Idris

The mountains were not as harsh as he expected.

Though the snow had yet to completely melt away, patches of green grass were already beginning to show through the white blanket.

The temperature decreased steadily as they ascended, but not yet enough to make one shiver.

Sheila’s Grandmother had provided them with tents and winter clothing and all sorts of other equipment, suitable for a journey up a snowy mountain. Sheila led them alone, following the trails left behind by the mountaineers before them.

The highest peak in Elisaya, and all of Eidolon, Morning Light, named so because it’s the first place in Eidolon where the rising sun strikes, has only been summited by a handful of people.

Sheila himself had summited the peak twice, making him one of the most experienced mountaineers in the kingdom.

“Idris… wait…” Saya panted. She had been struggling to keep up with the group, the morning’s meal apparently not enough to satisfy her bottomless mana reserves.

Idris slowed his steps, allowing Saya to stumble up to him. “Didn’t you bring some dried fruit?”

“I ate them all already…” She mumbled, her heavy pack causing her to wobble on her feet.

“We’ll be stopping to rest soon,” said Thomas, hoping to motivate Saya. “We should get there by nightfall, if not, definitely by tomorrow morning.”

“That’s good to know…” Saya replied, trudging along with her spear as a walking stick.

She had been a little down lately, her positivity seeming to lack the usual energy.

Sheila told them the trek to the mysterious hermit would take a day, but seeing as the snow hadn’t melted as much as he originally thought, that journey might take slightly longer.

The mountains are rarely ventured during winter, the snow too thick and the weather too severe for even the most experienced of climbers. But starting in summer, when the snow retreats, the mountains become a treasure trove of unique plants and rare flowers.

One of the most precious flowers, the glowing cliff edelweiss, only grows on the rocky peaks of Elisaya. When they bloom in summer, they are collected by mountaineers and sold for generous sums of money.

The cliff edelweiss is a common flower, found on most rocky mountains. But the ones here are special.

Possibly due to the rich minerals in the mountains or the northern lights which sometimes spider across the winter sky, the cliff edelweiss become enchanted with magic, causing them to emit a dreamy glue glow at night. In summer, on a clear night, the jagged peaks would seem to be speckled with stars.

Idris thought one such flower could maybe cheer up Saya a little, and had secretly asked Sheila to lead him up the mountain at night.

But that wouldn’t be for a while, as they still had a long day of journeying ahead.

The landscape rose slowly at first but steepened as they ascended further. The undulating mountains stretch through the neighboring Kingdom of Luneria, all the way into the Empire of the Sun.

Before midday, they had summited a hill at the foot of the range, cresting the snowy ridge to find endless peaks rolling into the distance. Idris could see why so many inexperienced travelers got lost in these mountains.

The valleys were covered in green, turning to grey, then white further up.

“Are you sure people live here?” Saya asked Idris as they descended the first hill. They had fallen behind the group a little.

“We’ve been following the River of Atlas,” said Idris, pointing to the slender stream that ran through the middle of the green valley. “We’ve still got some ways to go. Sheila said the glaciers are melting now, so the streams reach further up, but even in winter the origin of the river is a day of walking away.”

“A day…” Saya mumbled, grabbing Idris’ shoulder for support jokingly. “Can you piggyback me?”

“No.”

“Okay…” sighed Saya.

Idris was surprised Saya responded so emotionlessly. The usual her would yell in protest or leap onto his back against his will.

“Fine, hop on,” said Idris.

Saya smiled. “Yay…” She whispered as she clambered onto his back.

Idris sighed but allowed Saya to cling to his back like a koala. Though Idris often liked to joke about her appetite, she is still fairly slim. Much of that food is used to keep her mana reserves topped up.

“Saya, you okay?” Asked Idris. “You seem a little unhappy.”

“Am I?” She replied, a little startled. “I think I’m just tired…”

“We’ve only been walking for half a day.”

“Ah well…” she mumbled with a wry chuckle.

Idris pried no further, sensing that Saya wasn’t too keen on speaking about the topic.

Maybe it’s the foreign landscape, the distance from home, or the ever-present sense of danger hovering over them. Andrei and the others are still in Kingston, preparing for the next contract, hoping to catch the perpetrator before he strikes again.

Idris prayed for the next contract to go smoothly, but he wasn’t so sure his payers would be heard.

A little past midday they stopped next to the stream at the suggestion of Sheila. They’ve made good progress, and now would be a good time to have some rest and eat the food they brought.

They collected some water from the sparkling stream to make tea and sat around the fire to eat smoked meat and cheese. The food and drinks seemed to bring some life back into Saya, who decided to walk on her own throughout the afternoon.

In the late afternoon, they passed through another ridge, following the stream in the valleys. Snow cover was thicker here, the grass barely showing through at all. Though the trees still grew lush, Idris could tell the air was getting thinner.

They were close.

But as the sun neared the western peaks, a snowstorm billowed over the mountains, quickly turning into a blinding blizzard. The wind shook the trees and the snow fogged their vision, the fluffy whiteness dulling any sound, making the storm strangely quiet.

Thomas wanted to brave the storm, but Sheila refused. At night and in a blizzard, if the cold didn’t kill, getting lost certainly would.

So they propped up their tents under the thicker trees which protected them from the wind and waited inside for the storm to blow over.

Idris sat in his tent and listened to the billowing wind which battered the thick fabric. Even in the warm, animal hide tent, he felt himself shivering a little.

As day turned to night, the wind subsided but the snowfall persisted. They ventured out of their tents and lit a fire to prepare dinner. The flickering flames sizzled the snowflakes that fell on it, turning them into puffs of steam that rose into the air with the embers.

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Saya brought out some more of the special tea that Sir Allison Lapland gifted them and brewed everyone steaming cups of mana-restoring tea.

“This is fine tea,” said Sheila as he sipped from his metal tin. “What tea is it?”

“It’s a gift from Sir Allison Lapland,” said Thomas.

“The Headmaster of the Royal House of Magic?” Sheila asked, the steam from the cup wetting his nose.

“Indeed. He’s the one that sent us this way.”

“Curious…” Sheila said with a nod. “I apologize for my hostility yesterday… History…”

“So I’ve heard…” replied Thomas solemnly.

Last night, Otto spoke a little about his memories after Sheila left. Though he wasn’t sure of the details, he was sure that they had once been here, and it wasn’t for a contract.

A howl echoed through the trees, then another, then hundreds more. The howls rolled across the hills, the jagged peaks, down the valleys, and over the ridges.

“What was that?” Saya asked, a little frightened.

“Moon wolves,” explained Sheila. “They’re native to Luneria, and travel through the mountains in large packs. They often venture into Elisaya in search of food. Moon wolves are magical, ice magicians in our terms, they use their power to make it through the bitter winters. Luneria views them as divine creatures, so hunting them is strictly outlawed, even in Eidolon.”

“I see…” Saya said as she nodded her head.

She held her steaming mug of tea with both hands, using the hot water to warm herself. Though they wore thick winter clothing made for the mountains, the night air was still cold.

Suddenly she perked up, turning to look into the trees.

“Saya?” Idris asked.

“Something’s here…” she whispered as she reached for her spear. “It’s not a person though…”

A pair of glowing eyes peered through the undergrowth, followed by a large wolf with a snow-white pelt emerging through the brush.

“Speak of the devil…” Sheila chuckled.

“Moon… wolf?” Saya stuttered. “Should we be scared?”

“They’re smart animals, moon wolves can sense magic in the air. She’s probably here because of this tea,” said Sheila.

The wolf slowly approached them, the fire seeming to frighten her every time it crackled. As she walked into the light, Idris could see blood dripping from a slash to the side of her belly.

“You’re injured!” Saya yelped, leaping up and stumbling over to the wolf, the latter backing away in fear. “No, no, come here, I can help you…”

Sheila cursed before spitting in the snow. “Damn poachers…”

He got to his feet and approached the wolf, beckoning her to come over with a little click of his fingers.

The wolf seemed to understand, and put her nose to his hand, smelling it tentatively before presenting Sheila with her side.

Sheila raised his hands to the wound and a blue glow enshrouded the wolf.

“You know healing magic?” Saya asked as she slowly stepped closer.

“A little…” answered Sheila. “Crush up some more of the tea and clean it in boiling water. The mana should help the wound heal faster.

Idris quickly got to work, dipping the last of their tea in more boiling water, before fishing it out and crushing it with his hands. Then he brought it over to Sheila, who pressed it against the wound.

The wolf shuddered in pain but stood its ground firmly. Saya was stroking its back gently, her hand sinking into the thick fur.

“It’s so soft…” she mumbled, a dumb smile on her face.

“It’s for that reason many people illegally hunt them,” snarled Sheila, tearing strips from his inner clothing to wrap around the injured wolf. “These pelts are highly valued in the black market. We used to find many wolves dead, but in the past decade or so poachers have dwindled in numbers.”

Thomas and Otto brought over their first aid kits and handed Sheila some bandages, the white fabric fitting right in with the wolf’s spotless fur.

“Can I feed her?” Saya asked, reaching for a piece of smoked meat.

“Sure,” replied Sheila as he tied off the dressing. “Not too much though, they aren’t used to eating cooked foods.”

Saya tentatively held out a piece of smoked meat to the wolf, the latter eyeing her for a moment, before carefully nibbling the meat out of her hands.

She gasped in excitement as the animal wolfed down the smoked meat, before looking at her with begging eyes as if asking for more.

Idris couldn’t help but grab some meat himself and let the majestic wolf nibble it out of his hands.

Once Sheila had finished tidying up the wolf’s wounds, they beckoned it to leave, before returning to the campfire. But the wolf seemed reluctant.

Instead of trotting back into the wilderness, it stuck around at the edge of the undergrowth, peaking at them with thoughtful eyes. It seemed hesitant, like a child waiting for permission to rush to the dinner table.

Saya observed the wolf for a while, before softly clapping her hands together. “Come here, come on.”

The wolf’s eyes seemed to light up as it immediately bounded over, lying down on an empty spot a safe distance from the fire.

“It likes you,” said Sheila with a chuckle.

Idris stifled a giggle. He wanted to make a joke, but given Saya’s recent gloominess, decided against it.

“I shall hereby name you Howl,” Saya announced proudly as she ruffled the wolf’s fluffy ears. “My Howl.”

“You couldn’t think of a better name?” asked Idris.

“Nope! Howl is a great name,” Saya shot back.

She seemed a little livelier now, and Idris was happy for it.

Soon came time to go to bed. The snow was still falling, and Idris figured his plans for grabbing a cliff edelweiss would need to wait. Howl stayed with them the whole time, seeming to have fallen asleep in a fluffy ball next to the embers.

As he laid out his sleeping bag in his tent, he heard a ruffle outside, followed shortly by the entrance of Saya’s head.

“Hello,” she said in a bubbly, cutesy voice.

“Oh, hi Saya,” muttered Idris.

“Why the disappointment?” Saya asked with a pout.

“Nothing… just… thinking about stuff…”

“Sheila told me about your plans to find cliff edelweiss,” Saya smiled. “Thank you…”

“Ah… he… told you…” Idris stuttered. “Oh well…”

Saya giggled at Idris’ fluster. “Can I bring my sleeping bag here? My tent’s a little cold…”

“You…” Idris looked at her with disappointment, before sighing. “Fine…”

“Okay!” She yelled as she disappeared, returning a moment later with a fat sleeping bag in her arms.

They stuffed themselves into the little tent, just large enough to fit them side by side.

Fortunately, the wind was calm tonight, and the walls of the tent didn’t batter their heads.

“What do you think Andrei and the others are up to?” Saya asked.

Idris shrugged. “Nothing, hopefully… The contract should be very soon. Tomorrow if my math isn’t wrong…”

Saya sighed. They both knew nothing good could come of this contract. They could only pray for their friends’ safety, and do whatever they can to find the answers.

“Saya…”

“Yes?”

“Why were you so gloomy today?” Idris asked.

“Well…” Saya paused. “What Sheila said. He wasn’t lying. And what Otto said. He wasn’t lying either… It kind of stuck with me... I thought we were the victims…”

“We really are the bad guys then?” Idris asked half to himself.

Saya’s ability to tell someone’s truthfulness can be a troublesome power sometimes. People often tell white lies for the greater good, but there are no white lies to her, only true or false.

“I hide it with my overwhelming energy,” continued Saya. “The fact that I know everything… good or bad… I used to think it was a blessing, but now I know it’s a curse…”

Idris didn’t quite know what to say. The conversation had taken a more serious turn than he expected.

“But… I trust Idris,” said Saya, snuggling a bit closer to him.

“I’ve never lied to you?”

“Only white lies,” she answered with a sly smile.

Idris sighed.

“Either way… we’ll get our answers tomorrow, for better or for worse…” said Saya, changing the topic.

“Yeah…” Idris whispered. “I wish everything is going well back home…”

But deep down he knew, that his prayers would be for naught.

Their findings had only stirred up more silt in the already murky waters. Whatever truth there is, it still eluded them.

“Do you trust me, Idris?” Saya asked out of the blue.

“Sure,” Idris replied.

Saya chuckled. “Yay…”