The Frost Plains are a beautiful rural snow region that resides in a vast valley near the ocean.
Several young non-human children are martial arts sparring near a beautiful village made entirely of ice and white wood. Most of the children mainly consist of Tahlyans and Grushians, like Gildou.
A nine year old Rivna and a twelve year old Jyn are sparring with each other. Gildou and a few other children watch the siblings battle intently. Roh, a middle-aged looking Tahlyan man, is coaching the children as he walks by them.
Roh: Stay focused, and always remember that your vyrkra is used to not only enhance your strikes but to weaken the blows you take as well.
Rivna's eyes glow as she forms a shield of ice from the snow to block Jyn's punch. Rivna jumps over Jyn but he knocks her out of the air by waving a spear of snow at her. The kids cheer.
Gildou: You almost have her this time, Jyn!
Rivna slowly gets up, she and Jyn are both panting.
Roh: Never let the enemy disrupt your focus Rivna. No matter how slim your chances of victory appear to be.
Rivna takes a deep breath and kicks snow at Jyn. She follows up by dashing towards him. Jyn punches but Rivna’s body turns to ice and shatters from the impact.
Rivna’s body forms back to normal from the snow she kicked and performs a rising kick to Jyn, sending him flying several yards into the air. Rivna jumps up high in pursuit but Jyn smirks and grabs her arm and flings her to the ground, causing her back to slam into a quickly formed block of ice. Jyn comes crashing down on her chest with a heavy stomp which shatters the ice and creates a wide crater in the snow.
Roh: The match is over; Jyn is victorious.
The kids cheer. Jyn performs a highly elated cheer and helps Rivna up.
Jyn: I finally defeated you!
Rivna gives him a warm smile.
Rivna: Fortune was on your side this bout. It won’t favor you next time.
Roh: Today’s classes are over children, return to your homes for supper.
The kids begin to leave. Roh approaches the siblings and wipes snow out of her hair.
Roh: That was very good you two. Especially you Jyn. You’re beginning to rely more on your wit during battle. But not every enemy will be as predictable as your sister.
Jyn: Yes, Father.
Roh: And as for you Rivna; your talent is the greatest in the village but it takes real strategy to harness that great power of yours. Learn to be more cunning with your gifts.
Rivna: I’m trying Father.
Roh pats her head.
Roh: And you will succeed. It just takes time. Now let us quickly return home for supper. I’m sure you two have worked up quite an appetite.
Elderly Tahlyan men within the village smile as they watch the children enter.
Elderly Man: Have you heard the winds? A great evil brews.
Inside Rivna and Jyn’s cozy home is Yinnah, their Tahlyan mother, cooking fish. Rivna and Jyn race inside and she turns to them.
Yinnah: Jyn look at you! This is the third time this week you’ve looked like you’ve returned from a war.
Jyn: But I’m getting stronger Mother! I’ve finally bested Rivna in our duels!
Rivna: Mother.
Yinnah ignores her and cleans Jyn with a beautiful cloth.
Yinnah: You know I don’t like these duel sessions your father puts you up to. The immortal winds of Quatace are what keep this village safe; not the might of our mortal hands.
Jyn: But father said The Will is what keeps us safe if we let him fight through us.
Rivna: Mother!
Yinnah: Your father says many things Jyn. In time you will learn to heed the words of our forefathers and foremothers.
Jyn pushes Yinnah's hand away.
Jyn: Mother I’m clean already. Rivna if anything needs it more than I do for once.
Yinnah glances at Rivna and puts her cloth away. Roh enters.
Roh: You have it smelling lovely as usual Yinnah.
Yinnah: Must you constantly teach my son barbarism?
Roh: Our son will soon be the chief of the village.
Rivna: But not too soon, right Father? You still have many moons left to be with us.
Roh bends down to pat her and kiss her forehead.
Roh: That’s right my little sapphire. The Great Spirit willing.
Yinnah: Jyn must be brought up to uphold the traditions of Tahlyans if he is to be chief, not the customs of those devils you meet with in secret.
Rivna tugs on her father’s garment.
Rivna: What devils Father?
Roh: Watch your tongue Yinnah! You do not speak to your lord in such a manner!
Yinnah: What is this lord nonsense you keep babbling on about?! You are my husband, not my lord.
Roh: They are one in the same to you! Now ready supper!
Yinnah hesitates with a look of ire. She glances at Rivna before storming out of the room. Roh sighs.
Yinnah, Rivna, and Jyn walk through the sparsely populated market place of the village.
Elderly Woman’s Voice: Our proud pillars of tradition that have waxed firm throughout the harsh centuries are quickly melting into shallow streams which flow the chief's wretched customs.
Young Woman’s Voice: Soon all that we are will be cast out to sea.
Woman’s Voice: Ugh, but to be the daughter of those pillars. I couldn’t live with the shame.
Young Woman’s Voice: And our numbers dwindle by the day. At this rate everyone but the chief’s family will be dwelling in the outer villages.
Yinnah grimaces upon hearing them and turns away.
Yinnah enters a shop and Rivna and Jyn begin to spar.
Rivna: You won’t outwit this new technique!
Rivna swings out a giant wave of ice. Both she and Jyn look surprised by its size. Jyn is hit and begins to bleed. Yinnah runs to him.
Yinnah: Jyn!
Jyn: It’s not as bad as it looks.
Rivna: I’m so sorry Jyn!
Rivna approaches them. Yinnah waves snow at her which pushes her back.
Yinnah: Get away from me and my son you little witch!
Rivna: But I didn’t mean to use that much vyrkra Mother…
Yinnah: Don’t call me that!
Jyn: Mother what are you doing?!
Rivna begins to cry.
Rivna: Why are you doing this Mother? Why?
Yinnah: Because you’re a demon! Ever since you came here you’ve brought nothing but shame and disorder to this village! The winds have spoken of your omen! My husband, my honor, my home, it’s all your fault! You are the product of a witch!
Yinnah directs an ice shard at Rivna, causing her to fall down and bleed.
Yinnah: Get out of here you little demon!
Jyn: No, Mother!
Jyn races to Rivna. He halts as a loud ominous hiss is heard and red mist flies through the village.
Feminine Voice: Bring her back to me…
Yinnah’s body ignites and she burns to death, causing mass panic.
Jyn: Mother!
Rivna: Mother?!
Man’s Voice: It’s a demon!
Roh runs to them. He looks shocked at the sight of Yinnah.
Roh: Hide the women and children indoors! Hurry!
The red mist takes the shape of a woman and surrounds Rivna.
Feminine Voice: She is mine…
Roh shoots the mist with a stream of water from his hands, it shrieks and shrinks.
Feminine Voice: This village will be cursed for as long as you keep her from me!
The mist charges at Roh, causing a giant explosion.
Jyn: Father!
Rivna wakes up in a cold sweat in a quiet room—
Rivna: Father!
She’s lying in a comfy bed. She looks out the window and sees the sky moving. Loc enters while holding a tray with a bowl of stew and a glass of water on it. Loc looks pleased.
Loc: Oh, you’re awake.
Rivna gasps, giving Loc a terrified look.
Loc: Is there something wrong? I have food for you here. You must be hungry right?
She jumps out of bed and backs away against the wall. She’s wearing a plain but neat long dress. Loc slowly sets the tray down on a nightstand. Rivna jumps and bounces off the ceiling and to and out the door.
Loc: Hey wait!
Rivna races down a busy hallway of various humanoid species, but not a single human. She startles many of them as she bumps into them, causing them to spill or drop whatever they were occupied with. Rivna rams open a door to the outside. She halts at a railing to see the sky moving below. She pauses in awe as she realizes that she is on a large steampunk airship flying through the empty sky. She turns to Loc who’s behind her.
Loc: Welcome aboard my ship; the Flying Broom.
Chapter End