"I know where Sephtis is going."

"You do?" Cascade's face lit up and her spirits lifted.

Concord's grin grew wider. "Yes. The Cliffs of Immensi! He's been researching them and probably knows enough about them to get there."

Cascade's face fell once more. "But those are mythical cliffs. They don't exist... do they? Anyway, how did you find out about this?"

"This note." Concord handed Cascade a piece of paper, a little burnt around the edges, but otherwise intact. On it was drawn a bare-bones map and the words 'Cliffs of Immensi'.

"Then they must really exist. Nobody really knows what they are for, but legend has it that the gods were keeping something there. Unfortunately, I do not remember exactly what. Vespara would know whatever it is that is being kept there. I bet she controls Sephtis, his actions. He is probably just a puppet at this point. A camouflage to fit into the human world."

"Exactly."

"But you have absolutely no idea how to get there or why he's been researching them?"

"Nope." Concord shook his head and sighed. "This was the only thing I could find. But I'm sure that's where he's going."

"Perhaps that is where he is going." Cascade rubbed her chin thoughtfully. Then she came to a decision. "However, until we can find a reason why he would go there, I don't want to go looking for some cliffs that lead into the clouds."

"All right. But we should probably get back to Emanai. You know, before she decides to do whatever she was going to do if we didn't make it back in time."

They all laughed at that. Then they stepped back into the forest to reassure a concerned Emanai that they were indeed not dead.

Cascade sat up suddenly, waking the others from their slumber. "I'VE GOT IT!" she exclaimed.

"You've got what, Cascade?" Andrea groaned. "It's sooooooo early..." Andrea fell asleep once more, turning on her side so that the sun that filtered through the trees wouldn't be able to wake her either.

Cascade raised her voice. "This is important!" She shook Andrea's shoulder vigorously.

"What could be thaaat important that I can't get any sleeeeeeep?" Andrea gave a colossal yawn.

"I know why Sephtis is going to the Cliffs of Immensi."

"WHAT!?" Andrea shot up and stood, clearing her hair away from her face hurriedly. "Why didn't you just say that before?" She pulled on her tall boots. "We don't have any time to lose!"

Cascade sighed and shook her head. Andrea could be so strange sometimes. "That's what would be that important, Andrea."

Andrea chose to ignore the comment.

"Um... Andrea?"

"Yes?"

"Don't you want to actually know why Sephtis is going to the Cliffs of Immensi?"

"Oh. Yes. I do." Andrea settled back down on the ground. Waking suddenly could be so disorienting.

"Well," Cascade gave another sigh, "it's said that there are strange creatures living in a deep trench that can be found in the middle of the cliffs. They're large, with many limbs. They're covered in scales and have sharp claws on all of their feet, and very agile. They sound like those monsters from space that we read about in Vespara's book, in the temple of knowledge."

Andrea was confused. "But I thought that the gods killed all of them."

"They did."

Andrea opened her mouth to speak, but Cascade stopped her.

"I think that the monsters at the Cliffs of Immensi are the monsters that Vespara created. The ones which she based off of the Xev, the monsters from space. I think that she wants to go to the Cliffs of Immensi because she wants to use the monsters that she created, the Azenar. The Xev, coming from space, were simply a way to get rid of the other gods, but the ones that she designed herself - the Azenar - she can control, unlike the ones from space. Vespara - or rather Sephtis - will control the Azenar and use them to take over the world."

"Yikes. But I mean... can they really be taking over the world? It can't be that bad... can it?"

Cascade sighed and shook her head. "Vespara underestimates how powerful the Azenar are. If they're as powerful as the Xev, then they will tear Zenaria apart. They will destroy it, whether that is what she wants or not."

"Wonderful." Andrea moaned softly, then sighed. "Do you think that we could control them?"

"I don't think so. I think the Azenar only respond to Vespara's will. That's how she made them."

"Darn."

Cascade nodded grimly. "Yep."

"Well, on the bright side, we should be able to get to the cliffs by using this sheet of paper!" Concord held up the parchment that had informed him on where Sephtis was going next.

"What? How?" Omar asked.

"I just realized that in the moonlight it enhances the map. It shows how to get to the cliffs!"

"Perfect!" A huge grin spread across Cascade's face. She was genuinely happy that they had found a map that could guide them to the cliffs, but she was also worried. She was worried that Sephtis would succeed. That Vespara would succeed. That she would fail.

Andrea yawned. "I want to just take a nap on the road. Did you have to wake me up that early?"

They were walking down a dusty road. Concord had pushed them along for a while, but now he was taking a break, so they were walking instead.

Cascade turned a weary smile towards Andrea. "Yes, I did Andrea. As you said earlier, 'We have no time to lose'."

Andrea groaned. "I knowwww I said that but I'm just soooo tired."

"Stop complaining." Cascade did not appear to be in the best mood either.

Andrea did as she was told and stopped complaining. Nothing she would say would change Cascade's mind.

Cascade tiredly waved a hand in front of her and made a bridge to span a small gorge in the ground. As she walked across it, she thought she saw a strange root emerge from the ground, only to be submerged once more as she walked past. It must be nothing. I'm just tired, she told herself.

But as Concord walked past the area, he stopped. "There's something off about this place."

"What is it?" Andrea sighed. "I don't feel like fighting any angry monsters right now."

"Duck!" Concord yelled.

Concord, Cascade and Omar dropped to the ground, but as Andrea dropped, something grabbed her and pulled her upwards.

Andrea looked around frantically, desperately trying to free herself from the malicious grasp of something, she didn't know what. She looked down, and it appeared that there was a large, thick root holding her. But all she felt was terror as it wrapped more roots around her and sucked her into the ground.

"Andrea!" Concord shot the creature back up to the surface once more. It was over six meters in height. It had four thick roots as arms, and a thick body also made of twisted roots. Andrea was slowly being engulfed by the roots.

Andrea attempted to light the roots on fire. Some of them did enflame, but the others went out, extinguished by the water that was held inside the roots.

Often, when one of the roots were lit on fire, with an echoing roar, the creature would deprive the flames of oxygen by smothering them against the ground. It was a smart choice; one that Andrea didn't expect. She had burnt a few roots off of herself, but time was running out.

Cascade leapt out from behind the rock she had been using to hide. She ran forward, towards the creature and was boosted up to Andrea's level by Omar. Cascade quickly cut off the arms of the creature that were holding Andrea with her sword. The razor-sharp blade sheared through the roots as if they were butter.

Cascade suddenly was grabbed by another coil of roots. She desperately shoved Andrea to the side, out of danger, where Andrea could untangle herself from the limp, lifeless roots that held her.

Cutting off the roots that held her, Cascade ran back behind the rock once more.

"Given up already? I thought it would take you longer." Andrea was surprised at Cascade's retreat.

"I haven't given up." Cascade placed her hands out to the side and took a few deep breaths. Then she stood and lifted her hands, a colossal wave rising up in front of her. Throwing her hands forward, the wave flew forward, engulfing the creature.

Concord was confused, unsure what engulfing the creature in a wave could do. "What-"

Omar clamped a hand over Concord's mouth. "She needs to focus." Omar whispered in Concord's ear. He knew what her plan was.

Concord looked at Omar in confusion. Omar didn't take his hand away. He didn't want Concord to make any more disruptive noises.

Cascade froze the wave. The creature, now unable to move, encased in ice, was a target that was much more approachable. However, Cascade needed to move fast before it broke through the ice.

Cascade ran towards the creature and clambered up it, quickly reaching the point at which she wanted to take action. She stood on a platform made of ice and cleared the ice around the face of the creature. Its eyes were dark and hollow; emotionless. All sense of decision torn from its heart by Sephtis' illusions and corrupted feelings.

Cascade's cross expression faded as she looked deep into the creature's eyes. She saw that it had not always been a monster which tormented travelers. It had once simply been part of one of the trees in the forest, had been torn from its tree, so it was now alone.

Andrea was confused, as Cascade appeared to be staring into two strange holes in a root system, but she was determined to accept Cascade's decisions. She looked to Concord for an explanation. Concord simply shrugged. Andrea leaned forward and shook Omar's shoulder. "What is she doing?"

"I don't know."

"Wait, you don't?"

"Nope. But I do know that it's important and that she wouldn't be doing it if it wasn't the right thing to do. And also I can't actually see what she's doing, so without you telling me I literally can't tell you what she's doing."

"Oh. Right."

"Now be quiet."

"But-"

"Quiet." Omar's other hand clamped over her mouth. Andrea sighed. Then, suddenly, she saw a bright flash of light coming from Cascade.

Cascade began to glow faintly blue, and the wind blew stronger around her as she looked into the creature's eyes, learning about the history of the forest. Meanwhile, she was easing all the corruption that Sephtis had placed inside the creature, named Hythalus, corruption that had turned it into a deathly guard, unable to feel emotion.

Slowly but surely, the darkness in the creature's eyes faded, and was replaced by a bright blue glow; the eyes of the creature were now light and full of emotion and strength.

Suddenly, a bright flash of light erupted from the creature, breaking the ice and leaving Cascade to stand on one of the roots that it used as a hand.

Cascade, small in comparison to the creature, reached up and placed a hand on its forehead. She leaned forward, her head touching the creature's. "Goodbye." She whispered, a smile spreading across her face.

Inside her head, Cascade heard a deep, rumbling voice speak. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"If ever you need me, call, and here I will be." The creature inclined its head in Cascade's direction, the light in its eyes brightening ever so slightly.

Cascade inclined her head as well in reply.

The creature carefully put Cascade back down onto the ground. Cascade raised a silent hand in farewell as it descended back into the ground to peacefully rejoin its tree.

"What did you do to that root thing? And why do we suddenly have monsters on Zenaria again?" Andrea asked Cascade once they were back on the road again.

"I'm pretty sure there have always been strange creatures roaming around, but because nobody else has noticed them, I assume they're attracted to us specifically. And Sephtis, of course. That's why all his mercenaries ran into them."

"Ok. I suppose so. But what did you do to that root thing?"

"I gave him his emotions back. I gave him another reason to live other than 'because I'm here already'."

"Wait... whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa. Slow down here. It's a he now?"

"Yes." Cascade gave a sigh. "His name is Hythalus. Now pay attention. Sephtis had corrupted its thinking, and I brought it back to what it had been before."

"Hmm."

"It's quite simple, really."

"It doesn't sound simple. But... that's great, I suppose."
"Ah, yes. He also said, in thanks, that if we ever needed his help, then he would be willing to help us."

"Whoa!" Andrea's face lit up with a grin. "We have that guy on our side now?"

"Yup."
"You're so cool sometimes, Cascade."

"Only sometimes?" Cascade assumed a hurt expression.

"You know what I mean." Andrea playfully punched Cascade.

"I know. Thank you." Cascade smiled once more.

Andrea put an arm around Cascade's shoulders. Cascade did the same.