Trouble in Genie Valley

"What's happened here?"

In the ghost ship's dining hall, where a feast had once sprawled across the table, now only a disarray of dishes remained. Grayson glanced back at the confused faces of his companions, motioned them to follow, and cautiously stepped into the room.

Approaching the table, he flipped over a silver platter sandwiched between two dishes, revealing a contented grin. Whistling softly to the others, they gathered around to see the little owl sprawled between the plates, her belly swollen with excess, asleep amidst the chaos. With a gentle prod to her belly, she belched a lengthy burp and opened her eyes.

"Are you back already? I fell asleep and didn't notice who ate everything on the table!" the little creature said with wide, innocent eyes.

"I believe you," Grayson said with amusement at the sight of her comically distended belly, "But I'm curious how you'd know the food's gone if you've been lying upside down, unable to even roll over?"

"I..." Elyra blinked, then yawned mightily, "I'm so sleepy, just a little longer..." She covered her face with her wings and pretended to nod off.

"Such a little rascal, you are!" Grayson chuckled, lifting her from the table, and addressed the group, "You all chat; I need to discuss life's future prospects with her..." He exited the dining hall, leaving Seraphine and Katheren to shake their heads, smiling helplessly.

The ghost ship sailed swiftly, following the icy perimeter of Ice Island and steering northwest. Three days later, they reached the small bay described by Captain Jaxton.

Cliffs towered on either side of the crescent-shaped cove, cradling a sliver of sandy beach. A narrow path wound from the shore up the cliff face, disappearing into the hill's crest.

The captain and Lia ferried Grayson, Katheren, and Seraphine ashore in a spectral dinghy. With heartfelt embraces, they bid farewell. "Goodbye, Lia. I hope we meet again one day. Good luck to you all."

"The same to you, Mr. Grayson," Lia replied with a voice rich in sentiment, despite her expressionless face. She hugged Katheren, Seraphine, and Elyra, saying goodbye.

"We're off then, Captain. May the winds and tides always accord with your will, bringing you bounty and blessings," Grayson said, embracing Jaxton tightly.

"Likewise, may your journey be smooth," the captain replied, patting Grayson's back. "Remember, my brother, whenever you need assistance, my fleet and I are at your disposal. Any foe who dares challenge you will feel the might of my cannons!"

"Thank you, Captain. I'm sure I'll need that help," Grayson said with gratitude, rejoining Katheren and Seraphine. Elyra, back in owl form, perched on his shoulder, and they all waved farewell to the captain and his daughter.

After parting ways, Grayson had Seraphine summon the genie to form a cloud to carry them toward Thunder Cliffs. The cloud soared over snow-clad precipices, quickly nearing their destination.

"There's Thunder Cliffs, and that fortress atop is Thunder Fort!" Grayson pointed out the massive stronghold.

Katheren and Seraphine admired the towering structure, dwarfing Tyrrel's Hurricane City, its walls bearing the Thunder King's emblematic flags.

"It's magnificent!" Katheren exclaimed.

Grayson, seemingly lost in thought, peered intently towards the snowy ground to his left. Following his gaze, Seraphine spotted a shadow darting from the wood's edge, heading north.

"Genie, hold up!" Grayson quietly instructed. The cloud halted midair, prompting the ladies to look at him with curiosity.

"I saw a shadowy figure heading north, reminiscent of Wystan's cloaked men," Grayson explained. He then called, "Elyra!"

The owl hopped into his hand, listening as he commanded, "Follow that figure into the woods. We'll be right behind you, let's see what he's up to."

Elyra lumbered off the cloud, gaining height just before landing and gliding into the forest.

Grayson observed her departure, murmuring, "The little troublemaker's eaten too much; she'll be grounded soon if this continues."

He instructed the genie to lower their altitude, tracking the figure through the forest with Elyra occasionally popping above the treetops to guide them.

Then, Elyra emerged from the trees with flapping wings, announcing, "The black-cloaked figure vanished!"

"How can he just vanish?" Grayson frowned, "Did you lose him?"

"I didn't lose him!" Elyra protested, perching on his leg, "He entered a portal!"

"A portal?" Grayson exchanged a glance with the ladies, and soon they landed before a shimmering gateway, guided by Elyra.

Curious, Grayson examined the diamond-shaped blue portal, suspended between three towering trees.

"Where does this lead?" he pondered, looking into the portal's core but unable to see through. Turning to Seraphine, the genie, now in his original form, approached and explained, "Ah, this portal, I know its purpose!"

"Lucky to have an expert on hand," Grayson smirked, then inquired about the portal's destination.

"Oh, it's not a ghostly place!" The genie corrected, "We genies use these portals to travel around the northern forests of Ice Island. They're quite convenient!"

"So, we could directly reach Hurricane Cliffs?" Grayson asked, intrigued.

"No, these external portals take you to our habitat, the Genie Temple. From there, you can use other portals to various regions. All routes go through the temple," the genie elaborated.

"Great, with the genie leading, we're on familiar grounds. Let's follow that cloaked man and see what he's up to," Grayson said, flexing his arms.

The genie stepped aside, gesturing for them to proceed. Grayson boldly entered the portal, followed by Elyra, with Katheren and Seraphine stepping through afterward, and the genie disappearing last.

Once the dazzling lights faded, Grayson realized he was alone in a snowy valley, his companions missing. A sense of unease washed over him as he spun around, seeking a return through the portal, only for a black furry ball to smack into his face.

"Ow, Elyra, get your claws off! That hurts!" he exclaimed, grasping the ball of fur, only to see the portal dissolve.

"What's going on?" he wondered, pacing where the portal had been, finding that it had indeed vanished.

"Where are Katheren and Seraphine?" Grayson asked the owl, who looked around, clueless, "I don't know; I didn't see them!"

"Something's not right," Grayson muttered, placing Elyra on his shoulder. He surveyed the valley, an impassable stone wall blocking the way behind, with sheer cliffs on either side and only a single path leading forward.

He noticed footprints in the snow, pondering if they belonged to the cloaked man. They followed the trail until it abruptly ended at a cliff edge. Peering down, he saw another path below, about twenty to thirty meters down, with another winding path descending the cliff.

Suddenly, gunshots echoed from the valley. Looking down, he spotted Katheren and Seraphine, fighting their way back, trapped beneath the cliff.

"What's happening? What have they encountered?" Grayson wondered, his gaze snagged by a wave of blue figures charging after the ladies.

"Why is this happening?" his heart raced. Then, with a cry from below, more genies blocked their escape, surrounding them in an aggressive circle.