Gibbin was already fast asleep, curled up against the rucksack that he had substituted for a pillow. His snoring was what one would expect for a man of his build and stature. The gurgling of his breaths would keep anyone else awake, but that wasn't the cause of Cassandra's sleepless state.
Her mind could not stop thinking about what had been taken from her. She wanted to make sense of it. Why couldn't something as good as the family she had bonded with last? It seemed like she was destined to live a life of ruin. The brunette felt as though her mere existence was poisonous – doomed to infect anyone she came across.
She had been cursed since the beginning, and she feared that it would follow her until the end.
Milo's diary was in her hands as she sat close to the fading flames. The orange glow illuminated the text written by the man whom she once looked to as a father. It would be the only thing left of him in this world that carried on his soul, and she wanted to know what his life was like.
Revisiting the ghosts of the recent past would only shake her foundation even more, but she couldn't turn away.
"17, Month Eight, 35th Year of Second Cycle.
I have only had these two fawns under my care for a few days, but these have been the hardest days of my life. My heart still aches due to the actions of those I assembled to address what I once believed to be a problem. I should have paid more attention to their words and comments about the fawns along the way. I should have considered those that my initial followers recruited into our efforts.
Anger is a disease of the heart.
I can still hear Lia crying upstairs. She wants to go home, but the elders entrusted me to care for her. Her mother is no more, and they told me to give her the life that was stolen from her. How can I ever give this fawn a normal life? These books they supplied are nothing compared to the teachings her peers can show her. The infant, Leta, will be forced to see life through a poil's eyes. Why didn't they just kill me, instead?
I am a fool. That is not what fawns do.
Killing is a poil action."
Cassandra turned a few pages ahead. She did not understand the year and time make-up, but the progression of Milo's writing spoke for itself.
"6, Month Two, 39th Year of Third Cycle.
I discovered a collection of small drawings that Lia had been creating. Her face when she found out that I found them was most amusing. She is truly a teenager in that regard. She will not talk to me at this moment, but little does she know, I am on my way to procure improved supplies so that she may pursue this craft.
The years have seen some improvement in our relationship. She has come around, as have I. There are still many arguments, but Leta is often kept away during them. Lia does not want her to witness the struggles of her older sibling, and I understand. Times like these make me wonder what life would have been like had my dear Julianna been gifted a younger sister.
She would have loved her."
Cassandra skimmed across some more pages. Her heart was already beginning to swell again.
"29, Month Seven, 45th Year of Sixth Cycle.
My old age is beginning to show itself. I could hardly keep up with Lia as she and I danced around the library. What a remarkable young woman she has become. We still have plenty of arguments, but the number of joyous times has also risen. She deserves these smiles, and I hope in the future, I can give her more.
I wish you were here, Julianna. You and Lia would have been great friends."
The brunette wiped a tear away from her eye before she thumbed through toward the end.
"15, Month Eight, 45th Year of Sixth Cycle.
Lia's intuition was true! A woman from another realm has found herself within our own! I tried to remain as composed as possible when I spoke to her, which was difficult, given how aggressive she was.
Cassandra – as she is named – exhibits a high level of stress. It was foolish of me to explain my theories regarding her arrival here so soon, but her world has been on my mind for decades. She has to have a connection to that dagger, and as such – to Locwitary's history as well!
Her garments are strange, and the marking on her forehead is most peculiar. I wish to find out more, but the woman is stained with blood, and her mouth was practically dripping with it when Lia found her. My fears were realized when she tried to kill Lia, and after learning of what was happening in her world, she managed to somehow affect Lia via touch. The fawn isn't doing too well, but she will recover. Cassandra also experienced an unforeseen episode of fainting, and I have retired her to a separate bed so that she can rest.
I will spend the rest of the night keeping a watchful eye over her room. Her weapon is out of her reach, for now. It is for the best.
I do not know what kind of person has entered our world, but I must learn more about her. I just fear that she may end up causing harm to someone. We will see how she is tomorrow, or whenever she awakes, then we'll go from there."
"I was quite the handful, wasn't I?" She broke a faint smile, recalling her first few days under Milo's care. She was such a terror, but in retrospect, she knew she was scared. She had been torn away from her life in Castle Dimitrescu, and the world she found herself in was kinder than she had ever known. There were different boundaries to be had, and she was expected to solve her problems without resorting to violence.
If she knew how fond she would have grown of this world…
Cassandra thumbed through to the final page that had been filled out.
"21, Month Eight, 45th Year of Sixth Cycle.
What a week this has been. Cassandra and Lia have grown so close to one another. I could see the two as lifelong friends, if the woman were to remain here. I know not of fawn affections, but I have read up on their close nature. Hand-holding and hugging are common, but something about the way they look at each other…
I couldn't be happier for Lia, either way. Cassandra as well.
I'm preparing everything that I need for today's festivities. Afterward, when we all return, I wish to say my farewell to this woman who has changed our lives. Cassandra has shown me so much, but not in terms of what lies beyond our realm, but the realms that exist within us. She has come from a life of violence and found a new one in love. There was much tragedy surrounding her past, but she pushed ahead toward her future. If I had done the same when I lost my daughter, the future would have been different for everyone.
Still, I am happy with the lives that Lia and Leta now live. They seem optimistic about what lies ahead, and when Cassandra leaves, I feel our world will be on its path to a brighter future. It all begins here, in Acomb. Fawns and poils living together in harmony. No more bloodshed.
It is a future that exists as long as we choose to fight for it.
Julianna, you would be proud of me. I saw you in my dreams last night, as I always have. You used to always tell me to 'let go' back in the days when I lost you, and later when I was given the fawns. I could sense that you wanted me to be the man you looked up to. That kept me strong when I felt weak, and the daughters I have now are here because of that.
But, this dream last night, it was different. You told me that I 'did great.' I never felt so close to you in my dreams before. It almost felt like we were together again."
Cassandra set the journal aside as she wiped her eyes. For the life of her, she could not understand why she chose to endure these readings. They only made the grief that coursed through her heart worse. All it would serve to do would be to remind her of everything she once had.
Maybe it was the desire to inch closer to what is unobtainable that made grief what it was. She had felt it ever since she found Bela and Daniela to be outside her reach, lost in a world far away. She recalled the way she would stare up at the Locwitary sky and envision them still somewhere in that castle, going about their lives in her absence.
Now, with Lia and Milo gone, she found them to be as far away as her sisters were. This was their world, and now, they were no longer a part of it. It was easy to enjoy the role of a killer when one did not have to consider the repercussions of their actions and how it affected those closest to the victims.
The loved ones of the women she tortured to death never had a clue that their cherished daughters and sisters were being abused in that castle. They unwilfully lived in ignorance, eating dinner and conversing about what life must have been like when working in such a luxurious environment.
If only they had a clue of how those girls screamed for their lives as they were shackled up, flailing aimlessly to escape the next cut or burn that would inevitably find itself on their skin. Cassandra remembered all of them very well, and while Castle Dimitrescu knew no consequences, she could only imagine what those family members would have said to her if they were ever allowed to have a voice.
Either way, she knew she would never be able to handle it.
Putting Milo's journal back into her bag, Cassandra took out Lia's and set it on her lap. Even though this book was lighter than the one Milo had owned, it felt so much heavier, for some reason. When she lifted the book to open it, her hands trembled at the thought of what words lay ahead of her.
Should she open it, she wondered?
With a slow and steady breath, Cassandra spread the pages apart and set her eyes on the first entry that she saw.
"I do not write in this book often, but today, I must voice my opinion! Milo thought it would have been funny to dab my nose with my paintbrush! The nerve of that man! Even worse, a drop of green paint landed on my cape and now it won't come out! He treats me like a child, but I am sixteen!
Even Leta laughed alongside him. She is but a toddler, though that does not excuse his actions!
I plan to cease speaking to him for the foreseeable future! Maybe then, he will learn that he is the one who is the true child!"
The brunette let out a small laugh. "I wish you were here. Oh, how you would have tried to snatch this from my hands." Letting out a sigh as she brushed her hand along her hair, Cassandra went ahead to skim past this section and moved on to the later entries. The crackling of the fire was still in full swing, and the night was young as ever.
She had all the time in the world to read this.
"It has been a most aggravating last couple of days for me. This woman that we have foolishly allowed into our home, Cassandra, has been the bane of my existence. I cannot stand her arrogance! She always has something to say, and if she isn't talking, her face is what angers me. Ugh…why? Why doesn't Milo ever listen to me? She is a killer! I've seen it, and yet, nobody wants to turn an eye!
This writing is already stressing me out. I'm going to try and work on my crafts tonight, but my mind is far too focused on dealing with this woman. It's a real shame that someone who looks like her chooses to be this way. When I first laid eyes upon her, I was a little excited to meet someone new. It was fun using my magic to keep her walking up those stairs endlessly. I was hoping that she would have been enthused by my tricks, but…just more rage.
Figures. When does anything ever go right for me?"
"Lia…" Cassandra turned to the next page.
"Looking back on everything I've written in the past, I feel like my perception of myself is one that must be called into question. Earlier today, I allowed my emotions to get the better of me, to say the least. I made a conscious effort to hurt Cassandra, and what followed was the most heartbreaking afternoon that I have had in years. This would have been a horrible day, but the way it ended was so unexpected.
Milo approached me as I was on the roof, and he and I finally got to have a conversation that was long overdue. I know that I've been holding in so much anger over the years. It seeps into the way I talk to others and how I act. I've avoided speaking about these feelings because they remind me of my mother, and the circumstances of my life are something that I was always afraid of confronting. I chose to isolate myself and bottle up these emotions when I should have sought help sooner.
Cassandra was the perfect storm. She was so easy to blame for everything, because of what she had done in the past. I thought I was better than her, but when I became the one who was hurting someone else, I realized that we were both the same. That was when my blindness lifted, and I discovered how much she had changed from the woman I perceived her as.
To willingly cause pain is something that I will never be able to handle, and I am thankful that I did not do something that I would have regretted for the rest of my days. Leta saw what happened, and as of now, she is afraid to speak with me. It breaks my heart. I feel like I have failed her as an older sister.
Yet, some of my sorrows were mended by Cassandra, who has chosen to forgive me and put an end to this streak of conflict. She embodies what a fawn is, even more so than myself. I felt the weight of regret lifted off my shoulders when she took me in and held me. I never expected her to do that, as I found it too difficult to do it myself.
I want to confess something to you, dearest journal: I felt something when I was holding her. I have always admired her face, as she is a beautiful woman. That is without question, but even now, in the solitude of my room, I find myself still thinking about it. I kissed her cheek, but I wanted more. This is so odd. I will end this entry, and spend the rest of the night pursuing my crafts. I guess I'll have to figure this out myself.
Maybe I'll make a craft of her?"
Her ungloved fingers clenched against the ends of the journal. Cassandra just wanted to transport herself back to the day and do it all over again. To be in Lia's arms again would have been the greatest reward, and the thought of Leta made her yearn for better days. The three of them were a loving trio, and with the girl in Narratha's possession, she thought sooner or later, the child's life would be ended.
That was if she hadn't already been killed.
Cassandra tried to keep her mind at ease. Thinking about Leta would only make her break out into tears. Words couldn't describe how much she felt like she had allowed the murderous redhead to take her.
"Cassandra and I are going out today to go pick some fruits. It's been on my mind to confess my feelings to her. I still cannot figure out the correct words. I'm probably overthinking things, as I often do. I trust that my judgment is right, but I still find myself sensing for her feelings every time we make contact. I just need to know for sure. I'd hate to open up to her and be rejected.
I still do not know what I'm expecting. This woman is bound for her home world, and what could we possibly have that will work out here? Maybe I am just being selfish, but don't I deserve to be a little selfish? I just want someone. Fawns do not pursue romance, as far as I know. I have heard stories, yes, but they are just stories. I want to live it.
Cassandra is so beautiful. From her pale skin to her dark hair, those glowing eyes, and that wonderful marking on her forehead. I know the details of her past are horrendous, but she is meticulously crafted. I have turned an eye to other women, and all my life, I've noticed something in me pulling me toward them, but Cassandra…
If my senses remain true, I will try to do my best. I still don't know what I'll say or how I'll do it, but I want her to know. Whatever happens after…that's just destiny."
The tears became too great. Lia was right: it was destiny.
Cassandra put the journal back into her bag as she leaned over and covered her face. She did not want to wake Gibbin up, but the heaviness of her troubles would not go away. The campfire would shine a little bit of light onto the ocean of darkness that came over her, but as the night wore on, that light would have to go away.
She would eventually lie down and try to go to sleep. The night was still young, and when morning came, they would be on their way to the fawn elders. At that point, she could hopefully find her way back into her world. She would return to everything that she knew, and then she would have to work to undo it all.
Free the staff. Free her sisters. Stop Miranda and the lords, if she could.
It was all too much to think about, but she knew that if she allowed her grief to remain in control, she would never succeed in her endeavors. The world that she was in now would have to fight its own battles. Gibbin would hold the torch to Locwitary's future – and the future of Leta.
Did she have faith that the man would be successful? No.
Narratha would kill him in a heartbeat, just as she would do to her.
Returning to her world ensured that there would be at least one survivor.
With her head feeling heavier than it had ever been before, Cassandra rolled around on her mat. The cool wind swarmed around her body, and turning onto her stomach was the best way that she could fight it off. Her ears were open to her surroundings, but her eyes remained shut so that she could preserve the darkness around her and return to sleep.
Gibbin's snoring could still be vaguely heard in the background. It felt like she was teetering back and forth between reality and the world of the unconscious, and that reality needed a break. She would tip the scales – just enough to slip back into the abyss and stay there for a few more hours.
As she shifted around again to adjust to a more comfortable position, Cassandra's ears began to pick up on the faint sound of humming coming from nearby. An orange aura soon appeared from under her closed peripherals, followed by the familiar crackles of flame.
Is…is the fire still going? I thought I put it out, didn't I?
Tired as ever, it took a little bit for Cassandra to act. Part of her just wanted to go back to sleep, and it fought tooth and nail to keep her awake. The fire could keep going for all she cared. Then again, Gibbin had warned about dhins, and having one show up now was not something that she wanted to happen.
Ugh…I need to put it out.
The humming continued.
What is that sound?
Groaning as she lifted her upper body, Cassandra cracked her eyelids open and was greeted with the blurry image of the campfire. Particles of yellow floated up into the air, and the shadows of the night dimmed everything else around her. However, it was the center of the fire that was cut off from view.
Someone was sitting down in front of it.
With the echoes of her slumber still clinging to her will, Cassandra was sluggish in her response to the image. She rolled around some more, fighting to muster the strength to push her body upward. The figure was facing away and felt non-threatening in nature. As the brunette sat up, the person in front of her continued to hum to themselves.
Who is that?
The feminine voice channeled its melody as the stranger faced away from her. Cassandra sharpened her vision just a bit – making out the signs of a fur cape.
Is that…
With her gaze at the campfire, Lia spoke to her, "What a peaceful night."
She could not believe what she was seeing. Cassandra's heart wanted to spring from her chest. The influx of adrenaline was too great to ignore, but her body remained lethargic. Moving around took additional effort, and she could not understand why. Lia was right there and she needed to go to her.
"How are you –"
The fawn peeked over her shoulder and let out a kind giggle, right before she rose to her feet. "Rest, my dear. You need all the strength you can get." Lia paced around the flame; her left hand extended toward it. That was when Cassandra saw the blue epicenter of it all.
Lia's green eyes shined in the light, as did her teeth when she smiled at her. "How I would have loved a night under the stars with you."
"Please…" Cassandra begged. "Tell me this is real."
Lia lowered her eyes at the fire, right as her smile retracted into a set of rolled lips. She took a breath and pulled her hand away from the flames, which caused them to slowly degrade in quality. Her fingers curled into her palm, and spread upon exhale. She glanced at the brunette again, releasing her lips and parting them.
"If I answer that question…" Lia took a second breath as she approached her. Cassandra was unable to move her body, but the fawn kept her focused.
She placed her palms on Cassandra's cheeks, and through the cool breeze, she could feel the warmth of her energy coursing through her skin. This couldn't have been a dream. No dream had ever felt like this before. The image of Lia's face was blurry with the backdrop of darkness and flames behind it, but her green eyes were as piercing as ever before.
Amidst her tired nature, Cassandra found the fawn's voice to be so clear that it may as well have been whispered into her ear.
"I hate to speak in riddles," Lia stated. "But riddles are meant to be uncovered. Life cannot be laid out in front of us. We must discover." Her hands caressed the woman's pale skin. "You're destined for great things, Cassandra. In this world – and your own."
Lia ended with a sigh. "Just know that I love you. My sister loves you."
"I'm scared," Cassandra's voice cracked. "What do I do? Please!"
Lia kissed her forehead, speaking as her lips laid against the woman's tattoo, "Do what you must. I fly with the flock. You fly where you choose to go."
"Please…just tell me."
"I wish I could." Lia pulled back and smiled at her with the most loving gaze. "Sadly, I cannot."
"Why?"
"Because you need to wake up."
Cassandra's eyes shot open at that very instant. Gasping for air, she tossed around and jolted from where she was. Once she did, her eyes befell a world full of darkness. The only thing visible was the mountainous landscape in the distance; its black silhouette was bordered by the deep, dark blue tiny of the sky above. She could not see anything else around her, but Gibbin's snoring was still there.
It had all been a dream…
With a faint cry of sadness, Cassandra curled up onto her knees and took some time to reflect on everything that had just happened. She felt so close to Lia. It was like none of this tragedy had even happened. Sadly, good things were not meant to last. She was doomed to be reminded of her loss at every twist and turn.
Still, she clung to the illusion of Lia's company. Even though it had been a dream, Cassandra found some comfort in what she had seen. If only the sequence in her head had gone on for a little bit longer…
As she lifted her head to take in some fresh air, she felt the cool wind as it traveled along her skin. Something about it was a tad off, and she cupped her face to investigate the anomaly further.
Why do my cheeks feel so warm?
Morning had arrived. Gibbin was already up and moving by the time the Spector Moons crested the mountains. While he may have tried to spare the woman next to him some extra moments of rest, Cassandra found the noise that he was making too bothersome for her to rest.
It had been hard to fall back asleep after the dream that she had. While she did manage to drift away – at some point – there was no telling just how much time she had been asleep for.
It could have been hours.
It could have been minutes.
Either way – she was tired as hell.
Fighting the exhaustion as best she could, Cassandra concluded that there was no way that she was going back to sleep. She yawned as she sat up, before straightening out her hair with both her hands. The landscape was more visible now, though the dimness of dawn only allowed for so much to be seen.
Gibbin was already packed up and in the process of throwing his rucksack over the steed's back. The tall animal was just as awake as he was, and for once in her life, Cassandra found herself jealous of such a beast. She rotated her neck around, cracking it as much as possible before she rose to her feet.
The burly man turned to her as she shuffled around with her things. "I was going to give you a couple extra minutes to sleep."
"I don't need them," she replied. "It's best that we just continue on. We should reach the fawns by the fall of the Spector Moons, correct?"
"Yeah," Gibbin said as he looked to the sky. The flock of blue birds had taken off from a nearby tree and were already circling them, waiting to head off in the next direction. "We should be reaching Tyillioum by this afternoon, I reckon. The fawns will be living somewhere over there."
Her bag was already packed and in her arms. "Alright, then. Let's go, I guess."
It had been another handful of hours of riding. A short break for food and to stretch their legs was a welcome reprieve, but the journey had to continue. Before Cassandra knew it, she was back on and moving ahead. The Spector Moons radiated the light in the sky above. It was another sunny day, which brought with it a sense of surrealness.
It was like she was literally moving further away from the deaths behind her. The massacre in Acomb almost felt like a distant memory, as the gloomy skies that followed only personified the grief of every surviving poil there. It did nothing to take away her sorrows, but instead, filled her with the sense that the next chapter of her life was truly ahead.
She could never forget what happened here. The events of the last week would forever be ingrained in her memory, as they had permanently reshaped her life. To think that she would potentially be sitting back in the solitude of her castle was as strange now as it had been when Lia was alive.
Even though Castle Dimitrescu was in her home world, arriving there felt like a trade-off.
One home for the other.
She planned to pretend to be the same daughter that she was before she died. The same one that Alcina expected her to be. No compassion. No sympathy.
No desire for love from anyone else other than the witch who had stolen her.
She'd try to convince her sisters in secret, hoping that they would come around and see the light. The staff could be freed and warned of what was to come. Neither of the three could ever defeat Alcina, let alone, Miranda.
That was where her plan fell apart, and she did not know what would come after. Those she freed seemed destined to perish, and all that she would inherit would be a life of ruin. Everyone there was fated to die because of Miranda's quest to achieve her goals.
She shuddered at the idea of having to end the life of an innocent maid to maintain the guise of a bloodthirsty, devoted daughter.
She couldn't do that. She wouldn't do that.
This plan was not going to work – she could just feel it.
What am I going to do? I'm just walking headfirst into death. It's no different than if I were to go up to Narratha and ask for Leta back. I'm just going to fail.
Gibbin snapped her focus away from her thoughts as he pointed to the mountains ahead. "Tyillioum gets flatter as you go on ahead. Just plains and hills as far as the eyes can see. There are some mountains, and the fawns live nearby. They settle where the forests are. That's usually the best way to spot them."
She closed her eyes for a second and sighed. The conversation he brought up was the best way for her to place these negative thoughts aside. "You sound like you know a lot about fawns, Gibbin."
"Ah, enough, I'd say." The man shrugged his rounded shoulders as the steed trotted along. "My traveling days began in my youth. My mother died of an illness when I was a young lad. My father took me, their only child, across the land as he tried to build a life. Taught me everything I know. Fawns were an occasional sight. They try to avoid poils, but if you look hard, you know where to find them."
"I heard stories about fawns and poils fighting each other," Cassandra mentioned. "Years ago. What happened?"
Gibbin grunted a bit as he cleared his throat. "Fawns will know these stories better than any poil, but, I used to sit with them in my younger years. Father traded with them, and they trusted us. The surges I met would make food and tell us about the days of old. Centuries ago, there was a push for a greater civilization. Poils underwent a period of technological advancement. We founded metal, which was no easy task."
"How so?"
"Fawns usually are the ones to create it," he explained. "While poils can craft the substance themselves, fawns can combine their powers and construct it under specific circumstances. So, I guess I can't say that we founded it. We simply learned how to make it ourselves. At that time, fawns and poils were already living peacefully. We had great settlements and a living structure superior to what we see today, as the story goes. Medicine was top-notch, and new things were being thought up at such a fast pace. Everyone believed they were about to reach the future, whatever that meant."
Gibbin tilted his head to her, with a prompt roll of his thick brow. "But, discovery breeds a lust for power. Some poils desired to see the advancement grow, and the fawns were the best source of that power. Some believed that they held an untapped quantity of energy that could help everyone expand beyond what nature intended. Through fawns, poils learned of the existence of the realms, and that was when everything went into darkness."
Cassandra could feel that this story was about to take an ugly turn, and she was right.
"Rogue poils took it upon themselves to imprison or kill any fawn that they could. They did not know what they would do with what they had, all they knew was that they wanted the power. Fighting broke out all over the region of Deas, where this advancement in society was being achieved. Fawns joined together to free their sisters, and they used their powers to kill the poils. In response, poils sought out more fawns and killed them, too."
Gibbin breathed a long groan as he shook his head at the memories of Locwitary's past. "It was a brutal mess. Destroyed everything."
Cassandra had one more thing to ask about, "And the dagger?"
"Ah, you know about that?" Gibbin chuckled to himself. "Wait, of course. How could I have forgotten? Milo was obsessed with the damn thing. Well, a group of fawns partnered with some poils, trying to escape this world. I may have mentioned to you before. The fawns crafted that metal with their powers, while the poils used their own technology to shape it into what it was. The dagger was meant to physically cut open the barriers between realms, so that the poils who wished to escape, could. They gave it to one of the fawns, whose name was…" He grumbled for a moment. "I forget. Either way, the explosion upon using it was far too great, and she was gone."
"So, she was killed?"
"You know, that's a funny thing," Gibbin mentioned. "Some of those around her were injured, but there was no trace of her left to be found."
"The dagger ended up in my world," Cassandra confessed. "It's in my castle. I do not know much about how it got there, but maybe that fawn entered my world with it?"
"Maybe," Gibbin said. "It is believed that the explosion threw remnants of that metal across various realms. Elder fawns have been keeping a close eye on those stories. If that fawn who wielded the dagger did survive, she could have landed in your world. Or, wherever she ended up, I hope it was a better place than what Locwitary was back then."
I guess I'm not the first person to cross realms then. I wonder what else is out there?
"Anyway," Gibbin added. "After the incident with the dagger, word spread around about it. Chaos broke loose, and the fighting worsened. So many people died, and when it was all over, the surviving poils and fawns went their separate ways. Generations passed, but the stories remained. Some say this world would have been more advanced, but a considerable chunk of its population was lost in the bloodshed. I think everyone finally realized that we were headed toward destruction, and the quest for power was given up. The fawns think so, anyways."
Cassandra kept her hands around the leather suspenders he wore. Their bodies bobbed up and down as the steed carried them along, leaving the brunette to gaze at the empty landscape.
This world almost killed itself, over what? Power? I guess no universe is safe from that kind of evil.
She tried to visualize all the lost souls that were slaughtered long before this time. To think that people as peaceful as the fawns had willingly participated in battles was such an odd thought. The way everyone described them today made them seem like violence was outside of their nature.
"Fawns are peaceful," Cassandra stated. "But, they used to kill?"
"I was told that they never wanted to," Gibbin informed her, recalling the words of the fawns he had met as a child. "They always used their powers for what you've seen Lia do. However, when their sisters were being killed, they chose to act. The poils always outnumbered them, and when the fighting reached its peak, they tore the poils to shreds. That was when they saw the magnitude of their strength, and they decided to never again use it to kill. They'd rather be gone than risk this planet. It's been centuries, and until just yesterday, I had never thought a fawn would intentionally go out to kill a poil. There have been accidents over the years, yes, but nothing like Narratha."
"Like Milo's daughter? She was killed by pure accident."
"Yeah," he said. "She was one of them. I guess Milo told you that story, too. Poor girl."
"So, poils and fawns stayed away from each other for so many years after?" Cassandra lamented the scorched relationship between both sides. It all started to make sense. Lia and Milo were a unique duo that gave hope to Acomb for that very reason.
The massacre that took place in Lia's commune did nothing but reignite those buried sorrows. It had to have soured whatever progress had been made between them throughout the years. Milo was a herald of past mistakes, while Lia became an orphan of sin. Still, they came together and set out to do good, and move beyond the past.
If they could – then so could the others.
"For the most part," he said. "With so many settlements gone, poils became nomadic, searching for new places to go. Deas was ruined by the conflict, and nobody lives there anymore. Poils would sometimes cross paths with fawns, but they stayed their separate ways. Over the years, groups have intermingled again, somewhat. Generations changed, and those who remembered the past well were replaced by others who only heard the stories. There were still some more isolated killings from the poils here and there, but up until the present, it is what you see. Fawns were so decimated during that great conflict that their numbers never caught up. They can't repopulate like poils do. With what I suspect Narratha to be doing, their chances of survival are slim."
Cassandra hung her head. She now felt even more guilty for wishing to leave this world, thus, dooming the rest of the fawns to a fate of pure annihilation. But, stopping Narratha was too dangerous. She still had to save her family. It just hurt to think that no matter which way she went, death would conquer on either end.
"I just hope these elders can help me," she said.
The journey had lasted well into the end of the day. Cassandra could see that the sky was in its early stages of turning over. The Spector Moons were still well above her, but the blue tint of the sky was now taking on a bright yellow hue. In about an hour or so, the orbs above would be gone, and it would be nightfall.
The elder fawns had to be close, she thought. The flock of birds up ahead was no longer flying in a straight path. They had now begun to circle, indicating that the steed should progress no further.
Cassandra could not help but think about these birds that so helpfully guided her this whole time. She wondered why these seemingly ordinary animals had suddenly taken on such a human role. Could it have been that they were being directed by the spirits of the deceased fawns, or was Locwitary itself somehow in control?
After all, fawns were in tune with nature, and this was a unique world.
They reminded her of a bird that she occasionally saw flying around her own castle on most days. The feathered creature liked to perch itself on top of one of the trees that oversaw the graves at the village square.
During the warmer months, when she and her sisters were allowed to exit the castle and explore, she would search for the unique bird, but to no avail. It has stayed around for an assortment of years, and even up to her death, it was still there.
What a rare creature it was.
Cassandra tugged on Gibbin's shirt. "Do you see anyone?"
"No." The man kept his head on a swivel, checking in all directions for any signs of the fawns. "Everything looks right, however. The mountains. The nearby trees. Fawns had to have settled her. Where are the –"
He stopped talking the moment his eyes caught sight of a singular hut beside one of the several trees that had strayed into the open territory. Next to the hut was a seated woman.
"Right there!" He pointed and Cassandra followed.
That must be a fawn! But, where is everyone else?
Gibbin ushered the steed to move closer to where the woman was. The animal proceeded at a slow pace, careful to not frighten her with an abrupt arrival. As they drew closer, Cassandra could make out a frail frame on this individual. The woman was certainly old, and thus, likely was one of the elder fawns that they had been searching for.
Why is she by herself? I just don't get it.
As the steed got within a dozen yards of her, the woman's head slowly began to turn their way. Her long, aged hair was a mixture of dark brown and grey. Her weathered skin spoke of a significant number of years tacked onto her soul. Her baggy eyes and sagging cheeks hung as her green irises shined their way.
She did not possess a fur cape, but the garments that she wore were similar to the ones that Lia owned. This had to be a fawn, but, something just wasn't right about it. Every story that Cassandra had ever heard mentioned them living in groups. Why was this woman all alone?
Gibbin introduced himself as the steed's legs slowed down even more. "Hello, my name is Gibbin. My companion here is Cassandra. We come from Acomb, a settlement in Joulin. We're searching for any elder fawns that may be in the area."
Her head steadily lowered as she tried to adjust her body. The old woman appeared to be so weak, but she still had life left in her. "I am the one you seek." She looked to the sky, gazing at the flock of birds ahead. "You come here for a reason?"
"Yes," Gibbin replied. "We seek your aid. Acomb was attacked by two fawns, who opened up the gateway to another world, unleashing its monsters upon our good people. A fawn who took care of those people, Lia, gave her life to stop the madness. Now, those two fawns have her sister, and I seek to learn what I must do to stop them."
The elder fawn sighed as she lowered her head once more. "Is that the only thing you seek?"
"No," Gibbin added. "Cassandra is a woman from that world, and she must be returned. Lia was the only fawn that we knew of who could open a portal to it, where she could leave Locwitary. If there are any fawns capable of performing such a task, Cassandra says she knows what they need to do to achieve it."
The fawn glanced at the pale brunette, seemingly studying her as she sat there. The green eyes of the aged leader met with the amber glow of the resurrected killer. There was a brief silence as the two stared at one another, before the elder fawn answered Gibbin's request.
"There are no other elder fawns," she replied. "Only me."
Gibbin shook his head. "Where did they go?"
"They're all dead."
The grim reality found itself creeping along Cassandra's spine. The way the elder answered that told her that there was still more darkness ahead. The brunette spoke up, "What is your name?"
"Olisha."
NOTES:
Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I wanted to explore the journals a bit and give Cassandra and you all just a little more insight into the lives of those she loved.
Threw in a little more lore about Locwitary, and why it is the way it is now. Just how "advanced" was this world back then, even I don't know. But, whatever came before, it is not what we have now. I said long ago that this world is not the kind place that it appeared to be. There was plenty of violence that came around before, and now, the generations that followed must pick up the pieces.
Cassandra's dream sequence was also something I wanted to include to touch on the spiritual nature of this arc. Was it truly a dream? Most likely. But, nothing is ever certain, sometimes. It is time for her to wake up.
Now, everything is beginning to come together. I'm sure you all remember Olisha, the elder fawn of Narratha's former commune. What does she have for Cassandra and Gibbin? How can she help stop this monstrous fawn, save Leta, and bring Cassandra home? The next chapter will have all the answers.
When will that chapter arrive? Well, today! Yes, this one is a double! The newest chapter has already posted!
I'll leave my goodbyes on the next notes, so I hope you all enjoy this for now! 😊