Empty

The closer that Mairwen and her group drew to the massive lake, the more quiet they became. No one knew exactly what to expect when they reached the body of water which resembled a small ocean. So they remained vigilant.

Last time Alaron had seen the water, it seemed normal and yet not normal at all. Because he was using magic at the time, something about it seemed…special. When he asked about it, Cafer had told him that it was where the magic ended.

Back then he had ridden atop the eagle's back, and what had appeared to be rather tranquil waters Alaron then realized was anything but quiet. Creatures great and small inhabited its depths. The lake had been a wonder to behold just as much as the ice barrier. And now after two years, he was going to see it again.

Yet another reason for the solemn mood was the people themselves. After weighing all their options, it was decided that Alaron and Renat would be the ones to infiltrate the camp and then come back to report.

Of course, the princess had argued that she should come because she knew Dania best and would be able to find her. The two males, who both felt a strong need to protect Mairwen as well as the Empire quickly declined.

They had even gone a step further and made the princess promise not to turn herself in or attempt to rescue them if either should be captured.

At first Mairwen had not even acknowledged that they had spoken, but her tender heart had finally given out over her stubbornness.

The thought of the whole world suffering if she was caught was enough to sway Mairwen to their point of view. At heart, all of them knew that the people of the Valiant Empire were more important than any one of them.

If all went well, it would never be an issue, and each silently clung to the hope that everything would go smoothly.

While thinking about her mistress, Eira surreptitiously made a Fate's symbol in the air as she had seen Zan do whenever he was nervous.

Alaron saw the action out of the corner of his eye. "It will be fine," he assured her. "I am good at being invisible and Renat is practically one of them. They will never see us coming."

Renat winced. While he looked like them, he would hardly say he was one of them. In fact, unlike those who fought in Taran's army, the scientist was trying to think of any and every way to reverse the process.

He had been covertly trying different things, but so far only the cold water of the river seemed to quell the fire a little. It was not enough of a finding to tell the others though, so he kept looking for answers on his own. There was a deep fear that he would get up his wife's hopes only to disappoint her with no solution.

"Renat is nothing like those abominations!" Mairwen took up her husband's case. "And as I recall, you didn't do so well staying invisible from those supposed vagabonds outside Valiant!"

"Details, details. The important thing is that Renat, and I have things well in hand." Alaron would not admit defeat on either point. Why was his sister always bringing up technicalities like the truth? "Both you ladies need to relax. Have a little faith."

"It's not that I don't believe in you. I just hate feeling useless." Mairwen bit her lip, fighting back the emotions lest she affect her husband.

"You have never been useless a day of your life." Renat took his wife's hand in his paw and squeezed it gently.

"He's right. You really should be more lazy. It would make the rest of us look better." Alaron shrugged. Even after working hard to become a Guardian for the past couple of years, his twin still had many more years of good deeds on her account.

Mairwen rolled her eyes upward. "I will not slack off just because you want to improve your standing. You will have to earn respect like the rest of us."

Although the Guardian was going to relish his sister's incoming lecture—it had been a long time since he had one and he secretly missed them—Alaron felt a sudden shift in the air.

Wai came up from the water, having scouted ahead on their behalf. She gurgled at Alaron, and his face became tense. He turned to the personal guard.

"I hope you hid your scent well enough, Eira. You are the only human who doesn't have a cloak to aid you, and it is about time for you both to hide. For now, wait here." The Guardian and nymph disappeared through the trees.

The other three, seeing no other option, waited for his return. He was the only one who knew the terrain well enough to guide them, and he would not have left them without reason.

"What do you suppose…" Renat got no further in his query before the shadow reappeared.

"Follow me. You are going to want to see this." Before Alaron could disappear again, Mairwen grabbed his arm.

"We cannot all come and go so easily. If you want us to follow, you must not spirit away." The princess was tense, but the thought of being permanently separated at this point was more than she could bear.

Alaron nodded, taking his sister's hand in his. Together with Renat and Eira, they finally broke through the trees.

The vista before them included a spectacular view of an icy barrier. It was tall and majestic, feeling almost close enough to touch and yet also a lifetime away.

But that was not the first thing Mairwen noticed. Between them and the magical ice was an impossibly large lake. It resembled an ocean much like the one the blue-eyed princess had seen on family trips to the coast.

Unlike the ocean, this water was fresh, though if her father was to be believed, it tasted rich with minerals. As they were nearly out of water in their supplies, Mairwen supposed that she would find out soon enough.

The awe of being practically at the top of the world filled her to her core. She glanced over toward her husband and personal guard. Each had a similarly stunned expression.

Eira puffed out her cheeks, exhaling the breath she had been holding. "It is spectacular," she said, at a loss for any other words.

On the far edge, the shore was obscured by a dense fog, but they knew it was there. Thankfully they did not need to seek out the satyr Polymedes to cross. The strange swindler would have tried to take them for all they are worth and maybe more.

Unless they were mistaken, this was the side on which they would remain.

For Taran had no reason to cross the lake. He was trying to harvest the water out of anyone's view. There was no reason to bring his presence to the attention of the elves which manned the gate of the ice barrier. That would only bring him problems.

"I cannot believe we have made it. I am finally seeing what I have only ever heard about before. Breathtaking does not begin to describe it." Mairwen bent down to look down at the subtly iridescent water. It was similar and yet very different than what she and Dania had been manipulating.

The magic, though still present, was far less than what the water provided by the elves contained. But because Mairwen had spent many hours looking for the sheen, she was able to recognize it instantly.

This was indeed the ending point of the magic. They had made it.

Wai spoke in the ancient tongue, her watery voice somewhat muted.

"What did she say?" The princess asked. The tone of the nymph suggested she was not commenting on the view.

"Are you sure? Please check again." The Guardian spoke in human speak, but Wai understood and dipped below the surface.

Alaron looked at the serene water, his lips pulled tight. His eyes scanned the surface, hoping against hope that what Wai had told him only a moment ago was wrong.

"What's the matter?" Mairwen started to look too, though she didn't know what it was she was supposed to see.

Beyond the deceptively small wavelets, nothing moved along the water's surface. Was that good or bad? Mairwen wasn't sure.

Next to her, Renat's ears were swiveling, listening for anything out of the ordinary. He also came up empty.

When Wai finally returned, she did not bring her body up to its more normal height. Instead, the nymph seemed…worried. It was not a look that Alaron was accustomed to seeing on the lady's watery face.

When she finally spoke, it was soft and full of regret. Alaron listened, then asked a question in the ancient tongue before scratching his head. "Well that's a problem…"

"What?" Mairwen could stand it no longer.

"I had hoped to ask the selkies for help. But they are gone." The Guardian heaved a heavy sigh.

Renat tilted his head to one side. "Perhaps they are simply somewhere else in the lake. Is there not someone else Wai can ask?"

Alaron shook his head. "No. That's the problem. The lake…is empty."