Lachsea, Ausicaa

The changing of the seasons was swift and merciless in an unforgiving land like Ausicaa. Misty whitebark forests that once thrived in spring and summer had become dismal hills of gnarled, skeletal trees. The last of their crimson leaves had fallen, and the small village of Lachsea now appeared as barren and lifeless as a graveyard.

In the midst of such desolate surroundings, there stood a tiny manor at the edge of Craggwood Hills. It was far removed from the rest of the village and in such a state of disrepair that passersby might assume the property had been abandoned. Yet, contrary to what the manor's unkempt appearance suggested, billows of smoke continued to rise from its crooked chimneys.

The home was, in fact, occupied by a family of two and three of their loyal servants.

Inside the manor, a mother and daughter sat upon a large but shabby bed in the masters' chamber. They were huddled beneath a thick wool blanket sewn from scraps of old, discarded jackets. As the candlelight cast a glow upon the pair, their breaths could be seen rising through the chilly night air like clouds.

The girl had a pale face, ink-black hair, and wide-set gray eyes. She looked nothing like her brown-haired, brown-eyed mother—or any of their neighbors in Lachsea for that matter. She came from mixed blood. Her mother often told Brenna that the other villagers might not welcome them, so they didn't socialize much with anyone outside the manor.

Brenna didn't mind. She found everything she needed at the manor. Ibeaza, the cook, made the most delicious beef and vegetable stews. Haelynn, the maid, always taught her new songs and games when their chores were done. Lyonach, the gardener, knew all there was to know about everything that grew from the ground. Some days, she would simply follow him around the manor grounds and watch him work his magic with the soil and seeds. And then, of course, there was her mother. Herra was Brenna's sun and moon and stars. She was her whole world. And she always told the very best stories.

Brenna's favorite bedtime tale was the one about a girl and a wolf.

✧ﾟ･:* 　☽　 *:･ﾟ✧

The girl watched helplessly as her husband vanished before her eyes. For days, she refused to rise from the spot where the evil spirit had stolen her beloved from this world. She kneeled there, praying, repenting, and, above all, hoping that, if the gods wouldn't return her husband to her side, then at very least they could take her life so she could be reunited with him in death.

On the fourth day, a heavy winter snow began to fall all around her. With only a threadbare cloak to shield her from the elements, the girl began to shiver violently against the bitter cold. Yet, still, she would not leave. That night, the girl sensed her end was near. Her flesh was frozen to the bone. Her breaths were growing fainter by the minute. It seemed all she had to do was close her eyes and succumb to the darkness. Then, her pain and sorrow would fade away to nothingness. Smiling weakly, she felt her eyelids drop as her sight began to dim...

As she began to slip away from consciousness, however, a bellowing voice cried out from the forest, "So, this is how you repay your husband's love? He sold his soul to the Underworld for you, and yet here you lie, weak and broken-hearted, wasting his efforts away?"

Barely half-alive, the girl struggled to speak in a hoarse whisper, "Who...are you? Why must you be so cruel?"

"Because your death will be in vain. Don't take the easy way out! Get up and fight!"

"But what can I do?" the girl cried helplessly. "He's gone, the darkness took him from me..."

"He's not dead, though, is he? His soul doesn't belong in the Underworld. You can save him, girl, if you're brave enough, if you love him enough..."

"I love him more than life itself! I'll do anything to save him. Please... tell me what I must do!"

A burst of warmth suddenly coursed through her veins. The girl screamed as, one by one, her senses began to awaken from death and, along with revival, returned the agonizing pain of frostbite and the weight of her grief. Miraculously, she managed to stumble to her feet. Her entire body shivered violently as frozen winds whipped across her flesh. With sunken cheeks and bluish lips, she searched for the source of the mysterious voice in a daze. The girl looked as though she was at death's door, but, for the first time in days, there was hope in her eyes when she demanded fiercely, "Tell me now! Tell me how I can save him!"

In cryptic tones, the voice whistled through the wind, "Find Aryss's Key to open the Gaevas' Gate to the Underworld. Your beloved shall be waiting for you there..."

"A key, you say? How do I retrieve it?"

In a singsong manner, the voice rustled from the forest leaves, "The Key sits atop the highest mountain known to man, and the Gate is hidden in the deepest valley across the lands..."

The girl cried out in a desperate voice, "Where do I go to find this mountain and valley?"

The voice continued, barely a whisper now in the passing breeze, "Keep your heart pure and true, and the gods shall guide the way to three noble tasks..."

"Three tasks? I still don't understand!"

For several moments, she waited for an answer to no avail.

"Are you still there? Please don't go, not yet..."

But her pleas were lost to the deadening silence of the wintry night. It was clear that she had been abandoned. The full moon cast a spotlight on her lone figure.

The girl whispered, "I don't even know where to begin..."

Just then, a warm, gentle breeze trickled across her feet. A most unusual phenomenon in the dead of winter. When she looked around, the girl noticed a narrow pathway had been thawed through the deep snow, leading to the edge of the forest. After a moment of hesitation, she decided to see where it would take her.

By sunrise, the girl came across a large wounded beast trembling in the snow. Crimson blood pooled around its body, creating a stark contrast against the pure white snow. The creature lay there in misery, gasping, twitching, and struggling in the final moments of its life. The girl gasped as she took in the gruesome sight. With the legs of a spider, a serpent's body, and a vulture's head, the beast was by far the most horrendous animal that the girl had ever seen, but it looked so pitiful that she couldn't help feeling sorry for it. And so, despite the bitter cold, she removed the cloak around her shoulders and laid it upon the poor thing's trembling body. It was the least she could do to provide some comfort in its final moments of life.

Then, she knelt down, gently placed her hands on its head, and recited a prayer.

"Fear not the darkness. May you find your way to the light through Gaevas' Gate. Rest in peace, my friend, the journey has just begun..."

As she turned to walk away, a soft white glow enveloped the creature's body. In a blinding flash of light, the frightening beast transformed into a snow-white stallion with large feathered wings. The voice from before boomed loudly from the clouds, "You have completed your first task, an act of compassion. Now, go with Claerus, he shall fly you to the highest mountain known to man, Mount Duon, the home of the gods..."

The girl was stunned. She approached the white stallion warily and climbed onto his back. The winged horse took flight. As they soared into the sky, the girl gazed down in wonderment. The towns and lakes below grew smaller and smaller as they ascended high into clouds.

Mount Duon was a shimmering paradise unlike any mortal realm. The girl slid off the winged stallion to gaze upon the starry blue and lavender skies in awe. The silvery white clouds felt airy and soft beneath her feet. Fireflies danced all around. Up ahead, a large golden chest beckoned to her. Its lid was propped open, revealing a colossal-sized key made of the blackest obsidian and encrusted with dark crimson rubies. The gemstones gleamed like drops of blood beneath the starlight. Such an ominous-looking relic seemed rather out of place amidst the ethereal surroundings. Nervously, the girl entered through the gate and headed for the key.

She stopped mere inches away from the chest, her eyes transfixed, and reached inside. The moment her fingers wrapped around the key, however, the girl shrieked in pain and immediately let go. The scalding key landed back in the chest with a heavy sound.

As the girl nursed her singed hand, the smell of smoke filled the air. A dark cloud began to form as the chest suddenly burst into flames. The girl backed away in distress. The key was trapped inside the fire. Before she could rush over to save it, a large gust of wind sent the fire blazing wildly in all directions. The clouds and the fireflies were engulfed in an instant. With tears streaming down her cheeks, the girl was almost certain that she would be burned alive as well.

She closed her eyes and thought of her husband.

"I must be brave! This is nothing compared to the sacrifice he made for me, I need to retrieve that key no matter what..."

With a sudden burst of courage, the girl sprinted like a madwoman through the scorching wall of flames. The fire burned her flesh, but still she moved towards the key with unwavering determination. Finally, she reached the chest and grasped at the key with her charred hands. As her fingers wrapped tightly around her hard-won prize, the scorching wall of flames disappeared, along with the fiery wounds across her body. The girl blinked once, then twice, in bewilderment. She looked around in a daze, holding onto the key as though her life depended on it.

A familiar voice emerged. Bellowing from all directions, it seemed to speak from the heavens, "You have completed the second task, an act of courage! Now it's time to take Aryss' Key to the deepest valley across the lands. Gaevas' Gate awaits your arrival..."

Before the girl could even react, the clouds below her feet gave way, and, with a scream of terror, she plummeted through the skies, spiraling downwards towards almost certain death—

✧ﾟ･:* 　☽　 *:･ﾟ✧

Her mother couldn't continue with the story. The poor woman broke into a fit of coughs. Brenna's brow furrowed with concern. She patted her mother's back and held her through the violent episode.

"Mama, do you need me to fetch you a cup of lilyvale tea?"

Herra smiled weakly and shook her head. "No need, little one, I will be alright."

Brenna grabbed a clean handkerchief and handed it to her mother. Herra held it to her mouth, and they waited for the hacking coughs to subside. When she finally handed it back, Brenna noticed a few drops of gray had stained the white cloth. She was no longer in the mood for fairytales.

With fear in her eyes, Brenna begged, "Please let me bring Dr. Waevers to you."

Herra tried to hide her own fear behind a bright smile. "You worry too much, little one. I am sure it is nothing."

Brenna insisted, "No, mama, you have been this way for almost a month. We must get you well again!"

Herra hesitated for a moment before nodding in agreement. "I suppose it would not hurt to have Dr. Waevers take a look. Lyonach can prepare a horse for you tomorrow morning after breakfast."

Brenna bit her lip anxiously. For as long as she could remember, it had been the two of them against the world. "I love you, mama."

"I love you, too. Now stop worrying so we can get some rest! I am going to be right as rain in no time."