After calling us to gather at the center, near the majestic fire pit, Kiara stands tall. She uses her sword and the ashes left from our duel to outline a shape. Even Ameline could draw better.

Kenric stands by with a large pack on his back. His arms and upper torso are coated in bandages- he told me he was the one trying to hold me back. None of my comrades, thankfully, seem to have suffered any wounds on my behalf. From what I was told, Herald Rayburn had led them to safety before my rampage had begun.

I've strewn in guilt ever since, but I remain silent. I know they hold no ill will, regardless if they are burned.

"Now then," Kiara says to us all. "Here is what you must do. First, we will transport you to the base of Mt. Aeterna. Hostile creatures roam the mountain, but your worst enemy is the extreme cold and winds. But this journey will make you stronger, individually and as a unit. Your survival is your top priority. Once you make it to the top, your journey will be completed. We will provide you with the supplies needed for only one day's journey, but then you must collect your own food and find your own shelter. Any questions?"

Only one raises his hand. Exactly who I thought would object to this.

"Why must we do this?" Roland says. "This sounds like a dangerous waste of time."

"Oh, by all means," Kiara says. "Once you arrive at Mt. Aeterna, feel free to go on your own journey if you would rather. But the White Lion can get you to Mosluem in a day."

Roland looks over at us. But nobody objects with him, especially not me. So he sighs and gives a gentle nod.

Kiara and Kenric lead us down the southern tunnel. At the end, I'm surprised to see a glorious sight- a white temple spewing Vim at its top.

"A Communion Temple!" Charlotte says with a gasp. "I've never seen one with my own eyes before, but I learned about them while in the Monastery."

We climb a flight of white stone stairs leading up to the entrance of that majestic temple. I notice the statues jutting out on the front side, carved out of the same stone. They're all different-looking people, but each has the same emblem on my arm. Some hold spears and swords, while some are robed women. I can't help but think that all of them are alive, staring me down with their judgemental eyes.

The inside of the temple is like a block of hollowed marble, with the floor so shiny that we can see our reflections. The walls absorb the sounds of our footsteps. Everything is so large I feel as tall as Ameline, who must feel like a toddler. The walls are littered with designs burning with Vim's blue hue. I can see, noticeably, that the figures on the walls are fighting crude drawings of Fiends, fit with colored eyes and long, stretching arms. At the end of the room is a giant, roaring geyser of pure Vim, with yet another short flight of stairs leading closer to the flames. Finally, the geyser shoots into the ceiling and out of the roof.

Kiara stands before the veil of fire, and the heat almost instantly makes me sweat. It emits a strange sound, like soft, deep chanting. I can't understand what they're saying. Kenric tosses that giant pack on his back into the vortex, and it vanishes into the flames without a trace!

"Y' all ready?" Kenric says. "The path won't stay open long, so make it quick."

Roland's the first to go in. He takes a deep breath, steps inside the veil, and is gone in a flash. Then, Alistar steps up, then looks back at the temple. He shakes his head silently, and he walks through the fire and disappears. Duncan and Charlotte hold each other's hands before walking in together. Now all that is left are Ameline and me as it was once before. She instantly grabs my hand and looks up at me.

"Let's go!" Ameline says with a smile.

"Actually," I say. "I think this might be a bit dangerous for you."

"No, it won't. I like the cold."

"Well, still," I say while kneeling to her. "I think it'd be best if you stayed here for now. We'll be back, I promise."

"But... I'm a warrior, too," she says while crossing her arms with a pout.

I give her a light pat on her head. "Not yet, you're not. But, maybe one day you will be. Now be a good girl, okay?"

But she jerks her arm away, keeping her back turned. When I look at Kiara, she gives me a smile and a nod, saying she will take care of Ameline, I assume. Kenric gives me a beat of his chest. I step back, feeling the vortex's heat slowly getting colder. I just keep my eyes on her, and I keep smiling. When I finally step into the fire, the heat is intense. It feels strange to the touch. I feel a heavy breeze masked by a veil of cold. The more I step inside the fire, the colder and more curious I become. I keep hearing voices, sounding like Duncan and Roland.

But I hear something different muddled under the sounds of crackling flames. It sounds like the voice of someone young and upset.

"I'm a warrior too..."

It happened so fast, traveling through the vortex, that before I knew it, I found myself in the middle of a cold, dark temple just like the one in Kodalia. Everyone was waiting for me, silently and prepared. Nobody seemed to question where little Ameline was. Duncan and Charlotte looked around for her, but when I remained silent, they understood. The pack Kenric sent was heavier than expected, so we divided the supplies amongst ourselves.

In the sack were five sets of adult-sized warm clothing- fur jackets, warm pants, hiking boots, and even a hooded coat for Charlotte. Kenric even packed a miniature coat for Ameline, though it's worthless now. Also in the sack was a few days' worth of vegetables and herbs and a few bottles of mead, the same mead Kiara served me.

We start our trek as soon as we find a trail that leads up the massive mountain. Looking up, I can't see the top from the clouds blocking the view. Snow flies around me, making me shiver and breathe tiny puffs of smoke. We stay silent as we walk along the path, our footsteps staying behind as imprints in the snow.

Mosleum must be on their minds as well.

The sun must be shining, but I can't tell exactly. The wind has gotten so fierce, and with the snow so loose, my vision is a flurry of white clouds. I must shield my face with my forearm to keep the wind from stinging my eyes. As a result, I only see the mountainside to my right, the sky to my left, and only a faint image of the snowy path in front of me. The more I walk, the damper my shoes get. All I see are rolling hills of snow and the occasional jutting rock. I keep thinking I'll slip and fall off the side of the mountain.

I'm already shivering. The warm clothes only protect me slightly.

I try to use my Auryn as a torch and hopefully warm us up, but I don't have the strength to keep it warm. All this cold is making my body start to go numb. We stay silent to save our breath, softly tortured by the biting wind.

That is until Alistair speaks up out of nowhere. "Wait. Stop, stop!"

We stop dead in our tracks. His eye is darting around like he's looking for something.

"I thought I heard something," he says, looking out to the sky.

"How can you hear anything with all this wind?" Duncan says. "'Probably just your mind playing tricks."

Even though he stays behind for a few seconds, just staring off into the distance, Alistar eventually follows us up the trail. But I can tell he's still skeptical.

I silently think as we keep walking, and the snow keeps flying. I think about Mosleum's appearance and how many Shadowhearts it can fill. I think about Theoton, or what's left after that night. I think about Bridgette and whatever torture she's going through at this moment, or at this point, perhaps it's pleasure.

I think about Ameline. She must be so disappointed that she couldn't be with us now. But I don't regret leaving her there, no matter how she feels.

I start to notice that I keep seeing mounds of snow along the way. Then, when I step into something squishy, I look down to see another surge of snow. Finally, yanking my foot out, I see a head. My heart nearly leaps out of my chest when I notice how many corpses surround us. Most of them look to have died from the cold or hunger.

We keep our eyes forward.

The path eventually ends just as we reach the top of another hill, and the only way to continue forward is a thin ledge that wraps around the mountainside. Reluctantly, I'm the first to start hugging the wall. The path is slippery, but a cliff overhead keeps the snow from piling on the ledge.

We cram together, moving collectively like a school of fish. I look down to see how far we are; falling from this height will spell my doom. I can't even see the bottom.

"Don't look down..." Duncan keeps chanting to himself.

"I didn't know you were afraid of heights," Charlotte says.

"I wasn't... this morning."

While we're shuffling along, Alistar accidentally slips, but Roland can push him back on the ledge. He's so frightened he has to hold onto Roland's arm like a child.

But then, after a few more feet, Alistar speaks up again. "Stop!"

"What now?" Roland asks.

"Now I know there's something out there!" I notice Alistar's counting his fingers one by one. "Some kind of bird, I think. More than one. It sounds like they're hunting."

"How can you tell?" I ask.

"When raptors flap slowly, that means they're looking for prey. I don't know anything about mountain life, but... they sound big."

"We should hurry then," Charlotte says. "If they're hostile, we're sitting ducks up here!"

Shuffling a bit faster, I can't help but feel even more anxious than before. I trust Alistar's sense of judgment, being a natural-born hunter like the rest of his people. We go so fast that a rock accidentally breaks off beneath my feet, and we must hoist ourselves over it.

I never hear the rock break.

Thankfully, when we reach the end, it leads to another flat and wide snow path. But even now, I'm starting to feel like I'm being hunted. Whatever these creatures are, this is their natural habitat, and I can barely keep my eyes open.

Eventually, after we climb up another hill, we come across an eerily flat part of the land that leads to another part of the mountain. Although it's not too snowy, it feels hard underneath when I step on the path. The air has gotten a bit colder.

"How much longer?" Duncan says.

"My guess," Roland says while shielding his eyes. "Another day or two."

"I'm not gonna make it that far..." Duncan replies. "I've never been this cold."

Suddenly, I hear a creaking sound underneath my feet and stop dead in my tracks. They follow suit as we all stare at the ground.

"This must be a lake..." Charlotte says.

"Don't move!" I shout when I hear another sound. "We'll go separately. Charlotte, you go first since you're the lightest."

She nods, and she spots a tree where the land starts to rise several yards away. Charlotte moves carefully and keeps her eyes on her feet the whole time. When she reaches the tree, she hugs it tightly.

I give Alistar a nudge, and he starts shuffling over to Charlotte. He keeps looking down at the ice and repeatedly stops and starts again. He seems the most paranoid. Eventually, he reaches Charlotte and presses himself against the tree.

"Alright," Roland says while patting my shoulder. "Now you."

A bit apprehensive, I keep calm as I walk forward. The ice feels paper thin beneath my feet. I keep my eyes on Charlotte and Alistar, holding their breaths for me. However, when I take another step, I hear another creaking sound. When I stop, the sounds keep getting louder.

Then, the ice breaks just before I reach the shore. Everyone yelps, but I'm able to reach the land. I look back to see the floor cracking and starting to separate. Pieces of ice crumble into the water, and Duncan and Roland start sprinting toward us. But soon, as more ice begins to break, they find themselves stranded on a single piece of the frozen lake. Several more pieces of ice are floating away from them, surrounding them with freezing water.

"Nice going, fat ass!" Duncan shouts at me.

"Don't panic," Roland tells him while he kneels to the side. "Just paddle with me. Carefully."

"That ice isn't gonna hold them long!" Charlotte shouts. "We have to do something, Triton!"

Looking at the tree, I suddenly get an idea. Pushing Alistar gently away, I call upon my sword and make one clean slice right at the bottom of the tree. They help me push it over, and we roll the log into the water and watch it float. Roland and Duncan hurry and paddle toward their new boat.

"Wait..." Alistar says. "Oh no... I think they found us!"

Suddenly, I start to hear screeches in the wind. I look around the sky but see nothing beyond the frosty fog. Then, Duncan shouts as a beast comes flying down, trying to catch him with its talons. Then, more beasts start to dive down from the sky, surrounding the two and eventually targeting me, Charlotte, and Alistar.

There must be dozens of them. They all look like deformed people, with wings instead of arms and legs like birds. They have large fangs protruding, wrinkly faces and long orange manes that thrash in the wind. They emit loud screeches that nearly deafen me.

We ready our weapons instantly.

Charlotte slices one out of the sky with her shortsword, finishing it with a stab in the chest. One of them hovers around me, trying to claw my face, but I'm eventually able to slice it. My flame cuts the beast clean in half. Meanwhile, Duncan and Roland keep trying to defend themselves on that ice, but every move they make shakes the ice and nearly tips them over.

Roland calls upon his Vim Whip and swings it around fiercely.

ENAERVA!

Lashing several at a time, the beasts plummet into the water. But when one of them clings onto Roland's shoulders, his whip disappears, and he yelps in pain, trying to shoo the beast away. And then, as Duncan tries to defend himself, the ice beneath his feet breaks away, and he falls into the water. He shouts from the cold and thrashes about, trying to stay afloat. Finally, he distracts me long enough for another beast to lunge at me, and it slices me with its nails across my chest. I keep on my feet, just in time to cut it away.

I notice a few arrows lodged in the snow. When I see Alistar, I see him trying to shoot a hovering beast, but it knocks his bow away. So I ready my stance and aim a slash directly at that beast.

IMPERIUS!

With a wave of Vim slicing it directly, the beast is cut in half and falls to the ground. Alistar is breathing heavily as he reaches for his bow again. Meanwhile, Charlotte is nearby, trying to slice two more beasts that fly out of reach. She tries to use her Vim, but the light doesn't affect them.

"Use a sword art!" I call to her, dodging another lunging beast.

"I don't know any! I'm just a Cleric!"

But then a beast swats her sword away. It hovers around her head, trying to slice her neck, but she's too fast. Charlotte rolls away just in time to dodge the beast trying to bite her. Then, out of nowhere, she yelps in pain and stops in her tracks just as a beast manages to knock her down.

An arrow has been lodged in her shoulder. Alistar is standing by, his bow drawn and his legs shaking.

"I-I'm sorry..." he mutters. "I didn't-"

But then, out of nowhere, a loud and low roar echoes from the nearby hill. I can't see anything from the fog, but the call is so powerful that it emits wind. The remaining beasts fly away, frightened by the sound, and finally leave us. We stay silent, and I hear giant footsteps sounding like they're coming closer to us. I hold my breath. The wind is getting louder as the steps get closer and closer. It causes such fright Roland dives into the water to help Duncan swim to shore.

And then, from on the horizon, I see it walking by- a massive beast with long legs, a giant body, black skin, and a silver mane. And its eyes are Fiendish red, although it doesn't give off the fog of darkness I associate with them. Regardless, it marches away from us. I heave a tremendous sigh of relief.

However, Alistar hasn't stopped shaking as he looks at Charlotte. She's pulled the arrow from her shoulder, holding Duncan close to her like she isn't in pain. But regardless, Alistar starts to back away, hides his face in shame, and runs into the fog. Nobody chases after him, not even me. I'm still stuck in my tracks from seeing that massive Fiend.

Charlotte will forgive him. But he may think otherwise.

"ALISTAAAAR!"

My voice carries along the mountainside, finally able to be heard now that the wind has died down. But the air has gotten chillier since sunset. I'm the only one able to search for Alistar, as the others are back in the cave, warming themselves and recovering. The pain in my chest will subside, and my Auryn is keeping me warm enough. But eventually, I will have to rest too.

I've been desperately trying to follow in his footsteps. To be alone on this mountain, in this weather, among the wildlife we've seen only this far, is almost as dangerous as facing a Shadowheart. But I saw the look on his face. It will take a lot of coercion to bring him back, especially after everything he's been through.

Soon, however, I notice another trail of tracks nearby that leads to a separate route. I have to scratch my head, thinking of which way to go.

"ALISTAR! WHERE ARE YOU?!"

But I still hear nothing, not even footsteps. I'm starting to shiver again, but I'm pacing my breathing to be slow and heavy to preserve my temperature.

Then I hear something else from above, like wings flapping in the wind. I remember those winged beasts, and I believe I'm in for another fight, but these flaps sound softer and more graceful. Then, when I look up, I see a bird's silhouette flying overhead. But this bird is enormous- it seems as big as a horse with a wingspan just as significant. It lets out a low screech, but it's not a threatening sound.

I vaguely remember seeing other birds that size. Nicolas introduced me to the same avian spectacles long ago, though my memories are still fuzzy.

When I reach the trail's end, I'm too late to notice the hill ends with a trench in the snow. I lose my balance, but I stay on the cliff. Looking over the ledge, I see a poor soul has made the same mistake before me. Dried blood cakes the rock beneath his head. But it's not Alistar, thankfully.

Then, I look over my shoulder. I notice a ball of light has suddenly appeared from over yonder. I asked Charlotte to cast that very same orb when an hour passed so I could find my way back. I sigh, and I silently pray for forgiveness before trekking back to the cave.

I stare at the fire, my warmer clothes drying near the flame, so I'm shivering from only wearing my tunic. However, I'm not shivering as badly as Duncan, who is bundled in his bedroll, twitching loudly from the cold. Charlotte is trying to use her Vim, but the light on her hands is minuscule. Roland, however, is stirring a pot over the fire without care.

"Soup's almost done. Hang in there," Roland tells us.

"Aren't you cold?" I ask.

"Of course. But I spent the winter picking turnips and herding caribou in nothing but my skivvies when I was a boy. We all did without a complaint unless we wanted a lashing. I guess I'm just used to the cold," Roland replies.

"I-I'm not..." Duncan says, his teeth chattering.

Meanwhile, Charlotte keeps struggling with the light on her hands. I can tell she's getting desperate.

"Forgive me, Duncan," she says, her hands finally dimming. "I don't have enough Vim left to keep you warm."

"That's alright, love," he responds. "Save it for when you need it."

Then Charlotte raises the flap of his bedroll, and she carefully slips inside to lay at his side. Draping her arm on Duncan's shoulder, his shivering is dwindling.

"Oh, Duncan... I'm sorry," she says, resting her head on his shoulder. "I've been careless recently. You're always getting into trouble, and I rely on someone else to step in for me. Unfortunately, this sword hasn't been serving well."

"I'm probably not the easiest man to be married to."

"No, it hasn't been easy. But we've gone through so much in these past four years together, and somehow... I still have much to improve on. It makes me feel like a worthless wife whenever you get hurt."

Duncan lets out a chuckle. "I often feel the same. But when you're married, at least you can endure your hardships with someone you love. We're two halves of a soldier, you and I. My pain is yours, and yours is mine."

He gently places his hand on her cheek. "You're the only one I want to share my pain with."

She stays silent for a moment. And then she raises her blue eyes and finally smiles at him.

"Brute..." Charlotte says with a blush.

Then, after another chuckle, they share a long kiss. We're so quiet, I hear their lips smack. Then, as Roland scoops the soup into small bottles, which must have been intended for drinking water, we each drink our soup excitedly. The broth tastes terrible, but the meat is nice and tender.

I can't remember how long it took me to fall asleep. I remember laying in the tunnel's darkness, trying to keep myself warm inside my blanket and staring at the ceiling. But before I know it, while everything is black, I'm slowly awakened by something on my chest- a rodent sniffing my face. That little creature that Alistar is fond of, hidden all this time, I believe, under his coat- it's lying on my chest. It chirps a bit before leaping out towards the mouth of the cave.

That's when I see someone with their back turned. I already know who it is before I see his long red braid. And when I reach the end of the cave, I notice something large sitting next to him, nestled in the snow. It's a large bird with crimson feathers and a brown mane, with a big black beak and eyes like two rubies. That's the bird I saw flying over me. When it notices me, Alistar shushes it carefully, and it obeys instantly. My feet squish in the snow, and the wind stings me, but I don't mind.

"I remember this Falcor... it was flying overhead not too long ago," I say with a grin.

"I ran into him," he says. "It'll take a while before he's completely loyal, but he's off to a good start." He affectionately pets the bird's wing. "Hungry fella, but he has a strong back."

"Did you hear me calling you?"

"Yes."

"Why were you avoiding me then?"

"I don't deserve your kindness, Triton," he says, his voice becoming emotional. "Not after..."

Charlotte never once complained about her shoulder. The pain never bothered her, or she was too busy worrying about Duncan, but she never showed discomfort.

"It was an accident, Alistar," I say. "We all know you wouldn't hurt any of us."

"I always used to hit my targets perfectly..." he says, lowering his head. "If that arrow was just a tad bit higher...."

"It'll take some time to adjust to how you are now, I understand," I tell him. "We all have to grow. But once we rescue Bridgette, we can start to focus on getting strong-"

"Triton... I never agreed to go to Mosleum with you."

I hold my breath.

"I'm sorry," he says. "But all this war and the Shadowhearts... it's just too much for me."

"So what are you going to do?"

Alistar stares into nothing. His braid slowly flows in the increasing wind. I can see a lot of shaded, unrecognizable land from up here, but he's looking in only one direction.

"I had everything I could want. And now, after I lost my whole life, I've asked myself if I'm still Alistar Winsmore or something else entirely." He glances at the bird, which raises its head as if awaiting his order. "And then I met him. I named him Macalosh."

"Your father would like that," I say.

"I realize there's only one place I can go where I can find out who I've become," Alistar says. "Back where I came from."

"Are you sure?" I ask him, a part of me hoping he'll reconsider. "Witheridge is a long journey from here. It might be too dangerous for you."

"Triton..." he says, and then he smiles at me. "Stop worrying about me. I'll always be grateful for you saving my life, but I have to do this alone."

He extends his hand to me, never losing his smile. "Maybe someday, I'll be of better use to you."

And although I'm still concerned for his safety, with the night in Theoton on my mind, I can tell this is important to him. It'd be like pushing a chick out of the nest to teach it to fly.

So I hold his arm, and I give him a hopeful look. "This isn't goodbye."

"No, of course, it isn't."

He gives a light whistle and that little creature bounds from my feet to his shoulder. Then Alistar gets on the bird, and its back is only big enough for him.

"Good luck, my friend," he says while tipping his hat.

He lightly taps the bird with his heel. It opens its wings and leaps, flapping and hovering higher and higher. Then, they take off, and Alistar looks back one last time before they ride against the wind.

I watch him fly further and further away. And even though my nose is running from the cold, I can't stop staring at him until he's gone. And a little piece of me feels like I may not see that one big blue eye of his again, but at the same time, I can't help but think he'll be just fine on his own. I know he's a strong man.

He's a Witherin. Just like Nicolas was.