Everground was a mountain that hid more than it offered at first glance. Snakes or a much worse fate would surround anyone who tried to unveil its secrets if their intentions were more threatening. It was enough for Ethereal to continue on her path for the nagas to do the same, although not all of them. After all, they were still in their territory, and even if they had agreed to let them leave without taking any damage, she would not allow them to move freely.

"The tunnels go as far as I can't see. I wouldn't be surprised to find a city," Nero said.

His connection with the earth was sometimes overwhelming, especially at times like that. Even the wolf had to block out all the information he was receiving, as the movements of that elthean nest made his senses go haywire. Indeed, Nero found out that there were more tunnels than he had imagined, but he did not know how deep they would be and how far they would reach.

"It's not like we'll find out either, right?" Rune said.

They had traded the sky for the earth depths, which put their flying buddy in an overwhelming situation. She and Nero may have been the antithesis of appearance and capabilities (sky and earth), but that didn't stop them from getting along. However, seeing each other in such a confined space, even when the tunnel was expansive, had aggravated the claustrophobia she suffered from.

"Not at all. You'll find yourself outside before you can expect it, breathing even fresher air," Finnian said, encouraging her.

Their guide could not have been more silent. They ignored its name and everything else, except that it was smaller than Ethereal and its scales were green to brown. It merely waited for them by one of the entrances while its comrades blocked the rest. You didn't have to be a genius to understand the signals, but the fact that it didn't say a word couldn't reassure him. Perhaps it was that, or what Ethereal whispered to him had left him feeling worse than the experience he'd had descending in the cloud.

"You thought it was strange too, didn't you?" Blanche said.

"What about everything?" Aer said.

"Why go to dropping us to let us leave?" Ark said.

"Not to mention you showed them your plan, and they didn't even blink," Blanche added.

"They were scared, even if they showed it differently," Leith said.

This was one of the rare occasions when Signer and her partner talked more than usual, although no one would criticize them. After all, it was what they had agreed to so that they would be on equal footing, but they were not quite used to it yet. His friends continued the conversation as diplomatic as if they were not inside a snake pit.

"Perhaps we shouldn't look for meaning in this," Finnian said.

"You should sound more convincing if you want to believe those words," Blanche said.

He raised both eyebrows and glanced at her, then continued walking. The tunnel they were climbing seemed as long as the Cloud Road, not to mention that their conversation seemed similar. Even his partners held back the urge to laugh or reveal what was happening to him.

"It's strange. Even standing next to you, I can't smell the scent of that key," Nero admitted.

"Because it belongs to him, even if he hasn't used it," Ead said.

At least that reassured him. Even if Nero, who had the best sense of smell in their group, didn't perceive it, it saved him from an awkward conversation with Blanche that he didn't want to have. Would it have been the same thing that Ethereal could pick up on, even if he didn't know what it was?

"What's Kali's interpretation on all this Ethereal and Everground stuff?" Finnian said.

"I didn't know you would listen to her opinion," Blanche admitted.

"Just because she prefers to communicate only with you doesn't mean we don't want to know what she thinks," Aer said.

And while Ead couldn't wait to share knowledge with the fairy, she continued pumping him was a frustration he hid as best he could. As a frionach, they were taught about everything within their reach from a young age, though the best way to learn how other elthean behaved was to interact with them. However, the naga's leader was as mysterious as their words or actions, but they did manage to glean a couple of things.

"They protect their territory as few others do. They don't need barriers, and they're smarter than they show," Blanche said.

"Why do I get the feeling you'll add something else?" Leith said.

"Not at all," the Signer admitted, shrugging her shoulders. "We have come, and we have not been attacked. More we can't do, or not while we ignore so many things about them."

"But they were here before, weren't they? With the former Lord of Calamity," Rune said.

A detail that was not lost on them, but it didn't solve anything either. None of the elthean in their group was old enough to have been born at that time, for it happened more than fifteen years ago. However, as Ailfryd told him, many knew a shortened version of what happened, and even if Everground was somewhat close to the Silver Orchid, they doubted that Ethereal knew the whole story.

Their journey through the mountain tunnels took longer than they would have liked, but they didn't come out the same way. The fact that they were once again outside was comforting, especially since the air outside seemed cold and damp at the same time. The storm had ceased, but that didn't make the prospects of seeking shelter well into the night any better.

"At least we won't have to go back in there," Rune said with a great snort.

They found a place to raise their tent, where they thought they couldn't get crushed by a boulder. Under the circumstances, they couldn't find a better location, but it was getting too dark to walk any further.

"It's handy that the tent adapts to the environment," Blanche admitted.

"It has saved us more than once from being discovered," Finnian said.

They both decided to join forces in creating a protective circle, just in case someone had the bright idea of disturbing them. They were used to it, to set their traps and whatever was necessary to ensure their safety, even when they took turns to sleep.

"The big naga spoke to me, whispered things before she left," Blanche said.

Finnian looked up carefully, as carefully as the rhythm with which she uttered those words. Blanche watched him, catching his seriousness in the dim light filtering inside the tent.

"You too, right?"

"Yes," Finnian sighed. "It's... odd. She told me there's something I can do and no one else. She didn't even specify what it was."

"It frustrates you, uh? You've never liked being told what to do." Blanche said.

"Neither have you, even if we approached it differently," Finnian said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Ethereal told me something similar," Blanche added. "If you're always looking for trouble, that's all you'll ever see."

"Not bad advice."

It was too convincing for Blanche. The naga said he had a vision, though he did not know the specific details or give them to her. But, as he had answered her, it was a piece of advice, maybe a warning far from what she talked to him about.

"You should sleep. I'll take the first shift," Finnian said.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course. I couldn't rest that fast if I pretended to."

As much as it was an ideal temperature inside the tent, or they had seats and cushions that made that place their tiny portable home, Finnian was too stimulated to close his eyes as if that day had not happened.

"You read when you're nervous," Rune said.

"I read whenever I get a chance," Finnian said.

"Rune, you should rest now while you can," Leith said, so sleepy she slurred every word she said.

"Besides, it's our turn. How do you expect us to kill time?" Aer said.

Their baggage, unfortunately, had no entertainment beyond what they could write or draw on their papers. Most of the time, they had things to do, tasks to perform so that their camp would continue to function and everyone would have a chance to rest. While most trained, Finnian managed as best he could with his notebook. Galya's knowledge had expanded since then, offering him more information on the places they visited and details on plants, potions, and spells that might be of use to him. The timeless orb was on several pages, but something else as well.

"Why does it show spells of containment?" Finnian said.

"The marble is a way to trap others. Perhaps the book wants to offer you new possibilities," his friend suggested.

It offered no more than he could bear, though that did not imply that he knew the reason for what appeared between the pages. Fingers danced over them until Aer's little paws intervened, forcing him to close it before continuing that habit.

"Hey!"

"Maybe reading will help you stay awake or sleep, but you need to clear your mind right now," Aer said.

"Since when did you become so prudent?" Rune said.

"Since when did you find it so hard to sleep and stop talking?" Aer said.

That was the best entertainment he could have, especially with the way things were going. Crossing Everground would be different than expected, but what lay beyond the mountains worried him, no matter how much he tried to hide it among his other duties. At least seeing with his own eyes (and ears) how Rune and Aer were still themselves, despite all that had changed, made the long day more bearable.

"Will you two just shut up? At this rate, anyone on the mountain will be able to hear you!" Nero exclaimed.