Fall of the Spectrum

Chapter Twenty-One

The journey to Terra Ventus proved to be a lot more satisfactory than their visit to Gelida Vix. Once they had gained Eurus's permission, God of the East Wind and governor of the eastern continent, to approach those under his domain with their proposal—for much like his brother Boreas, Eurus's duties didn't allow him to aid them personally—Phenex and the others made their way through the Valley of the Sylph: The pass that existed between the eastern ridge (where Eurus's palace could be found) and the Ethereal Forest.

Instead of taking the main juncture into the forest, however, they followed it to the Meadow of the Faerie, or Livada na Samovila as it was known to the locals.

"I'll say this much," Jev spoke up after several moments of silent travel, "traipsin' through this balmy weather beats the hell outta Gelida Vix any day o' the week."

Phenex couldn't help but chuckle at the satyr's sentiments, his mood having vastly improved since they'd left the frozen wasteland behind earlier that day. The weather was as different on each continent as the seasons themselves, even if they were connected by a thin sliver of land running from one to the other.

"You won't hear me complaining," he said, grinning sidelong at Hermes. The messenger god had traded his winter coat for a sleeveless shirt with a snap of his fingers, rich blond curls sticking to his forehead with sweat. "The less fire I have to use to keep you guys from freezing your hides off, the better."

"Don't tell us the Flame of Olympus was burning out back there," Gilgamesh's voice floated to him from a short distance behind, faintly mocking. "Given how highly Apollo speaks of you, I figured you would have been given god status by now."

Phenex was preparing a scathing retort when Niv fluttered up from her seat on his shoulder, pointing excitedly. "Finally, we made it!"

A glance down the lightly sloping hill showed Phenex that she was right: Rock walls grew on either side of the pass and farther along its ridge, and within the rock walls were the hollowed out doors and windows of the sylph's homes, side-by-side. Altarian Chrysanthemums sprouted from between the crags, their layered petals of plum and midnight blue craning outward from under the overhang of sedimentary rock above.

The door closest to them opened a crack, allowing one round, bright blue eye to peer out curiously. The owner of the eye flung the door wide, and apparently sensing that there was no danger, the rest of the doors soon followed, their residents stepping out onto the soft, spring grass. Each figure was clad in light, flowing material, as much a part of them as their pointed ears or the traces of blue running through their hair.

One sylph in particular preceded the others, coming halfway up the incline to greet them. She bore an uncertain frown, a line forming between eyes of tropical-ocean blue until she spotted Niv hovering over Phenex's shoulder.

Expression brightening into a smile, she closed the distance between them, offering Hermes a deferential bow. "You must be Lord Hermes," she said, straightening. "Niv has told me much about you. The Sixth Unit has been invaluable to our rehabilitation project, and to hear that you approved it personally... Well, I cannot tell you what an honour this is. Many of my people would be lost without your generosity."

Hermes flushed, his lips pulling into a pleased, albeit humble, grin. "Not at all, miss...?"

"Oh, excuse my manners." The sylph ducked her head, peering coyly from under her fringe of indigo blue bangs. "I am Sana, leader of the Livada na Samovila clan."

"Sana." Hermes took hold of her hand, bowing his head to brush her knuckles with his lips. "The Sixth Unit are the true image of selflessness and sacrifice. I merely gave my approval, nothing more."