The midmorning sun cast a warm glow over the snow-covered landscape as our party rode out from the palace gates. Sir Heskel and Kozani led the way, their conversation hushed as they discussed the upcoming mission. Valerian rode beside me and Aldrin followed closely behind, his steely gaze appearing to scan the horizon, but I couldn’t help but feel he was watching me. Another dozen soldiers trailed behind the elf, but I couldn’t help but wish they were in between me and Aldrin. 

We had left at dawn, allowing us to ride through the quiet streets of the capital without raising much suspicion. I was relieved to learn that horseback riding was simpler than I thought it would be, although the memories of my predecessors also helped to make me feel comfortable. My bo staff bounced against my back as we rode, reminding me of the danger I was in simply for being the Crown Prince, much less a living demon.

“Are you alright, your Highness?” I looked up as Valerian spoke, hating the formal way he was speaking to me. I understood that he was merely trying to keep up appearances in front of Kozani and Sir Idris, but it still felt like a barrier between us.

“I’m fine, Valerian,” I replied, keeping my tone neutral. “Just a bit nervous about what we might find at the farm.”

Valerian nodded, his eyes flickering with understanding. “Hopefully, it will be no worse than the last time Father and I visited.”

“What was there last time?” I asked quietly, dropping my voice so Aldrin wouldn’t hear. The horses’ hooves crunched rhythmically on the snow-covered path as we ventured deeper into the countryside, leaving the hustle and bustle of the capital behind us. Valerian seemed reluctant to speak, looking away from me as he stared at the emperor.

"Well," he started, his words measured, "last time, the magic felt... suffocating, at least to me. Father seemed less affected, but it felt like it was trying to consume me as well.

"The grass is still there and the ground looks fine, but it doesn’t feel or act that way," Valerian continued, his voice low and somber. His description sent a shiver down my spine, despite the warmth of the midmorning sun. I could almost feel the weight of that oppressive magic pressing down on me, suffocating and relentless. "The air around an affected spot is thick with it, as if you’re wading through a swamp."

"But what does it do to the crops?" I pushed and Valerian sighed heavily, his gaze fixed on the horizon ahead. It was clear he didn’t want to talk about it, but I needed to fully understand if I was going to be able to do anything about it.

"It corrupts them," he said, his tone grave. "The plants wither and die, twisted and contorted into grotesque shapes before seemingly normal grass takes its place. No amount of water or sunlight can save them."

I frowned as I considered his words, trying to search the memories of Sabien and the first summoned. It didn’t seem like either of them encountered a magic similar to what Valerian was describing until late into the calamity, and by then, it had moved up to consuming demons and humans alike. But by then… It looked different. Acted different. 

This proved the magic was here the entire time, however and my thoughts raced with the implications. Was it self-sustaining by killing the crops and if it was, who had planted it in the first place? Was it spreading itself or had it merely been placed in several different farms to give it the best chance at gaining a foothold?

I glanced at Valerian, noting the furrow of his brow and the way his jaw tightened with each passing moment of silence. It seemed clear to me that Valerian was exceptionally sensitive to magic, which explained how he had been able to find the mirror in the first place, and considering the Heskel family oversaw all the magical affairs of the empire, it was a good skill to have. However, in a circumstance like this, I could see how it might be more of a curse than a blessing.

"Who could wield such magic?" I finally dared to ask, breaking the uneasy quiet that had settled between us like a thick fog.

"That is the question, Your Highness," Valerian replied, his voice barely above a whisper. "Dark magic of this nature is rarely wielded but it is possible for it to naturally form, which is my Father’s opinion."

“What about yours?” I watched as Valerian glanced at me, an unreadable look in his expression as our eyes met.

“In my opinion, your Highness, I do not think it is natural,” Valerian paused, his gaze flickering towards the horizon before returning to me. The weight of his words hung heavy in the crisp morning air, mingling with the distant creak of leather saddles and the soft crunch of snow beneath our horses' hooves. "While there are forces in nature beyond our comprehension, the malevolence I sensed at those farms... it felt deliberate."

“Alright,” I nodded, noticing that Sir Idris and Kozani seemed to be slowing down in front of us. I could just make out the marking posts of the farm and the white expanse of snow made the fields glitter in the sunlight. But as I stared, I noticed a dark spot in the field, a stark contrast against the pristine whiteness surrounding it. My heart quickened at the sight, dread settling heavy in my chest as I realized that this was likely the source of the corruption Valerian had described.

“The farmers are already aware of our visit, so there is no need for us to check in with them,” Sir Idris dismounted from his horse, and soon we all followed his example. I shivered as I felt Aldrin’s presence behind me, but I did my best to keep my gaze forward and ignore the elf. “Valerian, if you will.”

“Yes, Father,” I couldn’t help my confusion as Valerian seemed to take the lead, walking us toward the dark spot that shimmered in the air. Could no one else see it? That seemed to be almost impossible, considering how dark and ominous it was in my vision, but as I glanced around, I could see the confusion on the soldier’s face. They seemed to be looking for any sign of magic, but when my eyes met Aldrin’s, I had to fight my frown.

He was looking directly at the spot, a small smirk on his lips as we walked. It faded as he noticed me looking, but it only served to make me more suspicious. Unfortunately, Sabien and the other summoned’s memories were useless when it came to the elf. All they remembered were his visit, but his visit was basically mundane. It wasn’t until after Aldrin left that strange things began to happen, including an attack on the Crown Prince’s revealing ceremony. There was no way to link the attacks or occurrences to Aldrin, especially since he had already left but I was certain that the elf was connected. And I was determined to find the proof I needed.

“Here,” Valerian stopped just on the edge of the dark cloud, and just like he said, the grass underneath it looked normal, not even covered by snow like the rest of the field. Honestly, that was the only visual feature that made it stand out, and I hummed with thought as I stood next to Kozani to look at the spot. “I wouldn’t suggest stepping on the grass. We haven’t determined why the grass grows back in these spots.”

“Have you run any tests on the grass?” The emperor spoke, turning to look at Idris as he stood next to Valerian.

“A few, but they offer only more questions instead of answers,” Sir Idris’s voice faded into the background as I looked at the cloud of dark air, confused why it seemed that only I, Valerian and Aldrin could see it. Why was the darkness invisible to everyone else? I started to raise my hand to touch it, but I felt a subtle pressure on my wrist, and I looked to see that Valerian had grabbed me. 

“Don’t.” He mouthed and I frowned, pulling my hand back obediently. His warning only fueled my curiosity further, but I knew better than to ignore his advice, especially in a situation as mysterious and potentially dangerous as this. Instead, I turned my attention back to the ominous dark spot, trying to decide what to do. If it was the same magic that was supposed to consume the empire in the future then I knew how to deal with it, but everyone was able to see the clouds then. If the clouds had to be visible for them to be dealt with, would the same solution work?

“Father,” I called out, my voice interrupting the quiet murmurs among the soldiers and Sir Idris as he was explaining everything they had tried. Emperor Kozani's eyebrows rose in curiosity, his gaze fixed on me with a mix of interest and concern. 

"Go on, Javier."

“It seems that this... darkness," I gestured toward the ominous cloud hovering over the grass, "is somehow concealed from plain sight. Only a few of us can perceive its presence. If we were to make it more visible, I believe we could better discover its effects on the ground below."

A ripple of murmurs and exchanged glances swept through our small group at my revelation. I saw skepticism etched on some faces, while others displayed growing concern. I made sure to watch Aldrin’s expression, but the elf managed to maintain a cold stare, pretending he couldn’t see the cloud I was motioning too. 

“Can you see it, Prince Javier?” Sir Idris asked incredulously, and I nodded, turning my eyes to him.

“Yes, and so can Sir Valerian,” I continued, earning myself a shocked look from Valerian as he turned toward me. I knew why he was worried, but I had spent all morning coming up with a reasonable lie for why I could already sense magic. “It seems that I have a heightened sensitivity to magical energies. It may be left over from when I was alive, but without my memories, I can’t say for sure.”

“Rare, but not completely unheard of,” Sir Idris remarked and I could see the relief in Valerian and Kozani’s eyes. “How do you suggest we make it visible?”

“I do believe something as simple as snow should work,” I knelt down, gathering a small snowball in my hand from the edge of the eerie grass. Everyone was looking at me with confusion as I stood back up, and I fought to hold in my laugh. Did they not play in the snow in this world? “Snow will powder if it encounters something solid.”

Without hesitation, I tossed the snowball into the air, arching it just enough so it would come down on the dark cloud. The snowball disappeared into the cloud with a soft thud, and as if in slow motion, specks of white begin to move through the darkness. A gasp rippled through our group as the once-invisible darkness now became starkly visible, like a black stain against the pristine white of the snow.

"Remarkable," Kozani murmured, his tone a mix of astonishment and concern. "So this is what we've been missing..."

Aldrin's expression remained unreadable, but I could sense a subtle tension in his stance, a flicker of unease that he couldn't entirely conceal. I subtly tapped Valerian’s hand and motioned toward the elf ambassador, biting my lip to suppress my smile as Valerian spoke.

“Do you have an opinion, Sir Aldrin?”