As both had filled their buckets with clean water, Luna continued asking Amalthea about other mythical creatures.
"Well, Luna." There are different creatures. But you must know that there are not all so friendly to unicorns. Some creatures don’t look like they are evil at the first glance. There are for example the dragons, people call them "flying fire-spitting monsters", but I have a feeling that that is not the whole truth. I think that there are also other friendly dragons. But you have to be aware of a specific creature. It’s the Harpy. Stay always away from them."
"How does a Harpy look like, Amalthea?" asked Luna.
"They have Ice cold eyes that will let you feel like your blood is freezing at the sight of fear. Their bodies are equipped with sharp large claws. And their beak is as sharp as their scream, which sounds like a Banshee."
"It sounds pretty dangerous," Luna said intimidated.
"Don't be scared little Luna. Your big sister is looking out for you."
Luna was visibly facilitate that Amalthea will protect her from all dangers. But how important that will be for them, Luna would soon learn.
The old ruin of ‘Hagsgate’ turned more and more into a habitable castle, if you want to call it that way. The old memorabilia of the King still concerns many unicorns. No one, not even Amalthea, have gone down to the clock in the grand hall ever again since her first arrival in this castle. They all had just too much respect to the King. More specifically, they feared King Haggard would still exist...und also the Red Bull. But still the unicorns hear the eerie croak and shrill ringing bells of the clock every night. Specifically for Amalthea It was hard to deal with that. But there was no other place where they could hide better in the winter. To find a cave in a mountain, they would have to walk for days in the icy wind and weather. Here, they are safe from the storm outside at least. However, there was no fire in the Castle. The unicorns mutually warming themselves by them are cuddled close together. Only by working together they could endure well this cold time of year.
The next day winter was officially there. It had snowed. The snow was lying high in the Castle moat. Fortunately, the unicorns had collected enough supplies in Castle just in the worst case so they didn’t have to starve. It was still pretty cold in the castle. King Haggard had felt no cold at the time. The cold was always like a partner to him, because no one could make him happy. As the unicorns looked for a way to get the castle a little bit warmer, there was a knock on the front door.
"Hey? Is there someone in there? We need help urgently!"
This voice scared all unicorns, except Amalthea. She recognized the voice and ran to the gate. Through a slot in the wood, she could see the creature out there in the snow. It was Schmendrick the magician.
"Wizard? Is that really you?"
"Who's in there? How do you know who I am?"
Amalthea opened up the wooden gate a little.
"Amalthea! What are you doing in here? We had not thought to see you so soon." said Schmendrick debilitated.
"I thought the same thing about you. However, you look pretty exhausted.” said Amalthea as she saw the almost motionless Molly Grue hanged on Schmendrick’s and Prince Lir's shoulders.
"Could you help us to open the door? We trudge for days through the winter in search of a shelter." Schmendrick shivered with cold.
"I’ll help you. Stand back." said Amalthea, "but I must tell something important to you." as she slid up the large wooden gate to the side.
Schmendrick, Molly and Lir fell exhausted on the ground of the entrance hall. They were so relieved to have found a refuge. But Amalthea continued.
"We are not alone here. All my sisters and brothers are here with me. I brought them all here in safety. Well, at least I thought it was safe at the beginning."
Schmendrick tried to rub his neck warm with his hand, "what do you mean with 'at the beginning"?
"Now, we find out that this one place inhabited by Haggard must have apparently still some connection to him. We have found many objects, which don't belong here and should be also here."
"What objects exactly?" Schmendrick asked excitedly.
"You're a pretty talented Wizard, I have to say. You just escaped a frosty fate and you’re already up to search for new riddles", Amalthea amused about Schmendrick, "However, I want to deprive you nothing. Follow me."
Amalthea enters the grand hall after a long time with Schmendrick, Molly and LIR. The Unicorn of Amalthea gave a little bit of light in the darkness.
"Just stop." Molly gasped, "I must rest for first. Let's make a short break."
They were on the last step on the stairs. But the sound of Haggard's watch was clearly already here.
"Is that…?” Schmendrick asked distressed.
"Go right ahead. Look at it with your own eyes and tell me what you think." Amalthea said to Schmendrick.
Schmendrick approached the large clock. However, he showed neither fright nor fear. The only thing the magician said while he investigated the clock was: "Hm...", "Oh..." and "Interesting...” He saw the strikes of Haggard’s sword on the clock. After a while, he returned to the other.
"I know that sounds crazy. But I must go through the clock, to understand how to deal with that strange phenomenon."
"Are you mad?" groaned Molly, “You don't even know if the portal still works."
"I have to try. Amalthea, I'm going to need your help. Are you coming with me?"
After a long time fear flooded Amalthea’s veins again. But with Schmendrick at her side, she had a good feeling. So the Unicorn agreed to follow the wizard through the clock again. When both arrived at the front of it both gave a nod to each other, before they disappeared behind the pendulum. Meanwhile, Lir took care of Molly, who had pretty much lost on temperature.
"We have to get you in the warm. I see if I can find some old torches."
Lir said to Molly and looked around in the environment. So he went back upstairs to the first floor, but the other unicorns still had no knowledge of the new guests.
Schmendrick and Amalthea walked in the "mists of time" and tried to find a way out. Schmendrick comes easily in the conversation.
"Amalthea. How are you, actually? Have you survived well the winter beginning?"
"Yes. At least, the unicorns that stayed with me." On the other hand, there were groups of other unicorns. More specifically, two other groups have left our herd. They were unicorns with special body strength and the others were winged creatures."
"You mean like 'Pegasi'?" Schmendrick asked interested.
Amalthea didn’t know what a Pegasi was.
"Pegasi…what are Pegasi'?"
"Pegasi, or in the singular, the Pegasus is the name of a winged horse.” The legend and the name of the creature came from the "Greeks", a race of mankind, whose real existence we can’t prove until today."
"Pegasus... Pegasi. I like this name. You impress me, magician. Once again you helped me out of my perplexity." Amalthea thanked him.
"Well, if not me, then who should say it to say?" Schmendrick laughed. He saw a part of stones through the fog which made it clear to them: the fog disappeared. They had reached the "end of time". The two found themselves under a high cliff. It was night.
"Where are we here? We are certainly still in the Kingdom of Haggard. I can see the Castle from here through the cliffs." Schmendrick noticed.
"But where has the portal take us?" Amalthea wanted to know when something shone bright from a nearby cave that woke attention of both. She and Schmendrick approached the cave entrance, which was lit by bright colors. As they entered the cave, they remained standing in astonishment.
It was a tree. A luminous tree. He lit up in different colors. 5 Different gems were grown on the tree branches. A red, a purple, a yellow, a pink, and a sky blue gem. Between the 5 gems there was a big six shaped white star, which was not brightening up.
"What kind of tree is that, Amalthea, do you recognize him?"
“No, I…wait. There was once an old Unicorn tale about this place in the forest, about a tree, just one tree. This tree has a very special meaning. There are many secrets about this tree, as far as I know. The legend says:
Only those whose souls are found to be worthy will mark the trunk of that tree and would be marked as well. They will be marked as something special, a harmonious connection.
I remember the name of that tree. It’s called the 'tree of harmony'.
"Did you say 'tree of harmony'? Interesting..." Schmendrick said and walked closer to the tree.
"Please be careful, wizard. In the legend it says that only the souls..."
Schmendrick interrupted Amalthea.
"Don't worry. "'Exploring' was not explicit forbidden in the legend, anyway I don’t want to be ‘marked’." Schmendrick laughed and touched the outer bark of the tree.
It was warm. But quite sharp, like the whole tree was made out of crystals. Schmendrick had to be careful so that he is not hurt. Especially, how the tree got the luminosity, interested him particularly. After a while, Amalthea was worried about the others.
"We should go back, the others will miss us already."
Schmendrick agreed. Secretly he put a loose piece of the tree in his magic bag, to investigate it later in the castle. On the way back into the fog, Amalthea nudges Schmendrick on his shoulder with the words: "Next time you take purposes things of sacred places, don't hesitate to ask someone who could help you out of this mess when anything goes wrong later." She winked at him. Schmendrick was embarrassed. But before he could reciprocate Amalthea only said: "Just please promise me to bring it back where it belongs after you finished your research, okay?" Schmendrick nodded silently.
As both went the way back to Molly, Amalthea looked back again to the tree of harmony, to make sure that the tree is really there and not an illusion. They passed through the glowing mist again and found themselves back again a short time later in the grand hall. They didn't know how much time passed since they went through the portal because the large clock never showed the correct time. Prince Lir sat on the stairs and handed Molly a cup of hot water and a blanket that he had found in the Castle. Probably he overlooked the other unicorns or they hid from him. He had also now managed to ignite a small bonfire in the grand Hall with a few pieces of wood he found in here. Fire danger did not exist anyway, the floor was ice cold. Schmendrick and Amalthea went to them.
"Molly? You're feeling better?" Schmendrick inquired.
'Yes. I feel better. Thanks Amalthea that you've taken us here."
"Thanks is not required, this is a matter of course. Every living being has the right to get help if it is needed by another living being."
"You said you brought all your relatives here. May we meet them?" asked Molly, excitedly.
"I...I do not know how they will react. They tried to avoid people at any time. But I can still try to introduce you to each other." Amalthea's uncertain replied.
So Molly, Prince Lir, and Schmendrick were on their way to the stairs to the first floor of the Castle. But before they reached the stairs they heard the sound of hooves slowly coming down the stairs.
"Quick, hide! They are not prepared to meet you yet." whispered Amalthea quickly.
The three humans hid under the stairs and waited, what would happen now.
"Amalthea?" it echoed down the stairs. "Down there it seems to burn somewhere, is everything okay?" a voice sounded from above.
'Yes. Come down here. It's all right. The fire is under control. Let's warm up a bit on it."
The large number of unicorns entered the great Hall and gathered around the fire. It was in fact warming. However, relatively quickly, the question came up who lit the fire.
"I had help. A few old friends visited me. They're humans. They are here."
"Humans? Here with us at the Castle? How could you let them in?" One of the unicorns feared.
'Hey! If my big sister let humans in the Castle, they will be probably not evil. Please continue, Amalthea." little Luna said.
"Thank you, Luna. As I said earlier, they are old friends. They are the humans who have helped me to set you free. You can come out and introduce yourselves!" called Amalthea in the direction of the stairs.
Schmendrick, Molly and Lir came out under the stairs and were amazed at this sight. So many unicorns in one place and all fixed them with their eyes. The three humans went to Amalthea slowly, because they tried to not upset the unicorns.
"May I introduce: Schmendrick the wizard, Molly Grue and Prince Lir.”
The unicorns were a bit unsure because of the look of Prince Lir. He had exactly the same armor as King Haggard. As the first of all unicorns Luna went directly to them.
"Sure." May I introduce you? That’s my little sister Luna. Unfortunately, her parents have been separated during their captivity of King Haggard. Since then I took take care of her."
"You are good people, aren’t you? My big sister has you let in the castle, so you must be good people." said Luna hopefully.
Molly gently approached her and stroked Luna over her blue mane. Molly really appreciated the confidence of the small unicorn. It was a very nice, a very emotional feeling to touch a Unicorn once again after a long time.
"Yes, we are good people. We are here, me and my friends and with your sister."
Luna directed her gaze on Lir, who just tried to sweep the dust from his armor with his hands.
"No offense, but could you take off this armor, please? I think some of the Unicorns are afraid because it reminds them of a bad man."
Lir immediately understood the problem and took off the armor. But he was not feeling cold, since he was wearing pretty much under the armor for the winter. He put the armor aside.
"It's getting pretty late. We should get some sleep." Amalthea decided.
The unicorns agreed, but they remained at the fire. It was the warmest place in the castle now and the clock’s shrill ringing didn’t bother them as much as earlier. The three humans lay themselves to Amalthea and Luna to get some extra warmth. It was still winter, but it should pass very quickly.