Under the blazing sun, a tall, imposing man walked slowly, leading a child. He wore a fiery red magic robe, the golden flame embroidered on his chest signifying his status as a mage. Long, golden hair cascaded down his back, and his bronze face was sharply defined, as if sculpted by a knife. However, a faint sadness lingered in his brown eyes.
"Ronnie, are you tired?" the man asked, looking down at the child he held in his hand.
The boy only reached the tall man's waist, bearing a striking resemblance, though his features were softer. He also had golden hair, and although young, his handsome appearance was more striking than the man's. He had light blue eyes, and his body appeared somewhat thin. His face was pale with fatigue, and beads of sweat were visible at his temples.
She shook her head firmly. "Dad, I'm not tired. Are we going to see Mom soon? I... I miss Mom so much."
The tall man looked up at the blazing sun, the blinding light seemingly having no effect on him. "Yes! We're going to see your mother soon. Ten years. You're ten years old now. For ten years, the world has been so vast, yet there's been no place for us, father and son. No matter what, I must see your mother this time, even if it costs me my life."
Ronnie, still young, looked at her father with some confusion. "Dad, why won't they let us..." "Where did they see Mom?"
The tall man snorted coldly, his eyes seemingly spitting fire. "They, humph, they. Ronnie, you're still young. You'll understand when you grow up. For your mother, Dad would give anything, but I just can't bear to leave you! You're so young. When we get to the village ahead, why don't you stay there and wait for Dad?"
"No, Dad, I want to go with you to find Mom. Mom doesn't want me anymore, don't you want me too?" Ronnie's eyes reddened, and she gripped her father's large hand tightly, afraid he would abandon her.
The tall man took a scroll from his robes and handed it to Ronnie. "Remember how your father taught you to activate a magic scroll? You can come with me, but in a crisis, remember to use this scroll. It will take you to a safe place, the place where your father drew the magic circle the day before yesterday."
Ronnie took the scroll and nodded obediently, saying, "Dad, I understand."
The tall man sighed. "It's a pity time is too short. Your talent is even greater than mine. If time allowed me to teach you more, perhaps you would become the top fire mage on the entire continent. But time doesn't allow me to wait any longer. If we can't reach the Ice God's Castle by tomorrow, we'll never see your mother again."
Ronnie nodded, seemingly understanding. He nodded, saying, "Father, I will definitely become a powerful fire mage like you in the future."
A hint of sadness flickered in the tall man's eyes. "I remember when your mother and I were together, we discussed what kind of magic our child should learn. She was an ice mage, and I am a fire mage; ice and fire are incompatible, so our child could only choose one. Back then, your mother said that if it was a boy, he would learn fire magic from me, and if it was a girl, she would learn ice magic from her. Now, thinking back, it's as if she's right before my eyes, her words still ringing in my ears, yet she's gone."
At this point, his voice suddenly rose a few decibels, "I, Ragnar, the fire mage, swear to stop the succession ceremony of the Ice Goddess and reclaim my wife."
...
Three days later.
It was a mountain peak about a hundred meters high. The peak was steep, and although not very high, it gave off a sharp, imposing feeling. The bluish-gray mountains exude a somber air. While some vegetation grows, it is extremely sparse, perhaps due to the steep terrain. Unless one is a seasoned traveler, climbing such a steep peak would be extremely difficult for the average person. At the foot of the mountain, a great river surges from south to north. This is a famous mother river of Yangon, named the Blue River. The river traverses nearly two-thirds of the Yangon continent, stretching almost two thousand kilometers. Its source lies in the northernmost Ice Age Province, where 60% of the province is covered by glaciers. Every spring and summer, the melting glaciers flow into the Blue River, extending all the way to the distant sea. The river is wide, nearly a hundred meters wide at its narrowest point and several thousand meters wide at its widest. It is named for its clear, swift current. It nurtures the people of several countries and dozens of provinces. Although occasional floods occur, the riverside communities, thanks to effective management by various countries, enjoy a peaceful and tranquil life, relying on the river for survival.
On a steep mountain peak, the summit covering less than ten square meters, a fiery red light suddenly appeared on the ground. It was a single point of light, moving rapidly and instantly outlining a red six-pointed star. The temperature at the summit rose sharply, and ripples like water appeared above the six-pointed star due to the intense heat.
The ripples trembled slowly, the red light suddenly intensified, and the surrounding magical elements seemed to resound joyfully. Amidst the intense elemental fluctuations, a gray figure silently appeared.
The figure stumbled, falling from the fiery red magic circle, nearly hitting the ground. It was a child, a child who looked to be in his teens. He was none other than Ronnie, who had accompanied his father on his search for his family three days prior.
Fear gripped his handsome little face, his short, golden hair disheveled. His legs gave way, and he collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath. "Daddy, Mommy, why, why did this happen?" Tears streamed down his face. The pain of losing a loved one was unbearable for anyone, especially a ten-year-old child.
After crying for a while, exhausted, Ronnie curled up behind a rock on the mountaintop and fell into a deep sleep. At such a young age, his future was uncertain; he had no idea what he should do. A faint blue and red light flashed and disappeared in his arms. The surrounding fire and ice elements rapidly coalesced around his small body. This strange process lasted for the time it takes to eat a meal before quietly vanishing.
After an unknown amount of time, a violent tremor and pain jolted Ronnie awake. Three tall figures stood not far in front of him. The intense pain in his chest made him cough, a trickle of blood flowing from the corner of his mouth. A shoe print covered in yellow dirt appeared on the chest of the gray cloth robe.
The three people were all dressed in blue magic robes, which seemed to blend seamlessly with their long blue hair. Their bodies appeared to be made of ice, giving off an indescribable chill. They looked to be around thirty or forty years old. The one in the center had three snowflakes embroidered on the left chest of his robe, each carved from a small blue crystal the size of a fingernail. The two flanking him, clearly of lower rank, each had only one snowflake.