As eager as I was to be on the move again, Eyarr told me we had to wait for my body to recover fully and for the weather to warm. It irritated me, but I knew he was worried about me. Every gentle touch of his to help my body heal itself, I began to long for more of it. But I couldn't decide if that was something I truly desired, or if it was… what was the phrase…? "Cabin fever," or something like that. I pushed every desirable thought out of my head, trying to focus on other things.

During the remaining weeks of winter, I couldn't help but wonder what fate had in store. Were the Celts the answer to helping me reconnect with my family again? Was it worth the risk? I didn't want Eyarr to listen to my worries and doubts, but those thoughts swirled in my brain every night.

The snow and ice began to melt eventually; I could see bright green slowly beginning to peek out of the white. And even the night air slowly began to warm, too.

One unusually warm night, when the moon was slightly past its highest point in the sky, I took the opportunity to leave the protection of the cave. I felt a calling to go outside. Feel the wind around me. See the stars I missed so much.

I followed the foot trail we'd created along the fjord's shore. Walking along, I saw a large outcropping up a small hill. It stood out from a clearing, providing a perfect sky view.

Eagerly, I scraped a large stick in the ground leading from the trail to this outcropping and made my way up. I brushed away dead leaves and dirt and made myself a spot to sit. It felt like forever since I was last able to stargaze. I had stargazed with Eyarr before winter hit, but I longed to do it by myself again. And finally, I could.

I lay my head back on a mossy spot and craned my neck.

From having been stuck in the cave, to being sick and cold, it was like the sky had a new kind of light. I could see the brightest stars twinkling at me, almost as if they were happy to see me again.

I don't know or remember how long I lay there. I remember my eyes feeling heavy. As I fought off sleep, I heard what I swore was someone calling my name very faintly. Startled, I jumped and sat up, suddenly wide awake.

"Eyarr?" I replied. I heard my name again, but it wasn't Eyarr calling me. I looked around frantically, but I couldn't see anyone. Okay, my head was playing tricks on me or something… right? I took it as a sign to start heading back to the cave. Walking through the small foot trail, I felt a presence behind me. Confused, I hesitantly turned around. I didn't know what was there, if there was anything, and it was just my mind playing tricks on me.

As I walked, my eyes became strained, and my vision became spotty. I began to hear the voice clearer and clearer as it whispered,

"You are almost there." Over and over again. I dizzyingly made my way back to camp and pulled myself under the covers in an attempt to sleep. And even when I was completely out, I started having dreams… or visions. I wasn't sure.

But I saw a village filled with warm, friendly faces. The sight of them rapidly pulled back, revealing a village to be on a fog-covered island.

Eventually, the dream dissipated into normal weird dreams, which I slept through. But I couldn't shake the feeling of the first one. Ever since Eyarr told me about the Celts and the knowledge about the Druids, I began to wonder what they were capable of and whether there might be answers for us there.

***

By the time the sun rose, I was already up. And I woke Eyarr this time.

"Huh…? Oh… geez, Laeli. You're up early."

"We should start leaving. Like, today." He sat up.

"Why?"

"Because I had a dream about the Celts. And I feel a certain urgency to get to them as soon as possible."

"You had a dream about it? What do you mean?"

"I saw their village in my dream, it was hidden by fog, and it's on an island. I don't know what else is supposed to happen, but something is telling me we need to go." I knew that Eyarr didn't take my weird dreams very seriously, but I was genuinely trying to convey my urgency and wanted him to understand. And I stared at him, looking into his golden eyes.

He blinked at me as he processed my words. Then he gazed around at the cave and then back at me.

"Well… you seem to have your normal energy again."

"Thanks for your analysis, doctor. We need to go now." I pulled him up and started to pack.

"Okay, okay, I'm coming. Relax for a moment."

I made sure that not only did we pack everything but also that we destroyed any remnants of us being here. Even well after our encounter with Eyarr's family, he and I agreed we didn't want to risk them following us. Even after everything there, my hand subconsciously reached up to graze my cheek at the thought.

Eyarr took the lead, following a map he revealed to me that the Sami chief gave him while I was busy catching up with Maui and following my description of the island in my dream.

***

I felt the air warm slightly; based on that, I could tell we were close. The islands below us were a brighter green than I'd seen before. And I knew enough that it was to be expected the further south you went.

I scanned our surroundings constantly, waiting for that heavy fog to settle in.

And my dream was right on the dot. After a few days, the fog cover settled in, and Eyarr began questioning my dream.

"Are you sure about this? Cliffire can hardly navigate this."

"I know it, Eyarr. We just have to keep flying. I'm confident in this." He said nothing else, but I knew he had doubts. But I was waiting to see the white cliff faces and beaches.

We flew a bit longer before I spied a silhouette peeking through the fog. And much to my surprise, we broke through the fog, which acted more like a barrier. Once we passed through, it was clear blue skies, not a cloud in sight. And just like I expected, white cliffs and beaches. There was a forest that grew on the clifftops and expanses of greenery. The island didn't seem that big, but I knew this was the place.

I urged Riptide to land, where I saw a small break in the treeline. Cliffire followed close behind, landing next to Riptide.

I dismounted, pulling out my club since it was still my preferred weapon, but I kept my dagger under my belt, just in case. Eyarr did the same but pulled out his sword instead.

I cautiously approached the opening in the forest, eyeing a path that seemed to open up magically. It felt like… the forest was alive. The foliage was almost too green. And the blooming flowers were brilliantly colored, like splashes of paint against the intense greens. I don't know exactly what told me to step in, but I followed my instinct. I quickly turned back to grab Eyarr's hand.

"Come on!"

"Laeli! Are you sure about this? Something about this forest feels off." I couldn't help but agree slightly. But something told me it was for a reason.

"I just-... I'm following my gut. And my gut tells me we need to keep going." I replied, hearing the confidence in my voice.

We walked forward a bit more, following the path I found. I kept hearing ravens call out deep within the woods, beyond my line of sight, but not out of my hearing. I also felt like I was being watched, and something told me Eyarr sensed the same.

"You feel that, too?" He asked. He almost sounded nervous just asking me. I nodded wordlessly.

Suddenly, I stopped in my tracks. The path stopped before a circle of mushrooms, crystals, and flowers. I briefly looked to Eyarr, who had a look of mild horror.

"What's wrong?" He swallowed.

"Do you know what that is?" I shook my head. I knew it had some meaning, but I couldn't tell if it was good or bad.

"Laeli, that's a fairy ring in Celtic lore. In Norse lore, they're elves. But either way, these rings are powerful. I was always taught never to step foot into a fairy ring. They're either grown from unnaturally green grass, mushrooms, or flowers. But this is the first time I've ever seen crystals used."

"Is it good or bad?"

"... I don't know. But I don't trust it. Legend has it that the rings are created when the fairies dance together in a circle." Fairies… little people.

My father and aunt had stories of little people from his old island. Stories passed on from their families.

The concept wasn't unfamiliar.

I observed the ring, I knew it wasn't supposed to be good, but I was still fascinated by it. And my dream couldn't have been for nothing if it guided us here. I didn't see any sign of civilization within the woods, disregarding the feeling of being watched.

Suddenly, I noticed something that seemed out of place.

A shimmer in the air. If I stood at the right angle of light, I could just make it out. It was so odd.

"Eyarr," I called out.

"What is it?"

"Come look at this!" I gestured for him to come to me, and I pointed out the weird shimmer of the light. He didn't know what to make of it. I looked at the weird shimmer and then at my hand. I didn't know if this was a good idea, but I just had to know.

I slowly held my hand up and held my fingertip just beyond where I saw the shift in light. I briefly looked at Eyarr, who had his hand on my shoulder. As I moved my finger, I was mystified to see the shimmer move along with my finger, like a ripple in the water.

I went for it, shoving my hand into it, only for it to seemingly disappear.

"What in the fuck-" I exclaimed. I stepped forward in an attempt to get a better look.

"LAELI-" I heard Eyarr's voice become distorted. I briefly looked down to see I accidentally stepped within the fairy ring, but before I had time to call out for Eyarr, I grabbed his hand and pulled him in. We looked at each other and squeezed our eyes shut, not knowing what would come.

***
I opened my eyes to shouting and clamoring footsteps on dirt. When I glanced up, I jumped upon seeing a spearhead pointed at my face. I scrambled back, bumping into Eyarr, who was already up. He glanced down, pulling me up and then shoving me behind him.

And then, much to my shock, I heard Eyarr speaking, but in a different language. Once I processed what was happening, I noticed the people he was talking to. They were dressed sort of similar to the people on New Berk, but the fashion seemed a bit older. But in physical appearance-wise, they were much alike, with all sorts of hair and eye colors, but all were fair-skinned like Eyarr.

Some, I noticed, kept glancing at me. One man poked at my right forearm with the blunt end of a spear, the one with star tattoos. I yanked it back, not wanting to be touched. Eyarr wrapped an arm around me protectively without even breaking focus.

The frantic exchange soon calmed down, and everyone was talking normally.

I heard a familiar roar in the distance, knowing it was Riptide.

"Riptide!" I called out to him. Much to my utter astonishment, he graced the top of the forest, joining us, and Cliffire did the same. I legitimately did not know if this was the same place, but I was still happy our dragons found us.

The people cried out in shock and backed away, giving room for Riptide and Cliffire. I heard Eyarr speaking to them again, and I assumed he was assuring them the dragons meant no harm.

"Eyarr, what is going on?"

"… Well, for starters, we found the Celts. Secondly, they're not entirely happy we stumbled into their village or found the fairy circle."

"You speak their language?"

"Yeah, remember when I told you? I speak Norse, Gaelic, and Latin. And the Celts speak Gaelic."

"Ooohhh…" I looked at the group of people watching us, "they don't want to kill us, do they?"

"Unless we give them a reason to, no. But we need to be careful. I'll translate for you and explain our situation to them." I couldn't protest; he seemed to be handling the chaos well.

After more explanation, we were gently forced to walk into the village. I didn't know exactly where we were going, but it gave me time to gather my surroundings. It was like a fairytale—white plastered homes with thatched roofs, covered with overgrown foliage blooming with flowers. Yards were filled with various plants as well. Brightly colored mushrooms lined the pathways between the houses and other buildings. And various decorations made of gold and silver stuck out from the green. Again, it was like something out of a fairytale.

After we walked for a few minutes, we were led into the largest building out of all of them. Immediately I already knew what was about to happen. Talk to the chief and explain ourselves.

A group of people were all sitting in a circle, surrounding a pit with a large bonfire in the middle. Hanging over the fire was a cauldron and something was boiling inside. An outer ring surrounding the fire pit allowed space to move and walk around. And within the immediate line of sight upon walking in, there was an ornately decorated table with a matching chair. Upon seeing a man take a seat, I correctly assumed that was the chief's table, and he was dressed up far more than his counterparts.

As soon as I stepped foot, I heard whispering in Gaelic make its way through the circle of people. While I couldn't understand them, something told me I stood out too much, yet again.

Eyarr did all the talking, and I gave him extra info as needed as he explained ourselves. I noticed a woman who had her focus on me. I noted the circlet around her head and the white ribbons woven through her intricate hairstyle. Her face was rounded, and her brown eyes were full of warmth. When she noticed me looking at her, she gave me a tiny smile and a nod of acknowledgment.

I also noticed a man in the corner of the room. His white beard was long and appeared hardly combed. His skin was wrinkled and slightly muted with age. The usually white part of his eyes was yellow, also from age. And one eye was blind, reminding me of Zyrah. His posture was hunched, and he leaned against a wooden staff decorated in gold. His thick eyebrows furrowed as he processed the exchanges throughout the room, and I caught his expression shift when he glanced at me. I wasn't intimidated by him, though; intrigued, I'd say.

I honestly didn't pay much attention to Eyarr talking. I zoned out and only refocused whenever I heard my name thrown in.

Finally, it was over, and he told me we were in the clear. He also mentioned he negotiated for us to have a place to stay, and they would help us.

"Eyarr, how on earth?" I sputtered out. He grinned and winked at me.

"Years of practice. You always have to offer something in return and keep going back and forth until you meet in the middle. It's how I survived my first few years alone."

"Well, however, you did it, thank you. And you'll have to teach me some Gaelic so I can get around while we're here."

"Don't worry, we'll work on that."

Surprisingly, the woman from before with the white ribbons showed us a smaller house that we could use during our stay. I made myself comfortable while Eyarr chit-chatted with her. Outside, I heard the dragons starting to relax, which relieved me.

Finally, Eyarr came back and started unpacking his stuff.

"What were you two talking about?" I asked as I started a small fire.

"Just formal introductions. She told me that she and that old guy that was brooding in the corner earlier practice ancient Celtic magic and that, after hearing what I told them, might be able to help us." I raised an eyebrow.

"And what did you tell them?" He quickly relayed the short version, just about our history and what led us here, and what we're trying to accomplish.

"Oh. Huh… alright. So, that old guy, is he… what's the word… a Druid?" Eyarr nodded.

"He is. The woman, her name is Morgan, by the way, told me his name is Eir. He's experienced in what he practices."

"When will we get to see him?"

"Morgan told us not to rush. But in a couple of days, once we're settled." I chuckled a bit in amusement.

"What's so funny?"

"You're a man of many talents, Eyarr. Every day I'm more impressed with what you're capable of." He slowly grinned.

"Well, I'm just glad I have someone to show them off to." I couldn't help but laugh. His sense of humor was beginning to grow on me.