Chapter 7: The Guardian of the Mist

After crossing the moving cracks in the mountains of the north, Willity and Sixsevenin continued toward the strange blue light that appeared every night among the distant mists of S7.

Now it seemed closer.

Not much closer.

But enough for both of them to feel that they might really reach it one day.

The mountains began to change little by little.

The bare rock paths disappeared beneath enormous moss-covered roots, and the mist slowly descended until it covered almost the entire landscape. Great trees with twisted trunks grew along the slopes, and glowing plants pushed their way through the shadows like tiny green stars.

There were no more suspended bridges or ancient platforms.

This area felt much wilder.

And much older.

The northern mountains slowly disappeared beneath the mist and the giant roots of the jungle.

Sometimes they walked for hours hearing nothing except the wind moving through the giant leaves of the mist jungle.

Other times they could hear distant roars that made the ground tremble beneath their feet.

Although neither of them said it out loud, they both knew they were now very far from the cities of S7.

As they walked beside a small river covered in bluish mist, Willity suddenly looked up at the stars.

—Sometimes I dream about another planet —he said softly.

Sixsevenin turned his head slightly toward him.

Willity remained silent for a few seconds before continuing.

—It is a blue planet... full of oceans... and creatures different from those on S7. Sometimes I can see it very clearly when I look at the stars.

The mist drifted slowly between the giant trees.

—What if that planet really exists? —asked Sixsevenin.

Willity did not answer immediately.

He simply looked for a moment at the small blue light shining far away among the mountains.

—I think it does.

They continued walking while gathering small glowing fruits growing beside the roots of some enormous trees.

Then Willity asked something he had been wondering about for a long time.

—Why do you wear those robes?

Sixsevenin slowly looked down at his orange cloak.

—They belonged to the ancient inhabitants of S7.

The wind gently moved through the giant leaves of the jungle.

—The first beings who lived here left many things behind when they disappeared. The cities... the machines... the elevated gardens... and their clothes too.

Willity listened carefully.

—Many Sixevenians still wear them to remember them.

For a few seconds, both remained silent.

The mist was becoming thicker and thicker.

Then it happened.

A gigantic roar echoed through the entire jungle.

Branches began to shake violently, and something enormous moved among the trees.

Very close.

Too close.

Sixsevenin stepped back in alarm while Willity watched the gigantic shadows moving through the mist.

The ground trembled.

Another roar echoed across the low mountains.

And then it appeared.

The creature seemed to be part of the mountains of S7 themselves.

The creature was enormous.

Much larger than either of them had imagined when they heard those sounds beneath the moving cracks.

Its body seemed to be made of rock, roots, and dark plates covered with glowing moss. Four huge legs moved heavily across the muddy ground while its eyes lit up the mist with bluish reflections.

Willity and Sixsevenin immediately started running.

They crossed giant roots, small ravines, and fallen trees while the creature moved behind them, breaking huge branches as it came.

Sixsevenin almost slipped several times on the wet mud, but Willity always quickly found a safe way forward.

The roar sounded again.

Closer and closer.

Suddenly, Willity stopped.

In front of them, partly hidden by the mist, a small baby of the creature was trying to stay balanced on a narrow rock beside the edge of a deep crack covered with wet roots.

The stone was slowly beginning to break beneath its feet.

Then both of them understood.

The creature was not chasing them.

It was trying to reach its baby.

Without thinking, Willity quickly jumped between the roots while Sixsevenin grabbed a long vine hanging from one of the nearby trees.

At that exact moment, the small creature slipped.

But Willity managed to catch it before it fell into the abyss.

For a few seconds, Sixsevenin pulled with all his strength from the edge while the enormous creature watched silently through the mist.

At last, they managed to pull the little creature onto safe ground.

Silence slowly returned to the jungle.

The gigantic creature moved slowly toward them.

Sixsevenin could barely move.

But the beast did not roar.

Instead, it slowly lowered its head toward them in what seemed like a gesture of gratitude and affection before moving closer to its baby.

Then both of them disappeared into the mist of the low mountains without making a sound.

Suddenly, they realized that the light truly seemed within their reach.

Willity and Sixsevenin sat for a while beside the giant roots of the forest, trying to catch their breath.

Far away, the blue light still shone between the mountains.

Now it seemed much closer than before.

And for the first time since they had begun their journey, both of them felt that something important was waiting for them at the end of the path.