A piercing pain took over Nimji’s body. He wanted to cry so badly, but even that wasn’t possible—the sharp wind cut against his eyes at an alarming rate.

Suddenly, through the corner of his eye, he spotted a fox dragging Kimji and Somji up the mountain.

Nimji frantically stuffed the wolf suit inside the small pocketbook containing Mounchioun’s research, causing the bag to puff up—which none of the wolves noticed.

Something inside Nimji snapped. He sprinted behind the fox, startling it, and dug his claws into its tail, causing a high-pitched howl. But it was too late—the fox had taken Kimji and Somji.

Things couldn’t possibly get worse for Nimji.

After crying for what seemed like forever, he thought it through and decided to unlock Mounchioun first while the wolves and foxes were distracted. He scaled the left side of the mountain, his grip slipping on the jagged edges. Barely holding on, he yanked out his wolf suit and slipped it on smoothly. Tucking his pocketbook inside, he pressed forward.

As he reached the top, his eyes widened—wolves and foxes roamed freely, their silhouettes blending with the snowy landscape. Moving carefully, he merged into the pack, keeping his movements slow to avoid suspicion. Now, he had one goal: finding Mounchioun.

His sharp gaze swept the area, searching for any sign—a cave, a crack, or even the slightest shift in the air hinting at something unusual.

Suddenly, he spotted the leader of the pack—that same limp figure, the same blind eye. Nimji felt a surge of hatred but forced himself to calm down, clenching his fists in silent frustration.

He kept scanning, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Then, realization struck.

He was currently on a mountain. Mountain peaks were supposed to be sharp or slightly eroded, but this one was completely flat—like a vast room with only a floor and a single towering wall at its edge.

He blankly stared at the wall. Slowly, he walked toward it, clinging to its side, desperately hoping for something on the other side…

TO HIS SURPRISE—there was a cage with Mounchioun inside.

He ran up to the cage and rattled the bars hard.

“Mounchioun!”

“Shhh, you’re too loud—they’ll hear you.”

“The keys are right there—open the cage! We don’t have much time. They’re plotting something big—I’ll explain everything later, just get the key!”

Mounchioun pointed toward the tall snow wall. A hook was stuck there, holding a key that dangled from the wind-brushed, slightly rusted metal.

Nimji grabbed the keys and unlocked Mounchioun’s surprisingly small cage. It wasn’t even colored like normal metal; the whole cage was painted white, blending into the surroundings.

Mounchioun grabbed Nimji and whispered urgently about where they were keeping the pearls. It was going to be another journey entirely.

“We need to climb down this side of the mountain. Guards are stationed there, so we have to be careful. I’ll go stealthily, and with that suit, you can blend in. There’s a secret door somewhere—I’m not sure where, but I heard them say the pearls are kept there. They may already have been turned into a potion.”

Nimji nodded, and they followed the plan.

As Nimji climbed down the mountain, he spotted guards wearing black and gold armor. Slowly, he blended in with the pack of wolves and the guards. His eyes scanned for an entrance, a door, or a carving—anything that could lead him to the pearls

This was a snowscape—there should be little to no plant life, especially no lush trees. Yet, a tall, vibrant tree stood at the bottom of the mountain. The guards circled it like predatory sharks, eager and intimidating.

A shiver ran down Nimji’s spine as he slowly approached.

It was a magnificent tree, maybe an oak, its roots stretching deep, shining through the glistening snow. Its leaves were untouched and bright green, flowing in the light wind.

The tree was beautiful, but Nimji had other priorities. He circled the tree carefully, spotting a huge opening in its trunk—a doorway of sorts.

His heart lifted with reassurance, and he continued his mission. Then he saw Mounchioun—on his back were Kimji and Somji.

Nimji breathed a sigh of relief and signaled that he had found them.

Mounchioun frantically signaled to Nimji not to take any major steps yet, but Nimji was already creeping toward the door.

Mounchioun sighed and quickly helped.

As Nimji approached the gate, Mounchioun threw a log to the opposite side, creating a loud crash. Most of the guards turned toward the noise, allowing Nimji to slip safely inside.

The passageway inside was long, dark, and ascending. Barely any light pierced the darkness. Nimji hesitated but knew he had to continue.

He slid down, down, down the vast tunnel—more like a slide.

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

Screams escaped Nimji’s mouth as the pace picked up, but suddenly the ride came to an abrupt stop. He hit the ground with a hard THUD.

“Oww,” he muttered.

Nimji pushed onward, searching the pitch-dark space for the potion. He bumped into tables and chairs, feeling cold glass and rough wood under his hands, but found nothing.

Just as frustration threatened to overwhelm him, his hand landed on a small bottle. Smooth glass, wax-sealed top—it had to be the potion!

Gripping it tightly, he let out a breath of relief. Now, he just had to get out of there.