. It was her birthday, and she'd forgotten. Everyone had!

She sighed and slowly sat down. She took out her netbook to message one of her closest friends, Rain, on Facebook.

As soon as she opened the screen, a message popped up that sent a strange tingle through her chest.

"Happy 18th birthday, Sil. I was supposed to tell you that personally a while ago, but you already left. I'm sorry if Gail went hard on you again. Don't worry, I've already talked to her about it. I hope you can forgive me."

Tears misted in Silvermist's eyes again. She bit her lip and slowly wiped them away.

She had promised herself not to cry over the same reason again, but here she was.

Taking a deep breath, she closed the screen instead. It was hard, but she knew she had to find a reason to be happy. She had to move on.

She stood up and took her jacket off. She was about to hang it inside the cabinet when she remembered Periwinkle's last words.

"If you've made up your mind and want to take my offer," she had said, pausing with a smile. "I'll make your dreams come true and give you the life you've always wanted."

Forehead creased, Silvermist sighed.

Should she do it? Would breaking Frost's staff make her life better?

She looked at the photo stuck inside her cabinet's door. It was a picture of her and him, taken the day he asked her to be his girlfriend.

"Will I forget everything about you if I do it?" she whispered, and a tear fell again.

She turned her head toward the window, where she saw her dad's car parked.

By the way he stepped on the brake, she could tell that her parents were having another argument.

"I told you to just stop it, Lance!" she heard her mom yell, followed by the sound of car doors banging.

"STOP TALKING LIKE YOU KNOW EVERYTHING, ODETTE!" her dad yelled back, his voice rising to a pitch that could draw the neighbors' attention.

Silvermist walked closer to the window to see them, but they had already entered the house.

She sighed, for what felt like the hundredth time, and turned her gaze to the falling snow, which made her freeze in her tracks.

"First snow in September?" she murmured, almost choking on her words. She gasped when frost crept in through the entrance of her window, causing her to dash backward in panic.

Silvermist's back pressed against the wall behind her, forcing her to stop. Was this what Periwinkle had been talking about?

"I should go and—AHH!" she squealed, nearly falling when Periwinkle suddenly appeared beside her.

"What the heck!" she exclaimed, trying to steady herself.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Sil. I didn't mean to!" Periwinkle rushed to help, seeing Silvermist already squatting down.

"I-It's okay," Silvermist stammered, glancing nervously in every direction. "It's good that you came, though."

"For what reason?" Periwinkle asked, stepping away to give her space.

"That," Silvermist pointed to the window. The curtains were frozen stiff, no longer swaying in the cold breeze.

"I can already see what you were talking about," Silvermist said, her gaze shifting to meet Periwinkle's.

"I'm glad to know that," Periwinkle nodded, her expression troubled. Her breath quickened, as though a terrifying memory of Frost flashed before her.

"We really have to hurry, Sil. His frost is unwinding."

"A-Alright," Silvermist sighed. "Tell me what to do."

"Very likely," Periwinkle agreed, dismissing further discussion. She pulled something from her pocket—a floral necklace.

"Here! Take it," Periwinkle handed it to her, and Silvermist accepted, instinctively wearing it.

"What's this for?" Silvermist asked, her curiosity piqued, but Periwinkle only smiled cryptically.

"You'll know when you get there."

Silvermist's brows furrowed, ready to ask more, but before she could, Periwinkle vanished. Silvermist found herself facing a cosmos flower in a crystal vase, surrounded by a palace made entirely of crystal.

"What—" she gasped, immediately covering her mouth when the soft sound echoed throughout the space.

"Where the freaking heaven am I?" she mouthed to herself, making sure not to speak too loudly.

Her gaze swept the room in disbelief—everything was made of crystal. From the walls to the ceiling to the floor, everything sparkled, reflecting her own image from every angle.

The sight of the enormous chandelier above, sparkling in rainbow hues, captivated her. It was as if she had stepped into a dream.

She'd always wished she could have Elsa's powers, and now, it seemed that wish had been granted. She could only hope so, because she's already dying to let everything go as she couldn't hold it back anymore.

"You're not cursing me, are you?" Periwinkle's voice suddenly echoed in her mind.

"Oh f—" Silvermist quickly covered her mouth to stop herself from swearing.

She pressed her lips together. "And now you're talking inside my mind?" she murmured softly.

"Well, yes. I had to. How else would I give you directions?" Periwinkle answered casually, as if she hadn't just transported Silvermist to another world.

"You could've just told me before you magically took me here, for Christmas's sake!" Silvermist groaned softly.

"I'm sorry, we're running out of time. I'll apologize to you properly later, but now, we have something very important to do!" Periwinkle's voice turned urgent.

"Fine," Silvermist rolled her eyes. "Where should I go, then?"

"The way to the Staffs' Hall is through the corridor to your right."

Silvermist tilted her head, eyes narrowing as she took in multiple corridors, each leading to an unknown destination.

"Uhm, about that," she scratched her nape. "I think we have a tiny, tiny problem."

"What?"

"Which way, though?"

"Oh! I'm sorry. Look for the path with vibrant colors. It'll lead you to the hall where the staffs are placed."

Silvermist's nose almost flared. "I'm sorry, you mean I have to check all of them one by one?"

"Yes."

Her lips parted in disbelief. The corridors seemed endless, each one more confusing than the last.

She hesitantly walked toward the first corridor on her right. It was pitch dark, the darkest place in the palace. She could feel an invisible force trying to pull her in. Quickly, she backed away.

The entrances to the corridors were only an inch apart, and despite the twists and turns, they didn't seem to meet. The directions felt all wrong.

She thought to herself that maybe these corridors led to different dimensions.

Determined, Silvermist began leaping from one corridor to another, but they only seemed to get brighter with each jump. Confused, she realized she hadn't moved at all. She was still standing in the same spot.

"What the hell's happening, Peri?" she muttered.

"Stay focused, everything's an illusion, but you're doing good. I feel like you're almost there."

"You don't say..." she sighed, sarcasm thick in her voice. "If something suddenly emerges and catches me trespassing, I swear to God, you'll get it!"

"Note that... Now, just a little more and you'll find the right path."

Silvermist rolled her eyes, continuing to leap through the corridors. Suddenly, she found herself in a hall.

Closing her eyes, she rubbed her temples in frustration. If this was a dream, she desperately wished to wake up. Her brain couldn't handle much more of this.

When she finally opened her eyes, everything had turned gold. She was now surrounded by more colors than just white.

"Periwinkle? Am I still alive, or am I already in heaven?" she asked aloud.

"No, you're already in the right place!" Periwinkle responded.

"Oh, okay." Frustration seeped into Silvermist's voice. "So, where can I find this staff—ohhh, fuck!"

Before she could stop herself, a blinding light hit her from behind, and suddenly, multiple staffs appeared, hovering in the air.

The light began to fade, allowing her to focus. As her vision cleared, she marveled at the sight of the staffs.

"Dear gods," she gasped, taking cautious steps toward them.

"Are you seeing the staffs now?"

"I sure am," she muttered. "I've read about them, heard about them, but I never knew they were really real."

Memories of her grandmother's stories flashed in her mind. She hadn't fully understood them then, but now, it all made sense.

"Of course they are..." Periwinkle intoned. "Now, find Frost's staff so you can leave before the guardians arrive in five minutes."

"Sure, sure..." Silvermist muttered, her smile fading when she remembered the urgency.

"Holy shit! They're gonna come?!" Panic surged through her as she hurriedly searched for Frost's staff.

"Which one is it, Peri?!" she shouted in a mixture of nerves and confusion.

"Relax! The necklace I gave you will turn hot when you're near the staff. Just focus, or it won't work."

Silvermist almost slapped her own face in frustration. "F-fine. Where the heck did I get myself into?!"

She faced each of the staffs, hoping the necklace would react, but nothing happened. Returning to the first staff, she waited, hoping it would burn her chest, but nothing occurred.

"P-Periii! It's not working!" she groaned, fidgeting anxiously.

"Breathe, Sil! You're suffocating yourself. Breathe and feel the staff."

She felt as if she might collapse, but her sense of urgency overrode her fear. The lives of many were at stake, and she couldn't afford to let fear control her.

"It's all your fault, you stupid mark!"

Just as she was about to breathe deeply, something caught her peripheral vision. Turning, she noticed an enormous family portrait hanging behind two medieval-like chairs. She stepped closer, her curiosity piqued.

In the center, a couple sat surrounded by twelve young boys, with a little girl standing at the rightmost edge. She was familiar, reminding Silvermist of someone she couldn't quite place.

Suddenly, a sharp sting on her wrist made her wince. Looking down, she gasped as the necklace glowed with shades of blue.

"Aw!" she winced as the necklace grew incredibly hot.

Turning, she saw one of the staffs floating toward her. It didn't feel strange or out of place for some reason. The staff landed in her hand on its own.

It felt heavier than expected, despite its simple appearance.

"Silvermist, are you still with me?"

Silvermist blinked, realizing that Periwinkle's voice had been silent until now.

"Y-Yeah... As a matter of fact, I already have the staff."

She looked around, and the remaining staffs had vanished. She was the only one left standing in the room.

"Then hurry up and break it!"

"N-Now?!" Silvermist stuttered. "Can't I just do it once you teleport me back?! My time's running out!"

"No, you have to do it here, or Frost will realize his staff is already in someone else's possession."

"Oh god," Silvermist muttered, more soberly now. She raised the staff above her head.

There was no time to hesitate. She had to break it now before the guardians arrived.

"Here we go," she groaned, swinging the staff down with full force, shattering it into pieces.

Time seemed to slow as the fragments floated in mid-air. She screamed in terror as blue flames devoured them, burning her hand in the process.

The fragments vanished, leaving nothing behind.

"I-I did it, Peri. I broke the staff," Silvermist muttered, trembling as the weight of her actions hit her.

She turned toward the door, relieved that it was time to leave.

"Well done, Sil. It's time to head home."

Silvermist opened the door, her heart racing as she entered her room. She stood there, taking a few moments to process everything that had happened before gathering the courage to step inside.

She was about to sit on her bed and contact Periwinkle when she noticed the changes around her.

"Oh... Oh... Ohhh—" She gasped, unable to stop herself.

"Holy heck of a mother freaking gooo—" she quickly covered her mouth, her lips pressed into a thin line.

"Doubtful of refusing orders."

Periwinkle's voice came from the bedside table, and Silvermist turned to find her sitting there.

"Uh—I'm in my room, yes?" Silvermist asked hesitantly.

Periwinkle chuckled. "Yes, of course. Why wouldn't you be? You did what you had to do."

Periwinkle hopped down and approached her, taking her hands and holding them to her chest with a sweet smile.

"I'm only giving back the favor by keeping my promise, Sil. And when guardians give their word," she raised a pinky, crossing it over her chest, "they're bound for all eternity."

"So, you started by changing my room color from black to bright pink?" Silvermist paused, forcing a smile.

"I have no idea," Periwinkle shook her head playfully, chuckling. "You're starting off too bluntly."

"Then what—"

"HAPPY 18TH BIRTHDAY, SIL!"

Silvermist gasped when someone opened the door behind her. She was shocked to see Junabel and Stella in their pink floral dresses.

Her brows furrowed as hundreds of questions flooded her mind. She had reached her limit, so she decided to just smile, but the smile only lasted a few seconds as Periwinkle's words echoed in her mind:

"When a guardian gives their word, they're bound for all eternity."

So, Periwinkle was also a guardian? Could she see the staffs? Why did she have to use Silvermist?

She gnawed gently on her lower lip, considering the thought.

"You look so pretty," Junabel squealed, scooting closer to her. "C'mon now! Everyone's waiting."

Silvermist couldn't find the words to respond and allowed herself to be pulled downstairs. She still couldn't process everything, and the pink gown she was wearing—she didn't even remember when she had put it on—only added to the tension.

Her jaw dropped when she saw the fancy decorations in the garden.

"Happy birthday, dear!"

Silvermist gasped when she heard her mother's voice. She turned toward the direction of the sound, and tears immediately formed in her eyes when she saw her mother and father, both looking so happy.

Her mother kissed her on the cheek, and her father kissed her on the forehead.

"Am I only dreaming? Because if I am, please let me sleep forever," she thought.

Valorie, one of her closest friends, pulled her to a stall in the middle of the crowd, where Silvermist saw all her close friends gathered. Even Periwinkle was standing in the back.

"Thank you," Silvermist mouthed, and Valorie smiled before turning around and walking away.

"Happy birthday, babe."

A lump formed in Silvermist's throat when she heard that very familiar voice just behind her.

"Levi."