Time shifted again and Àskériàn found himself in a thick rainforest. The smell of rain was fresh in the air, and he found it strange that he could use his sense of smell, when none of this was real.

He watched as he perched on a high hanging branch of a mighty oak tree, as Lady Ardent and King Alexander stumbled through the thick forest.

They kept going, using their swords to cut verdant vines and plush underbrush that blocked their way.

Àskériàn learned that if he wanted, he could walk through the foliage like a ghost did through walls.

"I can't believe the portal formed away from the village." Alexander complained.

Ardent's neko ears flattened against her auburn hair. "I'm sorry." She replied.

He gave her an apologetic look. "Do you have any idea where we are?" She asked.

He nodded. "We're in the Arcadian Rainforest. Which means we landed beyond the Mysterious Craigs. Passed that is more forest, an open field and then the woods around Alexanhd.".

He paused and lifted his eyes that were a mixture of blue and teal, towards the sky. "Rumor has it, this place is the home to the Rainbirb."

Ardent followed her gaze with his, searching the treetops for signs of life.

Àskériàn looked around also. There were only vines and huge trees, streams of flowing water, strange flowers, and large mushrooms, but no signs of a rainbirb. Whatever that was.

Onward they trudged, Àskériàn kept pace, jumping from one tree branch to another and then from hill to hill as small ravines cut through the forest floor, occasionally using fallen logs as makeshift bridges, his black cape flapped out behind him with his movements.

His long dark hair trailed in the wind, gleaming dark red like his scales once did under the occasional rays of sunlight that filtered through the forest.

Finally, one swipe of King Alexander's sword opened up the undergrowth. A thicket lay in wait for them, the edge of the craigs.

They trekked through the tall grass that gave way to a dirty overpass that overlooked a magnificent lake. Around the lake, crevices and cliffs rose. In some places, large craters marked where land had once been, though where it went was a mystery. Thats exactly how the stretch of land and water got its name.

"Let's go around." Alexander decided. Ardent followed, glancing down at the water below. The lake was round and stretched outward. The sunlight gleamed off the blue surface, reminding her of the realm she would have to return to, with its starry expanse of sky.

As the journey went on, Àskériàn noticed Ardent's strength begin to shift. It was in the way she missed her steps and fell behind, but whenever Alexander looked back, she would smile in an effort to hide it.

Soon they were on the other side of the massive lake and its cliffs. The forest lay beyond, seeming to wrap around the craigs, and merging with the Rainforest.

They paused at the edge of the tree line. " The sun will be setting soon." Ardent spoke, examining the Gaian sun's position in the darkening sky.

"It's just a little further, maybe a few hours' walk." Alexander comforted.

Ardent nodded, hesitantly. Àskériàn could see it on her face. She didn't want to go back. Confusion set in, along with curiosity. Something nagged at him, something ominous. This part of Gaia seemed familiar.

The thick of woods was denser than Àskériàn had thought it would be. Small animals scurried through the underbrush. Bright blue woodpeckers drilled holes at the tops of the mahogany trees with red beaks. Ferns and boulders of various sizes dotted the forest floor along with shed leaves.

They made their way as the sky continued to darken. And finally, they broke through to open space. Àskériàn recognized the field. It was the same field he had found Ardent inside the tower. He knew where they were, across the field of grass and wildflowers sat an expanse of trees that marked the border of Alexhand. Memories of that day threatened to haunt Àskériàn's own mind, but he forced them back. Of course, this memory would be stored in the stone.

He followed them to the edge of the forest. It was even more dense than the last wooded area they went through.

Bright lights broke through between the copes, illuminating the tree branches. The sound of people chattering drifted to them on the breeze. The village lay just on the other side, the brick buildings and cobbled road played hide and seek through the branches and he could just make out the brick wall that surrounded the small city.

Àskériàn watched as Alexander let go of Ardent's hand and rushed forward. He ran through the trees and disappeared. Shouts of joy and cheer erupted as the people met their leader on the other side. From the edge of the forest Ardent spotted familiar faces. Sark, Jae, Ellie and Mikra. She let out a sigh of relief upon seeing that her friends were safe.

Then Àskériàn's heart sank as he watched his friend dart off across the field and away from the village. He followed her as she travelled through the direction that they came from. The sky began to grow dark as night drew near and soon it began to rain. Raindrops that passed right through him, never once wetting his armor.

After a while they reached the Mysterious Craigs once more. Soft light flitted down from above and when Àskériàn looked up, he was stunned. The portal sat directly above the large lake, below the cliffs.

How he didn't notice it earlier was beyond him. Movement tore him from the golden mirror-like object in the night sky.

Ardent readied her stance and lifted herself into the air with her wings. Upward and upward, she climbed towards the portal. Until her body grew heavy with rainwater. She fought with herself as her feathers began to dismember themselves from her velvety white wings. She would never make it, between the toxins in the atmosphere and the rain, both were taking effect on her. With a heavy sigh, she allowed herself to land back on the wet ground, at the cliff's edge.

He watched as she searched for shelter. Her hair stuck to her face and her wings were now soaked.

She found a place where a large rock jutted out from the surface of the cliff. The earth beneath it dipped into a small cave.

Ardent examined the sky from the darkness of the cave and a crack of lightning shot against the backdrop, making both of them flinch.

The sound of a birb's chirp drew Ardent's attention. Outside the cave a familiar, small, blue birb sat on a low hanging branch in a tree a few yards away. A gust of wind knocked the birb from the branch and onto the forest floor.

"Poor thing." Ardent cried, as she left the safety of the cavern. She crossed the space between the cave and the tree. Kneeling down, she scooped the blue creature up with her small pale hands.

Ardent sat the birb down on the cave floor, the tiny being and Àskériàn watched as she gathered sticks and dried leaves that had somehow found their way into the cave, probably from windy days.

Ardent tucked the kindling into a pile. "Flamma." She said softly and the small pile caught fire. "There." Ardent said, "now we can stay warm."

The tiny birb chirped in delight. A crack of lightning struck the ground outside the cave, scaring it.

Ardent scooped it up and placed it on her shoulder. "You can stay there, you'll be safe." She said offering a smile.

The birb snuggled itself against Ardent's cheek. "Awe such a cute birb." She laughed with delight. Soon both birb and girl had drifted off to sleep while the storm raged outside.

Àskériàn steadied himself against the cavern wall. Their restful facade made him feel tired, but then he felt a familiar sensation that suggested time was moving on its own again.

When the prickling feeling ebbed, sunlight filtered into the cave. The seraphim rose from her slumber, the fire had gone out and the birb was gone. She jumped up and started searching for the birb. "Little birb! Where are you?" She called as she exited the cave and into the forest.

Outside the cave, he recognized the young girl with pointed ears. Her hair was dark, her skin was pale, and she wore blue elven clothing lined with white tiger fur

"H..hello." Ardent called. "Where did you come from?"

"Thank you for helping me last night." The slender girl replied. "In your kindness, you spared me from a dreadful fate, and I am forever in your debt."

"What? You are the birb?" She asked astonished.

"Indeed I am." Replied the girl. "My name is Rain, I am an elf of Arcadia. I am a shapeshifter and a familiar tamer. I am also lost."

Then it hit him, this was the day Ardent met Rain. But why was this memory sealed away?