Steel and Mana

It wasn't a lie to say that the early snowfall caught everyone off guard in Avalon. A sense of unease rippled through the city's populace, but it was quickly dispelled by their faith in their Sovereign. It was a universal belief that if anything happened, their city could withstand it. It was the same within the family of five, gathering in their warm stone house, something that they cherished more than anything since it was built. Even in the cold, thanks to their Sovereign's invention, it was like warm spring within the walls of their home, a far cry from how it was when their first son was little.

Arnauld, the father and head of the household, stood at the window, gazing out at the city that had grown so rapidly over the past decade that it was living in a fairy tale. It still amazed him. He was just a woodcutter a decade ago, once accustomed to the isolation of the forest, working hard so the families in the little town they lived in would have enough firewood for the winter… But now, as a factory worker, he was helping to build the machines that powered their new world and protected their lives. Thinking about it, he couldn't help but sigh with a smile hanging on his face, watching the snowflakes swirling in the early cold, cutting wind, coating the streets in the color of white. If not for the knowledge that this beautiful white coat meant monsters would come, he would dare to speak of what he was thinking: It made Avalon even more beautiful to look at.

"Do you think it'll be a bad winter?" his wife, Umise, asked in an uncertain voice. She was seated at their dining table, her hands deftly working on the latest embroidered baby clothes she was selling at her tiny stall in the main market square. Their youngest child slept soundly upstairs, but her mind had always been on her other two sons since the snow started to fall. Mainly because they were now fully trained soldiers stationed in the Pass. Her fingers moved swiftly, stitching patterns she had once only dreamed of making when they lived in the cramped wooden cabin at the edge of the old, little town. Back then, a few rough tunics were all she could manage between helping her husband in chopping wood and hauling water. Now, in their warm, spacious house with its stone floors heated from beneath, she could afford to run her very own small business without worrying that the fire would go out back home and plunge the room into the harsh cold of winter.

"Maybe…" Arnauld replied, turning to face her. "But the Sovereign saw us through worse. More of our machines are guarding the Pass at every passing year! We have the soldiers, the cannons, and magic. We'll be fine."

Umise nodded, a quiet comfort settling over her. It wasn't the same kind of fear they once had. In the old days, winters meant isolation. If the snow was deep enough, they could be cut off for months at a time. They'd ration, pray the roof didn't collapse under the weight, and fend off whatever wolves or worse creatures wandered too close to their cabin. But here, they weren't fighting the elements in the city anymore. They had warmth, food, and protection.

Still, the snow was early, and they remembered what happened the last time. Many heard the tales of soldiers and the arrival of a massive beast… But early snow meant something more: a premature winter, and when winter came without warning, the creatures that lurked in the mountains—those things they used to hear stories about only in legends—began to stir.

"They say monsters come through the Pass when the snow comes too soon." a voice said from the doorway, drawing their attention. Arnauld's youngest son, Henri, stood there, rubbing his eyes; clearly, he was barely awake yet. At fourteen, he was still full of curiosity and wonder despite everything the city had already given him. He was finishing school this year and had already told his parents that he wanted to be a scholar or a minister, inspired by his teachers. "Do you think we'll see any?"

"No, we won't because they won't get through the Pass!" Her mother smiled softly while answering. "You woke up early, little one!"

"I'm not little. And I'm not tired anymore!" Henri frowned while he came to sit at the table, looking out of the window as the snow continued to fall. "The Sovereign has the army, doesn't he? Claude and Luc say they're training to protect us all... They wouldn't let any monsters in, right?"

"That's right. Your brothers are training hard, and so are the other soldiers! The creatures in the Pass don't stand a chance against our power." His father chuckled as he ruffled his son's hair, sitting beside him.

"Claude wrote to me last week. He said they made test firings on the cannons, allowing the new trainees to practice before actual monsters appeared. He also wrote that the Princess had arrived, and now the two giant machines were standing guard over them, ready to fight our enemies. They would win, even if the mountains come to life!"

"Your brother likes to exaggerate. But yes, they're going to protect the city." Umise sighed with pride, mixing with a good amount of nervousness. She glanced at Arnauld, a hint of concern behind her warm eyes. They both knew the army's strength was something that they may never understand, but… Who knows what kind of monsters will come through this time?

"We're safe here." Arnauld exclaimed after breaking eye contact with his wife, his voice calm and steady. He indeed believed it and didn't say it just to calm down her beloved. "The Sovereign has changed everything. Do you remember what life was like before?"

"Not really. Just what you and Mother tell me." Henri mumbled as he shook his head.

"It was… different. We had none of this." Umise's hands paused as she spoke, her needle hovering over the fabric. She gestured around the room, the walls smooth and sturdy, the floors warm beneath their feet. "We barely had enough wood to keep a fire going all winter, let alone live in a house like this! It was just your father, your brothers, and me chopping wood daily to survive. Now, we have warm, running water and food on the table, and your brothers have careers in the army. And you, my little scholar, will be a minister in the future!"

"Um! Or a teacher! I will also be famous!" Henri's chest puffed with pride when he heard his mother, making sure they knew he wasn't playing around.

"You will, will you?" Arnauld laughed, a deep, hearty sound that echoed within the room. "Then you'll have to follow the orders of not just our Sovereign but the orders of our Prime Minister, too! You can't be the mischievous little devil you are sometimes. They made the city what it is today. Without them, we'd still be in the woods, chopping trees and fighting wolves. So if you want to be a Minister, you must show them you are competent!"

"I know, Dad. Don't worry; I will!"

Umise exchanged a glance with Arnauld, and they both fell silent for a moment. It wasn't just the material changes that had lifted them from the life they once knew. It was the sense of community, of being part of something greater. The Sovereign's reforms had brought them into a world they'd never thought possible, and with it came a new kind of security, one that went beyond the safety of walls and weapons.

But there was still the winter to think of. The monsters. The snow.

"Come on." Umise smiled, shaking his head, putting down her tools, and pushing her son out of the room, "If you are indeed up, go, take a bath! I'll make you breakfast and off to school with you!"

As Umise led him away, Arnauld stared out of the window again. The snow had thickened, and the city was turning white. He watched as the newest invention of their Sovereign was still illuminating the streets in the early morning: street lamps. They were not the Edmund Lamps that they also had a few of; these were the same kind that was in the factory he was working in: Ones running on electricity. He knew that the Sovereign was aiming to soon have all homes installed with it and could bathe his citizens in warm light even on the darkest nights.

He had faith in his Sovereign. The city was more modern than anything he could have dreamed of, and their lives had been completely transformed. Yet, there was still a part of him that worried, as every father would. Monsters or not, the snow would make things more challenging, and the early start to winter meant the season would be longer than anyone liked.

But they had survived worse. He had survived worse. He turned away from the window, the warmth of the fire pulling him back toward his family. They had their home, their jobs, and their future in this city. And for that, he was grateful. Whatever came, they would face it together, with the Sovereign's protection to guide them through the cold months ahead.

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"Weird…" I mumbled, reading the latest reports. It had been two weeks since the snow had come, but no monsters arrived yet. Are they trying to lull us into a false security?

"It isn't that weird." Merlin differed, being the one who brought the news over. "Maybe this time, it won't be a spider-like horde."

"Whatever it is, keep constant vigil. How are the reflectors?"

"The first test runs proved to be great." He nodded with a smile, placing a new report in my hands. "We have two mounted on the walls at the moment, and the mechs are going to receive their own versions. They are purely magical for now, but Edmund is considering upgrading his lamps to function the same way. As for electric ones… Our bulbs burn out way too quick. We still have not solved that problem."

"Better than nothing. We need to light up the Pass; the nights are incredibly dark, and I don't like it." It wasn't just the nights. Even the days were as if we were in a constant dusk, thanks to the thick clouds covering the sky. Without the street lamps, my city would be in continual darkness.

"There is one more piece of news." He continued, ignoring my grumbling and handing me a sealed letter. I immediately recognized the form because it was coming from our agents in the western regions.

"Oh. Unexpected." I hummed, opened it, and gave it to him after a quick read. "I didn't expect them to try and attack us in the winter."

"They may only keep up the recruitment throughout the cold months. The letter doesn't say they would indeed attack us."

"I would." I countered Merlin while crossing my arms, "They know of the monsters. Pascal does, at least. If I were him, I would order an attack while we are fighting with the weather and the elements... and because he knows our troops are pre-occupied in the Pass."

"Hmm… Yeah… That is true. Should we send reinforcements to the borders?"

"No. It is my Uncle's turn to protect himself. Send the news to him and let them guard the western side. With the Rook and our current troops there, they can hold back the regular armies that our enemy is gathering. By these reports, it will be another scouting army because the previous one didn't report back." I sighed, knowing that the enemy most likely would use mages again. "Still, send an order to Pion! If he deems the situation is lost, abandon the borders and retreat to Lothlia. We can afford to lose some ground; we will retake it in the spring!"

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