The shimmering light reflected off of the lustrous silver that clouded his vision. Though she was considerably smaller to the boy’s large figure, his languid legs still found trouble keeping up with her. Despite the gnawing fatigue that repeatedly struck him his legs still kept up, after all he thought he could only respond in kind with the kindness she bestowed upon him.

Something the boy never had the chance to do with beautiful Marianne, the regret lingered still.

His gaze sweeps behind and by then he realizes that Rufus and the others merely sat and watched the duo run. He wondered why, but it seems from their faces they are awed? The thought lingered for only a moment before the boy began to realize that they had already passed Jules’ tent long ago, just where was she taking him?

Viran lightly shook his head, whether it was the naivety he felt towards his kindness or the regret that lingered in his heart, he would still follow Elena.

He followed her through the camp, past the trees, and over the creek. His soles hurt from the flora that they trampled over. Despite the youthfulness of the girl Elena, it was evident to Viran that she was experienced in the forest. The same as Junia.

The trek lasted only a smidge of time, yet the distance they crossed was awe inspiring. Despite the foreignness the trees gave off to Viran he began to spot the individual differences between the nature around him, the different shades of black that the tree bark had and the lighter shades of dirt that they walked upon. The scenery around the duo was like the coalescence of a beautiful painting; a painting evoking the sorrows the world around them.

The shimmering silver no longer clouded his entire sight, and his legs came to a stop. His gaze lingered at their hands that stayed connected still, something about the differences in their hand sizes interested Viran. His thoughts are shaken as Elena takes the initiative and begins to speak.

“Are you ok…? I know you’re still hurt and I made you run…”

Her fingers that interlocked within his tightened and to this Viran could only show a pure smile.

“Ah, yeah I’m fine.” Viran says calmly as his eyes turn into crescent moons. His heart buzzed with happiness, gradually the pain that corroded his limbs began to dissipate.

“Ok! It’s not much longer away. I want to show you something.”

Viran nodded briskly and they began to totter away together, hand in hand. Side by side the two children gawked at their surroundings and despite Elena being here innumerable times her eyes still shone with awe and amazement.

The dark trees would get lighter in color. The soil would finally show life. Viran would finally hear the chirping of birds and the chitters of squirrels. The sun shone throughout the entire patch of wood, blanketing everything in sight with its golden glow. The golden glow expanded to Viran and Elena as well, the warm feeling would descend further until they reached their bones. The scenery and the feeling of calmness that surrounded him evoked a yawn from Viran.

“Hahh”

A smile is eked out of Elena’s face as she gazes at the boy beside her. Elena wasn’t sure of it herself, but she wanted to help the boy next to her. The words he had said to her, even while he was in pain invaded her heart forcefully. One way or another the boy had affected her, his words had affected her.

She knew she could barely help herself, but maybe she could do something for him.

Viran’s gaze changed into wonder once the trees became the eerie color of ivory. His hand slid across the hard texture and it barely felt anything like the trees back home, the foreign feeling left shivers down Viran’s spine. His eyes turned upward to look at the towering giants that stood silently in the forest and despite the wind the very tops of the trees stood still and as solid as stone. The sight was peculiar to Viran, yet his mind and heart only felt the thirst of adventure that laid within the forest.

“Where did we go?” Viran asked.

“...I found something over here long ago and I’ve been coming here ever since. No one knows so…” Elena looked towards Viran with a shy look in her eyes.

“Mhm. It’ll be our secret.” Viran smiled once more as they continued forward.

Side by side the two walked forward undauntedly, though Viran’s courage despite the foreign scenery was due to his trust in Elena. An illogical trust in her kindness, something he didn’t quite understand well enough.

Another large distance is trekked until the roaring of water enters Viran’s ears suddenly. The boy could guess what the sound was, but he didn’t want to get his hopes up. If he was right Viran would see something that he had only witnessed in the storybooks back at the estate.

The roaring of water pounding onto stone only grew larger as they walked forward steadily. Viran wanted to hurry but he didn’t have the heart to hurry Elena up alongside him.

The duo walked until they met an ancient stone wall. Runes that no longer glowed with mana were inscribed onto the sides and vines ran down the walls completely. The sight itself was fantastical, and Viran’s eyes grew wide in amazement despite the wall being only a few feet taller than the boy.

“It’s a ruin from the past era!”

Viran rushed forward as he rubbed the wall tenderly with his hand. He scratched the moss away from the wall that threatened to grow over the ancient runes inscribed within. Though damaged and incomplete, Viran could sense a feeling of inferiority in the craftsmanship that was used in order to create such wondrous runes. Elena, on the other hand, was not enthused whatsoever.

“Hm? These aren’t cool at all… Why are you so excited about seeing some old wall?” Elena asked. “I’ve seen much better than these.”

Viran’s hand stopped as he embarrassingly wiped his hand clean on his clothes, dyeing it a soft green color.

“Ah, well I suppose you wouldn’t understand the significance of me seeing something like this… It’s my first time witnessing something like this, a relic of the eras before ours.” Viran gingerly said as he turned his gaze towards Elena. “So… Is this what you wanted to show me?”

As if to answer his question, Elena puffs out her cheeks and enthusiastically shakes her head. Moments later she looks onto the wall and releases her grip from Viran’s hand, the absence of which somehow makes Viran lonely.

“We need to climb over this wall! There’s no way I would show you something so plain like this!”

Viran nodded sheepishly once Elena slapped her hands together. A second later she jumps onto a rock nearby and jumps further up the wall. Her hands grip tight so as to not fall and, much to Viran’s relief, Elena is able to get over the wall in a practiced manner.

‘Despite the lack of magic… She handles herself better than me.’ Viran dejectedly thought.

Viran slowly felt the mana fill his entire body as he jumped lightly onto the top of the wall. Despite how easy climbing the wall was for Viran, he didn’t feel much good towards it.

Viran looks out towards the scenery that Elena already was prancing about in, and his eyes widen in amazement. In spite of his reservations, Viran’s hopes weren’t dashed whatsoever.

A water that glowed in a blue tincture flowed throughout the lands in front of him. The soil and flora were no longer dyed in a contrasting white and black, but a whole rainbow assessment of colors. Greens, blues, pinks, and more dyed the landscape like a painting and it was suffice to say that Viran’s breath was taken away as he looked higher away. A large mountain laid a large distance away and falling from it were amazing waterfalls. Each waterfall was accompanied by the mist that spread around the area as the water smashed the river below at high speeds. Viran could barely hear anything else besides the crashing noises the waterfalls gave off as they fell from such great heights. His eyes looked around further at the scenery and birds of all kinds swam peacefully in the rivers that flowed from the waterfall.

“Come on!” Elena’s jubilant yell jostled Viran and he quickly jumped from the wall underneath him, his impressions of the wall had decreased in a great manner when confronted with a much more fantastical view in front of him.

“What is this place, Elena?” He asked

“It’s directly in the heart of the forest! I just know it!” Elena responded to Virans question.

Viran felt worried when hearing that but he quickly repressed those thoughts as he ran towards the meadow that held the least wildlife. He squatted directly next to the water and his hands reached deep into the waters, the feeling shocking him greatly. After only a few seconds of submerging his hands had already turned red and numb from the cold startling Viran.

“Ah! I forgot! You can’t go into the water no matter what! It’s too cold. You also cannot eat any fruit you may see around here or else the birds will start to peck at you fiercely!”

Elena warned Viran vehemently as she wagged her finger in front of his eyes.

“That happened to you?” Viran asked in a worried manner only to receive a small smack on the back in response.

“That’s besides the point! Anyways follow me that’s not all that I have to show you!” Elena was bright red as she gripped Viran’s hand as she led him towards the waterfalls in the distance.

Although Viran’s heart had been calm before, once the bright blue mist touched upon Viran’s skin he could not help but feel nervous. He was unsure whether his nerves were getting the better of him or he was just being superstitious, but every step closer to the waterfall felt like he was going a step further into danger.

When Viran was still accompanied by Ry, albeit for a short time, the boy could feel the changes the ethereal being had on him. Viran doubted he could forget for years to come. Viran could feel a familiar presence hidden away in the waterfall in front of him.

Viran’s feet stopped only for a moment before his entire body would be engulfed by the blue mist. A deep breath was all he needed before Elena pulled him further into the mist that clouded his entire vision. The feeling around him was familiar, too familiar. Viran could feel his emotions well up further as his vision darkened for only a moment before turning back to normal.

Viran’s hands shook. The atmosphere and how it affected him, it was all too familiar to him. A familiarity that he would never forget. His memories flashed before his eyes and his adrenaline began to pump, an equivocal feeling of anger and fear emerged from within Viran.

It all served as a stark reminder to Viran, to his memories of Ry. What laid in this waterfall was a dangerous being, a being not too dissimilar to Ry himself.