Winter’s Rebirth: B1 - 5. A New Generation

Winter’s Rebirth Index

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The empress’ spies returned, and the atmosphere grew heavier once more. Nyxie excused herself to rest, and Victor immediately felt the mental strain in her absence. Conversations about politics and the region’s current affairs droned on, and, no matter how hard he tried, it blended together and left him in a stupor. His vision blurred, and before he knew it, he was slipping into a lulling daze.

Flashes of memories floated in and out of his consciousness. He vaguely recalled his mother’s gentle arms carrying him, her soft voice humming a lullaby as she tucked him into bed with his sister. The comfort of his blankets and the warmth of his mother’s presence pulled him deeper into the dreamscape.

“Rise and shine, Victor.” The firm, feminine voice pulled him out of his dreams. Nyxie’s mental touch was insistent, cutting through the haze. “I’m a tad rested, in case you were worried. It is late at night, and everyone has retired to sleep. The emperor is waiting for you in the grand hall. Don’t keep him waiting.”

Victor blinked, the dark room coming into focus. He was back in his own bed, the familiar surroundings of his room providing a momentary comfort. Turning his head, he found Elara sleeping peacefully in the bed opposite his, clutching a stuffed snow bunny to her chest. The sight softened his heart, but he knew he couldn’t linger.

Getting up quietly, he noticed his clothes had been changed to his nightwear, likely his mother’s doing. He tried to remember the conversations during dinner, but his brain felt sluggish, as if a heavy fog had settled over his thoughts.

I can’t remember much after you left. Something about…serfs being able to use magic stones and the Imperial Capital isolating itself from external affairs? he internally mumbled, feeling a light headache coming on before the teenage inquisitor’s voice somehow alleviated it.

“Did you expect me to pick up your slack the entire time?” Nyxie’s voice was tinged with mild annoyance as he waited for the dizzy spell to pass. “Your brain isn’t meant to be stimulated this much at your age, much less me battling through your father’s infernal sword’s dampening aura. As it is, you will develop faster than you should, even as a reincarnate. Quit complaining and be grateful.”

“I’m not complaining,” Victor muttered aloud, rubbing his temples and blinking away the spots; there was a soft glow coming from the cracked door. “Just trying to understand.”

Nyxie’s lilting voice held a hint of amusement. “I’m in your mind, Cap, or did you forget your mother’s earlier comment?”

“Fine, I am complaining,” Victor internally sighed, frustration creeping in. “I’ve got the developing brain of a five-year-old, and you’re forcing me to be an adult. It’s hard enough to keep up with this mystical shit everyone is throwing at me, much less the global politics of a world I’m hardly familiar with.”

“That’s fair,” Nyxie conceded. “But you have it far better being born here with parents that love you dearly than in the Imperial Capital like me, where I’m treated as a threat, experiment, and it is impossible to hide you’re a reincarnate. Count your blessings. Now kick your ass into gear, soldier.”

Victor couldn’t argue with that. With a resigned sigh, he made his way to the grand hall, his steps quiet. Once outside, he saw the faint glow of an oil lamp outside his door, likely left by Nyxie when she’d crept out of bed. Taking it, he paused as someone came walking around the corner, barely visible in the dimmed oil lamps along the hallway for night travel—Constable Mathis himself, on night patrol.

“Don’t freak out,” Nyxie snickered as he moved to return to his room. “So long as I want you to be invisible, their brains won’t even register you stabbing them in the throat.”

A lump formed in Victor’s own throat at how shocking of a statement that was as the knight simply walked by him. He rubbed his neck, recalling all the times he’d seen bayonets plunged into soldiers’ throats. Mathis stopped at his door, peeked inside to check on him and his sister, smiled, and went on his way.

Victor continued on his way, goosebumps running down his arms. I’m starting to see why my mother was so frightened of the Silent Inquisition. How far away can you influence people if you’re halfway across the manor and can do this?

“Oh, Captain,” she whispered, a playful edge coating her teenage voice, “this isn’t even childsplay to what I had to do in the Imperial Capital to survive since I was your age. It helps when you can stimulate your own brain.”

The grand hall was almost unrecognizable, filled with the warm glow of the fireplace, opened steam vents, and the lingering aroma of the feast. Nyxie, General Musashi, and one of the male imperial guards were awake, gathered around the main hearth. The two empress’ spies and the other pair of imperial guards, including Kris, were sleeping on the furniture that had been brought in.

Emperor Lucius sat in front of the fire, his expression thoughtful as he stared into the flames; despite the fire and underground spa, the night chill still seeped inside. Victor was used to seeing his own breath from birth but it would be a bad winter if it was already this cold heading into fall.

Victor hesitated for a moment, taking in the solemnity of the scene. The warmth of the fire contrasted sharply with the coldness of the room's atmosphere. Lucius, Nyxie, and Musashi sat near the hearth, their faces illuminated by the flickering flames.

The emperor’s gaze met his, and Victor took a deep breath, steeling himself for whatever was to come. He stepped forward, drawing the emperor’s attention in the dark grand hall, long shadows cast from his approach.

“Ah, Victor,” Lucius said, a smile playing at the corners of his lips. “Join us. We have much to discuss, and I’d like to see you returned to bed in a timely manner. Rest is important for a boy your age, after all.”

Victor sat down, the memories of the earlier events playing at the corner of his mind with the time-reversed slaughter, a stark reminder of the emperor’s power and unpredictability.

“Let’s address the ice drake in the room,” he cheerily began, his tone light but with an undercurrent of seriousness. He gestured toward the sleeping spies. “Your mother drugged them, following Nyxie’s instruction. They’ll have implanted memories to feed my wife to satisfy her suspicions. It’s a necessary measure to ensure our plans remain undiscovered since this is my first stop. I had hoped to somehow beat the winter! I didn’t do a good job of that, it seems.”

Victor’s eyes flicked to Nyxie, who nodded slightly, her expression hidden beneath her veil. He was meant to listen.

“If you haven’t come to the conclusion already,” Lucius continued, “there is a power struggle happening in the Imperial Capital. My father was the cause of much of my diminishing internal power. In fact…I was the one who gave your grandmother the means to assassinate my father.”

“What?” Victor mumbled, eyes widening at the admission he hadn’t expected. “Then…you had her killed after she accomplished your bidding?”

“A long complicated story,” he sighed, sitting back and staring into the fire with a deep frown. “Just because we had shared goals does not mean her ambition was the same as mine. That being said, despite my crumbling internal political power, I still have massive external influence…such as the laws governing the Six Kingdoms,” he stated, a sly twinkle in his eye.

Victor clenched his fists under the table, struggling to maintain his composure. He’s laying out imperial assassinations, intentional kingdom imbalancing, and the end of the Valerius Empire as if this were just another strategic meeting. Yet, his next statement drew a line of events that left his mind momentarily blank.

“You heard correctly during dinner, Victor,” Lucius said, leaning forward with a dangerous smile. “I am lifting the ban on serfs and every other law associated with the use of magical stones. To skip all the boring political maneuvering. In essence, the kingdoms will have the opportunity to rise up and become what they once were before the First Emperor conquered them.”

Victor’s fists clenched. Is he serious? Dissolving the empire will plunge every kingdom—no, every region within the kingdoms to be thrown into chaos. The memory of the emperor’s earlier display of his power replayed in his mind. How can he be losing power if he can reverse time? Is there some kind of limitation? There must be.

“…You’re creating a world war by basically dissolving the empire,” Victor concluded, his child-like voice low but steady. “Burning everything to the ground since you can’t have it? Is this something Musashi advised you to do? It sounds like something the Japs would do…since they already did it.”

Nyxie’s body shook slightly, and she shifted her position, her veil rustling as she did. Lucius looked momentarily confused, his eyes darting between Victor and Musashi. The silent, brown-skinned man remained impassive, almost as if he were meditating.

“Nyxie,” Lucius began, his tone curious, “did they know each other in their previous lives? That wasn’t something I’d planned on. Were you holding out on me to see how I’d react? Naughty girl.”

Nyxie’s voice entered their minds, sounding a tad tired. “No, Your Grace. I’m just too exhausted to relay everything in a memory burst. Musashi has no clue what Victor is talking about. Musashi died three hundred years before the world war Victor was involved in. He comes from a different era of Japan but they are from the same world, unlike us.”

“Ooh. Interesting.”

Victor’s breath caught as Nyxie leaned closer, her breath almost tangible against his ear despite the veil. Her teenage voice carried an unsettling weight, sending a chill down his spine. “Victor,” she whispered, “does your hatred for the Japanese supersede your love for your sister? If you are to survive what is to come, you’ll need Grand Master Musashi’s guidance.”

The room seemed to shrink, the flickering firelight casting long shadows on the walls. Victor’s head pounded as he stared at Nyxie’s dark veil where her eyes should be under the shroud. The intensity of her words cut through his anger and fear, leaving him with a realization:

…Shit! A Jap! he snarled, glaring at the inquisitor, knowing she could hear his thoughts. Look, I get it… he’s not from the Japan I know. Logically, I get you could make me believe anything you want, so why the hell would you have to lie to me? I’m not that paranoid. Still…

Victor clutched his chest as the hatred burned in his eyes while sliding to the mediating man. This is bigger than my past… Still, after you told me his name…when I look at him. He cut off, trying to reign his breath back in as flashbacks of yellow men spilling into trenches or torching his comrades with flamethrowers mixed with his thoughts.

I can’t just let that go! I have to protect my family, no matter what—this isn’t Earth… But I still have this hatred for what the Japs did to my friends…my brothers! It’s a completely different ballgame, and I’m playing catch-up. But don’t expect me to like it…

“Well,” Nyxie hummed, head tilting to the side, “I can ease that hatred a tad…curb the sting, in other words. I can feel your muscles tensing, your eyes searching for a weapon, expecting for him to strike… How about now?”

He took a deep breath, forcing himself to focus, yet in that moment a soothing calm washed through his mind. He knew it was there, he could feel the hatred, but there was as if a barrier were now between it and his conscious mind that he could pass if he wanted.

“That…does help. I still don’t have to like this,” he growled, suspicious eyes darting to the Japanese, brown-skinned reincarnate. “What do you need from me, Lucius?” Victor asked, not bothering with the emperor titles since he was set on disbanding the empire in any case. “What role do you want me to play in this…new world you’re creating?”

Lucius’ smile returned, though it lacked warmth. “Ah, Victor, you’re a quick learner. I need you to grow strong, to be the leader your family and this frontier need. There will be challenges ahead, but with the right guidance, you can help shape the future of Frostholm and beyond…but there is one thing you are missing in this equation.”

Victor pressed his tight fists into his thighs. “And that is?”

The emperor’s face grew cold. “The empire will not go quietly into the night as a ghost. I have put my cards on the table, so to speak, and I’ve given the kingdoms time to strengthen themselves to obtain the power needed to support me… Not as an emperor, but as a man who wishes to see humanity survive what is to come.”

He stood up, moving to stand in front of the hearth, staring at the flames as Musashi rose, taking one of the emperor’s bags by the drugged spies and moving to the cleared table. Lucius rubbed his hands together, looking into the coals as if seeing kingdoms ablaze.

“There are things several factions within the Imperial Capital plan to do…dangerous things, and many of them have their own agendas. I cannot stop them on my own, as sad as that is to admit… My father made sure of that.”

Victor gulped again, pondering the emperor’s words. This is bigger than I thought, and it’s going to pull in my whole family.

Nyxie’s mental touch cut through the haze of his thoughts at Lucius’ command. Victor, focus. Musashi had already been selected by your father to be your mentor in combat. He can teach you what you need to know to survive and thrive in this world.

Victor’s mind filled with a vision, a memory shared by Nyxie. He saw his much younger grandfather, Sir Reginald Winterhart, an Imperial Knight, with Musashi, his friend and mentor, atop the giant ice mountains. A colossal drake loomed overhead, its scales glistening like the ghostly metal the emperor had shown him earlier that day. Reginald wore a smile, and Musashi laughed, his voice carrying over the howling wind.

“Are you crazy, Reginald?” Musashi laughed, shaking his head and yelling over the howling wind. Only the flaming aura around them countered the crawling ice that crept over everything and the blizzard that trailed after it on its approach. Its forty-five meter wingspan sent gales of magic-infused wind across the ground, creating icicle shards spiking out of the glaciers. 

“As crazy as you for following me to hellscape.”

“We aren’t winning this fight, soldier. That thing has scales as strong as mithril. We need to run. Why did you even sell that story to Lucius to explore the north? It gave the old man enough leverage to get rid of us, and on some rumored treasure that might not even exist? Shit! It spotted us.”

Reginald chuckled, his breath visible in the frigid air. “Didn’t we already plan to evade the drake in the first place? And you know it’s impossible to escape its notice. Who said anything about fighting it, too? I just need to outrun you. Besides…it’s true, Musashi.”

Musashi’s eyes narrowed, but his smile remained. “And how do you know that?”

“Because the text has to be true…because then I could get back to my world and be with Lauren.”

The roar of the ice drake echoed overhead the blizzard overshadowing them, and the vision faded as an extremely fine red and orange aura surrounded Victor’s grandfather. “Don’t fall behind, Musashi; we’re going to the top of the world!”

Victor’s mind reeled as he processed the vision; whatever his mother told him about his grandfather wasn’t what he’d just seen—that was a young Sir Reginald Winterhart, before his journey to the north.

Musashi isn’t just a legendary warrior; he’s someone who has seen what lies beyond the mountains, who understands the stakes…someone who has faced insurmountable odds with my grandfather and survived. He glanced at the silent, brown-skinned man as he took out small shards of magical stones, many of which he’d never seen before, his face inscrutable.

Lucius turned to face him. “There are a great many mysteries in this world, Victor… A dark history that has been hidden before the kingdoms and our empire. The more I learned, the more I realized how deep this hole goes. So… use the time I’ve given you wisely. It is given on a mountain of corpses.”

Victor nodded slowly, his resolve hardening. “I understand. And even if you’re lying, it isn’t like I have much of a choice in the matter. You’re making your move on a scale that will affect everyone, and I’m guessing I’m not the only basket you’ve placed your eggs in. You’re sending out a call to be answered, not selecting some hero… Whoever will rise up. And I’ll do whatever it takes to protect my family.”

Lucius’s smile widened, genuine warmth returning to his eyes. “Good. I have high hopes for you, Victor. You have a grit in you that tells me you’ve seen the worst of things and survived. You’ll need that fire. Now, Musashi will test you to see where your highest affinity in magic stones lies. You should have the ability to channel all of them, but there are always two that are stronger than the rest.”

He gestured to the table, a shiver running down his frame at the chill. “Your sister is most attuned to the same gems as your mother, emerald for healing and vitality, and jade for air and wind manipulation.”

“Air and wind,” Victor repeated as he rose to join the legendary warrior. “Aren’t those the same thing?”

Musashi chuckled for the first time, his voice deep as he looked down at him. “While air is a fundamental component, wind is the movement of that component. Related, but distinctly different, as is healing and vitality. It is an uncommon stone type to find.”

He stepped aside, a small smile on his lips. “I haven’t decided if I should stay here or not since I won’t waste my time instructing a kid in Hyōhō Niten Ichi-ryū who will not appreciate it. Magic stones are attention seeking addicts. At least, that’s how I like to see them.”

The man presented the many stones, many of which he didn’t recognize. “Every person experiences it differently, but the result is the same. As it stands, you won’t recall at your age, but it is important to know where your strengths lie. Some unique scenario will be presented to you, and you must maintain it or else the link is cut. Touch each, and feel its energy against your skin, focus on it, and feed it what it desires.”

Gritting his teeth and biting down any retort, he did as he was told. If these men were here to give him the power to protect what he wanted, then he’d gladly accept, no matter who it was from.

His finger pressed down on a ruby shard, and immediately he felt a spark of connection; it tried to pull him in, and then he was in a burning field. Ahead of him was a blazing forest, behind a cliff and gentle ocean below. Nowhere else to go, he dove off, and abruptly, he was staring at the table of gemstones again.

“I was…repelled?”

His jaw locked as everyone in the room chuckled and Musashi motioned for him to go to the next one. “The point is to run into the danger…not away from it. Next…”

Going one by one, he experienced new scenarios each time, and each one was soon wiped away from memory to protect his developing mind. When it was over, he felt utterly spent. Musashi’s eyes were narrowed as he stared at him, and Victor forced a laugh.

“What’s with that look, General? Did I connect with an extremely rare one?”

“No,” Lucian responded, now standing beside him with a small smile as he plucked up the two familiar shards. “Your highest aptitude is with ruby and amber. The same as your father and grandfather… The most common ones in the empire. It will be fascinating to see how you utilize your twin bond with your sister. I hope I live to see it.”

“Well, that’s it. Run off to bed to rest…because tomorrow, Musashi is going to begin your training. And me? I’m going to deliver a similar message to every other regional power in the empire. You have several years and perhaps a bit more before things start moving, how should I say, hmm…down hill. Use them well.”

With that, Lucian’s brain swam, no longer amplified by Nyxie’s amethyst, and the last thing he heard was the imperial knight who had remained silent throughout the exchange.

“Is it really safe to leave Nyxie in this region to train some baroness’ daughter? Without her by your side, the Silent Order could make a move…”

The voices faded, and he was embraced by sweet nothingness.

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Author's Note: What do you think so far? What do you like or want more of with it? What are your expectations? =) I'd love to hear all your thoughts, in discord or here!

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