Down among the wide slopes of Veilheim, where old stone pillars stood thick with green moss, Harvey grinned at the sharp drop in temperature. The deer had dragged in snow - just right for racing hard through the trees. Harvey brushed off the cold like it didn't matter - his smoky black coat flaring behind him. Yet his magic? It lit up whenever he moved fast or made a big show. He’d strayed well off the ritual trail when he ran into his Stag. Smaller than the old carver’s works - not much bigger than a strong little horse - it darted around like it didn’t care. Instead of carefully handing out chill, this thing acted more like it was playing. The stag curved past some rocks, spotted Harvey, then halted fast - its blue eyes gleaming playfully. Dropping its glassy nose, it pushed a pile of new snow toward the horse instead. Hey, festive ghost," Harvey smirked, his pale wings twitching from excitement. He dropped down slowly. "Set to dash?" The stag snorted playfully - like frost cracking open - and shot a flicker of spark at him. Around Harvey’s hooves, a tiny spinning gust kicked up fast. Harvey burst out laughing - his voice bright, cutting through the cold. "Good effort, though the truth is, you gotta step it up!" He didn’t aim to harm the fleeting animal - just sync with its vibe. Instead of attacking, his Illusion magic shielded and misled. When the stag rushed forward, each step freezing the earth into cracked lace, Harvey reacted fast. A bright glow flickered around the stag like sunlight on grass. Yet, in a flash, the animal wavered - tripped up by what it saw. Though nothing was real, its frozen body sensed warmth creeping through. Still, the cold stayed deep inside. The stag bounced back fast, smarts showing in the icy glow. It kicked hard - poof - the illusion vanished on a sharp burst of cold air. “Hey, smart one!” Harvey laughed, hopping to the side. The stag dipped its wide antlers, sparking a challenge. Harvey jumped at the chance, grinning. Up he rose, his horn glowing - not loud or fierce, but soft - sending up tiny flickers; they floated like ghost lights over the animal’s crown, kind of like northern glimmers you see in old tales. The stag moved in, its horns bobbing and looping like sword blades. Each time frost touched Harvey’s make-believe flame, sparks flew - real chill clashing with pretend burn. What started as play shifted into something graceful: glowing embers spinning round a heart of sharp, clear ice. Harvey soon realized the deer wasn’t merely quick - it carried nature’s raw, unyielding force. He trained nonstop, gasping for air, magic nearly spent. Still, he didn’t land a single hit on the frozen creature. At last, the deer twitched happily, flinging little specks of icy sparkles into the air. It pushed Harvey gently again - almost like a quiet thanks - then dashed away on its path, vanishing through untouched white flakes spread wide across the ground. Harvey stared after it, buzzing inside. "That’s exactly how winter should show up," he said softly, chest full of heat even as frost hung in the air. Harvey moved toward the glowing, rainbow-like gates of Veilheim, frost and sharp air still stuck to his soft nose. That meeting with the ice deer fired him up - pushed his new trick-making skills hard, showing how raw magic hums under this frozen world. He usually leaned into heat, built for melting cold, yet fighting the beast revealed another strength - one wild, bold, echoing his inner fire… just wearing snow instead of flame. When he got close to the castle, Veilheim’s faint light brightened, lighting up snowy pine trees along with frozen art spread across the ground. His sister, Mireille, was already there by the stables, her shape clear against the shining buildings behind her. Instead of their usual soft moon-like gleam, her wings flickered gently - tonight they glowed lower, showing she was worried. “Harvey! You're here! I’d started getting nervous,” she shouted, her tone soft like wind-blown glass beads tapping together. He moved ahead, hooves sinking into thick snow with quiet taps. "Only some lively talk - settler nearby, Mireille. No need to worry." A light push from his muzzle touched her side. "You've been wondering where I went?" Mireille chuckled, nuzzling him back. “Of course, brother. This place is magnificent, but it’s much brighter with you around. What kind of resident was it?” “An ice stag,” Harvey explained, his wings giving a faint flutter of excitement. “Magnificent creature. Guarded the northern passes, I think. We had a bit of a spar.” Mireille’s eyes widened. “An ice stag? They are notoriously solitary and fiercely protective of their winter domain. And you sparred with it?” “Oh, it was nothing too serious,” Harvey assured her, though a smile tugged at his lips. “A friendly dance of illusions. I warmed it up with a summer meadow, and it countered with frost breath that could freeze the sun. Quite the opponent.” He told her about the fun fight, focusing on how fast the deer moved and its wild strength from nature. While he spoke, she paid close attention, calm as ever but looking slightly amazed. “It sounds like you showed it your fiery spirit,” she observed. “And it, in turn, revealed the heart of winter.” “Exactly!” Harvey agreed, feeling a surge of pride. “It’s not just about brute force, Mireille. It’s about understanding the opposing elements, about finding a balance. We danced, you see? Fire and ice, warmth and cold. Neither could truly overcome the other, but together, we created something beautiful.” He pictured it once more - the glow of his tricks meeting the deer’s icy sparkle, sparks snapping in the cold. That flash stayed close to him, proof that odd teams sometimes form out there among the magic. “Come,” Mireille said, nudging him gently towards the stables. “The warmth inside will be a welcome comfort after your encounter. And I have a feast prepared. We can tell Father all about the proud stag of the winter woods.” While walking, Harvey felt how Veilheim’s glow wrapped around him, pushing out the cold that still clung from earlier days. Warmth defined him - he burned like a flame in snow, exactly where he wanted to be. His tricks weren’t just sleight of hand anymore; they shifted into meaning, almost speech, helping him talk without words to everything nearby, linking things unlike each other. With every step, curiosity grew - what else might show up through this place, or inside himself? Winter settled in for real now, yet Harvey, half-horse, half-light, all fire at the core, faced it without hesitation.