It was a beautiful day outside. Birds were singing, flowers were blooming. On days like these… She loved to go for a walk in the woods. The sun was shining trough the leaves, bathing her small frame in a warm glow. All her past worries were long forgotten as she strolled along the visible roots on the ground. On her way, the young woman noticed a small cabin and approached it cautiously. After a little moment of inspection, she reached for the doorknob and…

Jolted awake in her bed, torn away from her dreams by the loud ringing of her intercom. She hurriedly picked it up, hearing her postman's voice on the other side.

- "Miss Odds! It's been awhile! I have some letters and a little package for you! Could you come down please?"

- "Hold on! I'm coming right away!"

She smiled widely, putting some clothes on before leaving her one-roomed flat and going downstairs. She was greeted by a gray and rainy sky but the postman's greetings warmed her mood. A little conversation and a bright smile later, she was back in the safety of her studio, her post in her hands. The young woman put everything on her bed, checking what she received.

The package was from her art shop and she had letters from her parents, her school and… The third hadn't any return address but the handwriting was neat and elegant, something she took time to admire. Finally, Miss Odds opened it gently, pulling the letter out of its envelope and started to read:

Miss/ Mr Odds,

I did received a letter from you, mentioning such agreeable thoughts that I found necessary to answer you.
My name is Grillby, I am a bartender.
I wanted to inform you that your message arrived at Mount Ebott and hope it is of no disagreement for you.
Thank you for your kind words, I gladly return them to you.

Best regards,
Grillby.

The letter fell from her hands and landed at her feet. She stood there, flabbergasted. Did it really meant… No. It couldn't be! During an entire week, she had waited for a sign but, as the days went by, she had lost hope… And now? Now, what was she supposed to do? To think? She was so much focused on her desire for an answer than she didn't even thought further than that.

The young woman picked the letter from the floor, sat on her bed and read it again, and again, and again, until the words didn't made any sense at all. Then, she really understood the consequences that this simple piece of paper would have on her life. She now knew that this horrendous legend was true, that people were trapped Mount Ebott's pit. She had thrown her letter INTO the crater so she was certain it was no mistake possible…

Something clicked within her. She absolutely had to reply! The sooner, the better! In a tornado of blond hair the young woman grabbed some paper, her favourite pen and started to write. After a dozen of rough drafts, her writing came flowing. Finally satisfied, she proofread it to be sure.

Dear Mr. Grillby,

I hope you're doing fine. I wanted to thank you for taking time to answer my first letter. I must admit I wasn't very confident about it… Many people would have considered me utterly crazy but you were very polite. What a nice surprise!

I'm really happy that it ended in your hands, in Mount Ebott. To be honest, that was the intention. I'm new in the city and I heard legends about a war that tore people apart… I was upset about it.

I think you guessed what I am now… A human. Maybe deep down within you, you hold a grudge against humans, including me (and I totally understand it), but I assure you I don't support what my kind did to your people. I hate war as much as I hate injustice.

If you ever want to communicate, don't hesitate to write to me. I could send you some news from here or anything… If I can help you in any way, let me know. As said in my first letter : I care about you.

Please take care of yourself…

Sincerely yours,

P.S : It's Miss Odds ;)

She wasn't sure about it in any way but she had to try. In a rush, she left her studio and ran outside. It didn't took her more than fifteen minutes to reach the Mount and, with a determined sigh she dropped the letter. The white rectangle fell, became a little point before totally disappearing …

….

…

She was suddenly struck by the darkness of the pit.