Emerald Green {Book Two}

Shadows on the Mountain

The mountain was cloaked in the serene silence of late afternoon, the sun casting long shadows over the rugged terrain. Here, atop this remote peak, Astraea and her son Eryk lived in a carefully constructed isolation, their existence a whisper in the wind, hidden from the prying eyes of gods and men.

Eryk, now a young man of fourteen, had grown into his powers with an ease that both amazed and worried Astraea. His magic was not just a part of him but seemed to shape the very air around him, bending reality with a mere thought. His love for his mother was fierce, a bond forged in the solitude of their life, where they were each other's world.

On this particular day, they were out gathering wild berries, their laughter a rare melody in the stillness. Eryk's hands glowed faintly as he reached for the highest branches, the berries falling into the basket with a gentle magic touch. Astraea watched him, her heart swelling with pride and a touch of melancholy, knowing the dangers his power could attract.

Suddenly, without warning, Astraea stumbled, her vision blurring, a sharp pain lancing through her body. Eryk's laughter died as he turned, his eyes wide with alarm as he saw his mother collapse to the ground. "Mother!" he cried, rushing to her side, his magic instinctively reaching out to support her.

With effort, Astraea managed to whisper, "Home, Eryk... we must... go home." Her voice was weak, her face pale, beads of sweat forming despite the cool mountain air.

Eryk, with strength beyond his years, lifted her gently, his mind racing with fear and determination. The journey back to their cabin was a blur, his magic carrying them swiftly over the rocky path.

As they approached the cabin, the door swung open, revealing Kisma, an old friend and confidant, whose presence here was both comforting and ominous. Kisma, with her own mystical abilities, had sensed the distress.

"What's happened?" Kisma asked, her voice calm but eyes sharp with concern as she helped lay Astraea on the bed.

"I don't know," Eryk replied, his voice breaking, "She just fell."

Kisma's hands moved over Astraea, glowing with a diagnostic magic. Her brows furrowed as she concentrated, trying to decipher the ailment. After a tense few moments, she pulled back, her expression troubled.

"It's not natural," Kisma stated, her voice low. "This... this is not a sickness of the body but something inflicted. A magic, dark and deliberate."

Eryk's heart sank, his fists clenching. "Who? Who would do this?"

Kisma shook her head, "I cannot say for certain. The signature is obscured, but it feels... ancient. Divine. Someone with knowledge of poisons that work not on the flesh but the spirit."

"This is intentional," Kisma continued, her voice steady yet filled with anger. "Someone wants to draw you out, or perhaps to eliminate a threat before it grows too powerful."

As night fell, they sat by Astraea's bedside, her breathing shallow, the air thick with the weight of decisions yet to be made. Eryk held her hand, his young mind already plotting, his magic ready to be unleashed. For the first time, the mountain did not feel like a sanctuary but a trap, and the world beyond, a battlefield where his family's fate would be decided.

The cabin was silent but for the soft, labored breathing of Astraea. The fire crackled, casting dancing shadows across the walls, but it did nothing to dispel the chill that had settled in Eryk's heart. Kisma sat opposite him, her face etched with concern, her eyes reflecting the gravity of their situation.

"Eryk," she began, her voice low and serious, "there's only one being I know who might possess the knowledge to save your mother. Mimir, the wise one, whose counsel has guided gods and men alike. But he is not easily reached."

Eryk's eyes, which had been fixed on his mother, now turned to Kisma, a mix of hope and dread swirling within them. "Where is he?"

"Mimir is bound to a tree, in a realm far from here, imprisoned there by Odin as punishment. The journey to reach him is fraught with perils, not just from the creatures of that dark realm but from Odin's watchers who guard his secrets."

The thought of venturing into another realm, especially one filled with dangers, alone, was daunting. Yet, Eryk felt the weight of necessity pressing down on him. "I must go," he said, his voice steady despite the fear. "There's no one else. Mother needs this."

Kisma nodded, understanding the resolve in his young eyes. "I feared you would say that. The journey will test your magic, your wit, and your courage. You must pass through the Veil Between, a threshold that not many return from. Once you cross, there's no turning back until you either succeed or fail."

"And how do I find Mimir?" Eryk asked, already imagining the long, perilous path ahead.

"You must seek the Well of Urd, where the tree Yggdrasil touches the cosmos. Mimir is bound near its roots. But beware, Eryk, the realm you're entering is not just a place; it's alive with intentions, with eyes that see and ears that hear for Odin. You'll need to cloak yourself in magic, to walk unseen and unheard."

Kisma stood, moving to a chest in the corner of the room. From it, she pulled out an old, worn map, its edges frayed, the ink faded but still legible. "This map will guide you to the Veil. Once you cross, the path to Urd will not be marked, but you must listen to the whispers of the wind, the calls of the unseen. Trust your magic to guide you."

She handed the map to Eryk, who took it with a solemn nod. "Thank you, Kisma. I'll find him, and I'll bring back what's needed to save Mother."

Kisma placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "I'll watch over her while you're gone. You have my word. But Eryk, remember, courage isn't the absence of fear but the triumph over it. You carry the blood of gods, but it's your heart that will be your greatest strength."

Eryk looked back at his mother, her face peaceful in sleep but still pale and fragile. He felt a resolve harden within him. "I'll return with Mimir's knowledge," he promised, not just to Kisma but to the universe itself.

With the map in his hand and his heart pounding with determination, Eryk prepared to embark on a journey that would test the limits of his abilities, a quest through realms unknown, for a knowledge that could save his mother's life.