The sun was setting in the west, gradually disappearing into the clouds. The remaining twilight spread from the edge of the Cloud Sea, resembling a burning fire, slowly sinking into the night.
The mystical beasts in the surrounding mountains and forests gradually grew quiet, each returning to their nests to rest. The sound of water flowing from a nearby mountain spring became increasingly distinct, the sound of the clear spring flowing over stone slabs... brought some yellowed memories to the dazed mind of the Snake Princess.
She remembered a small village, a few hilltops, recalled a group of unsophisticated rural villagers, and the snacks and wine brews they offered on stones. She remembered the children who picked fruits in the mountains, and the spring water flowing through the mountains.
The snacks tasted delicious, the spring water was refreshing, and the children... she hadn't seen them for so many years.
