We travel across the Varian property, but the estate itself is shielded behind a soaring white wall. Guards are stationed at the entrance. It has the aura of a citadel, not a farm.

“Yes, and during Seedtide, we often grow rainsong peas and ruby root. Randolf doesn’t like it, but I usually reserve a small plot for lilies. They ward off dark energy, you know.” Livia gazes up at the sky, a wistful look in her eyes.

“You plant them yourself?” Clara’s eyes widen, taken aback.

“Yes. I think it’s good to connect with the earth. We shouldn’t get detached from the land that feeds us. It’s unnatural. Someday, I hope to teach our children this lesson…but that’s a long way off.”

“Watch your step.” Ivan moves aside while Livia’s horse exits onto the dirt road outside town.

“And the brahmen! My dear Willem, someday you’ll have to tend a flock of your own.” Livia’s mood lightens. “Such gentle beasts! To see them graze…it’s like watching clouds drift across the fields. What luxurious wool…”

“I make the horseshoes for Varian Farm, ya know!” Enrik cuts in. “Yessir. Papa taught me! Mighty fine quality from our forge, lemme tell ya!”

He launches into a sales pitch while I smirk, slowing my pace and watching the group. An unlikely band of companions, united on a quest.

My lungs expand, absorbing fragrant pollen. The sun is warm on my cheeks. The clip-clop of horse hooves blends with our footsteps and Ivy’s wings.

But as we move beyond the town’s northern border, a new sound grows.

The roar of Verda’s grand waterfall.

“Well, look at that.” Ivan squints, peering up at the soaring, craggy peak.

Water rains off the highest cliff, glittering in the light. Mist radiates from the flow, forming delicate rainbows over our heads.

And at the base, it crashes into a round, pristine lake, eventually draining into the river running through Varian Farm.

A sapphire hue, the water is dazzling, encircled by ferns and fluffy grass. Shadows dart beneath its surface, tempting me to grab my fishing rod and try my luck.

We have more important matters to attend to though.

“Alright. If you were the goddess, where would you hide a treasure?” Ivan asks.

“Hmm…” Clara peers at the landscape, gears spinning behind her sharp eyes. “If the treasure is a gift for humans, then I’d want the keys found…”

“So not underwater.” I nod.

“Somewhere discreet but accessible.” Her eyes travel up the column of water. They focus into the rich, thick clouds of mist.

“I like the way you think.” Ivan tracks her gaze, eyeing the slick rocks. “But no need to climb when we have a dusk eye.”

“Yeeeeee!” Ivy gets the message.

She launches off his shoulder, her round, dark silhouette vanishing into the pale mist. The rest of us linger at the shore, taking in the calm scenery.

“Ivan.” I sit beside him on a rock. “How does it work? You know, raising monsters?”

“Ah, it’s a tricky business. An art and a science.” He grabs a pebble and tosses it into the lake. Ripples radiate. “The way they grow…they aren’t like us. They travel through this world, gaining experience that’s essential for growth. They exercise their muscles and minds, waiting for the day of evolution.”

“Evolution?”

“Aye. The moment when a creature’s power reaches its breaking point. Like water from a dam, it bursts free, morphing their bodies and creating a chain reaction of growth. They gain new powers and skills, but it goes even deeper. Their elemental affinity changes, pulled to either light or darkness depending on the creature’s personality and choices.”

“So Ivy and Crag…have they evolved?”

“No, not yet. They’re close though. Ivy will progress from Dusk Eye to Star Seer, and finally, to Void Gazer. Crag will grow from a simple Shard Eater into a Crystal Eater, then eventually an Emerald Eater. Well, if things go according to plan, anyway. The process is more complicated than this, but it’s a basic introduction.”

“Yeeeeeee!” A shrill howl interrupts the lesson.

Like a falcon fresh off the hunt, Ivy emerges, leathery wings beating hard. At first, it looks like a failure, but I soon notice something faint clutched in her dark talons. I squint while she descends, showcasing the prize.

“Attagirl!” Ivan holds his palm to the sky. Ivy deposits the treasure.

Neither glass nor stone, it’s a…crystal.

Translucent like a round, prismatic bubble.

“Oh my…” Livia hops from her horse and moves in close. “What beautiful jewelry it would make.”

“It’s not a bauble!” Clara’s eyes grow wide with excitement. “It’s a key! The last one! Y’all get on the road, ya hear? It’s time to find Gaius. To find that treasure!”

Adrenaline floods my bloodstream. She’s right. This is it—the final task.

There’s a secret in our valley.

A prize waiting to be claimed.