Page 95 of Mountains of Mist and Magic

“Selenia!”

“Phillippe?”

“Yes, it's me!” He walked carefully towards the sound of her voice, his hands outstretched, feeling for anything in his path.

“I'm here too!” Renya's voice came from his left side.

Suddenly, the harsh light began to fade, and Phillippe could finally make out his surroundings. They were high in the mountains now, nearing the tallest peak of the highest mountain. They were sheltered from the sun, and yet so high that Phillippe could nearly reach out and touch the clouds. The sides of the mountain continued up another fifty feet or so, providing a little sanctuary nestled at the high altitude.

His eyes caught on a reflecting pool in the middle of the space, the water silver and still. The pond was so clear and pristine that the reflections of the clouds were mirrored. Floating on the surface were several lily pads, idly moving in the smallest of breezes. Fluorescent fish swam in the pond, and Phillippe had never seen such a rainbow of colors. Behind the pool, a large, flat stone stood, carved into a large seat. It looked ancient, the bits of rock and limestone carved away carefully, but weathered as if it had been there for eons.

“What is this place?” Selenia asked, her tone hushed and reverent as if they were trespassing on a sacred site, which led Phillippe to wonder if perhaps they were.

“I'm guessing...this is the end of the line,” Renya said, biting her lip. “I—”

She gasped suddenly, and both Phillippe and Selenia looked at her in alarm.

“It's nothing,” she said, breathing deeply, as if greatly relieved. “I can just hear Grayden again. His thoughts. Our bond is back.”

“My magic is back too...I can tell that this place is full of magic—magic in its purest form. It's...intoxicating.” Selenia looked around cautiously.

Phillippe grinned, and then twisted his fingers in the air. An icicle formed, then hit the ground and shattered. Both women stared in disbelief.

“Phillippe, what in the Gods' names—” Selenia started, her mouth wide open with shock.

“I have powers. Pretty amazing, huh?” He smirked, enjoying their attention. He concentrated hard and brought forth a small flurry that sprinkled over the pond, the tiny flakes hovering over the water. An orange fish, streaked with silver, jumped out of the water, trying to catch the snowflake in its mouth.

“So did it work?” Renya asked excitedly. “Is magic restored?”

Selenia shook her head. “I don't know what's happened to Phillippe, but my bond—I can tell Sion still can't feel it. But I can feel him again, so I think we're back where we started.”

Renya crossed her arms. “What happened to the two of you?”

Phillippe was eager to tell his tale. “I ended up in a temple that was full of fire and lava—and it looks like I got powers just in time to make it through. You said my task was bravery, Renya, and you were right.”

A look of guilt crossed Renya's face, and it made Phillippe instantly uneasy.

“What?”

“Phillippe, bravery wasn't your trial. It was sacrifice. I—I didn't want you upset or worried going into your trial, or overthinking it—”

Phillippe brushed off her comment. “Renya, you could be wrong though. It was just some silly story, right? Was yours true?”

Renya nodded and then looked over at Selenia.

“Mine was too. It was wisdom—although it wasn't what I thought it would be.” Selenia looked close to tears, and Renya inched towards her and put her arm around her.

“Now what?” Renya asked, looking around.

“Now it is time for the final trial,” an ominous voice answered.

The three jumped slightly, looking around for the sound of the voice. To their surprise, a hazy figure sat in the stone seat, slowly becoming more and more corporeal with each passing second.

“Who are you?” Phillippe asked.

“I am the first fae...and the mistress and liaison to the God of the Sun.”

Phillippe instantly looked at Renya, wondering if she realized the implications of this. As her eyes widened, he figured that she, too, realized that this was her ancestor.

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