Kilfer had a bad dream.

He dreamt of thousands of ants, black and huge with an unstoppable craving for fresh meat and blood. They were tearing apart his flesh, burrowing deep into his skin and bringing out a throbbing red lump of flesh that he realised what it was. His heart.

He saw it with his own eyes, yet felt no pain except for the numbness that clung to his body. He lay there limp, simply watching the gruesome procession of the ants eating him and burrowing holes on his skin silently. Motionlessly.

Then he woke.

Kilfer was in a different place, the darkness was gone, and so were the ants and the waterfall and the windows and the veil and everything that he knew of, leaving him and the box the held Ferhia beside him. Thick long strands of grass filled the entire span of land until the horizon from where he could see, but when he turned to the other side there was simply mountains. He was lost, he did not know where he came to, and where he should continue on, and when he glanced at the map there was not a single mark like it was simply a blank piece of paper.

Kilfer could simply sigh as he bent down to retrieve the box. It was so light it seemed that Ferhia had simply the weight of a pound of lead, silent, hard and unmoving. He knew simply waiting would not help, and he must go forward, for wasting more time might mean the darkness consuming all he knew and treasured, including him and Ferhia.

"If you happen to lose your way, always remember -- stay with what you trust most and let it guide you," Bronswig's words echoed in his mind. Kilfer paused, glancing around and saw nothing except for a river, calm and silent, only a slight gurgling sound. Following the water, it extended northwards, up to the mountains where the mist and freezing temperatures lay.

The river. Kilfer remembered how he always found the way back to the Lair when he is lost on the mountain during the days when the Pack was still alive, and he had always trusted the river, the sounds of the water soothed him and the soft touch of the water made him love water more than anything else within all the magic that he could control.

Glancing down into the river water he pulled deep into the water, concentrating deep within every molecule and willing it towards him. They followed and bit by bit, water rose from the river until it seemed a hulking azure figure, and Kilfer leapt onto it, driving the water he gathered forwards, sweeping the grass with freshly gathered water and driving the water back into the river with a splash.

Kilfer loved the water, and once he found how to use water with his powers barely a few days ago he loved the sensation, the fluidity of the liquid that he concentrated within him, and the beauty that his powers gave it, to make it alive.

The water carried him forwards, the view of the mountains getting larger, closer and the northern winds blew gusts of cool wind towards him and he welcomed it, it was so long since he felt the wind this refreshing to him.

He glanced back to the box, he remembered how he found Ferhia, her sister. She never knew of a vision Kilfer had, that on the day he turned five a cursed girl shall be born, and she is Kilfer's only bloodline. No one, not even the Pack or Ferhia knew but they were connected, Kilfer and Ferhia, as brothers and sisters and how he took pains to bring Ferhia into the Pack against the wolves' will. Five years ago before Ferhia was born, it was him who was thrown out of the village because of the curse. He also had the curse, and was of the same parentage as Ferhia. And it was also the Pack that saved him from the cold, silent night the night he was thrown out of the village.

Kilfer sighed. If he did not bring Ferhia into the Pack he would still be living joyously with the Pack and the Alpha and the curse would not have gone its course... but Ferhia was family.

Kilfer stood, and willed it to move even faster, rushing through the river and for every second picking up even more speed, until he reached the mountain did he stop and leap down to the riverbank. Glancing up, the gentle hill steeped up, leaving barely a ledge for him to step on, and it extended long into the mist, and nothing could be seen beyond. He could not change the shape of mountains with his current wizardry skills, and could simply continue with this treacherous journey, even if it might mean certain death.

Muttering silent verses of prayers Kilfer took his first steps up, the hill seemed easy enough, just a gentle slope upwards but soon it narrowed further until there was only room for a single foot at a time to move across the ledge. Beneath, the cliff emptied to nothingness and he shut his eyes tight and groped for something on the cliff face that he could grope on, and only found a smooth cliff face, and he inhaled, clutching the box tighter, and felt that its weight seemed to increase, then a slight cold breeze caressed his face, then he grabbed hold of the wind with his magic, and leapt onto the breeze an unseen force that rippled across the air and Kilfer tried hard to keep himself aloft with only the breeze, but as he entered the mists huge winds blew him back towards the ledge, knocking him off course and he held onto the ledge with a hand and the box on another.

"Ferhia," Kilfer reached deep into the spirit within the box and pleaded as the last ounce of strength slipped beyond his grasp and he was about to fall towards what lay beneath the mountains, "Save me."

Yet, there was still no reply, a dead box with a spirit that could not speak within, Kilfer felt hate within him. He wanted to simply hurl the box to the valley below and get to safety, but he just could not. She was his sister and he must not let go.

Then, Kilfer heard the unmistakable sound of water echoing from within the mist. The sounds of a waterfall, and when he extended his feel of magic towards the mist an entire waterfall appeared in his vision, a wall of water extending in a fluid, graceful movement down towards the valley below. He grasped the water with an unseen force and released his hand on the ledge. For a moment he was in the middle of the mist, and he thought he was falling for a split second until he tugged hard onto the water of the waterfall did he get raised through the air, and finally, when he burst out of the mist the entire waterfall appeared before his eyes. The waterfall was gargantuan, far larger than the waterfall he felt using his magic. Behind the cliff, there was simply small slopes adorned with grass and oak trees and insects and animals that seemed to make this mountain a stark contrast to the other stony, cold mountains and it seemed to be a land of its own.

Kilfer landed on the grass and turned back to catch a view of the surrounding mountains, and all he saw were chunks of white snow draped across the cold scenery, lifeless. He turned back and found that the river flowed upstream, and seemed to be showing him to somewhere. Grabbing the box he left, following the stream of water closely, and stopped when the water receded underground into a hole, and Kilfer sighed. He had trusted the river and came so long to find nothing. Perhaps, Mizervon had perished like all the other mortal souls over the generations, and he sat on the ground, his mind was blank, and then he caught the smell of cinnamon bread, he had only tasted them once, and he simply loved the smell. Following the fragrance, Kilfer went up a small hill and on top, he saw smoke, buildings and an entire village atop a pasture, and the smell of cinnamon was even stronger, revitalizing his senses. It was simply a short walk from the hill to the village, but once Kilfer reached the village he noticed something that was totally strange -- for all the houses and stalls all were perfectly set up, the fruits and fish were fresh, and so were the many loaves of cinnamon bread freshly baked and all was normal, except that it was totally empty, with no hint of any human presence.

Kilfer took every step with caution as his experiences told him that anything could happen, and every step brought him closer to the cinnamon bread, and that sharp twitch in his stomach reminded him how long he had not had a proper meal. He reached out for the bread, and just at the moment he spotted a movement and swiveled around, and caught sight of a small boy peeking out from behind a wall.

"Wait... who are you?" The boy scowled, then seemed to realize something, "You're a traveler, aren't you? Quick, the dark horde is coming, let me bring you to the hideout."

Kilfer did not know what to say, but simply nodded, and went with the boy warily. He was the first living person Kilfer saw since he came to this place, and Kilfer thought that he might know something about the whereabouts of Mizervon. They walked through small streets and alleyways, and on one he could vaguely see a name scrawled on the wall, hidden so well yet unable to escape from Kilfer's eyes, 'The Hideout'.

"Here," The boy paused in front of him, "Get in, its safe." Kilfer peered to where the boy was jabbing at and saw a trapdoor the same color of the ground that swung out to reveal a hole small enough for a fully grown man to pass through.

"Where is this place?" Kilfer spoke for the first time, and the boy turned, "Wait, your accent does not seem familiar, where do you come from?"

"The mainland, I guess," Kilfer remembered how someone told him that the land they came from was the 'mainland', largest in all the worlds and realms that had ever been discovered.

"I see," The boy frowned, "That means you really are a traveler from such a distant place, come in."They descended into darkness and finally reached a room, stuffy and uncomfortably warm but there were many people, young and old huddled inside.

"What..." Kilfer uttered a word before the boy turned to Kilfer, "Oh, sorry for not introducing ourselves, I am Mirdaff and here not many travelers come, so everyone is treasured here. By the way, this is our grand leader Otnoybsk."

Otnoybsk, Kilfer thought, what a weird name. Kilfer took a step forward to greet Otnoybsk he expected a wizened old man in long golden robes but instead, it was a young man, but his face seemed fearful, and all the villagers appeared to be anxious too.

"Welcome, young traveler," He spoke half-heartedly, and Kilfer replied, "Kilfer is my name, and I am no traveler but simply seek something."

"And that is..."

"The whereabouts of Mizervon," Kilfer decided to reveal and trust the villagers for they might not know who Mizervon even is and they were the only ones he could trust now. No one spoke for a moment, but Kilfer noticed that the atmosphere started to turn uneasy, and Otnoybsk shook his head slowly, "No, the road from here is treacherous, most people whom we have met over the years have gone... and never came back."

"But I will, and we are all in great danger if you would not believe, that the veil is broken and the darkness is coming anytime soon. We need Mizervon," Kilfer glanced at them, and realized how warm it was in the room, and frowned, "But wait, why do we need to hide here? It is really warm."

"The dark horde is coming, we saw them from afar, it is lucky that you weren't caught by them on your way here," Mirdaff answered, "The dark horde are the savage contesters for territory, and they come every three days, and today, they will come again. They are cold-blooded, bloodthirsty and have a never diminishing instinct to kill. They are the largest threat to us, and they can't seem to die... but when they are not attacking us, they seem to be searching, foraging for something else that we do not know..."

Kilfer wanted to say something, that all the things that happened came too abrupt and a million questions still revolved within his mind, but he had to keep the thoughts to himself for a horn sounded in the distance, and without anyone telling him he knew what was about to happen: The dark horde is just at their doorsteps.

"Stay silent," Otnoybsk placed a finger on his lips and whispered, while the other fifty - or - so villagers kept totally silent within the room.

Kilfer could hear many sounds up on the ground -- porcelain bowls crashing onto the ground and hacking of walls and once or twice there was a squeal of cats being stomped on the ground to death, and they even smelt fire from where they were underground.

It all happened in a few minutes or so, and soon all the noises eroded into silence. They heard the hooves of horses riding away, the sounds of the shouts and hooves diminished until the silence was what was left, and Otnoybsk finally spoke, "They are gone, we're safe."

They climbed out of the opening to reveal the disastrous remains of the village, carcasses of stray cats on the ground and three houses were burnt to ruins as far as they could see, and all the food that was placed in the open were also not left alone, all the fruits and fish on the ground, and Kilfer turned towards Obnoybsk, "So... what now?"

"Rebuild, I believe. We have always done the same, but we can't fight back. People say that Mizervon created this horde to prevent us from ever venturing out of this mountain to search for him, and there was a prophecy that said that the day we found him, the day we would all die."

"It is untrue, a human leader of the Pack would not place such a curse on us!"

"No, young lad. You do not understand --"

"I do understand more than you do, rather than fearing that the dark horde might trample over your lands we should fear more of the darkness, they are already tearing through what is left in the living, and if we do not find Mizervon the darkness will find us, and kill us."

Otnoybsk shook his head meekly, and Kilfer could see the leader did not want to continue speaking, "I am tired, Kilfer, of speaking to you. If you are so resistant, then go you shall, but bring no ill fate to us."

Kilfer stood there while the other villagers, not knowing about their conversation left with Obnoybsk behind, and leaving a single villager behind, staring at Kilfer intently."You're searching for Mizervon?" Mirdaff asked, and Kilfer nodded.

"Me too, actually. The other villagers also think that I am really going senile, but I do have a map at home that my father passed to me three years ago, come and I'll show you the map," Mirdaff said and disappeared behind a partially destroyed building. Kilfer followed Mirdaff across a small lane before they reached a door of a small building, the walls unfurnished for quite a long time and Mirdaff opened the door, showing a simple room within -- a bed barely large enough for Mirdaff himself, a dining spot with a meager amount of food and that was it. Around the dusty corners of the house, huge spiders and webs spread across the walls and Mirdaff's entire residence seemed so pitiful that Kilfer was astonished how Mirdaff lived in such a placed, yet said nothing.

"Here," Mirdaff seemed oblivious to the spiders and crumbling walls, unfolding a map, withered and yellow around the sides, "My father passed away two years ago, and this was the last thing he gave me. A map to Mizervon, he said. But the markings on the map are... peculiar."

Kilfer raised an eyebrow and studied the map. It was only partially drawn, and some caves and markings on the map were partially drawn, disappearing halfway, as if someone erased the markings away from the map. He could make some sense out of where they were on the map, a red blotch of ink on a mountain showing the village, but besides that, he could see nothing special. Tracing his fingers towards the North of the huge map, Kilfer spotted peculiar markings and after that, all the drawings disappeared into blank space that covered the rest of the paper. Kilfer eased back, staring at the map and wondering who would have drawn a partial map that made totally no sense to him, and he saw Mirdaff eyeing his own map he had on his hand."What's that?" Mirdaff suddenly asked, jabbing at the map."Ah, nothing. I thought it was a map leading to Mizervon once, but turns out it's just a blank piece of paper," Kilfer shook his head and handed him his map half-heartedly, "Here, if you really want it."Kilfer continued studying Mirdaff's map before Mirdaff showed his map in front of him, "Look, it is not blank paper! There are lines, but..."Mirdaff's voice trailed off, and Kilfer turned and was astonished to find out that there were faint traces of lines on the paper, and it certainly resembled a map rather than anything else. "But the previous time I saw it... it was empty," Kilfer turned to Mirdaff, and they stared at each other for quite a long time, but resuming their work to the map without a definite answer why the markings appeared and disappeared whenever they wanted to.

With the two maps, they found out that the two papers, if stacked at an appropriate position and with sunlight shining through, it revealed a totally different and surprisingly detailed map, showing every mountain and they managed to trace out a pathway from the rocky mountains, passing the living rocks and Lair of the Dragons to where the maps stopped far to the North before sunset.

When they finally placed their maps down for rest, Kilfer turned to Mirdaff and studied the boy once more. He was so intelligent and managed to find out secrets within the maps that Kilfer himself could not even spot, and he was a peculiar person. Ever since he was born he did not meet many people but as far as he knew Mirdaff was the only one who looked up to Mizervon's legacy and impacts to the Pack, the world and beyond by sealing up the darkness when most of the humans have already forgotten all that he did, and he was the first person Kilfer saw who wanted to search for Mizervon, and had the same goals as him. Kilfer knew that he had found a friend, a companion that would aid him throughout his journey.

"Kilfer," Mirdaff's voice interrupted his thoughts, "Dinner would be soon served, it is just tradition for all the villagers to eat together, come along!"

Surprised, Kilfer followed Mirdaff to the centre of the village, where a huge circular table was and chairs were arranged around it, and delicacies that were so expensive in the cities from Kilfer's own homeland were readily available on the table, and his eyes widened a little when he saw cinnamon bread, baskets and baskets of them placed on the table with chicken and pumpkins. They settled down for the meal and for a moment Kilfer was indulging in the meal so voraciously that he forgot what he came here for, until he realised Mirdaff who was originally beside him was gone and left a slip of paper beside him but previously he was too famished to even notice the paper, and when he read it, it was simple with only four words written on it: We need to talk.

Kilfer slipped out of all the celebration and talking around the table and all the joy and happiness and stared out into the darkness. The sun had already set, and it was difficult to see anyone with the meager amount of light present outside of the dining table. Finally, Kilfer saw Mirdaff staring at him from behind a building, and bounded over towards him.

"What's wrong?" Kilfer said when he reached Mirdaff, and the boy glanced at him, "You say the veil is broken and the darkness Mizervon sealed a thousand years ago is back as a threat again."Kilfer nodded."But how did you know, and why were you there?" Mirdaff asked, and Kilfer paused. He did not expect Mirdaff to query so much but knew that he had to reveal everything about himself.

"Look, it's complicated. I needed to save my sister who was bound to a curse and revive the pack that needed me to go beyond the veil, but instead I... I led to the darkness being freed. I am the human leader of the Pack, but instead, I failed my mission, by bringing my cursed sister into the Pack and created all of this..."

Kilfer's voice trailed into the night, and silence tossed and turned around them, and Kilfer then realized Mirdaff's charcoal colored eyes staring at him, and Mirdaff finally spoke, "You are... the human leader of the Pack?"

"Yes, and in the box that I brought with me, currently in your house, is my sister, dead but her soul can return to her original self, and I will show my vengeance to the darkness the moment I have my revenge, and that would be when I find Mizervon and the powers that shall withstand the darkness," Kilfer spoke, and with every syllable Kilfer spat hatred and he was sure Mirdaff felt the anger that the air around him was getting warmer and a warm breeze blew across their faces.

I see," Mirdaff said, and stood, "Come, let me bring you to somewhere only I know, just a short walk from here. Oh, and bring along your sister, I am sure she would be pleased to see it."

They took the box that held Ferhia and set off, the dim orange glow of light from the village slowly disappearing to a small dot until they could not even see the village lights anymore, as if the darkness took over, but they continued across the bushes until Mirdaff stopped in front of him, "Here it is."Kilfer glanced at Mirdaff, and back to where Mirdaff led him to. It was a small grass patch, and Kilfer could not see anything too special.

"Look closely," Mirdaff took a step forward into the grass, and a twinkle of light, so small and indistinct, but seemed so vibrant popped out of the grass, buzzing into the air, a small twinkle of light dancing in the air. A firefly. The sensation that the little creature gave him was so peculiar, and he had never experienced such a warm glow in his life, and he felt comfort even with this meager light, illuminating the still, cold darkness of the night.

Then, another glimmer of light buzzed to life, and another, and another, and soon the entire grass patch was not only a dull space of darkness but filled with light that echoed into Kilfer's mind as hope. Light so powerful to give all mortal beings hope, although fragile but graceful, powerful and he felt happy for the first time in his life. He sat down beside Mirdaff and watched as more and more of the little graceful beings illuminated all of the trees and bushes and flowers and all there is.

"Thank you," Kilfer whispered to Mirdaff, but got no reply. Kilfer wondered if Mirdaff did not bother to reply or that he did not hear Kilfer, but Kilfer did not bother much, but relaxed under the serenity and peace and hope that such a small act of light could nourish."Kilfer," A voice so soft echoed in his ears and he turned, there a girl stood beside him, but her body was translucent and shone a bluish glow around her, and she was smiling to him. Kilfer saw her with his own eyes, and immediately recognized who she was.

"Ferhia," Kilfer said and smiled, but with sorrow. She was so close, yet he knew that they were separated by such a vast distance, a mortal and a spirit, yet right beside each other.

"Trust yourself, my brother. You will succeed, and no matter how far we are separated, I shall aid you in all the ways I can. Be hopeful, Kilfer."

Kilfer nodded as the spirit vanished, leaving Kilfer and Mirdaff together and when Kilfer turned towards him, he noticed that Mirdaff took no notice of Ferhia's extra presence and decided not to say anything. The night still carried on, but something new sprouted within Kilfer's heart that had, a long time ago, wilted. A seedling of light. A seedling of hope...

***

A small crowd formed at the entrance of the village when the duo was about to leave the next day, and in the middle of the crowd was Otnoybsk, a wooden crate was placed below him to make him stand taller than the rest, and when the crowd caught sight of the duo, they broke into a flurry of voice until Otnoybsk calmed them down.

"You do know, that we all do not want you to leave? Especially to search for Mizervon, you do know that the entire village is here to dissuade you, but if you insist..." Otnoybsk's voice died down and turned, while two chains were brought forward, huge and rusty, the shackles clinking against each other.

"It's either going the easy way... or the hard way, and we do not want that," Otnoybsk curled his lips up, but Kilfer remained calm.

"We will still leave, no matter how you threaten us. But let me warn you, that a larger threat than you have ever seen before is arriving, and it would be soon at your doorsteps," Kilfer still stood his ground, raising his palm high and the Pack's sigil for everyone to see, "Let me pass! Or else..." An oak tree budged slowly towards them, and the villagers watched in silence until the main branch broke off and sailed towards them, hovering atop Kilfer. The villagers gasped and murmured softly amongst each other, but only Otnoybsk paid no heed to the threat, "Catch them!"The man holding the chains paused for a moment, glancing uneasily at the branch hovering atop them, and Kilfer took the opportunity to escape.

"Come!" Kilfer leaped into the air and grabbed Mirdaff's hand, using a gust of wind to propel them away from the village. It didn't matter to them how the villagers saw them, but they were now free, and Kilfer had a mission to accomplish.

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