Everlasting dream (18+)

Chapter 46 — Practice

[Aster]

Three more years had passed in what felt like the blink of an eye. Three years of a happy childhood filled with laughter, warm smiles, comforting hugs, and loving kisses. Three years of growing, learning, and simply being a normal kid. Three years of contentment and happiness, shared with his mother and sister.

Thanks to his continuous daily workouts, Aster grew into a healthy little boy with a somewhat athletic body and good stamina. Surprisingly, despite the age gap, he was now only a half-head shorter than his sister. Silvia hasn't grown much since she got her affinity for some reason. She still looked like the same ten-year-old little girl she had been three years ago, her chest as flat as ever and her face keeping its childlike innocence. Perhaps it is normal for half-elves to mature at a slower pace? Aster wasn't sure.

Today, Aster and Silvia were in a small clearing near the cave entrance, sweating their little butts off. The sun was only slightly above the horizon, shining brightly; the sky was cloudless and blue. The birds were chirping and singing their morning songs, and a gentle breeze rustled the branches — perfect weather for training. The air smelled fresh and crisp, and the grass was still slightly wet with dew.

Although Aster usually exercises alone in the early mornings, sometimes Silvia decides to join him, and today is one of those days. For the past hour, they did basic workouts: laps around the clearing, push-ups, sit-ups, squats, lunges, and so on. Both kids were covered in sweat and breathing heavily, exhausted and drained.

— "Alright, one last time," Aster said, looking at his sister's sweaty, exhausted face. He held her knees as she struggled to do one last crunch. "Come on, you can do it," he encouraged, smiling at her. Her long silver hair was messy and sweaty, clinging to her flushed skin.

During these workouts, they wore no upper clothing, exposing their naked chests to the morning air and allowing their sweat-drenched bodies to cool off. Silvia had only her old pants and a pair of sandals on her feet. Her flat chest heaved heavily, rising and falling with every ragged breath, her ribs distinctly visible. The grass and dirt stuck to her bare back, and the sun reflected off her wet skin.

"Ahhhh," Silvia groaned in pain as she pushed herself. "I hate you for this," she panted, gritting her teeth. She felt her stomach muscles burning and her legs trembling slightly. With a final grunt, she managed to pull herself up and grab his neck, hanging her arms around it. "Haaa," she exhaled, resting her forehead against his chest.

— "See? I told you you could do it," Aster smiled, his hands still holding her legs.

"Mhm," Silvia murmured, her eyes closed.

— "Alright, the warmup is done," Aster suddenly announced, "Now we can finally start our training!"

"Wait, wait, what?" Silvia's eyes shot open, looking up at his grinning face. "What do you mean by 'warmup is done'!? This was the warmup!?" she asked, staring at him in disbelief. "We spent an entire hour-"

Aster burst into laughter. "Relax, it was just a joke," he said, interrupting her. "I didn't expect you to fall for it."

"Ugh, you're such a dork," Silvia grumbled, rolling her eyes at him. "You almost gave me a stroke, you know," she pouted, letting go of him and collapsing on the grass.

— "Haha, sorry, couldn't resist," Aster chuckled, sitting beside her.

"You're lucky I'm too tired to kick your ass," Silvia huffed, rubbing her stomach.

— "Sure, sure," Aster chuckled, poking her side with his finger.

She squeaked cutely, slapping his hand away, and narrowed her golden eyes at him. "I would so totally kick your butt," she said with confidence, raising her chin. "I just don't feel like wasting my energy on someone as weak," she smirked, flexing her biceps, which barely bulged.

— "Uh-huh, keep telling yourself that," Aster laughed, standing up and stretching his arms. "How about a little wrestling spar? We haven't done it in a while," he suggested, glancing down at his sister's sprawled figure. "Unless you're scared, of course," he added, giving her a cheeky smile.

"Pfft, me?" she huffed, rolling her eyes. "Of my little brother? Please," she chuckled, waving her hand dismissively.

— "Great," he said, his eyes shining mischievously. "Whoever wins gets one favor from the loser."

"Oh?" Silvia raised her eyebrow, a smirk forming on her lips. "Sounds tempting... I'm in," Silvia stood up, dusting herself off.

— "Let's go, then," Aster said, walking to the center of the clearing. "The first one to pin the other down for five seconds wins. And to warn you, I won't hold back," he grinned, cracking his knuckles.

"Neither will I," Silvia replied, following after him. "You are going to massage me for hours after I crush you," she declared, pointing her finger at him.

— "In your dreams," Aster scoffed.

They started to circle each other cautiously, their gazes locked onto their opponent's movements. Simultaneously, they rushed forward, their hands extended in front of them. They collided midway, each grabbing the other's shoulders, struggling to gain the upper hand.

Minutes passed as the two siblings wrestled, trying to knock the other to the ground. However, neither winning nor losing. The kids were sweaty and breathing heavily, but their expressions were intense, and their eyes shone with determination.

— "C'mon, Sis. Just give up already," Aster grunted, trying to trip her, but she twisted her body, dodging his attempt, and pushed him instead, forcing him to step back.

"Hah, you wish," Silvia replied, her breathing labored. "You can't beat me," she added confidently, throwing her entire weight forward.

This provided an excellent chance for him to hold his sister's waist and attempt to lift her, but she was too quick to react. Already in mid-air, she wrapped her legs around his waist, squeezing tightly. Then, she wrapped her arms around him and brought her mouth to his ear. "Too bad, brother. Looks like I've won already. This will make you beg for mercy," she whispered smugly and started to lick his earlobe — such a dirty trick.

— "Eww, gross," Aster complained, squirming in her grasp, trying to pull her off him. "You're cheating!" he shouted, struggling to maintain his balance.

"No, I'm not!" Silvia exclaimed, laughing loudly. "This is fair play," she giggled, her tongue swirling around, making him shudder. Her hot breathing against his ear was the only thing he could hear.

— "It isn't!" Aster protested, grunting in frustration. He grabbed her hips and tried to push her away, but she clung to him stubbornly. But all he needed to win was to pin her down for five seconds. So, he lowered himself and dropped his sister on her back, using his body to pin her down.

"Oof," Silvia gasped, feeling the weight of her brother on top of her. She began to twist her body and wiggle under him, trying to get free. Using her hips and thighs, she eventually flipped them around and gained the upper hand.

What followed was a fierce battle of dominance between the two siblings, this time on the ground. One would get the upper hand every few seconds, only to lose it again. The situation was getting increasingly heated, and neither was willing to give up.

They kept rolling on the ground, their bodies sliding against each other and their limbs entangled. Brother and sister, their flat chests were pressed together as they grunted and groaned, breathing heavily.

Finally, after a particularly intense struggle, Silvia managed to pin Aster underneath her. She sat on his chest, pressing her weight down. Her hands were gripping his wrists, keeping them pinned to the ground. She breathed heavily, her chest rising and falling rapidly, sweat dripping down her forehead. "Hehe, now who's on top," she grinned victoriously, her golden eyes glimmering triumphally, her silver hair cascading down her bare shoulders.

Aster groaned, struggling to break free. "Ugh..." He tried to push her off with his legs, but she was sitting too high for him to reach.

"Looks like I won," Silvia said victoriously, enjoying the view of her brother's defeated expression. He tried his best to break free for the next minute, but it became clear that he lost. "You are now my personal masseur," she declared, leaning down and blowing air into his ear to piss him off even more.

Aster grimaced and closed his eyes, ignoring her teasing. "Damn it," he cursed under his breath, finally giving up. "You got lucky at the end, that's all. Now, get off me," he muttered, still feeling her warm breath against his ear.

"I want you to say, 'Please forgive me, oh mighty big sister, I will gladly massage you whenever you want,'" Silvia demanded, wiggling her tiny butt over his chest.

— "What!? No way!" Aster shook his head, trying to free himself. "I'm not going to say that. Besides, you cheated when you started licking my ear. You're not getting any favors," he argued.

"Oh, really now?" Silvia's expression transformed from victorious to menacing as she raised her eyebrows. "Be a good little brother and say the words," she threatened, her grip on his wrists tightening. "I wonder how long you can last," she teased, her mouth slowly moving closer to his ear.

A shiver ran down Aster's spine. "N-no, not again," he stuttered, turning his head away from her, his face flushing red. "Stop! Don't do that," he pleaded desperately, wiggling beneath her.

Ignoring his protests, Silvia pressed her wet lips to his ear and breathed warmly against it, "Just give up and say the words, baby brother." Then, her mouth gently sucked in his earlobe, pulling it and nibbling it softly with her soft pink lips, making her little brother as uncomfortable as possible.

Aster groaned in protest, attempting to move his head away, but Silvia's persistent mouth followed, continuing her onslaught on his ear. Her wet pink tongue slid inside, flicking against his inner walls, causing him to squirm beneath her. "Say it," Silvia whispered, her hot breath tickling his ear.

Finally, Aster gave in and said, "Please forgive me, o-oh mighty big sister, I will gladly massage you whenever you want... UGH!" he pleaded, unable to withstand any more of her torture.

"Hahahaha," Silvia burst into laughter. "Oh my, I can't believe you said it," she giggled, releasing his hands.

— "You're horrible," Aster grumbled, wiping his wet ear.

"I love you too," Silvia replied with a sweet smile as if she hadn't just violated his ear canal a moment ago. "But really, my body's sore from your sparring idea. You owe me a nice, relaxing massage," she added, dismounting from her little brother and settling beside him. "Right?" she locked eyes with him, her expression pleading like a puppy's.

Aster rolled his eyes, letting out a long sigh. "Sure," he answered reluctantly. "But not now. We need to help Mom today. You know, the usual," he said, referring to collecting herbs and mushrooms.

"I know," Silvia nodded. "Then in the evening?" she suggested, smiling at him.

— "Deal," Aster agreed, returning the smile.

"Yay!" Silvia squealed happily, raising her hands and cheering. "Thank you, Asty," she beamed, hugging him tightly. "Get ready for a loooong massage session."

Aster laughed, shaking his head. "Okay, okay, just let me go," he said, squirming in her embrace.

"Alright, alright," Silvia giggled, releasing him. "Let's go. We should get back home and wash up. Mom is probably making breakfast already." she said, getting up. She reached down and pulled her little brother to his feet.

...

The Silverfrost family spent the day just as usual. After a quick washup to remove the dirt and sweat, the kids ate breakfast and helped their mother prepare for a trip to the forest. Then, they left the cave and spent most of the day gathering herbs and mushrooms.

Once the sun began to set and the sky turned orange, they decided it was time to return home. On their way back, Nivalis spotted a rabbit, which she managed to shoot with her bow. Thus, a delicious dinner was ensured for the evening.

When the trio finally returned to the cave, Nivalis began preparing their meal while Aster and Silvia went straight to the bed and laid down, exhausted. The day had been hectic, and their bodies were sore and aching.

"Asty, it's time for our deal," Silvia reminded her little brother, poking his shoulder with her finger.

— "Right, right..." Aster mumbled, closing his eyes. "Give me a minute."

Silvia pouted, impatiently staring at his face. "You promised," she complained, poking his cheek. Aster didn't react, pretending to be asleep. "Astyyyy!" she whined, shaking his arm. Aster started snoring.

"Oh, come on! You had never snored before," Silvia said, rolling her eyes. She waited a moment, then, unable to bear his lack of response, she leaned over him and began pinching and pulling his face repeatedly. "Wake up, lazy brother!"

Aster continued snoring, unfazed by her actions.

Nivalis, who had chopped the ingredients, glanced at the children and laughed. Silvia had previously told her about their small deal, and she couldn't help but smile at Aster's attempt to weasel out of it. "Oh no, my breasts are in pain again! If only someone could massage them," she exclaimed, deciding to help her daughter out.

Aster's eyes snapped open instantly, and he quickly sat up, looking at his mother with a silly smile.

Nivalis smirked, turned away, and continued cutting as if nothing had happened. Aster blinked a few times, confused. Then, his expression changed to disappointment as he realized it was a trick to make him wake up. "Mom!" he pouted, glaring at her back.

"Hehe, sorry, honey," Nivalis replied, a smile playing on her lips.

Silvia couldn't contain her laughter when she saw her little brother's disappointed expression. "That was amazing, Mom. You are the best," she praised, grinning widely. Nivalis chuckled, pleased with herself.

Aster looked between them and rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "Alright, fine. I'll massage you," he grumbled, gesturing her to lie down by patting the bed. "One day, this trick won't work anymore... One day..." he mumbled, watching his sister get up and undress.

"Good luck with that," Silvia smirked, playfully sticking her tongue out as she took off her pants, revealing her pale skin in the firelight. Once wholly undressed, she crawled back onto the bed and lay on her stomach, her long silver hair cascading over her back and her tiny butt wiggling excitedly. "Do your best, little brother," she said, resting her head on her folded hands.

Aster sighed heavily and started to rub his sister's body, gently massaging her back first before moving to the other parts of her petite body. Silvia moaned quietly, enjoying her brother's touch on her skin. "Oh, right there..." she whispered, arching her back slightly. "Do my legs, too, please," she asked, closing her eyes.

...

After finishing dinner and cleaning the dishes, it was time for Silvia's evening magic practice session.

Since she developed an affinity for ice magic, Silvia has practiced it almost daily, gradually improving her control over it. However, it was not an easy process. On the contrary, it was extremely challenging and required a lot of dedication and effort from the little girl. Her powers came with unpleasant side effects such as headaches, dizziness, and exhaustion, along with intense coldness affecting her body.

Silvia's ice magic is as beautiful as it is challenging to control. At the end of each practice session, it makes her entire body tremble and shiver. Sometimes, even her teeth chatter and her lips turn blue, making her look like an ice princess from a cartoon movie. If she pushes herself too hard, which has only happened once so far, her entire skin turns pale blue, and she falls into a coma-like state.

It is hard to describe the level of panic Nivalis and Aster experienced when it happened. They tried everything they could to warm her up, fearing the worst. Fortunately, nothing serious happened, and she woke up from her unconscious state two days later, her skin returning to its healthy color. She was incredibly tired for the next week or so but otherwise unharmed; there weren't any lasting consequences. Since then, Silvia has always made sure not to push herself that far during her magic training sessions.

Silvia prefers to practice late in the evening, just before bedtime, to mitigate the side effects. This way, they could return home and snuggle under their warm blankets beside the crackling fireplace, where they could warm her shivering body and wait for the effects of her training to pass. And she likes to sleep between her mother and little brother, sandwiched between them and enjoying their warmth.

Silvia stood outside the cave entrance under the moon's gentle glow, bathed in the soft light. Nearby, Aster and Nivalis sat watching her practice, the cool evening breeze rustling the leaves of the trees around them.

Nivalis was dressed in a loose tunic and skirt made from old garments that had seen better days. Her silver hair was gathered in a casual bun, and her long ears occasionally twitched, picking up every sound of the night. Aster leaned against her, feeling sleepy, as Nivalis held him close, her fingers idly tracing patterns on his belly.

"Are you ready, sweetie?" Nivalis asked her daughter, smiling encouragingly.

"Yup," Silvia nodded, her eyes closed as she took a deep, steadying breath. As she exhaled, a layer of frost began to form on her right hand, slowly creeping up her skin as she channeled her mana into her palm. The moonlight glinted off the icy surface of her skin, creating a mesmerizing sparkle. Silvia's brow furrowed at the tingling sensation, but she pressed on, her concentration unwavering.

Opening her golden eyes, Silvia fixed her gaze on the center of her palm. A thick mist rose from her hand, drifting down to caress the grass at her feet. She focused her thoughts and mana into a single point, forcing the fog to swirl and condense into a small chunk of ice that floated just above her palm. It was rough and uneven, smaller than the size of a fingertip. Silvia's breathing slowed as she continued to pour more mana into the spell.

The ice crystal started to rotate, growing larger with each passing moment. A small smile played on Silvia's lips as she watched her creation change from a rough and irregular chunk of ice to the shape of an icicle, its sharp point glinting dangerously in the moonlight. She wanted to create a perfect icicle roughly the size of her thumb.

However, as the icicle grew, it began to tremble and vibrate, fine cracks spiderwebbing across its surface. Silvia's brows knit together, her focus intensifying as she struggled to control her spell.

"You are doing great, honey," Nivalis encouraged, tightening her embrace around her son. "Don't rush, take your time."

"Mhm," Silvia hummed, nodding her head slightly. She concentrated all her thoughts on stabilizing the spell and mending the cracks. Sweat trickled down her forehead, and her breath formed little clouds of mist as she exhaled shakily. Finally, after several tense moments, the spell stabilized, and the cracks disappeared. Silvia let out a relieved sigh as the crystal stopped trembling, now floating perfectly in place.

When the icicle got large enough, Silvia stopped the growth process. Mist continued to flow from her hand as she closed her eyes and tried to picture the next step of the spell.

— 'Incredible...' Aster thought as he watched silently, fascinated by the process. Silvia previously described every stage of how her magic works, how the mana flows through her body, the mental images she uses, and how difficult it is to control... She shares every detail with him, no matter how small. The amount of work she puts into casting a spell is staggering, to say the least.

However, the most challenging part of magic is not casting but figuring out how the spell should work and what details should be added or excluded. It requires a lot of trying and failing until the desired result is achieved. This is the most exciting part for Aster and something he would have loved to try himself... But he has no affinity, sadly. Time will tell if he will get one, but at least he can participate in developing Silvia's magic by observing her and suggesting changes to her spells.

Silvia's eyes opened, and she raised her hand higher, guiding the icicle to float slightly further away. The mist followed close behind, swirling around the icicle and forming a sphere of dense, pressurized fog behind it. 

Launching a spell is a tricky process, and there are two ways of doing it. The first involves using mana to propel the spell forward, much like how the icicle floats now. It is simple and easy, but it consumes a lot of mana to make it somewhat effective.

The second method, the one Silvia is practicing, is to launch it with an explosion-like force behind it, much like a cannon. However, the problem with this method is how to create such force with ice magic? Luckily, she can control this mist of hers and force it to move and squeeze together into a compressed sphere behind the icicle. It requires a bit of mana to prevent solidifying, as well as a tremendous amount of concentration, but the result is worth it.

When the pressure inside the sphere was good enough, Silvia took a deep breath and shifted her focus back to the icicle. Suddenly, it spun, creating a loud humming sound that intensified as the speed increased. She clenched her teeth, feeling her mana draining rapidly. Nivalis and Aster covered their ears to protect themselves from the sound.

"Almost done!" Silvia shouted, struggling to maintain the spell. She aimed her hand towards a nearby tree and released the pressure. The sphere behind the icicle exploded with a deafening boom, sending the icicle flying forward with a whistling sound. It flew through the air with incredible speed and slammed into the tree. The tree shuddered, its bark splintering and ice fragments scattering in all directions; a noticeable hole marked the point of impact. "Nice," Silvia said proudly, trying to shake the lingering cold off her hand.

"That was incredible, honey," Nivalis clapped her hands, impressed by her daughter's spell. "You've gotten much better."

Aster nodded, adding, "It was amazing. Well done," he praised.

She walked towards them to sit beside her mother. "Hehe, thanks," she said, beaming with pride. "I thought it was over when it started to crack," she confessed, cuddling up to her mother and seeking her warmth. "But I managed to stabilize it. And it's so much easier to aim compared to the last time," she added, sighing with relief. "Thanks for the advice, Asty. Spinning the icicle really helped," she smiled at him.

— "I'm glad," Aster replied, still leaning against Nivalis and receiving a belly rub. "It was quite loud, though. Perhaps you should reduce the spinning. Otherwise, the target might flee before you have time to finish the spell," he suggested, putting his hand on his mother's naked knee. "What do you think, Mom?"

"Mhm. That's a good idea," Nivalis said, looking down at her son and kissing him on the temple.

"Yeah, good point," Silvia nodded, standing up. "Alright, let's try again."

...

"Brrr... I'm cold," Silvia complained, crawling onto the bed. Nivalis followed right after, lying beside her daughter and opening her arms invitingly. Silvia immediately hurried closer and hugged her mother's waist, burying her face into her mother's milky breasts. The girl trembled visibly, goosebumps covering her naked body. Nivalis gently rubbed Silvia's back, eliciting a contented sigh from her daughter.

"Better?" Nivalis asked, a note of concern in her voice.

"Yeah," Silvia said, pressing her little body closer to her mother's warmth.

"You did well today, my love," Nivalis said, kissing her head. "I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks, Mommy," Silvia mumbled, her teeth chattering slightly.

"Oh, my sweet girl," Nivalis cooed, gently rubbing Silvia's back and bottom to help warm her. "How about a story while we wait for Aster?"

Silvia's eyes brightened instantly as she looked up at her mother, her lips curling into a smile. "I would love that," she replied, hugging her waist tighter. "But I want you to do all the voices this time."

"Okay, but you have to promise not to laugh," Nivalis said, smiling tenderly.

The flames danced hypnotically as Aster sketched his sister's face with charcoal on a piece of white bark, its flickering light casting shadows on the walls. He sat cross-legged near the fire in the kitchen area, focusing on his work. The sketches mainly were of what he saw throughout the day — a squirrel, a few birds, some flowers, a rabbit, and Silvia practicing her magic. This was his nightly routine, lasting no more than fifteen minutes, helping him keep his drawing skills in check. It would be a shame to lose such a skill simply because of laziness.

He didn't even keep those drawings. Instead, he would wash them away every morning, dry the bark, and start over again. The reason behind this was purely practical: there are not enough white trees growing around, so the drawing material is limited. Besides, there's something relaxing about knowing that his creations would be gone the next day, only to be replaced with new ones.

Silvia's happy giggles filled the cave, bringing a smile to Aster's face. "Alright... time to sleep," he whispered, setting aside the charcoal and bark. He washed the black dust from his hands and walked towards his family.

"Well, I think he is finally joining us," Silvia said, looking up at him as he approached.

— "Yup," Aster replied with a nod. He dropped his pants and removed his tunic, exposing his pale skin to the warm glow of the fire.

Aster hurried underneath the blankets, nestling close behind his sister. Her skin felt cold, as it always did. "You're freezing," he whispered into her ear, enveloping her in his arms and pulling himself closer. She shivered slightly, welcoming her little brother's warmth by pressing back against him. Their legs intertwined, her icy toes brushing against him, making him grimace slightly in response.

He ignored the discomfort, saying nothing. He had gotten used to her icy touch by now. He rested his chin on her shoulder and glanced up at his mother, his eyes locking with hers. "What did I miss?" Aster asked with a yawn.

"Nothing, just getting to the good part," Nivalis replied, cupping his cheek in her hand. "So, as I was saying," she paused, clearing her throat dramatically. "'Oh no! Run away, everyone!' cried the little lamb. 'The wolf is coming!'" Nivalis continued the tale, her eyes twinkling in the firelight.