Winters’ Manor, Winters Village, Faewelt Kingdom; 12 Samadan 9R8X

Deep breath now, I closed my eyes and channeled the mana into my cache; as I did so, I guided my wand in the air scribed my name, “Ice Signature: Ymir’s Hammer.” The mana from my spell started to crystallize and the ice began to clump together to form a pair of ice gauntlets around my hands. I felt no sense of cold from them, in fact, it was rather cozy. 

“Very good,” Francesca closed her book and gave me a studious expression, “but is it just another glass cannon?”

A bead of sweat raced down my spine, geez Fran, this is a lot of pressure to put on a six year old. I assumed an offensive position and extended my right arm towards my target. Again, I closed my eyes and took a deep inhale, pouring every ounce of mana into this spell, “Jötunn Fist!” The gauntlet shot out an almost spherical chunk of ice that completely obliterated the target; however, my right gauntlet had shattered immediately after. 

Francesca shook her head in disappointment, “I hate to say it, Auto, but I can’t teach you anymore.” 

My heart had skipped a beat, what, what does she mean? I chose Fran to teach me because her signature is the closest to mine. Not only that but, it was you Fran, it was you that told me that no one else can teach me, so why? Why go back on your word?

“Oh Auto, I know you can’t help it, but you look so darn cute when you’re upset,” Francesca pulled me into another one of her suffocating hugs. “But in all honesty, it’s not that I don’t want to teach you. Believe me, I want nothing more than to be your only teacher. But, you are The Aquarian, and you deserve to be taught by a more refined magic instructor.” Her grip on me had loosened, and it was at that moment I heard Francesca holding back tears, “You don’t know just honored and proud I am to be your big sister, and to be your first mentor. And it’s the duty of every good teacher to make sure their student is set up for success.” My sister reached into her satchel and pulled out an envelope and handed it to me. 

“What’s this,” I asked as I accepted the letter. 

“It’s a letter of acceptance to The Caliburn Institute for Young and Gifted Mages,” Francesca smiled, wiping the tears from her face; “it’s the top magic school for children, much like you. The enrollment window has already closed and move in is in a week. Thanks to Channing though, we were able to enroll you early.”

“Wait I only have a week left? How long will i be away for school?” I was being bombarded with all this new information at once and it was making it hard to process it. 

“You’ll be away for thirty years,”no longer sobbing, Francesca took my head and placed it on her chest, “you’ll be okay, Auto. It seems like a long time, but in this world, this realm’s denizens, we are blessed with longevity. We are Hyuman, and our ancestors were both fairies and humans; because of this, we have the ability to tap into and harness mana. Along with that, we have the gift of living long lives, I believe the eldest hyuman lived to be nine thousand years old.”

The tears began pouring down my face, “I’m gonna be an old lady by the time I see you again!?”

My outburst was met with a jovial smile and laugh from Francesca, “you’ll still be a little girl, don’t worry. Besides, you’re going to lose your marbles when you find out how old I am.” The thought never occurred to me, I didn’t know any of my siblings ages. I’d gone most of my life keeping to my magic lessons and we hardly ever celebrated birthdays, unless it was mine, of course. 

“I’m too scared to guess,” I was able to keep from crying completely by her prompting me. 

“Well lucky for you, Winters Women never kiss and tell,” Francesca winked and stuck her pinky out, gesturing me to grab it with mine. “If by the time you come back and you’ve managed to become an old crone, I’ll tell you my age. Deal?”

I hooked my finger onto my sisters and instantly my eyes began pooling with tears, “d—deal, big-Big Sister fra—Franny!”