The Arenders and Casimir take a rest from the tale for a while. Casimir stands up and paces around the house, while the elves step outside to bathe themselves in the warm sunlight. The top of the vines in the garden burned to a caramel hue by the slanted rays of the sun, and all around, birdsongs fill the green of summer. In the distance, wildflowers bloom in bursts of color, and their fragrance drifts across the grassland through the woods. River gulls perch in the middle of the river, on a shoal where coarse grass is torn everywhere and nut shells scatter among the soft sand.

After a while they return into the house. Casimir sighs and continues his story: “So it was, and Geonna realized that she is rendered powerless to save anything, and it won’t be long till she too would be imprisoned by Atol. She brought her five-year-old daughter---my mother--- and three-year-old uncle Trevor and fled all the way south to the country of Leorilien with the remaining inhabitants with the protection of early Arenders before it was too late and secretly recorded her experience that I’m telling you now, which no one else knew. When they fled under the hunt of Atol, the goblin armies were already fighting with the elves, and luckily, he wasn’t successful in taking over Southwest in one swoop. Atol retreated to his secret base, somewhere near the North Kingdom, but it is said that one day he would return, and he would stay. Thanks for Eorl’s protection, though.”

“The secret of the north is indeed well kept from us,” answers Lennox, “forty years pass since these things happened, and even we Arenders who are coming of age don’t know, since we were just twenty or so by then---still young lads. This story was not even accessible to elders, huh? I suppose this is how truth becomes legend. Anyway, Atol must be coming back now. I have a bad feeling about our discovery. The thing is, for sure it could not be just a coincidence. Alfthrones and the hats tell no lies.” The air grows dense; all around the table, everyone falls into a tense silence.

“This is all I know about my family story, please keep it secret among yourself and the mayor,” says Casimir with an earnest look on his face. “Though more importantly: what are we going to do about it?”

“I’m not sure”, said Lennox, “but we shall not sit and do nothing till Atol arrives at our doorstep.”

“But as for what he uses to be powerful, where his secret base is and what his next move will be, we need exploration,” suggests Karl, “Lennox? What do you think?”

Lennox sits there and frowns, saying nothing. “I don’t know…” He wonders out loud. Then he suddenly remembers something and pulls out the bag with the Alfthrone leaves with that strange mark. “Casimir, do you know this sign? We found it in the wildlands but don’t understand it. It must be Atol’s trick to hint at something, as I told you.” Casimir takes it over and stares at the red mark for a while, and then retreats to his study room, “Let’s see if there’s any information in these books of ancient times…” He plunges himself into the sea of books crowding the shelves, which were from his mother who now dwells in the forest outside the city and in the far end of Phoenixford.

The sky is already covered with flaming clouds, and the distant cicadas’ intermittent chirp fill the air. The Arenders are quiet in the house, sitting patiently; Lennox moves to sit beside Casimir, curiously waiting for an answer; the whole room filled with the sound of Casimir turning the dry, yellowed pages over and over again. “It could be the symbol for some old organizations… The Formation of Human Countries period…North…these communities…” Casimir murmurs as he skims the lines. “Let me help you with these historical records, Caz.” says Lennox.

It is getting dark, and the torches are flaring up, like scattered stars all over the plain; faint smoke from the village house chimneys rise slowly into the twilight, warm and cozy. The candles in the room are lit, but Casimir still finds no suitable result. He puts away a thick book, and frowns in frustration: “Alas, I don’t think I can possibly know it. All the books have been searched, from encyclopedia to history to even literature.” Lennox too rises his head and stops: “True… maybe we still have to wait. The answer shall not reveal itself so quick. No rush.” He stands up and claps his hands: “Alright Arenders! I still need to discuss this matter with Casimir for a while. Jonah and Karl, you two stay with me and Mr. Underwood, and the rest of you… Go back to mayor and report the information.”

The candlelight flickers and the rooms are soon quiet again. “Casimir Underwood, meet Jonah and Karl. I suppose you are not yet familiar with each other after only one day spent together.” The three shake hands. “Pleased to meet you,” responds Jonah.

“I have made my decision,” Lennox takes a look at his companions and clears his throat, “We ought to find out the truth even if our assumptions might be all wrong. We must set out for it…” “For what?” asks Karl. The corners of Lennox’s mouth curl up slightly, “well, maybe for an adventure.”

“Adventure? Oh yes…The world is changing. We didn’t expect so many events behind the diminishing of North Kingdom, but here it is. Atol or whatever evil that turned the wildlands and Alfthrone forest into a desolation with hostile marks…Plus the story from Casimir…I think you’re right, Lennox. No matter what, we shall assure the security of Leorilien as best as we can.”

“Tomorrow we will appeal to the mayor. We could stay longer in the wild, along to northeast, to explore more. There’s little we can do except slowly uncovering puzzle pieces in hopes of being able to eventually reveal the whole picture.” Lennox peers at Casmir. “Casimir, will you come with us? ”

“Come…with you?” Casimir bows his head, incredulous.

“Yes. Come with us. You have already told us so many incidents of human race. My instinct tells me we could do little without you. Eorl said you’re our guide.”

“Will that be dangerous? Face the unknown? How far from here? Furthermore, Geonna and mother and my family were hunted by Atol’s fellows all over the continent for two decades. My father and the few original kin of the south have been killed by their scouts when protecting Geonna and mother and uncle. I’m not sure if it’s a safe choice for me.”

“Listen, Casimir. It’s not like that. I don’t mean to be so ambitious as to restore humans’ glory like these heroes’ tales. We just want to save Leorilien, but to achieve that, we may have to venture further into the continent for more information. We’ll take a journey to reveal the secrets behind the devastation of wildlands and whether it is linked to your story. Maybe we’ll meet the ones doing that misdeed and confirm our guess. Then we’ll return and prepare with purpose rather than take risks forever. But I cannot assure whether we will sneak into things tucked away by the past and face things that can only be done by the heir of Old North.”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know. But many things end in the way they start. The past can’t just go away,” Lennox says softly, gazing into the warm glow of the fireplace. “Your family has hidden in the south for over four decades. You don’t even know your mother’s family name of North Kingdom line. Maybe it is time for change.”

“Right. Let me think it over.” Casimir opens the door, lets the evening wind blow gently into the house, and exists under the glowing canopy of evening stars. Lennox and Jonah follow him to an elm tree behind the house by the river. Standing silently under the tree branches, he gazes intently at the spectacular view of the distant stars. Lennox curiously stands by, noticing the beauty of the night particular to the Underwoods’ place.

Far above the plain, above the soft hum of Heaven River, Lennox perceives a most remarkable constellation across the sky. Nine big bright stars, as beautiful as the finest crystals, form a circle that embeds in the night sky. Even though there are other stars, the circle particularly stands out: their light is different, and one would notice that their gleam is miraculously golden yellow, like that of the flaming sun at dusk. Their angular edges glow with a mixture of gold and silver as if paving the star river, and their brightness naturally exudes until it reaches the nearest stars, shrouding them in a thin glowing haze. As if surprised by the circle’s fairness, the other myriad scattered stars do not dare to come close, but remain around in some distance, gleaming around the brilliant Nine Stars Circle with subdued awe.

“Magnificent? Isn’t it?” Smiles Casimir.

“I’ve never seen anything so beautiful before,” replies Lennox, “as far as I can remember.”

“Neither did I, until I moved here four years ago,” Casimir nods slightly, “I love to come out and observe these nine stars at night. I found some patterns among them. They do not stay there all the time. In the summer, the circle retreats into the distance, but in the winter it is almost right above my head.”

“You love these stars, don’t you?”

“Yes. It is part of my life now…my peaceful life in Phoenixford. I just appreciate these stars. They are braver than me sometimes…interestingly…they just stay here as thousands of years pass and never feel lonely, even if the seas go dry and rocks crumble…When I feel negative emotions sometimes, I will stay under the tree and look at them… I will miss them if I leave.”

Both of them fall silent, until Jonah, having been sitting against the tree and listening the conversation, gets up on his feet and speaks. “Do they give you enough encouragement to overcome most of your fear, Casimir?”

“It could.”

“Interestingly,” continues Jonah, “nine stars one circle… that’s unusual. The nature just works in its own way. No one fully understands.”

“You think there’s a meaning behind it?”

“The number nine seems auspicious anyway. Many celestial beings and myths regard nine as a magical number. It is said to have brought luck in diversified missions in these tales. I hope seeing the stars will bring luck to our eight Arenders in the coming adventure too, just like in the great tales. Good. Nine stars will provide enough blessing,” Jonah chuckles softly.

Lennox seems to be deep in thought: “So do I, Jonah. These nine stars are like us, a friendship, where each represents one of us---but there are only eight Arenders: what’s the remaining one? Does it imply something missing?”

“The answer is right in front of you,” says Jonah with a mysterious smile. “That may mean that Casimir will eventually join us, and there will be nine of us. He’s still making the decision, but I wonder if that is already determined?”

“Since it is only an exploration, we shall not make it too lumbersome. Alright. I will not impose on your good nature. I’ll just take it as a trip and support Leorilien if there is a war. I haven’t gone outside the wall this year yet. What could possibly happen? But first I must visit my mother and ask for her opinions and advice on the mission. I can’t just leave her unannounced. Tomorrow morning, I will set out to the land in which she and uncle live. It might probably take me two to three days on horseback. You can leave without me after three days and then I will catch up by shortcut.”

       “Aye. Three days. The choice is yours, Casimir. Try to come; the whole wildland is in a serious state of desolation. You’re one of the few humans who know so much.”

       “I understand, Lennox, I understand.”

       When they return to the house, Karl is already half-asleep on an armchair. “Sleepy head Karl… It’s late. We shall leave Casimir’s place now.” murmurs Jonah while shaking Karl’s shoulder. “See you later, Caz.” The three elves then put on their cloaks, mount their horses, and quietly disappear into the darkness. The clops fade away, leaving Casimir standing alone at the window, still pondering on the whole affair, till sleepiness strikes, and he ensconces himself in the soft bed and knows nothing more.