Snow had been in seclusion ever since the day of the final battle. The last time Zeke had seen her, she'd been nearly catatonic. But now, she'd come to find him of her own accord. This wasn't something he could ignore.
He nodded at Gravitas, signaling he'd be right there.
"Mom, I have to go," he said, feeling a pang of guilt for cutting their reunion short.
"Did something happen?" His mother asked, the worry clear in her voice.
"Nothing bad," Zeke said. "A friend came to visit."
His mother was silent for a moment. "Is it a girl?" she asked, her voice taking on a strange tone.
Zeke couldn't help but roll his eyes. Why did his mother always act strange at the mention of any girl? He wanted to quickly assure her that things weren't like that between him and Snow. But then he remembered his conversation with Winter and the marriage offer, and his mouth clamped shut. He hadn't accepted, but he also hadn't turned it down.
"...It's a girl," he admitted, fully aware he was digging his own grave by revealing this.
As expected, his fears became reality. She launched into an onslaught of questions: "Who is she? How old is she? Do you like her? Is she pretty? What's she like…" Her words seemed endless, and Zeke's head began to ache. The mental connection was starting to feel more like an assault spell than a conversation tool.
Before his mother could gain even more momentum, Zeke quickly interrupted, raising his voice slightly. "Mom, I really have to go. I love you."
She paused, her earlier questions forgotten. After a moment, her voice softened. "I love you too, Zeke. Be careful out there and... please come back soon. We miss you."
Zeke's breath hitched at her words. He could sense the depth of her worry, and he knew how much their lives had changed because of him. From the comfort of their peaceful village, his family had been forced to flee all the way to Tradespire, abandoning the lives they had built almost overnight. They'd never blamed him, but he understood the weight of the sacrifices they'd made—living as virtual exiles, despised in their homeland, unable to move freely without an armed escort.
The least he could do was be there for them. "I will see you soon, Mom." With those words, he cut the mental connection.
Zeke took a deep breath, sorting out his emotions. It wouldn't do for him to meet Snow while his own thoughts were in disarray. It took him a moment before he finally stepped out of his room.
Zeke's eyes fell on Snow as he entered. She was seated on one of the few chairs they'd managed to acquire, her back to him. Even so, he could immediately sense how much she'd changed. The Snow he remembered had been lively and restless, always on the move. She'd had a shy, innocent air, especially around strangers.
But the woman before him now was completely different.
Snow sat perfectly still, her hands folded neatly in her lap, with no trace of impatience. Her upright posture and composed presence gave her an aura of confidence and maturity. For a moment, Zeke was taken aback. Could someone really change this much in such a short time?
In the next instant, Snow turned her head toward him, sensing his gaze. Their eyes met, and Zeke was struck by the sharpness in her look—a fierce intensity that reminded him of someone he'd met not long ago: Winter.
But then, just as quickly, her eyes softened, filling with a warmth and liveliness that felt familiar, like the girl he remembered. "Zeke," she said, her voice soft.
As Zeke approached, Snow rose to her feet, and he was once again taken aback by her height. Like her father, Winter, Snow had inherited a striking stature; the girl who once only reached his chest now stood eye-to-eye with him. It was an astonishing growth spurt.
But her height wasn't the only thing he noticed. There was a palpable pressure surrounding her, an aura of strength that hadn't been there before. His draconic blood reacted instinctively, a subtle warning of potential danger. Snow had grown stronger—alarmingly so.
While Zeke still felt confident he would prevail if they ever clashed, he couldn't ignore the fact that this advantage might not last if she kept improving at this pace.
He realized his assumptions had been wrong. He'd thought Snow had been shutting herself away to deal with her turbulent emotions, but it seemed she'd been training instead. Her resilience was stronger than he'd given her credit for, and he was glad to see it. Yet, on the other hand, he felt a pang of sadness seeing the little girl he'd known gradually disappearing, making way for the woman she was becoming. It was a bittersweet feeling.
"Snow," he finally responded, noticing that she was still waiting for his greeting. "How have you been?"
"Fine…" she replied, her tone suggesting she wasn't eager to discuss it further. "Do you have a moment?"
Zeke nodded and took the seat across from her. The entrance hall was quiet, as usual, with only a single guard posted outside the tunnel. With Ash and Gravitas preoccupied with their own tasks and Vulcanos still bedridden, they could speak without concern here.
"What's up?" he asked, curious as to why she had come to find him. It was the first time she had visited him on her own accord.
"I've talked to my father," Snow began. "He told me about the offer he made to you…"
Zeke's expression shifted, caught off guard by Snow's casual mention of marriage. Her calm demeanor made it seem like a simple question, but as the silence stretched, he noticed her ears turning red. She was trying to appear composed, but the flush betrayed her.
Zeke nodded, signaling her to continue.
"…Why did you reject him?" Snow asked after a beat.
Instead of answering, Zeke tilted his head, returning with a question of his own. "Do you want to get married?"
Snow hesitated, then answered, "I think you are a good match."
"That's not what I was asking."
"I… I don't know," Snow finally admitted. "But I don't want you to leave, either…"
Zeke let out a soft sigh. In that moment, the tough exterior she had built up cracked, and he saw the vulnerable girl he remembered. He understood now why she had brought up the marriage proposal so casually. It wasn't driven by love, but by a fear of losing more people she trusted.
"I'll have to go," Zeke said softly.
As expected, her expression faltered, and the walls she had built up crumbled in an instant. He hated seeing her like this, but he couldn't afford to stay forever. He had neglected his family for far too long, and he couldn't bear to put it off, even if it meant causing Snow pain.
Still, he couldn't leave her with only sadness, so he quickly added, "It doesn't have to be forever. When I get stronger, we'll be able to meet again."
Zeke wasn't lying either. Once he gained the ability to traverse space at will, he would be able to visit Snow whenever he wanted.
"…How strong?" she asked after a moment.
Zeke paused, considering the question. To establish a permanent, long-distance connection to this place—one that would allow him to travel here at will—he would need to reach the level of Archmage. The process was far more complex than anything he had done so far. Even his vault in Tradespire had been constructed by an Archmage, not by him. His only contribution at the time had been imprinting his signature, ensuring only he could access it—but even that had been a difficult challenge.
"I would need to advance at least one more time," Zeke said, pausing for a moment. He didn't want to give her false hope, so he added, "It might take me many years."
Snow stared at him, her eyes glinting with something he couldn't quite place. He expected his words to discourage her, but instead, she seemed lost in thought. After a few moments, she spoke again.
"If… If I were to get stronger, could I visit you too?"
Zeke fell silent, caught off guard by the question. Theoretically, her logic wasn't wrong. If she became strong enough, she could reach him. The real concern, however, was how strong she would need to be to survive in the human domain. Even Rhea, a Titan with nearly immeasurable strength, didn't dare to roam openly for fear of being discovered.
It might be slightly less dangerous for Chimeroi, as they were not an uncommon sight in some regions. However, Zeke knew that certain forces would still target her. Someone like Snow, with her potential and bloodline, would be of immeasurable value as a slave. There would be no shortage of people willing to risk everything to capture her.
No, it was far too dangerous for her to wander alone.
"You could," Zeke said after a moment's thought. "But you'd need to get very strong. As strong as your father, at least."
He had said it to discourage her, but instead, the glint in her eyes only grew brighter.
"It's a promise then," Snow replied, her smile returning. "If I become as strong as my father, I'll come find you. And if you advance first, you'll come find me."
Zeke nearly did a double take at her casual mention of reaching her father's level. Since when had becoming a Progenitor been so simple? However, he couldn't bring himself to discourage her again. If she did manage to reach that level, she'd be safe—even in the human domain. The few who could rival Winter's power were ancient Mages who wouldn't act rashly, and certainly not to capture a Progenitor with an unknown affiliation. Such a move would be a disaster waiting to happen.
"…It's a promise," Zeke said, mirroring her smile.
No matter how the promise turned out, Snow getting stronger could only be a good thing. Even if she never reached her father's level of power, being able to rival Archmages would already be more than enough for her to protect herself in most situations. At the very least, it would keep her from becoming a target for passing slavers.
Once he agreed to the promise, Snow became much livelier. It was clear that the thought of his departure had weighed heavily on her. When he told her that Ash would also be staying with the tribe, she seemed even more relieved.
The two of them had grown quite close during their travels, and Zeke was glad that Snow would have at least one more person to rely on in the tribe. While the tribesmen treated her well, there was always a bit of distance, especially now.
As Winter's only remaining daughter, Snow's position had been elevated even further, and that would only grow as she became stronger. In time, it would be harder for her to form genuine friendships.
The two of them talked for a long time, with Snow finally opening up about how she had been coping with her siblings' deaths. Zeke was glad to see her letting down her guard, trusting him with her deepest emotions. By the time she left, he felt like the distance between them had diminished, and he felt closer to her than he had in a long time.
Zeke sank back into his chair, his eyes following her retreating figure. Snow had grown into a remarkable woman in so many ways. The hardships of the past weeks hadn't broken her; they had refined her character instead. As he watched her flowing white hair sway with each step, something stirred in a long-forgotten corner of his heart.