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watering him and rubbing him down as he whispered words of praise in his ears. They had ridden hard across the grasslands separating the village from the mountains without stopping. Toto ate some baked crackers, drank some water, and waited for the first light of dawn before beginning the climb up the Forbidden Mountains.
    It was his first time coming here—he had never even heard of someone making the trip until the other day. Even still, in the morning light, the mountains seemed almost disappointingly peaceful and green. There was no path up them, but the slope was easy, with only short, mossy grass growing beneath the swaying branches of the willow trees. Arrow Wind kept his pace well. Toto gave him an occasional rub on the neck to keep him from going too fast. Other than that, he leaned forward and listened to the pleasing sound the horse’s hooves made on the grass below.
    By the time the sun was shining on him directly, he was nearly halfway up the mountains. He looked back down at the grassland over which they had come. It spread out flat as far as he could see. It was beautiful.
    These mountains aren’t scary at all, he thought. What’s so forbidden about this?
    Toto’s chest swelled. A light of hope lit his face from the inside. His heart danced, running ahead of him toward the Castle in the Mist. He would go there together with Ico, defeat the master in the castle, and save the village. There was nothing to be scared of after all. Everyone had let themselves be frightened into cowardice by rumors and stories. If only they had ever dared to face it head on, they would have realized that they were stronger.
    Arrow Wind’s footfalls mirrored Toto’s heart, growing lighter with every step as the little warrior and his gallant horse made their way up toward the pass.
    If Toto had been just a little older, and his eyes a little more like those of the wary hunter, he would have noticed something very strange. Other than himself and the horse beneath him, there was no sign of life on these hills. No birds sang, no insects buzzed. Only the leaves of the trees swayed in the cool forest air. This was why the hunters never strayed here, why it was taboo to venture under these boughs.
    But Toto noticed nothing. Nor was Arrow Wind frightened. Together, they reached the pass. Here the forest and sky opened around them, and they could see for miles in every direction. Toto dismounted and walked through the pass, coming to a stop at the other side.
    He saw something that staggered his imagination.
    A city, surrounded by high, gray walls. It was giant, enormous, the largest city he’d ever seen. It was dozens of times larger than Toksa, at least. The houses were monumental stone edifices, standing close together. Brick-lined streets crisscrossed between them. He spotted something that must have been a church, with a tall spire that reached for the sky and a large hall with a flag flying above it.
    And there were people. A great throng, filling the streets.
    Toto’s eyes went wide, and his mouth gaped. Then, for the first time, he felt uneasy.
    Why was the entire city so gray, from corner to corner? And the people too—why were they gray?
    Why isn’t anyone moving?
    Everyone stood in the streets, perfectly still. When he squinted his eyes and looked, he noticed the flag wasn’t moving either. Perhaps the breeze that blew against Toto’s cheek up here in the pass did not reach down so far.
    [5]
    THE MEN OF the village returned empty-handed from the day’s search. They watered their horses and rested aching limbs before quickly conferring and heading back out. The looks of determination in their eyes were undermined by a growing certainty that Toto had gone north, toward the mountains—though none dared say it.
    Sometime after noon, the elder met with a messenger from the lodge across the river, come to tell them that the priest from the capital was growing tired of waiting.
    In the weaving room, Oneh worked the loom