In a realm far away…..

  “Where are we going?” Princess Brielle shouted, steps behind Stefan. The two had been traveling across realms for nearly 15 hours, and were now trekking up a mountain.

  Brielle was already regretting taking a liking to Manar. If she hadn’t found her interesting that night at the party, she would have never taken a detour to the Azue Pace.

  When she stumbled upon Manar and her guests, Stefan forced her to expin where she had been and what took her so long after receiving Crowine’s message.

  Brielle tried to expin that she returned to Bellu and packed a bag. But when she arrived, everything was wrong.

  The Inrian Priestess, a distant retive, was succumbing to something strong.

  Stefan didn’t believe the excuse. Instead, he asked why she was traveling East.

  She couldn’t tell him the truth. She couldn't tell him how she couldn’t get Manar out of her head….nor the hissing.

  Before she knew it, she was at Manar's home.

  She wasn’t expecting a crowd, though.

  The King, Prince Mel, and Lady Cara were the st people she expected to see in a snake's den.

  “You’ll see when we get there.” King Stefan huffed, slowly climbing up the mountain. They were in a realm as cold as Gassia but abundant with light. “I’m surprised that you haven’t realized.”

  Brielle’s right foot suddenly slipped, prompting Stefan to catch her.

  He was fast….but not as fast as the god she worshipped.

  “Watch your footing, Brielle.” He scolded, clinging onto her right arm.

  “Your Majesty.” Brielle mumbled.

  Stefan let go of her arm and resumed trekking up the mouth.

  “We're in the realm of Frost.” She added, jaw trembling.

  Frost, better known as Kao, is a vast realm of endless winter, cloaked in heavy snowfall. As the day goes on, the snow picks up and the winds get stronger. Frost is a brutal realm yet a marvel of frost with its towering mountains surrounded by frozen white kes.

  “Did you know Kao is the only realm where Dine’s winds cannot sustain itself?” Stefan shouted. “Prophecy has no pce here.”

  “What does that mean?” Brielle shouted back.

  Stefan shrugged his shoulders. “Can you tell me more about the Inrian Priestess?”

  “Why?”

  Stefan stopped walking.

  Brielle too.

  “I may treat you like my daughter but I am still your king.” He said sternly, back turned.

  Brielle lowered her head. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

  The two resumed walking.

  “When I returned, Les could barely be consoled.”

  “Meaning?”

  “She destroyed the Red Temple.” Brielle answered.

  “Why?”

  “No one knows. Her anger could be felt miles away yet we do not know why she’s angry.”

  “Has this happened before?”

  “No.” She answered quickly. “There is more, however.”

  “Go on.”

  “There is something wrong in Bellu. Something is rumbling through our grasses and tweeds, causing so much anger. I can feel and smell it.”

  When she returned to Bellu, she noticed the smell right away. A smoky scent.

  “What I am feeling….” Brielle added, then cleared her throat. “What my sisters and I are feeling is not domestic tension….it is rage.”

  “Rage?”

  “It’s consuming Bellu, turning our brothers and sisters against each other.”

  Stefan let out a groan. “Am I living in my nightmare?”

  Brielle frowned. “Your Majesty, is there something else wrong?”

  She could smell his anger.

  “There is a reason why I called you Brielle.” Stefan admitted softly. “Princess Ely is missing.”

  “Missing?”

  “And she’s stolen something from me.”

  “Is that why you went to see Manar?” She didn’t really think so, but she wanted to ask.

  “No.” He ughed. “I went to see her about Shioban.”

  “Shioban.” She repeated slowly. “Which Shioban?

  Stefan ughed. “There is only one who could cause me so much pain.”

  “Shioban is dead, Your Majesty.” Brielle said slowly.

  Stefan stopped walking. “Apparently, she is not.”

  A jolt of nerves shot through Brielle. “I’m sorry?”

  “Shioban is here in Ar…or a woman with her face.”

  “How do you know?”

  “She came to see me.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “That’s why we went to speak to Manar.”

  Then it dawned on her. “To speak to Vanar.”

  Stefan nodded. “Apparently, Shioban never entered Vanar. She never entered the Afterlife….Gardenia.”

  “Shioban is alive.” Brielle responded, stunned. “Where has she been? It’s been over 40 years.”

  Stefan slowly turned around, revealing a huge grin. “That’s why we are here, Brielle.”

  Brielle shook her head slightly. “Pardon? This is Frost. What could this realm tell you about Shioban? The only other being beside yourself who could possibly know…….”

  Brielle looked around before it came to her.

  “No.” She gasped.

  “Yes.”

  Brielle took a step forward. “You cannot wake him.”

  “I have to.”

  “The Flower Summit is approaching. If he wakes, it could throw Ar out of bance.”

  Stefan waved her off. “We will be fine. I will put him back in hibernation.”

  “What are you going to ask him?” She rushed out. “What if he disobeys?”

  Stefan smiled. “Brielle, Frost and I are the same. We are Death and Death is Us.”

  “Kaolin is the spirit of Death. You just share a fragment of him.” Brielle countered.

  Stefan took a step forward. “And with that fragment I can put him to sleep.”

  Stefan took a deep breath.

  “I love your mother, you know. She was almost like a sister to me, Brielle.”

  Brielle folded her arms across her chest. “What does this have to do with anything?”

  “I took you in… I made you a member of my court because of your mother.”

  Brielle rolled her eyes as the snow began to pick up.

  “Because of my closeness with your mother, I am going to tell you something.”

  Before he could get out his next words, a strong gust of wind shook the mountains.

  Brielle nearly tumbled before Stefan caught her….again.

  “We have to reach the top before the storm picks up.” He said quickly, then turned on his heels.

  Brielle quickly followed.

  ***

  Once they reached the top, the two saw a small door that was covered in frost.

  Stefan reached out his left hand, white cws extended, and melted the door.

  Brielle sucked in a breath.

  “Are you ready?” He asked.

  Brielle shook her head.

  “It’ll be fine.” Stefan responded, then extended a hand.

  Brielle eyed it cautiously before taking it.

  Inside, it was fairly chill. The walls were light blue, slightly frosted. In days, the temperature would drop below freezing and the entire inside would be ice.

  Brielle, still holding Stefan’s hand, followed him to the center where a glowing light drifted in a gss of ice.

  Stefan let go of Brielle’s hand and smashed the gss without warning.

  The entire mountain shook.

  The glowing light quickly levitated upwards.

  “What’s happening?” Brielle whispered.

  “Wait.” Stefan whispered back.

  The two stood in silence for a long minute before the light began to change.

  First, came a foot.

  Then an eye.

  Slowly, the light changed into a body.

  Skin as white as snow.

  Blue eyes.

  Frosted lips.

  Long bck hair that matched his extended cws.

  The Spirit of Death. Frost.

  And he was angry.

  “You dare wake me, Stefan.” He scolded loudly, causing the mountain to shake again. “And you bring a visitor.”

  Frost licked his lower lip.

  “This is Brielle.” Stefan began. “She is a descendant of Inr.”

  A look of disgust covered Frost’s face. “War.”

  “I did not come here for trivial matters, Frost.”

  Frost slowly lowered himself. “Why are you here?”

  “I have questions.”

  Frost slowly approached Brielle, gliding across the ice. He looked her up and down before grabbing a loose strand of her hair and twirling it around his finger.

  “I can feel your heat, Brielle.” He purred. “It disturbs me.”

  Before she knew it, Frost pced a hand on her chest.

  Brielle let out a harrowing scream before the pain slowly subsided.

  Her hands flew to her chest. “What did you do?”

  “I cooled you down.” He said bluntly, before turning his attention back to Stefan. “What kind of questions?”

  Stefan’s eyes darted to Brielle who was still rubbing her chest.

  “She’s fine, Stefan.” Frost groaned. “Ask!”

  “Is Vanar the only bridge death and the afterlife?” He rushed out, shocking himself with the tone of desperation in his voice.

  “Yes.”

  “Yes?”

  “My sister made sure it was that way and that way only.” Frost answered. “Fer believes the soul can be replenished and renewed by Her only.”

  “If a soul does not make it to Vanar, what happens?”

  Frost frowned. “Something has happened.”

  “Can you answer?”

  “You know what happens. I emerge from this realm, shovel in hand, frost follows, and I cim the dead souls in my path to be lost forever.” He expined as if he was reading a book about himself.

  “Just like the books.” Stefan responded, eyes narrowed. “Who is Azeri?”

  The mountain shook again.

  “You’re angry.” Brielle blurted out, capturing Frost’s attention again.

  Brielle took a step back.

  “Just like my brother.” He mumbled, before turning his gaze back to Stefan. “I haven’t heard the name Azeri in ages.”

  “Who is she?”

  “What is going on?” Brielle asked Stefan. “I thought we were here for Shioban.”

  Frost smiled. “I haven't heard that name in some time either.”

  “Who is Azeri?” Stefan asked again. “Is she The Unseen?”

  “The Unseen?” Brielle asked. “What is going on, Stefan?”

  Frost began ughing. “Azeri. Shioban. You must be in quite some trouble, Stefan.”

  Stefan extended his cws again, and his eyes fred. A showing of power.

  Frost rolled his eyes. “Fine. Clearly, you need help.”

  Stefan’s right hand twitched. He really hated the word help.

  “Azeri is my brothers and I wrapped in one.” Frost revealed quickly, desperate to go back to sleep. “She has an appetite for war like Inr, and a hunger for death like I. She flourishes in the darkness like Hunu does, causing confusion and fear with tricks she learned from Trykar.”

  “Is she The Unseen?”

  “Yes.” Frost answered.

  “Why did the Gods lie?”

  “You should not worry about Azeri, my companion. She has been locked away for eons. It was actually my idea to lock her with Awea and her siblings.”

  “Awea?” Brielle asked.

  “She’s out.” Stefan said.

  Frost’s face fell. “Are you sure?”

  Stefan tilted his head. “There is a small chance I am wrong.”

  “If Azeri is out….”

  Frost stopped talking.

  Stefan’s body tensed. “What?”

  “Why did she bring up Shioban?” He asked instead, pointing at Brielle.

  “A woman wearing Shioban’s face came to me. She did not look as if she aged.”

  Frost started smiling again.

  “Why are you smiling?”

  “Before the war ended, I saw Shioban.” The memories came flooding back. Her soft smile, bashful eyes.

  “Was she dead?”

  Frost shook his head. “No. She was heading back to Thassia with the staff in hand.”

  Stefan shook his head. “Impossible. I saw her break that staff.”

  “Why are you asking about Azeri?” Frost asked instead, changing the subject again.

  He’s impossible. Stefan thought to himself

  “Speak!” Frost said loudly.

  “Two priests from the Desert came to me saying the sands speak again.

  Frost took a step back and began walking in a circle.

  Silence briefly filled the cave before he spoke again.

  “You think there’s a possibility Azeri was wearing Shioban’s face.” He said.

  “The woman denied it….” Stefan answered quickly. “Saying she had no idea who Azeri is and that she is Shioban.”

  “Azeri. Shioban. Azeri. Shioban.” Frost repeated to himself, still walking in a circle.

  Brielle and Stefan just watched, side by side.

  “Is there something we should know about Azeri?” Stefan asked loudly.

  The winds were getting stronger….and louder outside.

  Frost stopped walking.

  His eyes bounced between the two before nding back on Brielle.

  The two locked eyes, causing a jolt of nerves to shoot through Brielle again.

  Frost could feel her warming up again.

  “Frost!” Stefan said loudly.

  “There are eight of them.” He revealed, eyes still locked on Brielle. “Entities, they are called. Creations of a Vengeful Goddess.”

  “Eight?” Stefan choked.

  “Azeri, Mada, Pgue, Memor, Iora, Lyon, Ome, Qara.” He revealed slowed, enunciating each name. “If I were you, I would stay away from Azeri’s brothers…especially Ome. He presents himself as a child but he’s cruel.”

  Anger was drumming through Stefan. “Why didn’t the Gods tell us that the Gods had children? Why didn’t you?”

  “If Azeri is out, I would talk to Azeri’s sister Iora.” Frost said instead, eyes still locked on Brielle.

  Brielle’s heart was thumping. She had no idea what was going on.

  “Iora was cursed to never leave Benna. You can find her there.” He added.

  “Frost, I’m not understanding what is happening.” Stefan admitted, rubbing his temples. “Are you saying there is a child of a god roaming the South?”

  Frost finally looked away from Brielle and met Stefan’s gaze. “If Azeri has been freed and what you say about Shioban is true, something is coming.”

  “What?” Brielle asked.

  “Skyra’s staff opens oceans, correct?”

  Stefan and Brielle nodded.

  “Skyra’s staff is her most prized possession.” Frost began. “It opens portals of oceans, but where do you think those oceans come from?”

  Stefan and Brielle stood in confusion.

  “It’s not just a portal of oceans. It is a portal of worlds.” Frost revealed.

  Brielle’s heart skipped a beat.

  “If Shioban never met Vanar nor did I, she went through the staff. And if Shioban has never aged, there is only one answer to your question.”

  Silence filled the room again until it dawned on them both.

  “She was with Skyra.” Brielle said slowly. “The staff delivered her to Skyra and Skyra has been healing her from aging.”

  Frost’s face broke into a huge grin. “Smart woman. Now, put me back to sleep or I must return to your nds and steal souls from their rightful inheritance.”

  “There is still much to learn about Azeri.” Stefan protested. “Is Azeri Skyra’s creation? If she’s returned, what does she want?”

  “You possess the power of the Gods yet you still know nothing.” He said, visibly disgusted. “I cannot reveal Azeri’s true nature.”

  “Why?”

  “If I did, other truths must follow….” He confessed. “And my troubled sister has ensured that should never happen.”

  “Arra?” Brielle asked.

  Frost nodded. “If it is any consotion, I don’t think your Azeri and Shioban problems are reted.”

  “Why do you say that?” Stefan asked.

  Frost closed the gap between him and Stefan.

  “Because the Goddess who created Azeri loathes Skyra.” He revealed, eyes sparkling. “And if Azeri is free, so are others much older.”