Chapter 115: The Libitinous Mountain
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"Here you go, Ofelia." Leron carried the little girl, and placed her in the large bucket. "Does it feel comfortable? Is it too tight?"
"No, Ofelia likes it." She grinned. "Ofelia feels taller now."
Vladstin who was carrying the bucket grinned. "Can someone help me tie this to my back? Sangfroid?"
Sangfroid ignored him, focused on packing the things.
Somehow, Leron felt that the enmity between the two and Sangfroid's hostility towards Vladstin had grown even stronger. But that doesn't make sense! They seem to be growing closer these days, and Vladstin even saved his life!
He decided that he have to ask about it, and try to mend the situation. But he'll do it once it was just him and Sangfroid, since he knows how hard it is to have the hunter open up.
"I'll do it." Leron said, going over to pick up the rope and tying Ofelia's bucket carefully and meticulously on Vladstin's back.
He went first in front of Vladstin to wrap the rope on Vladstin. As he did so, he took a moment to discern his expression, as to have a clue on what must have transpired for them to be this way.
Yet Vladstin showed no sign of changing from his current self. He is still wearing that grin that would make anyone, even the most tolerant and lenient, to punch him.
How odd.
Leron expected at least something. There's only his bloodstained teeth, which he didn't bother washing and just continuously run over his tongue on it again and again.
"What's taking you so long, bunny?"
Leron blinked, and looked down, hurriedly wrapping the rope. The hunter just watched them with an unreadable expression.
Once he secured that Ofelia is in hopefully good hands and wouldn't fall down from this steep hike, he gave the siren girl one last head pat. "You and Vladstin should go first, and you tell Sangfroid where we should go next, alright?"
Ofelia nodded, very earnest on her duty of being their Hermit map.
------------------------
The Libitinous Mountains have a different.... feeling to the woods. The trees are almost identical, the sky is the same, there is nothing ominous about it. But there is just something like a tickle on the back of your neck, or a thorn stuck on your throat.
You can't help but notice it.
As they hiked, Sangfroid noticed that Prince Leron seem to be purposely moving closer to him. He was walking on similar strides as him, and stealing glances.
This made him even more anxious, trying to avoid the prince.
Did he notice?
Does he already know?
But it doesn't seem that way, since the blue-eyed prince seems pretty hesitant to approach him and strike a conversation. It was like he was also being as curious as Sangfroid.
The procession of the undead corpses and wolves seem to be also following in a very careful manner. Like too cannot help but be in tippytoes and uneasy, as much as the dead can be uneasy.
"I don't like this place." Vladstin suddenly said.
He suddenly stopped walking, and turned back. "It's like I'm unwelcome here."
Ofelia just tilted her head. "What is Daddy saying?"
Sangfroid translated to her, then she thought about it while placing her small delicate hand on her chin. "Ofelia feels the opposite. Ofelia likes it here. It feels.... warm and cozy."
"Warm and cozy?" Leron repeated, feeling a little incredulous.
To him, the woods can be a beautiful and fantastical place, and he does appreciate nature, but it is never warm and cozy. Being in the wild always makes him feel constantly on guard. Perhaps it was because of his knowledge of how truly dangerous it could be because of the books he read.
It is not just large animals you have to look out for. Humans tend to get sick faster in the woods. There could be any creature in the air, creatures so small they can go through your nose and to your lungs, causing many infections. Then there's dangerous berries, fruits, poisonous thorns, and mushrooms that you have to look out for.
That sense of danger is somehow heightened in these mountains.
"This area is familiar....." Sangfroid muttered under his breath. "I can feel it... This is near to where I met him."
He regarded Vladstin for the first time since they climbed, but did not look at him straight to the eye. "What exactly made you feel unwelcome?"
"I'm not sure." Vladstin shrugged.
He was no longer smiling. He went over to look around, slowly walking back to the procession of the undead. But as he did so, he came to a realization.
"What are those?" He asked to himself curiously.
The two humans were confused, so they followed suit and stepped back with him.
They also now saw it. A large circle.
It was a large, perfectly shaped circle made of hanging vines. But now that they are seeing the vines in the circle, only did they realize that they were glowing.
They had already noticed these vines, only when stepping back did they see the shape it formed, and how carefully arranged they were to be only comprehensible from a certain vantage point. They were surrounded by these vines, and up ahead, they formed a symbol.
"Kaverkai...." Sangfroid's purple eyes narrowed. "But it is slightly different. There some strokes added to the symbol."
Leron thought that he recalled that term somewhere, and remembered. "That's the symbol from the vampire lords' tombs, isn't it? Why would the Hermit arrange one here?"
"Maybe he does not like my kind." Vladstin guessed.
If that would be so, it will be another problem. And they are already dealing with mountains of them.
"This symbol..... It must mean guidance against the undead. But I cannot be sure, I was only given a brief lecture of Old Ilvedian symbols and sigils by the Bishops." Sangfroid proceeded to examine one of the vines.
They seem to be made of..... garlic flowers?
But garlic flowers bloom below, not on vines. The vines themselves seem to belong to common ivy.
It was these purple garlic flowers that are glowing, and they seem to be collected and strong carefully to make the piece. Meaning that whoever put them really wanted to make them work, to ward off the evils that it is meant to protect them from.
He explained this to his three companions, and they all frowned. Ofelia did so because she couldn't understand. She like the garlic flowers, and there was much fresh breeze in the air here.
"Should we go further then?" Leron asked. "Vladstin is an undead along with the corpses and wolves."
"But I have immortality. I am sure I will be fine." Vladstin continued on, jogging with a spring in his step.
Everything has become even more interesting now because of these vines.
If the Hermit truly does dislike vampires, what will happen then? Will they be denied of the magic to turn him into human? How more dangerous will this mountain become the more he steps on it?
It was the similar thrill of seducing Sangfroid. Seducing death itself.
But the pesky little bunny caught up to him and grabbed his hand. "Vladstin, wait! We can't be too hasty. And Ofelia is on your back. How about we let some of the corpses pass through first and see how the kaverkai will affect them."
"Heh, but I really want to---"
"He's right." Sangfroid joined in with his crossed arms. "You stay here, and command your puppets to go first."
Vladstin's eyes gleamed at this command. "Well, if my dear Sangfroid said so....."
This earned him another deadly glare that he so wanted.
He let a few of his merry band of corpses stagger past them, reaching the end of where the garlic flower vines are. There seem to be nothing, but they observed very intently for any changes.
While waiting, Sangfroid tried to recall his memories of the Hermit. He recounted it to the two again.
"Look out for a very tall man with a long beard." He said. "When the wind starts to feel..... alive, that is when you know that he's here."
"Alive?" Ofelia asked.
"Mn. Like it has a will of its own." Sangfroid nodded.
He went over to Vladstin, asking for his diary where he had drawn the Hermit's appearance from memory.
A grimy goatskin cloak, with the wild goat's skull on his head. A menacing face... yet a kind voice in an unfamiliar and familiar accent. His pasty, thin arms picked Sangfroid up easily, like lifting a small sapling off the ground.
He said something peculiar too.
"Familiar is your appearance, I must say. What brings you into this part of the woods?"
Familiar is your appearance.....
But to Sangfroid, the Hermit's appearance is not familiar at all.
"Er..... Sangfroid dear." Vladstin elbowed him. "You're spacing out. A blodrop for your thoughts?"
He ignored Vladstin, but did break away from his reverie. He turned to Leron. "It seems that the corpses are unharmed. We should call them back."
Vladstin snorted. "I am the puppets' master, yet you're asking the little prince instead?"
No response. He is adamant about giving Vladstin the least amount of attention today.
Vladstin just relented and used his vampiric powers to send the corpses back to them. They saw these five to six figured walking back in their usual stagger.....
Only that all of them have a big hole on their chest!!!!!
"ROARRRRRRR!!!!!"
-----------------------------------------
"The child with the scawf. Why must you bring him to me, old friend?"
The wind spoke secrets that only those willing can hear, and the Hermit of the Libitinous Mountains is one of such people. He has always been one to listen to secrets he must never repeat.
"Truly?" The Hermit placed a pallid hand on his chest. "Why... Never would have I thought..."
The wind whizzed more in his ear, blowing away the dead leaves of their beautiful forest.
"Hmmm..... I see. The future. Pray tell me more, old friend."
The two conversed, walking up high to the apex of the mountains, where its tips had been stain black.
This is not in fact a mountain.
This is a very dormant volcano, that has slept for hundreds and hundreds of years.
"Fate must not reiterate." The Hermit told the wind. "There must not be three. Or the world will see such destruction as it once before. My friends turned that destruction upon themselves, but now I see that even that is not enough. A piece must truly be taken away."
"I just could not help but wonder.... Which one?"
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"Here you go, Ofelia." Leron carried the little girl, and placed her in the large bucket. "Does it feel comfortable? Is it too tight?"
"No, Ofelia likes it." She grinned. "Ofelia feels taller now."
Vladstin who was carrying the bucket grinned. "Can someone help me tie this to my back? Sangfroid?"
Sangfroid ignored him, focused on packing the things.
Somehow, Leron felt that the enmity between the two and Sangfroid's hostility towards Vladstin had grown even stronger. But that doesn't make sense! They seem to be growing closer these days, and Vladstin even saved his life!
He decided that he have to ask about it, and try to mend the situation. But he'll do it once it was just him and Sangfroid, since he knows how hard it is to have the hunter open up.
"I'll do it." Leron said, going over to pick up the rope and tying Ofelia's bucket carefully and meticulously on Vladstin's back.
He went first in front of Vladstin to wrap the rope on Vladstin. As he did so, he took a moment to discern his expression, as to have a clue on what must have transpired for them to be this way.
Yet Vladstin showed no sign of changing from his current self. He is still wearing that grin that would make anyone, even the most tolerant and lenient, to punch him.
How odd.
Leron expected at least something. There's only his bloodstained teeth, which he didn't bother washing and just continuously run over his tongue on it again and again.
"What's taking you so long, bunny?"
Leron blinked, and looked down, hurriedly wrapping the rope. The hunter just watched them with an unreadable expression.
Once he secured that Ofelia is in hopefully good hands and wouldn't fall down from this steep hike, he gave the siren girl one last head pat. "You and Vladstin should go first, and you tell Sangfroid where we should go next, alright?"
Ofelia nodded, very earnest on her duty of being their Hermit map.
------------------------
The Libitinous Mountains have a different.... feeling to the woods. The trees are almost identical, the sky is the same, there is nothing ominous about it. But there is just something like a tickle on the back of your neck, or a thorn stuck on your throat.
You can't help but notice it.
As they hiked, Sangfroid noticed that Prince Leron seem to be purposely moving closer to him. He was walking on similar strides as him, and stealing glances.
This made him even more anxious, trying to avoid the prince.
Did he notice?
Does he already know?
But it doesn't seem that way, since the blue-eyed prince seems pretty hesitant to approach him and strike a conversation. It was like he was also being as curious as Sangfroid.
The procession of the undead corpses and wolves seem to be also following in a very careful manner. Like too cannot help but be in tippytoes and uneasy, as much as the dead can be uneasy.
"I don't like this place." Vladstin suddenly said.
He suddenly stopped walking, and turned back. "It's like I'm unwelcome here."
Ofelia just tilted her head. "What is Daddy saying?"
Sangfroid translated to her, then she thought about it while placing her small delicate hand on her chin. "Ofelia feels the opposite. Ofelia likes it here. It feels.... warm and cozy."
"Warm and cozy?" Leron repeated, feeling a little incredulous.
To him, the woods can be a beautiful and fantastical place, and he does appreciate nature, but it is never warm and cozy. Being in the wild always makes him feel constantly on guard. Perhaps it was because of his knowledge of how truly dangerous it could be because of the books he read.
It is not just large animals you have to look out for. Humans tend to get sick faster in the woods. There could be any creature in the air, creatures so small they can go through your nose and to your lungs, causing many infections. Then there's dangerous berries, fruits, poisonous thorns, and mushrooms that you have to look out for.
That sense of danger is somehow heightened in these mountains.
"This area is familiar....." Sangfroid muttered under his breath. "I can feel it... This is near to where I met him."
He regarded Vladstin for the first time since they climbed, but did not look at him straight to the eye. "What exactly made you feel unwelcome?"
"I'm not sure." Vladstin shrugged.
He was no longer smiling. He went over to look around, slowly walking back to the procession of the undead. But as he did so, he came to a realization.
"What are those?" He asked to himself curiously.
The two humans were confused, so they followed suit and stepped back with him.
They also now saw it. A large circle.
It was a large, perfectly shaped circle made of hanging vines. But now that they are seeing the vines in the circle, only did they realize that they were glowing.
They had already noticed these vines, only when stepping back did they see the shape it formed, and how carefully arranged they were to be only comprehensible from a certain vantage point. They were surrounded by these vines, and up ahead, they formed a symbol.
"Kaverkai...." Sangfroid's purple eyes narrowed. "But it is slightly different. There some strokes added to the symbol."
Leron thought that he recalled that term somewhere, and remembered. "That's the symbol from the vampire lords' tombs, isn't it? Why would the Hermit arrange one here?"
"Maybe he does not like my kind." Vladstin guessed.
If that would be so, it will be another problem. And they are already dealing with mountains of them.
"This symbol..... It must mean guidance against the undead. But I cannot be sure, I was only given a brief lecture of Old Ilvedian symbols and sigils by the Bishops." Sangfroid proceeded to examine one of the vines.
They seem to be made of..... garlic flowers?
But garlic flowers bloom below, not on vines. The vines themselves seem to belong to common ivy.
It was these purple garlic flowers that are glowing, and they seem to be collected and strong carefully to make the piece. Meaning that whoever put them really wanted to make them work, to ward off the evils that it is meant to protect them from.
He explained this to his three companions, and they all frowned. Ofelia did so because she couldn't understand. She like the garlic flowers, and there was much fresh breeze in the air here.
"Should we go further then?" Leron asked. "Vladstin is an undead along with the corpses and wolves."
"But I have immortality. I am sure I will be fine." Vladstin continued on, jogging with a spring in his step.
Everything has become even more interesting now because of these vines.
If the Hermit truly does dislike vampires, what will happen then? Will they be denied of the magic to turn him into human? How more dangerous will this mountain become the more he steps on it?
It was the similar thrill of seducing Sangfroid. Seducing death itself.
But the pesky little bunny caught up to him and grabbed his hand. "Vladstin, wait! We can't be too hasty. And Ofelia is on your back. How about we let some of the corpses pass through first and see how the kaverkai will affect them."
"Heh, but I really want to---"
"He's right." Sangfroid joined in with his crossed arms. "You stay here, and command your puppets to go first."
Vladstin's eyes gleamed at this command. "Well, if my dear Sangfroid said so....."
This earned him another deadly glare that he so wanted.
He let a few of his merry band of corpses stagger past them, reaching the end of where the garlic flower vines are. There seem to be nothing, but they observed very intently for any changes.
While waiting, Sangfroid tried to recall his memories of the Hermit. He recounted it to the two again.
"Look out for a very tall man with a long beard." He said. "When the wind starts to feel..... alive, that is when you know that he's here."
"Alive?" Ofelia asked.
"Mn. Like it has a will of its own." Sangfroid nodded.
He went over to Vladstin, asking for his diary where he had drawn the Hermit's appearance from memory.
A grimy goatskin cloak, with the wild goat's skull on his head. A menacing face... yet a kind voice in an unfamiliar and familiar accent. His pasty, thin arms picked Sangfroid up easily, like lifting a small sapling off the ground.
He said something peculiar too.
"Familiar is your appearance, I must say. What brings you into this part of the woods?"
Familiar is your appearance.....
But to Sangfroid, the Hermit's appearance is not familiar at all.
"Er..... Sangfroid dear." Vladstin elbowed him. "You're spacing out. A blodrop for your thoughts?"
He ignored Vladstin, but did break away from his reverie. He turned to Leron. "It seems that the corpses are unharmed. We should call them back."
Vladstin snorted. "I am the puppets' master, yet you're asking the little prince instead?"
No response. He is adamant about giving Vladstin the least amount of attention today.
Vladstin just relented and used his vampiric powers to send the corpses back to them. They saw these five to six figured walking back in their usual stagger.....
Only that all of them have a big hole on their chest!!!!!
"ROARRRRRRR!!!!!"
-----------------------------------------
"The child with the scawf. Why must you bring him to me, old friend?"
The wind spoke secrets that only those willing can hear, and the Hermit of the Libitinous Mountains is one of such people. He has always been one to listen to secrets he must never repeat.
"Truly?" The Hermit placed a pallid hand on his chest. "Why... Never would have I thought..."
The wind whizzed more in his ear, blowing away the dead leaves of their beautiful forest.
"Hmmm..... I see. The future. Pray tell me more, old friend."
The two conversed, walking up high to the apex of the mountains, where its tips had been stain black.
This is not in fact a mountain.
This is a very dormant volcano, that has slept for hundreds and hundreds of years.
"Fate must not reiterate." The Hermit told the wind. "There must not be three. Or the world will see such destruction as it once before. My friends turned that destruction upon themselves, but now I see that even that is not enough. A piece must truly be taken away."
"I just could not help but wonder.... Which one?"
"Here you go, Ofelia." Leron carried the little girl, and placed her in the large bucket. "Does it feel comfortable? Is it too tight?""No, Ofelia likes it." She grinned. "Ofelia feels taller now."Vladstin who was carrying the bucket grinned. "Can someone help me tie this to my back? Sangfroid?"Sangfroid ignored him, focused on packing the things.Somehow, Leron felt that the enmity between the two and Sangfroid's hostility towards Vladstin had grown even stronger. But that doesn't make sense! They seem to be growing closer these days, and Vladstin even saved his life!He decided that he have to ask about it, and try to mend the situation. But he'll do it once it was just him and Sangfroid, since he knows how hard it is to have the hunter open up."I'll do it." Leron said, going over to pick up the rope and tying Ofelia's bucket carefully and meticulously on Vladstin's back.He went first in front of Vladstin to wrap the rope on Vladstin. As he did so, he took a moment to discern his expression, as to have a clue on what must have transpired for them to be this way.Yet Vladstin showed no sign of changing from his current self. He is still wearing that grin that would make anyone, even the most tolerant and lenient, to punch him.How odd.Leron expected at least something. There's only his bloodstained teeth, which he didn't bother washing and just continuously run over his tongue on it again and again."What's taking you so long, bunny?"Leron blinked, and looked down, hurriedly wrapping the rope. The hunter just watched them with an unreadable expression.Once he secured that Ofelia is in hopefully good hands and wouldn't fall down from this steep hike, he gave the siren girl one last head pat. "You and Vladstin should go first, and you tell Sangfroid where we should go next, alright?"Ofelia nodded, very earnest on her duty of being their Hermit map.------------------------The Libitinous Mountains have a different.... feeling to the woods. The trees are almost identical, the sky is the same, there is nothing ominous about it. But there is just something like a tickle on the back of your neck, or a thorn stuck on your throat.You can't help but notice it.As they hiked, Sangfroid noticed that Prince Leron seem to be purposely moving closer to him. He was walking on similar strides as him, and stealing glances.This made him even more anxious, trying to avoid the prince.Did he notice?Does he already know?But it doesn't seem that way, since the blue-eyed prince seems pretty hesitant to approach him and strike a conversation. It was like he was also being as curious as Sangfroid.The procession of the undead corpses and wolves seem to be also following in a very careful manner. Like too cannot help but be in tippytoes and uneasy, as much as the dead can be uneasy."I don't like this place." Vladstin suddenly said.He suddenly stopped walking, and turned back. "It's like I'm unwelcome here."Ofelia just tilted her head. "What is Daddy saying?"Sangfroid translated to her, then she thought about it while placing her small delicate hand on her chin. "Ofelia feels the opposite. Ofelia likes it here. It feels.... warm and cozy.""Warm and cozy?" Leron repeated, feeling a little incredulous.To him, the woods can be a beautiful and fantastical place, and he does appreciate nature, but it is never warm and cozy. Being in the wild always makes him feel constantly on guard. Perhaps it was because of his knowledge of how truly dangerous it could be because of the books he read.It is not just large animals you have to look out for. Humans tend to get sick faster in the woods. There could be any creature in the air, creatures so small they can go through your nose and to your lungs, causing many infections. Then there's dangerous berries, fruits, poisonous thorns, and mushrooms that you have to look out for.That sense of danger is somehow heightened in these mountains."This area is familiar....." Sangfroid muttered under his breath. "I can feel it... This is near to where I met him."He regarded Vladstin for the first time since they climbed, but did not look at him straight to the eye. "What exactly made you feel unwelcome?""I'm not sure." Vladstin shrugged.He was no longer smiling. He went over to look around, slowly walking back to the procession of the undead. But as he did so, he came to a realization."What are those?" He asked to himself curiously.The two humans were confused, so they followed suit and stepped back with him.They also now saw it. A large circle.It was a large, perfectly shaped circle made of hanging vines. But now that they are seeing the vines in the circle, only did they realize that they were glowing.They had already noticed these vines, only when stepping back did they see the shape it formed, and how carefully arranged they were to be only comprehensible from a certain vantage point. They were surrounded by these vines, and up ahead, they formed a symbol."Kaverkai...." Sangfroid's purple eyes narrowed. "But it is slightly different. There some strokes added to the symbol."Leron thought that he recalled that term somewhere, and remembered. "That's the symbol from the vampire lords' tombs, isn't it? Why would the Hermit arrange one here?""Maybe he does not like my kind." Vladstin guessed.If that would be so, it will be another problem. And they are already dealing with mountains of them."This symbol..... It must mean guidance against the undead. But I cannot be sure, I was only given a brief lecture of Old Ilvedian symbols and sigils by the Bishops." Sangfroid proceeded to examine one of the vines.They seem to be made of..... garlic flowers?But garlic flowers bloom below, not on vines. The vines themselves seem to belong to common ivy.It was these purple garlic flowers that are glowing, and they seem to be collected and strong carefully to make the piece. Meaning that whoever put them really wanted to make them work, to ward off the evils that it is meant to protect them from.He explained this to his three companions, and they all frowned. Ofelia did so because she couldn't understand. She like the garlic flowers, and there was much fresh breeze in the air here."Should we go further then?" Leron asked. "Vladstin is an undead along with the corpses and wolves.""But I have immortality. I am sure I will be fine." Vladstin continued on, jogging with a spring in his step.Everything has become even more interesting now because of these vines.If the Hermit truly does dislike vampires, what will happen then? Will they be denied of the magic to turn him into human? How more dangerous will this mountain become the more he steps on it?It was the similar thrill of seducing Sangfroid. Seducing death itself.But the pesky little bunny caught up to him and grabbed his hand. "Vladstin, wait! We can't be too hasty. And Ofelia is on your back. How about we let some of the corpses pass through first and see how the kaverkai will affect them.""Heh, but I really want to---""He's right." Sangfroid joined in with his crossed arms. "You stay here, and command your puppets to go first."Vladstin's eyes gleamed at this command. "Well, if my dear Sangfroid said so....."This earned him another deadly glare that he so wanted.He let a few of his merry band of corpses stagger past them, reaching the end of where the garlic flower vines are. There seem to be nothing, but they observed very intently for any changes.While waiting, Sangfroid tried to recall his memories of the Hermit. He recounted it to the two again."Look out for a very tall man with a long beard." He said. "When the wind starts to feel..... alive, that is when you know that he's here.""Alive?" Ofelia asked."Mn. Like it has a will of its own." Sangfroid nodded.He went over to Vladstin, asking for his diary where he had drawn the Hermit's appearance from memory.A grimy goatskin cloak, with the wild goat's skull on his head. A menacing face... yet a kind voice in an unfamiliar and familiar accent. His pasty, thin arms picked Sangfroid up easily, like lifting a small sapling off the ground.He said something peculiar too."Familiar is your appearance, I must say. What brings you into this part of the woods?"Familiar is your appearance.....But to Sangfroid, the Hermit's appearance is not familiar at all."Er..... Sangfroid dear." Vladstin elbowed him. "You're spacing out. A blodrop for your thoughts?"He ignored Vladstin, but did break away from his reverie. He turned to Leron. "It seems that the corpses are unharmed. We should call them back."Vladstin snorted. "I am the puppets' master, yet you're asking the little prince instead?"No response. He is adamant about giving Vladstin the least amount of attention today.Vladstin just relented and used his vampiric powers to send the corpses back to them. They saw these five to six figured walking back in their usual stagger.....Only that all of them have a big hole on their chest!!!!!"ROARRRRRRR!!!!!"-----------------------------------------"The child with the scawf. Why must you bring him to me, old friend?"The wind spoke secrets that only those willing can hear, and the Hermit of the Libitinous Mountains is one of such people. He has always been one to listen to secrets he must never repeat."Truly?" The Hermit placed a pallid hand on his chest. "Why... Never would have I thought..."The wind whizzed more in his ear, blowing away the dead leaves of their beautiful forest."Hmmm..... I see. The future. Pray tell me more, old friend."The two conversed, walking up high to the apex of the mountains, where its tips had been stain black.This is not in fact a mountain.This is a very dormant volcano, that has slept for hundreds and hundreds of years."Fate must not reiterate." The Hermit told the wind. "There must not be three. Or the world will see such destruction as it once before. My friends turned that destruction upon themselves, but now I see that even that is not enough. A piece must truly be taken away.""I just could not help but wonder.... Which one?"
