Once upon a time, there was a world full of magic. However, not all could use it. Occasionally some were capable of great power. The mages.
And when the Wicked chose to wreak havoc across the land, the most powerful mages gathered to put an end to their wrongdoing.
To ensure that no other evil beings would rise to power, they brought an end to the teaching of magic forever.
Or so they thought...
"Have I not done all you required?"
Hands folded in her lap, Weiss kept her eyes on her stepmother, Hilde Schnee. Pale skin like porcelain, thin almost pointy limbs, and jet black hair accented by gray streaks, pulled back into a severe bun. Her emerald gray eyes could pierce like the finest weapons in Atlas, relegated to a wiry frame tucked into an ice white suit. This woman, arguably the most powerful person in the north, an individual who had somehow gained control of the mining towns below and the aristocracy of the isle was the only thing stopping her from leaving Atlas behind.
And Weiss was tired of her game.
Hundreds of years before Hilde had ever taken her first breath, the Schnee family had led the people of the north into prosperity. The first of their clan, a mage had used their magic to push back the Grim, and erect the walls that allowed the town to grow into its own kingdom.
And while magic disappeared from the world, the Schnee family had continued to practice their craft, and studied the ways of old, while inviting the greatest minds of the continent to develop new technology.
Hilde had married into the Schnee family ten years prior, and on her husband's deathbed became his sole proprietor.
Heirs to the name but not to the dynasty, Winter and Weiss Schnee were well known public figures in the icy citadel of Atlas.
Winter, proficient in her family's craft, used her skill to climb ranks within the Atlesian military.
Weiss, still honing her craft, was now ready to make a name for herself outside the north. For outside her budding skill as a caster, she retained a beautiful voice--something Hilde saw fit to monetize.
It started with Hilde parading her around at parties. Then private concerts. Now, Weiss was the prima donna of Atlas, with her songs recorded and played across the world.
But the only public appearances she was allowed to make were performances.
Now old enough to pursue a career, Weiss wanted to join an academy.
However, Hilde had other plans for her. Each month for the past year she had come up with one stipulation after another to keep Weiss home.
"So you have. But I must ask," Hilde'a eyes trailed over Weiss as if she were examining an insect. "Do you really think you are prepared to leave this all behind? If you wanted to train here in Atlas maybe..." She leaned forward. "But Vale is another story. The Grimm travel in droves, the brigands attack, the white fang targets our transports... and from what I recall, you haven't mastered many forms." Her face morphed into a sneer. "You haven't mastered the Sentinel yet, have you?"
Weiss kept her face rigid. She wouldn't let Hilde have the satisfaction of unnerving her.
Instead, she would take it as a challenge.
"And if I were to master the sentinel..." She paused, arching an eyebrow. "Would you believe I was ready to leave?"
Hilde leaned back, looking more smug than before. "I would consider it."
Weiss felt her face twitch. She closed her eyes.
"Very well."
After Hilde dismissed her under the guise of urgent business, Weiss left the private office.
Out in the hallway, she breathed a heavy sigh. High ceilings above depicted the many feats and felled Grimm of Schnee past. Portraits lined the halls depicting past glories. The pale blue wallpaper and marble floors featured patterns of snowflakes and ice motifs.
Every step inside of Castle Frost held another reminder of her failure.
But it also held her means of escape.
Outside of their affinity for the ice and snow, the Schnee family had developed a special ability--to summon the specters of fallen Grimm. Within the walls of Castle Frost stood a room specifically for honing this skill--the hall of mirrors.
Within this chamber, the specters of any Grimm conquered by Schnee could be animated. By besting one of these specters, another Schnee could gain the ability to use a new form in battle. Several years before her older sister, Winter, had used this same room for training. She excelled at her craft and earned the ability to travel outside the castle's walls.
Hoping to follow in her footsteps Weiss had begun her studies early and earned a new summon each year since she was twelve years old.
Now at Sixteen, she had yet to best the Sentinel.
The exact nature of the Sentinel was unknown. Possibly based on an ancient Grimm, or perhaps the possessed form of a large statue, the Sentinel resembled a large suit of archaic armor, wielding a broadsword and shield.
Its large size was not a reflection of its speed. It was as agile as any warrior, and Weiss knew that defeating it was no easy feat. But now, it was possibly the only thing keeping her within these walls.
And so, the subjugation rite began.
Taking up her weapon of choice, the myrtenaster, Weiss returned to the chamber night after night.
"Mirror, mirror..."
Each time the floor would blaze alight with the glyphs of casting, and from the many reflections would pour the false forms of Grimm.
The myrtenaster, a special saber crafted after the swords and staves of old, was a multi-action device that could fire bullets of dust as well as conduct the Schnee glyphs she casted.
Her days went through their usual routine scheduled appearances, fittings, rehearsals, small meals.
At first, Hilde read her behavior as defeat, but as Weiss's mood slowly began to improve, she became suspicious.
"Whitley."
Unlike Winter or Weiss, Whitley was Hilde's own flesh and blood. She didn't have to manipulate him the same way she did with his half-siblings. And that made him easy to deploy. What better spy to have than family?
After purposefully adjusting Weiss's schedule to a lighter load for the day, Hilde sent Whitely to sniff her out. Castle Frost, while confining, was home to ballrooms, bedrooms, indoor and outdoor sparring areas, libraries, and guest rooms galore.
So when Weiss came out of her study, Whitley made sure to follow her from a distance. Judging by the bag slung over her shoulder, he assumed her destination was the tennis court. But after she went to her room to change he lingered around a corner, only to hear her suddenly dash away.
But when he made it down to the yard, the only person he found on the tennis court was their chief of staff, Klein Sieben.
The mustached man did not look surprised to see Whitely. His eyes flashed, changing their color to a bright yellow.
"Afternoon, Young Master Whitley!" He held up for a racket. "Care for a game?"
Whitley gritted his teeth. "Where is she?"
"Where is who?"
"Weiss!" He hissed, growing impatient.
Klein's eye color changed to a light shade of green."S-Sorry. Don't know where she is."
Annoyed, Whitely stormed off to find her. But he would never find Weiss that day, as she had already entered the hall of mirrors.
This would be the day, Weiss decided. She could feel it.
"Mirror, Mirror..."
Once again the floor was alight with the glow of glyphs once more and soon the towering form of the Sentinel began to pull itself out of the mirror.
Weiss raised her weapon, ready to strike. The Sentinel raised its sword and struck downward, causing her to dodge and dash to the left.
The Sentinel brought down its shield, blocking her path. But that wasn't enough to slow her down. Weiss cast a series of air-based glyphs, propelling upward along the large shield. Once she reached its top, she jumped. It moved to strike again and she hopped atop the broadsword, running towards its arm and casting a pelt of icy daggers along its armor.
But with her focus on damaging the specter, Weiss was unprepared when the Sentinel's shield came crashing into her.
With a gasp of surprise, Weiss went tumbling through the air and towards the ground, now far below.
But as she fell, she caught her reflection on the many mirrors of the hall. Battered and tired. But, she decided, not finished just yet.
With the use of another glyph, she was propelled up into the air again and raised her blade.
Hellfire rained upon the creature's helmet and it swung blindly. Again Weiss jumped, this time gliding down the giant's side and leaving a trail of spreading ice in her wake. It advanced across one leg, keeping the Sentinel rooted on the spot.
Another strike. Another parry. A block. The Sentinel freed itself from her original trap. Blood marred her vision for a brief moment. But with her glyphs, Weiss moved faster and faster.
With crumbling earth, she took the sentinel off balance. With fire, she blasted the sword from its hands. With air, she brought herself high above its head. And with ice, she froze its limbs into place.
All that was left was to slash the thing to pieces.
Late into the night, Weiss finally emerged from the chamber. Wobbling back towards her rooms, Weiss stopped at the end of the hall. The fractured moon seemed larger than usual, blindingly bright against the dark sky. It was the last thing she saw before she passed out.
"You were foolish."
Hilde stood in the doorway of Weiss' main bedroom. This was the first time Weiss had seen the woman this far into her rooms. It felt odd ad invasive, despite the fa that they had lived in the same home for years.
Sitting up in bed with one servant adjusting her pillows and another applying ointment to her injury, Weiss kept her eyes on Hilde.
"I was simply doing what you asked."
"And look what it cost you." Hilde scowled. "That injury will no doubt leave a hideous scar. We'll have to call for a specialist--"
"That's not necessary." Weiss resisted the urge to touch her face. The sting was already fading. Even if it did scar, it would be a symbol of her resolve. If it meant her freedom, she could endure more.
"And instead what? Have the public see such a hideous thing?" Hilde's stepped forward now, her anger rolling off in waves. "Do you not understand what it means to have a damaged Schnee? How that reflects on our family, on all of Atlas?" She paused. "You're not some miner's daughter from the rubble below or soldier on the tundra. You are a reflection of the hard work and great hunters that came before you. All that work and effort, only for you to do this!" She hissed.
"You are spoiled. You are weak. And until further notice, you are not to leave this house."
Hands trembling, Weiss could feel her anger bubbling to the surface. "But--"
"SILENCE!" Hilde snapped. Her voice echoed through the room.
The servants exchanged nervous glances.
Her pale skin flushed red, her fists were raised at her sides, as she stared down at Weiss in her bed.
Weiss glared up at her. No one, not her parents, her tutors, or even her older sister had ever yelled at her in such a manner. She would not yield.
Tears welled in her eyes, and her head throbbed from pain, but she kept her gaze on Hilde. "You can't keep me here."
"You think so?" Hilde stood over her and brought her face just inches away from Weiss. "Watch me."
"Hear this." Hilde stared the servants down. "I want every member of staff to be aware that Weiss will not be leaving these grounds without my approval. "She will be assigned a valet. At no point is she allowed to be alone outside of her chambers. All of her movements are to be reported to me--"
As she continued to give ordered, Weiss could feel the tears spilling down her face. She twisted her hands in her sheets. "Get out." She murmured.
Hilde ignored her.
"GET OUT!" Weiss screamed.
It would be another month before she left the house again.
Winter Schnee, back from a trip overseas, made it her mission to check on her younger siblings whenever she left Atlas. Wile work kept her busy, she took the time to have tea with Weiss--but only at the most exclusive tea garden in the city.
While Hilde had stayed true to her word about Weiss' grounding. She permitted her to leave the grounds for this one trip. Weiss knew it was to get a photo of her in the press. As instructed her face was doused with creams and makeup to hide the scar. As she was escorted from hall to hall she kept quiet. But when she was moved into a private motor car, she put up a divider and scraped her face clean.
If she was to be paraded outside the house, she would let the people see her as she truly was.
Winter stood waiting at the entrance of the tea garden not making eye contact with the reporters and photographers just beyond the velvet rope dividers. Her men pushed them back as the car approached.
As she reached to open the door and receive Weiss, she blanched at the sight of her. "Weiss! You..."
Weiss' face was hard, her eyes cutting between her sister and the cameras. "It's nice to see you, Winter."
Winter's face mirrored hers, the same long white hair, pale complexion, and frost blue eyes.
Winter quickly ushered her sister inside, where the staff immediately moved them to a private room.
Crawling ivy and large rose bushes snaked up the walls surrounding them. The glass was tinted white with the use of a privacy slider, so no one could see within.
Taking her seat at the other side of the table, Winter crossed her arms.
"Care to explain what's going on here?"
"I did everything she asked." Weiss kept her gaze on the table. "The concert, the benefit, the charity ball. I even bested the Sentinel..." She looked up at Winter then. "But she insists on keeping me here."
"Weiss..." Winter's one facade slipped for a moment, and she shut her eyes. "Her demands can be...tiring. And best the Sentinel, I'm sure was not an easy feat." She looked at her sister again. "There are other ways out of that house. Enlistment alone would--"
"Winter." Weiss' voice was pleading. "I'm sure your work in the military has been very fulfilling, but I'm not ready to trade one confinement for another. I want to become a hunter on my own terms."
Winter was quiet.
"Even if it means I have to go about things alone."
"You'll never be alone Weiss," Winter replied. "I may not agree with you but I won't shut you out either. Perhaps with more training--"
There was a knock at the door.
"You may enter," Winter called.
"Here goes nothing..." Weiss murmured.
Winter looked back at her sister in confusion, but as the server entered the room, Weiss stood up.
"Sister! I've made up my mind!" She shouted as if they had been arguing just a moment before. "I'm going to enroll at Beacon Academy and that's final!"
Winter looked between the server and her sister. "Weiss..."
The server looked nervous."Should I come back?"
"No." Weiss crossed her arms. "We'll be having Set B, with Ceylon. And you can run and tell those reporters waiting in the bushes what I said. I'm sure they pay handsomely for the gossip you all always provide."'
Weiss knew it was no accident that rumors about her family always seemed to increase whenever they held tea there.
Winter looked surprised. "So that's your game."
By the time Winter and Weiss had finished their tea, every reporter in Atlas was stationed in the rose bushes outside.
As camera bulbs flashed and questions were shouted from all sides, Weiss waved her hand.
"No questions. But I'll allow you to take down this statement. I will be heading to Beacon Academy for my training. For too long our relationship with our neighbors has been fraught with tension. But I want to follow the example of Beacon Academy, a place where future Hunters gather from across the globe. By working alongside these people, I hope to better our relations, create new allies, and lead us into a brighter future."
"You've got a storm ahead of you Weiss," Winter said, standing by her side.
"Good." Weiss waved at the cameras. "I'll pack my umbrella."