The frozen ground crunched underneath Yassi's foot. It had been a few hours since they had emerged from the pathway, which promptly collapsed after they had arrived in a clearing of a white forest. Taking out a compass, Yassi decided that they head out south, more trusting her gut than her little knowledge of the land.

Earth-36 was currently in its winter season, and they were currently around the top reaches of the northern hemisphere, and the cold can be harsh in these times. Karen was quite resistant to changes in temperature, but the human body can get quite sensitive. The Luminard stole quick glances towards her human companion in worry, but her hero seemed more than alright.

'I suppose even her bodily functions are abnormal too because of her powers,' Karen thought, and easily believed that her hero didn't mind the cold.

It had to be known that most information about the Superhero YAP had been gathered from rumors alone. Very few beings knew of the real identity and prowess of Yassi Anne P. Sorento. In fact, very little even knew of her full name. Hence, even a seasoned journalist like Karen hardly knew anything of her hero aside from what she has been told.

That must be why she was always surprised by every action her hero made.

"Karen, I'm sorry," Yassi said, her breath making puffs of clouds in the still, winter air. "I think we need to stop for a bit."

The Luminard definitely didn't notice that her hero was tired, and yet she asked for rest. They stopped beside a frozen lake, and Karen was momentarily taken away by the view. The snow-covered and dark, naked trees, their branches skinny and bent. The pristine iced waters of blue and white. The dark shadows that made everything seem as though they were hiding something.

'Earth, no matter which one, is always a wonder to see,' Karen thought. And said out loud, "It's beautiful."

Yassi sat on a large rock and sighed, taking in the view. "My Earth was beautiful too."

"It still is, I reckon," Karen said.

Yassi laughed. "I suppose. I haven't gone back in a long time… Talking about it to you brings it back like a favorite memory I once lost. I do remember it now, but it doesn't feel the same anymore."

Karen only looked at her hero, not quite understanding her words. She spoke as though she had seen all that there is to see in the universe, but staring at her now, the great hero looked no older than thirty.

"Come here, Karen," Yassi told her, patting the stone with her gloved hand. "I might feel warmer with you beside me."

Karen did not think that YAP was feeling cold nor tired, and she had a feeling that YAP perfectly knew that her kind didn't exude much heat from their bodies, but hearing the tone from her hero's words made her obey her.

When she was seated beside her, Yassi snuggled in closer towards her and kept her head down, her hood covering all of her face. It seemed as though her hero had gone to sleep. Then, she heard her whisper, "Do not make any reaction to what I'm about to say… A group of beings has been following us ever since we had gone out of the secret path. I need you to calm down, and listen closely to whatever I might tell you. I do not think they are hostile, but their numbers concern me. Now, allow me a few minutes of rest, and then urge me to continue onwards."

Karen, although bewildered by her words, fought through all of her curiosity to look around, and instead followed her hero's instructions. After a few minutes, they had started their lonely trek once again. Karen did try to look around as naturally as she could, but she didn't sense anyone around at all.

After an hour of peaceful walking, she finally heard a disturbance.

Karen heard Yassi curse under her breath. Not long after, large shapes started to emerge from the shadows around them. From trees, rocks, and branches. They appeared so silently that you would think they had always been there in plain sight.

Her hero made no sound but only stopped in her tracks, so she followed suit.

There was a brief, but heart wrenching time when the two groups faced each other. The hero's group had dark robes with hoods that hid their appearance, and the other group only looked like shadows. It was a peculiar sight of two faceless beings facing off with each other.

"Whooo are youuu?" the shadows asked in unison, their voices merged together in eerie harmony.

"… We are only travelers lost in our way." Karen heard Yassi say.

"… Whhoooo aree youuuu?" the shadows only continued, now sounding impatient. Karen felt deeply frightened by the dark, formless, and large creatures.

With a sigh, Yassi told them. "We mean you no harm, and we are only passing by… I am only a human and my companion here is a Luminard."

The shadow creatures suddenly muttered amongst themselves. And then, they said in perfectly normal human speech, "... Then take off your hoods so we might see you."

Yassi huffed, looking annoyed. "If so, remove your own cloaks so things may be fair."

Gasps resounded, from Karen and from the shadow creatures. Karen did not think they were only wearing cloaks to make them look like shadows. She thought they were the creatures of the Night, often mentioned in bedtime stories.

There was a brief silence before the creatures silently agreed. Together, the two groups removed their cloaks and their hoods.

Making a little sound, Karen realized who these shadow creatures were. "Maliferons!"

Yassi stared at them, smaller and leaner than when they had their special cloaks on, yet still quite larger than herself. Their skin was of a shiny gray, and looked hard and smooth to the touch. Their eyes were small and completely black, and they didn't appear to have noses or mouths. Four arms and two, thick legs. Maliferons.

Yassi tried to remember what she knew about them. They were a rare species, and one of the few beings who are able to control any of the elements. Even rarer, they had the ability to control the metal element. She had even read from somewhere that they were incredibly excellent controllers of a specific kind of iron found only in their home planet...

The same planet that was completely destroyed in the Great Divide: a galactic war YAP had played a great part of.

Regardless, Yassi did not think that these Maliferons would recognize her. So, she had no qualms about revealing her face. Luck, however, was not on our hero's side.

"… YAP?" one of the smaller Maliferons squeaked, its words going through an orifice that suddenly appeared on its face, much like where the human mouth is located. "You are her, right?"

Yassi said nothing, simply surprised that anyone would know her face. She rarely went around as YAP without her mask on.

The Maliferon, almost of the same height as Yassi's, stepped forward amidst the protests of her companions. Before long, it was now right in front of Yassi, close enough to touch her.

"Yes… you are indeed the Superhero YAP," it said, its black eyes glistening with a silver liquid. It slowly raised one of its arms, as though to touch the human's face. "… We thought you were gone."

Yassi was speechlessly touched by the scene, for she had rarely received any care from others ever since she had started her heroic duties. Here was a creature who remembered her and even cared for her life…

"YAP, you may not remember, but during the dawn of the Great Divide, you once passed through our home planet, now reduced to rubble, but oh, you were quite the sight! You flew right above my family's dome, and I saw you, if only for a moment! You glowed so beautifully, even though your clothes and mask were in tatters, heading out to the battle. You seemed like one of our morning stars," it continued, while Yassi's face paled. "You were our beacon of hope. YAP, our planet may be gone, but our entire race still lives on... Thank you."

Yassi could not reply, for she was too appalled by what she had heard. She has read too many things and heard so many rumors, and most would gravely call her contribution during the Great Divide as nothing but a failure. YAP had let a dozen planets be destroyed. YAP has singlehandedly caused a reckless explosion akin to a supernova's blast. YAP has failed yet again.

Yet, despite the countless number of lives lost, here appeared a whole clan of survivors. Refugees, yes, but still very much alive.

Suddenly, Yassi felt a heavy weight on her shoulder. "Come with us. We know you are hiding from someone. We saw you come out of a mysterious hole on the ground. We investigated, but it seemed to have just disappeared."

Karen nodded, and Yassi didn't reply. The Maliferons only continued, "… We do not understand what has happened, but if you need help, we can provide it."

Slowly, Yassi shook her head. "I cannot drag you into my problems."

Karen was about to speak out in protest, when one of the biggest Maliferons beat her to it. "YAP, you too did not need to save us when the war happened. We had no right at all to call for help from a tiny earthling born many lightyears away, yet you came to help us. Do not speak of you dragging people into your problems, because we would only feel bad."

The small Maliferon in front of her let out a laughter-like sound and grabbed Yassi's hand with two of hers. "Come. Our territory may be small but in the years we have made refuge here, we have made it into a little fortress of iron. I believe no one can penetrate our walls so easily unless they had a strength alike yours."

The Maliferon winked at Yassi, and then grabbed onto Karen's arm as well with her remaining two hands. The two companions could only follow...

"We're here," the small Maliferon announced.

They had led them into a space particularly littered with trees and some persistent plant life that could still flourish in colder climate. There was no sign of any territory around them. Yassi was beginning to think if it were all a trap…

However, she only felt the excitement and joyful air from the Maliferons, and although they were known to be a violent people, Yassi couldn't believe they would hurt them. She realized earlier that the group probably had children with them, as some of them were as small as or even smaller than the Maliferon who had recognized her. She saw how the bigger ones would keep the small ones between them, as though protecting them. 'How could such caring creatures be of treachery?' Yassi thought, but deep down, she knew how the gentlest beings could easily turn out deadly given the right circumstances.

However, she didn't seem to have a choice. They were lost. And sooner or later, their pursuers will find them, and all her running and hiding for months would be for naught.

So, she waited patiently as she looked around, hoping she had only missed seeing the territory the first time she surveyed the land.

Then, she heard Karen gasp, and found her looking at the ground. Yassi looked hard below her but found nothing but snow and a few withered grass…

"You have a keen eye, Luminard," one of the bigger Maliferons said.

Karen's skin blushed in a bright shade of pink. "You flatter me. I only observed a certain pattern on the ground."

Staring at the ground again, Yassi finally observed how there were occasional patches of metallic surfaces on the ground, barely noticeable unless you really looked for it. "Metal…?"

"Indeed," a bigger one said. "You may not know of this, but our kind live in iron domes we create ourselves. These domes… we keep under the ground."

It gestured under them with its four arms, kneeling gently on the soft ground. "All you have to do is knock."

And it did, and then the ground shook around them, as the whole land appeared to come to life. The trees began to rise and the soil slid to reveal an open space with elegant steps leading down, which looked like it was made from a slick black metal.

Staring at each other, they then both entered through their second dark hole of the day. When they had reached the bottom, Yassi and Karen were greeted with gentle, blue light and a wide view of the magnificent underground world.

"Welcome to the Maliferon Territory, Hero YAP and her Luminard friend," the largest of them all announced in a deep, resonating voice. "Come and seek refuge under the earth and be safe within the Ferric Goddess' embrace."