As Corin and Nanua walked all they could hear was the rushing water flowing next to them.

  Their path was a small footworn snowy road that followed the same course that the Yellow River covered.

  On the opposite side of the wide body of water rolling hills covered in snow dotted the landscape. Large verdant firs were the only trees with any vegetation left during this time of year. The only other constant in Corin's field of vision was his own breath condensing as it left him.

  Corin had never dealt with snow before leaving Trinixo. It did not take long for him to realize that he did not care much for it.

  “Would you rather be here in the snow or in the neverending rain of Ririo?” Corin spoke up. Anything to break the monotony of their long walk.

  “I can't think of any place that is worse than that endless swamp.” Nanaua said. “Besides I thought you liked the snow.” She smirked as she said that.

  A gust of wind blew their way. The cold air passed through Corin's various layers of clothing as if they were not present. He felt the chill down to his bones. Nanaua did not seem to be even bothered.

  “I can't wait for winter to end.” He replied.

  The two of them had been walking down this path for close to five days. Corin looked forward to going back home and taking a rest from being exposed to the elements.

  The sights surrounding them had become familiar. Corin and Nanaua had been traversing these trails over a year now as they went to towns that had been visited by Jokasta's messengers.

  “There it is.” Nanaua said.

  Corin snapped out of his trance and looked ahead. In the distance he could see a small smattering of buildings dotting the snowy landscape.

  “Seingen.” Corin sighed with relief.

  He felt a sense of calm wash over him as he saw the village in the distance. After leaving Ankur, Corin had been left without a home. It felt nice to have a place that he could return to and see familiar faces and sights.

  As they neared the town one of the villagers came out to greet Corin and Nanaua. It was Melina, a small gesherin girl, one of the first that had come to Seingen.

  “Corin! Nanaua!” The small girl shouted as she ran up to them.

  She first ran to Nanaua who promptly picked her and threw her straight into the air above her. As she came back down Nanaua grabbed her and launched her once again. The small gesherin giggled nonstop as Nanaua kept throwing her.

  “More! More!” Melina yelled as Nanaua put her down.

  “More?” Nanaua replied. “I have been on the road now for several days! I need some more rest before I can throw you more!”

  “I'm here aren't I!” Corin interjected.

  “Yes but you can't throw me as high up as Nanaua!” Melina replied.

  “Well… fine!” Corin replied.

  “Any news for us child?” Nanaua asked.

  “Well Grammy was really concerned about the two of you!” Melina replied.

  “The old bird is always concerned.” Nanaua replied. “That is not news. Anything else?”

  “Uncle Daum taught me how to start a fire the other day!” Melina said. “He said that I was a natural at it!”

  “He said that, really?” Corin asked.

  “He sure did.” Melina replied. “He said that very soon he’ll be bringing me on some of his expeditions into the forest while he hunts. Maybe next year I can join you all when you go visit other villages!”

  “Well I think there are a couple of things you need to learn before you do that.” Corin replied as he laughed. “But before that, if you want, you can join me next time I go hunting.”

  “Really?” Melina replied with a hopeful smile.

  “We’ll have to ask Jeinna, but if she agrees then yes.” Corin replied.

  “Now let’s get you back to Jeinna before you get in trouble.” Nanaua said as she picked up Melina and headed into the town. Corin followed shortly behind.

  The scattered assortment of homes and buildings in the village made navigating it an arduous task. It was clear that there had been no planning when determining the organization of the town. Homes sprouted wherever they found a space and where the furtives felt most at ease. The only reference point that existed was a large stone building that had organically become the center of the town. Now it was mainly used to store extra foodstuffs and where Kereina, the unofficial town leader, would spend most of her day.

  Nanaua and Corin were weaving through the various structures of the town when a voice called out.

  “Melina!” The voice yelled in anger. “You can't just run off without telling me where you are going!”

  Nanaua looked at Melina and smirked.

  “Why are you always getting into trouble little girl?” She said as she put the small girl down.

  “I'm sorry Miss Jeinna!” Melina said at the incoming gesherin.

  Jeinna did not acknowledge Corin or Nanaua.

  “I have been looking for you for way too long now!” Jeinna said as she caught her breath. “You can't just leave like that!”

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  “But I saw Nanaua and Corin coming.” Melina replied.

  “It doesn't matter what you saw!” Jeinna shot back angrily at the child. “Do you know how worried I was about you?!”

  Melina recoiled at Jeinna’s tone.

  Jeinna saw the child’s reaction.

  “I'm sorry Melina.” She said as she caught her breath. “I just, I just didn't know where you went. Just go back home please. Go find Luka and Benin. Corin and Nanaua are probably very tired. Let them rest and we'll go see them later alright?”

  “Alright.” Melina said softly as she turned to Corin and Nanaua.

  “Don’t leave soon ok?” Melina said.

  “We will do what we can.” Nanaua answered. “Now go child, and listen to Jeinna.”

  “Bye auntie Nanaua, bye uncle Corin!” Melina said as she went into the town.

  “That kid, I swear.” Jeinna said as she saw her run into the town. “What a handful.”

  “She has grown a lot with you.” Nanaua mentioned off-handedly.

  Jeinna looked at Nanaua with a smile.

  Corin remembered when they first brought Melina to Seingen. Her mother died when she was a baby after a Giant attacked her home. When Jokasta's messengers arrived her father instantly joined their cause. Thus Melina had been left orphaned.

  When Corin first saw her she barely spoke. He begrudgingly accepted bringing her with him to what was barely a town at the time. But slowly over time Seingen had become a safe haven for others like Melina. Just like the other kids in the village, Luka, Benin, Teris. They had all been abandoned.

  “It’s not just me, it has been all of us. She would not be here where it not for you” Jeinna replied.

  Corin understood that Jeinna meant that in a positive way, but all he could think was that Melina would still have her parents were it not for him.

  “How about your trip?” Jeinna followed up. “Any luck in the rainforest?”

  “No. Just a dead Seidr and more rain than I would ever care for.” Nanaua replied.

  “So another dead end.” Jeinna did not sound too surprised.

  “I’m afraid so.” Corin replied. “I thought this time might be different, but it wasn't meant to be.”

  “Ugh.” Jeinna muttered in frustration. “That damn Jaco, I swear when I see him.”

  Corin had nothing to say to Jeinna. He understood her frustration.

  “Well regardless of what happened I am sure Kereina will want to hear from you.” Jeinna replied.

  Corin and Nanaua looked at each other.

  “Rest will have to wait.” Corin said.

  The two of them headed in the direction of the central building.

  Along the way the various residents of the town greeted the duo, all with the same questions.

  “Any news?” “Did you meet with the messenger?” “Do we know where they are?”

  They all received the same answer. There was not much disappointment experienced by the residents. By this point they were used to hearing this response. Corin was not sure whether any of them still held out hope at this point.

  Corin and Nanaua arrived at the large stone building in the center of town and entered.

  Inside there were various bundles of food scattered about. The majority was wheat, enough for the town to maintain themselves during the cold winter months. They maneuvered around the various foodstuffs until reaching a staircase. The second floor was a large open room with various items scattered about. A variety of artifacts brought by the various residents of Seingen from their previous lives. Left here and forgotten. One of the few places that saw any activity here was a long table, at the head of which a small sparrowling sat with a busy human next to her.

  “Kereina, Daum.” Corin greeted the elderly sparrowling and human.

  “Melina let us know you were concerned about us.” Nanaua added.

  “Of course I was worried about you!” The old sparrowling spoke back. “Those Seidrs are dangerous and you were gone for too long!”

  “It's not the first of the Seidrs that we have faced, old bird!” Nanaua shot back at Kereina.

  “The first, the second, the tenth, or the hundredth it doesn't make a difference! I'll worry all day!” Kereina replied at Nanaua.

  Daum stood up from the table and approached the duo.

  “Good to see you still amongst the living.” Daum said as he extended a hand out to Nanaua.

  “That is how you greet me after a long time without seeing you?” She asked, offended.

  Daum laughed and embraced Nanaua.

  “Sorry, old habits die hard.” He replied as he let go. Daum turned to Corin.

  “So how many times did Nanaua have to save your skin?” He asked him.

  “I’ll let you know it was I who dealt the killing blow to the Seidr.” Corin replied as Daum.

  “Ah I see.” Daum laughed. “I told Nanaua that she has to let you win some on your own sometimes, or else you would get too down on yourself.”

  Nanaua laughed at Daum’s suggestion.

  “What?” Corin replied, shocked at the revelation.

  “I kid, I kid.” Daum added. “Although I would like to hear a full account of the fight.”

  “Later, you know I cannot bear to hear such things.” Kereina added. “The things you all get up to is enough to make this old bird lose all her feathers.”

  “How about the messenger, any luck with that?” Daum asked Corin now.

  Corin looked at him and shook his head.

  “No.” He replied. He shortly relayed what happened with the Gruttos and their hesitance to have him interfere in any possible interactions with Jokastan messengers.

  “A whole tribe of cowards.” Nanaua added after Corin finished.

  “Well,” Daum interjected, “it’s understandable. Not a lot of tribes would be willing to stake their livelihood on a group of strangers they had just met.”

  Nanaua began to get ready to say something but Daum cut her off.

  “Even if you did kill the Seidr.” He added, which left Nanaua with nothing to add.

  “I’m sorry to hear that.” Kereina replied. “Despite the fact that you were not able to meet with Jokastan messengers, I want you to know that you did the right thing. Without your intervention more Gruttos would have fallen to the Hilig. You helped save lives, just like you have countless times.”

  Corin smiled weakly. To him it did not feel that way, to him it was just cleaning up after his own mistake.

  “You should go now and rest.” Kereina spoke. “I am sure you are weary from the road. Now that you are here you can help Daum hunt since our winter supplies are beginning to come to an end.”

  “Of course.” Corin replied and began to leave.

  “Daum would you care to spar?” Nanaua asked.

  “You mean get beat up by you?” He replied. “Sure why not.”

  “Good.” Nanaua smiled.

  Corin continued without her, he knew she would make it to their home later.

  Corin left the stone building and wandered around the lively streets of Seingen. There were children of all races running around, dwarves, gesherin, humans, sirens. All who had been left behind.

  He remembered how empty the streets of Seingen had been when he and Nanaua had first come across it. He never knew what happened to the original inhabitants, but the town had been one of the first spots they found after being forsaken. Once they found others like them, other forsaken furtives, he realized that Seingen could become a shelter for them. He never imagined it would become a home.

  “Hey-ho Corin!” Martel, Corin’s dwarf neighbor, greeted him as he walked down their road.

  “It is good to see you around again!” Martel added.

  The dwarf was always in a jovial mood. No matter if they were all hungry, if he was awoken in the middle of the night, if there was a catastrophe, Martel could be relied upon to not be bothered in any circumstance.

  “Martel how has the town fared in our absence?” Corin asked, feeling his mood lift as he spoke with his neighbor.

  “Oh you didn't miss much I would say!” He smiled as he spoke. “The kids just run around and pull pranks on anyone gullible enough to fall for it. They keep finding ways of tricking Daum, and hiding his things.”

  “So more of the same.” Corin replied laughing.

  Martel nodded in agreement. “You must be tired just having come from a long trip there! I heard you were going to some place where it rains constantly! I bet that was interesting.”

  “Interesting is not the word I would use to describe it. Although the locals were nice enough we were glad to leave. It even made me miss the snow.” Corin said.

  “See I told you the snow would grow on you!” Martel added.

  From what Corin had gathered the dwarf had always lived in snowy climates. Even now when it was freezing cold out the dwarf was comfortable wearing only thin clothing. He stood out from most of the other inhabitants of Seingen for many reasons, this being one of them.

  “Well I'll let you get to resting. I am overdue on a job that Kereina asked me to complete two days ago! If I take any longer that bird might prepare dwarf stew for the town.” Martel laughed as he waved goodbye to Corin.

  One of the other things that distinguished Martel from the other townspeople was the fact that he never asked about Jokasta or her messengers. Corin had never asked why Martel seemed to not be interested in finding those who had left to join Jokasta, but he was always curious about it.

  Corin did just as Martel suggested and went into his small home. His home had been one of the original buildings discovered in Seingen by Nanaua and he. It was ample enough for the both of them and what had begun as temporary lodging soon became their home.

  Within it there were not a lot of indicators of a home. The majority of the items were only those needed for survival. Cookware and various furnishings on which they could rest when the need arose. The only decorative piece that could be found in the home was a large shield Nanaua had grabbed from an abandoned village. Corin approached the fireplace in his home and quickly set to build a fire. Respite from the freezing temperature was the first thing Corin wanted.

  Once the flames came to life, Corin brought one of three chairs, his preferred chair, to the edge of the fire. During the winter this was his preferred spot. Here his mind would wander, mostly to thoughts of Trinixo and Ankur.

  He would always wonder how his old home was. He was curious if there had been any who had decided enough time had passed and moved into the small home. He could not help but think about the weather as well, the yearlong sunny days where the coldest night would not even bring the thought of ice or snow to any of the inhabitants of Trinixo.

  It was under these thoughts of warmer climates that Corin ultimately fell asleep to. His dream seemed to focus on snowy landscapes and large structures hidden in the shadows of frozen mountains. Dreams of places like these were common to Corin. He would almost never remember anything significant about them.