Sorry, I've been gone, I had a lot come up and wasn't able to write for a while. Anyway, thank you all so much for your support.

The woods were much darker than Hol Horse had anticipated. The moon had shown brightly back at the house, but as he and Emperor continued on their journey, clouds had gathered and the trees twisted together. The path was becoming more unclear as his surroundings turned pitch black.

Hol Horse sighed as he brought Emperor to a halt and reached into his bag for a flashlight. Much to his dismay, he couldn't find it. Hol Horse facepalmed, he knew he was forgetting something. He must've left it back at the house. Well, it was too late to turn back now.

"C'mon, Emperor. Let's keep goin'." Emperor gave Hol Horse a tired look but resumed his previous steady trot. Hol Horse thought if they just stay on the path, they'll make it to the city in no time. Then the rain started.

"Great," Hol Horse mumbled. He pulled his hat closer to his face and encouraged Emperor to increase his speed. It wasn't pouring, but Hol Horse wasn't ecstatic about riding in the chilly September air, to begin with. If it got any worse, he would have to find a dry spot to wait it out. He knew he should've used the car instead. However, it was quicker to go through the woods, and it was almost impossible for the car to travel on the dirt paths.

As Hol Horse and Emperor kept going, it started pouring. Hol Horse steered Emperor to the side of the path to try and use the trees for cover, but the forest did little to keep them dry.

"Dammit," Hol Horse exclaimed. He and Emperor needed shelter to wait out the rain, but there was no way there would be a place like that in the woods. No one came out here even during the day, so he was skeptical that anyone actually lived here. Hol Horse guessed that he and Emperor would just be soaked when they arrived in the city. It was beginning to become colder, at this rate they both could get sick. This was bad.

Hol Horse and Emperor tried to continue, but the mud made it difficult for Emperor, and the pair could barely see in the rain. Hol Horse was about to give up, but he spotted something moving out of the corner of his eye. He looked around, and it was gone. It must have been his imagination. He was probably just tired. Hol Horse sighed and reached for his hat, but a bright sphere of light appeared in front of him.

"What the hell?" Hol Horse was so startled he almost fell off Emperor. As his eyes adjusted, the ball looked like a smaller version of the sun. Hol Horse couldn't believe it. He rubbed his eyes thinking it would disappear again, but it didn't move. As soon as Hol Horse was stable again, it started pulsing and illuminating its surroundings. Hol Horse was in awe. It was almost like daytime in the woods now. His shock was interrupted by something warm nudging against his arm. When he looked down to see the sphere radiating heat, it flew back up and traveled a few feet in front of him. Did this light want him to follow?

Reluctantly, Hol Horse urged Emperor forward. When they caught up, the ball moved further down the path, but not out of eyesight. Hol Horse weighed his options. He could stay out in the cold rain, wandering the woods, or he could follow this weird ball leading to who knows where. Well, wherever this thing was taking him, it had to be better than staying stagnant out here.

"Alright, Emperor. Follow the light." At that, they pursued the guiding ball deeper into the forest. They went at a steady pace, but quick enough to avoid getting even more soaked. Finally, after maybe ten minutes, they reached a clearing and the light disappeared. It took a minute for Hol Horse's eyes to adjust to the darkness again, but when he looked up there was an enormous castle.

How long had that been in the woods? Hol Horse certainly never heard of a castle in the middle of nowhere. It appeared to be very old and was probably abandoned. Parts of the walls were starting to crumble and vines were growing up on its sides. There was an unkempt garden that was overrun by weeds. It possibly hadn't been touched in years. On the edge of the grounds, there was a stable. Perfect. It may be a deserted castle, but it would suffice for shelter from the rain.

Hol Horse dismounted and led Emperor by the reins to the stable. It didn't seem as rundown as the castle, and was more importantly, warm. There were also a few blankets sitting in a pile inside the last stall. He helped Emperor get comfortable and draped them over the horse. Emperor sat down immediately, looking happy to be able to finally rest. Hol Horse retrieved an apple from his bag that he laid on the ground. It was his way of saying thank you to Emperor for getting them here.

When Emperor fell asleep, Hol Horse left to explore the strange building. He left everything besides his coat in the stable with Emperor. Hol Horse approached the giant doors and knocked. He didn't expect anyone to answer. It was more that he wanted to make sure no one was there. No response. It was deserted then. Hol Horse reached for the door handle but was stopped by the door opening.

"Hello!" A blonde woman stood in the doorway and was smiling. She then looked at the state Hol Horse was in, and her eyes widened. "Oh! Come in, sir. You must be freezing." She pulled him inside before he could refuse. Hol Horse stumbled in through the door trying to keep up with her as she ushered him to sit in one of the large chairs by the fire. After he got settled, the woman threw a heavy blanket to him.

"Would you like some warm tea?" she offered.

"Uh, sure?" he hesitantly replied.

"Great! It won't take me long, but make yourself comfortable. I'll be back." The woman left and Hol Horse was once again alone. He took in his surroundings. He guessed he was currently in this stranger's living room. It was much larger than his own, but it still felt cozy. Lanterns seemed to be the main light source besides the roaring fire in front of him. Just how old was this place, and for that matter, how is someone still living here?

"Lady Kujo, I heavily advise against this. The Prince will be very upset that we-"

"He will be fine. This gentleman was outside in the cold and rain, and I was not about to let him stay there."

Hol Horse's thoughts were interrupted by the whispers coming from a nearby room. Lady Kujo? Prince? Just what in tarnation was going on here? He should leave, but the toasty fire and fuzzy blanket reminded him that even this strange place was still better than outside. Hol Horse then snuggled deeper into the blanket and waited patiently for the tea.

Hol Horse opened his eyes to see a small cup of tea on the table beside him. Did he fall asleep? He sat up, letting the blanket fall off his shoulders, and touched the porcelain. Cold. How long had he been out? He looked at his watch: 4 A.M.! He stayed too long and needed to get going.

Hol Horse stood up from the chair, not bothering to pick up the blanket on the floor. He walked over to the window and peered through the curtain. It was no longer raining. Good. He started to move towards the door but stopped in his tracks. Something was glittering at the end of the hall. Spurred by his curiosity, Hol Horse took his hand off the doorknob and slowly approached the object. An emerald ring. It was covered by a small glass dome and sat on a pedestal. It must've cost a fortune. Why was it just laying out in the open for anyone to see or take?

Wait. Kakyoin liked emeralds, he practically adored the green jewels as a kid. The ring even looked big enough to fit the kid's finger. It would be a perfect gift for when Hol Horse returned, especially since Kakyoin was so distraught over last night's events. Surely Hol Horse wouldn't be hurting anything if he took it with him. No one would probably miss it. Besides, it wasn't like he hadn't stolen things before. Kakyoin might not approve of his methods, but the kid didn't need to know.

Hol Horse quickly removed the covering and reached for the ring, but before he could touch it, everything went sideways, then black.