There was no surprise left in her when the boy confirmed his predicament.

I see. I’m so sorry to hear that. It is lovely to meet you, Ciel. A friend of Skoll’s? He’s a good boy, I didn’t realize he had stumbled upon someone.

Letting out a quiet sigh, she gave him another once-over, checking for any clear signs of injury or illness. Aside from being lost and cold, he didn’t appear to be in poor shape.

Come. Let’s get you out of the cold. I will answer what questions I can, though I cannot promise you will like what you hear.

Preparing him for that reality, she stepped closer and offered a gentle nudge with her nose, encouraging him to move deeper into the Goldenwood.

This land is called Mythris. It is a place of many strange magicks, a land that is deeply unwell as it stands.

If the blue fissures didn’t make that clear, the distant, echoing tremors certainly did. They were far enough from the sea to avoid the moving isle’s direct torment, but its fury still carried.

This land… it steals people. Takes them from their lives without warning. It does not seem bound to any one world, I have met many like you here. The stories are often the same. They fall asleep in one place, or begin walking in a familiar direction… and then suddenly, they are here.

She fell quiet as they walked, giving the pup time to process. It was a heavy truth, one many struggled to accept.