The descent from the frozen peaks of Yuki-Tou led Hito and Shinso into a valley bathed in a perpetually golden light. Here, nature defied gravity: trees did not grow toward the sky, but instead intertwined horizontally over deep canyons. They had arrived at Arrayanes Village, the medicinal heart of the Hinoki region and home to the Grove of a Thousand Bridges.

  The village’s architecture was a perfect symbiosis with the forest. There were no stone streets, only an endless network of hanging bridges made of reddish wood and lianas reinforced with Lúmina, connecting the treetops.

  Architecture: The houses, called Arrayán Nests, hung from the thickest branches, built from cinnamon-colored wood that glowed softly to the touch.

  Customs: The inhabitants were known as the Weavers of Life. They used Lúmina to guide the growth of roots, creating natural bridges that took decades to form. They were experts in botany and elyric medicine.

  Gastronomy: Hito enjoyed Lúmina Leaf Tea, an effervescent infusion that cured the fatigue of travel and made the skin emit a faint silver glow for a few minutes, allowing him to take spectacular nighttime portraits without the need for flash.

  As they crossed the Grand Bridge, Hito’s compass began to vibrate with a heavy, dark green pulse. The forest felt sick. The scent of cinnamon had been replaced by the smell of mold and stagnant moisture.

  Name: Mushi → Mushin → Mushirama

  Type: Bug / Plant

  Personality: Timid, methodical, and extremely sensitive to the pain of others.

  Ecological Role: Mushirama are the surgeons of the ecosystem. Their legs, which end in small roots, can detect infections in the soil. As they walk, they inject purified Lúmina into the roots of other trees, maintaining the health of the entire forest network.

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  Due to the thermal disturbances of Akarumi and the snowstorms of Yuki-Tou, humidity had accumulated in the valley, creating a parasitic fungus that was suffocating the roots of the Grove. The Mushirama were collapsing, unable to purify so much corruption at once. Without them, the living bridges would rot, and the village would fall into the canyon below.

  Hito couldn’t cleanse the forest alone, and Shinso knew that Soru’s power would only spread the fungus further. —Hito, the compass… it’s not pointing at the fungus —Shinso observed—. It’s pointing at the Mushirama!

  Hito understood. The compass was not seeking to destroy the plague, but to empower the cure. Using his camera to focus on the vital connection points of the trees, Hito guided Shinso and the villagers to form a human chain.

  The Action: Hito activated the compass at the center of the grove. The Lúmina energy he had gathered throughout his entire journey across Hinoki (the heat of Akarumi and the serenity of Yuki-Tou) flowed through him. The compass acted as an amplifier, sending a pulse of vital energy that connected all the Mushirama in the valley. In unison, the Elyr released a golden pollen that disintegrated the parasitic fungus in seconds, restoring the cinnamon hue to the trees.

  Sitting on a hanging bridge as the sun set, Hito reviewed his photographs from the journey.

  “Hinoki taught me that nothing exists in isolation. The fire of the volcano moves the water of the port, and the cold of the mountains protects the dreams of the valleys. We are a network of bridges; if one weakens, we all feel the weight.”

  Suddenly, a soft but deep rumble traveled through the ground. Hito’s compass, which until now had always pulsed in earthy tones (browns, greens, reds), emitted a flash of electric, crystalline blue never seen before.

  The needle no longer pointed toward any mountain or forest within the continent. It spun frantically toward the east, indicating the infinite horizon of the sea, beyond the known coasts of Hinoki.

  —Hito… that’s not a common imbalance —Shinso whispered, astonished—. The compass is sensing the energy of the transoceanic current.

  Hito looked toward the horizon. He knew his time in the forests and mountains of Hinoki had come to an end. The compass was asking him to cross the water. It was asking him to explore the unknown.

  —Our next destination isn’t a village, Shinso —Hito said with an adventurous smile—. It’s an archipelago. The Alola-Lúmina Region is calling us.