Silvia nodded. "The fancy people can't figure it out. If we lose all the ice then we lose the power from it, and probably this world too." She looked around nervously. "But we need to get someplace safe soon, I don't trust being out in the open like this."

"Well, like I said, I just got dumped here," I say shrugging. "So unless you know of a safe area, we're quite screwed. Maybe not. But you get the point."

"Scintilla, but you can call it Tilla. It's my, what do you humans call it again, spirit animal?" She frowned. "Although that makes it sound like it's a one sided relationship or that she's a manifestation of me in animal form. Maybe the words familiar?" She said tapping her chin thoughtfully.

She shook her head. "You have no idea, we're screwed whether I know a safe area or not." She eyed you warily. "But again, you fell from the sky so I'm not sure if I can bring you to the safe house, you'll have to past our test first."

She shook her head. "You have no idea, we're screwed whether I know a safe area or not." She eyed you warily. "But again, you fell from the sky so I'm not sure if I can bring you to the safe house, you'll have to past our test first."

"That sounds terribly cliche," I remark. "But sure, I'll do your test." I'm tempted to ask who else she's talking about, when she said 'our test,' but I decide to keep my mouth shut for once and see what the test is about.

She shrugged. "Cliche or not, it's a rule. And of course it sounds cliche, you are literally in a realm where all your guy's stories come from." She said crossing her arms. She walked away. "And do your best."

She shrugged. "Cliche or not, it's a rule. And of course it sounds cliche, you are literally in a realm where all your guy's stories come from." She said crossing her arms. She walked away. "And do your best."

"Fair enough," I reply. Then, realizing that she didn't tell me what the test is about, I call after her, "Wait, what are you even testing me for, and what am I supposed to do for it?"

She shrugged as she vanished behind a large outcropping of ice. "You'll know once it hits you. Just don't lie, the crystals don't like that all."

She shrugged as she vanished behind a large outcropping of ice. "You'll know once it hits you. Just don't lie, the crystals don't like that all."

"Once it hits me..." I echo. "Literally or figuratively? And once what hits me?" Shaking my head, I look around for things that might tell me what she meant.

As you look around everything seems completely normal, or was it just your imagination, was the ice shifting beneath you?

As you look around everything seems completely normal, or was it just your imagination, was the ice shifting beneath you?

I crouch down and lay my hand on the ice. Then, standing up again, I lightly kick it a few times, half expecting the crystals to get mad at me for doing that. "How am I supposed to pass this test if I don't even know what it is?" I mutter.