Aaron looked in disbelief at the wall of trees in the clearing. some were in rows like an orchard. They walked towards it. Each foot step felt as if lead weights were tied to their feet but they pressed onward. Some women came out and froze when they saw them tall, almost as tall as Aaron and with light green skin and dark green hair they were not human but he had no idea what they could be. they hurried to them helping him into the town without a word their faces were not quite human their ears were pointed some what they practically carried them into town and entered into the nearest hut

“What do you need?” she said in a soothing voice

“food and rest”

“I’ll bring you some died fruit and get you some beds”

“Thank you” William said after a few minutes food was brought to them and they did eat till they were full and were led to some beds. Aaron went to sleep once his head reached the pillow.

Once Aaron was awake in a house of mud and bark he felt much better since he wasn’t starving. William was still asleep next to him getting out of bed which didn't have any bedpost so it was not much more than a mattress on the floor. but ever since he got used to the hard cold ground Aaron didn’t complain he walked or stubble outside

“good to see your health has improved” Omari said perched on the roof

“Good to see you too,” Aaron replied, rubbing the sleep from his eyes looking up at him. the sun was rising did we sleep for fourteen hours?

“Does everyone know you're here?”

“Of course there not blind”

“oh you're awake” a woman said the same one who brought him through the gate or he thought she was

“Yes, thank you for your hospitality.” Aaron said shyly

“I had know idea you traveled with a moon owl” she gashed

“excuse me but you're not human and don’t take this the wrong way but what are you?” she laughed “not at all. I’m a dryad” a dryad? I should know what that means but I just can’t remember by the look on Aaron’s face she continued

“We are children of the four seasons and we don’t like to live in cities” Aaron nodded

“Can I have breakfast?” Aaron asked “I missed four days of meals and I’m still hungry” Aaron said “four days without food!” she gashed

“Please come this way we don’t have much but what we do have is yours” she said leading him through town. Other dryads were watching them each one of one of the four seasons after they reached a longhouse about thirty feet long and one story upon entering. It must be the mess hall simple stools and tables lined the walls dryads and a few humans were sitting eating breakfast with not one piece of silverware to be seen he sat at the nearest empty stool as she brought him some dried fruit and a piece of venison she sat across from after wolfing it down

“So are there any other dryad villages or are you the only one?” Aaron asked licking the juicy fat off his fingers

“Yes there are a dozen or so around mount Iroswell“ she said

“I never got your name”

“My name is Una Taileach“ Una said “interesting name I’m Aaron” they must have their own language that they are not speaking right now.

After breakfast she led him around town showing him their orchards neat rows of fruit trees right in the middle of the forest. Her sister joined in on the fun showing him around town. it wasn't much they lived off the land which was still respectable. They showed him pens of deer and sheep for their meat and wool leaning on the wooden fence. I need to ask them for supplies. looking up at the mountain we just need a week's worth or two and we can reach the top. which was shaped like the tip was broken off.

“How did you grow trees like this?” Aaron said, pointing to the walls.

“We use magic of the seasons. but we can only use magic on the season we belong to but it has grown really weak recently but the fairies have grown weak as well and they use magic all the time” Una’s sister said sadly

“my magic isn’t very strong ether I haven’t been levitating or using skylight vary much” Aaron said

“take care how you speak of that no human has used magic in two decades” Una said offended Aaron levitated off the ground and held two flames of skylight in both of his palms to show them they stared at him jaws open Aaron stopped and dropped to the ground pleased on how they looked at him

“you can use skylight how?”

“simple Caelum is my father” they looked at him in astonishment “I’m going to need supplies to reach the top of mount Iroswell is that possible” Aaron said

“we will ask the chief” they said in unison and went to do what he told them. Omari landed on the fence making it sway due to his weight

“if you are wondering I have been giving wisdom to the dryads”

“that's great but we can’t stay here long”

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“We may have to because William is in bad shape” Omari said with concern in his voice. I watch the deer pick through the shallow snow for grass to graze on.

“We may be here for a few days,” Aaron admitted. I may have to persuade them for the food we need. I wonder if William is awake walking back to where he slept. Omari flew off out of town to hunt most likely. back at the house William was still in bed awake “do you need me to bring you some food?”

“Yes, I don’t think I can walk,” William said weakly. rushing back to The mess hall entering and rushing to the front it was nearly empty but a dryad man with white skin and light blue hair wearing a apron made from wool

“I need venison and dried fruit for William, he's too weak to get out of bed” Aaron explained he hurried to cook a steak and a bag of dried fruit after he took the plate. he carefully took it to William without dropping the stake on the ground, helped William sit and helped William cut the steak into pieces with his hunting knife. After he ate he went back to sleep.

As the days wore on waiting for William to get better. Omari was talking to a dozen dryads as he wandered around and the sisters got back to him and said maybe but their chef wanted to talk to him. so I don’t know if we can reach the mountain or not. The death of their moas was devastating for them. How could we have been ambushed so easily? I gave up the deer meat and we still got attacked walking around town for the tenth time word spread of Aaron using skylight and soon the dryads wanted to talk to him. but he tried to avoid them. They asked the same two questions: how and what I’m doing all the way out here and some such. they soon gave up when he grew silent. on the way back to the hut he had been staying in. I wonder who it belongs to?, maybe Una and she lent to live with her sister but that’s just a guess. William was up and about

“how are you feeling?” Aaron asked

“better I will be able to go tomorrow” William said he sounded so tired

“What about food? we can’t always rely on hunting as we found out” “I don’t know” William said softly stroking his gray beard. Then walked outside for the first time in days. I'm so close, just a few days walk and we can begin to scale the mountain. Aaron sat down in the hut Una entered with her sister wearing a green dress with a flower on her breast “can I ask you something? Do you mean to leave?” Una asked

“as soon as possible”

“I thought that you wanted to stay. We get travelers seeking a simpler life that’s what I thought but you keep gazing at the mountain why? What could be so important that you are willing to leave safely to reach it? What's there?” how do I respond I don’t want to lie but I can’t tell her or soon everyone will want the power for themselves

“something I’m willing to fight monsters almost alone and starve for something valuable” Aaron said trying to be vague. they looked at each other in bewilderment

“You think there's treasure there?” Una said

“humans love treasure” her sister said

“I know there's a treasure there”

Aaron said running with that

“I’m afraid you're mistaken there is no treasure there” Una said

“I know there is,” Aaron replied, speaking the truth in a way when they saw they could not convince him they left him alone. I got to go through my stuff or what remains ,one tonic and leggings his mother made: his mail armor, his hunting knife, the celestial iron key and the map unrolling it. When he made sure there was no one watching, the map had no equal in detail. Four colored spots lined the map, one for air, one for fire, one for sea and one for earth but where are the other twenty? and where is the sky power most of all? I guess I’ll know when I became a god Una came in

“You have a meeting with the chief in a few hours,” she said, turning around to look up at her

“very well” Later that night after wolfing down dinner at the mess hall. The town had torches out to light the way. tall ones at that about seven feet tall giving the whole town light they walked to a large hut it was two stories tall it was still crude looking. My horse looked richer than this place. upon entering there was little furniture but a few chairs and a round table at the head of the table sat a dryad woman with blue tattoos on her face, arms, and chest she wore a wool dress with a feather headdress and she had dark green skin and olive hair

“Welcome Sir William and Aaron, how may I help you”

“we need some food and a donkey to carry it since our moas died and I willing to trade for it” Aaron said

“Right to the chase are we. Come sit, have some tea and we will discuss” they took a seat at the table

“So what are you willing to trade for it?” the chief asked

“I have a celestial iron spear” William said immediately

“I don’t think we have anything else to give”

“you are willing to give me a spear forged by the gods themselves just to reach the top of mount Iroswell. which is a week journey says a lot you want to get their desperately but for what reason I can’t say” she put her finger to her lips thinking Williams face was unreadable

“I have no need for a spear we can hunt well enough and we love nature more than treasure”

“I don’t know what you want than” William said

“my estate is no far up north to retrieve”

“how far up north” the chief said suddenly interested leaning forward

“at the top of the kingdom” she gasped

“that would have taken all winter just to get here what could have been so important you would risk such a journey just to get their”

“we wish to keep it a secret” William said with no signs of alarm

“You are willing to part with your most precious possession right away speaks to me that you are willing to part with it to not try and cheat me, which is good. very well. Keep your supplies a donkey will be there by tomorrow” shocked

“You will give us food just like that?” Aaron said shocked at the generosity

“Spring is upon us and we have more than we appear, pulse with you gone we will have more food in the long run goodnight” with that they left with hope for tomorrow and went to bed right away so they could rise bright and early.

In the morning Aaron packed up his stuff and decided to wear his armor just in case the mail was heavier but would rather wear it than get stabbed once he was ready. William was too weak to wear his armor.

They stopped near the gate where their new donkey with the supplies was waiting. the chief was their to meet them as well as some dryads

“farewell son of Caelum you should have enough to reach the top but you are on your own after that”

“We will find a way thanks to your generosity. It is more than we expected. We will be ok” Aaron answered. With that they took off past the opening in the tree wall and continued Omari was pitched on a tree half a mile out.

“I’ll miss the dryads” Aaron said

“So will I” William said looking back at the town

“Come, our destiny awaits” Omari said, with that they hurried to the base of the mountain.