Private Hylands Ascent Braving the North with Meat and Metal

[Ueno Mizuki]

Given the skills MAI had already displayed so freely before it didn't take much imagination for Mizuki to know what the magia was planning when she stated that she could speed up the last leg of their journey.

That said, gravity suddenly disappearing was still quite the experience, the caenis blinking in surprise before letting out a surprised yelp when her purple-haired companion simply threw her as if she were weightless. Which, at the moment, she actually was.

With her shapeshifting abilities, Mizuki was no stranger to flight, but that was different from her current situation. It didn't feel like she was really falling or flying or anything else: it was more like the world around her was moving and she was the only thing that wasn't. She could imagine how this might make some people nauseous, although fortunately she wasn't cursed with that affliction.

Okay, now how do I...

She was still figuring out whether she'd be able to propel herself like normal if she grew wings and used those to fly when MAI fixed her conundrum, the smaller female joining her in the sky with glowing wings that allowed her to move without any difficulties. Rather than wasting time figuring out how to get back to the ground herself Mizuki went along with MAI's assistance, a simple push enough to make her now fly towards the very same ridge she'd pointed out before.

Once she was close enough she spun herself so she was facing the ground with her hind paws rather than her face. A jarring shock announced that she was no longer floating through open space, the wildling skidding across the snow-swept rocks once before digging in with all four her clawed paws and coming to a halt.

That's... a very unusual form of flight. (She took a deep breath.) That'll take some getting used to if we do this again.

It wasn't unpleasant, but her body wasn't entirely sure what to make of it. Shaking her head Mizuki straightened her stance and walked back towards MAI, indicating the valley beyond the ridge with one hand.

Well, here we are. Welcome to the Hylands.

Despite the snow, frost, and chilly winds that dominated the ridge the two of them were standing on, what greeted them on the other side was a vast land of green, stretching out as far as the eye could see. To both sides mountains stretched out, then curved to follow the edge of the Hylands that the Ascent was merely the path to, with the mountains on the other side only vaguely visible thanks to the clear skies. There were clouds up here as well, but significantly less than down below, floating closer above the valley's fertile plains. Up here on the ridge the skies were a brilliant blue, the sun making the snow almost glow and casting a sharp shadow where the valley rose up to meet the mountainous crown that surrounded it.

It'll be a bit longer before it becomes night time, so do you want to wait here? It is warmer down there, if that matters.

Across the valley's vast terrain, various settlements could be seen, villages and towns which looked small from their vantage point and from so far away. Patches of darker green also made it clear that there were forests here in the Hylands, the temperature climate in seeming conflict with the plateau's altitude.

@MAI

 

[MAI]

‎

For how rough the ascend up to this point was, this last part really was quite simple. No aerial enemies to block the path, no avalanches to bury them alive, only the brief flight that got them to the endpoint of their journey. Granted, Mizuki might have almost suggested something truly silly. MAI might have been very lack in her expressions for the most part, but even her eyes widened and then narrowed as she stared at the caenis, as if she was questioning her partner's sanity. Or, alternatively, silently asking if she was serious. Did she forget why the magia was wrapped in that cloak of hers? It was really cold!

So, without any word, she simply started walking toward the downward path into the Hylands. She had about enough of this temperature, and she was sure that Mizuki would follow without any issues. That said, the view before them was certainly something. The fantastical world presented itself once more, occasionally ignoring how things should behave under the laws of a normal world. She didn't mind, though. The place already looked enchanting from a distance, and with a bit of luck, it would be even better once they actually got down and closer to civilization... or at least somewhere that was not covered in snow and harpies.

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

Mizuki raised an eyebrow as MAI looked at her like she'd just completely lost her mind. For the caenis the current temperature wasn't that remarkable, her fur and her metabolism doing a good job of keeping her warm and comfortable. Or at least not freezing. While MAI had stated before that she wasn't immune to cold weather the wildling still needed to be reminded that MAI would rather be in a warm environment when possible, so as her companion just started descending down towards the valley Mizuki shrugged and followed.

Be careful on the way down. It's not uncommon for someone to get this far only to get careless and slip. Given your control over gravity it might not be as big a risk, but you'd need to be fast to recover in time.

When descending from a mountain one has to watch out not to move too fast or too recklessly. The snow hid the ground, which meant that if one put their weight on their front foot too quickly they could quickly find themselves without any purchase. Most likely this wasn't really an issue for MAI, but Mizuki wasn't going to just stay silent on the matter. For her part Mizuki was familiar enough with the path, and confident enough in her skills, that she had little difficulty catching up with MAI, her strong hind paws helping her stay stable even on such terrain.

As they kept moving forwards and downwards the terrain did slowly ease out: the steep mountainside, formed of rock and snow with little in the way of plants or dirt, would give way to gravel and soil, and soon they'd come across a relatively shallow incline that would allow them to walk the rest of the way without having to worry about ledges or cliffs. With each step the valley became just a tad larger, rising up to meet them while the air grew warmer and warmer. Where before they'd been standing above the clouds their descent also brought them low enough that the valley's personal collection now drifted high above them, with a particularly big one in the distance turning the sky dark as it dispensed its wet load upon the plains below.

Do you want to visit one of the villages? The closest settlement can be reached before dark if we hurry a little.

@MAI

 

[MAI]

‎

Mizuki might have been somewhat worried about the descent, just as she was about the ascent, but it really wasn't necessary. MAI turned around only briefly to reassure the wolf.

"Statement - if the evil creatures from beyond could not manage to fully destroy this unit, tumbling down the side of a cliff will not be able to, either. HP is plentiful."

With that, she offered a brief thumbs up before she continued downward again. Beyond her general sturdiness, there was also the fact that she was far more used to this than the almost vertical climb they had to throw themselves at before. Vacations to the mountains of various countries were not exactly uncommon for her, so walking up these slopes was already something she had plenty of experience with. Granted, they usually were not covered in a blanket of snow, but even that gave way soon enough, revealing a path already treaded by people that came before them. Her mechanical feet would easily find spots that allowed for balance and stable footing, and soon enough, they were near their final goal... so to speak.

"Query - Will the inhabitants of Hylands be welcoming of our presence? If necessary, this unit can avoid settlements and locals to the best of its abilities."

Considering the fact that Mizuki clearly wasn't here for the first plan, and had suggested it in the first place, the obvious answer would be that they were welcoming enough, at the very least. But MAI wanted to convey that she was also capable of avoiding any places that she should avoid, just to clear the air up. She was plenty conscious that there could be potential conflicts with someone like herself, given how some humans stared at her in the normal cities already. It was the magia life, it seemed.

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

Mizuki nodded as Mai clearly was unconcerned about the possibility of falling. Given every other threat one faced in this world it probably did seem like a very minor issue to most adventurers, whether they were Travelers or Landers. The magia didn't need the caenis to fret over every little thing that could go wrong, so the wildling just kept descending together with her companion, quickly leaving behind the snowcapped peaks of the Godswreath and reaching the outer rim of the Valley of the Sun, where the Sun Claw resided together with the divine guardian beasts which fortunately where nowhere in sight right now.

Hrmmm... It should be fine. (She looked at MAI.) The two caenis tribes, the Sun Claw and the Moon Fang, have both remained on top of these Hylands and ignored the rest of the world for some time now. The Moon Fang are still hostile towards almost all outsiders, but the Sun Claw are accepting... if a bit wary. (She shrugged.) But, truth be told, they'll probably be more open to you than to me.

It wasn't something she was happy with, but it was the truth. While MAI would be considered exotic the people of the Hylands hadn't experienced the same magia-related issues as those living in the lands below, while the Sun Claw did have a good reason to be suspicious of Mizuki.

Taking MAI's words as affirmation that the drone master would be open to visiting one of the villages if it wasn't an issue Mizuki would lead the way to the closest settlement, which was close enough to the Godswreath that the floor of the highest building was above the roof of the lowest building.

As they got closer they could clearly see smoke slithering up into the skies from the various buildings, along with small figures moving through the streets which became larger and more detailed with every step. Mizuki's ears twitched as she heard a shout, her expression becoming a little more tense as she saw several of the people out and about quickly gathering in the middle of the village.

Looks like we've been spotted. Well, just don't ask about the Moon Fang. It's a touchy subject for them.

@MAI

 

[MAI]

‎

After everything they have been though, experiencing a culture shock was probably on the bottom of the bucket list of dangers that MAI worried about. Though, paradoxically, it might have been the most dangerous one of them all, if they were to antagonize all of the locals accidentally. Hylands certainly appeared large enough that they could flee to someplace else, but the magia had zero idea how efficiently information moved between different settlements and tribes here. Not to mention Mizuki's warning about Moon Fang, which logically implied that at least half of the territory would not be accessible to them.

"Statement - This unit will do its best to not overstep any boundaries of the locals. Intention to communicate with locals and cause a misunderstanding on accident: Minimal."

Without extensive knowledge of the local laws, rules, and customs, that was probably the best course of action. Simply letting Mizuki handle things, whenever possible... even if she appeared to have an unpleasant history with the people here. Somewhat unexpected, given that she looked like she'd be one of them... or was her color scheme more fitting the more hostile Moon Fangs? Regardless, her synthetic eyes fixated on the gathering crowd. Hopefully, they weren't there for lynching.

"Acknowledged - Conversation topic categorized as undesirable."

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

A small snort escaped Mizuki before she could stop herself, the caenis coughing in an attempt to cover it up while looking into the distance. MAI's stated intention to not cause an incident was, of course, appreciated, but she couldn't help but find the way the cyber angel said it amusing.

"Yes, good. They might take some getting used to how you talk... or now that I think about it, it might make it easier for them to accept that you're truly foreign and thus can't be expected to know their customs. Either way, I'll do most of the talking at first.

They were now between the first buildings, making their way towards the centre of the settlement. The layout of the village was notably spherical, buildings forming rings around the large clearing in the middle with straight roads leading towards it like the spokes of a wheel. The outermost rings weren't completely filled, with the village spilling out more towards the valley than the foothills the two adventurers were leaving behind, but even then they only very rarely deviated from the pattern.

The villagers, curiously enough, seemed content to wait for the two of them to reach the centre, even if quite a few of them had gathered by the time they arrived. The village was large enough to contain at least a hundred people, which meant that even now the group meeting them was only a small fraction, only reaching the low double digits. Still, that was already enough to make it clear that their arrival had been noticed, and Mizuki knew that there would also be children peeking at them from between the buildings.

You've returned.

One of the villagers took a step forward, Mizuki coming to a halt in response. Her ears were turned towards the person standing in front of them, her tail calmly swishing from side to side behind her while she planted one hand on her hip.

I have, yes. I'm still welcome here, aren't I?

You haven't betrayed our trust yet, so you can come and go as you please. (She shifted her gaze towards MAI.) The same goes for your companion. Have you taught her our customs?

She knows enough not to cause offence. We're not planning on staying very long.

As usual, then.

With all of that said the... spokeswoman, most likely... turned around and gestured towards the other villagers. They quickly dispersed, returning to their own business with only the occasional glance towards the outsiders. Mizuki waited for the square to be empty aside from herself and MAI before sighing.

You might have some questions?

@MAI

 

[MAI]

‎

MAI had no trouble following shortly after Mizuki. It wasn't like she knew where exactly to go, anyway. The wolf had clear knowledge of this area from previous visits, and even suggested that they go here in the first place. Still, it was pretty curious to watch all the gathered caenis. Almost like they were back in the capital where the clear bias of players leaning toward a certain playable race truly showed.

All went seemingly well, and people dispersed. But as Mizuki presented her thoughts, the magia could only shake her head in mild amusement.

"Negative - Mizuki's past is open only to Mizuki. This unit is not privileged to this information. All went well, no need to worry about anything."

If she wanted to share what all of that was about, then she was free to. If she didn't, MAI wouldn't force her. That was ultimately what it boiled down to. However, she had a question in a different regard.

"Query - Where will our party lodge?"

Something better than a barren cave potentially full of flesh-eating worms, hopefully. There was also the objective of their entire trip - the stars. It was obvious from looking upward that the skies were remarkably clear here, yes, but MAI imagined that Mizuki might have had specific stare-gazing spots in mind as well.

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

Mizuki had thought of MAI as the curious type, easily drawn towards anything she didn't immediately understand. So for her synthetic companion to state she had no intention of prying earned her a mildly surprised look from the wildling, followed by a nod and a light smile.

Is that so... Well, let's leave it at that then.

If MAI wasn't going to ask Mizuki didn't think it was important enough to talk about either. While the villagers did treat her with some suspicion she didn't think they'd actually have to worry about any trouble now that the first greeting had passed without incident, which meant that for their journey her relationship with the village was no longer very relevant.

MAI's next question revealed an oversight in Mizuki's planning. The wildling was perfectly happy to log out in the middle of nowhere, but it had slipped her mind that her companion might have expected them to sleep somewhere more suitable. Keeping her face neutral to not show her embarrassment Mizuki pointed further into the valley, past the village.

If we follow the nearest river we'll reach a small lake. It'll be a good place to watch the stars from, and it's also a good place to set up camp.

@MAI

 

[MAI]

‎

While MAI was most certainly curious, she hardly wanted to be nosy. People's private affairs were their own, and unless they wanted to share them on their own accord, the magia had learned to just leave them be. And the fact that Mizuki remained silent after the brief exchange only enforced to her that the wolf probably wasn't interested in sharing the knowledge of whatever might have happened in the past to cause such seemingly strung relationship between herself and the locals.

It was also somewhat amusing to see the wolf girl hesitate slightly when asked about potential lodgings. Especially after she was so considerate of MAI's battery life and its charging the prior night. Granted, the path ahead of them seemed like a cakewalk in terms of dangers compared to the ascend, but still. Small lake sounded good, even if it was not an inn that the girl had imagined prior to arriving here.

"Understood - This unit will follow until the destination is reached."

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

MAI's manner of speaking did still give Mizuki pause at times, but the wildling nodded in affirmation before leading the way. It didn't take long before the village was once again behind them, the two Travelers heading for the river which flowed from the mountains surrounding the Hylands down into the valley, slithering across the landscape. This close to the mountains the river was still mostly a series of rapids, frothing water rushing down the path towards the open plains beyond while producing a constant fine mist.

As they got closer the sound of the river also filled the air, a soft roaring which contrasted sharply with the howling of winds they'd endured while scaling the Ascent. The sound itself was enough to remind Mizuki that the two of them hadn't had the opportunity to eat or drink much on the way up, or just hadn't taken the opportunity when it presented itself.

Hrmmm...

She considered suggesting to MAI that they take a break, but given that the lake shouldn't be too far away decided against it. Instead she motioned for MAI to follow as she walked up to the water's edge, white-furred hind paws firmly standing on top of the wet and slippery rocks which formed the river's boundary while sprays of droplets reached all the way to her knees. Crouching down the wildling scooped up some of the water with her hands, sniffing it before splashing it across her face, quickly shaking her head afterwards.

Sorry if I asked this before, but do magia also experience thirst?

Another handful of water went down her throat this time, the almost freezing temperature making a shiver travel down her spine even as a refreshing clarity washed across her mind.

@MAI

 

[MAI]

‎

The environment they were treading through reminded the magia of family trips to foreign countries and their mountains. Not too stop anymore, with wild nature surrounding them, rushing waters nearby sustaining life that lived all around. Clear air to breathe, obstacles to overcome... it almost felt nostalgic, even though she had never been to this place before.

As per usual, each step made her float above the ground for a while before her body would descend again for another touchdown. At least it meant that the wet stones and rushing water were hardly a problem for her, even if her boots were not made with the idea of fighting against slippery surfaces in mind. The water even barely managed to splash at her, for the most part. Though, when Mizuki turned around and asked, MAI did pause in place for a bit.

"Affirmitive - Magia are still required to cater to their hunger and thirst meters. However, they cannot taste anything without a specific trait. This unit is in possession of said trait."

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

MAI's way of walking was, in a way, rather entertaining. It was almost like a playful skipping, except the synthetic's control over gravity meant that she really was bouncing across the surface with measurable air time. Combined with the pleasant scenery they were now crossing it was a sharp contrast with the tiresome journey they'd endured to get here up in the Hylands.

Mizuki would have asked MAI whether constantly using her gravity magic like that wouldn't cause her reserves to drain faster, but now that they were no longer scaling the Ascent it didn't matter as much: even if MAI tired herself out they could take a rest pretty much wherever they wanted.

If you can taste things you might as well get something to drink here. It doesn't get much fresher than meltwater.

While the sprays from the rapids might make drinking a bit more splashy than it would otherwise be Mizuki would argue that it was more than worth it, especially since it just helped make the entire experience more refreshing. Now that they were in the Hylands proper they could afford to be more relaxed, and they did also have some time to kill before night would fall and the stars would show up.

@MAI

 

[MAI]

‎

Looking up the stream and then back at Mizuki, the magia nodded before she twirled one of her fingers, causing a substantial blob of water to suddenly separate from the rest and rise up in the air.

"Confirmation - Running water is suitable for human consumption. Stagnation is not yet present."

Not that illnesses were something she had to worry about, but she figured that the wolf girl probably wanted some water as well after going a decent distance without any. Especially considering how much of that distance was spent actively climbing a rockface. The only thing that was missing was some manner of vessel they could fill with the water.

"Query - Is it more appropriate for this location to lodge outdoors instead of looking for an inn?"

Did this place even have inns? Surely, the beastfolk had gathering spots, even if their society up here was different from that of the humans and non-humans who inhabited the lower lands.

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

The sight of some of the water simply floating up into the air, gathering as a single large sphere, was not something Mizuki had been expecting. She would've expected that from a hydromancer, although in hindsight there was no reason why a gravity mage wouldn't be able to achieve similar effects.

I'd say stagnation is the exact opposite of how you'd describe these waters. (She indicated the foaming surface.) As for pollution, the only concern is if there's a dead body further upwards the stream, but we'd have noticed that.

A corpse was a rich source of diseases, and a corpse which was leaking into a river could contaminate that river for kilometres. Up in the mountains that was less of a concern, and even if there were dead things further up into the mountains Mizuki's sharp nose would have caught it.

With her having wetted her throat and MAI having gathered her floating sphere of water Mizuki started walking down into the valley once more, sticking close enough to the river without stepping onto the slippery stones that formed the riverbed.

We could also look for an inn, but if we want to get the best view of the night sky it'd have to be at the lake. (She nodded towards the village they'd left behind in the distance.) That, and they might be more comfortable if we don't stay the night. The Hylands were closed off to outsiders up until a couple of years ago, and while the Sun Claw are more welcoming than the Moon Fang they're still not used to having lots of outsiders hanging around.

She didn't mention the part where they might also want her specifically to stay at a distance, given that MAI could figure that out from their visit and had made it clear she wouldn't inquire further. And the rest of what she said was also true: there were many caenes who would sleep more comfortably not wondering about the guests in the village.

The rapids would slowly calm down as they kept following the river's trail, the temperature also gradually going up as they left behind the foothills and descended into the valley proper. Stone and snow became sparse as instead surprisingly fresh and green grass became the main feature, with trees guarding the river's edge with increasing frequency. In the distance the blue shimmer of the lake slowly became larger, yet at the same time more obscured as their journey brought them closer to the same altitude and the various vegetation that surrounded the source of freshwater got in the way of their vision.

@MAI

 

[MAI]

‎

"Confirmation - Quick analysis shows no signs of harmful pathogens in the water sample."

With that, the blob of water fell down and splashed back into the flowing river, MAI's glowing eyes muting a bit as whatever she did to analyze the sample had ceased. Though the caenis was clearly not very worried, having already drunk some even before the magia said as much. One of them was familiar with this place, the other was not. So naturally, MAI was quite out of her element and her help was not particularly needed. Still, she hoped to repay the favor of actually being led here in some way. With her weightless steps, she followed behind Mizuki as they followed the flowing waters.

"Affirmative - Immediate area appears to be significantly safer and more habitable than the caverns surrounding the ascend. Camping should be possible without significant risk of harm or death."

She certainly was glad that she wouldn't have to worry about any... horrific worm-like creatures trying to enter her mechanical body to consume her from within. If it was possible, the thought alone would make her shudder. Which would probably still happen in the physical world whenever she would think back to this adventure.

For now, their goal seemed to be a lake at the end of this river. The magia's eyes naturally trailed upward, toward the skies as the biome around them slowly shifted to a rocky grassland with plentiful vegetation, much to the contrast of the barrens they had just fought their way through. In fact, it reminded the girl of certain places in Europe that she had seen pictures of, and even of some places she had visited, though none were quite as beautiful as the place where they were right now.

It felt... like quite a shame, actually. The fact that the only way to get here was through such a treacherous path. Not many people would get to see this natural wonder. On the other hand, that also meant that this experience was all the more unique. An almost exclusive privilege. So she better make sure to properly enjoy it all, now that they were here and the greatest dangers were behind them.

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

The journey towards the lake was, in comparison to what they'd already endured to get to this point, rather uneventful. As MAI had accurately noted, the Valley of the Sun was significantly more hospitable and gentle than the Ascent: it was almost gentle, the sun's bright lays warming a land high enough up that it should have been freezing. Yet, somehow, it was closer to a brisk spring.

Mizuki knew that the Hylands weren't immune to winter, but the high altitude of the Caenis homeland meant the weather was entirely different from what one experienced far below, and the two of them were lucky enough that currently this part of the Valley was enjoying very mild conditions.

There are still some wild animals out here, but you're right that camping is actually pretty easy up here. (She frowned.) Although I've heard that the harpies have become more bold lately... Well, with the two of us that shouldn't be a concern: they're smart enough to not go after prey that might hunt them instead.

Given that most Sun Claw weren't exactly eager to talk to Mizuki her understanding of the situation wasn't complete, but even short visits to the kotans had allowed her to overhear talks of bolder harpy attacks, people going missing in the valley where in the past they would have been safe. Supposedly the death of the Valley's protector was to blame... although they weren't eager to tell her more about that.

Have you gone camping before?

Thanks to MAI's synthetic body she probably didn't have to worry quite as much about nature's challenges as most, even if the magia insisted that she wasn't much different from organics. Either way, the Valley's blessings meant that this was as good a place to enjoy the outdoors as any, arguably even better than that.

By this point they were close enough that the trees temporarily hid the lake entirely from their eyes, the caenis walking straight into the forest surrounding the large body of water. There was but a moment of pause as she thought she spotted something moving away, but once it became clear that it wasn't coming back she resumed walking.

@MAI

 

[MAI]

‎

The mention of harpies did give MAI a brief pause as her mind was quickly assaulted by a passing memory, but she quickly shook it off and continued ahead with Mizuki. Certainly, with the both of them, it would hardly be a problem even if they were attacked by a flock of such creatures, unless the ones she mentioned were significantly stronger than the one they had encountered along the way. But the way the wolf girl spoke, that seemed exceedingly unlikely.

And as far as other beasts were concerned... well, from what MAI understood, having a lit flame nearby would ensure that most problematic ones would steer clear of them. Though that might have very well been a myth, which steered right into the answer to Mizuki's question.

"Negative - This unit does not assume that sleeping in a tent would be classified as camping if said tent was in the garden when this unit was a child."

That was about the extent of her camping experience, leaving the house through the back door and sleeping in a tent in the middle of the garden. It was really more of a fun experience for her as a child than an actual attempt at camping. Though the forest they entered seemed thick enough to not allow much room for any camping accommodation. Perhaps there would be more open space once they were at the lake's edge.

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

Some people might still call it camping, but it's not really comparable to what we're doing out here. (She shook her head.) But with the absence of any serious threats it shouldn't be an issue: the basics are easy to pick up on.

While in Arcia Mizuki herself rarely bothered with tents or the like, but with her companion this time around it was probably better to show her the ropes. Even if MAI wasn't inclined to do a lot of adventuring on her own, knowing the basics could still be useful in the future.

Especially now that the situation down below in the lands of the humans were becoming more unstable.

The forest continued to only show glimpses of the glittering lake ahead until they reached the edge, at which point the trees gave way to a wide expanse of blue underneath an equally blue sky. The surface of the lake was smooth enough to almost be a mirror, the surrounding forest sheltering it from the winds that travelled throughout the valley so only the occasional breeze formed ripples.

Coming to a halt Mizuki looked around, her moon eyes going from the lake to the forest that surrounded it. The river by this point had calmed down enough that it gently flowed into the lake, feeding the large body of water. There was also more space here, although the trees closest to the lake leaned towards it as if to gaze into their own reflection.

Well, here we are. (She motioned towards the lake.) Once night falls we should have a good view of the night sky here, and as a bonus you'll be able to see it reflected on the lake.

It was quite a nice view, at least in Mizuki's mind: the area had a secluded feeling to it, as if the rest of the world temporarily ceased to exist while you resided in this place of natural green and blue.

@MAI

 

[MAI]

‎

MAI wasn't planning to argue. As someone who liked to learn new things every now and then, she was well aware that most things were easy enough to learn in the way of their basics. Only was only when you wished to truly master something that a considerable investment of energy and time became absolutely necessary.

But as they did reach the lake's mouth, taking in the stream they have been following this whole time, all of those unnecessary thoughts melted away. Nature did always have a way of impressing, did it not? With a few steps, the magia got a bit ahead, her feet suddenly parting from the grassy earth and making contact with the water's surface.

They did not break the thin veil, however. With only the tips of her boots creating ripples in the water, she remained suspended above the reflective surface while looking around in awe. With the warmth provided by the sun in an otherwise fairly cold environment, it reminded her of the times she visited lakes in mountainous regions back in the physical world with her parents.

@Ueno Mizuki