Wind moaned over the golden terrain as tall blades of thin, golden grass waved hypnotically, small insects fluttering around them. Close to the ground, rays of light shone around the grass as they whispered against each other in a soothing chorus. An orange hand suddenly brushed through them. A small smile rested on Tearna’s face as she lay still, grass waving around her while the wind whispered around her ears.

                She breathed a small sigh as she left her eyes closed, ignoring the small bugs fluttering around her. She had been lying here for almost thirty minutes now. She was framed on all sides by blades of grass that were at least three feet tall, effectively hiding her and creating a solitary space where she could relax. Opening her eyes, she smiled happily as she stared at the partially cloudy sky, admiring the flecks of dust floating above her as they glittered. Suddenly, a shadow appeared in her vision.

                “For someone that never stops harassing me about being productive, this sure doesn’t seem productive,” Kai said flatly.

                Tearna blinked once before scowling in response, “If you recall, I only ever mentioned it because you wouldn’t stop giving me grief about working so much! I take one moment to relax and now you’re suddenly saying I should be working harder?” She snorted and rolled her eyes, “Pick a lane already…”

                “I was just noting how the great Tearna actually has the ability to set her work down,” Kai responded with a slight grin. Shaking his head at her, he pointed a thumb over his shoulder, “Anyway, we need to get moving. The weather nuts think a storm is coming and the captain wants to find a place to hunker down.”

                “A storm?” Tearna repeated, blinking as she narrowed her eyes in thought. “That… is actually perfect!” Kai looked at her in confusion as she sat upright with an eager smile, “I didn’t think we would get lucky enough to have a storm roll through, but that will hopefully let me document a few creatures we probably wouldn’t have seen otherwise!”

                “Ugh, leave it to you to find work in a storm,” Kai groaned, rolling his eyes before offering his hand.

                “Like you said, I can’t just relax all the time, right?” Tearna teased, letting him pull her up onto her feet. Brushing herself off, she nodded at him appreciatively before looking over at the others as they loaded the ghollon, but finally turned her gaze out to the horizon with sparkling eyes, “With Adecial behind us, the next stage of our journey was finally beginning! Upon leaving the city, it only took us a few minutes to see a sight known all around the world! The Golden Plains!”

                Stretched out to the horizon as far as she could see was a massive field of gold. Wind blew through the tall strands of grass, sending ripples through them like waves on an ocean. Overhead, thick, fluffy clouds traveled along, casting dark shadows across the landscape as a few petals twirled through the air. A smile touched her face as she watched a collection of yellow birds flutter along, other small creatures dancing among the fields as they created moving gaps in the tall grass. Breathing out a small sigh, she looked down at her journal as she opened it up.

                “Everything I had ever heard about the Golden Plains was quickly proven true,” she began, writing as she walked towards the caravan. “Upon seeing it, I was greeted by a golden ocean that words could never truly capture! In some ways, it reminded me of the golden Karasi, but something about watching the grass wave was hypnotic.” She chuckled to herself as she began to follow the ghollon, taking a moment to look out at the horizon, “It was truly a pristine sight, one that I had been eager to see the moment we left Orden, and it was everything that I had hoped it would be!”

                Clouds continued to roll overhead as the caravan slowly made its way south. Trails of flattened grass followed the ghollon as they stomped along, snacking on the tall grass as they walked, much to the amusement of their handlers. Tearna hummed to herself happily as she watched the ghollon, eyeing the grass before nodding to herself as she began to write, “It’s only fitting that the first entry in this segment be an ode to the very plant that earned the Golden Plains its name, whiskerfronds!”

                Small insects scattered as Tearna drug her hand through the grass as she continued, “Whiskerfronds are a unique type of grass that can only be fund on Falador. In almost every way, it is identical to normal grass, but it grows, much, much taller and has a bright golden hue! This grass grows to almost three feet in height and can be found all across the continent around the mountains! Because of their golden hue, it was only fitting to call this area the Golden Plains, though it honestly should have been called the Golden Sea!”

                She smiled brightly as she looked ahead, “Seeing miles upon miles of golden grass was truly stunning. They move like waves on an ocean and are surprisingly comfortable to sleep on.” Blinking thoughtfully, she squinted as a gap moved through the grass farther ahead, “One interesting phenomenon caused by the grass is actually related to their height. Since they are so tall, smaller mammals can easily conceal themselves within it, but create a noticeable gap in the terrain as they move around. While it does hide them from predators, it made it incredibly easy for us to track every tiny thing moving around us!” She laughed to herself, “After some of the other places we visited, it was nice to arrive somewhere that did my job for me!”

                Darkness slowly began to creep across the golden landscape. Thunder rumbled in the distance as darker clouds began to gather, thunderheads visible on the horizon as a stronger breeze whisked over the plains. “Because of the geography of the Golden Plains, it is known for its intense windstorms,” Tearna wrote, standing beside one of the ghollon. Several of her colleagues were working to distribute supplies while others were bracing equipment. Tearna flinched as wind rocketed around them, causing her to glance over as several pots went flying, “Since the Golden Plains are so flat and flanked by coasts, the wind tends to be a bit… fierce. If you have anything that isn’t nailed down, you can expect it to go flying, and even if it is nailed down… you can still expect it to go flying.”

                Nibbling on her pen as she watched her companions scramble, she looked up thoughtfully, “But such high winds present an interesting opportunity! There are many unique creatures in this region that can’t be found anywhere else, and it didn’t take us long to find one!”

                High over her head, slender figures were floating on the strong breeze, mostly white with faint blue patterns. Pale-blue fins rose along their backs, and they had small fin-like protrusions along their sides, but there was one feature that really stood out. “Many of the creatures here have adapted to live alongside the wind,” Tearna wrote, absently walking as she watched the creatures. “Some have learned to shelter themselves, but there are a few that have evolved to take advantage of the wind. In our case, our first encounter with one such creature was the cloud eel!”

                A series of strange squeaks escaped one of the eels as they drifted aimlessly in a slow, hypnotic pattern. “Cloud eels are a common and unique creature in this region,” Tearna continued. “In a lot of ways, they look like a standard eel, but whenever the wind kicks up, they inflate their heads and… well, float!” Each of the eels had a massively inflated head, making them look a little off balance. They had four small, red eyes atop their heads and bonier protrusions across their foreheads, but their lower jaws had massively swollen up, making them look quite humorous.

                “By inflating their heads, they gain the ability to float like balloons,” Tearna continued, turning her gaze as the eels floated east. Squinting, she looked at her journal, “What purpose this serves, I’m not entirely certain, but I am certain that these eels have mastered the art of lazy traveling. With winds like what we experienced, I am certain that these eels can travel dozens of miles in a single day, possibly even from coast to coast!” Squinting, she nodded and wrote, “In fact, that is probably why they do it. Since the winds can blow in either direction, they most likely migrate from coast to coast, and I hope I can one day get the chance to investigate further!”

                Thunder rumbled more ominously. Wind howled as the whisker fronds blew violently, dark clouds rolling overhead as a chill wind whipped across the landscape. Bells jingled across the harnesses of the ghollon as they bellowed, sitting in a protective circle while multiple expedition members cowered in their shadows. A few lanterns had been lit in the small space the expedition was hiding in, but there wasn’t much they could do against a storm.

                “I want to go back to that hotel,” Bren shouted, scowling up at the sky. “Why couldn’t we have just ended the trip there?!”

                “This is what we signed up for,” Tearna countered, keeping her cloak wrapped tightly around herself. A small tent of stone was erected around her from her own powers, helping her avoid the wind, but not completely. Shaking her head roughly, she continued, “Just use your powers and wait it out! What other choice do we have?!”

                “Isn’t there a village nearby?” Kai spoke up. “I thought Windbrook was somewhere near here!”

                “It’s still almost thirty miles south,” a new voice spoke up. The three of them looked over at the gruffer-looking figure sitting nearby. He was silver and had a few scars on his left ear, only beginning to hint at his history. The captain kept a firm grip on his cloak as he shook his head, “Making it there wasn’t an option for us.”

                “Of course that’s our luck,” Kai sighed heavily.

                “Tearna said it best,” the captain chuckled as he leaned back against the ghollon. “Use your powers and get ready for a sleepless night!”

                The next day, birds sang as golden light shone across the plains. Droplets of water sparkled across the tall fronds, a gentler breeze whisking over the plains soothingly. “Wow,” Tearna whispered as she admired the sight. Golden light sparkled all across the plains, making her let out a soft sigh, “I wish I had a way to record this…” Frowning thoughtfully, she finally pulled out her journal, “After surviving a violent storm and a sleepless night, to say we were feeling a little disgruntled was… putting it mildly, but the sight awaiting us was worth it! I now understand truly how the Golden Plains earned its name!”

                Warmth flowed over the land as the caravan made its way along, following a small, dirt path cutting through the immense field. “As we traveled south, I noticed a trend amongst the creatures.” Small, fuzzy creatures bounded into the undergrowth as Tearna stepped forward, frowning sadly as she struggled to glimpse them, “They were very skittish, and they were REALLY good at hiding.” Tearna’s tails stuck up from the grass. Nearby, Kai and Bren both watched with raised brows, slowly tilting their heads as they watched her tails travel back and forth. After a few minutes, Tearna finally stood back up with an aggravated groan, “It was incredibly disheartening to keep missing new creatures, but I wasn’t one to give up! After trying and trying, I finally found something that didn’t run!”

                Golden light glittered across a beetle as it clung to a frond. Tearna’s large eye framed it from behind as she studied its glittering carapace, “It wasn’t much, but after a few days of nothing, finding an imperator beetle was a welcome reprieve.” The beetle absently ran its claws over its feelers as she continued, “Imperator beetles are often referred to as jewel bugs. They have a beautiful golden carapace that shines like gold, and an incredible physique! They have three horns and powerful forelegs, making them a popular insect amongst collectors. That being said… I’m not a huge fan of bugs, so I didn’t stick around for long.”

                Orange light began to shine across the sky as the clouds whisked by, but a new sound had joined the chorus. Water babbled as it flowed through a small stream, whispering over rocks and pebbles while bugs danced across its surface. “Thankfully, we were able to make it to our next campsite without trouble.” Near the stream, in one of its bends, the expedition’s ghollon had already laid down, absently munching on some fronds as their handlers settled them in.

                “We found a small bend in a stream we were able to camp in, and we actually had the time to setup tents! I never thought I would be kicking myself for taking that for granted…” Loud clinks rang out as pegs were hammered into the ground, other expedition members working on cooking while others worked on various amenities. Nearby, Tearna wrote in her journal atop a crate, “Although small, this little spot was an oasis to us! It was the perfect shape to shelter us, and it was nice to get access to some fresh fish. Speaking of which…”

                Grinning, Tearna stood and made her way over to the stream. A few pebbles tumbled into the water as she knelt, her reflection staring back at her as she watched the creatures just beneath the surface, “The stream was an amazing source of new entries! Not only was it easy to spot all the creatures, but the environment itself was unique! These streams are created from snowmelt in the mountains, and combined with the unique layout of the Golden Plains, it makes for an exotic, isolated spot for life to flourish!”

                Within the stream, a small, dark fish flopped out of the water before disappearing. Laughing to herself, Tearna began to write, “One such creature was the black-finned truke! Trukes are a common riverfish on Falador, but the black-finned variety is a unique evolutionary offshoot! These trukes can be found anywhere between the coast and the mountains and are supposedly resistant to extreme cold! Appearance wise, they bear many similarities to other trukes with their long tail fins, four sides fins, and white speckled bodies, though these are a bit thicker in size.” Finishing off her notes, she smiled at the fish, “While not the most spectacular fish, it at least highlights the diversity of life here!”

                The next day, the ghollon snorted heavily as they plodded along, the expedition following a larger road they had stumbled across. Near the back of the caravan, Tearna hummed to herself happily as she worked on a sketch of a truke. “How in the world can you do that?” Blinking in surprise, she looked over at Kai questioningly, “I can’t draw even when I’m sitting, so I’m pretty sure I would get myself killed doing it while walking.”

                “Oh, it’s just practice,” Tearna spoke up with a bright smile. “When you draw so much as a kid, you can’t help but get good enough to multitask enough to at least avoid tripping!”

                “You have some weird talents, Tearna,” Kai said with a shake of his head.

                Snorting a laugh, she began to grin at him, but paused as a shout drew her attention. “Oh, that must be Windbrook!” she exclaimed, her eyes shining as a few cries of relief echoed from the others. Flipping to the next page of her journal, she peered towards the small village they were approaching, “After a few days, we arrived at one of the villages we intended to stop at, and it was definitely a relief after how awful the previous two nights had been!”

                Wind whispered over the quant village as clouds trailed by overhead. Water babbled through a stream winding through the village’s heart, many townsfolk meandering around the dirt roads. “Windbrook was the truest definition of a humble village,” Tearna wrote, looking around curiously as their caravan made its way into the village. “Quite unlike the big city, everything here was modest. The houses were small and composed mostly of stone, timber, and thatch roofs, something that isn’t too common in my experience. There was a small stone fence surrounding the perimeter, and a few farms on its outskirts, but, overall, the village wasn’t exactly modern.”

                A little later, Tearna breathed a sigh as she sat on a bench in front of the inn. She undid the straps on her cloak, smiling as a group of local children went rushing past her to see their ghollon. Watching with amusement, she looked around the small road, “Life in this village is a far cry from a city. None of the roads were paved and they were far less crowded. All the buildings had plenty of space to themselves, and there isn’t too much to define where a road begins and ends except for a few stone walls and picket fences. Compared to the villages I know, this one felt like it was centuries behind.”

                Squinting, Tearna frowned as she picked up her journal, “But I know that’s not exactly fair.” Near the heart of the town, all the roads converged in a large, open circle. There were a few shops and administrative buildings, but the space was mostly open save for a single structure. A large, grey plaque stood tall, wings spread on either side with colorful ribbons dancing off the pole on its top. Wind whispered around the plaque, gravel crunching as Tearna climbed the steps leading up to it. Kneeling down, she frowned sadly as she read all the names, “Though the Crisis has long since passed, Windbrook still bears many scars.”

                “At the heart of the town was a memorial to all those lost,” Tearna continued, brushing her hand over the names and the small messages written beside them. “When the Crisis reached the lands of Adecia, it was like a tide of death. Every village the armada found was burned to the ground, and no one was spared. The only ones to survive were those that ran, and the lucky few that survived… they came home only to find craters.”

                Frowning sadly, Tearna stood and looked all around, “I took some time to speak with the village elder and learned quite a lot about Windbrook’s history.” Shade covered the space Tearna was sitting in as she nodded, listening to the aging, crimson sheek sitting across from her as he pointed around, “Windbrook was completely decimated by the Dusk. When the few survivors returned, they endeavored to rebuild their beloved town in honor of the families they had lost. Every single structure, including the farms, had to be completely rebuilt, and it gives me a newfound appreciation for the rather simplistic town.”

                Bowing her head in appreciation, she made her way back onto the road, “The elder was actually one of those lucky survivors, though, he certainly doesn’t consider himself lucky. He witnessed the horrors of the Crisis firsthand, and even just from my short conversation… well, I will just say that I’m grateful to all those who saved our world.” Coming to a halt, she shielded her eyes and looked at the sky, “However, seeing a place like Windbrook fills me with determination. Though our people have suffered, we are rebuilding, and through our tenacity and determination, we will recover!”

                Darkness swept over the village as the star quickly sank and the night sky illuminated. Warm light glowed from the windows of the homes that were still awake, but most of the village had gone dark. Lanterns glowed atop posts on street corners, but a few more lights were dancing nearby. Green light flickered as several orbs fluttered through the air, drifting one way and then the other. “You look familiar.” One of the orbs alighted onto Tearna’s finger, flickering off as the small creature looked up at her smiling face, “You are a glowbug, but… not one quite like our own.”

                Tilting her head, she waved the bug off as she pulled out her journal, “I expected to see glowbugs, but I wasn’t expecting to see a completely different species.” She turned her gaze as she watched the nocturnal insects dancing over the rooftops, “These glowbugs, weirdly enough, are fluffy! They are covered in soft, white fluff that makes them look like cotton balls, and they don’t seem to have an armored carapace. If I had to take a guess, I would say these bugs are adapted to the cold mountains, and while that does make them look odd, they still have their bright and colorful allure!” Smiling happily, Tearna snapped her journal shut and made her way towards the inn to pass out.

                The next day, light shone around her as Tearna scrunched her face. Wind howled around the expedition as they marched slowly, following another road leading towards the mountains. “After leaving Windbrook, we quickly ran into another stormfront, though this one didn’t have any lightning,” Tearna wrote, holding up a hand to shield her face as bits of debris lifted off. “The wind made it quite difficult for us to move forward, but we did our best to endeavor. However, there was a bright to this situation. Thanks to the wind, I was able to discover yet another unusual critter!”

                Tearna let out an exclamation of surprise as she looked up with a start. Floating over their heads were a collection of strange, magenta orbs. She blinked a few times, several of the other expedition members looking up in equal confusion as they watched the strange balls float away. Shaking her head roughly, she hurried towards the front of the caravan. “Ahh, Tearna,” the captain remarked as she hurried up beside him. The ghollon snorted as they came to a halt, the captain gesturing down the path, “I was just about to call for you to see what these were, but they started floating away. Care to share what they are?”

                Tearna stared down the path with confusion, slowly tilting her head as Bren walked up beside her with an amused grin, “I’m pretty sure they’re just beach balls.”

                “No… These are…” Tearna began, slowly processing what she was seeing. Blinking a few times, she suddenly gasped, “Floatots!”

                “A what?” Bren said, looking at Tearna with abject confusion as the explorer rushed forward with eager excitement.

                One of the strange creatures looked at Tearna and uttered an uncertain guttural sound as she practically fell to her knees, scrambling for her journal as her eyes shone like stars, “Much to my joy, this second windstorm unearthed one of the strangest creatures I had ever seen, a flock of floatots!” Several of the creatures sauntered over to stare at her in confusion as they huddled together, “Floatots are seemingly lizards, though that remains up for debate. Confusingly, they have traits of lizards, birds, and mammals, and if that wasn’t enough, they have an incredibly confusing ability too!”

                “Appearance wise, floatots are… strange,” Tearna said, frowning as she tried to think of how to describe the odd creatures staring up at her. “They have a more lizard-like shape, and a noticeably lizard-like head, but their bodies are covered in magenta fur. Additionally, they have a thick, wooly mane with four almost insectoid wings that fold back against their bodies. Despite having wings, they have no ability to fly, but that’s where their unique ability comes into play!” Several of the floatots groaned as the wind picked up, prompting them to hunker down as they spread their wings out to make them look like little domes, “Similar to the cloud eels, floatots have gained the ability to float!”

                With a hiss of air, one of the floatots suddenly inflated its mane, taking off into the air like a little helicopter as its limbs dangled down. Tearna let out a laugh as she watched, several of the others joining it as they spun absently in the breeze, “No amount of words could possibly describe how strange they were, but they were an absolute delight! They truly just seem to go with the flow, and I can’t even begin to imagine why they developed such an odd trait.” Shaking her head, she stood as the remainder of the flock floated off, “Truly, these creatures are going down in my records as a contender for strangest critter award!”

                Clouds floated slowly as the day drug on, slowly moving towards evening as the star traveled. Wind rippled through the golden fields as the expedition plodded along, some of the expedition members talking among themselves as excitement began to build for their next destination. While many of them were marching with the ghollon, a few had wandered off as a group. “Don’t spook them,” Tearna cautioned, glaring at Kai and Bren. She motioned for calm as they all crouched, “They frighten easily, and I will skin the both of you alive if you mess this up.”

                A few dozen feet in front of them, a collection of odd creatures were grazing. Grass crunched as one of them took a large bite, absently chewing as it lifted its head to look at the three strangers in its midst. Wind ruffled its thick fur and pulled at its long, fluffy tail, its dark hooves glimmering while the very tips of its sharp horns glinted. Blinking its large, pink eyes, the creature bent back down to continue eating as Tearna pulled out her journal, “It took longer than expected, but we finally managed to run into a herd of wild twisthorn!”

                Dull thuds echoed as a few of the twisthorns plodded along, Tearna studying them intently while Bren and Kai remained as still as possible, “Here on the Golden Plains, twisthorns are a common sight. They are a herd animal that loves to munch on whiskerfronds, and are typically docile. Their name comes from their uniquely shaped horns which have a sort of spiral appearance, but I think their coloring is what makes them truly special!” Violet fur rippled around the neck of one of the animals as it bent down, “Each twisthorn has a unique color pattern around the underside of their necks! While they are mostly white or grey, this extra color goes a long way in making each one unique!”

                Smiling happily, Tearna squinted before continuing to write, “Many famous poets have written about these magnificent creatures. Supposedly, getting to see them at dawn when the fields are shining is a truly magical experience, and I’m incredibly glad that these creatures were one of the few that managed to survive the-“

                “WACHOO!”

                With a cry of warning, the twisthorns quickly turned and bolted. The ground thundered as Tearna stared after them, her jaw slowly dropping as dust billowed around the back of the herd. In a matter of moments, they were a speck on the horizon, leaving her staring after them with mixed feelings. Lowering her journal, she began to grind her teeth. With a roar, she wheeled around with pure fury, “WHY DID YOU DO THAT, YOU GIGANTIC IDIOT!”

                A loud smack echoed over the plains. A few hours later, wind whirled gently as clouds traveled along quickly. The caravan continued to plod its way along, but many of the expedition members were now looking behind them. A few of them snickered, trying to hide their amusement as they continuously glanced at a particular group near the rear. “I said I was sorry,” Kai exclaimed desperately, part of his face swollen from where he had taken a granite slap. He stared at the back of Tearna’s head as he gestured backwards, “I didn’t mean to! There was so much pollen that-“

                “I said ZIP IT!” Kai came to ah alt as Tearna turned to glare at him, her eyes blazing with malice, “That was my one chance to document the twisthorns, and you RUINED IT!” Huffing for emphasis, she turned and continued after the caravan as Kai stared helplessly, “You had better find a way to make it up to me, or I won’t forgive you for the rest of the trip!”

                Kai stared after her as he rubbed the side of his head. Frowning at the other explorers laughing at his expense, he sighed heavily as he tried to think of how to get himself out of trouble. “Hey, look on the bright side,” Bren said, slapping his shoulder with a huge grin! “Even if she’s mad at you, at least she’ll probably still be your girlfriend!” Snickering, Bren kept walking as Kai stared after her blankly.

                Blinking a few times, Kai sucked in a sharp breath, “That is NOT what’s going on!”

                Orange light glimmered across the Golden Plains as the star slowly neared the western horizon. Floatots hopped across the ground as they clustered together across the field while herds of twisthorns ran in the distance. In the middle of the plains, a collection of large plants continued to stare at the sinking star, their petals practically shining as they seemingly tracked the star on every inch of its journey. Grass crunched nearby as an orange figure walked up to them and knelt, Tearna squinting at them carefully, “While I have been distracted by the animals here, the plants are worth mentioning as well!”

                She carefully moved one of the plants to get a better look, “Morning flowers can be found in a few places, but I find them most intriguing here. These flowers can grow up to five or more feet in height and have a noticeably yellow disposition. Additionally, their faces are green, yet hard like bark, making them a true enigma. What really sets them apart is that they are one of the few plants that displays the ability to track the star!” Smiling, Tearna looked up at the burning sky, “At all times, they follow its patterns to soak up as much light as they can, giving many who see them the impression that they are capable of glowing!”

                Chuckling to herself, Tearna stood and looked south, “Morning flowers are such innocent things, and I couldn’t help but feel a little happier around them… but such innocence was a stark contrast to the sight looming ahead of us.” Tearna walked slowly as she moved up beside the other expedition members, all their gazes trained ahead with somber frowns. Taking a shaky breath, she pulled out her journal, “Many days after leaving Adecial, we finally arrived at our last stop in the Golden Plains, the ruined fortress of Windgate.”

                Sprawled out almost a mile ahead of them were the remains of the once proud fortress. Wind rustled the fronds growing around the mountains of scattered rubble. Foundations for what had once been buildings rose into the sky like ribs while small plants grew across them. Collapsed rooftops, fallen columns, and other remains lay sprawled amongst the tall grass, some of them still bearing the scars of war. Once, hundreds of years ago, this area had been a town, not one quite like Windbrook, but instead one meant to support the fortress that had once guarded Adecia’s doorstep.

                Looming over the remains of the town was a truly colossal structure. Once, the fortress had been hundred of feet tall, but its splendor was now marred. Its eastern stone walls were mostly collapsed, leaving a huge mound of rubble that rose up to meet its still standing half. Its roof now lay within its cavernous interior, and the timber beams that had once supported it had either rotted or burned away. There was little left of the once great fortress and its powerful walls, a grim reminder of the horrors that had almost brought the entire world to an end.

                “While many of us weren’t comfortable exploring the ruins, we had a responsibility.” Rubble crunched under their heels as the expedition made its way into the ruins, some of them sifting through the rubble with grim expressions while others stared at what had once been homes. Near the heart of the ruined town, Tearna stood with a sad frown, slowly looking over the massive fortress, “When the Clockwork Crisis began, Windgate was its first true battle. After clearing a path through the mountains, the Clockwork Armada crashed down on this fortress with everything it had, and the defenders weren’t prepared. From what few records exist, no one here believed that such a force could exist, and they paid for their hubris with their lives.”

                “While the defenders gave it their all, Windgate didn’t even last a full day,” Tearna continued, gravel crunching beneath her feet as she looked around. She flinched as a glint of metal caught her eye, her expression saddening as she studied the remains of the partially buried armor, “Between the endurance of the automatons and the power of their steam tanks, the walls that had stood against countless armies crumbled without so much as a whimper, and the Dusk’s arrival ended the battle decisively.”

                Swallowing hard, Tearna turned her gaze up to the ruined stone wall in front of her, the remains of a few statues and decorative patterns still visible. Higher up, she could see the beginning of its second story, the walls rising even higher to a roof not so different from the ones in Orden. Frowning at it sadly, she turned her gaze. The eastern half of the fortress was almost completely gone. Tall columns still stood at its four corners, and some of the wall was left, but almost all of it had collapsed into a pile of broken stone. Breathing a slow sigh, she stepped into the remains of the entryway.

                “As I explored the ruins, I couldn’t help but think of all those who had lost their lives,” Tearna continued. A shadow rolled over her as she looked around the interior of the fortress sadly. It had almost completely hollowed out. She could see the remains of a second floor, but it had been decimated, almost the entirety of the ground floor covered in rubble while the opposite wall was mostly blown open. A few beams of light rolled across her as she walked, “Thousands died in this fortress, some of them fighters, and some of them innocent. It was a bloodbath, and foreshadowed just how ruthless the Crisis would become.”

                Coming to a halt, Tearna stared at a gap in the wall as light shone across her face. After a moment, a small smile touched her face, “But, there was one point of light in the darkness. Although thousands died, thousands more would have perished had it not been for the heroism of a lone mountain girl.” Tearna turned her gaze as she looked at where the gates had once sat, nothing remaining of them now, “When Adecia’s armies broke rank, she refused to run. She rallied what remained of Windgate’s defenders and led a counterattack that halted the advance of the Clockwork Armada and bought Windgate enough time to finish evacuating. Because of her, thousands were saved, and that’s how the legend of the First Archon, Caleia, began!”

                Light shone across her as she stepped out from the remains of the fortress. Grass crunched under her heel as she came to a halt and breathed deep as her heart lightened, “Although the Crisis was the darkest time in our history, because of heroes like Caleia, we were able to endure and heal.” A smile touched her face as she opened her eyes, looking over as a collection of imperator beetles buzzed around the grassy fronds, “Where once there had been craters and death, there are now golden oceans full of life! I can’t help but wonder what the victims of the Crisis would think seeing so much life, but I have to think they would feel some semblance of relief knowing that we were able to survive!”

                “Our people suffered so much, but the pain doesn’t have to endure!” Wind whistled gently as it ruffled the fur of a twisthorn, the creature looking up curiously as a collection of floatots drifted through the sky, “We have a chance to remake our world for the better and live the lives our loved ones would have wanted us to live, and that’s exactly what we are doing!” Water poured from a small fountain as children laughed, dusk shining across Windbrook as it began to wind down for the day, “We are making the world a better place, a place where our children can flourish without fear of conflict!” Tearna smiled brightly as she turned her gaze up at the sight looming before her, “Through our determination and endurance, we have continued to recover, and if our ancestors could see us now, I know they would be proud!”

                Feeling her ears twitched, Tearna looked over curiously. Kai nodded at her as he stepped up on her right with Bren at his side. Tearna stared at them for a moment before nodding in return, the small group turning their gazes up ahead of them, “But, just like for our civilization, our journey doesn’t end here! Windgate was just another stopping point, and our duty was to keep going and see our adventure through! Our time in the Golden Plains was truly a wonderful experience I will always remember, but it was once again time for us to look ahead!”

                A much, much colder breeze whisked around her, pulling at her cloak and making Bren shiver, but Tearna simply grinned eagerly. Her eyes sparkled as a towering silhouette reflected in them, “After traveling through a landscape that can only be described as a dream, we were set to venture into one of the coldest and most barren landscapes in the world, and perhaps the location of the most awe-inspiring vistas imaginable. Our next stop was the Falladorian Mountains!” Rising in the distance was a wall of towering rock, clouds rolling around snowy peaks as a cold breeze whisked down the mountains’ barren slopes.