After your journeys, you return to the house where Mrs. Piper waits. She mentions that she’s hungry, so you set out again in search of food, hoping to find something to sustain her. You’ve grown to care for this little creature, this small, resilient being. You recall the story she told you about her and Mr. Whiskers—they were friends who shared a bond, caring for one another. His death left her lonely, longing for her lost companion.

You know The Creator loved them both deeply. So why did he abandon them, especially her? Was his pain greater than hers, or was he selfishly seeking to escape his own torment?

Your thoughts drift back to Trix and The Soldier’s Brother. The story you’ve uncovered is that, despite being related, The Soldier’s Brother and The Soldier shared a love that ran deeper than brotherhood—a forbidden love that enraged their father. In his fury, the father lashed out, killing one son and banishing the other. This same father was eventually arrested, tortured, and left to die, but not before he inflicted his wrath on a child—a child who wanted nothing more than to be rescued from the Priests, who committed unspeakable acts.

The Soldier’s Brother had spoken of finding Trix later, in the snow beside a snowman. He admitted he never told Trix the truth about his death, choosing to lie instead. But he also mentioned that he and The Soldier had saved Trix before. What confuses you is why The Soldier’s Brother doesn’t remember it or why you didn’t say anything at the time. Perhaps his own death was too overwhelming for him to recall those details, or perhaps you should have spoken up.

Your mind wanders further, pondering the snowman. What role does he play in all of this? Trix may have created him, but it was The Poet’s magic that brought him to life. Yet, Trix’s pain seemed to have corrupted that magic. Who is the snowman, really? How does he tie into the Shattering and the escape of The Child from purgatory? Is there a connection between it all?

Too many questions, and not nearly enough answers…