Emerald Green {Book Two}

The Uncharted Path

The wind howled through the mountain pass, carrying with it the chill of the unseen peaks above. Eryk, his muscles aching from the climb, paused to catch his breath on a small ledge where the path widened just enough for them to rest. Beside him, Ada, her face flushed from the exertion, looked out over the vast expanse they had traversed. Below them, the world was a tapestry of green forests and distant, shimmering lakes, yet above, the mountain rose like a giant's challenge, cloaked in mystery.

Eryk, with a hand that trembled slightly from more than just the cold, unfolded the map Kisma had given him. It was aged, the edges frayed, and the lines drawn by a hand long gone. He traced the path they had followed with his finger, feeling the texture of the parchment as if it could somehow whisper guidance. The line ended abruptly at this very point, the halfway mark, where legend met reality.

"Here," he said, more to himself than to Ada, "the map stops."

Ada, sensing the shift in Eryk's mood, moved closer, her eyes scanning the map over his shoulder. "So, this is where the guessing game begins, huh?" Her voice was light, trying to inject some levity into the situation.

Eryk nodded, his eyes not leaving the map, as if by sheer will, he could make more of it appear. "From here on, we're on our own," he murmured, his voice tinged with worry.

Ada turned to face him fully, her expression serious yet encouraging. "Eryk, listen to me. You've gotten us this far with just a piece of parchment and your wits. remember, you're not just anyone. You're the son of Loki, the trickster god. If there's anyone equipped to navigate the unknown, it's you."

Eryk looked up at her, "But what if I'm not enough? What if I can't save her?"

Ada's hand found his, squeezing it reassuringly. "You've already done the impossible by getting here. And you're not alone. You have me, and you have Shadow." At the mention of his name, the dire wolf, who had been lying down, perked up his ears, his eyes glowing with a fierce loyalty.

"And besides," Ada continued with a mischievous grin, "who better to face the unknown with than someone who's the epitome of surprise and deception? You've got tricks in your blood, Eryk."

A small smile tugged at Eryk's lips, the first since they'd realized the map's limitation. "Tricks, yes, but wisdom? Luck?"

Ada chuckled, "Wisdom we'll share, and as for luck, well, we'll make our own. Now, let's think like your father might. What would Loki do at a dead end?"

Eryk pondered, looking around at the mountain path that split in several directions from their ledge. "perhaps he'd look for signs others might miss. Or maybe even create a situation where the path reveals itself."

"Exactly!" Ada clapped her hands together, excited by the challenge. "Let's use what we have. What do we know about this mountain?"

Eryk's mind raced through the tales he'd grown up with, stories told by the firelight, of hidden trails and markers left by the ancients. "There's supposed to be a rock formation, shaped like a raven, that points the way to the tree of Miniir. It's said to be a test of perception."

"Alright, then," Ada said, her eyes scanning the horizon, "let's find ourselves a raven."

Together, they stood, the map now folded and tucked away, no longer their guide but a reminder of how far they'd come. Eryk felt a surge of resolve, bolstered by Ada's faith and the undeniable presence of Shadow, who seemed to sense the importance of the moment.

As they set off, Eryk leading with new determination, he couldn't help but feel a spark of his father's mischief and resolve. The path might be uncharted, but the journey was now his to write. With Ada by his side and his mother's fate at stake, Eryk stepped into the unknown, ready to embrace whatever tricks and turns the mountain had in store.