Episode 1: We're not in the Shire anymore
On the first of October, when the hills flamed red with autumn, Shade and Asta left Elephant Ridge, climbing up over the back of the Front Range with Sheno in quest of her beloved Uri. The peaks of the mountains gleamed with frost in the morning, and the east wind blew bitter and cold. They descended onto the Dry Plateau, where the grass was golden and stiff, and nearly sharp enough to cut skin. For three nights, they worked their way around the foot of Barkensal the Grim, until they came to the foot of the Icehell pass, and nearly tripped over a body.
It lay face up beside a cold campfire, its fingers, ears, and nose black with frostbite. Seeing the small horns sticking out of his hair, Shade observed that he was one of the Sea Raider people, a very long way from his ship. Asta cast her eye about the camp, and read what signs were there: two had been to this place. The dead man had staggered down from the pass. Another, wearing Nami-style boots, had come from the east, tended him, built him a fire, roasted a deer, then left.
Shade sensed the presence of the man's ghost, and she felt some act of wickedness in the man's past. So she cast herself into a trance, and sought to find the ghost to learn what she could.
As soon as Shade had settled into her trance, Asta heard the crunch of heavy boots descending from the pass, and saw two men approaching. Tall they were, and garbed all in black, with black mail and enormous single-edged swords, but most fearsome of all were their helms. Like massive skulls they were, wrought in heavy iron and skirted with mail. In their dark sockets no eyes could be seen. The men poked at the body with their swords.
"Where is it?" said one, in a voice as cold as the grave. "What have you done with it?"
Asta seized her entranced companion and dragged her back. Shaken to wakefulness, Shade saw the depth of their peril.
"Run!" she cried. "I'll hold them." And threw about herself the shape of the lion. Smoke poured from under the cloaks of the demons, and the sun grew dim. The battle was quick, and one sided. Shade's claws raked on its armor, and then its great sword struck deep into her side. She collapsed to the ground.
Asta turned back to save her friend, and strove to hold back the terrible sword with her gaze, but the demon was far too strong. Just then a brilliant, greenish light shone in the haze, and flashed past the demon, ripping its leg from under it. In the brief respite thus gained, Shade raised herself from the ground, though her side burned with terrible pain. A white light seemed to radiate from her, pushing back the darkness. She leapt on the demon and tore off its arm, and then her jaws closed on the helm.
With a shudder of darkness that flung the lion aside once more, the demon faded away. All that was left was rusted old mail, rags, and an ominous helm. Seeing what had become of the first demon, and seeing the lion in her fury, and the inexplicable green glare, the second turned and fled back up the mountain.
*
When the smoke and darkness had cleared, the green glare faded, revealing a small old man mounted on a wolf. He said his name was Ynada, he had come down the pass, had seen the demons, and had chosen sides. But soon he gets nervous, in this strange country he does not know ("without any trees," and he asks if he may walk with Shade and Asta until her learns the ways of this place. They agree.
What Shade learns from the ghost of Korr
