The sky opened, clouds and empty air above and below. It was a void just like the one that had gripped her so long ago… but instead it was a void of white and blue. Faint, flickering stars smiled beyond the atmospheric shell.

  This, she thought. This isn’t a mere dream. It’s something more than that.

  “It’s a message,” a heavenly voice confirmed, echoing off into the calming expanse. “Or… an omen.”

  An omen?

  “Our sanctum is threatened. The Girl of the World and the Girl of the Stars must remain still and apart, yet close enough to gaze upon one another infinitely.”

  The Girl of the World… and the Girl of the Stars.

  “You’ve seen her, yes? You have met the very same gaze. In the lonely lord’s castle, in the room of tender misery. The Girl of the Stars spoke to you, shined onto you her light, reflected your woes a thousandfold.”

  The Aspect?

  “The Throne must not be reached by mortals. Doing so will bring ruin where there should have been years past, prevented by the Viridescent Monarch’s kind words.”

  Viridescent Monarch…

  “We will meet in the flesh some time soon. Know my name as Virismare, guide to the lost. I am the last step in your journey, the key to your life unbound. When free of fate’s grasp, you will finally find happiness. That, I can promise. There is a profundity within the soul that is wonderfully incomprehensible, and it is my belief that its beauty transcends all things; time, space, religion, meaning, and the nature of existence and nonexistence. Forevermore, the soul will prevail, as love does and will continue to permeate every corner of the almighty universe.”

  ***

  Ma’at woke with a start, her hair messy and matted on one side, her sleepwear disheveled.

  Roughly a day and a half had passed since their departure from the Greatwoods. Sailing through the sky, the mercenaries and their ronin confidant were sure they were heading north. The air had grown much colder. Where before they could sit at the dining booths warm and comfortable, now they often sought their blankets and beds to stave off shivers.

  Sato opened her eyes lazily, the faint light of the doorway barely painting her outline in an amber hue. Like shining crystals, her vision focused and peered upward at the disgruntled Sirithisian that had suddenly awakened. She yawned then spoke. “Ma’at? What’s wrong? Another nightmare?”

  She looked at the Maiden, faint tears in her eyes. Whether they had formed because of the message or from sleep was uncertain. “No… a dream. Just a dream.”

  “Ma’at… you’re crying.” The Maiden pouted, sitting up and leaning toward her friend with care and adoration. She raised her hand to the Sirithisian’s cheek, wiping the tiny tears from her eyes.

  She smiled in response. “No… really. I had the most beautiful dream. But it was also a warning.”

  “Hm? A warning?”

  “Or an omen. …Sato, do you know anything about the Viridescent Monarch?”

  The Maiden sighed, yet smiled all the same. “You’re not making any sense. But yes, of course. It’s the god some began to believe in following the Advent.”

  “What is it, exactly?”

  “Some say it’s the mother of all dragons, a being that revealed itself during the event. Others say it’s the spirit of the worldsoul, a godlike being that directs the flow of time and space.”

  “Time and space…”

  “What’s got you so worked up? We need our sleep. Tien says we’ll have quite the journey to make to reach… whatever her and the Writer have planned.”

  A guardian angel? She couldn’t make sense of it. Was it the same voice from before? She couldn’t remember. Even so, a calming sense beyond the norm had settled her heart. She felt abnormally at ease, as if everything was right with the world… or at least, would be.

  Quiet snickering pulled her from her thoughts. Ma’at and Sato turned to look at Tien, wide awake, watching the two all the while chuckling inwardly. It seemed she found the situation hilarious.

  Sato blushed, stammered, then threw a pillow with all her strength at the brunette. It smashed into her friend’s face, sending her tumbling backward and cackling all the same. “Wh-What!? Why are you laughing like that, you creep!? Stop spying on us!”

  “I wasn’t spying, dummy. You two weren’t exactly being quiet. And I sleep here too, you know!” Tien threw the pillow right back at her.

  “You know what you’re doing! You’re teasing me! Why else would you be laughing?”

  “Teasing you about what, huh?”

  Sato clammed up, practically growling behind gritted teeth. Anger painted the pale Nimanese woman’s cheeks pink, just like the devil flowers of her homeland.

  “Why so quiet all of a sudden? Something you don’t want Ma’at to overhear, hm?”

  “Huh? What are you talking about, Tien?” Ma’at asked, completely aloof.

  “Sh-Shut up, you brat!” The Maiden leapt from her sitting position atop her bed and onto the magus, tackling her and fighting with her on the floor.

  Mouth wide open, the dark-skinned woman gazed down at her friends in disbelief and confusion. Was it yet another inside joke between the two of them that she didn’t understand? Some kind of rivalry from before she met them? She had no idea. And so she continued to watch their wrestling match until the wee hours of the morning, when the Cloudstriker arrived at their new destination at last.

  The bitter cold of Frostmaw was no exaggeration. Many, including Ma’at in her younger years, had heard northerners spread tales of their land’s unforgiving environment. Like many before her, ignorant and unwise to the wider world, she had spurned such rumors as no more than native hyperbole. Surely it couldn’t be that bad!

  But it was much, much worse. Jolly were the northernfolk, happy as pigs, drunk off their rich ale and richer, tastier food. They often described their home as treacherous, yes, but also left out many of the factors that changed its depiction from dangerous to downright inhospitable. They would mention the blistering blizzards, the endless tundra, the biting winds… but in the same sentence, they would forget to mention the packs of hungry vax, the angry ice elementals, the ancient Frostlander ghouls prowling the wastes.

  Though, the danger could never tarnish what the northerners treasured most about their land (other than the tasty food and valuable ore deposits): the scenery. Frostmaw and the northern wastes as a whole were beautiful in their own right, though in a different way than Central Vastyliad was. The wastes were pallid, pure and serene. A true winter wonderland, if one could escape the predators inhabiting its every nook and cranny. Snowy hills and crags, ice-encased ruins, never-ending plains of white.

  In a way, as they disembarked the airship once more, Ma’at felt as though she were at home there. The desert wasn’t so different from the frozen wastes, after all. Both were empty yet held in them a primordial wonder, an age-old question: what could be hidden beneath the chilly fog? Beneath the veil of frost and falling snow? Something the eyes alone could not detect. Something mysterious and inspiring lived in that endless view; one only needed to look with their heart and soul to feel it.

  Sato blew hot air into her cupped hands in a feeble attempt to warm herself. Though she could regulate her temperature with her powers, it wasn’t quite enough to escape the fury of Frostmaw.

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  “I knew you’d be cold, silly.” Tien sighed at Sato’s plight. “I asked if you wanted anything warmer to wear and you said no.”

  “It’s fine,” the Maiden replied through clattering teeth. “This is nothing.”

  The witch in red, quite the contrast in the world of white, giggled. “Here, this should help.” Extending her right hand, a crimson butterfly flapped toward the shivering woman and hovered in the air just above her shoulder. Instant warmth spread throughout her body, aiding her regulative magic.

  “Ooh! Wow. That is warm. Thanks, Camelia.” The irony that this sentence came from the same girl who had questioned the witch’s inclusion countless times practically forced Tien to roll her eyes in spite of herself.

  “Hehe. Don’t mention it. I’m the Witch of Warmth for a reason. I have to do these kinds of things if I’m to keep my title, no? Hehehe…”

  They trudged along, leaving the port behind them. Trailing hoofprints, scattered and wavy, led back from whence they came.

  “It’s really coming down,” Tien commented. Countless plummeting snowflakes fell all around them.

  “Speaking of which, doesn’t your name mean ‘snow’, Yuki? You should feel right at home, huh?” The Maiden giggled at her own little joke.

  The swordsman rode alongside them on the same horse Lomm had used during their Greatwoods excursion. Rei’s starlight sword hung in a new sheathe at his side in place of his stolen blade. “Actually,” he replied sternly, “my name is written as ‘good fortune’, not ‘snow’.”

  Heartbroken that her joke had been so mercilessly cut down, Sato let out a noise akin to a death rattle.

  “I meant to ask you something earlier, but with all the chaos it didn’t seem important at the time.”

  “And what question would that be, Swordstress?”

  Ma’at let out a nervous laugh. “You can just call me Ma’at, you know. I’d rather not be known for one of the worst times of my life…”

  “Hmm…” the artist pondered, mired in thoughts as numerous as the falling snow. “Then I’ll refer to you as Sirithisian. How is that?”

  She gaped, astonished. Pinpricks of ice landed on her revealed tongue. It left an odd stinging feeling behind. “I’d rather not be known by the name of my race, either…”

  “This is truly unfortunate. It seems I have nothing to call you by, then.”

  A rush of deja vu firmly planted itself in Ma’at’s brain. Memories of Sato’s strange attempts at building familiarity replayed in her head. “You can just call me by my name!”

  “No, that won’t do. There is no style or artistry to be found in that.”

  “I said the same thing! See, Ma’aty? I was right!” Sato smiled from ear to ear, clearly proud of herself.

  “Please, never utter that revolting nickname ever again.” Surprising everyone, Yuki had said what all of them, including Ma’at, had expected her to say in response.

  To Sato’s dismay, Ma’at chuckled lightly, a rarity to be sure.

  “Never mind that for now. What was your question?”

  “...Why did you steal the levinshards? Did the Nye Inkorpt threaten you? Or was it some other reason? I can’t see you losing to them in any normal circumstance. When you had your sword, I mean.”

  “Mm. Because Umbra told me to obey them, nothing more.”

  The voice in his head? she thought. Sato had mentioned that it was possible the man was, indeed, not insane and really was communicating with a being beyond the physical realm. Having had their own experience with a ghostlike entity, she couldn’t ignore the possibility. And she didn’t want to believe Sato had gone mad as well. “I see. Do you always do what she tells you?”

  “There has never been a time in which she has steered me wrong. Not ever. So… yes. I give an ear to her advice whenever possible and obey her whims when there is no reason not to. She is my wife, after all. Refusing her would lead to a stern talking-to and-” The swordsman suddenly stopped talking, seemingly in a trance as his horse trotted onward. A minute later, he resumed speaking. “I have been reprimanded. Please do not ask such a question again, for my sake.” He drooped his head a bit like a saddened dog.

  How do I keep coming across such weird people? she mused as they continued on.

  An hour into their expedition, they found themselves in a semi-mountainous, wooded area. Firm trunks extended upward, not nearly as large as the Greatwoods flora, but they were still fairly tall pines nonetheless. Capes of white and teal-blue frost hung from their hides.

  Though, something completely foreign to the mesmerizing landscape caught the eye. Sato pointed it out at first, and so they dismounted and proceeded on foot into the forest in careful order.

  “I swear I saw it…!” Sato said in a hushed voice. “It should be right around here.”

  “It seems Umbra saw it as well,” Yuki added. “She described it as-”

  But the ronin could not finish his sentence before the target of their discussion appeared before them, picturesque and as wondrous as the rolling wastes themselves.

  A mechanical fawn dotted with cold dust wandered out into the open between two trees. Unhindered by the cold ravaging the land, it gazed at its surroundings just as a living animal would. Majestic and carefree, the creature planted firm hooves into the blanketing snow and turned in the opposite direction of its observers.

  “It’s real…” Ma’at whispered in awe.

  As soon as they had cemented its existence in their minds, the robotic specimen ran off; not in fright, but seemingly in need of returning to its pack.

  “Ah, wait!” the Maiden cried, but it was already gone. The only reminder of its existence were its tracks in the waves of rime.

  “Robotic animals? Does that mean…?”

  Tien examined the hoofprints. Each one had left behind a convincing mark, except for the deer’s front right hoof. A strange symbol, manmade to be sure, was etched and stamped there for all to see. A reflection of what was to come. “They escaped from an ancient Technicist facility nearby. The same one we must find.”

  “And are you able to tell us exactly why we’re looking for one of those graveyards? What could possibly be worth going down there?” Ma’at had no hope Tien would answer her question in earnest, of course. But there wasn’t any harm in trying, she figured.

  “Yes, in fact, I am.”

  “What?”

  “I can tell you. The Writer has given me permission.”

  “Wow. Now that… that feels like a bad omen.”

  Tien chuckled beneath her big, fluffy scarf. Her exposed nose, red from the cold, sniffled. “It’s just another part of the bigger plan I already revealed. The Nye Inkorpt headquarters is in New Aza, but it’s not quite so simple. They’re stationed in a Technicist facility of their own deep underground, connected to Leylines all across Vastyliad. Apparently, they have a whole network leading across the continent, including Reville. That’s how they-” She stopped in her tracks and let out a stifling cough. “Okay… that was a little too much information to give out, but it’s alright. The point is that if we’re to strike them where they’re weakest, our best bet is to ride a train directly to them.”

  “You mean we’re not returning to the airship after this!?” Sato cried.

  “That’s right. We’re riding a Leyline straight to-”

  “Why didn’t you tell me!? I would have asked you to stock up on all their snacks! Can we head back real quick and load up your case with their chocolate croissants, pleeeaaase? I won’t annoy you again until we make it back to Reville! Promise!”

  “No.”

  “Actually, Tien… Sato’s got a point there.” Ma’at could not deny that the airship’s pastries were of the highest quality. Not saving them for the rest of the journey would be a truly unforgivable sin, more so than any other she had ever committed.

  “Listen, foodies, we don’t have time. If we did, I wouldn’t mind grabbing some more for the road.”

  “Some more? What do you mean by that?” Sato was practically foaming at the mouth.

  Tien sighed, shaking her head for the umpteenth time. “...I mean that I grabbed a few before we left.”

  “Oh, Tien! My best friend! I love ya!” The Maiden hugged the petite girl with all her might, seemingly crushing some bones and organs in the process.

  “Hmph. That was very thoughtful of you, Tien. Thank you,” Ma’at said genuinely. Though, one look at her face said that she was just as ravenous as the Maiden was.

  They looked at her with pleading, expectant expressions.

  “No! Not until we have some down time. Once we’re on a train, then you can eat all of them if you want. We’ve got a job to do.”

  “Fine~” Sato whined. “So where is the place, then?”

  “It shouldn’t be too difficult to find. I have some Technicist equipment on me. It should resonate with the facility in some way as we draw nearer.”

  It wasn’t long into their search until she was proven right. As they circled around the snowy forest on horseback, an odd Technicist tool sitting in one of her large pockets began to ring and pulsate. They edged the mountain, dodging trees, until at last a snowcapped opening could be seen. It was nearly camouflaged by the snowstorm, which through time had grown much harsher, and the windswept trees did not help matters either. Despite that, the cold metal exterior of the tunnel was unmistakable amidst the bone-white backdrop.

  “Camelia, could you-”

  “Way ahead of you,” the witch replied with glee. Conjuring a roaring fireball, she launched it at the pile of snow and rubble. Nearly instantaneously, the mound of rimefrost was burned away leaving nothing but the tunnel door intact.

  “Camelia, could you-”

  “Yeah, yeah.” Once again, the Witch of Warmth cast a searing orb of flame at the exposed door, melting it down to a jagged puddle of superheated metal.

  With the obstacles cleared, the black abyss remained.

  “Have you ever been in one of these facilities, Tien?” Ma’at asked, unsure of the answer her ally would give. She simply wanted to know what they should expect going in.

  “Yes… a long, long time ago. Don’t worry. There’s nothing to be afraid of.”

  Following the mage’s uncharacteristically forlorn reply, the Vroque women, the witch and the swordsman descended into the abyss without looking back.