Through the flurries of snow, Vanemy could see a bright silver light in the distance. It flickered but was very much clear to her. She backed away from the door a bit when the light began to move closer to the shrine. Aurora was right behind Vanemy, peeking over the other's shoulder curiously. "What is that?" She questioned.
"I have no idea, but whatever it is, it's coming over here." Aurora dashed off to grab her bow while Vanemy closed the door. "Maybe it's friendly…" Vanemy spoke, though she clearly didn't have much faith in her words. "What should we do, just wait for it to come?"
Aurora joined back at her side, "well, I wouldn't want to hurt it if it is friendly." She nervously peeked through the window. "If not then defend ourselves the best we can…"
"Yeah, that's all we really can do."
When the light clearly shone through the crack under the door the girls braced themselves and took a step back when the door was slowly pushed open. Their eyes widened at the sight of a tall beast stepping in. Long, white legs attached to bronze colored hooves clinked against the wood floor. The white deer had to lower his head quite a bit to be able to get through the door. His antlers were large. The stag's eyes were a bright blue and his fur as white as the snow outside. His antlers were a clean, golden color; however, a silver aura surrounded them. Vanemy relaxed at the sight of the gentle creature. She sighed with a small smile, "you can lower your bow Aurora, I think I know what this guy is."
"You know this creature?"
"No personally." She laughed, "but I do know the history. People call it The Golden Stag of Nix. Athena gifted him to Artemis after Nix's construction was completed. It pretty much just wanders around Nix guiding lost travelers to safety and just watching over Nix." The animal exhaled and approached the girls inside, his bronze hooves hitting the wood floor heavily. It's cold nose pressed against Aurora's cheek as it sniffed and sized up the girl. She gave a nervous smile and patted the smooth fur of his neck. The stag turned to Vanem next, his nose in her side. Vanemy watched in amazement but frowned as he bit onto her coat and began to pull her to the door. He was strong, as she was almost dragged out the door. Aurora grabbed her bow, which she'd dropped earlier and ran after the two.
"What's he doing?" Her footsteps ruined the perfect snow as she followed them. The storm had ended a while ago, now that it was only a few hours away from daybreak. It was dead silent out beside the sound of boots crunching through the snow. Vanemy had been let go shortly after they left the small crevice when the shrine had been located.
"You know, there's a rumor that this stag can outrun any arrow that comes his way," Vanemy spoke after slowing her pace down to walk beside Aurora while the stag remained a few feet ahead of them. "You should give it a shot." She urged, deeply curious to see if this rumor was true. So, Aurora drew an arrow and pulled the string of her bow back, coming to a stop and aiming for a tree just ahead of them. She let the silver arrow fly and the animal began at slight prance before breaking into a quick sprint. He kicked up snow as he dashed after the arrow, passing it with ease. His long legs gracefully ran, leaping over a mound of snow and rocks as he reached the tree before the arrow did. The girls trampled over the snow to catch up, Vanemy brimming with excitement as she admired the great beast. Aurora took her arrow back with a small smile as well, though it dropped a few moments after. She gave Vanemy a gentle tap.
"This is really amazing, but where is he leading us?" She quietly asked, the wind picking up slightly and blowing the girls hair around.
Vanemy shivered, "well I'm not sure. In legend, he's always guided the lost to safety. Maybe we really were lost...now that I think about those hoof prints we saw could've been from the stag, not Dashan and Kyoya's horses and we did stay a bit off course earlier."
The girls were cold, at first, it hadn't bothered them as they ran after the stag and through the snow, but now as the following, growing tired and slower the weather was catching up to them. Before them, the stag's antlers continued to glow as they trudged after him. They weren't sure where the animal was taking them as they were deep into Nix's untouched territory; in areas that they never even knew existed.
Eventually, as the girls grew tired the stag looked back, tipping its head slightly before changing directions to veer towards the right and a few moments later a cave was spotted. Not long after that, a fire was started amongst the dark cave and the girls were resting with their back against the smooth fur of the stag as he laid behind them. Their wet boots had been left to dry near the fire and a blanket had been unpacked. Vanemy fell asleep rather quickly against the stag while Aurora laid back to look up at the dark ceiling of the cave to think.
Kuro blew an aggravated sigh as she wiped away the makings she'd drawn in the dirt. So far her want to figure some kind of plan to get out of the dungeons wasn't going very underground with limited ways out was tough, especially if she'd have to make it through the heavily guarded palace upstairs as well. However, things had been getting better since she'd begun to get all of her memories back. She spent most of her time thinking, plotting, and observing her surroundings. At times, she found herself mournful and rightfully so, her team had died such a long time ago and she hadn't been given the chance to process it properly. However, she had never really been one for expressing that stuff outwardly and she didn't exactly have to time to either when all her time was being put toward getting out of this dreadful place.
"I have an idea Kuro, actually I've been thinking about it for a while now." Oliver had come to sit next to the young woman, the prince had been trying to help Kuro think of a plan as well.
"What is it?" She questioned, "how long have you been thinking of it?"
"A few days now, well, I actually years now. I just never voiced it. Anyways, Hades keeps us here because we're useful, right? He can just have Morus manipulate us, especially when we're weakened by the everstone. See, everyone down here, many of us have been too afraid to fight back, yeah there's a lot of us, but we're weak...then stories of how horrible King Hades is doesn't help either.
Kuro quirked an eyebrow, "not even once?" She questioned, "you all just gave up without even trying? That ridiculous!" She explained. She couldn't even imagine being locked away for so long and not fighting back every moment that she could. "Aren't supposed to be some kind of Prince? I can't imagine anyone with royal blood sitting down here and allowing himself and hundred of his own people be imprisoned and used as weapons!" She was fuming at the thought. The idea seemed so unhonorable and upsetting. If it had been her friends- her brother, she knew that she would've never stopped fighting.
"I know, I regret not fighting harder sooner, I really do. But that's why I want to try now and I need your help to make it happen.
Kuro pursed her lips, "and you do have a plan?"
"Yes, but I imagine you're much better at strategizing stuff like this."
She nodded proudly, "let's just say my team and I always got the job done. Now, what are you thinking?"
"Well, these dungeons are giant with only two ways to get out of here." The male knelt down, grabbing a stone to draw through the cold, hard dirt. The staircases to the east doors and the old tunnels to the northwest which are closed off." liver drew as he spoke, "there at least a hundred currently locked up down here, about eight to ten per cell. These cells were hastily made to house all the prisoners Hades was taking in from Nix and the floors are a hard soil instead of stone. Technically it can't be impossible for us to dig through and some bars are easily kicked out of place. There's a specific cell crammed in the ways back, the bars are weak and it's in the guard's blind spot, obscured by rock and other cells. That's our only chance, I know it is. If we can get to it and break the everstone inside-"
"If we can get rid of the everstone then there's nothing to stop us from replenishing our magic power. It's a good idea if we can pull it off."
"Yes! I have more to discuss later, but just being able to regenerate our magic power, even just for a short time could mean so much for our escape. Think about it, hundreds of mages being able to step up and rebel? We'll be out of here in no time!" Kuro looked up, hitting Oliver's shoulder to silence him at the sound of guards approaching them. The guards stopped at their cell and the others around them grew fearful. The looked for a moment before pointing to Oliver.
"That one." Those two words sent chills down Oliver's spine and he began to back away, but the guard was quick in stepping into the cell to grab him.
"What are you doing?" Kuro got up to try to stop them but was met with the cell door slamming in her face.
"Where are you taking me?"
The guards shared a laugh, "looks like you're finally going home."
Ninel watched as the maid laced up the fur trimmed boot up her leg. She sat on the bed, halfway dressed to face the Nix weather. Pluto and Mariana were just to the side of the room, Johannes now gone. There was a heavy silence in the room and Ninel silently debated whether or not to bring up what she'd overheard Hades talking about earlier. Ninel slid her leg away from the maid as she rose to grab a few more items for Ninel to put on. She must've looked hesitant while gazing down at the white fur trim of the boots as Pluto rose to say something. "Remember Ninel, do this for me and I'll send you back to Asper and right to your family.
"And if I've changed my mind?"
"Refusal will result in your execution, something my brother has called for a while now." Mariana's grip tightened on Pluto's shoulder for a moment at the sound of those words. "You have no need for second thoughts. You have my word that you'll be sent home."
"How much is your word really worth?" A short silence fell over the room before Pluto rolled his eyes.
"It's a simple task. You'll barely have to lift a finger."
The fact that Pluto ordered Johannes to keep his mouth shut over Ninel's attempted escape earlier had initially surprised Ninel. But when she learned of Pluto's true reasoning behind it her shock resided. Pluto's asking- no his demanding that Ninel join he and Rago in Nix for the next few days had sparked Ninel's immediate refusal. It was when Pluto retaliated with a new proposition when she began to think about it. Though, it wasn't really much of a deal as it left her little to no room to refuse him. It was either do it or be killed. If she were to do it then she'd be sent back to Asper afterward. Did she believe that? Ninel wasn't entirely sure. Still, it was better than being executed by King Hades for all to see. The execution had become a common occurrence in Mortem over the last few months and Ninel could positively say she didn't want to be a part of it. Besides, she supposed being able to leave Mortem all together provided her a better chance at an attempt to escape. Losing Pluto within the vast and harsh terrain of Nix would be easy, trying to avoid the fall of another kingdom would be the challenging part.
When Vanemy woke up it was dark in the cave as the fire had died down. Aurora was fast asleep beside her, still laying against the plush fur of the stag. Vanemy stood up, sorely rubbing her side. The past few days had been eventful, to say the least. Making the trip across the unforgiving land alone was tiring, but dealing with those dire wolves have really done a number on both of the girls. Vanemy hummed tiredly as the glow of the silver stag brightened up, the animal rising slowly to let Aurora slide to the ground gently. Vanemy smiled, letting her hand run along his back. She gasped slightly as he turned to bit onto her sleeve, moving to pull her along with him deeper into the cave.
Vanemy followed, trying to go slower than the stag, despite the animals larger strides. "Where are you taking me?" She asked, despite it being rather useless to ask an animal. Its hooves clicked against the hard ground, the silver light from its body illuminating the dark tunnel. The stag stopped, letting go of her as they came into a larger room between two tunnels. He trotted up to one of the walls, the silver light hitting the wall. Vanemy gawked in amazement, every inch of the wall seemed to cover with dim carvings and paintings. She assumed they were old legends and myths that had been left there long ago. Vanemy walked closer to them, her emerald eyes searching the walls rapidly. She had no idea where to start, but her eyes found the large, white tower in the center of it.
Within the window of the castle, a girl was seen perched in it, darkness surrounding the structure. Many things surrounded the tower, monsters mainly. The large white figure of an ape-like Yeti as seen among them. There were so many things, Vanemy couldn't seem to keep up with them all. Her eyes landing on the writing on the walls, though some were near impossible to decipher. Vanemy's eyes were drawn to a certain sentence as the Silver Stag walked closer, it's from hoof lifting slightly to press against the wall, just under the wording.
"Beware of Aradia" Vanemy read aloud. "Aradia? I've heard that name, but where?" Vanemy didn't have much time to think of it as a distant, yet bone-chilling screech filled the air outside. She ran back towards the entrance, temporarily having to forget about what the mystical animal had shown her. Aurora had awoken in fear to the roar and both girls looked to each other in fear as another terrifying roar filled the outside air.
I didn't think I was going to come back to this story, but here I am. I don't know how updates are going to go from now on, they'll like come out when I have to chance to do them between my newest story on here as well as my other writings on different sites. With that being said, I'm happy to try to get back to writing this story, as I have this fic planned on paper all the way to the end and it would be a shame not to finish it.