The cries in the Quinas Language surged around them like a tsunami, while the flames of the Book of Dawn in Mulan's hand blazed like the sun. At that moment, the Withered Forest hardly seemed part of the Otherworld at all. Instead, it was filled with an epic, sacred air.
Holding the Book of Dawn, Mulan returned to the edge of the abyss. Light spilled downward like flames searing the darkness. For the first time in its long history, the abyss, filled with nothing but darkness and curses, was illuminated completely, revealing the Raven Queen at its bottom.
The Raven Queen wore a black robe covered in countless raven feathers, yet those feathers looked like soft black silk, dotted with glimmers of gold. Her hair drifted around her like black smoke, its ends also shimmering with golden light. Her skin was pale as snow, and her eyes resembled pale golden amber, reflecting Mulan above the abyss.
This was the first Elf in human form Mulan had ever seen, though he had hardly met many other Elves either.
Even though he had already been fairly confident in his guess, only now could Mulan confirm it completely: the Raven Queen was indeed an Elf. Although she looked very different from Silias, that instinctive feeling could not be mistaken. Silias also conveyed the same impression.
At that moment, the Raven Queen likewise seemed to see Mulan clearly for the first time, sensing a peculiar affinity with him.
Of course, that affinity came largely from Silias's presence.
Mulan raised the Book of Dawn high and looked down at the Raven Queen, who now showed no hostility at all. "I will open the Book of Dawn and let you see what we must do."
The Book of Dawn opened in Mulan's hands. Once again, endless