Corrin waited at the great bridge for her hunting party.

She ran her fingers along the newly beaded braids in her long ashen hair. Her hair was loose and partially braided, and tied atop her head, adorned with colorful beads. She wore her ceremonial Phoenix Dancer makeup to bless her journey into the far, far forests. 

Her blue eyes were framed in thick black frames of charcoal with a red circle painted on her forehead and a line down the center of her lips.

Corrin dressed in royal huntress garb. The garb was a form-fitting leather outfit tailored to fit Corrin. It was originally crafted for her mother, who never got a chance to wear it and re-stitched for her daughter.

Nawa rested on a cedar beam while Corrin sat in silence thinking about her grandfather.

"He's still out there, Nawa," she said talking to her fox-like companion, "I can feel it."

Nawa yipped a low sulking voice as she hung her ears down. Nawa didn't agree.

Corrin held a long red bandana in her hands, tying it around her head.

"We will find him."

A heavy vibration rung from Corrin's chest, shaking her through her body, causing her to squirm and tingle.

Corrin reached for her Bluestone Pendant around her neck and held it tightly with her magic-imbued left hand.

A vivid blue light beamed from out of the small blue bead pendant and onto the bridge in front of her.

The blue beam of light was like a glowing wisp. The wisp danced around Corrin before floating away, leaving a path of light where it touched that remained after it was gone.

'Was the wisp trying to lead me on the proper path to find my grandfather?' thought Corrin, mesmerized by its beauty.

The wisp of light travelled on, moving away from Corrin, and creating a trail of illuminating blue light for her to follow.

An illuminating pillar of blue light pierced down from the sky pinpointing a location in the dark forests of the Sunless Lands. The sky pillar seemed to be at the end of the newly lit trail of light leading into the dark forest.

Nawa looked up at Corrin, yipping frantically.

"You think this path takes me to what I desire most, Nawa?"

Nawa jumped up, climbing on Corrin, talking in her ear.

"Well, maybe it will lead me to my grandfather," said Corrin.

Recalling the words told to her by Vanon-Atem in the Phoenix Dream, Corrin checked her pocket for the old orange stone left to her by her mother.

Pulling the orange vision stone from out of her pocket, Corrin peered at it curiously. Inside the clear orange outer layer of the stone was a small black octahedron in the center.

"It's a shame this stone doesn't do anything. It was suppose to show me something. The Phoenix told me so when he was giving me my pendant." 

Graine, Lief, Letto, Barkon and Che emerged from the settlement path with four new hunters following close behind.

The hunters carried traditional lantern staves, torches and demon chimes.

"Look at you," smiled Graine to Corrin, "You're all dressed up."

"I thought I'd dress appropriately for the hunt."

Lief and Graine stood next to each other admiring Corrin's huntress outfit.

"You look like a royal princess imitating a demon huntress," joked Graine.

Corrin narrowed her eyes at Graine playfully.

 "You look great, Corrin," complemented Lief, "just ignore Graine."

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"I really like the leather look on you," smiled Lief with a big grin ear to ear, "it's kinda sexy!"

Corrin blushed, looking away.

"Uh, thanks" replied Corrin, "I didn't think anyone would notice."

"Oh, come on. You knew we'd notice," said Lief, letting out a chuckle, "It looks good."

"Ease up, Lief. Save some of that terrible flirting for later," joked Graine, seemingly jealous.

Letto walked by Corrin, Lief and Graine, not saying a word as he unbuckled the sheath straps around his waist and shoulders and placed his swords on the bench on the opposite side of the great bridge.

'Lief acts so funny sometimes,' thought Corrin to herself as she rested her hand on her neck, 'Letto seems like the opposite of Lief, so quiet and mysterious.'

Nawa looked at Corrin and yipped.

"I'll ask them." nodded Corrin, as she listened to her fox friend.

"Do you not see the glowing path in front of us, Graine?" asked Corrin looking at Nawa.

"What glowing path?" shrugged Lief, answering for Graine.

"You didn't have any tether-root tea, did you?" asked Lief.

"No, no. Nevermind." said Corrin.

'Can only I see this glowing waypoint?' wondered Corrin to herself. 

Corrin leaned over and touched the blue glowing trail of light. It felt and looked like fresh powdery snow but looked so vivid and bright like a blue flame.

'This is so strange,' thought Corrin, 'so much magic in such a simple necklace.'

Barkon and Che bowed before Corrin, "My Princess, we are here to serve."

"While at the hunter's camp we talked of this journey. Our friends, Ninn and Breid, have agreed to join in our hunt. Bonoto and Chief Bagala have come as well." said Barkon.

"Thank you, honourable hunters," bowed Corrin.

Bonoto bowed to Corrin, before sitting with Barkon and the other hunters.

 "It is an honour to serve you, Corrin," nodded Chief Bagala, an Elder Asla'ati man, who stumbled as he tried to bow.

"No need to bow, Chief Bagala," smiled Corrin, "Your service honours me enough!"

The hunting party checked to make sure they all had the appropriate amount of supplies for the journey into the Sunless Lands.

Chief Bagala sat with the hunters singing an old tune while rattling his demon chime. His voice was gruff and raspy as if he had lost his voice many years ago and it failed to return.

Letto cleaned his three swords with a rag one last time before the hunt, sharpening them when needed with a small whetstone. He seemed content sitting alone, quietly on the sidelines. Corrin curiously watched as he worked his blades.

Corrin pulled a small cloth pouch from her bra and checked to make sure she still had the dust and herbs from the old alchemy journal. She wasn't sure how the transformation worked, but she had the basic idea of it. She felt that the dust and herbs served as the ingredients for the magical recipe, while it also needed the command phrase to activate.

The fusion of Narrin proved to be the far superior fighter to Corrin. In this form she was quick and nimble, with deadly accuracy with her Aurana blade. Narrin would be her best bet in surviving a fight against the demons of the far forest.

"Shall we go?" announced Che to the gathered party, as he walked first across the great bridge.

Corrin's heart raced and a tingle moved down her spine. She had never crossed into the Sunless Lands and set foot under the creeping dark sky before.

"Yes," she nodded, slowly moving forward.

Graine approached behind her, resting his hand on her shoulder, "It'll be okay."

The hunting party made their way through the thick of the far forest. Letto in front, with Barkon and Che not far behind. Corrin cautiously followed alongside Graine, stopping every so often to look at the wildlife and vegetation.

Chief Bagala taught Corrin and Graine the names of each creature and special plant along the way. He hadn't seen a demon hunt in years and enjoyed teaching fresh hunters of the way of the forest.

The path of enchanting blue light still shined for Corrin, illuminating a winding trail through the tall trees for her.

Lief nervously followed, turning at each slight sound in the woods.

Letto leaned over and grabbed a handful of soil from the forest floor.

"We approach Oronin territory," he announced with his hand up.

"Be wary and agile, my friends," said Barkon, "Oronin do not treat Asla'ati kindly."

Corrin stepped behind Graine, and peered into the brush looking for eyes watching back.

"Are you scared?" asked Graine.

"No," she replied.

Corrin lied through her teeth. She was shaking and trembling. The far forest had an eery feeling to it. Not only was it dark and full of creatures and demons, but no sun shined on their backs.

Asla'ati revered the sun. It provided them strength and nutrients. In the legends it was told that whatever the sun touched with its warm embrace was the Asla'ati rightful inheritance and while the sun shined on the Asla'ati they were immortal.

Letto led on, coming up to the location of the hunt of the Hamatsa demon.

"It is not far now," announced Letto as he pressed his hand against a large tree, which had damaged bark and sap pouring down the trunk, "The hunt took place on these grounds."

The sound of a hissing cat screeched alone in the quiet forest, followed by the sounds of several other cats hissing from behind the party.

"The Oronin!" shouted Barkon as he drew his Aurana, "They have our scent!"

Barkon, Che and Letto turned around with swords in hand, ready to protect Corrin.

Falling to his knees beside Corrin, Chief Bagala held onto the small girl bleeding from his neck. A blade had run through the Elder's throat.

The party stood still, surveying the area- looking for the Oronin assailant. A cloaked figure ducked behind a thick cedar tree, avoiding the sight of the Asla'ati hunters.

Chief Bagala fell to the floor while Corrin shrieked loudly, covered in the Chief's blood.

"What do we do?!" shouted Corrin, "How do I help him?"

"You can do nothing," assured Barkon, "He has already succumbed to his wounds, child."