FROST

"When I said I was ready to face the consequences, I wasn't expecting this," Silvermist muttered, her voice sharp with frustration as she grimaced and lifted her chin to meet Frost's piercing gaze through the cold bars of the cell.

Her bare feet swayed slowly on the freezing, crystal floor, a rhythmic motion that did little to quell the rising tension inside her. She sat on the cold, crystalline prison bed, a sense of helplessness creeping over her despite the fact that she had expected something like this. She'd been stripped of her dignity by the castle's servants, forced into attire befitting a prisoner. But strangely, the dull gray Victorian gown she now wore fit her better than the one she had worn before things spiraled so far out of control.

"I apologize, Sil," Frost's voice was soft, regretful, but his words fell flat, repeated over and over ever since she had been thrown into the dungeon. "I didn't know."

She could see the genuine remorse in his ocean-blue eyes, but it didn't make the situation any less suffocating. The cold air bit into her skin as she tried to make sense of it all.

"Mother, the Queen," Frost began again, his voice distant but filled with the weight of the words, "had seen darkness in you. She commanded that you be purified before we can... become one."

Silvermist chuckled bitterly, the sound sharp and hollow. "Darkness, huh?" she snorted, her legs still swinging idly. "I've had it as long as I can remember. And if that's what you want to call it, I can't help but wonder why it's me. I could ruin you, Frost—tarnish a divine like you. I'm better off gone."

Frost's lips tightened, his brow furrowing as if he couldn't find the right words. He knew she was right in some twisted way. The truth was, now that he had lost his staff, the balance of the seasons was threatened, and the only way to restore it was to merge with his apprentice—her. But rushing into this was dangerous.

A divine could never bind with darkness without dire consequences. The thought of it sent a cold shiver down his spine, though the nightmares of his past were too complex to explain.

"I can't afford to lose you, Sil," Frost said softly, his voice gaining a trace of desperation. "I've waited too long to meet you. Do you really think I'd just let you disappear?" He bent closer to the bars, his hand reaching through the space between them, brushing against the cool metal. "Besides, apprentices like you are rare. If I lose you, I'd be a laughingstock in front of my brothers. So, no thanks."

Her eyes narrowed in disbelief. "You're really holding onto me for that?" she said, voice dripping with sarcasm. "What, for your own image? Great."

Frost shifted, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips, though it quickly faded under her cold gaze. "I didn't mean it like that. But yes, you're important. To me, and to the balance of the world."

Silvermist rolled her eyes, still skeptical but too tired to argue. "So your brothers already found their apprentices, huh?"

"Well, our oldest sibling, Cloud, has," Frost explained, his tone lightening a bit. "The others might find theirs soon enough, and I'm hoping that we'll be joined by then."

Silvermist raised an eyebrow, her interest piqued despite herself. "And what about me?" she asked, her voice softening. "What's the plan for me?"

"Well, you'll help me," Frost said with a renewed sense of optimism. "We'll be one, just like I've been waiting for. But first, we need to... purify you."

"Purify me?" Silvermist echoed, her voice rising in disbelief. "You're saying I have to deal with... time manipulation again?"

Frost's lips curved into a faint, almost sad smile. "No," he said, his voice growing more serious. "Purification isn't like that. It's about facing your darkness, your rage. You'll need to remember everything that's shaped it. All the pain, the anger... everything."

Her feet stilled, the weight of his words sinking in. "So, I'm supposed to relive it all. Again?" Her voice echoed through the dungeon, a mix of frustration and fear.

"No," Frost repeated, his voice soothing now, "our realm has a special school for apprentices like you. You'll join them to learn how to control your powers, how to overcome your darkness."

Silvermist stared at him, her skepticism palpable. "Apprentices like me?" she asked, pointing at herself. "You mean apprentices like me, me?"

"Yes, exactly," Frost beamed. "We Guardians don't just have apprentices; Sorceresses and other entities do, too. But apprentices like you? They're on a different level."

Frost leaned in closer, his tone dropping to something more intimate. "In human terms, you're S-rank. That's the highest level. After that, there are A, B, C, and so on. But some apprentices... well, they don't even fit into any rank."

Silvermist narrowed her eyes, digesting the new information. "What about Periwinkle? I've heard... things."

Frost's face darkened, his smile slipping. "Ah. Periwinkle. Our youngest sibling. She was meant to be a guardian, but she chose to be an apprentice instead. A strange choice, don't you think?"

Silvermist crossed her arms, her gaze hardening. "I don't care about her. I just want her to pay for what she did to me. I'll never forgive her."

"Revenge is a tricky thing, Sil," Frost said, his voice gentle but firm. "It takes power, and power comes from knowledge. You'll need to understand the origin of a former guardian if you want to defeat them. Until then, be quiet, be meek, and wait."

Silvermist, though fighting the urge to speak, kept her silence. She knew he was right. But even so, she wasn't going to sit idly by forever. The idea of waiting for the right moment burned inside her like a slow, steady fire.

"Fine," she said after a long pause. "But how long do I have to stay here? When does this... purification... happen?"

Frost scratched his brow thoughtfully. "Probably tomorrow," he said, his voice lightening again. "You'll meet other apprentices, too. They're in the same class as you."

Silvermist furrowed her brow. "So, why the dungeon? I'm not going to lose control. You're letting me out tomorrow anyway, so what's the point?"

Frost hesitated, his expression unreadable for a moment. Then, he sighed deeply. "I'll tell you later," he said, his grin returning. "For now, rest up. Tomorrow's a big day."

Silvermist lay back, staring at the blank walls of the cell. She was still processing everything he had said. Frost's words were comforting in a strange way, but there was so much he wasn't telling her. It was like he was hiding something—and it gnawed at her.

"Unbelievable," she muttered under her breath. Normally, she would've thrown a tantrum, but the circumstances had left her too drained to care. Instead, she allowed herself to drift into sleep, the softness of the mist-formed bed cradling her into unconsciousness.

As promised, she was woken by three new servants, different from the ones who had stripped her down the night before. Their eyes were filled with a strange kind of resignation as they led her into an enormous hot spring, the scent of jasmine and lavender thick in the air. Silvermist reluctantly sank into the warm water, her fingers curling around the stone as she tried to process the absurdity of it all. The entire ordeal felt surreal, and as the servants aggressively dressed her for breakfast, she couldn't help but wonder how far she was from the reality she had known.

The room where she ate was bright, blindingly so, with no visible source of light. She marveled at its strange, disorienting brightness before her thoughts turned back to Frost. He was hiding something, she could feel it. But whatever it was, she had to deal with it... for now.

Just as she finished, the door swung open with a loud creak, and Frost stepped inside, his usual energy radiating from him as he flashed her a grin.

"Good timing, right?" he asked, practically hopping toward her.

Silvermist looked at him, unimpressed. "You smile like I'm supposed to care about your timing. But fine, let's go."

Frost blinked, caught off guard by her sullen mood. "It's a new journey, Sil. Don't look so miserable."

She raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a sardonic smile. "Well, when your 'journey' starts with a smile that cheesy, what else can I do but sulk?"

Frost, caught between amusement and mild panic, extended his hand to her. "Shall we?"

"Do I have a choice?" Silvermist said, a wry smile forming as she took his hand.

Without another word, they set off together, walking toward an enormous pair of gates. Frost's hand tightened around hers as they approached the towering structure. Silvermist marveled at the sheer size of it, her eyes tracing the immense walls that loomed before her.

"Welcome to Azure," Frost said warmly, his voice filled with pride. "This is where you'll learn to control your abilities, suppress your anger, and... become who you were meant to be."

Silvermist stood still, taking in the sight of the bustling academy. Everywhere she looked, apprentices were going about their business, and yet she couldn't shake the feeling that there was more at play here than Frost was letting on.

"Hey, I told you, you don't need to worry," Frost said, noticing her discomfort. "If you need me, just call. I'll always be here."

Before Silvermist could respond, a ray of sunlight struck her face, making her squint. "Yeah," she muttered, her gaze drifting to the gates. "Sure, Frost. Whatever."

But as the gates finally swung open, revealing two very familiar faces waiting on the other side, her heart froze.

"Sil?" The voice came like a whisper, but it was enough to stop her dead in her tracks.

Her mind raced. The last person she expected to see here was standing before her, a familiar smirk tugging at his lips. Beside him stood none other than Gail.

Silvermist's legs stiffened. "Cullen," she said through gritted teeth, forcing a smile. "Gail. What a lovely surprise."

And in that moment, the new journey she had been dreading suddenly felt a whole lot more complicated.