Karma led the way through the frostbitten Umber Forest. She followed step by step directions that her dream had told her. Looking down at her book, the pages opened revealing drawings and description of her dream, Karma guided her friends. "Are-are y-you s-sure th-that your dr-dream was r-real?" Jason asked shivering. The temperature had dropped tremendously since the last few days. The companions wrapped their fur coats tightly around their bodies, hoping to keep the cold air away. Only Dagner wasn't cold, he breathed in the fresh cold air like it was the sweetest thing in the world.

"No." Karma answered looking at her book and at the woods around them. "But there's only one way to find out."

"Gr-gr-great." Muttered Jason, burying his nose in his coat.

"Here, lad." Dagner said coming up beside Jason holding up a flask. "This outta keep you warm." Jason shook his head.

"Y-you do know, that st-study shows th-that dr-drinking alcohol does-doesn't keep you act-actually war-warm, right?" Dagner blinked up at him.

"Studies of what?" He asked then shrugged. "Oh well, more for me then!" And Dagner took a big gulp from his flask. "Ahhh. Nothing gets better than that." Jason rolled his eyes and kicked his horse to get it to move a little faster. The horse caught up with Karma and Jason manage to get look at the "map" Karma drew. It was full of pictures and words that were scattered and a little confusing. Jason didn't understand a blink of it, but he could tell that Karma did, because she looked very determined.

After what seemed liked hours of useless wondering around, Karma slowed down her horse. "Whoa," she said to it. "Easy girl." The horse, Pepper slowed to a stop, and Karma patted the horse's neck. To the others she said, "I believe we're close. I recognized this area from my dream." Mika joined Karma by her side and also looked at Karma's journal with the open page of the map.

"What are we looking for?" Mika asked looking around.

"This," Karma said pointing to one of her drawings. "It's supposed to be a cave with vines. It's going to be hard to find so keep your eyes peeled." The group separated to look for the hidden cave. Neither one went out of hearing range just in case they found something. Jason jumped off his horse and guided it with the reins. The terrain had too many roots and rocky bits for a horse to ride through with a rider on its back. As he looked around, he heard a loud squawk. He looked up to see the weird winged-rat creature that belonged to the cloaked man.

Jason swallowed hard. The creature gave Jason a curious look. "Go away." Hissed Jason at the creature. "I won't go through with it, so tell your 'master' that I decline his offer." The words that Jason spoked sounded brave, but with the cold, each words spoken came out with a stuttered, making him sound more scared than brave. The creature gave Jason one last look before deciding to take off. It flew off the branch, swooped down toward Jason's head and squawked loudly. Jason yelped and fell down on his butt. His horse gave a nervous whine and trotted the ground. But when Jason looked back up, the creature was gone.

"Over here!" Jason heard Karma yell moments later. Regaining his senses, Jason joined the others. They were standing in front of a cave that had vines hanging from it. Just like in Karma's dream.

"You alright, lad?" Dagner asked.

"Huh?" Jason answered.

"Heard you scream like a little filly over there."

"Oh, that. I just... tripped." Dagner raised an eyebrow at him but didn't question him. Karma looked at the cave and took a deep breath.

"No turning back now." She out aloud and everyone nodded in agreement. They walked inside the cave.

----

The cave wasn't even a cave, but a tunnel. The tunnel was dark all except for the luminous mushrooms that lit the way. The companions walked through the tunnel with amazement. They were captivated by the beauty that this small dark tunnel had to offer. Karma led the way and the further she went the more she could see a bright light at the end of this mysterious tunnel. When they reached the end of the tunnel a bright cavern greeted them. There was a huge pond in front of them with a miniature waterfall that flowed into it. Vines, flowers, trees, and all sorts of plant life covered the whole cavern creating a green like dome surrounding them.

The whole place was lit up with fireflies and luminous plants. It was indeed a sight to see. "Sgoinneil."*1 Dagner whispered which Karma could only imagine he was expressing his wonder, and frankly, she couldn't hold it in either. Near the waterfall, Karma noticed was a woman sitting on the rocks. She had an eerie beauty to her. She had long light blue flowing hair that reached her hips. A white gown that had only one strap on it, the front of the grown was cut short to her knees while the back of the gown continued to flow down to her ankles. Her face was pale with a pinkish tint to her lips. Her eyes were bluer than the water she sat next to.

"Please," the woman said. "Come closer, I've been eager for your arrival." The companions glanced at one another and decided to obey the woman's wishes.

"Is that the nymph?" Dagner asked.

"I guess so." Mika answered.

"It is." Karma said answering them both. "I remember her."

"And I, you." The nymph said as they came closer to her. "It has been a long while, Creator. And I do apologize about the first day we met, but you were not ready to quite met me yet." All four companions stood in front of the nymph in utter disbelief.

"We've been searching for you forever." Karma said to the nymph.

"I know." She answered her. "And I also know why you come. In order to save the elf race, you need my water, correct?" Karma and the others nodded. "That's what I thought. But before I give you my water, there is a warning that you must need to know, Creator."

"A warning?" Karma asked. "What kind of warning?" The nymph looked at Karma with intense blue eyes.

"My dear, you may have won these small battles, but there is a bigger battle to be won. A war that must never come."

"A war?" All four companions said in unison. The nymph nodded.

"A war that will determine the fates of both worlds. Be wearily of who you trust, my child, because trust is everything." Karma thought long and hard. Then suddenly it hit her.

"The cloaked man." She whispered.

"Indeed." The nymph answered. "The cloaked man is mystery, but a dangerous one. He seeks but only one thing, your book."

"My-my book? Why?"

"Your book is the key to this world, and in the wrong hands, could ultimately destroy the beauty that you had created." The nymph then took a glass jar from the bushes behind her and filled it up with the water that flowed around her feet. "Here. Take it and may this world protect its precious Creator." Karma took that jar uncertainly.

"How will I be able to stop him?" Karma asked looking at the liquid in the jar.

"Only when he chooses to show himself." The nymph answered solemnly. The nymph then looked at Jason. Before she was able to speak to him, Jason felt something stirring in his satchel. He opened the flap as the little shapeshifter came bursting out. It flew around Jason's head and float over to the nymph where it snuggled up against her head.

The nymph giggled. "I was wondering where you went off to." She said to it. The shapeshifter cooed and nestled itself on the crook of her neck.

"That thing is yours?" Jason asked and the nymph chucked.

"The shifter is who he wants." She replied confusing Jason with her words. Smiling, she continued to say to Jason. "Your world may be gone, young man, but the new world you choose to stay needs a protector. The decision you had made and the decision you choose not to make has settled your destiny." Jason blinked at her and the others gave him a quizzing look. How does she know about that?  He thought to himself. And as if she could his thoughts, she smiled at him.

"I wish you all luck on your journey ahead." The nymph said. "There is no more I can tell you." Then suddenly the air around them became misty and foggy, the companions could hardly see an inch in front of their faces. When the mist and fog cleared, everything around them became plain. The plant life was gone, the fireflies were gone, the pond and waterfall, all gone. Even the nymph has simply disappeared. The green plant life dome was now a plain black and brown cavern.

"Well then," Dagner said. "I guess that's it then." Karma looked at the water in the jar with a frown. Putting it inside her satchel she said,

"Yeah, I guess so."

*1 "sgoinneil" ~ "magnificent"