White hair fluttered and spun in the wind, painting the sky as snow flurries swarmed around the dark elf’s lithe figure. Icy powder barraged her ebony face, staining it, no longer melting on impact as it had hours ago. Wind whipped across her cheek, slicing at flesh with a cold sting.

Soaked through boots crunching in the snow reminded her of the track of boot prints that seemed to span on infinitely behind her. How long had Lilly been trekking down the ridge? Hours? Days? She couldn’t be certain. The last thing she remembered was a city… or was it a field… something to do with magecrafts.

From the summit of the glacial peak she could barely make out a glimpse of hope through the thick sheets of snow. Far off, near the base of the mountain, she could see a glimmering light of some sort. That must’ve been radiating from a cabin or township or anything warm and dry. It’s constant glow mocked the freezing dark elf as she strove onwards. Consumed wholly by the fantasy of a hot meal and a roaring fire.

Occasionally she’d glance away from the beacon and walk staring straight up. Something was amiss with the sky. It seemed to shimmer and move with a reflective quality. Perhaps it was just the moisture in the air. Maybe her exhaustion was playing tricks on her mind.

Distraction and hiking down mountains are a terrible combination.

“Shit,” she muttered as her right foot lost itself and fell out from under her. Flailing about her body contorted into a jumbled mess as her other leg spun around her narrow torso. All of her questions about the sky, the gnawing cold, and aching limbs were instantly replaced by the overwhelming sensation of falling. Gravity had come for her and panic set in. Before her mind could process its impending doom the inventive elf suddenly jolted upwards.

Gone was the cold and the whooshing of the wind. Pale blues eyes lazily came to attention through several stuttering blinks. Lilly was indoors, seated, and across from an elderly elf adorned in extravagant robes. His face was framed by an outlandish beard which poked the air in every direction. And he was smirking at her.

Smugly he parted his lips to declare, “you wouldn’t stop asking questions about how astral projection works.” Running a few fingers through the scruff hanging from his chin he grinned and said, “now you should know how it works.”

Lilly glanced towards the table he gestured to. Sat atop the polished wood was a small glass orb. The orb showcased a quaint town in the grip of winter, surrounding a large snowy mountain.