Season 2, Chapter 10, Part 1.

Frozen Forest.


It's getting late in the Black Bulls' hideout, and Asta is tending to the magical beasts. He takes the wheelbarrow filled with poop out of the cage and closes the cage door, locking it.

'There, phew, you guys sure defecate a lot,' Asta says. 'That crap still smells awful,' Liebe tells him, and Asta turns his gaze as he notices someone walking down the hallway.

'Oh, Haze, what's up?' he asks.

'Nothing really, I was looking for the bathroom and got lost. I can never seem to get used to this place changing around,' Haze says with his usual slight annoyance.

'Yeah, it took me a while to get used to it as well. I can show you to it once I have emptied this,' Asta tells him.

'No thanks, I will find the bathroom eventually. Anyways, what are you doing?' Haze asks, looking at the wheelbarrow.

'Emptying the cage for poop, what goes in must come out. I will clean the cage once I have emptied this,' Asta explains. 'Feel free to help out if you want to,' Asta tells Haze, whose eyes fall flat with comedic indifference. 'No thanks. I still need to find the bathroom,' Haze says and turns around and leaves.

Asta's eyes turn to Liebe for a moment, with a question on what just occurred on his face.

'All right then,' he says and perks up again, taking the wheelbarrow outside. He goes quite far into the woods before he dumps it in a secluded area and buries it so the place won't be infested with flies.

He heads back and notices that Liebe has his gaze fixed on Millie, who sits on her usual branch, reading with a small white flame to give light to read in the dark night.

'Something on your mind?' he asks, putting the wheelbarrow into place and heading into the back of the hideout again.

'Nothing new is on my mind,' Liebe replies as they walk through the dimly lit hallway.

'Not that again, how do you still not trust her?' Asta asks.

'You know she leaves late and comes back early, something she didn't do during the first month?' Liebe asks.

'So she likes late-night strolls; there isn't anything weird about that.'

'I don't know; it's like she is constantly working on something, like she is on a mission,' Liebe mentions.

'On a mission, huh? Aren't you overthinking this a little too much?' Asta asks.

'I don't think so,' Liebe tells him as Asta gets into a broom closet and gets out the cleaning supplies.

'I think you are. Why can't you see what I see in her?' Asta asks.

'Because I am not a naïve idiot like you, moron,' Liebe scoffs, and Asta lets out a small sigh.

('What can I do to get those two to get along better?') he wonders as he cleans the cage for the magical beast while they mess with him as he does.

'Man, you guys are as affectionate as always,' Asta laughs.

'And their breath smells,' Liebe says.

'They do,' Asta replies.

'We will so need a proper bath after all this affectionate licking,' Liebe says.

'Agreed,' Asta laughs and keeps cleaning the cage before he then finishes and does his usual evening routine while the night moves on.

It does not take long before the Black Bulls have done gone to bed, and the hideout goes silent.

Then in the middle of the night, Millie sleeps on the branch until she is startled awake, as usual, and she stretches wide.

'Right, I better keep going,' she softly utters to the moon silently watching her in the sky.

She brings out a map from her bell with X-es crossed over a bunch of villages, and her eyes fall to the Mozo village on the map, and her eyes soften a little as pain hangs over her expression that she then shakes off.

'No excuses, Millie,' she tells herself and brings out her wings and slides off the branch and takes to the sky.

A few hours of her messing up the route, looking at the map and then keeps going later, she finally sees a familiar sight of the small village with the stone bridge going over the river in front of the village, with the path leading up the hill and past the boulder with the red big rope around it and into the forest.

She lands in front of the bridge, looking at it for a moment before she takes a step and stops as a cold lump forms in her gut.

('I have no right to step a single foot inside Mozo village after leaving this place behind for such a long time, now do I?') her mind tells her as her hand slowly goes to her crystal brooch hanging over her chest.

She turns her head and gazes upon the gravestone next to the boulder belonging to Meir.

Her eyes turn back to the cobblestone bridge, and she closes her eyes and focuses, letting out her mana in every direction, marking every residence of the village with her mana.

After a moment of marking, she stops, and her eyes fall to the path in front of the stone bridge. She looks next to the path where a pair of Oxeye-daisies grow, and she picks them up and looks back over to the boulder.

A moment later, she walks up to Meir's grave and places the flowers as she crouches down and gives a small, silent prayer. She looks at the grave, and her hand goes to her crystal brooch as her eyes fill with a saddened emotion, thinking of Meir.

"So, Meir, I live in the Clover Kingdom again now... and I'm trying so hard on the connection thing. I mean, it's a promise I made to this girl named Sky, and I'm doing my best to keep it. It's just... each time I try, I can't seem to escape this feeling," she tells the grave as her hand clenches around the brooch. "This cold and uneasy feeling that I can't shake," she utters as a lump in her throat forms, which she tries to hide as she attempts to perk up a bit.

"Don't worry, I plan on keeping going. I just..." she says in a chipper tone that breaks at the end as her voice begins to shake as she continues. "I know it is not my place to ask this, I just... please, I-I need all the help I can get," she swallows the lump in her throat. "Please lend me your strength," she pleads, holding back her tears as she clutches the brooch tighter, while mocking voices go through her mind.

(''I can't believe you fell for that again, hahahaha!'' How many times will it take until you learn your lesson? '' , ''... She won't learn her lesson; she will keep falling for that kind of thing. Honestly, tricking your heart is way too easy.'' , ''Quit being so naive; you were born to be alone, so quit trying.'' , '' No one wants you in this world; the sooner you learn that, the better for us all.'') the mocking voices and memories of betrayal go through her mind, as well as her hand going through Sara's chest. She grits her teeth while a painful lump grows in her chest and throat as a sharp, piercing feeling pushes into her.

"I did learn my lesson, and now I can't seem to trust anyone or anything... not even when someone needs me to. Why? Why am I born, if I am to walk alone?" she asks in desperation, as a single tear finally escapes her eye before she catches it. "Sorry, I'm just venting; you are the only one I can vent to," she says with a brave smile, looking at Meir's name on the gravestone.

"Don't worry; nothing will change the word I gave you when I made that promise to you," she tells the grave, while the wind blows through the tall strands of grass behind it. The grave silently looks back at her. She looks to the side at the sky, seeing the moon between clouds; it's almost completely full.

Her gaze goes back to the gravestone. "Anyways, thank you for listening. It's appreciated, truly. Anyways, I need to be strong so I can help that girl," she says as she calms down a little. She sits there in a moment of silence, thinking over what she needs to do, and the image of Meir's hazel brown eyes and smile as he reaches his hand out to her comes to her mind, his hazel brown hair moving in the wind. a warmth comes to her chest as she is filled with the memory of the kindness she received from him so long ago.

She takes a deep breath, taking herself out of her memories, and brings out her map from her bell, along with a pen, and she crosses off Mozo village.

'Right onto the next one, I have time for a few more before I must return to the Black Bulls' hideout,' she tells the grave. 'Well, thank you for listening, Meir. I really needed that,' she tells the grave with a grateful smile. 'I will try to come back more often since I now live on this continent again,' she reassures and lays a hand on the grave and a smal pain goes through her hand and she takes the glove covered hand up to her and looks at her hand, ''it is acting up again'' she utters gently before getting up.

''well, see you soon..., Master Meir,'' she says and brings out her wings and takes to the sky leaving the gravestone behind.

The night drags on, and she visits more villages and marks people with her mana in silence. She keeps going to the next village and does the same, and crosses it off the map and moves on again.

The next day comes, and Asta stands in the Wizard King's quarters with a few others, with Liebe on one shoulder, and Millie stands next to the group, looking out the window.

'Wait, you actually got a lead?' Lydia asks.

'That I did, and it is located within a snowy magic region located here,' Julius points to the map, and it is far north within the neutral zone between the four nations.

'And I bet that you want us to go today, so we can get there in time for tonight as there will be a full moon?' Noelle asks.

'Exactly.'

'Wait, why is Noelle here then? I thought only the ones who were there would go after this thing?' Haze asks in an annoyed tone.

'She will be stepping in since Sally, well, although I am glad that she helped out last time, she is best suited in the lab, at least until we trust her a bit more,' Julius explains.

'Okay, and what is Magna doing here then?' Haze asks.

'Well, he really wanted to go, so.'

'Well, I can't let you kids have all the fun,' Magna says with a sleazy smile.

Millie looks at the group and the drawing of the artifact on the table, and her eyes narrow at it.

'Are there any more questions?' Julius asks.

'Well, sort of, do you happen to have any intel about the area on which we are being sent to?' Sebastian asks, adjusting his glasses.

"Sadly, there is very little that we know about it, aside from the fact that there should be a village located nearby the dungeon in that area, and it is cold, so pack your coats," Marx chimes in.

'Well then, bring whatever you need and head out; this may be a tough expedition, so be careful out there,' Julius tells them all.

'You can count on us,' Noelle says in a clear tone.

'All right, Magic Knights, you know what to do; you are dismissed,' Julius orders, and they all say 'Sir' and Clover salutes in unison.

The group packs what they need and travels with the help of Finral's portal. They meet together by the north part of the kingdom and head on their way.

A few hours pass, and they get close to the strong magic region, and the grassy fields are replaced with rocky plains and soon snow and hail begin to whip at the teens.

'Maybe we should have put on our coats before we went into this part,' Finral yells.

'Well, there is nothing to do about it now,' Sebastian replies with a yell, barely keeping his glasses on.

They keep going, and the icy winds get stronger for a while.

'Man, we must be getting close now,' Finral yells.

'This is when the mana is weakest,' Sebastian mentions in a yell, barely keeping his glasses on.

'we will get through, I know we will,' Asta yells, riding his Demon Slayer broadsword.

'Yeah, yeah!' Finral yells, and they keep going for another hour before the weather lets up, and a gigantic crater surrounded by mountains comes into view. It is filled to the brim with steep hills and plenty of snow-covered pine trees, with thick branches, and a frosty mist hangs over the valley.

'Woah, the trees here are huge!' Finral yells.

'There is no need to yell; there is no more strong wind,' Noelle utters.

'Sorry, the weather back there has made me accustomed to yelling,' Finral replies.

'We should probably land and get our bearings,' Magna says, and they all agree and land and look at each other.

'Is everyone all right, no one got hurt right?' Lydia asks.

'We are fine,' Haze says and brushes off snow from his hoodie.

'Brr, this place is freezing,' Noelle says and goes into her bag and brings out her blue coat with silver-colored fur running along its edges.

'Good idea,' Asta says, and they all put their coats on. Asta wears a black jacket with white edges, Haze wears a light blue jacket with his family's crest of a butterfly on it, Finral wears a green jacket, and Sebastian wears the same. Lydia puts on a pink jacket, while Magna puts on a black jacket with a white skull and crossbones on his left chest. Millie gets off and transforms and takes a black jacket with a red belt and crimson red fluff at the edges.

'Much better,' Asta says.

'Speak for yourself; it is still freezing,' Finral complains while hugging himself and rubbing his arms to get warm.

They walk around for a good while with the moon slightly shining through the veil of clouds hanging over the sky.

Millie walks behind the group, staying alert while the group chats amongst themselves.

"Hopefully, we find this place soon," Finral utters. "I agree, the sooner, the better," Haze says and looks at the family ring on his finger. ("I want to take it off, but there is too big of a benefit to keep it on," Haze thinks to himself as they keep moving through the snow-covered woods with huge pine trees.)

"Everything is so silent here," Noelle mentions as the only sound heard is of their feet meeting the crusty snow. "You are right; it is kind of peaceful," Lydia says with a smile as snowflakes gently begin to fall from the sky.

They move further in, and Millie stops by a tree and looks at it closely with a concerned expression on her face.

Rumble...

"Uh, what was that?" Lydia asks. "It's our stomachs," Asta says loudly.

"Well, it is a long time since we ate," Magna says. "We should get some firewood and start a fire; I actually want something nice and warm to drink," Lydia says.

"That sounds like a good idea," Noelle says.

"Whatever," Haze scoffs with a whisper, which Lydia catches. "What is with you?" she asks.

"Nothing, let us just find a place," Haze says and walks with the group. (''This is why I can't stand this guy, he is always so grumpy and...'') Lydia thinks to her self before taking a breath (''you are on a mission girl, it is important to stay professional, even when it is hard'') she thinks to her self and walks with the group.

They find a nice area in the woods with a few rocks to sit on, and they make a campfire. Soon they begin to eat.

Asta digs into his packed food and looks at Millie, who stands some distance away and looks at a tree.

"Millie, what are you doing over there?" he asks, and they all turn their heads to her.

"The trees are sad," she gently speaks.

"Sad, uh, how can a tree feel emotion?" Magna asks.

"They don't, but," Millie utters, leaning her ear against it. "but it feels like they are dying, and there is a sadness hanging in the mana surrounding them," she softly says and looks up at the tree.

"I don't feel anything," Noelle utters.

"Me neither," Sebastian chimes in.

"Maybe spirits are just more in tune with nature to feel it," Lydia utters.

"Okay, so what has them dying?" Magna asks.

"Not sure, they won't say," Millie says, still having her hand on the tree, and the group shares glances.

"Well, I don't know what to do about it," Sebastian says. "Me neither, and saving trees isn't exactly our mission either," Magna tells her. "I agree," Haze butts in. Millie looks to the cloud-shrouded moon in the sky between the trees, like she is looking for something.

(''It is like something is there, but... at the same time not,'') she thinks to herself narrowing her eyes a little.

"Come, why not eat with us?" Asta asks her, and Millie looks at the group and slightly blushes ''R-right sir'' she says and walks over to the group and sits down on her knees by the fire with the others, and she goes into her satchel to bring out some dried rabbit meat to eat.

The friends share friendly banter as they keep eating, and Millie keeps an eye on their surroundings, listening in to whatever might be hiding in the forest.

(''This place may look peaceful, but it is giving me the creeps,'' Millie thinks to herself as cold winds blow by as the forest feels eerily silent.)

"So what do you think, Millie?" Asta asks, and she is snapped out of it and looks at him. "I am confused, Master Asta, what was the question about?" she asks, and he looks her over. ''What do you think of the forest, it is kind of mysterious like isn't it'' Lydia asks her.

''I-I suppose so'' She answers and Asta looks at her.

"Uh, are you okay?" he asks. "I am all right, sir. Why do you ask?"

"You are shaking," he tells her. "I am just bad with the cold," she utters softly. "Sit closer to the fire, then," he utters.

''R-right'' she replies and moves a little closer and the group keeps chatting amongst them selves for a while.

"We should get moving soon; this dungeon won't find itself," Noelle utters. "Agreed," Lydia says.

And soon enough, they begin to move through the forest again, searching for an hour, and Millie's head turns quickly and she emidietly hisses slightly, and the rest turns to her.

'Uh, Millie, what is wrong?" Asta asks. "Master Asta, we have company," she utters and everyone looks into the darkness between the trees where she is looking.

''Uh I don't see any-'' Magna utter and Millie, spins to the group and jumps over them, and they all look up to see her collide with something long and wooden. And With a spinning kick, she kicks it in the side and sends it flying into the woods.

"What the heck was that!" Asta asks her.

"They are Windigoes, sir" Millie says and lands in the middle of the group as she is listening in every direction bringing out her beast like eyes.

"Uh! What do you mean by they?" Finral asks, and they hear growling and snarling from two separate directions.

"There is at least 7 of these things," Millie utters as one comes into a clearing for the moon to show it its yellow glowing eyes that stare at the teens, and with a beast-like face resembling a hound which is crossed with a human's face stares at them as its long body towers over the teens, and its wooden, robust skin covers its entire slim body with wood-like horns sticking out from its shoulders and head. It locks eyes with Haze who's eyes widens in fear for a second.

"Why does it look like it wants to eat us?" Sebastian asks. "Because a Windigo's favorite food is human," Millie utters, and puts on a shield around the group as 3 more of them lunge for the group, and she spins the shield quickly, knocking them back and into the thick forest.

"Huh, that was 4, and you said there were 3 more," Lydia asks. "Correct," she utters and touches her bell. (''I will need my katana for these guys,'' ) she thinks to herself and out of her bell comes a katana with a red pummel at the end of the handle and a small silky ribbon hangs from it with a small coin with an emblem of a phoenix on it. Haze looks into the distance like he is hearing something.

''There is no way,'' Haze utters and runs. "We should stick together," Millie tells him.

"Millie, go after him, we got this," Asta says, and the rest brings out their grimoires. Millie nods and runs after Haze with a quick pace while Haze runs ahead.

(''It can't be but it is her voice'') he thinks to himself, and he slips, on the ice, and as he does, the Windigo jumps for him, and he gasps as his eyes widens. And just as its teeth get his jacket, the beast is kicked away, and Haze plummets into the snow.

He flails about and rights himself and looks at Millie as she faces off against the creature, which snarls, and Millie does the same, letting her beast eyes show as she brings forth her magic. "Life shield magic shielded shards,'' she speaks sending shards at the creature, with enough force to force the creature back, and it runs into the woods.

Haze looks in awe, and he looks into the woods like he hears something. "Laura, LAURA!" He yells and gets up and runs, and Millie grabs his wrist and stops him.

"Let go, I am hearing Laura," he tells her. "It is a trick," Millie utters calmly.

"No, it isn't; I would never mistake her voice; now let go or I will force you too," he threatens.

''How, Sir?'' she asks sternly but her voice is still kind. ''Well I-I'' he stutter as he didn't expect the push back.

"It is a trick they use in order to divide their prey." Millie explains to him calmly and lets go of his wrist.

"No, it can't be; these things can't possibly sound that human." he says in disbelief.

"Of course, they can, sir, after all, Windigoes used to be human."

"What?" he asks in surprise.

"If you wish to see the real Laura again, then don't be fooled by their tricks and get out of here so you can find the real Laura."

"But how do they know her voice?" he asks.

"It is probably the reason why it showed itself to us; did you lock eyes with it?" she asks. "I did, but."

"And that is how they do it, sir," she tells him.

"But if they used to be human shouldn't their magic be similar to one?" he asks. And Millie shakes her head. "A person's magic gets altered when they turn, and their vocal cords get more advanced," Millie explains.

"Now I must ask you to focus, so we can get out of here," Millie tells him, and he nods. "Let us get back to the others then," she says and begins to walk at a quickened pace, but she stops and looks behind her at Haze.

"What is it?" she gently asks. "It sounded too real," he tells her. "I know, and the more you long to see or find someone, the easier it is for the Windigo to replicate that person's voice, and the easier it gets to be fooled," she tells him.

"How do you looking through that? Do you not have anyone you wish to see?" he asks, and Millie's hand immediately goes to her brooch. "There is, and the person I wish to see can always be found in my heart; knowing that makes seeing through those things a little easier," Millie utters, and Haze places his hand on his chest before garbing his jacket tightly.

"Let us get to the rest, sir," she utter softly composing herself.

"Right," he says and lets go before he walks with her, and they quickly find their way back to the others. As they see Asta, smacks one into the woods.

"Man, these guys are strong and seriously fast," Asta says. Noelle reacts swiftly, conjuring water balls that streak through the air, homing in on a Windigo. Meanwhile, Lydia's vines hang out like living whips, while Sebastian readies his ember magic, his fingers crackling with fiery anticipation.

"Our spells seem to have little effect," Lydia yells, whipping one as it gets too close. "Yeah, and my sword doesn't make a dent either," Asta says as the Windigoes dart past the trees surrounding the group, then, one jumps at the group, and Magna is at the ready.

"Flame magic, gigantic exploding fireball!" Magna yells, shooting it, at the creature but it jumps away and runs into the woods again.

"Huh, that is the 4th time they evade my attack," Magna says.

''Same with my fire,'' Sebastian yells.

"Because, sir, fire is their only big weakness," Millie explains, and Magna and Sebastian look at each other.

"So that is why they keep away from us two," Sebastian says. "Great, and now we need to just hit them then," Magna says.

"Easier said than done, they are crazy fast," Sebastian says, and the teens grow nervous as snarling sounds surround them, coming from all over the woods, encircling them. A thick mist envelops them due to their quickened breathing as the Windigos dart among the trees. Their movements are erratic and unpredictable. These creatures leap out of the shadows with unnatural agility, displaying their predatory instincts.

"Ha!" Lydia yells and hurls a pink vine after one Windigo as it approaches. It evades her attack, slipping underneath her vine and swiping at her.

"Careful!" Sebastian fires ember bullets at the creature, forcing it to retreat into Lydia's vines, where she manages to grab hold of it.

"Magna, Sebastian, now!" she yells, struggling to keep the creature in check. Magna quickly readies a blast, and Sebastian follows suit.

"Gigantian explosive fireball!" Magna yells.

"Bigger Ember fire rain!" Sebastian adds, torching the Windigo, causing it to scream in agony.

Millie puts up a protective shield behind the group to prevent the Windigos from ambushing them.

"Okay, that was one down," Noelle says.

"Only six left," Haze continues, preparing his magic and grimoire.

Millie hisses as another Windigo shows itself, and the two beasts lock eyes, sizing each other up. The Windigo leaps at her, and she jumps at it, keeping the shield around the group as she heads into the dark forest battling the beast.

Meanwhile, the group hear growling, snarling, and vicious screams as a fierce battle unfolds.

"What just... Oh no, Millie!" Asta exclaims as a bright white light shines through the trees, and her white flames engulf the creature, reducing it to ashes. the moment gets silent and a moment later Millie jumps back to the group.

("She took care of it," Asta thinks to himself.)

Another snarl is heard, and the group nervously looks around.

"Well, we have five left," Haze says.

The moonlight breaks through the trees, casting a shadow over them. And they see a Windigo jump down from above.

"It can't possibly dodge in mid-air," Magna says, forming a fireball in his hand and hurling it at the creature. However, the Windigo grabs a branch and swings itself away, heading straight for the group.

"Mist magic, Mist ball!" Haze yells, shooting at the Windigo, which catches the attack and moves to grab him.

"Ha!" Asta yells, swiping at the creature, flinging it back into the woods.

"Behind you!" Noelle shouts, blasting a water-ball at the creature, sending it deeper into the woods.

"They seem prepared for almost anything," Sebastian remarks.

"You're right. We need to slow them down, like Lydia did earlier, to have a chance of hitting them with our fire," Magna says.

("If it was just me, this would be easy, but I can't afford to go too far away from these guys, especially since divide and conquer is the Windigos' specialty," Millie thinks to herself.)

"Lydia, I have an idea. Are you ready?" Finral asks.

"Huh, sure," she responds.

The Windigos dart between the trees, snarling and driven by hunger and strong instincts, wanting to rip them apart.

"Now!" Finral yells and creates a portal between the trees. As the Windego is going to fast to stop, it rushes through the portal. The portal opens next to Lydia, who throws out her vines and catches the Windigo's legs, causing it to fall in the snow.

"Magna!" she yells, and he readies his fireball, throwing it at the fallen creature. It starts to burn.

"Another one down!" he says.

"Yeah, but we still have four left," Lydia utters, readying her vines again.

"If we keep this up, we should be good," Asta says, keeping his sword ready. ("There's no point going into my dark form since these things don't use magic," he thinks to himself, watching the woods.)

The teens remain patient, allowing the Windigos to run through the woods around them, waiting for another to attack. However, the creatures have become more cautious after the fall of their brethren.

Then, all four Windigos lunge at them simultaneously from different directions.

"Oh crap!" Asta exclaims, swinging his blade at one. Laura moves her vines but misses. Magna; Haze and Sebastian forces the other two to stop with their magic by blasting the path in front of them.

''Gosh, this is tense!'' Finral exclaims nervously.

Millie grips harder on her Katana and focuses before she then captures them all within four orbs, and the creatures start to bang against the spherical walls of their orb prisons.

"Why didn't you do this at the beginning?" Finral exclaims.

"They were moving too unpredictably and fast," she says, setting the orbs on fire until the Windigos turn to ashes. She releases the orbs, and the ashes scatter with the wind. ''But thankfully you all slowed them down enough for me to do this,'' she explains as the last bit of ashes leaves them.

"I see, anyways, I'm glad it's over," Finral breathes, relieved.

"I agree," Noelle and the rest concur, sharing the feeling of relief.

Millie looks into the woods and takes a step, her eyes beginning to glow as she keeps walking.

The rest of the group turns to look at her and then at each other.

"Is she sensing something?" Sebastian asks, looking at the rest, who shrug.

Asta observes the way Millie moves. "Let's just follow her for now," he says.

"What? Why?" Magna asks. "You know she has zero sense of direction, right?"

"She might hear or sense something that could lead us to the dungeon," Lydia suggests as they follow Millie's lead.

"I guess," Magna says, and the teens walk for about half an hour ''Uh are you sure we are getting anywhere?'' Magna asks. ''Not sure but she doesn't seem to be stooping'' Noelle says.

Then, Millie stumbles over a root and falls, face first into the snow, causing some of it to float up around her. Her eyes stop glowing, and the snow falls back to the ground as she shakes her head.

"I'm confused. Where are we?" she asks as the group moves past the towering pine trees and stops at the edge of the forest, looking at a clearing with nothing in it. however there are buildings seen underneath the pine trees branches that goes along the edge of the forest.

"Whoa, is that a village?" Asta asks.

"It sure looks like it," Magna remarks, as Millie stands up and looks around.

''This must be the Village that Marx mentioned'' Lydia utters.

''Well no shit'' Haze remarks in half aggressive tone.

''what is your problem?'' Lydia asks.

but Haze ignores her as Sebastian looks around.

(''This guy, is so cocky and rude, it seriously pisses me off'') Lydia thinks to her self.

"But it looks deserted," Sebastian observes as the old stone houses, covered in snow, hidden between the trees.

"This place is creepy," Finral nervously states.

''I wonder why they built the buildings to go along the forest edge like this?'' Sebastian questions.

''you're right, it is almost like the buildings are placed in order to hide from something'' Lydia mentions.

''What seriously!'' Finral nervously says''What could be so bad that they put that much effort into hiding from something?''

Millie looks at the sky and narrows her eyes. "It's like something is there, but at the same time not..., and It feels eerie too," she thinks to herself, remembering the sad trees and the way the forest feels like it is slowly dying her eyes soften as her gaze goes back down to the group.

"according to Marks, the dungeon should be around here somewhere," Noelle says as she steps into the clearing.

''Yeah, which means that we are on the right track,'' Magna says gazing upon the buildings and they all se one that is quite bigger than the others between the trees at the forest edge, which resembles a long-house.

Liebe who sits on Asta's shoulder looks at Millie when Magna finishes (''How did she know to find this place, all of a sudden?'') he wonders as he narrows his eyes and Asta catches his distrusting glance.

"It's like a ghost town, almost frozen in time," Sebastian says, noticing tools left scattered around, barely peaking out of the snow. "You're right. It's as if whoever was here left in a hurry, considering all these tools are lying around like this," Lydia adds.

"There sure is a lot of mana here," Noelle mentions. "And it feels so calm and easygoing," Lydia remarks as the group moves further into the village.

the teens walks up to the bigger building at the other side of the clearing, and they stop by a larger building, which is built like a longhouse made of stone.

''Wonder what we will find inside'' Sebastian utters as the group walks inside...