-Millie? Millie, it's getting late! –
Millie's head was still spinning around, her eyelids were so heavy. She tried to open them but it stings her eyes -Not now Moxxie, I am not feeling good! – she mumbled.
-It's okay honey. I'll go first then…Would you be okay on your own? -
- I'll be fine darling, go ahead, just give me a couple of minutes, I'll be right behind you- assured Millie but she was feeling so sore and tired. She was wondering why when it hit her all that happened. Moxxie got shot! Millie remembered and sprinted right up.
– Moxxie? - she called but there was no answer. Everything was dark and quiet.
In the deemed light she noticed a couple of glowing eyes looking at her from the darkness.
-Who's there? - called Millie.
The glows were at floor level but as soon as Millie talked, they raised up reaching to the ceiling. Millie holds her breath and waited.
From the darkness stepped out a huge white hellhound. It looked wild and at the same time sad. It was standing on its back legs and tried to walk towards Millie but it lost balance so it stood on four and waited. Millie quickly draws back against the wall on the bed she was on. The Hellhound observed her quietly. Millie calmed down seeing the beast had no ill intentions.
The hellhound looked oddly familiar.
The white giant hellhound was still wearing some dark-colored clothes, they were ragged now. Peering from the abundant white fur on the neck, Millie notices a black spiky collar.
Millie looked into the beast's eyes -Loona! - the name escaped Millie's lips but she could not really believe it.
-You finally awake! - said the beast in the most distorted voice. It was Loona's voice alright but over the voice came a guttural, lower tone like a beast trying to speak.
-What happened to you? – Millie felt goosebumps all over her body. Loona tilted her head, her eyes were still glowing, they looked cold and soulless but still, there was a hint of sadness in them.
-Sata* said I am reverting back…Soon I won't even know who am I…-
-Sata*! What? What are you talking about? - Millie interrupted feeling she did not really want to hear what was coming next.
-We are in Sata*'s place…He said he is going to use me to track down Blit…Blit…- Loona looked down like she just lost her train of thought. Millie waited, her heart beating faster with every passing second.
-Father…- Loona finally said victorious looking back at Millie wagging her tail – Master Sata* did not say what would become of you…- Every time Loona spoke her breath came like some kind of cold blue flame, cold breath will come out as well.
-I am glad you awake just in time to pass my message…- again Loona seems to lose her train of thought so she looked down trying to find her words.
-Where is Moxxie…and…and Blitzo? - venture Millie. Loona´s glowing eyes focused again on her.
-I don't know…- she answered, this sounded like a holed howl like she was about to cry - Tell father, the backrooms... I can...- she managed to say before she felt quiet, the last remaining hint of self-awareness vanished from her eyes. Loona was no more.
-They both crossed the portal to Limbo- answered a very suave voice from somewhere. Loona growled.
-There, there, we are almost done…who is a good girl? – A gloved hand appeared from the darkness and pathed Loona's head who immediately calmed down.
The lights came in. Millie found herself in a gigantic cell room constructed inside what appeared to be a cavern. There was somebody standing next to Loona.
She was gigantic now; she was sitting very neatly on her fours with her front legs crossed, and she was looking emptily at Millie.
-A pity that hellhounds now are so domesticated that they had lost the greatness of their ancestors. But you! - the person said to Loona- You are just a God sent, pardon my expression! -the person laughed - Behold! The beauty of a true Hellhound! -
Loona was now the whitest Hellhound Millie has ever seen, almost spectral. She looks so majestic. Her breath was like a beautiful blue fire, at the same time one could tell it was painfully cold. Every time she expelled her breath it leaves a trail of white smoke. Her glowing eyes were utterly creepy, they inspired fear and were hooked on Millie. Millie could tell she was no longer the Loona she knew; it only remained the eyes of a cold hunter.
-What have you done to her? – Millie's voice broke.
-ME? - hahaha -Oh dear! Do you think this is my doing? NO, THIS IS A MESSAGE…To think I have been reduced to a delivery boy. – The person gave Loona a hand command and she stood up and quietly walked out of the cell, she did not look back.
-Say, Millie, is it? – Turned the person around at her -I have a proposal for you…-
-STRIKER! - Octavia exclaimed in disgust. She pushed him away.
-No, no, no…Hold him! Don't let him touch the ground or we will lose him! - urged Blitzo. Octavia immediately grabbed him back and stood up like somebody trying to save their breakable China.
Striker ended up squished like a rag doll against Octavia's bosom. There was something like a nasty cracking of bones noise and a soft but pained grunt from Strikers as blood dripped down again.
-Oh! Now you did it. He is dead! - complained Blitzo.
-Eaack! - reacted Octavia holding Striker away from her -MY SHIRT! – She complained.
-There, there put it on the horse- Blitzo said. Octavia basically dumped Striker face up over the neck of the horse. Blitzo checked his vitals and seem relieved.
-This…This is the guy? - Octavia was beyond herself – This is the guy that kidnapped my father, almost kill him and kidnapped him again? -
-YES! - celebrated Blitzo. -And all we need to do now is…-
-WHERE IS MY FATHER? - Octavia snapped taking Striker again and shaking him so hard that he was sprinkling blood everywhere.
-WAIT! Princess we still need this guy alive- Blitzo tried to take him off her. Rather he approached the horse and try to snatch him away taking Striker from the neck. Both Octavia and Blitzo were pulling Striker in different directions. Striker grunted again painfully so Octavia let go all creep out.
I was right! He was here- celebrated Blitzo and laughed maniacally holding on to Striker by the neck.
-Yeah, okay but he won't be of much help if he bleeds out – came Octavia surrendering and taking Striker throw him over the horse again. She took a deep breath and looking at Blitzo said -What do we do now? –
-Well then…- Blitzo looked around, for a second, he has completely forgotten where he was -I guess, we still need to find that castle…-
-Let the horse take us- Blitzo and Octavia heard a very tired voice, almost a grunt. They both looked at Striker.
-Did you say something? - asked Blitzo. Striker was now face down over the horse, his eyes closed, he looked unconscious but, he suddenly turned his head slightly towards Blitzo. That one eye was filled with rage, and Blitzo backed up.
-The horse knows the way back, just let the reins loose and it will take us there- continued Striker. Blitzo said nothing then looked at Octavia, she looked back at him. Blitzo help her to get on the horse, and they both sat there silently, Blitzo relaxed the reins.
Finally, after full 10 seconds of silence, the horse started to walk again.
-How did you manage to get a horse here? - asked Blitzo casually at Striker.
-Do you mind? I would like to travel quietly while bleeding and being in utter pain here- he grunted. Blitzo rolled his eyes, he then took off his jacket grabbed Striker, and tried to use his jacket as a bandage. When he tried to make a nod, Striker complained in pain again.
-There you go your highness, are you comfortable now? – mocked Blitzo sitting Striker in front. Striker felt languid on Blitzos chest. His head rested on Blitzo's shoulder.
Blitzo notice he was so light; he seems now so fragile. Striker was severally underweight, he lost his hat, and his hair was disheveled with mud and blood. His clothes look so old, they were discolored and ragged.
-How long have you been here- asked Blitzo with a hint of worry in his voice.
-Almost since her father's disappearance…- he answered with his eyes close trying to hold his wound.
-How? How have you been able to survive here for so long? - asked Octavia feeling somehow amazed.
-Sheer will…and luck…I guess…I might be running out of the later…- Striker tried to shift his weight and complained in pain.
-Well, If I had a hat I would take it off respectfully to you sir, you have certainly gone against all odds -concluded Blitzo. Striker tried to laugh but ended up coughing.
-Much appreciated...Blitz...When your boyfriend disappeared, I knew I was going down, desperate I tried everything, and that is when I found that one piece of information, back at that time it seems like my only option…-
-What piece of information? - asked Blitzo feeling his heartbeat raised.
-The night Stolas disappeared…I was there, I came into his room. The door was unguarded, it was 3 in the morning. When I entered the room, the bed was empty. I thought he may be in the bathroom, that is went I saw it…an angel, outside the window holding Stolas and then it floated up away with him-
-An angel! - exclaimed Blitzo and Octavia at the same time. Striker's head fell to one side, he could see Octavia and Blitzo's faces on top of him, looking back at him in utter disbelief.
-Why would an angel take my father? –
-It was no angel, that is just what it looked like to me but, after some desperate digging I found a fairy tale and a name-
-A fairy tale and a name – repeated Blitzo dreading something.
-Have you heard the name Mabel? - said Blitzo casually.
-Mabel! - Octavia and Blitzo repeated gravely.
They heard the name, Striker for a moment was taken aback by their expressions, his eyes went big because he realized he was not insane after all.
For weeks he believed he threw his life after an ephemeral lead, something about back doors, and a dead friend from a distant past whose body was never found.
Now a few weeks later facing starvation, and possibly about to die from his injury, Blitzo and the Princess pop out of nowhere looking for him and they knew about this Mabel person.