Winter fell over Helovia in what felt like a single night. Perhaps I had been distracted by all the changes unfolding before me to recognize the signs of the cold season, but either way, there it was draping the land in a formidable jacket of icy gloom. The Edge felt whimsical this time of the year, with the frozen gusts of salty air rushing up from the cliff creating dissonant tunes that reminded me of summer. However, whether it be restlessness or mere insanity, I had decided to wander eastward to the Threshold in hopes of easing my need to fulfill an ever-rising sense of duty to my family after so much turmoil. Failed King or not, my duties still lie at the very heart of the land itself. I had been fettered to the soils upon Mirage’s first proposal that I call them home and a magnificent home they had provided me… Now it was time that others knew of the incredible powers within the mists of the World’s Edge. I had come back to Helovia and now the process of building up the shattered soul of the great land beside the ocean had called me to arms.


Silly as it were, I was slightly nervous about once again weaving my way through the dense forest of the claiming grounds. I feared what kind of creature I had become in the time I’d spent away from Helovia and how it would impact my ability to openly express welcome to newcomers. The desolate landscape of the uncharted lands had shaped me in many ways and as it appeared, not all of them were good. I had learned courage and survival, but I had also adopted a cold nature in lieu of experiencing absolute loneliness. There was no doubt that I knew within myself there thrived a wholly virtuous being, but he had been lost under the open sky when those lonely nights brought terrors unknown to my vulnerable heart. In time, I hoped to regain that part of my past and today was something of a test to learn if it could indeed manifest itself once more.

Upon reaching the brink of the Threshold, I paused, my neck craning toward the early morning horizon just beyond the wall of wood that stretched into a vast eternity. It lie before me like a challenge awaiting my attention and yet such a simple task felt daunting. With measured steps I split the veil between the soft morning rays and the shadows of the forest, casually timing each footstep with the sound of a wide hoof upon the hardened grounds. New scents rose up from the dry, bothered grasses and each of them seemed erotic and strange. I wondered if these scents, stale and fragrant alike, knew something of my troubles in the uncharted lands beyond Helovia. Had they previously called them home as well?

I wasted no time in sifting through the quiet trees until I breeched an open clearing. In the heart of the opening waited a painted lady who in many respected reminded me of my new Queen, Kahlua. But the painting was the only feature that spoke of their similarities. Since I did not want to alarm the mare by barging into a possibly private moment, I whuffled softly to her before carefully approaching. My shoulders felt tense as I drew closer and I knew my eyes were searching for some fort of threat in her that I wasn’t sure I’d even find. However, upon glimpsing her jeweled eyes, I was suddenly taken aback by the striking feature. I pondered briefly where she had acquired such color in a world so plagued by various shades of grey until I had come close enough to utter brusquely, “Welcome to Helovia.”

I did not come close enough to stand astride her, but instead settled before her like the towering beast I knew I appeared to be. Her gaze seemed to be a question filled with a need for answers and I hoped that I could once again become a man who could answer them. “I’m Thor of the World’s Edge… and you are?” The words felt flat on my tongue and sounded nothing like the valiant being I’d once been, but they felt more natural than any conversation I’d yet had since returning home.

Thor

A cold chill ran down my spine due to the shifting wintry gales upon my back and I could nearly taste the apprehension radiating between the both of us now. The painted woman looked at me with the very same uncertainty that I felt when looking right back. It was strange moment that passed slowly between us before I shook the sensation from my thoughts- and quite literally so. When the thick chords of my forelock finally settled back into place, I glanced sideways at the mare as she offered me her name. She didn’t say much else and from what I knew of her, I didn’t expect much either. She didn’t share where she had come from or what she hoped to find here which, while frustrating, was a complete relief. I had expected her to be similar to the rest of the new recruits I’d finagled away from the Threshold, but she was quieter… serene even. “I guess I could start with the inevitable. I come to offer you refuge in my homeland, the Edge. However, I assume you’ll need to know the basics of Helovia before making any decisions.”

I looked at her fully now, my eyes glassy from the icy climate. It was a harsh day to be standing amidst the weather but, I had chosen another route instead of cowering within the Edge as formerly planned. I was glad that this poor mare wouldn’t have to face yet another day just waiting... That felt like a crime itself considering the heavy cold that made the air still and eerily silent. It had been robbed of life just as Helovia had been. There were no summer tunes wafting over the treetops from careless birds in flight. There were no gurgling streams winding their way through the dense forests to some destination unknown. Life had been rendered lifeless by the coming of FrostFall and while the cold season was a beautiful thing to witness, other benefits failed to appear even on the brightest of days.

“There are four herds residing here in Helovia, the World’s Edge being one of them. We are a family built on peace and equality. Out sister herd, the Dragon’s Throat, is very similar concerning ideals, but they yield more warriors due to their school. They train Equines, Unicorns, and Pegasi alike in various regions of daily life. The Hidden Falls is still very unknown to myself because I have just returned to Helovia from a long leave… I do believe that they are as fruitful as any other herd if I stand correct.” I paused to take a long, shaky breath before continuing in muted tones. “The Aurora Basin is a land ruled by Unicorns meant for Unicorns alone. I wouldn’t wander there unless you’re looking for trouble… However, if none of those appeals to you then you are free to do as you like in the Wilds.”

I cast a weary glance to the sun that now appeared to have settled high in the sky, silently reminding myself that I would need to start the trek back to the Edge and soon. I did not want to be caught in the bone-chilling temperatures of nightfall when it chose to blanket the land in darkness. I glanced quickly to the painted mare. She was an apprehensive thing, but I hoped that she would be able to make a decision this big in a matter of moments because I had no intentions of risking my own safety in the harsh weather for her to decline my attentions. “I of course, as I’ve mentioned before, would value your company back to the Edge where you might find comfort and warmth from the night. Our King and Queen are fair and righteous leaders and I do believe that you would find our amenities to your utmost liking- plus, I’ll be there.” I winked at her dramatically before letting a precarious laugh fall from my lips in a heated wave.


If she needed a friend, I would be one. We all needed someone to lean on every now and again, didn’t we?

Thor

Was it surprising that I was still someone worth believing in? Had I offered some part of myself to this stranger that was worth trusting or was it just the cold pushing her so quickly into my eager arms? I hoped that she had caught something desperate in my voice, a slight quiver in the tone as it tripped from my tongue in various pitches that pointed to a serious undercurrent I’d been unwilling to humor until now. I needed to believe in myself and by giving me the opportunity to do this one simple task- this mare had handed me a moment that I would not soon forget. I smiled quirkily to myself before nodding to my new companion. At least I wouldn’t have to wander back to the Edge in silence… “The lands themselves can answer all your questions my friend, but if you think you still need convincing on my part, I suppose I can indulge you.” A soft rumble bubbled up from my gut and the awkward chortle that followed in its wake felt like a distant memory being called into remembrance. It was a genuine laugh, one that hadn’t broken the surface of my lips for quite some time.

It was all coming back to me now.

“The World’s Edge is quite true to its name; we are at the outer edge of Helovia, facing the sea. Winter can be harsh at times, but with the dense forest and open meadows it’s a beautiful sight to see. Mist creeps up from the sea bed and infiltrates our home on most days, but wait until you see the early morning sunrise ascending above the horizon and casting hazy purple shadows over that mist… You’ll never see anything like it anywhere else.” I knew I sounded like a sap, but if there was anything left in my heart to love, it was the Edge. My mate and mother to my child had been murdered, Mirage had disappeared, my daughter was missing, and I’d lost the throne because of my own wrongdoing- that land was all I had room for anymore. King or not, the World’s Edge had imprinted upon my soul and I owed it my undivided devotion.

With narrowed eyes, I looked back to Rekshana who in turn appeared to be steadily fading into the cold as she peered somewhere out into the vast forest of the Threshold. Her compliments fell short before her and though I nodded silently at her attempt to be civil, I didn’t want to engage an otherwise distracted mare. They were fickle creatures and I knew that better than most though I wouldn’t pretend to assume I knew why. Rekshana appeared just as troubled as I’d felt upon finding myself in her company and I was content to let her inner troubles keep her from me until she felt comfortable enough to regain herself in the present. I could tell that whatever ghosts followed her about often stole her attentions at inappropriate times. But I could relate.

“Burdensome you are dear girl, but I think we would be willing to make an exception. Come along, I’m tired of this cold.” A cool smile turned my lips upward and despite the easy deliverance of such jest, I knew that she would notice the soft light burning in my eyes. She was a perceptive mare and I held no reservations when it came to her ability to decipher my dry sense of humor. However, for added measure I motioned softly for her to follow me back to her new home. I knew that she would find a place to belong among us and then most certainly I would see a truer part of her that failed to appear upon first encounters. She possessed a depth that mirrored my own which led me to believe that there thrived a more vibrant being beneath those thick layers of memory and fear.

Welcome home Rekshana.

Thor