Seth felt as though he was watching his actions through a window. He tried to crawl back to his body, but he was trapped in a box. He pushed against the walls but couldn’t break free. Let me go! Seth cried banging against the walls.

Hush now. The ice woman trilled. I’ve got everything under control.

Seth sensed the wind intensify and watched in amazement as the flurries swirled into a violent blizzard. He felt his body rise and stare down the male assassin; The ice demon was in control.

The male assassin stopped his charge and stared wide-eyed. “What is…?” He said in awe. “I thought he was just an apprentice!” He called back.

“He is!” The female assassin called. “Or at least he was…”

The ice woman chuckled. “Oh, your information is correct,” she said. “My darling child is still an apprentice; this power is mine. Would you like to see it?” She raised Seth’s hand and clenched his fist. Ice spikes pierced the ground under the male assassin.

The male assassin leaped back in time. He clenched his sword tight. “Apprentice or not, I’m going to get my pay!” He charged forward again, raising his sword high.

The ice woman laughed again, “You’re adorable.” Seth felt power flash from his eyes. The male assassin’s sword froze and shattered. Then Seth’s hand reached out and gripped the assassin’s throat. The ice woman lifted him up.

“Let him go, you monster!” The female assassin cried firing an arrow.

With Seth’s other hand, the ice woman raised a wall of ice to block the arrow. Then she shattered the wall into shards that she flung at the female assassin. They pierced the female assassin and threw her off her horse. The horses fled in a frenzied panic.

Seth saw his vision turn back to the male assassin. His face was a deep purple.

Enough! Seth cried. He couldn’t take it anymore. He wanted the assassins off his trail, but he couldn’t stomach this. Give me back my body! He threw himself against his cage, the walls were strong, but he could feel them weakening. He threw himself against the wall again.

Then Seth heard a snap. He looked back and saw the male assassin’s head droop awkwardly. Seth felt sick. Then the ice woman used Seth’s hand and tossed the male assassin into the grass. The body landed with a thud.

Seth mustered his strength and threw himself against his prison walls once more, this time they broke. He felt himself rushing back towards his body. As he did, he heard the ice woman mutter to herself, I may have overdone it a bit. We’re too far away.

Seth felt air race into his lungs, gravity weighed him down, and immense fatigue threatened to overtake him. He panted and wobbled for a moment. He looked at the carnage and threw up.

Pull yourself together, Seth! He told himself. Focus on getting Gloria to safety.

He looked down at Gloria. Her skin had a tinge of blue to it. Seth knelt and gently lifted Gloria. “Gloria…can you hear me?” He asked breathing heavily. Gloria was limp in his arms. Seth put his ear to her heart. He heard it beating, slowly.

I don’t have much time! Seth pulled Gloria onto his back again and hurried through the snowy grass back onto the road. The farmhouse wasn’t too far away. He just hoped that there would be someone there to help.

The blizzard continued to rage, but its anger was less intense than it had been a moment ago. Seth sensed a dissipating magical aura. From the ice woman? He wondered as he hurried up the road that was quickly becoming buried in the snow. He had so many questions. Seth shook his head. They needed to wait.

Seth could barely see the farmhouse silhouetted against the grey horizon, but his heart quickened when he saw the faintest flicker of light in a window. He pushed through the snow and fought his way up the drive. The farmhouse wasn’t too far now! He could make it! Just a little further!

In the window, Seth saw a shape peer out at him. He couldn’t wave without dropping Gloria. “Help!” He cried. “My friend needs help!” But the wind blew his voice away. Seth growled. He didn’t have much energy, but he had just enough for this small spell. He took a deep breath and muttered a few words. “Help!” He cried again. This time his voice boomed out. “My friend needs help!”

A moment later, the farmhouse door opened, and a farmer stepped out. “Who goes there?” Seth moved closer. The farmer had graying sandy hair and a thick beard. He shoved a pitchfork in Seth’s face. “I said, who are you?”

Seth stood his ground. “We are travelers from Northhorn!” Seth answered. “We got caught in the storm and were attacked by bandits. Please!” He begged. “My friend is freezing! She needs help!”

The farmer peered at Gloria. He pulled back his pitchfork and gestured for Seth to approach. “Get her inside!” He said. The farmer opened the door and hollered inside. “Kayla! Get some blankets and clear a space by the fire!”

Seth stepped inside. The air was a little drafty, but it was much warmer than outside. Seth appreciated the reprieve from the wind.

The farmer stepped in behind Seth. “This way!” He said, leading the way to the kitchen hearth.

Sitting around the fire were five children. The eldest was a girl not much younger than Seth and the youngest was a young boy who held a small embroidered blanket.

“Move aside children.” The farmer said making space for Gloria. “Kayla!” He shouted. “Do you have those blankets?”

A broad woman with wispy hair came around the corner carrying a pile of blankets. “Yes, William! Sorry it took a bit, I was trying to find our warmest blankets.” Kayla laid out a blanket on the floor. “Alright, lay her down now. Gently, gently!” Seth bent to lay Gloria down. William reached out and helped Seth.

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“Alayia, fetch one of my night dresses!” Kayla commanded. Alayia, the eldest daughter, bounded out of the room.

Gloria stirred faintly. Seth dropped down and took her hand. He could hardly feel it, it was so cold. “Gloria! Can you hear me?” He cried.

Gloria mumbled something, then fell back asleep.

Alayia returned with a nightdress. Kayla grabbed it and put a hand on Seth’s shoulder. “I’m afraid I need to ask all the men to leave, we need to change her into dry clothes.”

Seth hesitated, but then put Gloria’s hand down and stepped back. He could trust these people. He hoped.

William put a hand on his shoulder. “Come with me lad, you look like you could use some tending to as well.”

Seth glanced at Gloria once more, then turned and followed William out of the room into a dining hall where he began to pace.

It's all my fault! Seth panicked. I should’ve made her stay home! If she had stayed home, then none of this would’ve happened! He bit his thumbnail. But if she stayed, then she would still be with her father. A flash of anger welled. Then he glanced towards the kitchen. Was freezing to death better than a life of abuse and servitude?

“She’s going to be fine,” William said, interrupting Seth’s thoughts. “My wife has tended worse injuries and they’ve all come back strong.” He laid out a pot of water, some rolled cloth, honey, and herbs next to a mortar and pestle. “Come here son, let’s have a look at you.”

Seth kept looking in the direction of the kitchen and shook his head. “I’m fine.”

“Given that you’re bleeding on my floor, I disagree,” William argued.

Seth looked down at himself. He had a few cuts on his arms and legs and blood trickled down his right leg from where an arrow shaft stuck out. Seth looked up at William who gave him a look that reminded Seth of his father. “Sit down,” he commanded.

“Yes sir,” Seth found himself saying and sat down on the bench.

“Give me your leg.”

Seth sucked in his breath as he lifted his leg onto the bench. William inspected the wound. “I’m going to need the pliers.” He said. William looked up at one of his sons. “Get my pliers from the shed.”

“Yes, Papa!” The boy said and ran out the door.

Seth gripped the table so hard that his knuckles turned white. In his effort to get Gloria to warmth, he had forgotten about his leg. Now the pain was excruciating.

William put some herbs into the mortar and ground them up. “While we wait for the pliers, I’m going to put this salve on your leg and then I’m going to take care of those wounds on your arm.”

“No!” Seth jerked back, then he cried in pain.

William raised an eyebrow. “Those need to be changed, they’re at least two days old.”

“They’re fine.” Seth insisted, wincing.

William narrowed his eyes. “Like hell they are.” Then in a flash, William snatched off one of the cloths. The scar underneath glowed brightly. Its brilliance startled even Seth.

“What the hell is that?” William exclaimed.

Seth scrambled for an answer, but he couldn’t think of a convincing lie. “I don’t know,” he said. “A couple of days ago, I was attacked by…bandits,” It’s close enough to the truth. Seth thought. “When I woke up, I had these scars. We’re traveling to Westfjord to get some answers at the temple.”

William shook his head. “Ordinary bandits don’t leave blue scars like that. I’m going to at least wrap your arms with clean bandages.” William said wrapping Seth’s arm up again.

As William wrapped Seth’s arm he glanced up at him. “What’s your name son?”

Seth sucked in another breath. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to block out the pain. “Seth,” he said. “My name’s Seth.”

“Seth, that’s a good name. Strong. Not common around here though.” William said tying off a bandage. Then he mixed the herbs with honey and a little bit of hot water. He took the salve and put it on a clean cloth. “This may hurt,” he warned, then he laid the cloth on Seth’s leg.

Not only did it hurt, but it burned. Seth chewed the inside of his mouth and grunted. He gripped the bench with one hand and the table with the other.

“Don’t forget to breathe,” William said looking at Seth’s leg.

William’s son returned with the pliers and handed them to his father. Seth gulped. This was going to hurt…a lot.

William looked up at Seth. “You’ve got two choices. Either I can try to hit you in the jaw or you can chew some leather.”

Seth swallowed. “I’ll take the leather.” He said.

William instructed his son to grab something from the other room. The boy returned with a leather belt and handed it to Seth. Seth took it and put it in his mouth.

“Are you ready?” William asked. Seth steadied himself, then nodded.

William gripped the arrow shaft and gently tugged. Seth bit down on the leather belt and gripped the table again. Think of something else! Anything else! Seth screamed through the leather.

“Breathe,” William said focusing on his task.

Easy for you to say! Seth thought. You don’t have an arrow being ripped from your leg! He shook and glanced down; The shaft was inching its way out of Seth’s leg, but it still had a ways to go. Come on Seth, he thought. Think of something else!

A memory flashed into Seth’s mind. A hook stuck in his thumb after he went fishing with his father when he was six. He had whined and bawled. He was terrified of how it was going to hurt when the hook was taken out.

While Father grabbed his tools to remove the hook, Mother knelt beside him. “It’s alright, Seth,” she said, “everything will be fine.”

“Nora, let the boy be.” His father said. “He needs to learn to deal with pain like a man.”

Mother pursed her lips and moved aside as Father came over and looked Seth in the eye. “Pain is a natural part of life,” he said. “But what makes a man is how he handles pain.”

Seth growled in agony as the shaft was pulled out of his leg. His hands ached from how hard he clenched the table. He could feel that only the arrowhead was left. It slowly turned and twisted to find the easiest way out.

Keep thinking, Seth! Think of something else! He told himself. Gloria’s smile and her bouncing red curls flashed in his mind. I hope she’s okay. Seth worried.

The last of the arrow was wrenched free. It was agonizing but relieving. Seth trembled and breathed heavily. He looked up at William who put the bloodied shaft on the table. “Almost done, son.” He said. He reached for the salve again and put it on Seth’s leg.

The salve burned, but the pain was less than pulling the arrow out. Seth heaved a sigh and bowed his head. After a moment, William quickly bandaged up Seth’s leg.

“There you are. Let’s get you somewhere to rest.” William said, rinsing his hands off.

Seth took the leather belt out of his mouth. He was shocked to see deep bite marks in the belt. He sheepishly handed the belt back to William. “Sorry, I think I ruined your belt.” He said.

William laughed. “I’ll think of it as a badge of honor. The time, good old William pulled an arrow from a man.” He wrapped an arm under Seth’s arms and helped him up. Seth leaned on William, it hurt to stand on his injured leg.

“Let’s get you to where it’s warm,” William said guiding Seth back to the hearth.

Seth looked up and saw Gloria lying by the fire. She was piled under a heap of blankets, except for where Kayla was trying to rub her arms and legs to restore feeling. Seth saw a little color returning to Gloria’s cheeks.

William helped Seth limp over to Gloria and sit down. Seth looked at Kayla anxiously. She smiled softly. “She’s going to be fine. She’s recovering quickly. It looks like you got her out in time.”

Seth heaved a sigh of relief. She was going to be okay. Seth sat next to Gloria and stared at her face. “Thank Crim you’re alright,” he murmured, “I don’t think I could’ve forgiven myself if you had died out there.”

Fatigue washed over Seth. He wobbled and drooped down. Before he knew it, he had fallen asleep next to Gloria. The last thing he remembered was being gently laid down and a blanket draped over him.