Ruth found herself in a familiar garden. Bushes sprouting ice blue lilies surrounded an island of grass and the sun shined brightly above.
Ice sculptures were scattered across the garden, the smallest being a hamster poking out of the bushes and the largest a carriage-sized dragon sitting majestically in the middle.
Despite the sun above. The sculptures only glinted instead of melting.
Ruth heard the clinking of tools on ice and turned to see her fourteen-year-old self working on an unfinished sculpture. Her brows furrowed with concentration as she carefully carved the ice with her tools.
"You're going to have wrinkles when you're my age if you furrow your eyebrows like that.", a young woman in her twenties said as she entered the clearing.
She was a beauty with a slender figure, long bluish-white hair, slightly pointed ears, and the same blue eyes as Ruth. She wore a white sleeveless shirt and a long skirt. A snowflake tattoo similar to Ruth's stood out on her shoulder.
"Oh Juniper. I didn't notice you coming here.", the younger Ruth lifted her head from the sculpture.
The present Ruth felt a pain in her heart when she heard the name of her elder sister. She sighed, "How many times have I seen this dream?", she asked herself.
This was the memory of the day before she left the family with her brother. No matter how much she tried to forget it, Ruth would find herself back in this garden.
Juniper Aeva laughed, "Honestly Ruth. A dragon may do a funny dance in front of you and you wouldn't even notice."
"Dragons don't dance. Unless they're shifters.", young Ruth said bluntly.
"Jeez Ruth. I was just telling an example.", Juniper sighed. She knelt next to her younger sister, "What are you working on now?", she asked.
"A Moon Falcon.", young Ruth said enthusiastically, "It's said that they're one of the most beautiful birds in the world and can freely soar the skies with no worries.", she explained with a glow in her eyes.
Juniper was taken aback by this enthusiasm. She smiled, "Oh yeah? So is this the reason why you skipped class again?"
Young Ruth's face fell, "Oh. So you found out.", she turned her attention back to the ice sculpture.
"I don't understand why you don't want to go to school.", Juniper said. "That's because they're repeating what I already know.", young Ruth replied as she carved a huge piece of ice away.
"I know you're a genius, Ruth. But there is more to school than studying.", Juniper replied.
"There is something more to school?"
Juniper nodded, "Yeah. You meet different types of people and make friends there."
Young Ruth just shrugged, "I prefer to be alone. So I don't need friends."
"Even a great villain has friends. You should also have or you will be alone forever. No one will remember you when you die.", Juniper stated. "Anyway, what will you do alone?", she asked.
Young Ruth turned around with a small smile and in a confident voice said, "I will become a powerful warlock and find a way to break this stupid curse.", she pointed at her own back. "It stings every single day.", she complained
"That happens and is kind of fine. You're safe as long as your tattoo doesn't glow. But still, your ambition is pretty nice.", Juniper said with a smile.
"Wow. I thought you would mock me when you heard what I said.", young Ruth said in surprise.
"What is there to mock about finding a way to solve the problem that plagued our family for generations?", Juniper asked.
She looked at young Ruth, "Do you know? Grandma once told me a way to break the curse.", she said. "What is it?", young Ruth asked, her eyes showing curiosity.
Juniper smiled, "It's love."
"Love?", young Ruth cringed, "That's so lame. What is this? A fairy tale? The curse is an enchantment. You need a Code or powerful magia to break it. Not love.", she said in disgust.
Present Ruth nodded in agreement.
Juniper chuckled, "Well. Grandma was drunk when she told me that. But mom once told me something grandma told her and she wasn't drunk that time."
"What did she say?"
"Well, she told mom that one day someone will free one of her daughters from the curse.", Juniper answered.
"Did grandma mean both of us?"
Juniper shook her head, "No Ruth. She meant one of us. And we can't include little Toby of course.", she said. Their younger brother Tobias was only four years old.
"Do you think grandma can see the future?", young Ruth asked. "Don't know.", Juniper shrugged.
"She was probably drunk.", young Ruth concluded as she shaped a beautiful wing.
The whole afternoon passed by with young Ruth working on the sculpture and Juniper watching her and giving suggestions.
By evening both sisters stood back and took in the sight of the life-sized ice sculpture of a Moon Falcon perched proudly on its wooden pedestal.
"It's beautiful.", Juniper said in awe.
"Of course it's beautiful. After all, I made it.", Ruth said proudly. "Don't get cocky with me. I can make a better one.", Juniper retorted.
They heard running footsteps behind them. Both sisters turned around and saw a small boy running towards them. He had spiky white hair with a tinge of blue to it and blue eyes similar to Ruth and Juniper. His ears were similar to his sister's but were slightly rounded.
"I was looking for you guys!", Tobias Aeva squeaked as he reached them. "And why were you looking for us?", Juniper asked as she ruffled his hair.
"I want to show you this.", he held up a small dagger made of ice. It was intricately carved with beautiful vine designs on the blade.
"Wow. Did you make this?", Juniper asked in awe. Even Ruth couldn't take her eyes off it. Tobias nodded. "He manifested his attribute?", Ruth asked.
"Toby. Did you create this ice?", Juniper asked him. Tobias shook his head, "Grandma gave me some ice.", he said.
They heard more footsteps and saw their grandma walking towards them. Despite being close to 70, May Aeva looked elegant and beautiful for her age. Her bluish-white hair was tied in a bun.
She put her hands on her hips, "Toby, Don't go running off ahead. You might fall.", she scolded. "Sorry gran.", Tobias didn't sound sorry at all.
May exhaled deeply, "Hmph! Don't come crying to me when you hurt your knee, and what are you two doing here?", She turned to Juniper and young Ruth.
"Ruth was showing me her new sculpture.", Juniper said. "Slacking off by skipping school again aren't you", May grumbled and looked at the ice Moon Falcon. Her face softened, "It's beautiful."
She walked out of the garden, "Alright. Get inside you three. You look tired. Time to eat. I could hear your stomachs growling like manticores.", she said.
"Manticores don't growl grandma. I thought you knew about magia beasts.", Ruth corrected.
"Whatever! I'm old!", May snapped.
Juniper smiled at young Ruth and Toby, "I will show you how to make an awesome sculpture tomorrow.", she told him and the three of them entered the huge manor.
Present Ruth wanted to stop them but couldn't. At this point, she was used to these dreams. No one can change the past, much less in a dream.
Everything around her started to fade. Suddenly it was night and a huge storm raged outside. Ruth found herself in a big hall but something was off.
The entire hall was covered with ice. Huge icicles hung from the ceiling and ice spikes covered the floor. "I can never forget this.", Ruth said with a sigh.
She heard crying and heard the sound of something dripping on the floor. She didn't want to see but the dream turned her around to a horrifying scene.
Juniper was slumped against a wall, blood flowing out of her mouth. A huge spike had driven her body to the wall. Blood splattered the wall and pooled around her.
"No! This can't be happening!", young Ruth screamed as she knelt beside her dying sister.
Present Ruth knew what exactly happened that night. Her ice magia went out of control and she blacked out. When she woke up she was in the middle of the icy devastation and saw her sister impaled by her ice.
Young Ruth was crying hard, "I'm so sorry!", she said as she attempted to pull out the huge spike from Juniper's body. The spike didn't even budge.
"It's okay Ruth. It's not your fault.", Juniper said with a smile as she weakly touched Ruth's crying face. She coughed up more blood. "I'll get help.", young Ruth proceeded to get up.
"No Ruth.", Juniper clasped her hand, even on the verge of death, her grip was strong. She coughed again, "Listen. Take Toby and get away from here. I have a friend near the border of Elveria. She will help you to enter Crystalia. Grandma will find you there."
"Why?", young Ruth cried, "You do know that our relatives did not like mom since she wasn't from a noble family. They even blamed her for dad's death despite it being the curse that killed both of them.", Juniper replied.
She continued, "And of course they are not our biggest fans. Grandma had protected us since mom and dad died but I don't think she can after this incident. The others will most likely blame you for this. They will kill you and probably exile Toby. So you have to go."
"No! This is my fault. I can't leave you here! I'll get help.", young Ruth was adamant. Juniper just smiled, "I'm at the end of my road but you're not. You have to live, break the curse and be free, like a Moon Falcon. Just promise me you'll look after Toby."
"I...I promise.", young Ruth wiped her tears and said with a determined face. "That's the Ruth I know.", Juniper smiled, "Now go."
Young Ruth nodded. She got up and looked at Juniper for the last time, "Goodbye sis.", with these words she ran to the end of the hall and disappeared among the spikes and ice.
"I hope you will be able to break this curse. Maybe what grandma said can be true.", Juniper said weakly.
Ruth turned around. Her dreams always ended here but she remembers what happened after this incident.
She, along with Toby ran away to the border. Juniper's friend was true to her word and helped both of them enter Crystalia.
She even got them a small house to live in.
A few days later May found them. She told Ruth that she convinced their relatives that Ruth and Toby didn't survive the storm. Afterward, May left and visited them whenever she came to Crystalia.
Another incident happened two years after Juniper's death.
One day Ruth found a gravely wounded May near their lodgings. After treating her grandmother Ruth found out that her relatives incurred the wrath of a higher dragon and got annihilated.
Ruth's grandmother tried to stop them from angering the being but it was too late. She was the only survivor and the Aeva manor was destroyed.
After the investigation by the Cardinal Knights, the estate was put up for sale. With the money she got from selling ice sculptures, Ruth bought back the estate and built a house where she, her brother, and her grandmother lived ever since.
Ruth was thinking about how to wake up when she heard Juniper's voice, "Ruth? Is that really you?", she asked.
Ruth immediately turned around and saw Juniper looking straight at her. Her sister smiled.
"I don't know if it's because I'm dying but I can see an older Ruth in front of me.", she said and wiped away the blood covering her mouth.
"You have grown into a fine woman Ruth.", she said. "You can see me?", Ruth asked. Juniper nodded.
Ruth's heart clenched. This never happened before. She couldn't stop herself from tearing up.
"I...I'm sorry! Your death was my fault and I couldn't live up to your expectations. Toby doesn't talk to me anymore, I didn't even find a single clue to get rid of the curse."
"For ten years I have searched for a way but to no avail. And now I probably hurt a lot of young students. I'm sorry!", she let loose her insecurities and pent-up feelings with tears in her eyes.
Juniper was surprised for a second before she brought back her smile.
"It's alright Ruth. The road ahead is never smooth. One will face many troubles along the way. But you should get up every time you fall and face it like a true warlock."
She continued, "I'm just happy to see you all grown up, You are beautiful and....", her eyes widened, "You are free.", she said in amazement.
"What?"
"You are free.", Juniper repeated and sighed in relief, "Looks like you finally did it, or probably grandma was telling the truth after all.", she said with a chuckle. "Whatever it is. I'm happy for you.", Juniper slowly closed her eyes with a last smile.
"Wait! What do you mean?", Ruth held out her hand to her sister when suddenly a huge bolt of lightning illuminated the entire sky.
Ruth's eyes snapped open and she found herself reaching out to an unfamiliar ceiling. She got up and found herself crying, "I've always hated that dream.", she said and collapsed back on her bed.