Chapter 196: The Kindness of Snow (Bonus 10)
"Y-yes, Mom," the words came out of his mouth, a raw, high-pitched whisper, unmistakably the voice of his child self.
His mother smiled, a warmth emanating from her that chased away the lingering chill of the anchor chamber. She reached out, her fingers gently caressing his face a few times.
Aman’s carefully constructed mental defenses crumbled, his mind succumbing to the powerful illusion.
The anchor chamber, the raging blizzard outside, Zephyr, the Baron, the Lament Shroud - all of it faded, replaced by the vivid, comforting reality of his childhood home.
"Alright, I’m going!" he chirped, a wide, genuine smile spreading across Aman’s small face.
He waved back at his mother, who stood smiling by the fireplace. He snatched his familiar winter cap from a hook on the wall, tugging it firmly over his head. Though in reality, his hand had pressed the subtle mechanism to open the chamber’s heavy door, a soft click barely audible over the hum of the pylons.
"Ah, right, almost forgot this." After pushing the door open, he didn’t forget to close it gently behind him.
Who knows if the Shroud would try to mess with the inside, he mused, a thought that, even in his current state, held a thread of his true, adult self’s caution.
Outside, the illusion continued its masterful dance. A path of gentle snow and soft, guiding wind seemed to open just for him, cushioning his steps as he walked. His small body, seemingly trembling slightly from the cold, felt strangely invigorated.
The two spiraling black eyes, invisible to anyone else, floated ahead, leading him deeper into the blizzard.
Aman walked with a beaming smile, utterly captivated. Even the stray Mistborns, whose true forms were horrifying manifestations of the Shroud’s corruption, ignored Aman.