For the next few days, Waverly spent all her time in Eden with the nature spirits. She was excluded from the war and very often forgot there was one with how peaceful it was in Eden.

Her only reminder were the constant gossips the spirits brought back from stealing peeks at the fight through the trees or information they got from distant relatives. She was told of the raging fires, the fallen trees, the city of Nael which took all of the blows and was almost leveled to the ground, the bravery of the Tyros and the King's army, the craftiness of the dark army and the creatures they recruited to do their bidding. She was told of the numerous ways the enemy ensnared the Elves and killed them in great numbers and how the Elves retaliated by binding them with Elf magic. But their techniques were not enough to subdue the dark army. Farther and farther they were pushed back until all that separated them from the dark army was the ocean in front and on either sides of the palace. Waverly felt thankful for the waters - the enemy could not cross it because they had no ships. The mountains protected the realm from behind and so the dark army could not take them from there either. No one was mad enough to travel through the Great Jungle.

Waverly felt very eager to join the fight but Blauren assured her that her brief time spent learning about the stones would bring greater benefits than her sword ever would.

The history of the Gifts was difficult to learn but what proved even more difficult was using them. Waverly memorized what each stone stood for and found it quite easy to remember them; diamond was for success, ruby for longevity, emerald was for strength, garnet stood for health, pearl represented luxury, blue sapphire was for love, yellow sapphire was for riches, cat's eye was for protection and coral was for courage.

She was taught to harness them all at once because together they worked more effectively. Blauren and The Nature Council taught her theories and history whilst Loni took up teaching her practicals. She quickly discovered that growing plants out of sheer will was even more draining than healing. In an attempt to make a flower bloom before time, Waverly's veins popped in her palm and turned sickly green. She struggled for hours but the flower remained still and its petals tightly shut. Other efforts to use the Stones proved unavailing and the only thing Waverly found easy to do was understand the language of the Derews. She often felt very disappointed in herself for her failures and lost focus easily because of this but Loni was very patient and encouraged her each time.

During her latest practice lessons, Loni tasked her with planting a daffodil seed and willing it to grow. Waverly dug up the ground with a small shovel Papel had given her. She recalled how Judson usually planted seeds and imitated his methods. It was all quite trifle until it got to actually willing the daffodil to sprout. She concentrated hard with her bracelet hand hovering over the wet smoothened hole.

After a long painful wait, the stones began to glow and Waverly began to feel a tingling sensation accumulate in her arm. It was almost like some thread had suddenly strung itself to her palm and when she lifted her hand, the seed grew right out of the dirt. In her mind's eye, Waverly saw the process as it happened under the ground. The bulbous plant developed until it became a full flower; trumpet shaped crowns and yellow petals.

Waverly gaped at the flower for a moment then broke into a whopping scream and began to jump around.

"I did it! I did it!" She screamed, back flipping at intervals.

Loni came back and inspected the flower. A brilliant smile plastered on her face. "Yes, it seems you have made good progress."

"I feel like i could grow more daffodils in the clouds." Waverly screamed in pride.

"That would be a first." Blauren commented with a chuckle, materializing out of a cluster of climbing vines. Waverly noticed how they grew at every turn in the forest.

"It is a very healthy flower. The Gifts worked in perfect harmony." Loni told him.

"Waverly, if you will calm down now and come to us." Blauren said.

Waverly stopped hooting and came over to stare in wonder at the flower. There was a sort of unusual glisten on its petals that she had seen time and time again on the all plants that Judson grew. A spirit named Delus floated toward the flower. He sniffed it once and gave a satisfied smile then melted right into it.

"It seems that he likes it there." Loni exclaimed proudly.

"I thought every new plant comes with its own spirit." Waverly voiced thoughtfully.

"Sometimes it does but sometimes it is also empty and can be taken as a home by a similar spirit." Loni explained.

"Is that why Delus sniffed first?" She asked gazing down at the daffodil. It was pleasantly healthy and shiny.

"Yes. If it were occupied by a nature spirit, he would not have gone in."

"Oh i see." Waverly said then her face broke into a wide, eager grin. "What do i do next?"

Blauren looked at Loni. "Well, now that your concentration seems to be fueled by the excitement of your progress, come with me and i will show you."

Waverly stood up and followed Blauren who led her deeper into Eden. She knew all of the places they walked through as during her past lessons she had been taken on many tours. They walked into the Wild Wilcox; a section of Eden dominated by so many thick, close growing trees and overlapping vines that it was impossible to tell what one would walk right into but Waverly knew the Wilcox by heart now. She had gotten quite a few nasty injuries during her first passage. The Wild Wilcox soon ended and they spilled into a wide fresh water stream that divided one end of the forest from the other. Waverly trailed through the cold stream, splashing happily while Blauren simply floated over it.

Dry land came and went but the trees remained. They walked through small fields of wild flowers, a low cliff and then down sloping hills with mudslides that had dried up on them. They strolled past a few hornet's nests too and then finally through a cluster of thick vines that formed an arching threshold and a short passageway.

On the other side was what looked like the remnants of a massive wildfire. The earth was flat and black, covered in debris of rocks, heaps of old burnt hay, mud and cesspits. There were no trees or plants; only a blue sky above and a vast, nearly endless land spread out in all directions. Waverly could spot trees lining the horizon so tiny that from the distance they resembled baby broccoli stalks.

"What is this place?" She queried. The atmosphere was breezy but still smelled like the aftermath of something ungodly and disastrous.

Blauren's face could have looked much like the blackened ground if not for the blueness of the sky above them. "This is one of the numerous places upon which Juniper unleashed The Groan."

Waverly glanced around. "But i thought she only did that to the In Between."

Blauren shook his head. "Not only to the In Between but to numerous forests in all seven realms. Her anger was felt worldwide and remembered til this day."

Waverly turned with a look of worry and suspicion. "Why did you bring me here then?"

"So that you can restore the land." He replied simply.

"What?" She asked, puzzled. "I grew one flower."

"And you can grow a hundred more, i assure you." Blauren said with a chuckle. "And besides, only a few moments ago you claimed the impossible and said you could grow daffodils in the clouds."

"Yes b-but, i was only overstating."

"And an overstatement i believe, is what we need right now. What you need. So, go ahead."

"But Juniper might still be angry."

"No, her anger has long passed over us. She will not stop you from doing what she herself would do if she were here. The land is dead. Restore it."

Waverly heaved a weary sigh.

Her excitement drained so quickly that she could hardly remember the joy she had felt after growing a daffodil. She looked at the land. It was incredibly wide; much like the Fields of Deusa. Waverly frowned as she recalled her unpleasant trial of having to clear up a field for dead people. She glanced at her wrist where weed bracelets held beautiful dangling stones.

Surely. She thought. Growing an entire field would be much more pleasant than weeding one.

Besides, Judson had done it once on Arwen. The thought made Waverly relax.

She turned to Blauren again. "Do i need to water the entire field and plant seeds everywhere?"

Blauren shook his head, a smile still plastered on his wisened face, and held out his open hand where a tiny seed rested. "All that you need is just one seed."

Waverly took the seed. Blauren handed her a short waterskin. "And a few drops of water."

She used her pocket shovel to dig up a part of the ground which proved slightly difficult and took time as it was covered in heaps of rubbish. She placed the seed carefully into the hole and covered it up with as much soil as she could gather then poured enough water onto the soil. She stretched out a hand over the spot and concentrated as she had done before until her forehead became beaded with sweat and her hand ached.

Out of frustration, she stood up. "I cannot do it. It is far more difficult than growing a flower."

"Yes. I agree but answer me this, how do you heal an injured person with the powers you have?" Blauren asked calmly.

"I. . ." Waverly paused and looked straight at the nature spirit. He blinked knowingly and gave a small nod.

She realized that the seed was taking so long to sprout because she had been trying to grow just it and not use it as a form of healing for the rest of the field. She squatted next to the hole and stretched out a hand again, concentrating as hard as she had done. The tingling sensation came but this time, it racked Waverly's entire body; only not in a painful way, instead it came as a peaceful sort of feeling.

The field began to transform from black to green. The change spread all around and up out of the ground. Trees and various kinds of vegetation began to grow. Waverly watched with wide eyes as the trees grew magnificent and tall and her amazement heightened when nature spirits began to peek or float out of the trees and flowers.

"New ones?" She gaped.

Blauren came forward, his expression blissful and proud, and called to the nature spirits. He brought them forward and introduced Waverly to them in the strange earthly language of the Derews. Again, Waverly had to fight to remember their names as their numbers were too great.

Blauren summoned Loni and the Nature Council and when they came, they were all so overjoyed that Waverly received an hour long applause. As the claps died down, a resonating boom shook the ground that startled everybody.

Just then, Cassiope came racing through the crowd. She spotted Waverly and floated forward.

"Oh, friend Waverly. You have to come quick, you have. The dark army have ambushed the Plateaus." She announced in a tone of absolute dread.

Waverly ran off without a farewell to the nature sprits who had equally gotten agitated by the news and were chattering anxiously. Cassiope floated behind her as she ran back through the forest. She called for Chestnut and soon the wolf landed ahead. She climbed atop him and he took off.

Chestnut flew at such a speed that made Waverly fear she had lost body parts along the way. She released Calaire as the view of the Plateaus became clearer in the distance. The fight was bloody and from the sight of red and black armors below, Waverly could tell the Tyros were present.

Halfway to the row of wooden bridges that separated Gayl's temple from the village, she spotted a cluster of Snow Elves battling Outcasts. Waverly had always known that Snow Elves were battle demons but watching them from that height, she concluded that they were more ferocious than demons. They fought in flawless synchronization such that no matter how hard their enemies tried, they could not get them to break ranks. On the far left, a front rank kneeled to reload their bows while the second rank fired arrows over their heads. Waverly realized with a fearful sort of jolt that there were more Snow than Wood Elves on the battlefield including within the Tyros.

Chestnut dropped to the ground and Waverly slid off him. He darted forth and clawed a bunch of creatures, furiously snapped their necks with his teeth and stamping on them with his powerful legs. Waverly left him to it and ran to join the Tyros. She spotted Regent first but could not talk to him because a big bulky Outcast suddenly intercepted her.

"Get out of the way." She snarled.

"Make me, wean." The man barked.

One swing of her crescent split the man in half. She darted forward and joined the fight. Waverly thought it odd that not a single item was in flames. The snow was also completely gone but the temples were untouched although greatly ransacked. The dark army seemed to have been cautious for reasons best known to them. There was nothing as much as a tiny crack on the walls.

Outcasts were obviously greater in number than the other creatures and they were noticeably the bigger kind.

Daredevils. Waverly thought.

They were harder to kill and would usually require more than one person to bring them down but Waverly saw that Regent had indeed done his work. Every blade and arrow tip was covered in the glinting silver that was Heaven's Medal and whatever it touched burned to absolute nothing. This gave the Elves the upper hand and very soon, the number of Outcasts reduced drastically. Waverly ran over to Regent. His breathing was so hard that she allowed him a long number of minutes before she finally spoke to him.

"Where are the others?"

"Still in the Woodlands. We weren't expecting the attack. They came from over there." Regent replied and pointed afar off.

Waverly turned in the same direction and saw that at the end of the plateau was a sort of slope shrouded in thick brushes and a visible path right in the middle where the dark army had come through.

"They somehow found a shortcut from the Woodlands but only this lot could pass. Our defenses cut them off before half the army could get through."

"We have to go help them." Waverly said. She stared at Chestnut who had wiped out every living thing around him and was now sniffing at them to make sure they were truly dead.

"Kings Javan, Lameth and Caccas have spread out. The battle is on three fronts. I think Caccas has the Woodlands. They won't be able to get past him, he fights like a mad animal."

"Still, we can't. . ."

"Don't worry about it. They have it all covered and besides, everyone's got a bit of Heaven's Medal in their blade."

Waverly gave an amused frown. "I can't remember it being that much."

Regent shrugged but she could see the pride in his eyes. "Like i said, a bit of it. I managed to cut them into tiny pieces. It's amazing what a little slot of it can do but i made sure it went round."

"That's great." Waverly grinned. She indeed felt great having done something good.

"Although, there is this little issue with uh. . ." Regent hesitated uncomfortably.

"With what?" Waverly inquired.

"King Javan is curious as to where we got Heaven's Medal from." He completed.

"I showed you. It's from the ship, Estoso."

"Yeah you did. Uh, how do you know her name? There were over a thousand and twenty vessels here."

Waverly gestured carelessly. "You know, it's just. . ."

Regent raised an eyebrow. "You know i can tell when you're about to lie, right? You're not very good at it."

"I'm not lying. I have seen Estoso many times back home because where i lived was not so far from the harbor and the palace. I realized the plates were Heaven's Medal when that Ettin threw it at me."

"Alright, i believe you." Regent chuckled. He looked at the rest of the soldiers converging at a spot.

"We should join them to know our next course of action. I think it's weird that the dark army destroyed our last camp but did not touch a single thing on the Plateau."

Waverly nodded. "I think the same. My guess is that they fear the penalty for desecration. Lord Gayl is an Elemental godhead and not even the dark army would want to have him on their bad side."

Regent pointed lazily. "That is a solid point." Waverly saw that the short sword she had given him was in a scabbard tied to his leg but she doubted he had used it at all.

"Is Phyllis with the others?" She asked as they began to walk toward the group.

"Yes but Grace isn't. She joined the King's Generals on the waterfront. Half the city and the citadel must have fallen by now but the bridge miraculously still stands."

"Where then is the third front?"

Regent did not give an answer because the soldiers had suddenly caught sight of Waverly. Two came forward and took her with them.

"We need you to lead a small army back down that way." A soldier said and pointed to the sloping path. He had a deep nasty gash across his forehead but he ignored it.

"Do you think you can handle that?" A different soldier asked.

Waverly looked around. As always, she was the smallest and the shortest in the crowd despite having grown a tad within the previous year. It made her feel uncomfortable that she would lead a group where everyone was her elder.

The first soldier seemed to read her mind just then. "Don't worry about them following orders. Everyone knows who you are and what you can do so they'll follow you. You just have to tell them what to do and it if makes you comfortable, you can take the Tyros instead."

Waverly heaved out a small sigh of relief. "Okay, then. Do we join the others?"

"Yes, we received word that the dark army fanned out. It is like they are looking for something but we don't know what." The soldier with the forehead injury said.

"Intercept them. Don't let them get too far." Said the other soldier.

"Alright." Waverly agreed.

She turned to face the already assembled Tyros. As her eyes traveled to each person, she recognized a particular boy amongst them. He was the same one she had once struck to unconsciousness but he looked far from resentful. Instead, he smiled warmly when their eyes met. She did not know his name and had never spoken to him before but gave a small nod in return.

With Regent by her side and Chestnut in front, they raced down the slope. The air was noticeably cold and Waverly realized that it would soon be winter. In Alpgeton, winter came at the beginning of the year but it only lasted a short time according to what Dermot had told her. Chestnut raced easily down the slope whereas the soldiers had to be careful running down it. The brushes fanned out until they were an arm's length and the sight of land afar off became visible although it branched off suddenly into a wood.

The soldiers ran stealthily through the woods, making sure to conceal their presence in case of sudden contact with the enemy but Chestnut bounded forward bravely, eager to stick his steel claws in any opponent. Soon, the woods disappeared and was replaced by the familiar Woodland trees. The cold increased and caused quite the shiver in Waverly's chest but she did not let it slow her down. It was her first time leading an army no matter how small and she did not want to appear weak.

All of a sudden, an arrow whizzed through the group but thankfully, it got caught onto an Elfin's shield. The soldiers broke apart and filtered without as much as a command from Waverly because they had taken the same training together over a hundred times. They laid in wait with their eyes peeled and their senses wide open for the enemy to emerge. A number of them watched the trees, some watched the flank and others the rear.

Just then, a funny looking creature bounded forward. Waverly perked up from her hiding spot to glimpse it - it was a baby dragon with spikes along the ends of its multiple tails. It had jagged little blades protruding out of its back, wild yellow and black eyes, scabby wings and a sort of greyish underbelly.

"I don't think what came at us was an arrow." A Tyro piped from the corner.

"What is it?" Waverly asked, assessing the animal before her. It looked dangerous but it was awfully small, the same size as a fully grown chicken.

The Tyros began to move out of their hiding spot but Waverly ordered them to stay down as the enemy could be within shooting distance.

"It is a dragon, obviously." Someone replied.

"Yes but what kind?" An Elfin asked.

"Let us kill it before it kills one of us." A boy suggested. Before anyone could protest, he had struck the dragon with the club he held in one hand. He struck continuously until the dragon went limp.

Waverly watched the animal carefully for a little while and when it did not rise or move, she released the tensed up breath she had been holding in.

"Okay, let us proceed then."

The army returned back to their formations and forged ahead but after a few steps, a low rumble made them halt. They turned simultaneously and found a very crippling sight.

"Criminy!" A girl sighed. "Now i recall what kind of dragon it is - it's a Heathland Dragon."

"Curl my toes stiff!" Another boy added in a tone of wonder. "They grow according to the number of times they are struck." He turned to the boy with the club. "And you hit it sixteen times."

The boy frowned indignantly. "Why the Dickens were you counting?"

The dragon gradually increased in size before their eyes, its bones cracking loudly as it did. It grew until the top of its head was halfway to the trees.

"How do we kill it then if we cannot hit it since it will just keep growing?" Waverly asked. Her mind went haywire with multiple possibilities of how a fight with an unkillable dragon would end. She did not like all the outcomes.

The dragon struck before an answer could be provided. It spewed flames out of its ugly mouth and torched the trees. The army scattered to avoid getting roasted. Waverly ordered them to refrain from striking but someone whacked the dragon on the tail and it grew an inch taller.

"Don't hit it." Waverly yelled oblivious to the dragon's tail that unexpectedly swept violently across the forest floor and knocked the air from her lungs.

That seemed to agitate the army and they further disobeyed her order by taking swipes at the dragon which made it grow even bigger. Chestnut found his way back to the group as he had gone a bit farther during their march. He was big but the dragon was bigger. The wolf did not seem happy about that and so he also began to grow in size.

"How big can he get?" Regent asked, drawing Waverly away from the two creatures.

"I don't really know." Came the weak reply.

Chestnut's size soon matched that of the dragon but it made him terribly slow. It seemed he was not used to being that large yet he fought bravely, nicking the dragon with his dagger length claws in the eyes, neck and wings. The dragon blew steam and flames at him but he soared in time to avoid it giving the dragon a chance to flick him away with its spiky tails. As Chestnut fell back in a tumble, he reduced in size.

Waverly stood up and ran to him. He laid on his left side and was bleeding from the other, his silver fur coat was stained red and burnt black in many places. A swollen cut ran from his head to the end of his snout. The wolf was in pain but he did not release so much as a whimper.

"Go to mother." Waverly told him. The sight of his injuries had put her in a state of sudden shock and fear. The last time she had been entrusted with things, they had come to total ruins or ended up destroyed. She could not afford to allow Chestnut get hurt.

At her words, the wolf lifted his head to peer at her with sad blue eyes.

"Go! And don't you dare come back until i call for you."

It was then Chestnut whimpered. He stood up and nuzzled Waverly affectionately.

"Go on then." She urged in a much calmer tone.

Chestnut ran off with a slight limp and took flight. Waverly heaved a sigh, stood up and hefted Calaire then ran back into the blazing forest. The Heathland Dragon had released carnage on the Tyros and eight of them lay dead around it, burnt or brutally stabbed by one or more of its tails.

The rest of them, no more than twelve, had formed a phalanx and was backing away from the dragon that had now grown so tall that if it lifted its head, it saw past the tree branches. Waverly ran to join them and found Regent in front.

"How's Chestnut?" He asked.

"He's fine." She replied. "How did it get so big?"

"Even stones count as hits. We don't know its weakness yet and we're running out of time. . . fast."

Suddenly, the temperature dropped to freezing level. The Tyros broke ranks and began to shiver uncontrollably. The dragon also felt the cold because its skin began to ripple.

"What. . . is. . . causing this?" Waverly asked with chattering teeth.

"Snow Elves." A boy replied. His bronze shield had turned white.

"Look!" Regent breathed shakily.

They looked on together and saw that the dragon was beginning to freeze to a standstill. Frost crept along its skin until it was as solid as ice. Then, the temperature rose to normal again and a dozen Snow Elves approached from behind. Waverly recognized three of them to be Tyros and the others were sentry soldiers.

"I've always wondered why you can't control the weather." Waverly said to Regent.

He shrugged lazily. "Everyone can't have the same talent, i guess."

"Fall back to the Plateaus." A sentry said looking at the splayed out dead bodies. A flash of pain lit his eyes. "The dark army has retreated. . . for now."

Waverly turned to join the rest when Cassiope suddenly appeared in front of her. She yelped in surprise.

"Oh hello, Cassiope. What are you doing here?"

Cassiope muttered something incoherent and placed her palms against her cheeks. Her eyes were heavy and red as if she had been crying.

"What is it?" Regent asked turning to stare at Waverly. He seemed to have suddenly sensed that something was wrong.

"You have to come now." Cassiope said, her voice was unusually low, almost weak.

Waverly reluctantly gave her an arm and Cassiope took it.

"I want to come too." Regent said.

"No, you go with the others. I'll meet up later." Waverly prompted.

Regent looked disinclined but he turned and walked away as Waverly and Cassiope became shrouded in colorful dust.

When the colors cleared off, Waverly found herself in a different hall. She frowned because she had never been there before and did not know where it was. Her heart rate increased a tadge.

"Where is this place?" She asked. Her voice echoed off the walls. It was made of stone and coated with tar in some places, same as the floors. The hallway was long and would have been dark if not for the square patches of yellow light from different open rooms on each side that illuminated the way. At the very end of the hall was a concrete wall and a table near it where heaps of armor were laid.

"This is for King's Generals." Cassiope replied. "Something bad has happened."

For some reason, Waverly found her feet as heavy as lead and could not move them at all. "To who?"

Just then, a door at the extreme end of the hallway opened and Waverly heard a cry. What made the sound even more gut-wrenching was that she recognized the voice immediately.

Her heart rate quickened.

"Diarmaid is very hurt." Cassiope said, floating in front of Waverly and slowly pulling the latter's arm because her feet seemed to reject movement.

"What. . . happened to. . . ?" Waverly asked and swallowed her next words.

Despite how slow she walked, dreading what she would see when she arrived in the room, they reached the door faster than she liked.

She scanned the room quickly, almost oblivious to how highly decorative it was. There were seven people in the room; four of whom she recognized. Three men stood tadasana - a posture of respect - in front of the wooden table beside the only window in the room. Waverly recognized one to be a priest. Next to him stood Brijjet and to Waverly's surprise, Aurora, who was dressed in golden armor stained with so much dirt and soot that it looked more bronze than gold. Both of them were looking down at Diarmaid who was bent over on his knees, bawling.

Waverly's eyes traveled lower and her heart momentarily stopped.

On a woolen mat, Dermot laid flat and unmoving on his back, covered in so much blood from his face to his hands.

Waverly took a woolly step forward and her knees momentarily gave way but Cassiope caught her just in time. Their scuffle made all eyes turn to them. The priest said something but Waverly did not hear.

As she walked closer and closer to Dermot the wind stopped, sounds seized and the lights in the room dimmed to an ugly dullness. Waverly was plunged into a hushed silence that she could not even hear the sound of her own heartbeat.

She fell next to Dermot whose eyes were closed as if he were only asleep and spotted the deep cut across his neck. The skin around his injury was swollen, black and smeared with thick blood. It was obvious that he had also bled from his mouth.

No!

Heavy tears spilled from Waverly's eyes as the gory sight before her roughly brought her back to reality.

Dermot was dead.