The north and south lay hidden behind high mountain ranges. The massive tree on which the sanctuary of the Cloud Folk stood had disappeared on the horizon. The land changed, the dense forest gave way to a plateau where the vegetation gradually became sparser, the temperature more rigid, even though it was spring. They faced five long days of travel and five nights spent listening to the nomads' myths and legends, about their gods, which unfortunately shed very little light on their nature. Bugra could neither confirm nor deny the sisters' hypothesis, that the so-called "land of the gods" was Eidelhan’s homeland, their father’s.

  Finally, on the sixth morning, they crossed a seemingly endless prairie. There was nothing but grassy plains and hills in every direction, except for the distant, rolling northern mountains and snowy peaks. The wind blew relentlessly in that region, causing the meadows to sway in a hypnotic, even relaxing motion. That same morning, one of Bugra's companions spurred his horse and galloped ahead. The man returned hours later, reporting that he had sighted the rest of the horde.

  Thus, following a smooth journey, they reached a depression dug by a river. Nene was disconcerted by the vastness of that stream, at least a hundred metres wide, which flowed placidly and silently across the sunny moorland. In front of it, the Tega Urok had camped, awaiting their arrival. They had set up some unusual-looking tents, made up of two fur drapes, supported by a single wooden stake, stuck obliquely into the ground. Their triangular-shaped shelters were arranged in a circle, with the openings facing the centre where a large pyre burned. The settlement was surrounded by sharp poles, pointing outwards. It was a rudimentary defence system employed by the Prince's army as well, to counter enemy cavalry. Not far from the camp stood an imposing structure, a long unusual bridge. It was not made of trunks, overlapping stones, or other similar arrangements, rather it looked like a single, enormous grey boulder, a one-piece, despite being too large to be such, and too well-defined and convenient in shape to be the work of nature. Bugra explained that it was a gift from the gods, but could not provide further details, claiming that it had existed long before his birth.

  However, the most unnatural aspect of the place was not that bridge.

  Besides the river, in the middle of the vast moor, where the only border seemed to be the horizon, there rose a grove. It was not impressive in size, but its appearance would have caused even the truest of Inquisitors to shudder. The forest stood out in the middle of the prairie, clearly defined as if it were the work of a divine gardener. The edge of the forest was a precise line and formed a barrier between the outside world and the inside. It was composed mainly of poplars, absurdly tall, their tops swaying in sync with the meadows. At their feet lay an undergrowth so tangled that it did not allow the light of the dawn sun to get through. That place was a fortress, a pocket of darkness in the middle of the moor, an isolated and safe haven for its inhabitants, impenetrable for anyone else.

  The witch's den.

  It took less than half an hour to mobilise the Tega Urok. They dismantled their tents and abandoned the fortifications as they were, claiming that they might have been useful in the future. The sentries reported that they had not encountered any damned, which according to them was very unusual. Bugra ordered his men to form a circle around Adanara's chariot. The nomads were thrilled at the news that their leader had returned with the help of the Holy Witch, but they were given no time to celebrate. According to the stories of some older nomads, the forest was alive and protected the witch inside it. Also, they believed that the witch had perceived the danger and was gathering her servants.

  At the prospect of an open fight with a horde of the damned, Nene thanked God, or perhaps the Emissary, for having kept Oto safe in Kumhar. She silently followed Adanara's chariot, which was soon surrounded by tens of horsemen and their incessant screaming. On the side of the wagon, Kora, by then used to travelling on a vehicle with wheels, stared at the grove in the distance. Nila sat at the back instead, as close to Nene as possible, and smiled at her, perhaps hoping to improve her bad mood. The Tega Urok, once lined up, stopped screaming. The group advanced making as little noise as possible. The atmosphere became tense as they headed towards the bridge, towards the witch's territory.

  When they were close to the bridge, Nene urged Oo and moved alongside the carriage, since Nila, until then focused on her, was leaning out to get a better look at the structure.

  ?What do you think it is??, she asked.

  Nila, unusually excited, continued to observe. From the bottom of the cart, she ran to the front and leaned on Adanara, who shook her off, annoyed. She changed her attitude when her sister pointed to the ground. Contrary to Nene's first impression, the bridge was not made of a single, massive block of stone, but rather of several parallelepipeds of grey and porous rock, cut and fitted together with such precision that it was impossible to distinguish their edges, except up close. The blocks formed pylons with an oval base, which went deep into the river, resisting the immense pressure caused by that titanic volume of flowing water. From there, sinuous large arches expanded, which supported an oblong platform that constituted the actual crossing. The platform was covered in a layer of black, grainy, shiny material and bordered by two-metre-high steel fences.

  After consulting with Adanara, Nila finally turned back to Nene.

  ?It must be reinforced concrete and asphalt?, she explained.

  ?What??

  ?Dad's said that his people use them to build major structures and roads?

  ?So we were right?, Adanara cheered. ?The “gods” are Dad's people!?

  ?Yes, I think so?

  ?Indeed, this thing seems from another world?, Nene agreed. ?Just like your house in Dena?

  The Tega Urok's horses, unlike Oo, were not shod. When the first riders began to walk over the bridge, the sound of their hooves on that bizarre black stone was muffled. Instead, Oo's footsteps echoed across the prairie, the sound of metal tapping on rock. Hot, muggy air rose from the floor. That black layer of scorching rock contributed to the sinister appearance of the structure, an eyesore of alien technology in the middle of a verdant place of uncontaminated nature.

  During the crossing, some Tega Urok lingered, stopping along the bridge and dismounting from their horses, to prostrate on the ground, on what they believed to be a divine gift. Some tied laces, necklaces and other objects to the steel fence as a ritual. The entire barrier was fraught with offerings, left by nomads who had crossed the river for generations, a custom that had survived to that day.

  They crossed the bridge, and by then the sense of uneasiness diminished. However, the grove in front of them made Nene feel even worse. Its shadow stretched far across the prairie. Its dark silhouette was surrounded by a ring of light, painted by the rising sun, as if a terrible, blasphemous creature was wearing a golden veil, to disguise itself as a creature of God. She sensed the Evil One breathing on her from its refuge, from its corner of distorted nature where it was hiding one of its most powerful servants. As they got closer, she could better admire the sinister sight: the trunks of the poplars were deformed and sickly, their foliage an unhealthy green, streaked with pink, a truly rare occurrence under normal circumstances, never seen among the fronds of common trees.

  The group stopped at the edge of that dark and tangled undergrowth. The poplars were tens of metres tall, their shadow cast a cold and humid environment at their feet. The horses became restless, and with them their riders. Bugra organised his men, ordering a small group, about a dozen, to stay behind and look after the animals. Everyone else dismounted, and Nene followed suit, together with Nila, Kora, and finally Adanara. They had no choice but to proceed on foot through that hideous vegetation. Nene felt a familiar nausea just watching that mess. The shrubs and brambles were intertwined in complex tangles bristling with thorns and cobwebs, the leaves looked to be rotting. Some plants’ branches and roots were crossed by complex geometries, similar to pink veins. The whole place looked unhealthy and cursed.

  The Tega Urok spread out in silence and advanced among the trees, slashing their way through with cutlasses. As if on a hunting trip, they began to rake the outermost area of ??the grove. Bugra suggested that Adanara and her companions stay behind. They were happy to oblige, not at all anxious to enter that blasphemous trap. They waited at the edge of the woods, a line far too clear between forest and prairie to be nature's work. Not far away, the small group of Tega Urok left in charge of the horses were rounding up the animals and trying to keep them calm. Kora waited until the hunters had disappeared in the woods, then approached the unusual vegetation.

  ?Wait?, Nene admonished her. ?This place is cursed?

  ?The one who whispers??, she asked.

  ?Exactly. I've never seen anything like that, but... I feel it?

  ?I want to check these plants?, she explained.

  ?Me too?, Nila added. ?Nene, aren't you curious??

  She gulped. Her fear of the Evil One surpassed almost everything. She gave in: observing the monster's refuge could help her better understand its nature, and how to deal with it. Led by Kora, dragging a reluctant Adanara, they walked to the first stand of trees. The stench of damnation grew stronger. It came from the woods itself. Whatever the Evil One was doing in that place, it was beyond its usual demeanour, or at least far beyond any evidence ever gathered by the Church.

  Kora analysed the branches felled by the Tega Urok, rummaged through the grass and picked up an insect. She looked disgusted, almost as if she too could perceive the foul aberration that was hidden behind that corrupted flora and fauna. The shaman took a rough knife out of a pocket of her leaf cloak. With the thick, raw blade she dug into the bark of one of the poplars and got something out of it. Everyone winced. The thin pink veins that ran through everything in that place remained stranded on her knife. They were not part of the poplars, but rather resembled a parasitic vine, insinuating everywhere, beneath the bark, leaves and roots, even in the ground.

  ?What is it?? Adanara asked, frightened.

  In response, Kora tore off a piece and put it in her mouth. Nila turned pale. Nene held back from puking.

  ?A mushroom?, she replied. ?Like I've never seen before, though?

  ?A-are you sure about that??

  ?It tastes like a mushroom?, the shaman insisted, offering them some.

  ?I don't think it's wise to eat it?, Nene suggested.

  ?Looks like this place has changed a lot?

  Kora looked around, suspicious. Nene imitated her, fearing there was danger. The presence of the Evil One was so strong, so obvious, that it kept her constantly on edge. The shaman pointed to the mountain range that rose in the distance, to the north. At its feet stretched a lush coniferous forest, which gradually thinned out until it disappeared at the edge of the moor.

  ?During my initiation journey, I descended from those mountains. Salisander's lair cannot be far away?

  ?Do you know this place??, Adanara asked.

  ?It was very different. Once upon a time, there was more vegetation. Now it seems to have all gathered in a single point?

  ?Trees don't walk...?

  Kora frowned. She passed the spear from her left hand to the right and, adding nothing more, set off north.

  ?Wait a minute, where are you going??, Nene asked.

  ?To the spirit of the flame. Maybe she can explain what happened here, in the last decades?

  ?We shouldn’t split?, Nila protested. ?It could be dangerous?

  ?Then come with me?

  Adanara snorted and spread her arms dramatically. She walked towards the few Tega Urok who had remained to watch the horses.

  ?I’ll tell ‘em we go for a walk?, she explained. ?At least Bugra will know that we are still alive?

  They awaited her return. After a few minutes, the witch rejoined the group, and they followed Kora along the edge of the grove. They got closer to the putrid vegetation, to that horrible pink fungus creeping everywhere. There was no trace of animals larger than an insect. They marched for almost an hour without meeting a single squirrel or hearing a bird sing. That forest was as if dead, perhaps kept in a state of apparent life by the mysterious mushroom, perhaps by the power of the Evil One who had built its fortress within it.

  Kora stopped to inspect a stream, claiming to recognise it, and that by following its course they would reach their destination. The water made its way through the poplars, entering the forest. After appeasing Nila's protests about venturing deeper, they kept following the shaman. Fortunately, on that side, the vegetation was less dense, so they managed to enter without having to cut their way through.

  Nene held Nila’s hand, who, uncharacteristically, was even more scared than her. She was terrified by the swarms of insects trapped in the webs, which often extended uninterruptedly and uniformly throughout the undergrowth, up to their knees. Nene kicked to try to clear the passage, but she only managed to fill her boots and cape with sticky threads and insect corpses, making Nila even more nervous.

  Little by little they managed to penetrate the brambles, the sharp rocky protrusions and the deformed trunks of the poplars. Kora kept track of the stream, which often disappeared completely into some shrub or tangle of roots, by following the sound of its current. The inside of the forest was cold and damp, to the point of making Nene tremble, also because of the anguish of being inside the Evil One’s kingdom. After several minutes of slow walking, they came across a clearing.

  The sunlight could barely pierce through the vegetation, there. A small clearing, only a few metres wide, stood in the middle of that crazy freak of nature. The terrain was full of fungal formations identical to those seen nearby, even in larger numbers. Among its branches were sprouting tufts of common grass and bushes of small yellow flowers. In the middle of the clearing stood a monolith, about four metres high, a rock carved in the shape of an egg, whose damp surface reflected the sunlight, and was partially covered with moss.

  ?Here we are?, Kora announced.

  The shaman walked around the rock and inspected the area. Then, she signalled to her reluctant companions to follow her. The monolith hid a fissure in a place where the ground was rocky, a crevice with a jagged and sharp edge. It was barely large enough to pass through as if it had been excavated on purpose. Nothing could be seen inside except more damp stone and, finally, absolute darkness.

  ?I should have asked Goro to lend me his torch...?, Kora complained.

  ?Should we... go in there??, Nila asked.

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  ?Down there is the sanctuary of Salisander?

  ?She’s not like those other two, right?? Adanara asked. ?The ones that attacked us on sight?

  Kora shook her head. She looked around and began picking up twigs from the ground.

  ?Help me, we need a light source?

  They gathered twigs and brushwood. Kora expertly tied everything around a long stick with blades of grass, thus obtaining a rudimentary torch with a flammable head. She handed her spear to Nila, then pointed the staff towards the opening of the cave. She stared at the end of the torch and, after a few moments, the brush began to emit smoke. Nene tried to keep calm, despite what the Church had taught her. She had already seen Kora use that trick to start a fire. Whatever it was, it was not the work of the Evil One or one of its servants, but only the strange, incomprehensible magic of the Cloud Folk. A flame blazed at the top of the torch. Its light flickered on the walls of the dark cave, showing that the crack went very deep.

  ?Stay close?, the shaman ordered, and entered first.

  Adanara followed her without hesitation. Nila and Nene exchanged worried looks, but eventually followed suit. The fissure led to a claustrophobic cavernous complex. The light of the torch barely illuminated the parallel, damp and sharp walls, just a couple of metres away from each other. A steep and slippery path led downwards, into a hiding place that seemed like a miracle of natural architecture, from the bottom of which came the sound of running water. Kora led the way in silence. Nene, who was at the rear, could see very little, being the furthest from their only source of light, so she walked carefully leaning against the walls. The slimy, icy stone made her shiver and the humidity began to take hold of her feet. Their scuffed footsteps echoed in the darkness as they descended deeper and deeper.

  Suddenly, Kora stopped. Adanara planted her feet and slid to the ground, cursing.

  ?What the fuck are you doing??, she yelled.

  ?Slow down?, the shaman replied. ?There should be a crevasse here?

  The sound of running water had gradually become a roar. Kora ignored Adanara's complaints, who instead was aided by her sister. She scanned the ground, keeping the torch pointed downwards.

  ?What are you looking for??, Nene asked, while staggering to catch up with the rest of the group.

  ?The edge of the cliff. Beware not to fall?

  At that statement, Nene instantly stopped and looked at her feet. Terrified at the idea of ??falling down somewhere in such a dark place, she didn't take a step more and waited. Meanwhile, the sisters got back on their feet, and Nila, while supporting Adanara, kicked a stone towards nowhere.

  ?You've been here before, right??, she asked. ?H-how deep is it??

  ?Deadly deep. The stream widens underground and digs into the rock. Pay attention to the sound of water?

  ?You could have told us before!?, Adanara grumbled.

  Kora extended the flaming staff following the sound of the stone Nila had kicked. After a few metres, she stopped suddenly again. She got down on all fours and shed light downwards. The others gathered cautiously behind her. The noise of the current was much more intense over there. Below them, at the end of a dizzying fall of about ten metres, flowed the stream that had guided them to the clearing on the surface. The water lapped against the rocks and reflected the light of the torch, sending back glimmers that sparkled like stars in the night. The watercourse had dug a deep chasm, the end of which could not be seen. From up there, on the edge of that precipice, the crossing was impossible.

  ?What now??, Nene asked.

  ?Help me?, Kora said. ?We need gravel, or something similar?

  ?Are you serious??, the witch grumbled.

  Nila shrugged and began rummaging on all fours, looking for pebbles and the like. Nene imitated her, although she couldn’t understand why. Finding gravel in those lighting conditions proved harder than expected, but Kora had better luck. She found a hole in the ground, bristling with insects, and stuck her hand in, completely ignoring the horrid little creatures, which fled by darting away on their many little legs. She extracted a handful of soil and, with a satisfied look, returned to the edge of the abyss.

  ?There is a path, but it is hidden from the eyes?, she explained. ?We just need to figure out where it is?

  With a sweeping gesture, she threw the dirt towards the chasm. The earth scattered and then fell towards the stream, as expected. Before Adanara could point out her teacher's failure, however, Kora brought the flame closer to a specific point, as if she had seen something. To everyone's dismay, except Kora’s, they saw a small pile of dirt suspended mid-air, as if resting on a solid but invisible surface. Nila, unconvinced by that unlikely sight, took some of the pebbles she had collected and threw them in the same spot. The gravel rattled loudly as if it had hit something solid. The pebbles remained suspended as well.

  ?Found it. The spirit of the flame does not like visitors, so she hides her refuge with some tricks?

  ?If she doesn't like visitors, what are we??, Adanara asked.

  ?Guests. You are in my company, you have nothing to fear?

  ?Should we... cross there??, Nene said.

  Not eager to repeat an experience similar to the one she had in Rune and Shilfi's lair, and scared of falling into the water below, Nene took a step back. Nila stepped behind her and caressed her shoulders.

  ?It's not safe?, she agreed. ?It c-could be slippery?

  Kora sighed. She held the torch like a walking stick and began lunging towards the void with the lower end. She repeated the process until she hit something solid, near where their previous experiment had revealed a portion of the hidden path.

  ?I'll go first?

  ?Why don't you go by yourself? We will wait for you here?

  ?Really??

  ?You're the one who has to... return her gift, or whatever it is. Go, do what you have to. I'm not moving!?

  ?You forget that we are also here to invoke the wisdom of the spirit?, Kora replied. ?She could tell us more about the witch you are looking for?

  ?You ask her, then!?, Adanara grunted.

  Nene peered into the abyss. She didn't like that situation at all, but the idea of talking to one of these "spirits", who according to Kora was friendly, unlike the last ones they had met, was too tempting to pass up. She wasn't sure of what she might get out of her, but didn't feel like missing out on the chance to learn more about the Evil One. The Church was adamant about how knowledge was one of the most powerful weapons against the damned, and thanks to the Emissary she had learned that her knowledge was truly lacking.

  ?Okay, I'll go?, she announced.

  Kora smiled and nodded. Then, she stared at both sisters contemptuously, until Nila stepped forward, though still leaning on Nene.

  ?Is it slippery??, she insisted.

  ?If you see me fall, you’ll know?, Kora answered.

  ?Don’t say that so lightly!?

  The shaman gave a hint of laughter, which lasted a fraction of an instant. She turned on her heel and, using her stick to test the ground, walked towards the void. Her feet rested on nothing. Carefully, she took a first step, then a second one. Her entire body seemed to be floating upon nothingness. She turned to wait for the others, in silence.

  Nene imitated her. She stretched out her toe over the cliff. Her body sensed something solid, but her eye saw no such thing. Her head began to spin slightly, confused by the unnatural sensation, so she waited a moment.

  ?Everything okay??, Nila asked, worried.

  ?Yes. Yes, it's... very weird, that's it?

  She took a breath and rested her entire foot on the invisible bridge. The sight of the fall below almost made her dizzy, so she focused on Kora, in front of her. She took a step forward and again touched a solid surface. She avoided looking down, but Nila's surprised sigh confirmed that she too, from the outside, appeared suspended in the air.

  ?Shall we go??, Kora urged her.

  Nila followed hesitantly. Although the route had already been verified, she tested the ground with the handle of the spear. Nene reached out to her, hoping to help her find courage. Her face was pale. She stood as if paralyzed.

  ?Ugh, fine!?, Adanara blurted.

  The witch began to push her sister, who screamed in fear. After yet another squabble, the two, hand in hand, took the first step over the abyss. Like Nene before them, it took them a long time to get used to the idea that there was a passage beneath their feet, even though the eye could not see it.

  Kora advanced into the darkness. She continued to use the torch to locate walkable areas, which fortunately formed a linear path, a crossing. The sound of running water and the inexplicable nature of that place constantly tempted Nene to look down. She mustered not to do so and followed the torch, staying very close to Kora out of fear of a misstep. She was so scared that she couldn't even find the courage to turn around to make sure Nila was okay, paranoid about the possibility of losing her balance and falling. She breathed a sigh of relief when the flame illuminated a rocky area overlooking the stream, beyond which was the dark entrance to a new tunnel.

  When she reached the visible ground, Nene collapsed onto all fours. That bizarre experience had been exhausting and had upset her so much that the simple fact of resting her hands and feet on something she could see was enough to comfort her. Adanara retched behind her.

  ?Let's rest for a bit?, Nila said, as she caressed her sister's back.

  Kora nodded. In the meantime she illuminated the entrance to the tunnel with her torch, revealing rough and crooked stone steps that led even deeper.

  When Adanara had recovered, they pressed on. The steps were slippery like everything else down there, the walls were populated by moss and insects with transparent shells, which disappeared into the cracks between stones as if frightened by the light, or by the sound of footsteps that echoed in the void. The staircase ended in a cave shrouded in darkness. Kora's torch failed to illuminate the bottom or the ceiling. The shaman suddenly stopped and waited.

  ?What's going on??, Nene whispered.

  ?We have arrived?, Kora announced. She knelt. ?Do as I do, and let me speak?

  Nene imitated her. She did not know the customs of the Cloud Folk, nor of the "spirits" they venerated, but she had always been taught to show awe towards the Archangel, so it seemed more than natural that Kora would do the same towards her deities.

  A warm gust touched their faces. The cave, from cold and humid, turned hot and dry. The air became rarefied. At the bottom of the cave a light turned on, then two. A pair of glowing embers floated, revealing the nothingness around them.

  ?Salisander?, Kora said. ?I am Kora, Warden of Tuatha. Humans accompany me, seeking your wisdom?

  ?Kora…?, a faint voice croaked. ?Why did you come back??

  ?By order of my master, Warden Moka?, she explained. ?I am here to give you back what was once gifted?

  A stronger gust swirled through the cave. An intense glow pervaded it. When Nene's eyes adjusted to the light again, they were surrounded by fires. The cavern, circular in shape, was finally visible. High vaulted walls formed a rudimentary dome, rough and imprecise arches overlapped one another, in what had all the appearance of a temple rather than a refuge. Basins were dug into the rock, suspended up more than three metres, which contained pink flames like braziers. An intricate network of fungal vines, identical to those scattered throughout the forest, was climbing from the floor to the top of the dome, disappearing into a dark chasm at its summit.

  At the bottom of the cave, two embers were aimed at the group of visitors, like shining eyes, but there was no body behind them. Nene strained her eyes and saw a vibration, as if a transparent entity was in front of her and was somewhat reflecting the light.

  ?Returning a gift is pretty rude?, the spirit complained. ?Has Moka forgotten his manners??

  ?No, spirit, it’s because of my actions. I betrayed his trust and that of Tuatha. The elders consider me unworthy and dangerous, so I was deposed as Warden?

  ?The elders have never been fond of you. Since when do you care??

  ?Since... Moka ordered it?

  A sigh hissed in the cave. Salisander's voice was reminiscent of the whisper of a dying old woman or broken twigs. It creaked disturbingly but had a calm, noble, even haughty tone. The embers approached and the figure that Nene thought she had seen began to solidify, first becoming a shapeless cloud of steam, then taking on the appearance of a large ember about a metre high, with a sinuous shape. Finally, it darkened, as if it was suddenly cooling. The result was what looked like a small stone statue, depicting a bizarre creature, with two embers for eyes.

  Salisander laid her paws on the ground. There were two of them, stocky and with webbed feet. Her body had a curvaceous shape that swayed with every step. It had a very long tail, three times as long as its body, curled upwards like that of a scorpion, but without a stinger. Her trunk was covered with large igneous plates, between whose cracks many pink stems and antennas emerged, quivering in the air and standing out against her dark figure. Her small, sharp snout had no mouth or nose, only two embers for eyes, and was topped by a large plate, similar to those on her body, whose shape resembled two massive and powerful horns. Her antennae and plates swayed rhythmically, as if breathing, but their motion changed every time she spoke, vibrating in tune with the sound of her voice.

  ?I refuse?, she announced.

  ?If I go back like this, Moka will be forced to exile me?, Kora pleaded. ?Help me?

  ?I'll help you, but you won't let you tell me how to?, the spirit grumbled.

  ?I don't understand?

  The little creature came closer, too close for Nene's liking. When it was a step away from her, she began to feel its heat: it was scorching hot. Its horrible antennas stood up towards her. She couldn't maintain her composure and backed away.

  ?Why do your guests fear me??, Salisander asked. ?Did you tell them about my greatness??

  ?I did, spirit?, Kora replied. ?I think humans fear what they don't know yet?

  ?Should I introduce myself??

  Nene couldn't take her eyes off that vibrant horror which, despite her overall friendly attitude, didn't correspond to anything she had ever imagined even in her most feverish fantasies, when she had spent nights tormented by nightmares aroused by terrible stories about the Evil One. She had to summon all her courage to speak. Her throat felt dry, not just from the temperature and the flames.

  ?My… my name is Nene?, she stammered. ?I didn't mean to be rude?

  ?Oh, I like you?, the creature gloated. Then she looked at Adanara. ?Are you looking for your patron??

  ?Huh??, she moaned. ?My…??

  ?The one who whispers is no longer here. Sorry. You missed him by… many seasons. Maybe you weren't even born the last time he visited me?

  Nene stiffened. The spirit had just admitted with nonchalance that she was in touch with the Evil One. Kora seemed to read her mind, as she stood and walked up, standing between her and Salisandra.

  ?What do you mean??, she asked.

  The little creature ignored her and approached Nila, who turned pale at the sight of those antennas scrutinising her. Just before they touched her face, she jumped up and took steps backwards, disgusted.

  ?So, what are you looking for??

  ?Spirit, we are here at the request of the humans who inhabit these lands?, ??Kora interjected. ?They are tormented by a witch and the monsters who serve her?

  ?Oh, nice! It was about time!?

  ?You spoke of the one who whispers...?, the shaman insisted.

  The creature turned its attention to Adanara, who stared at it in shock. Nene carefully watched her every movement, ready to fight if necessary. If Salisander was truly a servant of the Evil One, she hid it very well. Nene couldn’t perceive its influence on her, yet she had confessed to having met it. She began to visualise where to hit her with the dagger, to scrutinise her in search of an opening between those thick scales that covered her body.

  ?Yes. He’s the one ruining everything around here! The witch was tricked, the poor thing. I warned her. Now everything on the surface has become a mess!?, she grumbled.

  ?What happened??

  ?The witch came here a long time ago. She was a nice girl, so I decided to visit her. She reacted exactly like you?, she said, looking at Nila. ?I quickly realised she was hearing the whispers, so I gave her some advice. Obviously, she didn't listen. Idiot…?

  ?We came here to free the witch?, Adanara explained.

  Salisander exploded in a chilling laugh, which reverberated throughout the entire cave. The pink flames of the braziers trembled in the same rhythm, her antennae stood up and quivered like a rattle.

  ?Do you want to face the nameless?! Are you crazy?! I myself hid down here because of him!?, she then became nervous. ?My only contact with the outside is Tuatha visitors and my babies, who tell me stories of the world above?

  ?Are these mushrooms yours??, Kora asked.

  ?They are my eyes in the woods?, she explained. ?I haven't seen the sun since the day the trees walked...?

  ?What are you talking about? The trees... walked??

  ?He who whispers can do this and more?, Salisander said. ?That’s why you should fear him?

  ?Can you help us find the witch??. Nene asked.

  ?Only two kinds of people would seek her out: someone with a death wish, or someone who wants to join her. Which one are you??

  ?No, we... want to free her from the influence of the Evil One. We have already done it in the past?

  The flames and antennas began to vibrate, announcing a new, repugnant laughter to come, but Salisander met Kora's gaze and didn't laugh at all.

  ?They can?, the shaman confirmed. ?Moka also succumbed to the whispers, but they saved him with their magic?

  ?It's not magic?, Adanara clarified.

  The spirit's tail swung left and right. It slapped the ground repeatedly as she scampered around the cave thoughtfully.

  ?If you really can free the witch…. then I could go back to the surface!?

  ?Help us, spirit?, Kora pleaded. ?I will respect your will and go into exile after that, if that is your desire?

  ?I don't want that, you idiot! You've always been as thick as a rock!?

  ?I’m sorry?

  Salisander dropped to the ground. Her bottom made a sharp thud as it hit the floor. Now sitting, the little creature curled inside her tail, wrapping her like a spiral almost up to her eyes. Her embers glowed and her dry voice sounded restless.

  ?Let me tell you the story of the witch…?