"There you go," Groshk said, and he stopped his unicorn. "Here is the end of the Crystal Garden. The Spring Mountains are ahead, across these rocks, but if you follow this path," he pointed at the path they were on, but then in the distance, "you'll get to Fennekirch."

"And which way are you going?" Meroch asked.

Groshk smiled. "North. On the other side of the Crystal Garden lies the farm of my parents. I'll go say hello to them and then I may go back to Grisenland. Despite the dragons and their riders, it's pretty fun here."

"Dragon riders?" Meroch asked, and he let himself slide out of the saddle. "I know of only one. Do you mean there are more of them? Or did you see only her?"

"I saw only one," Groshk confirmed. He followed Meroch to the ground. "An eminn girl. It was about a month ago. She scared my unicorn to death- literally. I used to have a black one, but it died a few minutes after I'd gotten away from her and her dragon. Luckily, I could buy this one from the Elves. He's even faster than the one I used to have..."

Meroch waited patiently, despite his urge to know where Ayra was. "Where did you see her?" he asked when Groshk finished his monologue about his unicorn.

"In Kleech, by the fountain," Groshk replied. "She drank from it as if she were an animal, like her dragon."

"Ayra is sort of beastly," Meroch agreed. "Wolf's fangs, in Kleech... If it hadn't been for that hexed forest, I could've seen her again."

"But she could be anywhere by now," Groshk warned him. "She didn't look like she was going to stay in Kleech for a long time, and as you know, dragons are fast. She could be in Ikroulia, for all we know."

Meroch sighed. "Hexit. Well, I guess I'll have to tame a dragon myself, then. Then I can also free my friends from the prison in Fennekirch."

"Not too bad of an idea," Groshk laughed, "compared to the other ones possible. There are Big Dragons in the Spring Mountains. They are more powerful than Little ones, but be careful. You won't be able to reason with them. If they want to kill you, you will die."

"I'll be fine," Meroch laughed too. "If Ayra can tame a dragon, I can certainly do it. I have all magic on my side."

"Good luck, then," Groshk said. He stood silently on the rocks for a moment. Then, out of nowhere, he gave Meroch a hug. 

Completely surprised, Meroch felt an urge to step back, but he was wrapped tightly in Groshk's arms. The spikes on his shoulders were awfully close to Meroch's face. Meroch took a deep breath and tried hard to hide his anxiety. 

"Hope to see you again, brother," Groshk said, finally letting Meroch go. "I'll teach you to read next time we meet."

"Thanks," Meroch mumbled, and he blushed. "I'll get going now. Goodbye!"

"Goodbye, Meroch!"

Meroch didn't look back. He walked off the path to the east, where the Spring Mountains towered above him. His hand subconsciously moved to his hip, where the swordbreaker hang. In his pocket he felt the bottle of invulnerability potion. He prayed, to whoever would listen, that fortune would not forsake him on his dangerous quest. 

He picked up the pace, and lifted his face to look forward. Ahead lied a bare and rocky land. The snow on the mountains shimmered challengingly in the afternoon sun as it pierced through the roof of clouds. Lizards, that had been bathing in the light, shot away before his feet. The wind rustled through the few bushes that found a place to grow among the rocks. 

Meroch turned around a final time. He didn't know why, but he still did. He looked at the edge of the path he'd strayed from, where the green ended abruptly, as if the earth had cracked open and the grey rock and the mountains had burst out, like the beak of a newborn bird from its egg.

 Meroch's gaze wandered off though, slowy rising to the horizon. In the distance, a cloud of dust marked the location of Groshk on his unicorn. The Crystal Garden glittered mystically in a thousand colours. On the other side of the path, the Elf Woods lied silently now in the peaceful scenery. They were too quiet for the wind that was actually blowing, like they were hiding and holding their breath to avoid making any sound at all. The wind pulled on Meroch's clothes and hair, as if it was trying to drag Meroch along to the Spring Mountains. 

Determined, he followed the wind and made his way over the rocky hills.