The Snow Queen

Lindiwe takes her place among the other disciples, who have already closed their eyes to start the exercise assigned to them by the Snow Queen. Some of them shiver, trying to regulate their body heat, while others do their best to acclimate to the cold. The Queen moves between the rows of students as lacy wisps of ice form around her and on everything she touches or brushes against. Their breath slows, as do their minds as they seek to let go of any parasitic thoughts. The goal is to reach a state of stasis where all that remains is the idea, the mental puzzle that we must solve. With my consent, Lindiwe's psyche becomes a mirror with multiple sides, and time seems to slow down. It's as if we now have all eternity to contemplate the matter before our eyes. How to capture the idea of the Empyrean, while limiting Remanence? For Lindiwe, the answer would be a prism, so I allow her to fashion one.

By playing with the fractals and reflections, Lindiwe can make certain images disappear, keeping only the aspects that she wishes to focus on. Through her, I refine the idea she has enclosed within her, sharpening it until it reaches the keen edge I desire. Without this step, its ethereal force would be far too raw and primordial to be fully controlled. I feel the Snow Queen exploring my host's mind, observing the puzzle she has built in her psyche to restrain the idea that I've hooked through the Veil for her. Like a fisher too timid with her line, she used small bait and a net to avoid getting her hands dirty. When, of course, she could just as easily have plunged her bare hands into the torrent to seize her prey… But I mustn't betray my presence. I must make Lindiwe's mind a sufficiently complex puzzle that I can hide in its cracks and corners without being detected.

The Snow Queen, a Danish fairy tale written by Hans Christian Andersen and published in 1844, follows the adventures of Gerda, a little girl looking for her missing friend Kai. The boy has been bewitched and kidnapped by the Snow Queen, ruler of the snow bees, who has stolen his memories and frozen his heart. After confronting a sorceress, robbers, and various other characters, Gerda finally reaches the queen's palace. She finds Kai on a frozen lake called the Mirror of Reason, trying to piece together a word that will win him his freedom. With Gerda's help, he finally completes the task and breaks the spell that was keeping him prisoner.

MAW

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