Everlasting dream (18+)

— "Silvia?" Aster croaked out, his eyes widening in horror as he watched the ice spread across his sister's delicate body.
Everything around Aster was a blur, a veil of mist that shifted and swirled, stinging his eyes like tiny needles. The air felt like liquid ice, burning his insides and giving him goosebumps all over his body. But worst of all was the sensation of holding Silvia's hand
He felt her weight leaning against him, her tiny, fragile body going limp and collapsing onto his chest. Her head tilted to the side, and her golden eyes rolled back, showing only the whites.
Aster held her in his arms; his legs were barely able to support him as he struggled to breathe. Silvia's skin was covered in a thin layer of frost, making her look lifeless. A loud sound rang through the entire cave again, coming from the entrance, but it was different this time. Not the wood being smashed into pieces but a dull, heavy thud.


the
One seemingly endless day passed — the longest, darkest, and most terrifying day of Aster's life. Every hour felt like it could be their last, every minute a gamble. Somehow, the goblins hadn't managed to break through the ice wall, and the three of them were still alive. The sound of their tools scraping against the ice never stopped, growing louder and louder as time passed, yet somehow, the ice held firm, refusing to break.
Silvia remained unconscious, her breathing weak and her pulse so faint that it could hardly be felt. Nivalis did her best to stay strong, trying to comfort her son, but her voice betrayed her.

The first thing Aster noticed was the scent of his mother and sister's skin mixed together under their covers, forming a unique, almost sweet fragrance. His nostrils twitched, and he inhaled deeply, enjoying the scent of their naked bodies.
Gradually, his eyelids fluttered open, revealing the dim, cozy space beneath the heavy blankets. A sliver of light seeped through a gap in the fabric, and he wondered, 'Is it morning already?' yawning loudly. He lifted the covers slightly to peek outside; a rush of cold air invaded the warm cocoon, eliciting a curse under his breath as goosebumps rose on his skin and a shiver ran down his spine.
'The ice is still there...' he sighed in relief, seeing that the wall at the entrance remained intact, though slightly melted at the bottom with small cracks here and there. 'Looks like we survived another day,' Aster thought, lowering the covers back. He couldn't help but think, 'Will today be our last?' as he closed his eyes. He took a deep breath, trying to push away the awful thought.
"Good morning," Nivalis's weary voice reached him, and he could hear her shifting under the covers.
Finally, Nivalis broke the silence, clearing her throat gently. "I wish we could stay like this forever, my sweet boy," she whispered, stroking her son's head slowly. "But I think it's time to eat something,"
Aster then walked toward the ice wall where the sun's rays hit the ground, creating a bright, colorful rainbow. At the bottom of the wall, there was a small puddle of melted water, which Aster used to fill their wooden cups. He returned to their bed, taking care not to spill, and placed the cups beside them on the floor.
Aster climbed back under the blankets and placed the plate of mushrooms between them. "Dig in," he said, selecting a single mushroom and beginning to nibble. The mushroom was hard and tasteless, causing his teeth to ache as he worked on chewing it.
They ate silently, munching quietly, washing down the dry mushrooms with sips of muddy water, and occasionally glancing at each other. It was a sad, depressing meal, but they pretended like it wasn't. They tried to act normal, trying not to think about the ice wall, the scratches of claws and tools on the other side, and the inevitable fate awaiting them.
"Let's feed Silvia as well," Nivalis suggested, picking up a mushroom and started chewing it for her daughter, adding water to her mouth. Aster did the same, observing the tender way his mother's soft lips pressed against his sister's pale ones, how she gently parted them to transfer the softened mushroom with her wet tongue, delicately pinching the girl's small nose to make her swallow.
Silvia coughed faintly, a tiny trickle of water escaping from the corner of her mouth. Her eyes remained shut, her body still.

As evening settled on the fourth day, the ice wall was close to collapsing under the relentless goblin attacks. The orange sun cast long, ominous shadows of the monsters against the stone floor of their home, making them seem
. The sound of their tools scraping against the ice filled the air as time ran out, each scratch a countdown to their inevitable end.
His grip tightened around the makeshift spear, his knuckles whitening as he readied himself
"Honey..." Nivalis called out weakly from behind him, her voice barely more than a whisper.
Aster turned to face his mother, meeting her sad, sapphire-blue eyes, swollen from the tears she had shed. Her trembling hand clutched a knife, its blade glinting in the waning sunlight as she protectively hugged her unconscious daughter.
"I... I need you to hide in the corner, behind the logs," she said, pointing at the spot with her head. "When the monsters break through... you must stay silent... and when you hear me scream... try to slip past them... make your escape," she struggled to speak, her voice catching in her throat.
"Please... Aster, my love, listen to me," Nivalis pleaded, her eyes welling up with fresh tears. "If you hide, they might overlook you... they'll focus on me and Silvia," she reasoned, swallowing hard. "That could be your chance to get away," she added, sniffing and wiping the tears off her cheeks.
— "No," Aster replied once more, his voice trembling slightly. "No," he repeated, his grip on the spear tightening even further. "I... I won't," Aster mumbled, his chest aching as if someone had already stabbed him. He shook his head again, tears silently streaming down his cheeks. "I won't leave you and Silvia behind, Mom. I can't."
Silence enveloped the cave for a moment, and neither dared speak. Nivalis stared at her son, her expression shifting from desperate pleading to a heart-wrenching mixture of defeat and helplessness.
"You must, Aster," Nivalis pleaded, the desperation in her voice growing even more. "Please. I won't... let you die here," she whispered, her lower lip trembling, her sapphire-blue gaze glistened.
— "Mom..." Aster choked back a sob.
Nivalis took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and allowed herself to cry freely as she searched for more words, finding none.
Mustering the most innocent and courageous smile he could manage despite the tears on his face, Aster said, "Don't worry, Mom. I'll protect you and Silvia; I
no matter what. Everything will be alright. Believe in me," his voice wavering slightly. "After all, we're the Silverfrosts! We won't go down without a fight, right?"
Nivalis nodded weakly, offering her son a tearful smile. "Y-yes..." she mumbled, her voice barely audible. "We're Silverfrosts..." she repeated, sniffling.
— "Exactly!" Aster exclaimed, struggling to maintain a cheerful tone. "
"
"I won't let them lay a single finger on my girls. I'll protect you, no matter the cost,"
For some unexplainable reason, his sweating intensified as he stood there, grasping the spear, waiting.


The agony only worsened, however, spreading through his body like
Despite his best efforts, the pain persisted, forcing him to writhe and squirm uncontrollably. The world spun around him, his vision blurring as his ears rang incessantly. His lungs protested, refusing to accept any more air.
"Are you alright, honey?" Nivalis's voice reached him through the noise in his ears, making him turn his head toward her.
"Your eyes, what-" Nivalis began, but her voice was abruptly cut off by a deafening crack of ice echoing throughout the cave. A chorus of furious roars and cheerful screams followed. The wall shattered, sending large chunks of ice crashing to the ground.