Disclaimer: I didn't own Moribito's characters, all belong to Nahoko Uehashi, but I own my OC, Alika.

Author's note: I published this Volume II fanfic on a specific day, then, yes, this is why. Fanfic translated from French into English, some part are directly taken from the book. I don't have any beta-reader to help me to fix my errors, so, sorry if some sentences miss words or have wrong spelling. And if some part are written "perfectly" you will know that it is directly taken from the book.

Well, this is a prologue!

Prologue

The hot, dry summer had passed, and the green foliage was beginning to fade. Within a month, the mountain slopes would be covered in a blaze of autumn leaves. Those mountains to the south now separated Balsa and Alika from everyone they loved in New Yogo, while to the north, through the cave, laid her native country, Kanbal, whose very name stirred bitter memories within her. Yet, it was also the country her daughter wanted to visit since she was very young yet. They were now standing on the rocky ledge beside a dark cave and watched the landscape. A stream rushed from the cave mouth and thundered into a basin far below, wrapping them in the tingling scent of the fresh water.

"It took us one month," calculated Alika, seven years old. "You're not too tired, Mom?"

"Everything's okay."

"Are you sure?"

"Obviously, why?"

"You went to six months of pregnancy. And what if we had to fight? I'm worried about you."

"You don't have to," she smiled, taking her daughter by the shoulders. "I'm fine and I'm in great shape."

"Daddy wanted from you to give him an advance notice about my lit' Sis or Brother's birth... but I doubt now. Yogo's so far away..." She scanned the horizon. "And my feet hurt so much!"

"We will find a solution. Exceeded the cave, we will stop to rest."

"It's dark," she squealed, watching the entrance. "I have goosebumps..."

"I know the way. The rugged land of Kanbal follows the contours of the Yusa mountains, 'the mother range', and in truth, which hide a deep labyrinth of caves. Parents constantly warned their children to stay out of the caves, telling them stories of the darkness ruled by the Mountain King and the terrible hyohlu who guarded his kingdom."

"The hyohlu? What is it?"

"The guardian of the darkness. I will tell you about that later."

"Will we not walk through this dark cave, aren't we?"

"Yes. Saying that, I could have entered Kanbal through the official border gate like other travelers. But I wanted to return through this same cave."

"Why?"

"I crossed once this cave, I was six years... and I never returned to Kanbal thereafter. Somehow, I feel that it is the right thing to do – to walk through the darkness, retracing my steps to my native land."

"Ah..."

In spite of, since her childhood, Balsa had been taught to fear the caves, and though she had survived countless battles through strength and bravery alone, in this very moment, she felt the familiar terror rising in her stomach as she stood before the dark opening with her daughter. She controlled herself to make sure she didn't show her nervousness for Alika. The little girl was so stressed by her hypersensitivity to the different energies. She was her leader and her guide after all. Unconsciously, she began to caress her roundness belly, which becoming increasingly bigger, in circular moves.

"You're nervous," Alika noticed.

"Yes... I can't hide you anything. I've always been scared by the caves, and yet, it's the only way to fix my past."

"All will be fine, I am with you."

Balsa opened her eyes, took a deep breath and took the hand of her daughter.

"We said goodbye to the people we love in New Yogo Kingdom."

"It's done!"

"It's time to go."

In perfect synchronization, they entered into the dark cave. The light behind them dwindled to a tiny point and then vanished altogether, but they continued on slowly, their eyes open, keeping one hand on the wall.