“So, this is…” Penny breathes.

Following the trail carved through the snow delivers them straight to a forest, one befitting a winter scene. Only pine trees populate the area, alongside other vine-like plants that creep along the floor. The canopies of the trees cast their shadows, giving the place a bit of an ominous air to it. As though a dangerous creature may jump them at any moment.

“Hal said that Gyldon should be this way,” Zan says with a frown.

“That means it’s beyond the forest, probably,” Gridel says. “We’ll just have to pass through it.”

Easier said than done. If they’re not careful, they could very well get lost here with no hope of escape. It’s not like they were expecting to be evicted from the house, and from Beville, so they’ve come with few provisions. If there are Bugbears, like Tiv said, then they could probably… hunt them for food?

“Ren? Are you coming?” Penny calls.

Ren is jolted from his thoughts, to find that the rest of the team is waiting for him, already having entered the forest. He smoothens his robes, adjusting his cloak over his shoulders, before jogging over.

“What were you thinking about?” Penny asks. Tiv gazes at him curiously.

“Uh, about our food situation,” Ren says. They begin walking farther into the woods, led by Zan, who is marching on ahead.

“What about it?” Gridel asks. “I doubt we’d spend that long in here. We might be able to reach Gyldon before we starve.”

Well, it’s nice to hope. Ren wouldn’t say anything for now; they’ll cross the bridge when they come to it.

They trudge deeper into the forest, past frozen trees and hardened boulders. Their footfalls are absorbed by the snow, indiscernible apart from soft crunches of gravel or the occasional snapping of a twig.

An owl hoots overhead. Ren lifts his head, but all he sees are the green, spiky undersides of pine trees. Scurrying from stiff bush to stiff bush are what look to be squirrel-like creatures, but with front teeth way too long for their mouths. Ren can only wonder what they are.

Their walk is peaceful, almost suspiciously so, but Ren basks in the quiet of the stroll. Tiv and Zan are pulling Gridel ahead, pointing out giant butterflies with colourful wings and bodies bigger than Ren’s head. Penny points out a bush filled with small flowers—Snowglows, apparently, according to Tiv—that give off an iridescent light if it’s cold and dark enough.

“What is that?”

Tiv gestures at a clearing ahead, with something right in its centre. A frame of golden, encasing what looks to be a…

“A mirror?” Penny tilts her head. “What the heck’s that for?”

Who would leave a mirror in the middle of a forest such as this? Did someone dump it here? But it looks brand-new. Why would anyone throw away a brand-new mirror?

Tiv and Zan run towards it, followed closely by Gridel and Penny, with Ren and Vane trailing behind. They gather in front of the mirror… or, well, whatever it is. A mirror without reflection, even with six people standing in front of it.

“It’s not a mirror,” Vane states.

“What is it, though? It’s not glass either.” Penny waves her arm behind the mirror, but the image does not change.

“Maybe…” There’s only one thing that Ren can think of. Something that a certain water nymph told him so many days ago. A forest in Frosgott that can whisk people to another world, never to be seen again. Could this be…?

Ren reaches out, laying his fingers against the surface of the mirror-glass. As soon as his fingers come into contact with the mirror, it ripples. He hears shocked gasps from behind him, but only one thought comes to mind.

They can leave.

They can leave Zenthos behind, and they can go back home. They can see their family, and they don’t have to live in fear of the Horseman, or any other monster, ever again. Who cares about—

Ren catches himself before he can finish that thought. What the hell is he thinking? How could he even consider leaving his friends behind in this dark, drab world? If it were his first day here, he’d probably have left in a heartbeat. No way was he sacrificing his life, his entire being, staying here and fighting fearsome beasts like the Horseman, like the Nidhogg, and others that came before it.

Fingers wrap tight around Ren’s arm and jerks it away, and Ren stumbles back from the force. Vane furrows his brows, releasing Ren’s grip only when he deems him to be a safe distance from the portal. “You shouldn’t go around touching something like that, Master Ren.”

“Well, Tiv and Zan were practically crawling all over it.”

Vane huffs. “That’s a separate matter. They didn’t reach out and touch the surface.”

Ren resists the urge to grumble.

“In any case, I believe we can leave it alone,” Vane says as a matter-of-factly. “We don’t know what it does, and we don’t know if it would harm us.”

“Yeah, I think so too,” Penny says.

Ren bites his lip. Should he tell them? What would Penny think? What would Gridel and Vane think? What about the curious kids Tiv and Zan?

Yeah, no, Ren should keep his mouth shut for now. Maybe remember this as a last resort. When this whole thing blows over, and if they’re unable to return to their real world by then, then he’ll consider coming back here. For now, they should proceed to get to Gyldon.

“Okay, I think we should go… this way.” Penny gestures to the path beyond the portal, where they were headed in the first place anyway. “I’ve got a good feeling about this one.”

“Same here,” Tiv says, brushing past the rigid undergrowth, slapping away a few frozen branches while he’s at it. “I’ll race you there!”

“No,” Gridel says sternly. “No racing. We don’t even know if Gyldon is up ahead. You’re going to get very lost and we won’t be able to find you.”

Tiv pouts, and he kicks a pebble. Zan smirks, folding her arms.

Ren sighs.

Nevertheless, the six of them continue, their journey filled with the wonders of flora and fauna. Vines of purple—looking almost like ivy—hang from the branches of the pine trees, draped over them like curtains. Rafflesia-like flowers sprout along the forest floor, the centre, where their stigma and anthers should be, hold only a mouth of razor teeth instead.

It is not long after that Ren sees it. Not just him, but Gridel, and Tiv and Zan too. Just ahead of them, past the final row of trees, lies a cluster of houses. That must be the village of Gyldon, nestled in a crater, surrounded by rocky mountains covered in green.

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“Holy shit.” Penny ducks under a low branch and steps past the trees. “That’s beautiful.”

It is beautiful. It reminds Ren of his grandparents’ village in Kyoto. It is hard to reach, what with the narrow mountain roads and the gravelly treks, but they were always rewarded with picturesque scenery. A small village at the base of a mountain, shrines built all over the place, never devoid of offerings to the gods and spirits.

This village is no different, with similar straw-like houses spread out generously along the snowy grassland. There is a well in the middle of the village, where children are running about, and people are walking to and fro, with baskets and whatever else they’ve got in their hands.

“Ow!”

Ren glances over at the cry. Tiv is on his bum on the ground, rubbing at a spot on his forehead. Zan barely hides her grin behind her hand.

“Serves you right,” Zan huffs. “Nitwit.”

“Hey! I’m not a nitwit, you… you… nitwit! There’s something I can’t see right in front of me! And I bumped into that. That’s all.”

“Let’s not be fighting each other now,” Penny sighs, ruffling their hair. “Tiv, what exactly did you bump into?”

“This!” Tiv hops to his feet, almost smacking Zan in the chin with his head. Zan takes a couple of steps back, as Tiv drags Penny by the hand over to whatever he hit. When Penny reaches her hand out, her fingers come into contact with what looks like a barrier, radiating a greenish aura.

“There’s a barrier,” Ren says. “But what’s causing it?”

Vane frowns. “I’ve never seen anything like this before.”

“Perhaps a mechanism? A strong creature?” Gridel wonders. “Or perhaps, a magic spell.”

“I think it’s a spell,” Ren says. “Hal was a mage or something, right? And he supposedly came from this village.”

Gridel nods. “That makes sense. Is there any way to bypass this magical barrier, though?”

“There must be a method, correct? Since the dragon told us to come here to seek it out,” Penny muses.

Perhaps they should circle the barrier, or maybe attempt to call out to any of the villagers within. They might know what to do. But there remains a considerable distance between the edge of the barrier and the houses, so Ren isn’t sure that they can grab their attention—

“We don’t have anything! Go away!”

Ren glances over at the person who shouted—a young man dressed in an animal fur cloak, a straw hat obscuring his hair and his face. He carries what looks like a scythe, something that also looks like it’d go clean through flesh.

“Hey there.” Penny flashes him a smile. “This is the village of Gyldon, right?”

“Yeah. And you’re from Beville, aren’t you? Leave. Now.” The man holds out his scythe, as if ready to strike. “D-Don’t make me call Sylph. Sylph will take care of you, no problem!”

The man’s trembling—he’s not as tough as he makes himself out to be. And besides, there’s the barrier between them that really renders his threats useless. But what truly interests Ren is whatever he just said. Something about… Sylph? Isn’t Sylph one of the four great spirits, along with Ignis, Aqua and Gaia?

“Rest assured, we’re not from Beville,” Penny says. “We’re just travellers who—”

“Lies! I’ve seen those children. They just don’t have their masks on right now, but I’m sure of it. One of them’s even holding a spear!”

Ren glances over at Tiv, who shrugs.

“Garch, stand down.”

A man in flowing robes, ones that look like the type that Hal wears, approaches them. He carries a staff, a viridian orb held atop it. He is backed by a bunch of the other villagers, most of them peering over his shoulder, intrigued at the newcomers. Garch, the man with the scythe, steps away, lips parted in shock.

“Chief Grimm!” Garch cries. “W-What are you—”

“Sylph told me that there would be friends coming to Gyldon in the next few minutes,” Chief Grimm says. “And I was told to let them into Gyldon.”

There it is again. Sylph.

“R-Really, Chief?” Garch nods. “If it’s… If it’s by Sylph’s command, then…”

Chief Grimm smiles, the corners of his lips crinkling up. “Indeed. Step away from the barrier, Garch.”

Garch does as he’s told. Chief Grimm steps over to the barrier, and he touches it with his staff. The emerald on his cane glows upon the touch. The barrier fizzles away, and Chief Grimm beckons them in.

“Hurry, before the Horseman comes around,” Chief Grimm urges.

Without wasting any time, Ren and the others cross the barrier. With a stab of his staff into the ground, the shield of green rises into the sky, forming a dome around the village once more. It’s only then that Ren realises just how far it goes, even encompassing the mountain in the distance.

“Thank you for admitting us into your humble village,” Penny says with a bow. “I take it that you are the chief of this village, sir?”

Chief Grimm nods. “Indeed, I am. And you are Sylph’s acquaintances, I presume?”

“About that…” Ren mumbles, exchanging glances with Penny. “Who is Sylph? We’ve heard that name again and again, but…”

“She is one of the four great spirits of Zenthos,” Chief Grimm says. “And She has requested your presence in the audience chamber. Please, come with me.”

Requested their presence… Sylph can’t possibly be whom Ren thinks She is, can She?

“Okay, I guess we can’t disobey the orders of a great spirit now, can we?” Penny turns to her companions. “Let’s go and see what Sylph has to say, yeah?”

Chief Grimm nods. “Please, Luminaries, this way.”

Yeah, that certainly confirmed Ren’s suspicions. Penny doesn’t seem to question it either—she must have figured it out as well. Chief Grimm turns his back to them, and he sets off down the cobblestone path, the citizens of Gyldon having cleared the way for them.

Well, at least Ren isn’t constantly seeing dead bodies on the streets, their lives claimed by the plague. In fact, despite the blight’s prevalence, the village doesn’t look that affected. Could the village’s barrier have something to do with it? Keeping the plants green and lush, minimizing even the snowfall here, and keeping the Horseman’s influence out?

“How did you know that Master Ren and Lady Penny are the Luminaries?” Vane asks. “The Bevillians weren’t aware of that fact.”

Chief Grimm chuckles. “That is because Sylph told me so.”

Vane hums, as though that answered all his questions. They continue down to the valley in the middle of the village, passing through the town square and by the well. Children pause their game of tag and wave to Chief Grimm, who waves back. Housewives with buckets under their arms greet him with ninety-degree bows.

Past the town square, past rows of straw houses, are the wheat fields. Or, rather, what Ren thinks are the wheat fields. Being that Beville gets their medicines from Gyldon, they could be herbs for all he knows. Or tea leaves, or even something magical like mandrakes or something?

They soon part with the part of Gyldon where residents live, and stride out into the fields, the cobblestone road giving way to a dirt path. The straight path is flanked with tall grass, bushes of them growing so tall that they cast dark shadows upon the ground. With every step, they’re getting closer and closer to the majesty that is the snow-capped mountain.

“This is a lovely place,” Penny comments, waving to farmers tending to the crops. “Has it always been like this?”

Chief Grimm nods. “It’s been like this for all I can remember. Although according to the annals, Sylph attempted to extend Her protection to all of Frosgott, but with Her reduced power, it was impossible.”

“So, She protected just Gyldon?” Gridel asks.

“Something like that,” Chief Grimm affirms. “It was under Her protection that Gyldon flourished.”

“But why Gyldon, though? A barrier of this size could easily have saved Beville.”

Chief Grimm shakes his head. “There is a good reason why Sylph would have saved Gyldon, and it will become apparent once we enter Forwind Mountain. However, while the barrier is able to keep the Horseman out, it is not as impenetrable as you think it may be.”

“Huh? Why not?” Ren asks. It’s not like She’s shielding all of Frosgott now, is She?

“It takes much of her energy to constantly supply energy to the barrier. Whilst She may be a great spirit, She may still grow tired, like you or I. It’s been three hundred years since She’s crafted this dome of defence and maintained it.”

Fair enough.

Thankfully, the climb up the mountain is not as tough as Ren expected, for there are crumbled stairs that hug the rough walls. The stairs lead them around the mountain, past a ledge (Ren thanks the heavens for the railings). It is soon, after an arduous climb, that they come to a giant cavity carved in the mountain.

“Whoa.” Tiv gasps. “It’s a whole castle!”

Indeed, hiding in the cavity is what looks to be an abandoned castle. Its walls shine with a glorious bronze, and a small waterfall pours from the ceiling, streaming into the pools below surrounding the building.

“Sylph rests within,” Chief Grimm says. He hobbles forward, though from their mountain-climbing adventures, Ren knows he can move more deftly than he looks like he can. “Come along now. Watch your step.”

The path leading from the mouth of the cavern to the castle is a slippery line of rocks covered with luminous moss. Chief Grimm moves easily across, the man’s cane clacking noisily on the thin layers of moss. Penny takes the lead, ensuring that Tiv and Zan cross safely, while Gridel follows closely behind. Vane and Ren trail farther back, the latter taking careful steps across the boulders.

“Whoa!” Zan cries, rushing forward. “That’s a wyrm! I’ve never seen a wyrm—”

“A dragon. Sylph is a dragon.” Vane stares, long and hard. “I thought…”

“Sylph.” Penny lowers her head as she approaches the wyrm, who’s currently floating in front of an altar, Her body emitting a soft, green aura. She’s exactly like how Ren remembers her, just a little more… royal. “How nice it is to see you again.”

Ren can hear the smile infused in Sylph’s voice. “I harbour similar sentiments, dear Luminary.”

“There are many things that we are unsure of, and therefore, would like to seek your guidance,” Penny says, peering up at Sylph with a curious gaze. “It has much to do with the Horseman, and the city of Beville.”

“Very well,” Sylph says, with a hum. “I shall answer them to the best of my ability.”