Echoes and mummers were the only things that she could hear. Her body felt light and weak. It was like she was floating in the clouds, but as the seconds passed by, she began to feel like she was coming together again. It was not a foreign sensation. She had been through this before. It would take another couple of seconds before her mind came together, allowing her to process the scene that she was staring at.
Green…I see green…
The bright yellow light around her glowed luminously, almost overtaking her when she gazed up. Her feet were flat on the ground, back to the laws of gravity. That was when she realized that she wasn't laying down this time.
I'm standing. Why am I –
Her vision cleared up.
Is this…my village?
Indeed, it was. The settlement where she had spent her entire life was no longer the snow-covered hell that it was when she died. It was a warm spring afternoon. The ground was patched with green grass, and the forests and mountain tops that surrounded the place were even more lush. Birds of all colors danced along the branches of the trees that populated the world.
She could hear the tune of their calls as they circled one another in the skies. There was no dreadful breeze to signal a looming evil. As she turned her eyes to the village, people were to be seen all around. Happy, smiling faces – all going about their day without a care in the world.
She recognized none of these people, but there were more villagers than she could ever remember. Her gaze spun around as she inspected her environment further, only to come to a sudden halt when she discovered it was missing one, key detail.
The castle…where is it?
Castle Dimitrescu – the fortress of death – was nowhere to be found.
The woman stumbled around as she tried to make sense of it all. This wasn't the village that she had known. It was all so different. She couldn't have been back home and this certainly wasn't Locwitary. The last thing she recalled was holding Leta's hand as the life left her own body.
After that, everything went black.
Then she woke up here.
This had to be another realm.
Cassandra spoke to herself as she peered down at the white dress she wore on her body, "Where am I?"
A young woman's voice answered her immediately, "Home."
The brunette spun around, her long hair flowing from both sides of her head. The second she felt the locks on her left shoulder, her hand rose to touch it. Just as she thought, it was all there. Her eyes turned to glimpse the girl in front of her – another brunette with a long, braided ponytail and wide cheeks.
As slender as she was, if not more, the girl's brown eyes were wide, yet curved. She had to have been a late teenager, but Cassandra couldn't be so sure. She didn't know who this girl was at all.
"What?" Cassandra replied. "What do you mean 'home'?"
The girl smiled with a small chuckle as she shrugged her shoulder while extending her right arm. "You don't recognize your own sister, do you?"
With parted lips that personified her disbelief, Cassandra stood frozen as she looked at her. The girl before her lowered her arm with a breath, but that welcoming smile remained.
"It's been so long," she stated. "You look the way you did when I last saw you. Come…I'll explain everything."
.
As the two walked across the large settlement, Cassandra still could not wrap her head around what was happening. She remembered the grievous wounds that Narratha had inflicted on her, but there was not a single scar to be found. All her hair was still on her head, and this village seemed far happier than the one she remembered. It all just did not seem possible, but the girl beside her was as confident as she could be.
"I'm still not surprised that you don't remember," she told her. "We're not there yet. Ah, it's been so long."
Cassandra kept looking at the gown on her body. It was the same one she had on when Lia displayed her past memories. "This just doesn't seem real," she replied. "One second, I was in a castle. Now, I'm here?"
"I said the same thing when I first came here," the younger brunette answered. "It's a little scary, all because we all don't show up here at once. But, when those we love finally do, it feels like home again."
The girl giggled as she tapped the side of Cassandra's left arm with the back of her hand, "What am I saying? It is home!" She glanced up at her again. "You don't remember, do you?"
"Not a thing," Cassandra sighed as the two passed by the Maiden of War statue in the center of the town square. "I know I had a family before…all this." She turned her head to where that castle used to be, thinking back to when her life was stolen from her.
Her sister did the same as well, expressing a somber look in remembrance of the structure that she used to live in the shadow of. "It has been so long, I'll admit. So much has been taken from you. You'll remember everything when we get there, I promise."
Cassandra moved her eyes toward the woman beside her. They shared a lot of the same qualities. Even though she could not remember anything from their past, just hearing her voice brought a sense of comfort. She could imagine how many times they sat and talked, sharing views and ideas. It was an entire lifetime of love that had been scrubbed away in a tragic afternoon, all because of one woman's total lack of compassion for the lives of others.
The more Cassandra walked with her, the safer she felt. It was like bits and pieces of what once was had begun to return.
As they moved out of the village square, Cassandra noticed a blonde woman nearby one of the houses. Standing at the edge of the door, she could be seen waving her arm around by her side. A dog suddenly appeared out from the corner, jumping up and down at her legs. A laugh escaped the young lady's mouth as she played with the animal – a laugh the brunette had heard many times before.
Bela?
She stopped where she was, hoping to catch another view of her, but by the time she did, the blonde was already walking back into her house. Cassandra paused as she watched it happen, only for her sister to take her by the hand and lead her forward.
"We're almost there," she said.
Cassandra could not take her eyes off that house. "Wait, was that –"
"You're home now."
I'm home…
As they walked through the assortment of houses that made up the village, Cassandra noted how everything was beginning to match up with the visions that Lia had shown her. She knew she was being led to the home she saw in them, but what exactly awaited her when she got there, she did not know. Her sister had not explained much about why this village was now the way it was.
All she would say was that it was the home it should have been. Everyone could walk outside and breathe a breath of fresh air, not having to worry about tomorrow. It lacked the dreadful decay of what she had left. Miranda's influence had taken the settlement's heart out and tore it apart.
Like the way she had been reborn into Locwitary – it was a heart that had been put back together and allowed to beat again.
Her sister stopped as soon as the dirt path they were on came to a fork. With her hand holding Cassandra's, the woman gestured toward the home on the right with a flick of her nose. Outside of it was an older man and woman, who both had their eyes on them with warm smiles.
"Here we are," she remarked.
"Are these…my parents?"
"Our parents," her sister corrected her.
"Okay…" With a breath, Cassandra followed her as she walked up to the gateway, which was a tiny, wooden fence. It was a sweet little set-up. She felt safe here, as if these buildings were actual homes, rather than a dwelling where the living waited out their sorry lives.
This is what this village always should have been. This was my home. I'm here.
The older woman at the door greeted her with a smile as she stood beside her husband. She looked so happy to see her. "There she is."
Cassandra reached out, only to bring her hand back in with hesitation. "Mom? Dad?"
The man nodded as his cheeks rose to the bottom of his eyes. "It's good to have you back."
His wife spoke again, "It's been so long."
Cassandra could barely keep her mind straight. This was all happening so fast. "I…I don't remember anything," she said. "All I know is what I saw in that vision."
Her mother nodded as she cupped her hands. That basmele was still tied around her head, the same way that it was when they last spoke. It was like everything thing that happened in between that terrible day was no more. It might as well have never happened at all. "I figured as much. But, I promise, you will remember. No one can hurt you anymore."
Cassandra found herself short of breath. This was all too much. Her sister had to approach her and place her hand on her shoulder.
"She's right," said the young brunette. "It's all over. You're with us now."
A tear formed along the bottom of Cassandra's right eyelid as she shuffled around, unsure of what to do or where to go. "This…this isn't real. It can't be!"
"It's real," her sister replied. "I always knew this day would come."
Her mother could not take her eyes off her eldest daughter. "We've been waiting so long to see you again. I missed you so much."
Cassandra turned to her sister. "How am I going to remember?"
The woman pointed to the open door that their parents stood next to. "This is where it will all come back to you. Once you go inside, you'll be home. I've spent so many days and nights thinking about you. Now that you're back, we have so much to catch up on." The girl giggled again. "You still owe me for that craft of mine you broke."
Cassandra wanted to question her, but when she heard that, there was a small spark inside her that she could not ignore. It was like the memories were slowly starting to come back. She could not recall the specifics of what her sister had alluded to, but she felt like it was a promise that still weighed on her shoulders.
"I guess I do," Cassandra grinned back.
Her sister pressed her lips to a sly smirk. "You're not going to weasel your way out of this again. That was my favorite work of art, so, you're going to have to sit and pose for it."
Nature took over when she responded. The closer she got to that house, the easier it was to attach herself to what used to be. "Only if I have something to eat."
"You're still as stubborn as I remembered," her sister said. "It's great to have you back."
Cassandra's father tilted his head toward the door. "Come inside. Dinner is ready. We can all sit down together, just like we used to."
I…I want to go in. This is my home. I can feel it! This is where I belong!
"Yeah…" Cassandra's confidence began to steadily rise as she nodded her head, her smile forming with each bob along the way. "I'd like that. I have so much that I want to ask you guys."
The middle-aged woman to his left breathed a sigh of relief as she awaited the arrival of her long-lost child back into their home. "We'll answer every question that you have. It's okay, my child. You can come home now."
I can come home.
With her sister by her side, still holding her hand, Cassandra gave one last nod before she began to approach the small, wooden fence that separated the home from the rest of the village. The closer she got to it, the warmer she grew. There was a sense of safety in her heart that she had never felt before. With each step, she was drawing closer to the memories that had been taken from her.
"It's great to have you back," her sister remarked.
"It's great to be back," Cassandra said as she passed through the gate entrance and began a direct path straight to the front door. Her family looked as welcoming as ever. Her father's eyes stared at her like she was the greatest prize in the world. Her mother looked like the sweetest woman that she could have ever met.
These are my parents…and they love me.
The door was only just feet away now.
.
Sobbing over the dead body of her only friend, Leta kept her eyes down, afraid to gaze at the massacre that surrounded her. Droplets of tears fell en masse, drenching the side of Cassandra's face with each one that hit. It had only been less than a few minutes since she awoke from her fading life, yet, she struggled to find light in the darkness.
"Wake up, Cassandra." Leta's bloody hands created a streak of crimson across the brunette's skin as she touched her cheek. Another tear splashed down, which diluted the blood just a bit as it mixed in. The woman who had changed her life for the better over the course of the last week was now nothing more than a lifeless corpse. If it had not been for the many wounds that were carved along her body, it would have seemed like she was merely sleeping.
Leta closed her eyes as her grief took hold. This was all too much for her. She wanted nothing more than to turn back the clock and enjoy the days that came before all this terror. She had no one, now.
Nothing.
What kind of a life was that, she thought?
As her whimpers echoed around the room, the faint commotion of chatter soon caught her attention. Fearing that Falena was still lurking around, the girl shuddered as she tried to find somewhere she could hide. The sound of the voices died down to the patters of footsteps that led toward the room. Leta's heart raced as the unknown drew closer, but as she shambled away from Cassandra's body, she saw a group of several women enter the armory.
As soon as their eyes spotted her, all five of them froze where they stood. The first one of the group, a woman with short hair, did not hesitate any further to run over to the child. The others followed behind her, each shifting over to the side in shock once they glimpsed Narratha's body not too far away.
The short-haired lady covered her mouth as she approached Leta and Cassandra. Shock and despair were rife across her eyes as she stared down at the two of them. "Oh my…" She said with sorrow in her throat, slumping to her knees whilst a tear ran down her pale cheek.
The women behind her whispered with urgency, "Narratha's dead!"
Her green eyes glanced over her shoulder to gaze at the corpse of the fallen killer. A sigh broke forth from her lips as she shut her lids and pressed her lips. She stewed in her revelations for but a second as her mind returned to the child in front of her. There was still a life that could be saved. "You must be Leta," she said.
The girl answered with a short wail, uncertain of how they could have known her name. The woman's green eyes already told her enough. They were fawns.
"It's okay. My name is Yiverria." She tried not to look at the bloodied body of the woman who had rescued her from that pit of torture. It was all too much. Another life snuffed away in this terrible place. "We're going to get you out of here."
Leta's head slowly shook as she crawled back to Cassandra. "No…no! Please, we can't leave her like this!"
The other fawns stepped in. The crowd did not help ease the overwhelming sense of stress that was already going through Leta's heart. She watched as they looked on, growing flustered at their inaction.
The girl cried out again, "We have to save her!"
Yiverria tried to keep herself together. Her gaze remained fixated on the girl as she extended her hand, beckoning for her to take it so that they could leave. Cassandra's wounds spoke for themselves. Narratha's sword had cut her to pieces. The pool of blood under her body left the brunette with little to nothing inside.
"I am sorry, dear sister," Yiverria sighed. "She's dead. There is nothing we can do. I need you to come with us."
Leta grew desperate, unwilling to accept the idea that she had lost her. "No! She wouldn't leave me! She wouldn't!" She shook Cassandra by the shoulders again, but the woman did not respond. "I know you can hear me, Cassandra! Please, wake up!"
More tears fell from the girl's already red cheeks. Her gown was soaked in crimson, which multiplied the more she laid over the deceased woman. Yiverria knew that she would have to pry her off. There was nothing else that could be done.
"Leta, please, come with me!" She begged as she tried to take her away.
"I'm not leaving her!" Her scream broke down into another string of sobbing. Every breath was a rattled draw that she could hardly manage. She broke from the woman's grasp and ran back to the body, clutching onto it with all she had. "She didn't leave me!"
Just as Yiverria reached over to grab Leta's arm, her left hand landed on Cassandra's back. At that moment, there was a pause. The fawn glanced down at her palm, which even in its shattered state, could still sense what it touched.
And as it touched Cassandra – she felt the tiniest fragment of life still in her.
"What?" Yiverria mumbled under her breath. It couldn't be true. After all that Cassandra had been through, she still held onto the final strings of her existence. "Wait!" She turned her attention to the other fawns that were around her, drawing their focus away from Leta.
One of the girls addressed her immediately, "What is it?"
"There is still some energy inside her," Yiverria said. "Even with my hands, I can still feel it."
"We can't save her," the fawn replied. "Look at us. Look how disabled Narratha has made us."
Yiverria was quick to dismiss such an idea. "No! She does not define who we are or what we can do! We are all surges and we have been gifted with the ability to help in ways that others can't." She looked down at the bloodied woman below her. "Cassandra had no powers when she came here. She gave everything for us and for this girl. She is the example that we will follow. If she is still alive, then we must do everything that we can for her."
The rest of the fawns glanced at one another, until each one gave a nod of agreement. They could see the hope beginning to grow in Leta's eyes. It was going to be a long shot, but after everything that had happened, they needed to take this chance.
It was the least that they could do.
Yiverria firmly sat up as she placed her hands on Cassandra's body, glancing at those of the others as soon as she did so. "I need you all to link your hands to form a chain. Our bones may be broken but our will shall not be. Concentrate as hard as you can. Empower each other as you empower her."
"Yes, sister," they said in unison as they gathered around her. Leta moved over to the side, allowing the adults to get to work. She was still crying as she looked on, but the sight of Yiverria reminded her of how determined Lia was when it came to saving others.
That fire that burned inside her soul could never die – not as long as there were others to carry it along.
"Please!" Leta cried. "Save her!"
Yiverria shifted her eyes at the other fawns. "Ready?"
"Ready!" They shouted. In that instant, an aura of blue began to form underneath all of their palms. Particles of light rose from the skin and fluttered around in the air, sparkling wildly before they drifted back onto Cassandra's skin. The fawns closed their eyes as they diverted any spare energy that they could into the brunette.
They had all been so beaten and broken by the sadistic redhead. She crippled their bodies beyond measure. It weakened their magic to the point where they could not free themselves, but that energy never left. Even with their broken hands, they could still heal another if given the right resources.
Cassandra's body had an assortment of lethal wounds; each one demanding a considerable amount of energy to repair. Time was ticking and every second was a race against the clock. If they faltered, then she would likely crash and fall right into death's arms.
Yiverria fought as hard as she could, enduring the pain that came with her injuries as she searched for every last bit of magic that could be used. It strained her muscles greatly, testing her nerves at every turn. The other fawns committed themselves just as hard and she could sense how much pain they were in too.
The circle had turned into a bright display of blue as Leta watched on. She had never seen anything like it before. It was nothing short of a miracle to see these women coming together, but it was just like Lia had always told her as a kid.
"Fawns help others. We will always help."
Leta wiped her tears as she mustered the courage to pull herself from the sidelines. It was like her sister's soul had taken refuge inside her. Without saying a word, the child scrambled over to the group and promptly placed her hands on Cassandra's body. Yiverria briefly opened her eyes to glance at her, having detected her presence.
The short-haired fawn grinned with a look of comfort before she shut her eyes to return to the task at hand. They were all going to be in this together.
Seconds passed by as the surge of power heightened. Leta could feel the slivers of energy leaving her hands – just enough to aid in repairing every wound that Cassandra had endured.
She could feel the burning heat coming off from all around her. These women were giving everything that they had, just to do what they could. One of the other women buckled down under the pressure, exhausted by the loss of her own strength. She nearly fainted as soon as her hands broke free, but the fawns beside her were quick to make the catch.
Yiverria opened her eyes and nodded. "Rest, sister."
"No…" She inhaled as she placed her hands back on top of the others. "No."
The blue glow flashed over and over, particles dispersing all around them. As Leta looked on, the girl could only marvel at what was going on. "Please come back, Cassandra," she whispered. "Please…"
.
Cassandra was nearly at the door, smiling as her parents were now within reach. Just as her hand was about to extend to pass through the threshold of the house's entrance, she saw a yellow light flashing at the tip of her finger. Within an instant, it slowly began to break apart and disperse into particles of its own.
"What?" She pulled her hand back in shock, unsure of what was going on. Fear started to take hold, as Cassandra had no idea what was in store for her. "What is happening? What is this?"
Her parent's eyes affixed themselves on the light on their daughter's hand. For a second, they both appeared surprised, only for a feeling of calmness to suddenly come over them. Cassandra's sister approached her and gently took her by the wrist, holding her arm close to her.
"It seems as though you are not ready to stay here," she told her.
Cassandra shook her head. "What do you mean? I can't leave! There is so much that I need to talk to you all about!" The light was beginning to trail down her finger, taking more of her hand along with it.
Sensing that their time together was going to be short-lived, her sister let go of her wrist and hugged her. "It's alright, I promise," her voice spoke into the brunette's ear. "There is still a life left for you to live."
Her mother held her father's hand as the two of them looked on at their eldest daughter with happiness. The man who had raised her all those years ago could not take his eyes off the strong woman that she had become. "We've been watching you," he said.
His wife added to his words, "That girl – the one you saved – she is still there. If you are not meant to be here now, then you go back to her."
Cassandra took a breath as she and her sibling disconnected for the moment. She stepped closer to her parents, eyeing them both like a child uncertain of what life had in store. Too many questions. Not a single answer to be had.
"I am so sorry for what happened on the last day we were together," she said to them. "I saw the visions. I wish I could have been a better daughter. My anger was always –"
"No," her mother cut her off. "You were always a perfect daughter and I have never stopped loving you."
Her father, holding his wife's hand, swayed his arm around at his side. He looked like he wanted to tell her everything, but he limited himself to what mattered the most right now, "You made us all so proud. We're just happy to have our little girl back, wherever she is."
As a tear broke from her eye, Cassandra opened her arms and took her family in, embracing them in front of the doorway that she would not cross today. As her folks held her as tightly as they could, the soft break of a whimper escaped her mouth, "I never thought that I would get this chance. I won't forget you all, I promise!"
More and more of her body was beginning to dissolve. Cassandra could only remain in this place for just a little longer now. She and her family parted for the time being and as they did, her eyes met those of the young brunette who stood close by. They gazed at her with a burning desire to uncover the unknown.
"Please," Cassandra said, "I need to know: What is my name?"
Her sister giggled as she held out her hands and took her by the shoulders. Cassandra's arms and sides were now glowing a deep orange, bordered by hordes of yellow particles that sped off into the void that neither of them could see.
"Trust me: Your name doesn't matter," she replied. "What matters is that you are the person you were always meant to be. Go be Cassandra."
Cassandra smiled a humble grin as she understood her intentions. Now was not the time to focus on the past, as there was still a future left to enjoy.
Her sister's hands phased through her as the light dissipated around them. "Just know that you were the best sister that I could have ever had. I'll just have to wait a little longer, but the wait will be worth it."
Cassandra's mother blew her a final kiss. "Goodbye, my child."
Her father removed his field cap and placed it against his chest. "We love you."
Everything around Cassandra suddenly became too bright to see. The light was all around her and gravity ceased to exist. Just like when she entered Locwitary, her body felt like it was in a million places at once and nowhere at all.
Amidst the void of illumination, her sister's voice was the last thing she heard as it faded away, "Enjoy your life, dear sister."
The bright light then immediately shifted to a sharp black.
.
Cassandra's eyes shot open at that very second. There was no blurriness this time. No slow draw to a forming reality. It was like she had been awoken abruptly from a deep rest by a sudden noise. Her heart was racing and her vision was as clear as ever.
The first thing that she saw when she arose was Yiverria and the other fawns whom she had rescued. The armory walls were visible in the background, reminding her that this was the place where she and Narratha had fought. Blood was still all around her body, but she felt no pain. The relieved and shocked green eyes of those women floated around her as they all turned to one another.
Before Cassandra could even say a word, she heard the familiar sound of a little girl's voice.
"Cassandra!" Leta cried out. The brunette took her into her arms at once. There was no moment needed to process any of this. The brunette knew where she was now and what had happened. She felt more alive than ever.
Most of all – Leta was still alive, too.
With tears swelling in her eyes, Cassandra wrapped her arms around Leta and held her close. Her hands gripped the bushy strands of the fawn's hair, unwilling to let her go again. She broke with a whimper as she felt the girl hugging her back. All was not lost.
As the two cried in each other's embrace, Cassandra found Yiverria and the others joining in. The group encircled the pair, comforting them in this moment of love.
"Thank you!" Cassandra sobbed. "Thank you!"
In this castle of death, there was still a spark of life.
After the terrible cost of one fawn's undying hatred, there was still love in the hearts of those she failed to destroy.
It was finally all over.
They sat together in that spot for just a little while longer, caressing Cassandra's hair and crying alongside her for all that she had endured. Their efforts to bring her back were a success, against everything that they had thought would be possible.
Just as she had saved them – they had saved her.
Soon, Yiverria and the others stood up, where the short-haired fawn reached out and took Cassandra by the hand. "Come. Let us leave this place."
Cassandra turned her eyes toward Leta as she helped the child stand. The girl wiped her tears clean as she held onto her side, not wanting to part from her savior ever again. She had already lost one older sister. She would not lose this one.
"Let's go home, Leta," Cassandra said.
As the group marched off toward the exit, she found herself turning her head back to where Narratha's body was. Still slumped over in a pool of blood, the droplets led to the sickle on the ground. That weapon had taken its final life. A relic of the darkest days of her existence. It had no place outside the walls of this torturous domain.
Without a second thought, Cassandra turned her gaze back to the front, where their new lives awaited them. Her powers were gone, but that was okay. There was no need for them anymore.
She left the sickle behind, and in doing so, her past as well.
No more bloodshed.
ONE YEAR LATER
The group of children, boys and girls of all young ages sat forward on the ground, eager to learn about what was going to happen next. Cassandra was there in front of them, her amber eyes on each one of the kids as she told her story. Her full head of brunette hair dangled over her shoulders as her torso swiveled around.
"'Gifts we gave but more you took,' she snarled. 'So more, in turn, is due.' In a blink, the girl was trapped inside a mirror."
Yiverria approached the huddle, causing Cassandra to cut her story short and turn her attention over to her. "Your food is ready, dear children. Come." She ushered them over to where Gibbin was in the background, still tirelessly chopping away at the strips of meat in front of him. The man was a sweaty mess as ever, but his passion for the craft drove him to keep on cutting. He had mouths to feed, after all.
The kids collectively moaned and groaned. One of the boys pointed to the brunette, "But, Miss Cassandra is still telling us her story!"
Chuckling at their beautiful innocence, Yiverria smiled as she glanced at the woman. "I know you all love Miss Cassandra's stories. But, your food will grow cold if it is not eaten. Mr. Gibbin has worked extra hard today to feed you all."
Cassandra tilted her head with a smile once all the kids looked back at her. "It is okay, little ones. I will continue this story later. I'd hate for Mr. Gibbin to be disappointed."
"Okay," some of them said as they slowly got up from where they sat. It was quite a sight, indeed. Young poils and fawns, all huddled together in a place where they could mutually enjoy the same thing. It was something that no one here ever thought they would have seen.
A little fawn politely raised her hand to signal for the brunette's attention.
"Yes, Pettia," Cassandra addressed her.
"Miss Cassandra, does this story have a bad ending?"
Cassandra kept quiet as she thought about the words that were initially going to flow from her mouth before Yiverria's arrival. She inhaled and exhaled slowly, thinking about the sound of this child's voice.
Does it?
"Young Pettia," Cassandra smiled. "That's the thing about stories. Sometimes the same story can have a good ending, or a bad ending, depending on who is telling it." She reflected on the journey that she had undergone in this world. The close calls. The setbacks that had to be overcome.
She answered the fawn's question as soon as those recollections faded away, "In one world, it may have had a bad ending. But, not in this one."
Pettia smiled back before she went to go join the other children. "Thank you, Miss Cassandra!"
As she jogged away, Leta was the only child left from the group who stayed back. She kept her eyes on the other kids as they all ran off toward Gibbin, singing and playing. Yiverria was not too far away, taking the young fawn by the hand as they walked over to Cassandra.
The short-haired fawn glanced down at Leta as she raised her eyebrows to her. "You're the oldest out of all of them, dear sister. They all look up to you."
"I'm not used to being the oldest," she replied.
Cassandra laughed as she stood up and made her way over to them, dusting off the fur cape she now wore along her back, "Neither was I, but…being an older sister is not too bad." She placed her hand on Leta's head and ruffled her hair. The girl tried to avoid it, but the more she shifted her neck, the more the brunette extended her arm.
Yiverria giggled as she watched the two shuffle back and forth, holding her comments until Leta was finally freed from Cassandra's grasp, "You keep telling us how you cannot wait to become an adult, Leta. It is nothing but responsibilities from then on. Enjoy being a child while you can."
"I know," she sighed. "I'm already eleven! Ugh!"
"Try being thirty," Yiverria replied.
"That's too old!"
Yiverria smirked with a curled grin. A brief shake of her head was all she could muster. "Sadly, I must agree. I am finding myself getting much older than I prefer."
Cassandra perched her hand over Leta's shoulder as the three began to walk around the town. The months had seen them craft such a beautiful settlement. Poils and fawns alike from across the land were steadily being found and encouraged to join. Their community had grown larger than what Acomb once was, but even though this was a transformation, the name of the town stayed just the same.
Like Cassandra had told them in the earliest days of it being formed, "It was what Milo and Lia would have wanted: A place where both sides could live in peace."
All of these people had heard the stories about what happened. How a poil and two fawns found themselves brought together through tragedy, only to move past it and become a family. Locwitary was a sparse world, with people settled across all corners in small groups. Poils were in awe at the tales of how Lia fought for them to the very end, while fawns found love in the acts of heroism that Cassandra had shown.
Little by little – this world was slowly coming back together.
Yiverria gazed around at the poils as they helped build more homes with the aid of the fawns who used their magic to move the heaviest equipment. Other fawns assisted poils in collecting fruits, while several poils went to work weaving outfits for the gifted women and styling their hair. Laughter and conversation were being shared throughout the village; a stark contrast to what once was.
The short-haired fawn sighed as they went along, "To think that this all could have been lost."
"I don't think it will ever be lost," Cassandra remarked.
"No," Yiverria stated. "Even before Narratha shackled me, lacked hope for fawns and poils setting aside their pasts. Now, with all I see here…I think Locwitary is going to be okay. We have something special here. This world will push forward and we will be the start."
A man's voice called out to them as they walked, "Cassandra!"
The brunette turned her head, where she saw Bradford and Gerten standing around next to a woman, whom she recognized to be Bradford's wife, Elisia. Sitting in a chair beside them, she was being tended to by a fawn, who held her glowing hand over the woman's pregnant stomach.
"Your child is healthy," the fawn said. "I can sense their strength."
Gerten chimed in, "Do you know if it is a boy or a girl?"
Elisa was quick to wave him off, "Do not tell me! I want it to be a surprise."
Gerten turned an eye to his best friend, who sided with his wife, "Sorry, pal. I guess I'll have to wait."
Cassandra smiled as she walked up to them, happy to see that fatherhood was close by. "Another month, correct?"
"Just about," Elisia told her, giddy as can be. "I cannot be more excited! Motherhood is something I've waited for since I was Leta's age. There is so much that we must prepare for."
Bradford merely rolled his eyebrows. "You can say that again…"
"Have you decided on a name?" Yiverria asked.
Bradford and Elisia both glanced at each other, the former allowing her wife to speak first. "Well…" She spoke. "We have an agreement that if it is a girl, then I get to pick. She would be named Catallan, after my mother. Bradford here, still cannot decide on what the baby will be named if it is a boy."
"Actually!" He lifted his finger. "I do have a name in mind. I've been thinking about it for quite a while, now. If our child is a boy, then I would like his name to be Vasan."
Elisa hummed as she nodded along. "That is quite a nice name. What made you consider that?"
He spared a glance at Gerten and then turned his attention to Cassandra. "He was a very good man," Bradford explained, thinking back on the memory of the underdog who had saved both their lives without hesitation. "The bravest one that I ever met."
The fawn giggled as she withdrew her hand from Elisia's stomach. "Then I must keep what I know a secret for the next month. Unless you both change your minds, of course."
Bradford cast his gaze back at his wife. "Shall we wait?"
"The temptation is great, but…we shall."
He offered his gratitude to the fawn, "Thank you, Vexeta."
"Enjoy your family," she said with a smile before she dispersed into a cloud of particles, likely on her way to tend to the next family that needed her.
As Cassandra and the others said their goodbyes to the trio, they continued to venture throughout the town. Yiverria would occasionally turn her eyes towards the couples that went about their days, which caught the brunette's attention.
"Love is in the air, is it not?" Cassandra said.
Yiverria tilted her head. "As it appears. I still question the numerous times our sister, Tallettia, converses with Gibbin. She seems very enthused by his stories. Strange, for a fawn who fancies only vegetables and fruit…to be such great friends with a butcher."
Leta hopped up and down as she tugged on Yiverria's gown. "What about you? Do you have someone you like?"
The short-haired fawn chuckled as she looked down at her. "At this time, no. But, I am getting older…and lonely. I've never considered the idea of giving my heart to a poil, but maybe Tallettia sees something that I do not."
Cassandra raised her eyebrow at that very instant. She already had something up her sleeve to say, "Didn't Pexten compliment your hair the other day?"
Yiverria instantly blushed, averting her eyes to the ground as she walked. "Yes, he did."
"And didn't you stutter when you thanked him?"
With an urgent smile on her face, Yiverria was quick to end this conversation, "That is incorrect! I coughed! Let us not spread unfounded rumors, dear Cassandra."
The brunette mumbled under her breath, "Whatever you say…"
Leta pointed to the young man in question, who was hard at work near a clearing. He and the other poils nearby were hauling logs as a group over their shoulders. "Isn't that Pexten over there?"
Yiverria quickly came to a stop and began to fix her hair. It only earned a cackle out of the pale woman to her side.
"Go talk to him!" Cassandra said.
Too flustered to even drum up an excuse, Yiverria simply froze and dropped her arms. "But, what do I say?"
"Just say hello, or something." She shrugged her shoulder. "I don't know much about love." Who was she kidding? Lia had taught her everything that she needed to know. "But…compliments go a long way."
"Hmm…" Yiverria curled her lips at the thought. "What do I have to lose? I guess I'll go see how he's doing."
The man shouted out to her from far away, "Good afternoon, Yiverria!"
The fawn's eyes grew wide and she vanished into a field of blue at that very second. Cassandra and Leta could not stop laughing. It was such an adorable display of affection, one that reminded the brunette of her time with Lia. Nervousness was only excitement in its purest form. She knew one day Yiverria would come around, and when that day came, she would be happier than ever before.
Reeling in from her amusement, Cassandra took Leta by the hand as the two of them reached the end of the town. The hills of Joulin were all around them, rife with great fields of green grass, overseen by the vibrant Spector Moons in the sky. It was just like the fields these two had explored back when they first ventured out together.
I remember Leta running around, pointing out everything around us. So long ago that day was. In fact, if I'm not mistaken…
"Hey, Leta," Cassandra rotated her neck with a sly grin. "You know what I think we should do?"
"What is that?"
"Race each other to the top of that hill." She pointed to the crest of the large mound just a hundred feet away. It would be a steep climb, but not one that either of them couldn't conquer. Leta's excitement grew at the prospect of the game that lay in wait for them, but as soon as she nodded to accept, Cassandra was already off.
"Hey!" The fawn shouted at her. "That's cheating!"
"What's that?" Cassandra yelled out as she gained ground. "I can't hear you from back there!"
The brunette kept her eyes ahead, sprinting as hard as she could to reach the finish line she had set. Her strides would always be longer than anything that the child could muster. It was a sure win in her mind. Inflating her lungs to their fullest capacity, she gave her body everything that it needed to carry her upwards. Fighting gravity at each step, she pulled herself up toward the mound, not even hearing the exhausted groans of Leta.
Almost there…
As soon as she lifted her head, she could see the influx of blue particles coming together atop the hill. She was only feet away by the time Leta had fully reformed. The brunette slowed her pace as soon as she realized that the race was over.
"And you said I'm the cheater?" Cassandra caught her breath as she stood hunched over.
"Looks like I won!" Leta jumped and cheered.
"Ugh." She shook her head. "I'm going to have to get used to these powers of yours. I guess Yiverria is teaching you a little too well."
Leta bobbed her shoulders as she approached Cassandra. "You're just as big of a help to me as she is."
"I guess I can only blame myself."
"I guess you can," Leta smirked.
You're growing up so fast, Leta. So much potential lies ahead of you.
Cassandra sighed as they stood at the top of the hill, overlooking the new Acomb below it. It was nice to get a breath of fresh air after all the hard work that they had been doing. It was moments like these where they could unwind and forget about their daily tasks for just a bit. Leta's learning was coming along well. The hours spent honing her growing sets of skills were well worth it, as the fawn had begun to mirror her sister's capabilities.
Perhaps, even one day, she would surpass them.
Leta turned to Cassandra and tapped her on the arm. "I had a dream last night."
"Oh, did you?"
"Yeah," Leta said. "It was peculiar, but, I dreamt that you and I were inside your castle, under this great fixture that had so many candles on it."
A chandelier?
"What happened in this dream?" Cassandra asked, curious as to what else she had to say.
Leta stumbled around her thoughts, as if she was trying to make sense of something that she did not understand. "It was strange, to say the least. I don't remember too much, but it wasn't just us there. There was another man, dressed in all black, with some strange thing on his head. Someone called him Alpha, I remember that. I don't know, but it just felt like we needed to be there. That was the feeling that I got."
"Interesting dream, I must say." Cassandra left it at that, as there wasn't much else for her to go on.
"Do you still think about home?" Leta asked.
"This place is home to me," she responded with confidence. "Everything feels right here."
Leta raised her arm to touch her throat, feeling the scar that she would forever carry on her skin. Cassandra's hand perched itself upon her shoulder as she looked down at the girl, sensing her ongoing embarrassment from it.
It often served as a reminder of that dark castle, where the worst days of her life had been spent. The trauma from it all would come up every now and then, but with the support of those around her, Leta was able to manage. It would be a long road, but not one that she couldn't navigate.
The brunette showcased the array of scars on her arms, as well as the most prominent ones on her chest and temple as she pointed to them. "Do you think I look beautiful today?"
"Of course," Leta answered.
"Then so do you," Cassandra told her.
"Thank you," Leta turned her attention to the landscape ahead of them. "Do you miss your sisters?"
"Always."
"I just wish Lia was here, sometimes…"
Cassandra brought her closer as the two of them stood there. A moment of silence followed as she exhaled and settled her sights on the here and now. "Me too."
As Leta stared aimlessly at the mountains in the far distance, Cassandra's ears picked up on the sound of wings flapping around behind them. She craned her neck and peeked over her shoulder, where a certain blue bird was spotted in the air not too far away. The creature kept its head focused on them as it circled around, just like it did when it led her to the castle in Deas.
It's the bird again.
"Hey, Leta!" Cassandra tapped the girl's shoulder to get her attention, wanting to show her the feathered animal as it flew about. Just as she turned her head to point it out, it was gone. Her amber orbs scanned the skies, hoping to spot it, but there was nothing to be found.
Just as she was about to give up, she noticed a handful of fading particles trickling away.
That was when she knew.
Thank you, Lia. I got it from here. We're all going to be okay. Rest well, my love.
"What was it, Cassandra?" Leta asked as she looked on in confusion.
"Nothing," she said. "I just wanted to tell you that Lia is watching over you as we speak and she is proud to see you growing into the woman that you are."
That remark caused Leta's cheeks to swell with love. She grabbed Cassandra by the waist and gave her the biggest hug that she could muster. The brunette wrapped her arm around the girl's shoulder as they stood there at the hilltop, enjoying the colorful environment that surrounded them.
Leta could not help but comment on what they were seeing, "It is such a beautiful world, isn't it?"
Cassandra could feel the happiness growing inside her. She was finally free to live and where she was now, was the right place for her to be. After every trial and tribulation, tragedy, and terror, there was finally a light at the end of the tunnel for her. For a woman who had lived and died, only to live and die again, and then again, she felt like her life was just beginning.
She had found her purpose and forgiven herself for everything she had left behind. It made her who she was today – and that woman was the woman she loved.
"I agree," Cassandra said as she looked on at it all. "It is a beautiful world."
THE END.
NOTES:
And here we are – at the conclusion of this story.
What a journey this was. Cassandra started off as the sadist we knew her as, only to be challenged at every turn in a world that wanted to give her a second chance. In the end, she got it and the love she had to give has inspired others. This was not a story that closed every loose end. But, this wasn't about the bigger picture.
This was Cassandra's story.
Where do we go from here? Well, two things, actually.
There will be one more update for this story. On November 11th, I will include a chapter that is all about how this story began, its process, and its characters. Look forward to more art depicting what original concepts looked like, some notes on cut-content, as well as insight on the vastly different plot points I had in mind throughout its run.
By fan-request, I will also be creating a ten-chapter alternative version of this story (stemming from Chapter 35) in which Lia survives the assault on Acomb. Fans of Flies who are hoping for one last trip to Locwitary can enjoy the new turn of events that will go down. Expect new artwork for each chapter as well (This website doesn't seem to allow me to display it, so please, follow my stories on Archive of Our Own, where all my artwork is up for viewing!).
More information will come at a later date, but I am planning to release all chapters at once and do so before the completion of Fragmented Fears. Oh, and it will still be canon to the series. Sounds strange, doesn't it? This story has already mentioned timelines in Cassandra's life, but timelines in Locwitary?
If you haven't started reading it, check out Fragmented Fears and embark on a perilous journey in a realm gone mad as Bela and Ethan fight to survive in a city of nightmares. The shadow of Locwitary's past is not far behind in this story, nor are the shadows of the demonic woman who prowls its dark streets.
And as soon as it's over, Daniela will be getting her turn as well. This series will see its epic conclusion as the youngest daughter of the batch finds herself in the middle of something greater than she could have ever imagined.
Flies is where it began. Fears is where it went wrong. Daniela's story is where it ends.
I also wanted to thank all of you for supporting me throughout this journey. You are all so awesome and I cannot say it enough: You are the best! Your excitement for this story was what kept me typing away, spending many hours with my pen on paper, and thinking about what the next chapter would hold. After almost a year and a half, we have made it to the end. It has been such a fun ride, but I look forward to what lies ahead.
Seriously, thank you for everything. You made this worth it 😊
Enjoy the rest of your weekend and stay safe out there!
I'm looking forward to seeing you all again! 😊