When the shoreline of the Wornmoss Peninsula came into view, Cosmo was reminded of just how dreary and desolate the Hinterland Wastes truly were. The only thing to contrast the murky grey waters and drab clay shores was the silhouette of a jade green forest, which stretched from the coast into the horizon. That must be it. Cosmo thought, looking at the dense woods with wide eyes. It was larger than he could have imagined, and darker than any part of the forests on Coeden.
"We should light a fire." Molniya shivered. "The longer the night goes on, the colder it will get."
"I can gather firewood from the treeline." Cosmo offered, carefully disembarking from the boat as Lileth pulled it farther ashore.
"I'll help you out." Lysander said, stepping out behind him.
"Lileth, help us set up camp." Elias ordered, straining to remove his armored food from the muddy shore. "If we have an encounter with Varren, it would be helpful to be disguised. I don't think a battle with the Prince would go well if we lack the presence of both Cosmo and Lysander."
"In that case," Lileth turned her attention to the two boys, who had already begun to leave for the treeline. "Be attentive to dry wood. Such a thing is not common in the Wastes." The two simply nodded, before turning their backs on the other three, walking towards the looming shadow of Reathogg in front of them. After several moments of silence, Lysander cleared his throat and spoke.
"Do you really think it's in there?" He muttered, his eyes fixed on the shadows just behind the first layer of willows. Cosmo looked over at him with a curious look, before he understood.
"I'm not entirely sure, being perfectly honest." He sighed, looking up at the stars above. His eyelids were heavy and his legs were sore. "But it has to be, right?"
"What do you mean?" His cousin responded.
"If it's not, then it's with Galdernad." Cosmo explained, swallowing the lump in his throat. "And if that's true, then we've already lost."
"What do you think we'll do? If you reach out and search for something with your mind, but come up empty handed?" Lysander asked. Cosmo paused, looking at his cousin and then towards Reathogg. I don't believe he's stopped asking questions since I met him. He thought, and chuckled to himself.
"That's something I'll worry about after I see what exactly is in there." He responded as the two approached the treeline. "You go look for firewood. I'll take a look at the forest." Lysander nodded and began searching the treeline as Cosmo pulled himself onto a nearby tree branch, leaning his back against the trunk and closing his eyes.
Listening closely, he could hear every noise surrounding him, as though he was the forest himself. Squirrels skittered below the underbrush, insects buzzed on tree bark, a bird was roosting in a tree hollow, and Lysander's quiet footsteps echoed over the leaves and bushes, resounding infinitely into the wild. Cosmo then searched for the same light he had seen from Molniya upon first meeting her. What he saw instead caused his hair to stand on end.
Reathogg was alive, in the most horrific definition of the word. In the place of the glowing bright light that Cosmo had expected was a river of indigo and slate energy, flowing from the outside of the forest to an unknown middle, where something extremely powerful laid. Cosmo had no clue what exactly waited in the center of Reathogg, only that it pulled in mana like an overambitious spellcaster and that he could feel this gravitation, as though the mana was being pulled from his very being. It was unlike anything he had ever seen before.
Cosmo screamed, as he lost his balance and fell from the branch, colliding with the ground. The wind had been knocked out of him and he rolled on the ground, moaning in pain. He could hear Lysander's frantic footsteps in the distance.
"Gods, are you alright?" Lysander asked, much too loudly for his liking. His vision spun as his cousin wrapped his arm under Cosmo's back, helping him sit up.
"Aye." Cosmo managed, rubbing a section of his ribs that had made contact with a hard root. Dusting off his hands, he rubbed his eyes and attempted to get his bearings.
"What did you see?" Lysander asked, sensing that something was wrong.
"It's..." Cosmo attempted to find the correct word, visions of the malevolent river of energy flowing towards the unknown source of extreme power. "Terrifying."
"Terrifying?" He responded, incredulous. "That means you found it, right? The Prism truly is in there?" Cosmo paused.
"I'm not entirely sure." He fumbled for an answer, still shaken from the fall.
"What do you mean, you're not sure? You had said in Cors that it would be 'blindingly obvious.' What's changed?"
"I didn't see what I thought I would." Cosmo answered, rubbing the bridge of his nose. He was beginning to get a headache. "If you're so curious, why don't you take a look for yourself?"
"Look?" Somehow, Lysander had achieved another level of incredulousness, shaking his head in disbelief. "Cosmo, I've barely been able to feel the flow for very long, let alone see anything. In fact, I've never heard of a magic-user that sees the crystallization of mana. You're the first I've met and, maybe, the only one. You need to tell me what you saw." Making an effort to stand, Cosmo did exactly that, describing the otherworldly tendrils of energy, converging on the powerful presence deep within Reathogg.
"You're aware of how a Divine Prism gives off an extraordinary amount of mana, correct?" Cosmo asked, holding a gaze with Lysander, whose eyes were the size of dinner plates. Lysander nodded. "This... force. It's almost like the opposite. It pulls in mana at such a great magnitude that I can feel its pull."
"At the very least, there's something in there, right?" Was all Lysander could think to respond with.
"Without a doubt." Cosmo answered with conviction. "I'm just not entirely sure of its safety."
"Let's bring what you've found to everyone else. Maybe they can offer us some insight. I've gathered enough firewood, anyway." Lysander hoisted a large bundle of wood under his arm. "Can you walk?"
"I'll be alright." Cosmo stood up straight, clutching the injury on his side. Slowly, they approached the shadows of their friends in the distance, illuminated by a small flame in the palm of Molniya's hand.
"What happened? Was gathering firewood too difficult a task?" The lizardwoman asked upon seeing Cosmo's limp. Lysander set the firewood down and she lit it ablaze with a quiet incantation.
"That forest holds terrible things." Was all Cosmo responded with, shaking his head. Explaining what he had seen, he watched as the expressions of his companions turned from jovial and relaxed to those of horror and confusion at what he had found.
"You think it's pulling in mana?" Lileth asked. "I've never heard of anything like that."
"I don't think, I know." Cosmo responded. I could feel the force pulling me, almost as though I was gravitating towards it."
"Whatever foul being resides in that place, it sounds dangerous." Elias stated, glaring into the woods as though he could see what lay inside.
"It wouldn't be the first time we've strode headlong into danger for a Prism." Lysander countered. "It's not as though stopping here would be a good idea."
"I do not mean to imply that we should cease our expedition." Elias responded. "However, we should exercise caution."
"He's right. Whatever seems to be causing this anomaly doesn't seem to be friendly." Lileth stood up from her seated position on the ground and stretched. "For now, I need to contact Elarra. We can talk more about what Cosmo saw in the morning." She turned her back on the group, walking towards the sea.
"Wait a minute." Lysander stopped her. "Contact? How?"
"If you would like me to show you, you're welcome to come along." She responded nonchalantly, gesturing for him to follow her.
"I'll come along too," Cosmo interjected, following behind Lysander, who stood and moved to Lileth's position.
"We'll secure the camp for now." Molniya said. "I'll send a signal if I smell trouble." Cosmo nodded and hastened his pace so that he could walk side by side with Lileth.
"I can hear your collective questions buzzing in the air, so I'll do you the favor of answering them." Lileth chuckled to herself as they approached the shore and she knelt in the grey sand, peering into the murky water. "Scrying is a technique as old as magic itself that allows for immediate and effective communication over a long distance. Frankly, I'm surprised your teacher in the Archipelago didn't instruct you on the matter."
"She had about a week to teach us all she could." Cosmo responded. "Not only is it a miracle I was capable of learning so much, but she was a firm believer that the best way to learn magic would be to travel across Felwyn, in search of every drop of knowledge available." He sighed. "I apologize, but because of this, some of the basics remain unknown both to myself and Lysander."
"The reason matters not." Lileth waved her hand at the two. "I will teach you now, instead. First, a reflective surface is necessary. The clearer, the better, but when you are in the wilds of the Hinterland Wastes, you must take what you can get. Mirrors are preferable, but I will be scrying through the water here." Cosmo nodded.
"What happens when you cast the spell?" Lysander asked, squatting down so he would be at the same level as Lileth.
"Your visage will appear in the nearest reflective surface to your target. Theirs will appear in the material you have used to cast the spell. In order to scry someone in specific, simply think of a clear image of them in your head and..." She paused, closing her eyes. "Speak the incantation. Sylvá."
The water in front of her rippled unnaturally, slowly shifting until a reflective circle formed, displaying a perfect image of Lileth's face as she gazed into the sea. As the murky grey water moved hypnotically, a clear image of Elarra's face began to form on the other side. It appeared as though she was looking into a mirror inside of an inn.
"Gods, you're alive." Elarra said, sighing loudly. "Now I've got to find exactly where you've gone so I can kill you for making me worry like that."
"You've always worried too much, Elarra. I'm fine." Lileth responded casually. Cosmo gathered that this hadn't been the first time that the two had become separated unannounced.
"With Varren running around Cors like a madman, there's no such thing as being too cautious." She responded, taking a sideways glance out of a nearby window. "I saw him roaming around earlier today. He seemed as though he was looking for someone. Part of me is glad you ran off without saying anything."
"Okay, okay. It won't happen again."
"You said that last time." Lileth laughed.
"Listen, I'm on Mossworn Peninsula, on the outskirts of Reathogg."
"You've found something that I missed, haven't you?" Elarra asked, before she could say much more.
"You wouldn't believe it. It was one of the boys." Lileth responded with a smirk.
"Really?" The magic user asked, raising an eyebrow. "I had my money on the lizardwoman. Regardless, it matters not. Don't get yourself killed. You know where to find me when you can."
"Yes, ma'am." She gave a sarcastic salute before running her hand through the water, the image of Elarra fading into the murky depths. "That, boys, is how you scry somebody. You two can try all you like, but I plan to get more than a wink of sleep before travelling into a place like Reathogg. If either of you have any brains bouncing around in there, you'll do the same."
"You'll never learn tact, will you?" Cosmo responded, dryly.
"Only trying to look out for you two." Lileth said with her back turned towards them as she returned to Elias and Molniya. Cosmo sighed, looking across the water into the dense mist that seemed to constantly hang just above the surface.
"You know, I hate to say it, but she might be right." He admitted, turning to Lysander. "We'll need as much preparation for whatever is waiting for us in Reathogg as possible." His cousin turned towards him.
"I'd like to do one thing, first." Lysander said, looking wistfully at the sea. Producing his ebony wand from his travelpack, he flicked it towards the surface. "Sylvá." The wand sparked and a small beam of light darted into the water, causing a small splash. Minutes later, a familiar face appeared at an odd angle.
"Lysander? Cosmo? What are you boys doing in my tea?" Athro screamed, incredulous.
"Ma'am! It's so good to see you!" Lysander beamed and Cosmo smiled, both incredibly happy to be seeing a familiar face after so long. He had almost forgotten what she had sounded like.
"It's good to see you two boys as well, considering you two haven't bothered to contact me for a month! Lysander, your parents have lost their minds worrying over you. Thirty days and not a single letter? The second I see you again-"
"Ma'am! Just wait until you hear this." Cosmo caught her attention.
"We can explain." Lysander added. From there, Cosmo and his cousin took turns describing the events of their travels, from their journeys across the Clifftop Haven, to the events of the Trials in Trovvs, Xhalo Ravine, Cosmo's new knowledge of lightning magic, the treaty in the Boiling Pot, and Folcanrog's defeat. They also spoke of Elias, Molniya, and Lileth, who had joined them in their travels.
"She's still a bit of a loose cannon and is almost as tactless as Molniya, but I think she's going to be really helpful in our journey." Lysander concluded. "She's the one who told us how to scry you."
"I almost can't believe it." Athro smiled at the two with pride in her eyes. "I always knew you both were capable of great things, but never so soon. Cosmo, to be able to tame the unruly nature of lightning magic so quickly, and for you, Lysander, to be capable of combining magic and swordplay so smoothly in battle are both extraordinary feats. And to have been tasked with a quest from Tatiova herself?" Cosmo was taken aback by the volume of her voice. "Do you realize how few people can say that they, too, have experienced that?"
"Not at all." Cosmo smiled. "Your praise means so much to me." Knowing that Athro could see his growth made him feel proud. Despite having only known her for a short period of time, Cosmo thought of Athro like family. Not only did he carry a great amount of respect for her level of power and prowess, but she pushed him to be a better version of himself even though he had shown her how rash he could be at times. A warm feeling now rested in his heart as the one who had guided him down the right path expressed her joy in his improvement.
"Folcanrog and the Unverlich Hydra, two terrors that the gods left untouched, are now dead at the hands of you both! The amount of lives you have saved- and everything you've risked... I almost want you two to be lying to me."
"I promise it's the truth, ma'am. We couldn't have done it without the help of our companions, however." Lysander smiled, filled with pride. He looked back at Elias, Molniya, and Lileth, who all sat by the fire, illuminated by its bronze glow.
"Just wait until I tell Hallar what you've been up to." She cackled. "Two Divine Prisms in the hands of teenagers of all people. Let's see what that pig Galdernad thinks when his entire plan is halted by the Lysander and Cosmo of Wyrfel." The two boys smiled at her surprisingly optimistic outlook. Cosmo had always assumed that Athro would constantly wear her jaded expression and act with her cynical attitude.
"Well, then boys, answer this:" She continued. "Why are two servants of the god Tatiova awake at such late hours, especially when they plan to venture into the forest of Reathogg at dawn? Get some rest!" Athro barked, resuming her typical attitude.
"Yes ma'am." Lysander said. Cosmo nodded his head quickly.
"And next time, Lysander?" He tilted his head. "Scry your parents, not me! Do I look like your mom? You need to have more empathy for them! They raised you!"
"Yes ma'am." He responded, his head down.
"One last thing, you two." She added. Cosmo didn't want the conversation to end. "Call me Athro." With that, the visage of their teacher disappeared into the sea of the Hinterland Wastes, leaving the two boys with the fading warmth of familiar company and a strange vacant sensation in their chests. That night, the two went to sleep with smiles on their faces, despite the journey that awaited them the following day.
* * *
The following morning was cold and dreary. Sitting up from his prone position on the ground, he rubbed his back as everyone else began to gather their things. The wind was harsh and chilly, blowing around what grass could grow in the oversaturated mud. Breathing deep, the lack of moisture caused Cosmo's nostrils to burn. He winced.
In the dim light of dawn, Cosmo could see his surroundings much clearer than the previous night. The sea stretched on for eternity, sparkling and glistening as the sun shone so close overhead. A spine of foothills casted a grey shadow on the horizon, almost blotted out completely by the monstrous vegetation of Reathogg. Despite the sun shining through the thick layer of clouds above, shadows still hung just feet behind the treeline, refusing to divulge any of its secrets.
"Quit staring off into space, Cosmo." Molniya tapped him on the shoulder, pulling him back to reality. While he had been taking in the view, his friends had almost packed their slew of supplies into Lysander's travelpack. Cosmo muttered a quick apology before doing his part to help. Minutes later, they were gathered in front of the treeline, mustering the courage to take the first step.
"Alright," Lileth began, leaning against a nearby tree. "Reathogg can be a dangerous place to simply wander into, even without the mysterious entity waiting in the center."
"We are not entirely sure whether the being poses a danger to us in any fashion." Elias commented.
"We aren't sure that it's peaceful, either." Cosmo rebutted, thinking back to what he had seen.
"Regardless of whether our friend is harmful or not, it isn't uncommon for people to disappear among the thick trunks of Reathogg's trees." Lileth warned. "We'll want to mark each tree we pass by on the left side, that way we'll know which way to turn back." Cosmo nodded, unsheathing his knife.
"I'll handle that." He offered, raising the blade up.
"Good. I'll take up the front." Molniya took a step forward, drawing everyone's attention. "I'll light the way for everyone and take care of anything that might try to stop us." Lysander, Elias, and Lileth followed as Cosmo and Molniya set foot within Reathogg.
"Dâan." The lizardwoman calmly muttered the incantation, a small flame igniting in her palm and illuminating a small area of the forest. The vegetation was dense, duantingly so. A tangled mess of bushes, thorns, and brambles covered the muddy ground, leaving the five to wade through the overgrowth with difficulty. Eventually, they had separated into three groups: Lysander and Lileth taking up the back, Elias watching vigilantly for threats from the center, and Cosmo and Molniya pressing forward at the fastest pace they could manage.
"What do you think we'll find at the center?" Molniya asked him, glancing at Cosmo quickly before looking back ahead.
"I'd like to think we're walking towards a Divine Prism." Cosmo chuckled, as though the answer was obvious.
"You're too optimistic." She laughed wryly. "Since we arrived at Cors, the presence of a Divine Prism has been anything but guaranteed."
"That's not necessarily true." Cosmo argued.
"Come on, Cosmo. Not even you are naive enough to truly believe that." He conceded. "You've brought us here on a whim, and can you really describe what you felt in the center of this forest as a Prism of all things?"
"The same thought came to me last night." He responded, carving a gash into a nearby oak. They had now become completely surrounded by the forest, alone in an abyss of drooping branches and jagged bark. "I looked within the Divine Prisms last night. While both contain an overwhelming amount of power, they each have a distinct appearance and resonance."
"You mean to tell me that an overwhelming vacuum of energy could simply be the resonance of the Prism?" She asked, raising an eyebrow and looking him in the eye with an expression that made him doubt himself.
"We've been just as lucky so far, haven't we?" Cosmo chuckled nervously before looking ahead.
"Well, if it's one thing I have to agree with you on, it's that." Molniya's mouth curved into a smile as she continued to look into the darkness.
"Wait." Elias ordered, holding up a hand and looking from side to side, vigilant. Cosmo and Molniya whipped their heads around, on edge from the unease that Reathogg seemed to exude.
"What is it?" Lysander asked, his hand gripping the handle of his scimitar tightly.
"I believe that I saw something in the distance. Maintain your vigil." He peered into the darkness with intense eyes, his claymore drawn. Days could have passed as the five stood there, aware of every single noise that echoed through the branches of the forest.
"Let's continue forward." Cosmo offered, after several moments of silence. Elias warily nodded, slowly taking his first steps forward. Then, in a flash of fur, fangs, and gleaming red eyes, Elias had been thrown into the underbrush.
"Elias!" Lysander lunged forward, diving into the thorns.
"Schrank!" Elias cried, a shield of light materializing within the vegetation, launching the beast cloaked in shadow backwards with explosive force.
"Izkra!" Molniya exclaimed, a bolt of lightning leaping from her fingertips and striking the beast with fervor. The forest was illuminated by a blinding teal light and, for an instant, Cosmo could see their assailant. Terrified, he could have forced himself to believe that what he had seen had only been a trick of his mind, merely an incarnation of his paranoia. He froze as a plume of fire roared past him, illuminating it once again.
The head of a lion, ram, and eagle stared at Cosmo with malice, their eyes a deep and vengeful crimson. The chimera's body was that of a horse, but its tail was long and reptilian, resembling an alligator's. The lion's head frothed, and Cosmo screamed, reaching for Dragon's Focus instinctively. He had never seen anything like the beast, and hadn't wanted to.
"Eisio!" A razor-sharp icicle sliced through the air, puncturing one of the chimera's necks. With a roar, the beast began belching black smoke, quickly filling Cosmo's surroundings. Within seconds, the smog had eclipsed his vision, leaving him flailing in the darkness in search of the creature.
"Lysander? Molniya?" Cosmo cried out into the darkness, giving no response. "Elias? Lileth?" He tripped over an unseen root and fell to the ground, his hands sinking into the frigid muck below.
"Nraida!" He yelled into the darkness, a blast of fire surging through the air, clearing the smoke. When he opened his eyes once more, he was alone. "Hello?" He called out into the dark forest, receiving his own echoes as the only response. Quickly uttering the short incantation, a flame began dancing from the tip of his finger. The dim light only illuminated an ever-expansive sea of foliage, branches and vines.
Fear gripped his throat as he gulped, looking frantically at his surroundings. Was I attacked by a chimera, or has this forest already poisoned my mind with the venom of insanity? Shaking, he stumbled forward, fearful of another attack. For hours, he stumbled through the overgrowth, his clothes snagging on every bramble and thorn.
Exhausted, he leaned against a nearby tree, not daring to close his eyes. His breathing was heavy and ragged, his clothes torn, and his hair a mess. Having not bathed for numerous days, he could barely stand his own stench. Even still, he remained vigilant, listening for any signs of his friends. When none came to his ears, the thought he had been attempting to stifle until this point pervaded his mind. Am I going to die here?
A scream reached his ears from the distance, pulling him from his thoughts. From his exhaustion, he hadn't realized that he had closed his eyes. His energy redoubled, as he began to run towards the noise, slashing brush out of his way at breakneck speed.
"Hello?" He screamed in desperation, stumbling over a vine, barely regaining his footing. "Lysander? Come towards my voice!" Crashing through a thicket, Cosmo's boot became lodged in the mud below, sending him sprawling forward into the first clearing he had seen since entering Reathogg.
Sunlight shone brightly on Cosmo's face for the first time in hours, filling his chest with a comfortable and warm feeling. For a moment, he simply laid in the grass, feeling the heat of the daylight on his face. For a moment, he worried not about his journey, nor his survival. Opening his eyes, his moment of bliss ended abruptly.
A writhing mass of vines and moss loomed before him, glowing and pulsating with a strange energy. Deep within the sentient mass of overgrowth was a humanoid figure with two hulking arms and enormous roots in the place of legs. A hollow face surging with violet energy stared deep into Cosmo's being as he made a sudden realization. Whatever I was feeling last night, this is the source.
"Who... are you?" He managed, stumbling forward. Every part of his body was exhausted, and his head ached from all that had happened in the recent hours.
"Who is not the question you seek." It responded in a deep voice that rattled Cosmo's lungs in his ribcage. His spine tingled and he opened his mouth, trying to speak. No words passed his lips. "Perhaps what would be more accurate." Overwhelmed, Cosmo could only sputter in response. The intense gravitation of mana lying only feet away was like a ringing in his ears, impossible to ignore.
"Is it not obvious?" The entity bellowed. Cosmo winced. "I am Reathogg."