“What is all that?” Larisa asked as she looked upon a wide stretch of paper that Ha’na has unrolled. She instinctively knew what she was looking at, although, the information this thing gave her was almost too overwhelming to bear.

“This is the map of Gretan-Ta. The continent on which we stand. Technically, everything you see falls under the Kingdom of Gretan, though, some would argue with you on that.” Ha’na said as she put the heavy book she also brought out down on the desk.

As Larisa looked at the map she could immediately tell that the green centre in the middle of it was the jungle in which she grew up.

“Hal-Vitash…” It was the name of the jungle that Larisa lived in. How come there was no such thing as a map of this place back in the jungle? It seemed like an important tool to have. Although, because it did not show the closer view of the jungle, Larisa wouldn’t find the map to be much useful, but it could still show her in what direction certain things were.

[https://i.imgur.com/uUrbg5O.jpg]

“That is the name of the jungle, yes. Hal for the Goddess and Vitash for her child.” Farre chided in.

“Hal? You’ve been saying that a lot. A goddess?” Larisa knew of beliefs in certain powers. These religions. In the books she read there was no mention of such name or any other. Only a description of what it was and what it did.

“Unbelievable that you don’t know that, but such things should stop surprising me.” Ha’na brushed her hair behind her ear. “Anyway, Hal is said to have created our world - Hal’ana, and given life to all the creatures and dragons that inhabit it. Humans - like Farre and I - are said to have sprouted naturally in this world. Our existence is tied to this earth that has borne us. Or something like that. Theology only interested me this much.” Ha’na sighed as she seemed completely disinterested in the subject.

“Something like that.” Farre echoed. “I was also not much of a religious zealot growing up. What I can tell you about is who these ‘cold people’, you’ve asked about, are.” Farre said as she came closer to where the map was laid down.

“This-” Farre pointed to the area under the jungle. The place through which the Sasza River flown through. “-is the place of so called ‘cold people’ in Halish. Or nachtak in Tanish. It’s the region of Nacht. The place we are in is on the different side of the jungle.” Farre pointed to a small dot on the map. It was situated above the jungle, right under the city called Unasza.

“That’s where we are right now.” Farre explained.

Larisa wasn’t sure what to think. Were they close? How far are the other places, if going through the jungle took Farre and her days to get only that far? This camp seemed to be really close to the jungle. How did these people manage to go from place to place when it took so long?

“Why the ‘cold people’? I am not cold.” Said Larisa.

“You’re most definitely not.” A strange whisper, barely hearable to even Larisa’s ears made its way to her. She looked to Ha’na and noticed that she was looking at Larisa. Her attention did not go unnoticed and Ha’na raised one eyebrow up. Maybe she realized Larisa heard her?

“The people of Nacht are called that because the region is cold. Much, much colder compared to where we are now. The whole continent was actually separated by the jungle for most of its existence so the people on two sides of it are so different from each other. As you can clearly see for yourself.” Ha’na said as she gestured to Farre and Larisa.

“And it’s not separated anymore?” Larisa asked to clarify.

“No, it isn’t. You see those two mountain walls and the city and a pass on both sides? There used to be a dense jungle there back a couple of decades ago.” Ha’na paused. “But the King burned it down to build these passes.” She finished bitterly and with some anger underneath her voice.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“Burned the jungle?” Larisa could hardly comprehend it. How did they even manage that? The jungle was too humid to light up like that. Larisa would know since she lived in it for so long. She made countless fires and none has ever spread anywhere else. The ground was too moist, the vegetation practically oozed water out of their pores. Not to mention the wet season. The rain was almost constant when it was happening. Fires small as the ones Larisa made were almost impossible to create without dry kindling and a ceiling over the head. She couldn’t imagine the fire to spread anywhere like that.

As she looked at those two spots on both sides of the jungle she could hardly imagine such vast areas to burn down. There was something off about that story.

“How did this King burn it?” Larisa needed to know. The thought of such an act filled her with indignation, horror, and sadness.

She knew that every inch of the jungle was home to at least one critter. The trees’ crowns housed countless number of birds. There were so many animals and beasts that Larisa could list their names until the dawn and more. All of their homes got burned to the ground for what exactly? So this King could build… stuff there? These silly people. Larisa got angry.

“That is actually unknown. The King brought forth a number of people, from all over, to accomplish that. Like the professors from the Academy and some nobles from the Nacht. They started to burn it on both sides. Until these passes were built the only road of commerce between the two regions was through the sea. Communication has been going by pigeons for millennia at that point so that’s how they coordinated.” Ha’na sighed. “The actual process has only been theorized since it was all kept pretty much a secret from what I remember. I think they utilized the Essence somehow. If not that then there’s some invention out there that could literally burn water down.”

“That sounds crazy. I knew there was something that made those passes happen but what you say is news to me.” Farre responded in wonder.

“I’m not surprised you don’t know. I shouldn’t know. It’s just that-well, let’s just say that I like to listen around.”

“So you’re an eavesdropper?” Farre seemed to gain some amusement from this conversation. Much to Ha’na’s chagrin. Larisa just wondered what “eavesdropper” meant? Was it someone that was good at listening? Had good hearing? Then it was a pretty good way to describe Larisa.

“I think I’m an eavesdropper.” Her sentence seemed to bring the attention of the both women upon her.

There was a pause in the air and Larisa wondered if she said something wrong.

“Sure. Alright. I see there are some gaps in your education, Larisa.” Ha’na came over to Larisa and grabbed her by the shoulders. “We shall remedy that.” She pulled Larisa towards the exit of the tent.

“Hey, where are you going?” Farre exclaimed at Ha’na.

“Oh, right. You may come too, sergeant. I intend to educate Larisa in the art of listening to the things she shouldn’t.” Ha’na said with some satisfaction and moved forward once again. This time with Farre following closely.

“I shouldn’t?” Larisa didn’t want to do bad things.

“It’s alright, darling. It’s a good thing to know things, you know? Even when you have to lower yourself to these kinds of means to obtain them.” Ha’na tried to calm Larisa’s nerves down but she still wasn’t sure what this was all about.

“You’re going to teach her bad manners.” Farre remarked to Ha’na.

“Me? It is you who forgot to address me properly, sergeant.”

“Well, that was until I saw that you’re a nutter. I ain’t gonna ‘my lady’ at you anymore. What’s the point?”

Some sort of conversation seemed to be happening, but Larisa was too distracted by being called ‘darling’ by Ha’na. She liked how it sounded on Ha’na lips. How she seemed to drag out the end of the word and make it caress Larisa’s ears.

“We’re almost here. Both of you, be quiet now. I’ll make sure the air is still but it’s better to be careful.” Larisa watched as Ha’na took a deep breath and closed her eyes. A moment later Larisa felt the Essence around them move, and the air seemed to still. The way Ha’na did that was different to how Larisa manipulated the Essence. Though, no less breathtaking as always.

The three of them squatted near one of the tents and Ha’na pulled something from a hidden pocket. It was a necklace with halcite on it. Larisa first thought that Ha’na was about to put it on but she was already wearing one. Instead, she pushed it into Farre’s hands.

“Put it on. I’m not sure who’s in there with the captain, but if it’s one of my colleagues they might be able to sense you.” Said Ha’na as Farre took the halcite carefully from her hands.

Larisa could feel a good amount of wariness and anxiety. She had a feeling Farre was uncomfortable.

“I don’t like wearing these, but I see your point. But why captain exactly? Aren’t there more interesting people around?” Farre asked as she adjusted the necklace against her neck.

“Oh, there could certainly be more interesting people around, but we’re not here for entertainment. We need information and I know the captain has been meeting with some people at night. I simply didn’t have time to listen to that yet.” Said Ha’na.

“Oh, I hear something. Let’s listen carefully now. Something important might be said.” Ha’na, Larisa and Farre held their breath as voices seemed to start a conversation.