"Here we are!" Rena let out a cheer, her voice brimming with joy. It was clear and crisp, like a kingfisher's song, making her sound like a tiny, adorable creature singing.

"Huh, this place..." Chilus was pulled along by the girl's hand until they reached it. She stared ahead in surprise. They stood on a cliff edge, wind whipping their long, silky hair into the air—fiery red and ocean blue, a contradictory yet harmonious sight. "I never expected a place like this deep in the forest."

Her eyes widened in astonishment, their glossy pupils shimmering faintly.

"Cool, right?" Rena beamed like a little girl showing off her favorite toy. She and Chilus had always been like this—sharing every fun discovery first with each other.

"Yeah, it's amazing," Chilus nodded, stepping forward carefully.

Before them, a massive crater gaped in the rolling landscape, shrouded in eerie mist like a fairyland. The fog blocked most of her view, but the sound of rushing water reached her ears—splashing, splashing.

"You hear it too, right?" Rena blinked at her.

"Mm, the water's sound... but where's it coming from?" Chilus felt a trace of confusion. She leaned over the cliff edge again, peering cautiously into the dizzying abyss below, but only saw a sea of white mist.

"There really is water, but you can't see it from here. I'll show you a spot," Rena said mysteriously, sparking Chilus's curiosity.

Rena turned and led the way back into the forest, still holding Chilus's hand. The woods felt like a vast, intricate maze—towering trees blocked the sky, and endless snow covered everything identically. Yet Rena navigated it effortlessly, guiding Chilus through the trees until they finally stopped.

"Here it is!" Rena halted before a stone pillar.

"Eh... what's this?" Chilus gaped at the pillar. It stood over two meters tall, carved with ancient, complex patterns—mostly triangles and slanted lines. These were relics from a bygone era, but time had stripped them of value. True treasures were either lost to greed or claimed by the powerful; what remained were often just symbolic trinkets or decorations.

In most places, such things were rare. But here in the vast Far North, they weren't exactly uncommon—nothing to get worked up over.

"It's just a totem pole. What's so special?"

"No, it's more than that," Rena shook her head, dismissing Chilus's view. "Watch."

She stepped to the pillar's side, took a deep breath, and raised a conch shell to her lips. A low, mournful sound—wooo—echoed from it.

Chilus was stunned. She'd never known a conch could be used like this. But before she could try it herself, something stranger happened. The dull gray pillar suddenly glowed white. Thin white lines sprouted from its base like fungal threads, weaving through its carved hollows. The whole pillar blazed with radiant light, as if reborn.

"Rena..." Chilus felt a flicker of fear. This was beyond her understanding, making her deeply uneasy. Her father's warning echoed in her mind: "Never get too close to what you don't know—you can't tell how much danger lies within." His solemn face flashed before her eyes.

"What's there to fear?" Rena grabbed Chilus's hand again, her eyes steady and unwavering. Chilus knew it was Rena's endless curiosity at work—she saw mysteries everywhere, drawing Chilus irresistibly closer.

"But it's glowing! This could be an ancient Magic Circle. It's way too dangerous!" Chilus eyed the pillar warily, as if inspecting a monster. She turned to Rena, her gaze pleading. "Let's go back now. I don't want to see anymore..."

"I went last time. Totally safe," Rena insisted.

"Safe once doesn't mean safe now. We should be careful," Chilus pressed, still uneasy.

Rena hesitated at her words, but she wasn't about to turn back empty-handed. She spun on her heel, leaped into the pillar's milky-white glow, and stared wide-eyed at Chilus. "If you won't go, I'll go alone."

She pouted, lips jutting out to show her displeasure.

"Hey, get out!" Chilus reached out desperately to pull Rena back. But before she could grab her hand, Rena vanished into the light.

Chilus froze.

As Rena disappeared, the glow dimmed rapidly, like a one-time portal sealing shut. Without thinking, Chilus lunged forward and plunged into the soft radiance.

The light swallowed her whole.

*Drip... drip...*

Water sounds echoed near her ears.

Chilus slowly opened her eyes. First, she saw a pale white ceiling made of jade.

"Rena?"

She sat up, glancing around. Mysterious patterns covered the walls, and a altar-like structure stood nearby. The space was vast—nearly a hundred meters long and wide, with a ten-meter-high ceiling. Her voice bounced off the emptiness, creating echoes.

Chilus stared, awestruck. She hadn't expected this place. Its majestic, mysterious grandeur momentarily erased her fear, even making her forget Rena was beside her.

Rena walked over and patted her shoulder. Chilus jolted, whirling around with wide, terrified eyes.

"Seriously, you're that scared?" Rena winked at her.

"...Sorry," Chilus murmured, patting her chest to calm herself.

"Come on, follow me."

They walked forward until a small door appeared at the end. Stepping through, they found a long passage. Unlike the buried chamber before, this felt like a bridge jutting from a cliff face. Smooth stone walls flanked them, cut as cleanly as if by a giant blade. Chilus and Rena moved slowly along the path.

Now Chilus understood the water sounds that had puzzled her earlier. Peering down, she saw drainage-like openings in the walls, spilling water downward. But the most breathtaking sight lay ahead: where the walls narrowed, a torrent of water burst miraculously from the rock, cascading down to form a waterfall. Its powerful flow roared into a bottomless lake below.

Chilus looked up. Mist swirled overhead like a dream.

*Are we under the cliff now?* she wondered.

"Huh, what's that?" Rena suddenly shouted. Chilus followed her pointing finger. Something silver flashed down the waterfall. As it drifted closer on the current, Chilus realized—it was the corpse of a massive creature.

It had beautiful silver scales and a sleek, streamlined body. A Giant Dragon!

Chilus clapped a hand over her mouth in shock. Of course she recognized it. Every child in the Far North learned to stay far from these powerful beings. But she never imagined seeing one here—and dead. Her earlier unease surged back.

Before she could process it, reality matched her fear. A fierce wind roared overhead. Chilus looked up, expecting gray skies—but instead—

Sunlight. Golden sunlight flooded her vision, dazzling and bright.

*ROAR—*

No—it wasn't sunlight. A colossal golden creature appeared above her, its roar shaking the air. It circled once, then dove at blinding speed. Golden light flooded the entire space.

*Crack...*

The bridge outside them split apart. Chilus stood frozen, stunned. But Rena yanked her hand hard. "Snap out of it—run!"

Chilus jolted awake and sprinted forward with all her might.