As everyone gazed up at the sky, Kulhun noticed a dwarf standing alone by the side of the crater, next to one of the rib bones. Following his gaze, Ili and Zephyr spotted him too.
"I'll go talk to him," Kulhun said, eyeing the distant dwarf.
He took a few steps, ready to approach his cousin, but was stopped by Zephyr.
"Wait..." Zephyr muttered.
Kulhun looked at him, puzzled. Zephyr took a deep breath to calm himself.
"I'll come too," the boy finally said.
Kulhun observed him for a moment, then smiled warmly and patted Zephyr's shoulder.
"Alright," Kulhun replied. "Let's go."
Ili was about to get up and join them when she felt a gentle tug on her sleeve. Turning, she saw Old Man Kal, his small, frail hand gripping her shirt. His voice came out weak and tired.
"Ililith... Would you be kind enough to do an old man a favor?" he asked, looking up at her.
Ili glanced back at Kulhun and Zephyr, then toward Kaeldor in the distance. She relaxed and smiled softly.
"Of course," she replied kindly, as Kulhun and Zephyr walked away.
She helped the old man onto her back and handed him his staff.
"Where to?" Ili asked with a smile, tilting her head to catch a glimpse of his face.
Old Man Kal returned the smile, albeit tiredly.
"Up ahead," he said softly, pointing a frail finger toward the opposite side of the crater.
Following his directions, Ili moved forward with a cheerful stride, careful not to nudge the old man. Soon, they reached the edge of the crater, where a steep, unclimbable cliff rose before them. Unlike the opposite side, there was no way up.
Ili wasn't surprised when her feet left the ground. The old dwarf's staff glowed a warm, light-blue, casting a levitation spell. Ili remained calm, securing the old man on her back. They ascended the cliff, eventually reaching the top, where Ili took the first step onto solid ground, and Old Man Kal ended the spell.
She turned back, glancing over the edge of the crater. In the distance, the large crowd on the opposite side appeared small. Few ventured to this side, likely deterred by the steep cliff or the sheer distance from the main road.
Taking a deep breath, she inhaled the Nordic air before moving forward through the untouched snow.
There was no road here. The path ended at the crater's edge, far back. Ahead lay a downhill slope leading into a patch of forest, then continuing up another hill alongside the mountains. The old man lit their way with his staff, its yellow glow following them through the dark. The clear sky, dotted with stars and a shining moon, made everything visible even without the magic.
Ili pressed on, trusting the old man's quiet directions. They passed through the forest, climbed the snowy hills, walked beside rocky outcrops, and re-entered the woods. The journey was straightforward, without many turns or challenges, with the old man speaking only occasionally to provide guidance.
They walked for a long time under the beautiful night sky. Blue fireflies illuminated their path through the forest, casting a soft glow on the snow-covered ground. Glowing mushrooms clung to the roots of trees, their light adding to the ethereal scene. No animals crossed their path, save for the occasional rustle of small creatures hiding in the underbrush or the distant howls that neither Ili nor the old dwarf seemed to fear.
Some time had passed. After a long walk through the forest and over the hills, the old man finally muttered a few words.
"Along that river... Upstream..." he said quietly, his voice tired as he pointed to a small stream of water flowing down the hill and crossing their path.
As with many rivers in the area, when the water touched a rock or a branch, a faint blue glow appeared, as if glitter were being poured into it. This effect was caused by certain bacteria in the water, originally from glowing fungi in the area, which thrived in humid environments. When these bacteria came into contact with objects other than water, they emitted light for a few moments, creating this warm, glowing effect.
In a curious and childish manner, Ili quickly dipped one foot into the water to observe the phenomenon, hoping the old man wouldn't notice.
Before long, the environment seemed to shift. It wasn't the forest or the hill that changed, nor was the river altered, but the snow began to fade. It was as if an invisible barrier had been placed, preventing snow and cold from getting inside. The temperature warmed to a fall-like level, and the trees began to grow green and yellow leaves. Ili found herself stepping onto soft, immaculate green grass. Despite it being the middle of the night, the sky took on a yellowish hue, resembling dawn. Ili looked around in awe, amazed by the transformation. It felt like a sanctuary, eternally bright and warm, captured in a moment in time. As she continued walking, small yellow flowers began to emerge more frequently through the grass.
"A divine painting..." Ili muttered softly, her eyes wide with fascination.
Ili reached the top of the hill, having not even noticed when the river had ended. She was too captivated by the serene and warm place around her. Over the hill lay a small meadow, full of yellow flowers.
"That's enough, Ililith..." the old man said.
Ili helped the old man down, and he knelt among the field of flowers.
"It was her favorite spell," the old dwarf murmured quietly. "A spell to create a field of yellow flowers..."
Ili sat down beside him, mirroring his position, her hands resting gently on her legs as she gazed at the setting sun on the horizon.
"Who's favourite spell?" Ili asked softly.
She tried to look at the old man as he spoke, but couldn't summon the strength to do so.
"She was my light, my love… my everything" the old man responded quietly, gently running his hand through the field of flowers. "My wife..."
Ili stood quiet for a moment, gazing towards the grass.
"This is her grave," the old man said, caressing the yellow flowers. "This place... these flowers..."
"You made this... divine painting…" Ili said quietly.
"Divine painting," the old man repeated thoughtfully, remembering things of his past... "It's been so long since I heard those words. Divine painting... Magic to create a separate dimension in the world, as if painting on the space itself... The highest known grade of magic..."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to change the subject..." Ili murmured.
"Don't worry," the old man said with a warm chuckle. "I may seem like an old, senile man, and I might be, but I still remember what it meant to be a mage. The things I learned at the Royal Academy of Mages in Ephreem... I thought I was unstoppable..."
"Old Man Kal..."
"It's alright."
Old Man Kal looked down at the yellow flowers.
"The power to paint a dimension over space itself, and yet... I wasn't able to prevent the person I cared for the most from dying," he said quietly. "This divine painting was the last time I used my Royal Mage staff to perform magic..."
Ili looked at the old man with soft eyes.
"Where did you put the staff?"
The old man smiled gently. He turned his head toward Ili, but she quickly averted her gaze, turning her head to the side. She tried to seem strong and change the subject, but her eyes betrayed her emotions, and tears began to fill her eyes.
"Look around you," the old man said finally. "This whole place... is the staff. No matter how strong I became, I was never able to create a divine painting at will. Creating this place came at a cost… the staff itself. But I've never regretted the decision. After she died, I gave up on magic. There was nothing else worth using magic for..." The old man chuckled, a hint of sadness in his voice. "It's been so long that I don't even remember her name anymore. All I remember is her white hair and light blue eyes… just like you..."
Ili's breath was cut short as she heard this. She closed her eyes, tears streaming down her face.
"I'm sorry... I never meant to remind you of her," Ili said, biting her lip in an attempt to stop crying, but failing.
The old dwarf smiled and placed a hand on Ili's shoulder.
"Don't cry, child," he said softly. "If anything, I should be thanking you... for reminding me of her... for bringing me here. It's been so long since I visited this place..."
"Please, I... I didn't do anything. I just brought you here... nothing more..."
"And that's more than I could have ever asked for," the old man said, smiling gently as Ili continued to cry.
In time, Ili's crying subsided.
"Ili," the old man began gently, "would you be kind enough to do an old dwarf a favor?"
Ili looked up at the old man, her eyes red from crying as she sniffled to calm herself.
"You see," he continued, "I'm an old man. My magic days might be over, but... would you be willing to learn a spell from me?"
Ili's eyes widened slightly, confusion evident.
"O... Of course... What... what spell?" Ili asked, wiping away the last of her tears.
"A spell to grow a field of yellow flowers," Old Man Kal said with a warm smile…
A long time passed. Ili finally carried the old man back down the hill, next to the river. This time, she walked not through grass but through a field of beautiful, yellow flowers…
The sky gradually darkened, and the stars and moon returned to their original positions. The field of flowers beneath her feet transformed back into the snow-covered grass of the forest, retracing the steps she had made earlier. The old man rested on her back, asleep, while Ili held his walking stick.
She considered using a light spell to illuminate her path but decided against it, as the moonlight provided enough illumination.
As they reached the crater, the sun started to rise slowly, painting the sky in a desaturated light-blue, grayish hue. She looked for Zephyr, Kulhun, and Kaeldor but found no one. Most people had already left the festival. A few tents remained, and some people lingered around the dying campfires, but many had gone already.
Ili walked along the side of the crater, passing by the massive rib bones of the long-gone dragon. She made her way back along the main path, through the few remaining camps beside the crater. Then she journeyed through the mountain range, between rocks and cliffs, and finally returned to the mountain path, the main road. Turning right, she followed the road leading back to the dwarven village.
The village finally came into view in the distance. After some more walking, she arrived back and headed toward Kulhun's house, where warm yellow light still glowed from the windows.
Ili wanted to get inside, but she felt a hand pulling her shoulder. She turned her head around, looking at the old man.
"What is it?" she asked softly, confused.
"Take care of that kalzraak boy… He's a good soul…"
Ili looked at him, taken aback. She didn't know how to respond. "I…"
"It's alright…" Old Man Kal said with a soft smile.
Ili smiled back, but couldn't help a feeling of uncertainty. She thought of Zephyr, at his fight with Kaeldor… She couldn't help but feel concerned for him.
She finally calmed her mind, looking back at the house. Hesitating a little, Ili knocked on the door, but received no response. Loud, muffled voices came from inside, but she couldn't make out the words. She slowly opened the door and walked inside the house.
She felt a wave of confused relief wash over her as she witnessed the scene before her. Two dwarves and a kalzraak sat on the carpet in a circle, large, empty wooden cups in front of each of them. Multiple cups. They were laughing heartily, clearly drunk, their words barely coherent, but it didn't matter. They were happy…
Kaeldor patted Zephyr on the shoulder, laughing loudly and cheerfully.
"You know, boy," Kaeldor said with a loud cheer, "you're not as bad as I thought!"