Beneath the silent sky on that snowy night, the Hot Spring Resort lay still. Outside, the cold wind brushed the treetops, while distant stars watched over the battle that had just ended. Those eternal, unchanging stars had witnessed one upheaval after another. What had happened today was merely an insignificant footnote in the long march of history, not even worth remembering.
They had soaked in the hot springs, eaten dinner, fought to their hearts' content, and played a tabletop campaign afterward. After enjoying the night's whispered intimacies, even Aegir, the most energetic of the group, slept soundly. Nastya, who had always felt the least secure, also felt waves of exhaustion and relaxation wash over her.
Dark Elf Sister's shapely body lay hidden beneath thick blankets. She kept assuring herself that she was safe here, slowly drifting into dreams under the influence of her own suggestions.
The trance of meditation relaxed her tense muscles. Somewhere in that hazy state, Nastya heard a faint sound. A beautiful, strange hymn drifted from afar, a sorrowful song carried beneath the starlight of midnight. Drawn by its power, her spirit rose higher and traveled farther.
The barrier between two worlds opened, and Nastya was guided into a beautiful realm. In a tranquil sea of forest beneath the midnight sky, a tall, naked dark elf with smooth, delicate skin stood upon a pool of clear spring water in a gorge. Her long hair streamed silver light and reached her ankles. She slowly danced with a longsword in her hands, freely expending her divine power.
This lady's divine power was not particularly strong, nor did it possess the weight and profound depth of the Lady of Silver's. Her power drained rapidly, but under her guidance, an unstable connection finally formed.
Nastya discovered that she could not "see