"Who's brave enough now?" Leon asked, hauling the sled back to the top.
Dahlia stepped forward, then hesitated. "You go first, Flower." She still remembered Leon's crash.
Flower grinned, climbing aboard. "Push me hard!"
Leon gave the sled a mighty shove. It shot down the slope, Flower screaming with delight. "Boom!" He slammed into the snow wall, disappearing in a flurry of white.
Leon laughed. "How's that for a ride?"
Flower emerged, snow in his hair. "Awesome! Your turn—you have to pull the sled back up, though!"
They spent hours sledding: sliding down, hauling the sled up, repeating until their legs ached and their faces were numb with cold. The slope's snow was packed hard, forming a smooth track, and the snow wall grew shorter with each crash.
"Let's all go together!" Leon suggested, squeezing onto the sled with Dahlia and Flower. It was a tight fit, but they managed.
Leon pushed off. The sled raced down the slope, faster than ever. "Whoa!" They flew off the end, tumbling into the snow as the sled flipped.
They lay there, breathless, covered in snow, laughing until their sides hurt. The cold didn't matter—they were warm from exertion, giddy with joy.
A voice cut through their laughter. "What are you three doing?" Im stood at the top of the hill, arms crossed.
"Master!" They scrambled up, brushing snow off their clothes.
Im frowned. "You're soaked. Go change—don't catch a cold. Meet me at the spring when you're done."
Leon's eyes lit up. "Did you finish the purification circle?"
Im nodded. "Hurry up."
Back at the cottage, the fire channel kept the air warm but dry—Leon's nose was crusty with blood from the dryness. He'd tried leaving a basin of water out, but it did little. He and Flower changed into dry clothes, then fetched Dahlia to head to the spring.
Im stood by the water, staring at the rippling surface. "First, chip away the ice around the spring and downstream," he ordered.
Leon groaned quietly—of course there was work to do first. They grabbed axes and sticks, hacking at the ice until the water flowed freely.
When they finished, Im raised his hands, thumbs touching, index fingers curved. A stone slab emerged from the spring, etched with a water rune and inlaid with a glowing sapphire. "Dig up the other runestones," he said. He could summon stones from water with magic, but not from dirt.
They dug carefully, unearthing several metal plates—each etched with runes, connected by silver lines, and centered around a mana crystal. "Why metal instead of stone?" Leon asked.
Im chuckled, a rare show of pride. "This is my first independently designed circle. I wanted it preserved. Metal is sturdier, and the hollowed-out design lets water flow through while keeping the runes protected."
The circle looked like intricate lace, runes glowing softly as Im lowered it into the spring. "It uses charcoal's absorption principle—purifies debris, toxins, even odors. You can drink the water directly, no matter how dirty it is. I added anti-freeze runes too—no more chipping ice."
Leon's mind raced. "Can we run pipes to the kitchen? No more hauling water!"
"Pipes would need copper—too expensive," Im said. "Tomorrow, we'll dig a channel to the herb garden. I'll add another circle to infuse the water with mana—better for the plants than the old ward."
With a final gesture, Im activated the circle. The sapphire blazed, and the spring water turned crystal clear, sparkling in the sunlight. Leon dipped his hand in—it was cold but pure, no odd tastes or debris.
He smiled, thinking of Eldrin. The old healer would have loved this—clean water, thriving herbs, magic used to make life better. As the sun set, painting the snow pink, Leon felt a warmth in his chest. Winter was harsh, but with friends, a mentor, and a little magic, it was bearable.
And soon, spring would come—bringing Valoka's answer, the greenhouse, and new adventures. For now, though, he was content to stand by the spring, watching the purified water flow, grateful for this second chance at life.