Frozen beauty

Walking through the cold frozen land were two young girls, the elder one being Luna Mira, while she was accompanying her younger sister, Zina Mira for one of her school assignments. "It's freezing out here. Can't you warm us up with your magic Big sis?" The young blonde complained, she was adjusting the straps on her backpack while shivering. Luna wanted to do so herself, but she knew it was better for the both of them if she conserved her energy, and for Zina to learn the consequences of her actions. Luna loved the girl, but some lessons need to be learned. "Well, it's best I do that sparingly, besides, if you're cold, keep moving."

Zina pouted as they walked through the snow, adorned in heavy winter gear, snow shoes, while Zina carried a small pack with a satchel, Luna carried a much larger pack. The trip was so that Zina could get some first hand experience for a scenery description, but being the last one to choose left her with no other option then a frozen landscape. The girls walked through the landscapes, over and beside ice in many shapes and sizes. Luna was in awe as she got to see the beauty of the sun light shin through a large glacier, scattering the light among other ice.

"You see, this is where beauty truly is, in nature." Zina looked puzzled at Luna for a second. She thought that Luna would be incredibly uncomfortable in a climate where plants would not thrive as well. "Isn't the whole frozen thing contradictory to nature?" Luna shook her head, as even the frozen tundra had it's charm. "This is as much Nature as a forest, it is maintained by the earth. Life can thrive here, just not like you'd expect."

Eventually the duo fount a place near the ice to set up camp. There seemed to be a nice fishing area a quarter of a kilometer away. Luna had taken out a large box from her bag and she placed it down, pressing the big red button on top of it. The box unfolded as a sturdy tent expanded and set itself up, creating a space with dimensions of 8'x8'x7'. A two man shelter with just the one door, a rather small door roughly three and a half feet high and two feet wide. Zina was glad there was shelter, but she had a few questions. Luna figured an explanation would answer most of them before they are asked. "This shelter was designed to accommodate smaller wizards in cold environments. It's made of a cold resistant fabric and has the right door size. Designed to keep itself shut. First things first, lets get some fish to eat."

Luna pulled out the two fishing rods attached to the side of her pack, and two foldable stools as she and Zina started to walk, looking for a place to find or create a fishing hole.

The two girls set on the ice above what seemed to be a good spot, not too far off from camp and Luna could sense the abundance of fish bellow. She folded in her left thumb and straightened her fingers as an energy blade extended. She grabbed her arm with the opposite and stabbed through the ice, and walked around carving a triangle. She then struck the center as she removed the ice chuck before setting it aside, creating a triangular hole in the ice.  Luna sat down one a stool by one corner while Zina sat down on her stool by the other.  

Zina was awestruck by the chance to witness the magic of her elder sister. "Wow, that was amazing. Magic is incredible." Luna could sense the emotions off the younger girl, it took a bit more effort when there was solely life force. Although she could tell where her sister's thoughts were, still dwelling on knowledge of the curse preventing her from using magic. However, she didn't want Zina thinking magic was everything as the conversations about unlocking her magical potential were things she tried to avoid for fear of how far Zina might go. Luna sat down and put a dried cherry tomato in the hook as she lowered her hook. "Magic is like a tool, it's true value is in the user. A fishing rod can be just as valuable and impressive in the right hands."

Zina followed suite with her sister's actions, waiting for a bite, her eyes occasionally wandered until she saw something approaching. She tried to focus, it looked to be a purple and blue blur. "Sis? What's, that? It looks, dangerous?" Luna looked in the direction her sister was gazing at. She recognized the shape of the tiny being that was approaching.  She couldn't sense any malice so she decided to play it non-chalantly. "Don't worry, that's just an exceed. They're cat like creatures that have a natural affinity to fly."

Luna waited til the creature was in ear shot distance of herself, figuring that the feline had sharper ears then her. She called out to the cat, hoping they were friendly. "Hey there, how goes the day? I am Luna, this is my sister Zina."

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Luna and Zina welcomed the distraction as the hole was large enough for the three of them, however she kept her grip on her line, she didn't want to risk getting too distracted. "Sure, the more the merrier. Plenty of space around here." The comment on the lack of visitors was expected, Luna saw few traces of repeated movements along the way, yet Luna didn't peg one of the local critters to be an exceed. She thought at best if not aquatic would be some form of wyvern or adapted insect, something that would require little feeding.

Luna sensed the fish around, none were biting yet but it was just a matter of time. "We're just visiting. Zina's got a school project that requires scene description, but she waited till the last second to pick and the last one was a winter theme." Zina pouted, not like being reminded about her laziness. "Oh come on. Must you keep reminding me?" Luna's line started to tug as her line had caught a fish. While she was pulling back, she answered the young girl. "Well, let's see, you complained on the way here, I had to schedule with the guild to get off of on call duty, and I missed out on wine tasting and possibly a visit to, nevermind." Zina knew the next word, but giggled a bit, however she did feel guilty about changing the weekend plans she had planned for a while. "Oh come on, no need to be shy, we're all girls here... right? Having a man is nothing to be ashamed of."

Luna sighed, hoping that someone would understand. "The struggles of being the elder sister never cease."

Zina looked at the cat, she wondered why the cat looked different from how the tales described. "Excuse me miss Nyrulea, I thought exceeds were half bird? You seem pretty feline, sorry if I'm asking something too personal." Luna almost laughed at the absurdity of the question, she was wondering where Zina got that information from, she hoped that it wasn't school. "Actually, not quite. I think it's more like angelic cats, I've met an exceed. The wings magically retract? I am not sure, but what brings a cute little thing like yourself out here?"

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Nyrulea cast her line and just enjoyed the little conversation going back and forth between the two sisters. It was a lot like how she and her siblings communicated and she couldn’t help but giggle. Their lifestyle was so different from her family’s. 

Her parents often told her stories of the lands beyond the glaciers, but to hear it from people who live there full time is a different thing. She and her siblings never went to school, for one, so she never had to do school projects, and safe to say she has never travelled. Though she often had to sacrifice her daily routine for her younger siblings, that much she could agree with Luna.

“I live here. My family’s lived here for generations.” She explained “We’re accustomed to the cold, so we sort of just stayed put here. And yes, I can use magic to grow wings on my back and fly, just like other Exceeds. It’s not the strongest kind of magic by far and it’s nothing flashy. Bet the mages in your Guild are way stronger.”

She stared at her line. “So what’s it like being in a Wizard Guild? I don’t think I’ve ever encountered one before. It’s supposed to be like a family right?”

Luna pulled back on her rod as the fish came flying out of the hole. "Not too bad of a catch." It was a salmon about ten inches long. She pulled it off the rod and held the rod with her knees for a second as she grabbed a rolled up sack from her bag and slid the fish in there before getting up slightly and sitting on part of the end of the bag. She cast her line back into the hole. 

She was glad to meet someone that understood the burden of responsibility, Zina was in awe to meet a rare sight like an exceed. However, Luna did not care to hear the self doubt of the exceed. "Race has no factor in strength. There are those born without magic, those born with magic, those who can acquire strength faster, those who take ages. It's all about the mitigating physical factors mixed with the will. There are mages that could be weaker than you, and most certainly stronger, there is always something stronger then you in the world, one of the fundamental truths."  Zina got lost in her sister's words, and didn't realize her line had caught a bite and the rod slipped out of her hands. Luna was one step ahead as her reflexes grabbed the line before the rod fell in. Ever since taking on the wizard jobs, her already sharp reflexes seemed to have been elevated.

Zina grabbed the rod as she tried her best to catch the fish. "Thanks big sis!" A perfect example as to her role in her own guild. "As to your question Nyrulea, it really depends on the guild. Most wizard guilds are close and like family. My guild, Aurora is especially so. It was made in the wake of the former guilds downfall. The initial members were founded by the remaining members of a guild that, disbanded, me included. We are about helping wizards find their path and in turn working to help others."

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The exceed watched as Luna pulled the first catch of the day. Not too long before she catches her own first. She let her thoughts drift off to what she imagined a guild would be. Sure there would be many wizards who had been training for much longer than she has, her magic was innate and her parents would often tell her that she hatched with her wings on her back. It wasn’t a question of self esteem. If she could train with guild members who are more powerful than she is, imagine how much it would help her to improve her own innate abilities. Maybe even learn new ones. 

Maybe even earn some money in the process. Yeah definitely! That way her siblings can go to school and maybe live somewhere where they can make friends and strengthen their own magic. And when they grow up a little older they could join their own guilds and her parents would finally be able to retire and spend the rest of their lives in a nice igloo out in the glaciers. She was snapped back to reality when she felt something tugging at her line. Yes! A catch! A big one too! 

Nyrulea stood up and took a few steps back, reeling in the fish, before it pulled her back towards the hole. The fish wasn’t giving in. The cat cast her magic, summoning a pair of angelic crystal wings to give her more strength. Frankly speaking her wings were much stronger than her arms and legs and she often used her magic when fishing. She moved back just far enough from the two sisters and took to the skies, pulling the fish out of the water and into the air where all of its anchorage was removed and its strength gone. It was a large char, perfect for feeding her and her siblings. Nyrulea landed next to the char flopping on the snow and heaved a sigh of relief.

Luna noted the struggle of the exceed, but she could tell the exceed had it covered. She watched as the feline caught the fish. She started to take the silence as a sign of deep thought, and she was concerned by the applications it would have on her decisions. Apparently the family had a life here, it seemed not wise in many respects, such as: socialization, proper diet, and the potential danger of predators. However Luna ultimately accepted that the family's choice to stick with their choice or not.

While Luna was focused on the deeper aspects at play, Zina was more impressed by the ice wings of the exceed. "Wow, impressive fishing Nyrulea!" Zina pulled back, seemingly struggled but the fish that came out was a quarter of the size Luna caught. "Awe, it's small."

Trying to avoid being rude or insensitive, Luna tried to figure out a way to see if Nyrulea was intending on wizard work. She was not against the exceed doing jobs, but she knows all too well the struggles of having dependents. She had her sister and Neptuna to worry about, but she was a wizard because she had no other choice. She started to regret her speech about Race having nothing to do with strength as she didn't want a rushed decision. "So yeah, Wizard work is tough to do solo. However, with a guild, you  got people on your side who would sooner die then betray you. So, Nyrulea, what do you plan on doing with your life? Take care of the family?"

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"It's not an easy choice to make." Nyrulea explained "I'm not the eldest sibling so I usually trust my older brother to make such decisions." She stopped to think. She knew she had it in her to make her own decisions, in fact she knew she was able to make decisions that were probably better than her brother's. "If I had to decide, I think my family would benefit from living in a town with people." 

The heat made them sick and the cold strengthened their magic. Seemed like a stupid reason for living in the glaciers now that she thought about it. Even if it were warmer in town, they could learn to get used to it. But maybe a part of her was just scared to change. "I think working in a guild sounds amazing! If I join a wizard guild and make enough money then my family can all move to town and have a better social life! If your guild is recruiting, I would love to have a go at it! What do I need to do to sign up?"

Luna saw the conviction in the Exceed to create a better opportunity, she saw a lot of herself in the feline. She couldn't lie, even if she wanted to as she let the feline know about the guild.
"Oh, yes, our guild turns very few away. Unless you're a mass murderer, or stole the Queen's crown, I think you'll make it in." Zina laughed at the wild examples Luna gave. "How could she do either of those?" Luna gave her sister a serious look as she answered that question. "Look can be quite deceiving. You wouldn't think I have the destructive force to destroy a small building, but I can. Even I'm afraid of my own abilities."

Luna relieved the tension as Zina was starting to ponder on what goes through her sister's mind. Luna continued on the basics of joining the guild. "Basically, all you gotta do is reach Aviole fortress, it's our Guild Hall on top of one of the highest mountains. It's a golden castle above the clouds, all you gotta do is get to the hall once, and once you have the guild tattoo, you can teleport up and down the mountain. You gotta pass the 'Murphy test', but you don't need to worry. When the guild master's founded the guild, they found the castle was protected by a powerful unicorn who's an impeccable judge of character."

Luna could feel her line snap as a giant fish bit off her line before it started to charge up. Zina jumped back but Luna sighed and stood up, as if the rather abnormally large fish charged up. Luna reached her hand upwards as white energy gathered, in a pole shape with a blade shape at the end, her Spirit Spear. She then stabbed it down through the water, spearing the fish from the mouth to tail before pulling it out revealing it was a two and a half foot long salmon. She grabbed the spear with her hands as the energy spear started to vanish.

Luna kept her trail of thought as she put the fish in the bag. "There's plenty of room if you wanna stay in the guild hall, and if you want to move your family, there's always Timbermere, but I'd look for roomates, a bunch of exceeds don't take up much space, I'm sure someone with family in the guild would have no problem accommodating a family of exceeds."

Luna sat down as Zina got back on her stool. "Any further questions?"

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The cat laughed "so long as the fish don't count, I don't think I've ever killed anyone before" Luna was right though, looks can be deceiving. Luna didn't strike her as the dangerous type, even though she could feel her magic power from far away. 

If their guild was up on a mountain then it shouldn't be much of a problem for them health-wise. Even if it might not be as cold as the glaciers, it's a start to get used to warmer temperatures. Climbing up the mountain wouldn't be a problem for her. Maybe her wings wouldn't be able to carry her all the way up, especially if the winds got stronger the higher yo climbed, but she should be fine. She's walked long distances in the cold before. 

"Oh no! We can't impose on someone else like that! There's 6 of us after all. We'd have to find some sort of crazy cat lady to take us all in." Nyrulea giggled. "We'll be fine living on our own. Like you said, we're small, so we won't need a large house to fit."

She couldn't wait to go tell her older brother about the guild. Knowing him he would be a little stubborn about the idea of moving, but she wasn't about to take no for an answer now that she has made up her mind. The Exceed tied up her char and picked up her fishing rod. "Oh! If you want a good scene for you project Zina, I'd check just a couple miles that way. You'll find giant bodies of ice there. If you go see it at just the right time when the sun hits the ice at just the right angle, you'll see an Aurora."

Nyrulea magically sprouted her wings and took to the skies "Take it as a thanks for the information about your guild."

Zina laughed as Nyrulea mentioned crazy cat lady before pointing to Luna, who then sighed, she could fit a full exceed family with room to spare in her apartment. She figured she might as well offer out the opportunity since Zina opened up the door. "Well, I know for certain we have room to fit up to 6 Exceeds. Like seriously, Zina's plushies take up more space. I'm sure I can squeeze in a few cat beds and I'm not against some shared space. So long as they know my desk is off limits."

Zina looked at Luna confused, the apartment already had three occupants, soon to be four. "What about Neptuna, and isn't Solaris coming to town?" Luna remembered that her fairy half sister would arrive, but she had no clue as to her arrangements, saying something about staying with some old friends. "She'll burn that bridge when we come to it, besides, she's only 5.5", a fifth of an exceed. Just throw out a pillow when she gets drunk, or splash her with water if she starts a fire. Yeah, Ice exceeds might be helpful."


Luna waved goodbye to the exceed, hoping to meet them again. "Safe travels."

Zina was grateful for the information, hoping that she could use it for her project. She almost got out of her seat but Luna was one step ahead of her. She pulled out a folded piece of paper. "Sit down, I read your assignment. auroras, golden castles, and unicorns are on the forbidden list." Zina sighed as she sat down, nothing was passed her.

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