Within the depths of a massive forest, only the sounds of loving laughter rang out as Inochi and Sihiri ran hand in hand together. The flower petals cascaded around them like a rain of love, the kind of strong love they held for each other as they leaped and spun around the forest. The soft serenade of its winds and the gentle warmth of the sunlight filtered through the trees; they cast a perfectly romantic scene for a perfectly romantic moment!

Sihiri and Inochi’s laughter grew so loud and so passionate that their faces hurt as they spun through the fields. The flowers petals danced with them as they did, but finally, they collapsed on the ground and landed on a massive pile of flowers below them, a soft, downy bed for them to rest on as they embraced.

Sihiri chuckled as she leaned on her side, and met with the honey-like gaze of Inochi and her sweet, sappy smile. Before she knew it, Inochi sprung forward and sneaked a kiss right on the lips! It was sweet like honeysuckle, and its taste seeped into Sihiri's own mouth as she reciprocated, so sweet that Sihiri just couldn't bring herself to break away. So, she wrapped her arms around Inochi, and buried herself in Inochi's soft, warm body as the petals cascaded around her. It was a simple moment, yet it felt like an eternity. It was as if time itself stopped for just the two of them.

She almost didn't want to let go, yet Inochi quickly parted the kiss and sat up. Inochi seemed so radiant in that moment as her pink eyes sparkled with the sunlight, and her soft cheeks dimpled with pink so that they brought to mind round, plump peaches. A soft giggle came from her, so sweet and infectious that it spread to Sihiri as well. They both laughed along with the winds and the faint birdsong as they laid together with not a care in the world.

"Alright, my village shouldn't be far from here," Inochi said as she took Sihiri by the hand. "Come on, I'll show you."

Sihiri nodded a bit hesitantly as she took Inochi's hand in her own, but when the feeling of Inochi's fingers, soft like the petals of a fresh flower, brushed against Sihiri's own hand, her grip faded and she melted into Inochi's instead. Though she felt it was a bit loose, her hand not once slipped from Inochi's as Inochi led her down the forest pathway. Inochi's geta clacked against the earth below her, and the long, white shirt and green pants she wore fluttered in the winds.

"You know, it's funny," Inochi remarked as they wandered on. She held a hand to her face, and a sort of lackadaisical smile came across her. "We've just met, yet it feels like I've known you for a lifetime!"

Sihiri's eyes sparkled even more as Inochi turned to her with that eager look in her pink eyes.

"Clearly, this must be the red string of fate at work! You and I were destined to be lovers, I'm sure of it!"

Sihiri's face fell. For a moment, she really thought that Inochi remembered, but, she supposed it wouldn't have been nearly that easy. Sihiri had to admit, it felt a little strange that her own wife didn't recognize her even with the circumstances at hand.

"Well, er, you see," Sihiri started before she quickly stopped herself. Should she really try and bring up the truth right now? After all, she was no different than a stranger to Inochi right now, and surely, if a total stranger came up to Sihiri herself and talked about all this, she would think they were making fun of her!

"Anyways, here we are!"

Well, guess there was no time for that. Sihiri turned around, gasped as Inochi grabbed her by the hand, and raced into the heart of a small village comprised of thatched, triangular huts where beings went to and fro.

The beings were mostly human, though Sihiri was sure she spotted a few beastfolk amid their ranks. They all donned similar clothing to what Inochi herself wore: simple kimonos and yukata with geta and other sandals clad on their feet. Regardless of appearance, they all had one thing in common, and it was that they were busy as busy could be. Whether they carted materials, made food, or ran around and talked as they ran errands of some kind, none of them had a moment to rest!

"And who might this be, Inochi?" asked a grizzled voice from behind them.

Inochi beamed and turned around to face an older person, one muscular and grizzled with tanned skin and visible stubble. They donned a long tunic and a headband around their forehead, and frowned as they scratched their chin with one hand while the other idly clutched a hammer. Their pink eyes were perhaps the busiest part of their body as they rapidly dashed between Inochi and Sihiri.

"This is my new wife, Sihiri!" Inochi beamed with pride as she brought Sihiri closer to her. "I met her just outside the village outskirts today, and she agreed to marry me! Can you believe it?"

The person just scoffed. "Marrying a person you just met? Inochi, only a fool would do that! You don't even know her!"

"And you're just upset that I got a wife before you did!" Inochi’s cheeks puffed before she linked her arm with Sihiri's and moved off.

"Don't pay any mind to him, he's always a grouch." Inochi remarked as she stuck up her nose. "Anyways, just follow me. There's something here that I absolutely must show you!"

"Inochi, there you are!" shouted an elderly woman in long robes decorated with floral patterns. "Where might you be going on this fine afternoon?"

Inochi stopped right in her steps, withdrew her arm from Sihiri's, and bowed towards the woman.

"Just showing my lovely new wife around the town, Miss Himiko," Inochi beamed before she gently nudged Sihiri. "I've only just met her, but I can tell she's a keeper!" Inochi clasped her hands and a dreamy tone sneaked into her voice. "She appreciates plants, and she's so beautiful, and has this sweet, sweet laugh…"

Inochi gushed about Sihiri with fervor as she rambled on to this Miss Himiko, and all the compliments got to Sihiri a little bit. She had to admit, it was a little embarrassing to be praised this much, especially to a total stranger. More than that, it seemed strange that it came from Inochi. She was always so humble, subdued, and not the kind of woman to go into lengthy rambles and trade snips with random people on the street. She certainly was quite the spitfire back into the day, wasn't she?

Whatever happened to her, it must've really taken its toll on Inochi. Whatever that was, anyways. Sihiri never pressed Inochi too much about her past back when she arrived at their base curled up in Tree Rex's palm. They all had a lot of baggage and things they lost to Arkeyan rule, and Sihiri was never one for reopening those old wounds.

Family, friends, homes, and Sihiri lost them all as well. She knew well how much it hurt to leave behind your home, all your friends, and your family as well. For a moment, her mind wandered back to the illusion of her old village, the place where she spent her days playing in the river with her brothers, wandering around town with the older girls as they taught her about all the things she'd get to do at their age, and her heart ached a second more. A part of her yearned to go back there, but—

"Sihiri, dear, is something bothering you?" Inochi asked with a hint of worry in her rosy pink eyes as she tilted her head.

Sihiri's eyes fluttered and she shook her head. "No, it's nothing. I just had something on my mind."

Sihiri drew her gaze back from Inochi in hopes that maybe she'd just leave the topic be, as she always did when Sihiri said this. A warm hand grabbed hers, and Sihiri looked up to see Inochi's eyes sparkling with worry.

"Don't try and lie to me! You're my wife, and I'd be an awful wife to you if I just ignored you while you're clearly in a sorrowful state of mind!"

Sihiri clasped her hands and gulped while a tremor crawled up her spine. Sihiri almost forgot that this Inochi was nothing like the patient and reserved woman she knew! Surely, she was going to keep prying, but what would Sihiri say? She couldn't just explain this was all an illusion out of the blue! Inochi's eyes locked on hers, and the heat gathered in Sihiri's cheeks while her mind wandered about for an explanation.

"Now, Inochi," butted in Miss Himiko as she pushed herself between Sihiri and Inochi, "if she doesn't want to press the issue, you should leave it be. An important part of being in a relationship is understanding your partner's feelings. Forcing them to talk when they don't want to will only hurt you both."

Inochi apologetically bowed her head to Miss Himiko, turned, and did the same for Sihiri. Sihiri, for her part, just stepped back and nodded as a sort of pardon. It felt strange to be treated with the kind of formality typically saved for a stranger by her own wife, but, as it stood, her own wife barely even remembered her.

"Please pardon our Inochi. She's always been quite overeager," Miss Himiko said. "I'm sure she wants to be the best lover for you that she can be."

"It's alright, dear," Sihiri sputtered out at last. "You're only trying to help."

Inochi stood to full height, and gave one of the gentle smiles Sihiri remembered so well as she took Sihiri in hand. "At least let me get you something to eat. I'm sure you've probably traveled a long way! You must be starving!"

Sihiri's stomach growled as if to affirm this, and Sihiri chuckled and nodded. She hadn't even thought of food since all this began, but now that the topic came up, it was like a ravenous beast opened up in her stomach! She hadn't even realized she was this hungry!

Inochi took this as a sign of affirmation, and giggled as she led Sihiri away to another building, one where the scent of freshly-prepared fish and rice spilled out from the door. They stepped inside, and the scent grew stronger, but hardly unpleasant.

Sihiri found herself within a simple restaurant of sorts. A few others gathered around to feast on freshly-made balls of hot rice filled with all sorts of fillings Sihiri could barely guess from the sights, or they devoured meals of fish and vegetables rich with the aroma of herbs.

"This place has some of the best fish there is!" Inochi proclaimed as she practically dragged Sihiri to the back of the room. "I'm pretty sure the whole village has eaten here at least once!"

As they drew to a stop, Sihiri peered up at a grizzly, burly-looking man. He sat at the back of the room, and tended to a pot of soup that brimmed with the very same aroma Sihiri smelled throughout the entire building. He cast a glance up at Inochi first, but raised a brow as his eyes turned to Sihiri.

"And who might this be?" the chef asked with a voice as tough and grizzled as his looks.

Inochi gently nudged Sihiri forward and beamed with pride. "My lovely wife~"

"Finally got'cherself a wife, huh?" The chef chuckled as he tended to the fish and rice he cooked. "Better make this a couple's special, then!"

The smell of herbs grew stronger, and Sihiri's mouth watered as he pulled together bowls of fish, rice, and that same delicious-smelling soup on one tray before he pushed it in Inochi's arms. Sihiri tried her best to keep her composure as she glanced it over, but, she couldn't stop herself from drooling, just a bit.

"Hey, you!" the chef said as he gestured to Sihiri. "You better take care of her, alright? Inochi's one of the most important beings in this village!"

"Oh, I'm not that important! All I do is tend to the Great Tree and the temple gardens! There's plenty of others like me."

"Hardly! The Great Tree is what watches over our entire village. If not for you, who knows what we'd do. Especially with that sickness overtaking the gardens…" The man winced, and a hint of fear broke through his tough looks. "All the other shrine maidens gave up hope."

Inochi huffed. "Well, they're just quitters! This pestilence may be stubborn, but I'm sure with enough care and cleansing it'll fade out, just like all the other illnesses that befell the sacred gardens!"

Pestilence? Sacred gardens? Shrine maiden? Sihiri blinked and took in all the information as Inochi turned around and urged for Sihiri to follow. Not once had Inochi shared an ounce of her past with Sihiri herself, even in all the time they'd known each other, and now it was as though Inochi's entire life story unfolded right before Sihiri’s eyes!

Even as they sat down and ate, Sihiri barely even tasted her meal. Something about this felt hollow, almost. She almost felt like she invaded Inochi's privacy by learning about her life like this, and with Inochi herself none the wiser, to boot! Sihiri almost wanted to break the spell and tell her now, but something in her heart stopped her as she saw Inochi vigorously eating with the widest smile on her face. Inochi seemed so happy and full of energy, so unlike the quiet and reserved woman Sihiri knew as her wife. Even if it was an illusion, surely she was so happy to be back at her old home.

Sihiri didn't want to ruin that for her, not right now.

So, they ate in moderate silence. As they finished, Inochi lifted herself from her spot and beckoned for Sihiri to follow. Inochi led her past the village, and through a forest with thick carpets of leaves and vines, ones so thick that Sihiri lifted up her skirts so they wouldn't get caught. Right ahead of her, Inochi wove through them without a single thought! In fact, she was so fast that Sihiri hardly kept her pace, and stumbled over her own feet as she followed Inochi through the forest paths.

"Now, I'm not supposed to bring those outside the temple here without reason. Sacred grounds and all," Inochi whispered at last, "but, I believe I can make an exception for my future wife" — Inochi turned around and planted a finger on Sihiri's lips — "as long as you don't tell anyone, of course."

Sihiri just barely nodded, and Inochi giggled as she took Sihiri by the hand. They walked through the forest as the blankets of plant life parted, and passed underneath a large arc painted in a striking shade of crimson. The plant life around grew more pleasant and organized, as if it was shaped by living hands and not just a product of the wild forest.

It wasn't until Sihiri saw the beam of pride on Inochi's face that she realized they now stood on temple grounds. Now that she saw it, Sihiri could hardly believe her eyes! There before her laid some of the most vibrant flowers she had ever seen, in species she had only ever heard of in tales, or seen in passing in written records. The plants fluttered and bowed within her presence. Something about them shone underneath the dappled sunlight that peeked in from the mighty trees which coated the skies above.

The flowers bathed in the light like precious gemstones. Their leaves were crisp and rich in a green coloration, and the grassy path underneath stretched its blades up as if not to be outshone by the other foliage's splendor. This wasn't just the one patch; these floral barriers were lamps that stretched and twisted along the lengthy path as they shone like guiding lights.

"I've never seen anything like this," Sihiri gasped as she turned to Inochi, "and you tended to this all by yourself?"

"Oh, don't be so amazed. It's hardly work for me when I love it so!" Inochi chuckled. She strode along the path while her geta clacked underneath unseen stone. "When our ancestors came to this forest seeking sanctuary from The Malevolence, it was the spirit of the Great Tree that protected us and brought this forest to life so that we could live in peace. The spirits give us everything we need, and we care for them in turn! We owe them our entire lives and more. What I'm doing hardly compares…"

Inochi's eyes drifted off to the path, and she frowned as she knelt in front of a particular flower patch. By Sihiri's standards, the glistening blue bellflowers that swayed in faint dance seemed healthy and hardly worrisome. Yet, the way Inochi glanced at them with tight, concerned brows and an equally-concerned frown seemed to suggest otherwise.

"Is something the matter with these flowers, dear?" Sihiri asked as she knelt beside Inochi. "They seem healthy to me."

Inochi winced as she ran her finger against a bellflower. "They are, and that's the problem! This patch of flowers was afflicted by the pestilence for days now, and it barely survived. For it to make a full recovery, even with the best care, would have taken at least a week!" Inochi pursed her lips and examined the glittery blue pollen that rubbed off on her hands. "But it's perfectly fine now, as if nothing happened."

Inochi drew back up, and her frown quivered even more as she glazed over the rest of the gardens. She looked so unnerved by the sights, almost as if her memories were surfacing. Would now be a good time to tell her the truth?

"I, I have to see the Great Tree!"

"Inochi, wait!"

But, it was already too late. Inochi was off on her way, and her clothes fluttered in the wind with only faint tremors as they grew further and further away.

Sihiri winced and hitched up her skirts as she ran in chase. The soft pound of her footsteps thumped against the earth as she rushed past the rows of sparkling, thriving plants. Though she thought they were beautiful in the moment, Inochi's unease sent chills over Sihiri whenever she glimpsed at them.

Sihiri gulped, and teleported ahead towards an opening among the trees that brimmed with verdant light. A shrill scream hit the air as Sihiri passed through the gate, and she jumped back without thinking. Her eyes fluttered, and they traced the grotto for any sign of Inochi before they finally landed on the grotto's heart.

There, Inochi laid sprawled out as she shuddered, while before her stood a tree so tall and bulky that it towered well over most of the others in the forest. It shined with a brilliant green light that flickered through the forest like fireflies. Its rich brown bark was spotted with patches of red that raised almost like armor, and pushed out from its heart and over its branches. Its top laid stripped of any leaves, and instead, all that remained were two branches with rounded ends almost like horns.

"The Great Tree! What happened to it?" Inochi cried. She forced herself off the ground as she stumbled towards the tree, planted herself against its bark, and frowned as she closed her eyes. Her hands traveled across the grooves in the tree's bark, yet with a sigh she drew back. "It doesn't seem as though the Great Tree's ill, but how could it have changed so greatly?"

"Now that I think about it," Sihiri ruminated as she approached the tree, "it almost reminds me of Tree Rex."

"Tree Rex? What's that?"

Inochi turned to Sihiri with wide, teary eyes now full of confusion.

Sihiri clenched her teeth. In her moment of contemplation, Sihiri completely forgot that Inochi didn't have her memories!

"Er, it, it's nothing! Forget I said anything!" Sihiri cried. She went back a step, and forced a smile as Inochi frowned further. "I was just thinking out loud."

Inochi turned away from Sihiri and hummed. Her eyes fixed back on the tree once more.

"Tree Rex," Inochi whispered as she laid a hand on the tree's trunk. "That name, it sounds familiar."

The wind whistled as it carried away the tree's leaves, and Sihiri could've sworn that the grass below rustled underneath Inochi's feet. In fact, it shuddered and trembled as if the wind would carry it away, too! Yet, Inochi's attention laid directly on the tree as she clenched her hand into a fist. She stood perfectly still like the tree itself, so stoic that Sihiri couldn't possibly make out what she felt: confusion? Worry? Sorrow?

A tremble came from Inochi as Sihiri finally reached out her hand; next, a scream as Inochi fell to her knees and buried her head in her hands! Her body flickered like a dying light as she shuddered. She babbled out panicked nonsense while she clawed at her own face.

"Inochi!"

Sihiri fell to her knees and nudged Inochi's back, but Inochi’s body flickered and Sihiri's hands fell through!

"It's wrong, this is wrong, it's all wrong!" Inochi wailed! Choked sobs fell from her as she curled into herself. "This, this, this isn't real, it, it's not—"

"Inochi, please!" Sihiri cried back. She shook Inochi's shoulders with a bit more urgency, and her own arms shook as she did. "What, what's wrong, I—"

The sound of ravenous growling came as the speckled light from above dimmed, and Sihiri turned her attention away from Inochi. Glints of light burst from the shadows over the grotto's entrance as the growling grew louder, gruffer even! Sihiri rose from her spot as the magic gathered in her hands, ready to strike…

But the beasts who lurked in the dark struck first! Mutated monsters made of twisted roots and dead flowers rose from the dark, and squawked as they sprung forward! Their eyes set for Sihiri and Inochi.

Sihiri readied a charge of magic as she lifted her hands—yet they all planted on their faces with one loud sob from Inochi! They stumbled back up, barely able to stand on the roots that made up their feet as she cried. Their shoulders slouched as they finally stabilized, and their thorny hands curled in as their expressions fell. Their eyes drooped as they fell to their knees and cried with her, for all their desire to fight withered away with their own thinning bodies.

Their roots and petals dissipated into thin scraps that flew off with a passing breeze, and with them went the entire grotto. That one breeze turned the trees thin and withered with lifelessness; the grass gave way to hard, dead earth; even the sky stood gray and lifeless, a still portrait never to be finished. All time slowed, and all that remained was Sihiri, Inochi, and that tree that still stood strong in the dead earth behind them.

Inochi curled into herself, and the thick fabric of her robes only partially muffled her sobs. "This is wrong, this was all wrong! The pestilence never went away, it never went away this fast!" Inochi wailed. "It, it never went away at all!"

Sihiri reached out for Inochi, but a glaring green light emerged and stopped her. In a flash, that green light completely engulfed Inochi in its jaws. Flares of leaves spewed out as the light shined, and died just as quickly as it came to reveal Inochi's true, incorporeal form.

Now she was the ghost of herself that she truly was. She dressed in the same kimono she wore on the day of her death, and still in a shuddering fit as she laid behind the tree's trunk. Her sobs still echoed out, but they were quieter now, barely even heard over the howling winds that seemed to cry for her.

"Oh, dear," Sihiri whispered as she fell to her knees beside Inochi.

Inochi shuddered beside her, and Sihiri wanted so badly to reach out. She wanted to say just the right thing—yet, no words came to mind. Everything she could have said would probably ring hollow, so hollow to Inochi. How do you express your condolences to someone who failed something they cherished with all their heart?

Sihiri only nudged closer and wrapped her arms around Inochi's ghostly form. The chills of her sorrows bled into Sihiri's own spirit as the words finally came to her.

"It wasn't your fault. You did everything you could for them, I'm sure."

Inochi’s eyes burned red as she wiped away her tears and forced herself up straight. She still sat with a readied composure even after crying so much, even through the sorrow that rang in her teary eyes betrayed her true feelings. She always forced herself to stay strong and calm, even in such harsh situations…

"I understand what you're trying to say, dear," Inochi whispered, her voice inches away from cracking despite her calm composure, "but, I'm afraid you're wrong. It was my duty as the shrine maiden to care for them, yet I couldn't even recognize what had happened! If I weren't so simple-minded, if I wasn't so stubborn about protecting this forest myself, I would have realized!"

"Would have realized what?"

Inochi brushed her geta against the dead ground, and grabbed a heavily-wilted leaf from the floor.

"This was all the Arkeyans' doing."

The leaf crumpled into tiny bits and disappeared along the trail of a winter breeze. It left Inochi's hand empty, yet, she did not draw it back. She just stood frozen and clammy as she gazed at the withering trees that once made up the forest grotto.

"They installed factories outside the forest, and pumped their waste here for generations, right underneath our noses! I thought it was just an ordinary sickness, that surely, it would go away with the right care, and everyone there believed every word I said about it! I was so foolish, I didn't even realize how their toxic mess mutated the forest into a monster's den!" Inochi's arms trembled next, and she bit her lips before she could burst into tears. "I, I was so stupid! Everyone put so much faith in my abilities, but I couldn't even see the real reason the sacred gardens we all relied upon were dying! In the end, we all had to flee our home because of my foolishness!"

Sihiri took a glimpse at Inochi, but Inochi only turned her head away. "I, I never deserved the kindness the free magicians brought me, not when I failed my duties so."

Sihiri hummed for a moment, and gently laid a hand on Inochi's lap.

"I don't think that's the case."

That single sentence brought Inochi's eyes to Sihiri once more, and Sihiri drew closer. "You cared for these gardens more than anything, and you did everything you could to save them! The blame lies at the Arkeyans' feet for poisoning them with such ills, not you for trying your hardest to help the ones you cared for so! How could you be at fault for doing all in your power to tackle an issue beyond your control?"

A single tear crawled down Inochi's face, but Sihiri wiped it away.

"I don't fault you for not telling me this. I'm sure it's quite a heavy burden to bear, but, please don't blame yourself. After everything you've done, both then and now, I think you can ease your guilt."

Inochi's gaze softened, and she gave Sihiri a small nod before she drew into her grip. The two sat with arms wrapped tight, and their ghostly forms warm with love as they watched over the ruins. Though everything around was so cold and lifeless, it wasn't sorrow or grief Sihiri and Inochi felt. Instead, an odd sort of peace washed over Sihiri. It was as if the world rolled from her shoulders.

"I always wished I could've taken you here before it was ruined," Inochi whispered. "It truly was one of the most beautiful places in Skylands. Nothing else could have compared."

"It truly was, from what I did get to see." Sihiri chuckled as she tucked a strand of silver hair behind Inochi's ear. "What surprised me more was how outspoken you were! I never would have thought you were such a spitfire!"

A crimson blush dusted Inochi's cheeks. "Oh, I didn't say anything embarrassing, did I?"

Her rosy pink eyes drifted away from Sihiri as she turned her head, and even then she covered her face with her sleeve. "The village elders always scolded me for being so brash and sharp-tongued back then. If I wasn't a shrine maiden, they would have probably been a lot harsher, I'm sure. Looking back, I can't help but be embarrassed at how brazen I was." Inochi's gaze turned coy as she raised a brow. "That is, unless you liked that~"

"Well, if I had to pick…"

Sihiri crooned as she lifted Inochi's head. That crimson blush turned strong as Sihiri and Inochi sat face to face, and Sihiri let out a teasing chuckle as she ran her fingers down Inochi's cheeks, stopping at her chin.

"I'd say I like the present you just as much~"

Sihiri stole a kiss in that moment, one ripe with passion that she melted into just as much as Inochi did. The sweet taste of vernal fruits lingered on her lips as she drew back, and when she opened her eyes, all she saw was Inochi.

Inochi, with those gentle pink eyes like the fresh roses of the vernal season, with her silvery hair and the soft hands she held Sihiri so close with, with the kind heart who fought so hard so that all life could thrive. Inochi, who held her the closest in the coldest, longest nights and harshest of days when all Sihiri wanted to do was give up…

Her wife, Inochi, stood right beside her once more, and in that moment, Sihiri vowed to herself that she wouldn't lose her again.

"I suppose it's time we found the others," Inochi said as she stood up and stretched. Her eyes turned back to the gigantic tree behind them. With a solemn stance, she rapped on its trunk and added with a bit of pain, "come on, Tree Rex, it's time to leave."

The ground shifted, rumbled, and cracked around the tree's trunk as it stretched and shifted out. Its branches become more like arms, and the top of its trunk turned heavy and bulky as a sort of face pushed forward, bringing the horn-like branches with it. A pair of legs with mossy pants drew out from the earth next. A low grumble like that of a tired person waking from a long slumber rumbled in the tree's throat as it rubbed its eyes.

"I haven't had such a nice and peaceful nap in a long, long time," Tree Rex mused as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

His eyes opened at last, and his face fell as the sights of the dead earth that once made up the forest greeted him. His fingers trembled, but he clenched them and only heaved a sigh.

"I'm glad I could rest here for one moment more." Tree Rex bowed his head, and his thick, wooden lips trembled as if he was going to cry too. But, he shook it off and smiled as he knelt down to Sihiri and Inochi. "Come on, let's find our friends."

Sihiri and Inochi crawled into the palm of Tree Rex's hand. The two of them crawled up to his fingertips as he lumbered, and peered down at the world below. The trees withered and crumbled to bits from the sheer might of Tree Rex's footsteps, and their splintered fragments littered the otherwise-bland, dead plains until they reached Inochi's village. As they did, Tree Rex halted with urgency, and nearly tossed back Sihiri from how quickly he jerked. She crawled back up, but beside her, Inochi covered her mouth and forced back tears.

The village that was once so full of life was now little more than ruins. All the houses and buildings were broken and battered from a lack of repair. Their tapestries laid tattered and fluttered only faintly in the breeze. Broken pottery and weapons were corpses on the battlefield, and stained with blood both red and green as they laid to rest. No sounds came but the wind, yet even the air was sterile compared to the fresh scents of food and nature that once blew through the village.

Sihiri wrapped her hand tight around Inochi's, squeezed it, and forced Inochi back into reality as Tree Rex passed the village by with his head hung low. Yet, he still caught one last glimpse as he reached the village outskirts, just in time for the wind to blow the village's ruins away. The place where Inochi was born and raised, where Tree Rex was planted generations before the birth of her or Sihiri's first ancestors, the place the two of them called home, truly was no more. All that remained was the endless plains of cold, dead rock under overcast skies.

"I suppose we should think about where the others might be," Sihiri remarked as she toyed with one of her locs, "but, where to start?"

Tree Rex let out a low hum, the same kind he made when he was deep in thought, and scratched his horn with his free hand. "When Inochi and I first left the village," he said at last, "we stumbled on this little mining town near some caves."

"A mining town, you say?" Sihiri turned around to meet Tree Rex's gaze. "If mining's their specialty, surely Crusher or Jorden would be there!"

"That's as good a place to start as any," Inochi said with a shrug. Surely, the sights of her old village weighed on her mind still.

Tree Rex nodded and forged ahead. His pace picked up as the skies cleared, and sun poured down from the heavens in stretches of warmth.

Soon enough, a large cave etched into the side of a mighty cliff peeked over the hills. More than that, so did houses, and signs, and even faint mumbles and talking rose in the air!

Tree Rex skidded to a stop right in front of the cavern, knelt down, and laid his hand on the ground. Sihiri and Inochi hopped out of his palms, and they frowned as he gingerly plucked one of the signs from the ground and brought it close to his face.

"'Mining work here,'" Tree Rex read, his voice slow as he scanned over every word, "'do not… enter… unless authorized magical personnel…'"

"I suppose I count as authorized magical personnel," Sihiri remarked with a shrug. "I do know magic like the back of my hand!"

Inochi and Tree Rex stifled their laughter, but Sihiri chuckled as she floated inside the caves. Inochi and Tree Rex's footsteps followed behind her, Tree Rex's loud and booming ones masking the soft clack of Inochi's geta. Sihiri took it as a sign to move forward.

The darker parts of the cave gave way to soft light as she rounded the cavern's corner, and the whole world bloomed with the bright light of lanterns strung along the cavern's top! Miners in all shapes and sizes worked away, from bulky trolls and elves who slammed hammers and pickaxes into the walls, to human and mabu sorcerers who used magic to push carts of shiny crystals down the rails. Aside of their work, they stayed completely silent with a steely sort of seriousness in their eyes and bodies as they worked away.

Sihiri eyed an elf who examined a scroll and floated towards them. They seemed like they were in charge of things here, so surely they'd probably have the answers she wanted. Just before she could open her mouth, however, a large quake rumbled through the cavern, shook the lanterns, and knocked most of the miners off their feet! The scroll-holding elf scurried off, and Sihiri followed them down the way to where…

Yes! Crusher was there! He still wore his helmet and brandished his beloved hammer tall, but his sash of rock traded off for gigantic armor somewhat akin to the gear the other miners wore. He knelt in the heart of a messy circle filled with the shards of glowing indigo crystals, and lifted one up so that the green of his eyes reflected in its shiny surface.

"Can confirm, these are Tzo Crystals!" Crusher said at last. His deep voice ruminated with joy as he lowered the crystal for the elf to view. "That glow is their trademark. Only Tzo Crystals glow like that after being pulverized!"

"Thanks the Ancients!" cried another voice with an undiscernible accent Sihiri recognized. "That's the last batch of 'em we needed!"

Out from the shadows came Jorden, who dressed in worn and stained miner's clothes, but sill held an unshakable smile on his face! He lifted two of the larger crystals over his shoulder with a grunt. Behind him, a few burly draconics followed as they lifted crystals from the ground. They all poured the crystals into a minecart and caught their breath, but only Jorden stopped to beam up at Crusher.

"Gotta hand it to ya, buddy! We'd be more lost than lambs if it weren't for your help!" Jorden proclaimed. "With all that fancy rock-spotting knowledge ya got, we're not only way ahead of schedule, but our benefactors will get all the rocks they need!"

"Oh, it's nothing!" Crusher replied. "Crushing rocks is what I do!"

"Excuse me, I was wondering about something."

A couple of firm footsteps shook the earth, and Sihiri turned around right as Tree Rex wandered in! He barely fit underneath the caverns, and had the duck underneath so that his horns didn't push through the ceiling. An awkward grin laid plastered on his face as he waved.

"You a new miner here, buddy?" Jorden asked as he walked up to Tree Rex. "Sure look burly enough for the part!"

"Actually, I wanted to know who exactly these benefactors you're getting these crystals for are?"

Crusher and Jorden both exchanged worried glances as Jorden pulled something vaguely like a scanner from his pocket and held it in front of Tree Rex. The scanner let out a few dull tones, and a red flash glowed from its surface. Jorden nodded and put it away as he motioned for Tree Rex to huddle forward. So, they all huddled together, though their voices were loud enough that Sihiri caught wind of their conversation regardless.

"See, we're getting' these for the free magicians!" Jorden explained. "We've been put in charge'a minin' some new crystals for them to use with some new weapons sure to kick Arkeyan keister!"

"Is that so?" Tree Rex chuckled. "How far along is the progress?"

"Way ahead of schedule!" Jorden beamed with pride as he pounded his fist against his chest. "Those fancy laser zapper thingies will be messin' with those Arkeyans in no time!"

"Well, that's good! You're among the free magicians right now!"

Both Crusher and Jorden's eyes widened, and the two traded frantic glances with each other, and then the rest of the mine.

"Wait, they're here already?" Crusher cried. "We need to get these shipped out!"

Tree Rex blinked and raised his hands. "Wait, no, that's not what I meant—"

"C'mon, buddy! Get those carts movin'!" Jorden cried as he rushed towards a minecart and pushed it off. "We've gotta get these crystals shipped out!"

Both Crusher and Jorden stormed off ‘till they were only blurs in the distance. So much for sparking their memory that way. Tree Rex sighed and scratched his horns, and Sihiri in turn frowned and rested her hand in her chin. Her fingers drummed against her arm, and she lifted her head as a presence found its way near here.

"Was that Crusher and Jorden I just passed?" Inochi asked as she floated up to Sihiri. "Did they regain their memory?"

"Yes and no," Sihiri sighed. "I've forgotten they're both a bit… Literal-minded."

Inochi and Sihiri both sighed, but an explosion boomed out as Sihiri went to wrack her brain! The sound rang so loud that Sihiri's ears rang like bells, and she fell to her knees as the caverns rattled! A couple of rocks fell from the ceiling as Sihiri jumped up, but vines burst out and gripped the rocks before she could block them off.

"The sound came from over there!" Tree Rex cried as he pointed towards the right-hand side of the caverns.

Tree Rex stormed off, and Sihiri and Inochi floated off in urgency. The caverns rumbled as smaller explosions shook their walls. Ahead of them, an entire crowd of miners pushed and shoved each other aside as they stampeded through the caverns with sweat poured down their faces.

"A monster!" cried one miner as they stumbled over their own feet, and they held up the back of the crowds as they ran. "There's a monster here!"

Smoke flooded the caverns with such speed that Sihiri fell into a coughing fit, and the walls heated up as agonized groans rumbled through the caves! The loose stones below Sihiri shuddered as a hoarse scream shook the caves, and with it, the smoke and heat grew so intense that Sihiri fell to her knees. Even as a ghost, this was all so strong that she grappled for breath! Her coughing fit grew stronger as the smoke stung her eyes, but the clouds turned a minty green, and Sihiri's aches disappeared with the smoke’s fading plumes.

A firm but gentle hand brought Sihiri back to her feet. When her eyes met Inochi's, the two nodded and rushed deeper into the caves. The heat rose with every inch they passed, and the screams grew louder, rougher, so much that they rattled the caves and even shattered a few sections! The heat grew dizzying as they stretched further, but relented as they finally passed into an open chamber in the caverns…

And there within stood Hot Head, who cried in agony as flames burned from every opening and vein in his body! His eyes were puffy with pain as he groaned. He slammed a flaming arm into a large stalagmite, and completely shattered it before he moved on to the next!

While he screamed and thrashed away, Tree Rex, Crusher and Jorden all stood around him with stances tense as they prepared to fight. A group of miners warily raised their hammers and pickaxes as they stood shaky and sweaty in the corner of the room. To the other corner, another group shouted out as they helped up a limping elf and hobbled away.

"Hot Head!" Sihiri and Inochi cried out in tandem as they rushed up to Tree Rex.

A volley of flames burst overhead, and Tree Rex ducked just before he caught fire. He knelt down closer to Sihiri and Inochi, yet winced as he gazed over to where Hot Head screamed and spewed fire at every angle.

"That's him, alright, but I don't know what happened to him!" Tree Rex whispered. "Whatever it is, he's in so much pain that he can barely think! We've gotta find some way to—"

"How dare you!" Crusher cried as he lifted his hammer and flung himself towards Hot Head. "Crushing rocks is my job, for the sake of the Ancients!"

"All of you, get out of here, quick!" Jorden cried as he followed after Crusher. "I'll keep this overgrown furnace distracted!"

The other miners screamed and cried out as they made their escape, but not Jorden. He rushed headfirst into the fray as he lifted up a sturdy, large rock, and tossed it right into Hot Head's knee! The rock shattered upon contact, but the pain it left sent Hot Head yowling. His leg swung, and he kicked Jorden right into the cavern walls.

Jorden screamed as he popped out from the walls, and Crusher growled at the sight as he squeezed his hammer. Crusher slid forward, and with one swift strike, flung the hammer’s head right into Hot Head's chest! Flames spewed from Hot Head's veins as he flew back into a wall, smashed it to bits upon impact, and groaned as he stumbled up—but he collapsed back to the floor with one slam of Crusher's hammer!

Hot Head shuddered; for a moment, he slunk down a bit. He growled, and soon, that growl turned to a roar as his flames erupted brighter than before! His teeth gnashed while he turned a flaming palm on Crusher, and a white bellow of flames burst from his palms as they pushed Crusher into the wall behind.

The flames formed a net around Crusher, and pinned him to the spot while his hammer slipped to his feet with an earth-shaking thud. Crusher grunted as he pushed against flames. The flames in turn brightened and pushed him back against the wall. His stone turned red-hot underneath the heat, and sharp cracks came next as the heat split his rocky skin open.

"Wait, you two! Calm down!" Tree Rex cried as he ran into the fray with hands held up and eyes wide with worry. "We're all friends! Don't you remember?"

Hot Head's eyes fluttered, and his mouth gaped open while the flames around him seemed to die. The agony in his voice quelled a bit as he turned his attention to Tree Rex. For a moment, the pained look in his eyes turned to contemplation.

"What are you talking about?" Crusher groaned. He hobbled up to Tree Rex with his hammer as a makeshift cane. "I don't believe I've ever see you in my life!"

Tree Rex only smiled. "That's where you're wrong. You two are the Elder Elements of Fire and Earth, and my allies! We fought together through thick and thin!"

Sihiri and Inochi floated up, held out their hands, and cast an aura of purple and green light which cascaded over Hot Head and Crusher. The magic seeped into their veins and cracks, sealed Crusher's wounds, and calmed the flames that burned from Hot Head's veins, but, neither one seemed to notice!

Crusher and Hot Head stood transfixed as Tree Rex regaled them with stories of their fights against the Arkeyans, of epic battles where they saved the day, and the small moments they spent laughing and enjoying each other's company alike. If the sparkle in their eyes was of any indication, it almost seemed like the tall tales worked!

"If it weren't for your solid thinking, Crusher, and your firepower, Hot Head, we probably would've lost the battle against the Arkeyans that day, but thanks to you, we halted their invasion and ensured that Irragin would stand another day!" Tree Rex finished. "I have even more stories where that came from—unless you remember them now, of course."

Hot Head blinked and looked down at himself. "Hey, I'm not on fire anymore!" he proclaimed before he gasped and grinned, "and I can talk again! Ancients, I was hurting so bad I could barely think!" Hot Head raised a brow and glimpsed down at Sihiri and Inochi. "Did you two do this?"

Sihiri nodded and floated up. "You are one of our allies, Hot Head!"

"Hey, who're you calling a hot head?"

Sihiri and Inochi both chuckled as Hot Head shot them a glare. Well, Hot Head was more of a fighter than a thinker. He pouted as they both laughed some more, but even that remained for only a moment. Hot Head yelped in shock as they floated and laughed, and Sihiri opened her eyes right as a gigantic net zoomed out of the caverns with Hot Head held tight in its grips!

"After that net!" Tree Rex cried.

Tree Rex ran off with Crusher shouldered on one arm, and Inochi and Sihiri floated after him with haste. Hot Head's terrified shrieks and screams rang through the walls as they ran, but dulled as they finally exited. They found him held within its now silvery-bluish glow, and crammed so tightly within its netting that he was practically a ball.

"Lemme out of here!" Hot Head cried as he thrashed and pushed against the net's ropes and cords with little success. The netting just stretched with him, as if it taunted him. "These things are super cold!"

A shrill beep sounded, and the orbs that linked the netting hissed as they split open! They poured a silvery, sparkling mist into Hot Head's net prison. Frost formed at his feet as he thrashed some more, but his movements grew sluggish as the frost climbed up his legs, and turned them from red to an icy blue.

"Help, so, cold…"

"Hot Head!" Inochi cried.

"Hey, what's goin' on here?" Jorden cried as he rushed out of the caverns. "I get knocked out for five seconds, and next thing I know, everythin's gone topsy-turvy!"

"Jorden, something's wrong!" Inochi flew up to Jorden, and grabbed him by the shirt with no mind paid to the startled look in his eyes. "Hot Head, he's—"

"Fret not, innocent civilians of this humble town! Your woes will soon be over!"

A shadow cast out from a group of trees, and out from the bushes leaped… 'Enehana? Well, it looked like them, but the patchwork clothing and gadgets they wore disappeared! Their goggles were shiny, polished, and sparkled in the sun as they covered 'Enehana's eyes, while a pristine coat and tunic covered the rest of their body. They grinned as they held a remote in one hand, adjusted their goggles with the other, and brandished their remove to the heavens.

"Thanks to my Instant-Freezer 9000, this foul beast will no longer burn Skylands to its crisps! An icy prison serves as a fitting fate for such a mindless monster that rampages and burns everything it sees to the ground with no thought whatsoever!"

"Wait, freezer?" Hot Head whimpered as he barely struggled against the netting. "That cold's gonna, extinguish…"
"Silence, you flaming fiend!" A scowl formed on 'Enehana's face as they glared at Hot Head, and they clutched the remote close to their chest. "You've been rampaging about and burning villages to the ground for days now! An icy imprisonment is the kindest thing I can give you after all you've done!"

A puff of cold air burst from Hot Head's mouth as the frost climbed to his waist. He winced as he gazed towards 'Enehana with weak, pleading eyes. "But, I, I was so hot… So much oil… Couldn't control… Myself…"

"Listen to him, 'Enehana! You two are allies! Don't hurt each other like this!" Tree Rex pleaded.

'Enehana took a glance at Tree Rex and back at where Hot Head sat with wide eyes and a pleading pout. For a moment, it almost seemed like some kind of realization came over them as they pursed their lips—but, they only scoffed.

"I've never talked to that foul beast in my life 'till today! What kind of nonsense are you babbling about?" 'Enehana cried as they reached for their remote's dial. "Anyways, I'd best make this quick. I've got plenty more work to do."

'Enehana's fingers curled around the dial, but right as they went to turn, a blast of magic shot through it. The blow shattered the remote to bits! 'Enehana gasped as the remote's broken bits fell at their feet, and turned their gaze towards Sihiri with her wide eyes and glowing purple hands.

"You! What did you do to my remote?"

All eyes turned to Sihiri, and she winced as heat gathered in her cheeks. "I panicked!"

A low hiss sounded out from the back as the mist cleared up, and with it, the frost that covered Hot Head as well! His rocky body turned bright and red while the heat brimmed from his lava veins in its warm colors once more. Maybe a little too brightly, at that! The colors turned paler and brighter as Hot Head pushed against the netting, and with a roar, his whole body ignited. The flames burned against the nets as his thrashing rolled him backwards, and right towards the edge of the cliff!

"Hey, don't try to escape me!" 'Enehana cried as they sprung after Hot Head. "I wasn't done with you yet!"

Hot Head roared as he slammed his arm back with maybe a little too much force than needed, and the whole cliff shook in response! A sharp crack hit the air and the ground alike as a fissure formed in the cliff's side, and it crumbled as it took Hot Head and 'Enehana with it!

"Wait, those two'll get killed falling from that height!" Crusher cried as he stormed off.

Jorden gasped and dashed after Crusher. Sihiri herself tried to follow—but she came too late, for they both jumped right off the cliff's broken edge!

"Wait, you two!" Inochi cried.

Tree Rex ran off first, stumbled towards the edge of the cliff and reached out. He had no need to, for a gigantic stone pillar shot out from the ether with Crusher at its helm! Hot Head slunk down beside him, and to his right, Jorden made one of his cheesy smiles as he cradled 'Enehana in his arms. 'Enehana, for their part, just sputtered and clutched their arms close.

"Do I happen to know you?" 'Enehana asked as Jorden walked off the platform with them still firmly in his grasp.

"Well, uh, I don' believe I've ever seen you 'round these parts," Jorden admitted, and a soft chuckle came as a blush dusted his face. "But'cha know, you've got one'a those really memorable faces! The kind that beins’ look at an' they think, 'Hey, I know that bein’, even though I've never seen 'em a day in my life!' and, well, uh—"

"Nevermind, I remember now."

'Enehana planted a kiss on Jorden's cheek, and Jorden's face turned pink as a vernal strawberry as he hooted and hollered!

"SOMEONE HANDSOME KISSED ME! IT REALLY HAPPENED!"

Jorden tossed 'Enehana in the air, and 'Enehana laughed as orange light enveloped their body. Similarly, brown light took hold of Jorden's! Their bodies' mass faded as 'Enehana fell back into Jorden's arms, and once again they were ghosts. They donned the same clothes they wore on their death's date, their pendants sparkled with glee, yet they looked each other in the eye and held as tight as they cold could.

Another pair of lights, this time in brown and red, shone from the side as Crusher and Hot Head marveled them. When the lights faded, they once again returned to their normal states! Crusher's mining gear fell way to his helmet and sash, and both their bodies bore the cracks and scars of war. Still, the smile they shared with each other as Jorden spun around 'Enehana showed that they remembered all, both good and bad.

"Alright, what's going on here?" Crusher asked as he walked up to Tree Rex. "All I remember was going into that trial room, and then…"

"I'm not sure myself," Tree Rex admitted. "I can only presume this is the trial the Oracle laid for us, but why? What for?"

Crusher and Hot Head traded glances as they scratched their heads. Ultimately both shrugged and sighed, and Tree Rex did the same.

"Personally, I think we've had enough excitement for now," Sihiri said as she clapped her hands. "Let's just meet up with the others and go from there."

The echo of her clap rang through the air, and from it, a warp of glistening lavender opened underneath their feet. The light shone its brightest, and in a flash, it wrapped them in its magic and whisked them all away.