The snow had fluttered down all through the night, covering the entirety of the woodland island in a pure quilt. The old man let the little girl play in the cloud’s present rather than making her train. She was only eight years old. Her attention would have been in the snow more than her sword. He knew he had to ease up on her as well. “She is a mere child,” he would say to himself, “as much as I need to prepare her, she needs to stay a child for as long as she can.”

        As dusk began to settle in, the old man called for the little girl to return to the cabin. He smiled that he could not see her at first. He chuckled softly, gazing around at the multiple sculptures and shelters she had created in the opening. He suddenly caught a glimpse of one skinny leg and curly mane of thick cherry red hairs disappear behind an icy structure. The little girl peeked over the igloo to see if he was still watching. The old man locked eyes with the girl and smirked menacingly through his scraggly goatee. The little girl yelped and retreated inside it. The old man just chuckled again.

        “So that’s how you want to play, is it?” he whispered. The old man put his arm out in front of him. “I see you,” he projected tauntingly, “inside the… igloo!” A blue aura surrounded his hand and he closed into a fist. The same aura appeared around the igloo, shook violently, and collapsed all in an instant. A small head popped out from the hill of snow, her hair at first seemed more white than red.

        “Grandpa!” the little girl yelled. “That’s not fair! Using magic is cheating!” The old man laughed straight from his diaphragm, just as he would in his prime. The girl exited the mound and shook as much snow off her head as she could. She then saw he was still laughing and puffed her cheeks.         

        “Awwh, Grandpa!” she whined, still dusting snow off her arms and legs.

        “You train like a professional soldier, but then whine about a little fallen snow?” he mocked. The little girl puffed her cheeks again.

        “But it took me forever to build that igloo, Grandpa!” she complained. “For-ev-er!!”

        "Is that so? Then how did you also have enough time to build two snow knights, a bear, three deer, a flock of birds, and that snow fortress over there?” he beckoned, guiding his arm around their cabin surrounded by her creations. The girl did not even realize she had built as many sculptures as she did, even if she had been outside all day.

        “But… but Grandp-- AH-CHOO!!” The girl wiped her nose with her sleeve and crossed her arms, shivering.

        The old man let out another chuckle. “Come here, child, let’s get you some warm clothes.” he called, waving her inside. She walked towards him overly dramatic, as if she was in sub-zero temperatures and was on the verge of freezing to death. As she placed her foot on the single step between the log cabin and their endless yard, she hugged her grandfather hard, rubbing her wet self all over him, and ran inside giggling. The old man acted surprised and immediately chased after her.

        “Oh you’re not getting away with that!” he yelled in playful pursuit. “Not this time, Azalea!”

        "Yes mother?" I called back as I ran through the house, following the sound of her voice, which was much louder than usual. It sounded as if she was struggling, but before I could comprehend what was happening, her groans were replaced with a high-pitched cry. I opened the door to her room, and at that very moment, my life was changed. In my mother;s arms laid a small child screaming like a grown man being hit in the head with a shovel. His entire body was as if it was covered in rose petals, and his eyes like the brook Poppa and I cross when he would take me hunting. I already adored him. 

        "Come here, lass!" Poppa said, calling me in with his always soft and loving voice. I walked to him as I was told and he buried me in a hug into his blubbery stomach. Mum looked tired, like she had been smelting iron from dawn until dusk, not to mention how pale she was. Poppa released me from grasp and laid his hand on the child's head. "Here, Levina. This is your brother. Isn't he beautiful?" I took a deep excited breath and nodded my head with a ridiculous smile on my face. THen he picked her out of Mum's arms and placed him into mine.

        "Wow!" I whispered. He finally stopped crying and locked eyes with me, cooing and reaching at my face. 

         "He's new to this world," Mum said hoarsely, "he knows nothing about anything." It was so odd hearing her talk now, I had always been used to her being loud and projective, rather than having to force herself to be heard. "He won't learn anything of what we know unless someone teaches him and sets a good example. Levina, can I trust you to do this for him?"

        I quickly nodded my head once more. "Yeah!" I blurted confidently. "I'm gonna teach him everything! How to eat properly at a table, how to play the vivira, how to shoot a bow, everything!" Poppa chuckled and rubbed my hair. I hated when he did that, but I was too excited to even care.

        "Course you will, I wouldn't doubt it for a second!" he chanted proudly.

        "Yeah..." I grabbed my new baby brother's slowly flailing hand. "I'll teach you everything I know, and I know you're gonna save me with what I teach you one day. You're going to be a hero, do you hear that? You're my hero." He opened his mouth and yawned with the biggest smile plastered on his chubby, little face. I couldn't have picked a better time to live.

        "I love you, little brother." I leaned down and kissed his forehead. "I love you, Raiden."