The way towards the Northuldra camp was passing with normality, something tranquilizing for the Northuldra girl who didn't know towards where the presence of that dark being on the forest was spreading; the only inopportune situation was a thunderstorm that was approaching, taking away the sunbeams that were illuminating the morning.

Shortly before arriving to their destination the Crimson Bands that were keeping Elsa tied disappeared and Honeymaren kneeled to avoid dropping her by accident given the unbalance that caused. The Northuldra girl lowered Elsa gently, leaving her on the grass and taking a short rest at her side so that she could think what she would say to Yelana once in the camp.

I'm so happy that you are well and safe... but, how will I be able to prevent this from happening again? Honeymaren was thinking while she looked at her girlfriend resting at her side.

"What ...? What happened? Where are we?" A slightly disoriented Elsa asked, waking up after some minutes.

"We were in our way to the camp when a dark creature played with your mind." Honeymaren said, in a tone between serious and comical.

"Oh, yes... I think I remember something of that." Elsa said, sitting and putting her hands in her head, as if trying to stop the light dizziness that she was feeling. "Wait, Anna! She...!" Elsa began to say trying to stand only to fall over Honeymaren because of her still remaining dizziness.

"Oh! Carefully Snowflake" Honeymaren said, removing gently with her hand the blonde hair that now was completely covering Elsa's face, realizing after doing it that their faces were intimately close.

Both girls looked at each other for a few seconds, a warm and loving look, while they could feel each other's breath on their faces and appreciate the warmth that radiated from the familiar figure of their beloved through her clothing.

"Oh Honey... now I remember," Elsa said, rising slightly from over Honeymaren's body, looking into her eyes as she felt her own getting clouded with sadness. "Did I hurt you?" The Snow Queen asked, sinking her face against the Northuldra girl's neck and settling beside her so she could hug her.

"Don't worry Snowflake," said Honeymaren, caressing Elsa's cheek. "That cold was nothing that your heat couldn't make disappear." She added, hugging Elsa back.

Both girls closed their eyes and stayed like that for a while, huddled, letting their discomfort fade thanks to the beautiful affection that radiated between them.

"I still don't understand why I behaved like that," said Elsa breaking the silence, still embraced by the one she loved so much.

"You thought Anna was in grave danger, I would have been anxious too if I thought Ryder was." Said Honeymaren, playing with Elsa's hair, taking advantage of the intimacy of their embrace.

"I understand that... but there's still something that doesn't feel... normal, as if everything had been gloomy, fuzzy; it felt bad, and the anxiety I felt only made things worse.

"That evil spirit caught you in its illusion, you don't have to blame yourself, you didn't know what you were up against, it was my mistake not to warn you, not to have told us to stop before we got too close...—while Honeymaren spoke Elsa could feel how she was also plunged in regret for something she shouldn't blame herself for, so she decided to interrupt.

"Honey, you are the last person who should feel guilty," Elsa said while sitting straight, trying to stop thinking in the subject so as not to drag her beloved with her to that dark ground. "You haven't told me yet, but I know you know more than what you appear to know, you just saved my life, didn't you?" Elsa asked her partner, who now sitting in front of her preferred to avoid her gaze.

I knew it, the young Queen thought.

Elsa moved a little on her knees until she was as close to Honeymaren as possible, took her gently by the chin and softly moved her head until their gazes met.

"Thank you." Elsa said in a soft, comforting voice that Honeymaren found truly appealing, and then, reading the thoughts of the Northuldra girl while giving in to her own wishes, she kissed her. It was an elaborate kiss, impregnated with passion and the adrenaline that both still had inside them after the danger they had just passed.

"Wow, that was... fantastic." Honeymaren said, still blushing.

"It was." Elsa said smiling as she tucked her hair behind her ear and the red color slowly faded from her cheeks.

The rain came along with the smiles of the young couple and Elsa used her magic to create a small perpetual snowfall around them that would prevent them from getting wet, turning the drops into just a little more of snow.

"Doesn't it make you a little cold?" Elsa asked once they were both surrounded by the miniature snowfall.

"Elsa..." said Honeymaren taking her hand. "The cold has never bothered me next to you." Added the girl with brown skin, planting a kiss on the cheek of the young blonde girl, and with that cute gesture they both set out on the remaining journey to the Northuldra camp.

When the girls were only a few minutes away from the camp, they were interrupted by a voice behind them.

"So it's true." Yelana said, sitting under a large tree, whose leafy branches blocked the rain from falling on the area.

"Yelana! You're here! You won't believe what happened to us!" Honeymaren began to say.

"Silence!" Said Yelana in a serious tone, walking towards them and before the girls understood what was happening the Northuldra leader was already standing in front of Elsa and touching her chest with the palm of her hand, just over the heart.

"What's happening? Honeymaren asked quickly, and as quickly as Yelana put her hand on Elsa she took it away.

"That was weird." Elsa said, with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Here, put this on your girlfriend's neck," Yelana said, throwing a necklace at Honeymaren; It was simple in design, a leather band and carved wooden pendant, but as she held it in her hand she could sense that it had something special. "You can see it after putting it on, hurry up." Added Yelana

Honeymaren approached Elsa nervously, while she saw her with a confused look.

"I don't know what's going on, but I trust her... can I?" Said Honeymaren, gesturing with her hands stretching the strap of the necklace as if to put it on Elsa.

"Sure, do it," Elsa said confused but sure it was the right thing to do.

"I had thought that the first necklace I would give you would be something more special," said Honeymaren, whispering into Elsa's ear as she passed the ribbon over her head, "but I promise I will make it up to you," the Northuldra girl added, adjusting her partner's hair on the outside of the necklace.

As they separated their bodies, Honeymaren brought her hand to her neck and lightly tugged at the pale strap of the necklace that her girlfriend had given her in her first night in the forest and simultaneously dedicated her a kiss to the air. Elsa felt a nice sensation in her chest, quickly made a gesture to catch that imaginary kiss and sent one back for the one she loved so much.

I can't believe this, thought Yelana, exasperated and holding off the urge to put a hand to her face in disapproval at the overly romantic act she witnessed in the midst of such a serious moment.

"You finished?" Yelana asked, trying to hide her anger.

"Oh, sorry." Said Honeymaren, turning towards Yelana.

"Yes, I'm sorry." Said Elsa.

Yelana just sighed and walked towards the young couple.

"I'm glad you're okay, but I'm annoyed because you went to that place, especially you Honeymaren, I told you to avoid those kinds of beings since you started showing sensitivity to the spiritual world." Yelana said, rebuking the girls, with particular attention to the one she knew since she was a child.

Honeymaren only looked towards the floor while receiving the scolding, Elsa was embarrassed, but could not allow Honeymaren to be scolded when all she did was to save her life.

"No, that wasn't the way it was," Elsa said, stepping forward. "I'm Sorry for interrupting, but Honey always wanted us to avoid the place... It was my fault... and if it wasn't for her I wouldn't be here now," Elsa added decisively.

"Did you go that close? Yelana asked, less surprised than worried.

"I'm afraid we did... When I woke up Honey said I fell under an illusion, something played with my mind," Elsa admitted.

"It wasn't her fault, that thing made her look at her sister in danger, she had no way of knowing it was an illusion." Honeymaren said, stepping forward on par with Elsa. Yelana just sighed again, looking to the distance.

"It's not a matter of guilt girls, I'm just afraid the situation is a little more serious than I expected," Yelana added, with a dismayed countenance.

For a moment the three remained silent, only the constant sound of rain filled the atmosphere.

"Do you know what happened? Elsa asked, after waiting a little in case the Northuldra leader wanted to comment something else.

"A part at least, it's not for nothing that I've been the leader of our people for years. I felt when that invading spirit came into the forest, the four spirits of the elements are altered by its presence, but they avoid confronting it, this is not a minor threat," Yelana said, sitting against the trunk of the tree that covered them in the rain; the young couple sat in front of her. Elsa, you are the fifth spirit, you managed to tame the four who had been tense for years based on your power and will and yet this being managed to make you fall into its deception; you must be cautious, your power will draw him to you Elsa, and your ability to perceive him will attract him to you Honeymaren.

"What can we do? How can we learn to expel him?" Honeymaren asked.

"There's not much I can do; understand, and perceive the mystical arts is something very different from practicing them, but I have a feeling that you can do something before it's too late."

"Late?" Elsa asked.

"That thing came to stay, its influence will grow even greater, as far as that being is concerned this dimension is its new home."

"Dimension?" Honeymaren asked.

"I'm not the one to explain that to you, but you'll soon know the answers."

"How do you know?" Elsa asked.

"When that thing came I felt not only his presence, but two; the being with which you came into contact radiated evil, darkness, but the presence that followed it soon after felt benign; I truly believe that finding it will be key to being able to stop this invading darkness, and you two will have to do it. You're already part of all this."

"Yelana! Yelana! Are you around here?" A coming voice asked, a voice that Honeymaren could easily recognize as her brother Ryder.

"Ryder!" Honeymaren yelled to help the Northuldra boy locate them.

"Honeymaren!?" Ryder shouted as he approached the origin of the voice. "Girls! I'm glad to see you, I didn't know if you were all right," said the boy once they met.

"We are, is there anything to worry about?" Honeymaren asked.

Yelana saw Ryder, he looked back and just nodded, apparently they both understood well what they meant.

"Has anything happened that we should know about?" Elsa asked.

Ryder sat next to the girls and Yelana prepared to update them on the situation.

"Yesterday a group of explorers should have come back, but they didn't; delaying a little is not unusual or so serious, but we usually send another group to meet the previous one, in case there has been any unforeseen events; the problem is that this one didn't come back either... I feared that there was something dangerous in the forest, now I suspect that you have exactly stumbled upon it."

"What? Have they found the culprit yet?" Ryder asked.

"It's possible, but it could still be just a big misunderstanding," Yelana said, standing up. "As soon as the storm passes, I'm going to go get them myself, I'm not going to risk any more lives."

"But ma'am, you can't..."

"Silence Ryder, I've made my decision."

"It's... it's okay, but I'll go with you, you know that exploring is one of my strengths."

"We'll help too." Elsa said.

"Of course." Added Honeymaren.

"You are able to take care of yourself, I can't deny that I could use the help, I'm not as young as I used to be. I want us to cover the whole forest primarily, Ryder and I will check the entire southeast and you can go check the northwest.

"Good." Honeymaren said.

"Count on it." Elsa said.

Shortly after the search plan agreement the imposing presence of thunder and lightning reached the forest, and although they were still some distance away their strength made everyone understand that they should take refuge soon.

"We need to get back to camp, make sure it's safe to get through the storm," Yelana said.

"Sure," Ryder nodded."

We will return home, when the storm passes the search will begin be as agreed.

"Perfect," Yelana said, then made a slight bow as a farewell and walked away a little, giving Ryder time to say goodbye.

"Goodbye sister, take care, and you too Elsa," Ryder said while hugging them.

"You too Ryder and take care of the camp for me," Honeymaren said.

"Take care," Elsa added.

"I forgot to mention something," Yelana said once the hug was over and Ryder was on his way back to her side. That necklace, the symbol should keep you from getting too much attention from that thing as long as you don't get too close to it.

"Oh, thank you!" Elsa said, remembering the necklace she had forgotten about through the conversation.

"There's no reason to thank me, we owe you much more than that young lady, and Honeymaren, stay alert and follow your instincts, in this situation if something gives a bad feeling there's a high probability it is a bad thing, and if something makes you feel confident, or a curiosity worth following, you might find whatever that followed the evil spirit here." Yelana said.

"Thank you for the advice, I will!" Honeymaren said, and then each group went its way.