CHAPTER SEVEN
The Veil Opens
At dawn, the mountain broke open.
No warning, no hint beneath their feet. Just a blast so loud it ripped through the valley, like the sky itself decided to split in two. Birds exploded out of the trees in wild flocks. People in Silver pine stumbled outside, staring at the ridge, stunned, as the earth groaned and split apart.
Aria felt it first, deep in her bones, before she ever saw the light. Blue fire shot up from the mountainside, slicing through the morning mist. It wasn't the soft blue of summer skies or the pale blue you see on winter ice. It was alive, bright and wild, like the pulse of something ancient.
The ridge tore itself open with a screech that echoed off every snowy slope. From the growing gap, a plume of icy mist spilled out, curling along the ground like some strange creature shaking off a thousand year sleep. It snaked over the rocks and pine roots, whispering in a language long before any tree.
Kael stood next to Aria, jaw set tight, his eyes reflecting that strange blue light. "The veil is open", he said. His voice sounded heavy, like he was dragging every word uphill.
Aria swallowed hard, her heart racing. She thought this moment would feel different, maybe heroic, maybe like a victory. But it felt more like the world exhaling its last breath. Something tugged at her, deep inside, as if invisible hands were reaching out from the chasm to pull her in.
"What is happening to the mountain"? she asked. The mist brushed her skin, cold as moonlit water. Her breath turned white as soon as it left her lips.
Kael kept his eyes on the chasm. "The two worlds are merging. The barrier's collapsing". Regret crept into his voice, strange and worn. "If we don't reach the Heart before nightfall, both realms freeze. Forever".
Aria's pulse jumped. She had heard Kael talk about the Heart before, that glowing core hidden deep in the frost realm. But she had never seen him look scared when he spoke about it. Now, it was right there on his face, mixed with a responsibility he never talked about and a guilt he could not hide.
Eamon pulled his pack tighter, his breath coming in fast, white puffs. "We are coming with you", he said. No room for arguing.
Kael turned, his eyes softer now, almost sorry. "This path wasn't made for mortals." He shook his head. "Beyond the veil, everything changes. Time, sound, light, even your thoughts. You might not come back the same".
Eamon stepped up, nose to nose with Kael. "Doesn't matter. She's not going alone. I'm not leaving her".
Aria's heart twisted, gratitude, guilt, all tangled together. Eamon had already given up so much for her. He'd left behind his previous life style, stood by her when everyone else turned away, and now he was ready to walk straight into the unknown.
She touched his arm, gentle. "You don't have to come if you're not sure".
He met her eyes, stubborn and real. "I've never been more sure of anything".
The mist wrapped around their feet, thicker now, as if it wanted them closer. That pull inside Aria grew sharper, almost desperate. Like she was being drawn to a door she'd been waiting her whole life to open, even if she had no clue what was behind it.
Kael let out a long breath, resignation in every line of his face. "Then it's settled", Aria said, quiet but steady. She wasn't letting fear take over now. "We go together".
Kael nodded. "Stay close. The veil tests your mind before it tests your strength".
They walked to the edge. The chasm yawned wide, its rim jagged and steaming with a cold that didn't belong in this world. The air thrummed, a faint, haunting melody, like a lullaby lost to the wind. The blue mist glowed brighter with every step, almost as if it recognized Aria.
Eamon ran his gloved hand through the mist. "Feels alive".
"It is", Kael answered. "The frost realm breathes through this. It can sense warmth and it's hungry for it".
A shiver ran down Aria's spine, but curiosity pushed her on. She peered into the depths, where the world seemed to fall away forever. Frost coated the rocks, sparkling like crystal scales. The air shimmered with flecks of frozen light, drifting like tiny stars.
"Once we step through", Kael murmured, "the world you know disappears".
Aria nodded. "Let it".
She took a deep breath and stepped forward.
The cold slammed into her, sharp and fierce. It stole the air from her lungs, wrapped tight around her, and pulled her down. Somewhere behind her, Eamon shouted her name, but it sounded from a distance, under the howling wind.
The world flipped. The sky vanished. The ground slipped away.
And then, nothing. Just silence.
For a second, she just floated there, nowhere at all. Not falling, not flying. Then the frost realm caught her.
Her feet hit something solid, but it wasn't really earth. More like stepping onto frozen starlight, slick, shining, and humming with these soft little whispers that tickled the back of her mind. The air glowed a ghostly blue. And instead of stars overhead, constellations sparkled under their boots.
Eamon landed next to her, a groan rumbling out. "Okay, that was weird".
Kael was last, gliding through the veil like he'd done it a hundred times. The mist just parted, easy as anything.
Aria glanced around, heart pounding. Pillars of ice twisted upward, reaching for a sky that wasn't really a sky at all, just layer after layer of swirling frost clouds, glowing from somewhere deep inside. Off in the distance, crystal mountains stretched across the horizon, shining soft and steady like lanterns for giants.
"What is this place"? Eamon whispered.
Kael's eyes softened, heavy with both wonder and regret. "The world of frost. My world. And the reason yours is dying".
Aria stared up, not sure where the sky even began. The frost clouds writhed and pulsed, like something behind them was waking up. That strange pull tugged at her again, even sharper now, dragging her deeper into this glowing landscape.
"The Heart is calling you", Kael said, voice low. "It knows you're here".
She clutched her cloak tight, the cold biting all the way to her bones. "Then let's move".
They set off across the shining ice plains. With each step, the air grew colder. The whispers thickened, strange voices, full of warnings and secrets, brushing against her thoughts. Aria felt them scratching at her mind, looking for cracks.
Eamon stuck close, breathing fast. "This place is messing with my head", he muttered.
"It's going to get worse", Kael warned. "The frost realm feeds on what you feel. Don't let it in".
Aria pushed herself forward, even as her mind threatened to drift away. The Heart's pull thudded in her chest, a second heartbeat she couldn't shake.
Somewhere ahead, a new sound rumbled, deep, ancient, impossible to ignore.
Kael stopped cold. His eyes went sharp. "We're not alone".
The frost shivered underfoot.
Shadows slipped and slid.
And the world of frost opened its eyes.