Slowly, the bow of his boat parted the tiny water lettuces covering nearly the entire surface of the lake. Its motion broke through the fog mixed with sulfurous smoke, which was beginning to turn red, reflected by the twilight sky. His aging, lined face grimaced, causing his thick eyebrows to meet as he tried to endure the pungent stench. His horse stood before him, occasionally fidgeting due to the strangely altered atmosphere.
"Calm down... Wus Wus... we will leave this place soon..."
His gaze took in the scenery, which had completely transformed since he began his journey away from home. What had initially appeared lush and vibrant green had now turned gruesome. The vast swamp looked as if it were afflicted by a skin disease. Clusters of yellow crystals exposed by the earth resembled boils covering the swamp's body. From the depressions, thin plumes of smoke billowed like pus continuously oozing out, while fissures in the ground gaped like open sores rending the swamp's skin. Eruptions of gas burst forth everywhere.
The boat he rowed surged onward fearlessly until it arrived at an area he deemed most severely impacted by the earthquake. From a distance off to the side, he passed by and observed a vast amount of water cascading down between large trees whose bases were submerged. The rushing water resembled a waterfall caused by fissures in the earth that spewed waves of sweltering heat. Clusters of shiny yellow crystal stones, reflecting the twilight rays, protruded in abundance from the walls of the ground fissures as torrential water rushed over them.
His fingers touched the surface of the lake, causing a few tiny water lettuce plants to get caught in his grip. "The water has turned hot!"
As the sun sank further, the reddening sky blended into a dark bluish-black, while his boat continued gliding toward the light pillar. Upon reaching the forest bordering the swamp, numerous fissures and several plumes of smoke were still visible, though somewhat more sparse. Now, his boat glided toward the shores of the lake until it touched the mangrove trees.
"We stop here, Wus Wus..."
Gently, he led his horse along the edge of the swamp. The farther they moved from his home, the more the ground changed. The black mud gave way to firmer soil, overgrown with short mangroves. Their roots protruded above the water's surface like slender, intertwined fingers.
A thin fog still hung in the air, but the swamp's usually humid scent was now mixed with a pungent stench. Solor occasionally covered his nose.
"The smell reaches even here..."
His horse neighed softly, its ears twitching continuously in all directions. Normally, swamp birds would crowd the trees as evening approached, but now, nothing could be heard.
His steps were still tracing the lake's edge when he suddenly halted. Between the fractured roots, something gleamed in the twilight light.
"That stone again..."
He approached it and squatted down. Clusters of yellowish crystals protruded from fissures in the ground. They were irregularly shaped, with some still attached to the parent rock. All around them, the soil appeared dried up, and several mangrove roots were turning black, as if burned from within.
He reached out his hand, his fingers touching the stone. The stone felt solid yet brittle. A subtle warmth radiated from its surface.
"Could it be..."
He broke off a small chunk about the size of a fist. Its surface was rough, but its interior reflected a pale yellow light.
As the chunk was lifted, there came the sound... Blup... blup...
Small bubbles emerged from the exposed mud. A pungent stench immediately pierced his nostrils. Spontaneously, he pulled his face back, his mustache and hanging straight beard swaying along.
"Hm..."
He pinched the stone between his index finger and thumb. Raising it toward a brighter spot, he slowly turned it over.
"Is this what caused the swamp to change?"
His horse suddenly tugged at its reins, neighing softly in an unusual manner. This time, it was not out of fear of the earthquake, but rather a reluctance to approach the spot.
He turned toward his horse, his expression turning serious.
"Alright... if even you don't like it, then something is definitely wrong."
He slipped the yellowish crystal chunk into the pocket of his otok belt, then resumed leading his horse through the mangrove forest that was beginning to be cloaked in darkness, guided by the vertical beam of light before him.
Night had fallen. The clear sky was not entirely pitch-black, but rather brilliant like clear crystal. The horse's hooves struck against stones and the ground that began to slope upward. The forest, which should have been dark, now appeared easier to traverse. The radiant light of the light pillar, drawing nearer, aided him in navigating the hilly terrain. His little horse moved nimbly, surging through the night amid the silence of the forest.
The flickering display of leaves atop the trees enticed him, as if coaxing him to look upward. As his horse galloped into a forest clearing, a brightly glowing crescent moon accompanied the light pillar.
"Wow..." He was awestruck as he witnessed the moment, all while jolting heavily from his horse's rapid stride.
"I get it now... Wus Wus... you haven't gone adventuring in a long time, have you? That's why you're so spirited!" His horse neighed loudly, then instantly shot forward through the night, forcing him to squeeze his knees tightly together.
The light pillar... why did you appear again? Even during the year of Panandha?
The small hooves clattered rhythmically against the damp ground. They navigated a winding path among the trees. The moonlight from the crescent moon occasionally slipped through the gaps between the branches. His horse ran without hesitation, its golden-yellow mane fluttering in the night breeze.
A thin fog began to thicken. The trees on either side grew denser. The sound of insects that usually filled the forest was nearly unheard. All that remained was the gusting wind and the clatter of his horse's hooves.
Solor raised his face. "It's... close now."
Before them lay a small incline.
"Let's go!"
Wus Wus picked up speed. Together, they ascended the incline with mounting vigor.
Upon reaching the top... the subtle smile on his face slowly faded.
"..."
Ahead of them, the path was completely cut off. A colossal mound of earth buried the entire forest trail. Tree roots protruded into the air. Massive trunks piled up, locking against one another, while chunks of rock lay scattered in every direction. The remnant of the landslide stretched wide, looking like a wall of earth intentionally sealing the way.
His horse halted its steps and neighed softly. Hrrrhh..
He tried to dismount slowly from his horse's back. His gaze traced the landslide from end to end.
"So.... this is the cause."
He looked up. Behind the colossal wall of earth, the light pillar still stood tall and silent, as if calling out from the other side.
"You wait here for a moment, okay..." His hands tightened the tether around a branch.
He stared at the colossal mound of earth for a few moments. Then, both of his hands grasped a tree root protruding from the landslide. Every foothold proved easily crumble-prone.
Kressh.. Kross..
A clump of earth slid down beneath his feet. He quickly shifted to a sturdier root. His short body made it easy for him to slip between the fallen tree trunks. He kept climbing until he reached a fairly high point.
Upon reaching the top of the landslide, a gentle breeze brushed against his ponytail hair, making his vest wave in the bright night. Now, his breath hitched.
The landslide turned out to be far larger than he had imagined. Earth and trees piled up as far as the eye could see, as if sealing the path he intended to take. Massive trees and giant cliff rocks lay fallen and stacked upon one another like an impenetrable giant fence.
He swept his gaze left and right, hoping to find even the smallest gap.
"If it were just me, I might still be able to force my way through... but I can't possibly leave Wus Wus behind..."
He then climbed back down while pondering a way to reach the direction of the light pillar. Once back at the bottom, he stared at his horse, which seemed restless, eager to run.
"We can't possibly make a detour, it's far too long..." His hand stroked his horse's head, then untied the tether. "The path is dangerous, impossible to cross!"