In Lady Bellam's settlement, Nohl finally woke. She explained what had happened. The people were shocked. Not at the events, but at the fact that Nohl was able to use magic. They, like Ethas, believed magic belonged to the deities and not humans. The head of the place told her to leave as soon as she could. Ethas, on the other hand, convinced the people to execute her. He stated that they couldn't be lenient with their beliefs. If they wholeheartedly desired the normalcy of humans, then they needed to stand their grounds and do what must be done.

His words compelled them to agree.

They surrounded her to capture her. She retaliated, breaking through their defenses. A woman fell to her hands. Her palm bled. As she did, an unknown force stopped Nohl. "How dare you hurt my children," an eerie female voice said within her mind. Within that second of falter, the people grabbed her and tied her up.

Constrained to a plank and covered with twigs and leaves, Nohl begged for her release. The people were silent. Ethas gave a fervent roar to start the burning. And thus, they ignited the leaves. Nohl tried to use magic to extinguish the flames. Cinders spread about and singed some of the people's eyes and cheeks. In those instances, the mysterious voice returned, warning her of the harm she 'caused to her children.' Immobile with fear, Nohl could only cry with pain and suffering until the end.

As Jal was announced a hero for bringing a 'herectic,' a little girl named Valentine was enthralled by the sight. She wanted a similar glory and attention as him. Over time, her greed got a hold of her. She became friends with his daughter, Lenne. Soon later, she became friends with Lenne's friend, Ada. They played and kept each other's company.

A year later, Ada started to act differently. She was nervous around everyone, including her friends. Eventually, she had to tell someone. She dragged Lenne to the forest to tell her what was happening to her. She displayed her newfound magic. Lenne was fascinated by the icy show. She was optimistic that it was a good sign, saying that Lady Bellam had chosen Ada to be next in line for the head of the village. Ada was doubtful since she was an orphan.

Every now and then, the two would go into the forest and play. Valentine followed them one day. She saw the magic. And there, her greed surfaced.

She ran to the head, telling him what she saw. Ironically, he accused her of being a herectic. With an announcement of public execution, Ada and Lenne attempted to rescue her. Sadly, they were also pinned as heretics. Jal pleaded to delay the execution to ask her daughter for a clear explanation. Since he was the hero, the head allowed it. The execution was pushed back one day.
Despite her optimism, Lenne knew what would happen if she told the truth. So, she lied. She told her father that she was the one who developed magic. Skeptical, her father asked to show it. She lied, saying that she couldn't control it yet. With no further discussion, her father left in despair.

Later, Lenne asked Ada for a favour. She told her to make her seem like the magic user. Lenne told Ada to form ice in front of her when they were in public. Ada rejected the idea, but Lenne said that only one of them needed to die and that Ada should not be the one to die. She still believed that Ada developed magic for a reason, thus needed to live to find that reason.

The execution came. Lenne proposed a deal to the people. The other two would be freed if she proved to be the witch. And so, her performance began. She stood in the front. She placed her hands in front of her. Ada hesitated. Lenne became scared as nothing was happening. The crowd whispered among themselves. Valentine gritted her teeth in anger. She wanted to be glorified as a hero, not a villain. Lenne peaked at Ada. Sorrowfully, Ada decided to continue with the plan. As Lenne roared for the show, Ada conjured ice upon Lenne's hands. The people gasped. Lenne's father broke into tears. The head kept his promise. Lenne died that day as the other two were spared.

On the night of Lenne's death, Lady Bellam visited Ada and Valentine in their dreams. A woman, all in black with pale white skin, stood with her one of her gloved hands upon the other. Long antlers held up a black veil that measured down to her neck. Fluid streamed down the veil like oil on glass. It was black until it stopped touching any part of her. And when it's not, it was like water. She placed a curse on both of them according to their crime. Ada's fault was her inability to tell the truth and offer herself instead of Lenne. Valentine's fault was her greed to obtain fame even from shedding her friend's blood. They did not know what the curse would do, and after several years, they had forgotten about the dream.

Valentine was the first to marry and got pregnant. Near her labour, she abnormally bled. Though the midwives stopped the bleeding, this raised suspicion to Ethas when he heard the news. Through whispers, Valentine began to fear for her life and her child's. During the night, she fled on a horse. She stopped at an abandoned, burnt down house. There, she gave birth to a stillborn. As she mourned for her child's death, a deity, Matrifida, appeared before her. The deity offered her an exchange of her life for the newborn. Valentine accepted. Slowly, her warmth was transferred to the baby. The baby began to breathe, and soon after, cry, as if it was mourning for its mother's death.

Sunlight broke the darkness when a man heard the cry during his morning walks. He found the baby girl wrapped in her mother's arms. He took the baby back to his place in Petos, where she was raised.

Meanwhile, back at the village of Lady Bellam, Ada became pregnant. When she went into labour, frost formed around her. Soon, Ada died while the cold encased the whole village in ice.

Ethas managed to escape.

He headed north, where he originally planned to travel. Unknowingly, in the land of beasts, he stumbled upon the ruined city. It was now overgrown with grass, moss, flowers, and other plant life. He took refuge in what he thought was a sanctuary.

Night fell as he slept. He was rudely awakened by grumbles and howls. He slowly checked around him to see what was happening. Wild lions, boars, and snakes roamed the city. His breath strangled him. He was surrounded.

He thought he could stay hidden if he just stayed still. That was rendered futile when a ravenous vulture gave a death cry from above. As if the other animals knew what it said, they collapsed onto Ethas's location.

He shot up and shouted them to stop. It didn't work. A lion pounced at him. He dropped to the floor and cried once more, "Stop!"

A lion dropped its paws on either side of his head. His eyes met its eyes. They were no longer hostile. He crawled out from underneath the feline.

"Stay away," he stuttered.

With those words, the animals backtracked. Their glare was still chilling even though they did not attack.

"What is happening?" He breathed, bewildered by the sight.

A sound of a neighing horse came from behind him. He turned to see a disfigured creature.

Its brown torso was broad and wide to accommodate the wheels on its sides. It had two heads of a horse. There were four legs extending from what could be considered its chest. A porcelain like staff with a dull purple crystal was noticeable in the back of the creature.

"I have empowered your ability," one of the heads spoke. "Your power of speech can now affect animals."

Ethas eyes opened with shock and confusion. "Powers? But I have no such thing. I am without magic."

"I beg to differ," it replied. The golden eyes of the horses gazed upon Ethas. "I sense your magic. It is quite useful against your own kind. And now it is more."

"No," Ethas refused the notion of having magic. "That is impossible. Only the gods can have powers. I can not..." His eyes trembled at his equally quivering hands. "This can not be."

"Have you ever considered yourself to be a God?"

Ethas raised an eyebrow to that notion. He never did consider that. Was he a God born human? A pure God with the form of a human... similar to Provertus.

His head tilted up at the deformed horse. His arms dropped to his sides. "Ah, yes," Ethas exhaled with a delighted revelation. "That must be it. I know my purpose. I now know why I was born like this, born in this time." He gave a bow with immeasurable gratitude. "I must thank you so much for helping me realize who I am."

Ø{Ü}Ø

"Our family is growing more grotesque by the birth!" Hexice gasped.

"That's not very nice," replied Caliperacus.

"Our form is not what matters most. It is our purpose. Our role in this fragile life," Pathalias stated.

"Most definitely fragile," giggled Lu'Omena.

"You are weak if you define someone based on their looks," Tantetra said sternly.

"And all I see is a bunch of bantering buffoons," ParaVi added.

"One must take pride in one's own form, for the acceptance will allow for growth," argued Esquimperia.

"Well, perhaps with one exception..." Hexice reluctantly agreed.