The walk to the castle was the longest that she had ever had. The fields of dead grass filled the landscape with an ocean of faded yellow. The dreary sky was empowered by the dark, grey clouds up above. It made the structure more fearsome as she approached it, dimming its features behind the cloak of death. There was no indication of life inside, but the pitch-black rooms at the top could not be trusted.

Narratha was most certainly here – Cassandra could feel it.

With her sickle in her grasp, and her bag over her back, the brunette trudged past the berms and small ditches that lined her path into the unknown. She could just smell the faded life in the air. It wasn't the stench of decay from corpses left on the ground – it was the remains of a world whose future had been murdered centuries ago.

None of the few trees that remained birthed any leaves. Even with the moist soil signaling the skies weeping from this land's past, nothing would grow.

So many people died here. It makes my castle look like nothing.

Her foot kicked against what she thought were twigs until she heard the clatter of rusted metal. Cassandra glanced down, where she saw what appeared to be a highly deteriorated piece of an axe lying on the ground. Around it were several, small scattered bones. Her knowledge of corpses informed her that these were indeed hand bones – still holding onto a weapon that someone had entrusted their life with.

She stopped to gaze at the plains that surrounded her. How many other skeletons were hidden in this area? Likely too many to count. The brunette broke a sigh as she moved ahead. The idea that this castle was once the site of a major battle was more alive in her head than ever before.

Poils and fawns had fought each other on this very ground. It seemed clear which side fought for conquest, and which had fought to survive.

Milo had always talked about this 'bright future' that she never understood, until now. If this conflict had cost this planet most of its population, then what remained must never revert to violence. The fawn teachings were there for a reason. Olisha must have known it, even more so than Narratha.

These women were born with such power, and if even one wanted to use it to kill, they would excel at it, and this world would pay the cost. Narratha was the flame that risked engulfing everything in a blaze of hatred and she needed to be stopped.

Was it fate that brought her here? Or, was it simply her choice, as Olisha had said?

With each step Cassandra took, she felt herself walking away from the past. She had to let it all go so that she could do what she had to do here. All those dead people, whom she so gleefully murdered, would be watching her. The brunette took solace in the idea that no matter what, this was where she needed to be.

She would give it her all, to free Leta and free herself from her past. And if she couldn't – she would at least atone for it.

Nearing the edge of the castle wall, Cassandra did her best to stay out of view from the windows around her. The night sky was quickly approaching, and she hoped that it had provided as much cover as possible. She crouched by the grass, taking her bag off her back and placing it on the ground. Sorting through it, she tried to scrounge anything that she could use for the battle ahead.

Her heels were the first thing she saw. The soft footwear that she currently wore wouldn't give away her movement with any clacks, so they would remain on her. The journals and figure that Lia had crafted held no advantage. Several food items and bundles of fur blankets were better, and she opted to take a quick bite of dried meat to strengthen her body.

There wasn't time to scarf down a full meal, but this would do. She set the blankets aside, searching for the one other thing that would serve her well – the vial.

There you are…

Cassandra placed the small cylindrical glass container under the seam of her robes, near the middle of her chest. It would hold, for now. If that liquid could quell a fawn's powers, then she might have what she needed to take Narratha head-on.

Her eyes turned to the necklace that she wore, momentarily fearing that the ornaments would clatter as she walked around. Her hand reached up to take hold of it, but she hesitated, wondering if it was truly the right decision.

Maybe I should keep this. I…I need my sisters to be with me right now. Bela, Daniela…I love you both…

As she placed the rest of her items back inside the bag, Cassandra stopped to take a breath, pondering whether or not that dried meat was her final meal, and if this was the last moment of outside air that she would ever breathe. Death appeared certain behind those old, brick walls. Only a fool would willingly enter.

Staring down at her sickle, she saw a glint of blue appear in the reflection that it offered.

Before she could turn her head – a blue bird landed on the outside curve of the half-moon blade.

"Where did you come from?" She said as the tiny, feathered animal fluttered its wings and took its place on the metal. The bird offered a few chirps, tilting its head to the side so that one of its eyes could face her.

Cassandra extended her finger to pet it, but the bird acted first and jumped onto her forearm.

"Ah…" She smiled as she brought the creature closer to her chest, where it nestled itself in her arms. Her forefinger graced the top of its small head, and the bird's white eyelids clenched shut as it enjoyed the love. "It's okay, little one."

The bird opened its eyes once her hand pulled back, and the two stared at each other for a couple more seconds.

These birds truly are beautiful.

"You brought me here, didn't you?"

One more chirp sounded. Was it an answer? Anything was on the table with this world. These birds had been instrumental in her reaching the location where she was now. A flock to guide her in the dark.

Fawns?

Locwitary itself extending its hand?

She wasn't sure if she would ever know.

"Thank you," she said as she held the sickle up in the air. "Fly free."

The blue bird flapped its wings and took off into the sky, where it faded away in the darkness of the night. The Spector Moons were beginning to crest the edge of the faraway mountains. With everything that she needed, Cassandra spotted a tiny opening not far away from where she stood.

Alright, here we go…

Climbing through the shattered archway, the brunette maneuvered around the broken blocks that lined it. The area before her was hidden away by shadows, but the presence of the windows allowed for some illumination to be had in the form of penetrating rays of deep orange light. The glow of the setting orbs offered her a pathway to take, and she could not remain idle for much longer.

The room before her was a crumbled mess. Stray bricks lined the floor. Those that made comprised the walls were cracked and flaked. Years upon years of existence displayed a battle with time that this structure was eventually going to lose. With the open doorway to the interior of the castle not far ahead, Cassandra proceeded forward, preparing herself for a world of darkness.

Seated down on the ground together, Narratha held Falena in her arms as the two fawns rested their backs against the stone wall. The blonde had her head against the redhead's shoulder, arms wrapped around her waist as her friend brushed her fingers along her long locks of hair.

Falena sniffled as she let the next tear roll down her freckled nose. "I'm so sorry," she spoke with a subdued voice, desperate for forgiveness. "I didn't want us to fail."

Narratha removed her soft touch from Falena's hair and brushed her finger along the edge of her sharp cheeks. The short fawn closed her eyes as the woman's hand graced the underside of her jaw. "It is okay, sister. My anger was great, and I lost focus in the moment."

She inspected the fawn's face, double-checking that there were no marks left on it. Falena was a vulnerable soul, who viewed bruises as reminders of her mistakes. Narratha did not want to see such a committed companion fall into despair, and extra time had been spent healing her wounds.

The blonde released her grip on the shoulder of Narratha's outfit so that she could wipe her eye. "We've come so far."

"That we have, Falena." Narratha took her by the hand as she pulled her in close. "It has been such a long walk for us, especially myself. My trials have weighed down my heart, pushing it closer to sourness. I struggle to remind myself of what I fight for – what we fight for. I will not hit you again."

"But…" Falena hesitated as she began to speak. She looked troubled, even worried about what would come next. After a few breaths to calm herself, she forced her thoughts out. "You said that last time."

Narratha closed her eyes as she sighed through her nostrils. "I am not born from perfection, nor have I carried it in me as I live my life. I have broken my promises from time to time, and my failure to remain true to my word tarnishes my integrity. Dearest Falena, you have shown me nothing short of commitment."

She combed her fingers through the blonde's locks again. "If every fawn was like you, then my fight would have ended long ago." Narratha sniffled a short breath. "It may never have started at all. Unfortunately, you are the pinnacle, and the others have fallen from salvation. If you can still find faith in me, after I have lost faith in myself, then we can still succeed together."

With a nod, Falena leaned forward and kissed her cheek. Her lips broke over Narratha's skin, and the fawn dipped her head and pressed her nose against her jaw. "I have faith, Narratha. I want to succeed."

"Leta will bring us to where we belong."

The blonde suddenly became hysterical; clenching her fists and sobbing loudly. "She tried to convince me to abandon you! I could not allow her to poison my mind!"

Narratha took her by her thin wrists, pulling her in as she kissed her forehead. The redhead turned her cheeks over and ran her arms up the back of Falena's head, pressing their skulls together. "Shh…find peace, dear sister. Do not fret. Your commitment has been proven time and time again. I fear not your abandonment, as I trust in your love for the life we envision."

"It is a good life you and I seek."

"Ah, that it is," Narratha smiled. "A world where fawns are free from persecution and death. One where we recognize our place above all other creatures, and we bear control of our lives. That world will come to us, someday."

"As my faith sits in wait," Falena spoke. She then curled her lips and snarled with contempt. "But, that child…she threatens it. I had to punish her."

"You almost killed her, Falena."

The blonde buried her head in shame. Her muffled voice seeped through the tiny openings that the crook of Narratha's neck offered, "I'm sorry…"

"My healing has restored her to sufficiency, so do not cry." The redhead patted her shoulders. "She is young, and her purpose will come to fruition in time. As you have faith in me, I have faith in her. I can sense the beginnings of great power within her. She is strong. I believe that she will even surpass her sister, Lia, one day."

"And if she continues to deny us?" Falena asked.

Narratha turned her eyes to her sword, which sat atop a table not too far away. All she could think about was the power inside Leta's blood. She wanted Lia to join them, but had the fawn not burnt herself to a crisp in her rejective efforts, she would have been an incredible source of power to be transferred.

Unfortunately, the redhead had been cheated of her only opportunity to consume her.

With the weapon in her view, she pondered what value Leta's blood would provide. Only time would tell, she thought. Until then, she would have to keep trying to mold her into the follower that she wanted. "She won't, I promise."

Falena sighed as she rotated around, staring at the other side of the room. This disheveled castle was nothing like the luscious green grass fields that she had grown up in. Deas itself was a gloomy land of despair. She yearned to live near the tall mountains again, spending her afternoons running through the forest with the other fawns, playing games together and laughing.

This new life of hers was hard, and even with the care that Narratha provided her – it still left an empty hole in her chest.

Falena's hand locked itself with the redhead's, and the two shared a moment of silence, before the blonde broke the stillness. "If we do have to leave this world and find another, do you think it will be one as beautiful as what we had here?"

Narratha curled the corner of her mouth, as she wondered the same thing. "That world I saw…it was dark and violent. It held no place for fawns. Yet, I saw other visions of that world when I tasted the blood of that grotesque, tall woman. I saw mountains covered in white, and then the white was gone, and everything was green. A castle and a community. A desolate land, but one I believe is teeming with life. Perhaps, that could be a world for us, if this one is to fail."

"What about the monsters we unleashed?"

"I still have much to learn," Narratha replied. "When I had those visions and found myself able to open that window, I knew that my powers had been growing. I sensed the burning civilization and the mountainous land were separated in time. I don't believe that those monsters reside there, but we cannot venture until I am strong enough. I just need several more fawns to eat, and then my powers will transcend the barriers of these realms. If Locwitary isn't our home, you and I, and any others who seek salvation will embark onto our new lives."

The blonde turned her green eyes to her. "Thank you, dearest Narratha."

"Of course," she said with a wide smile. "You have been so kind to me, Falena. Do you like penkle berries?"

Falena wiped away her final tear and smiled, speaking softly as she answered her, "They are my favorite."

"Tomorrow morning, I will go to Tyillioum, and I will procure some for us. We can share them together."

Falena's smile broadened. "Thank you."

Cassandra had to feel her way around the walls, as the rooms were completely void of light. Her breaths echoed around her, rebounding off the stone barriers of the musty corridor. She carefully moved her feet forward, hoping not to stumble and knock anything over.

She still had no idea how she was going to pull this off. There was no plan at hand that could guide her along the way. Every inch of this place was foreign territory, and she knew that it was populated with two very dangerous fawns, who would kill her on sight.

The hunt had to be imagined from a different perspective now. She was the prey creeping through the predator's den. All the deer that she had slain never saw her coming. Even when there was a chase, the brunette always caught up with them and slit their throats. Her senses back in her world were so profound, that she could smell the animals before she laid eyes on them.

Fawns were the most skilled of all beings, she thought. They could pick up on something miles away, teleporting straight to it if they must. They could hide in silence, and tear her body apart before she knew they were there. Any second could be her last one alive if she did not play her cards right.

It felt safer to just stay still and stay there forever, but the night had just begun, and she would not risk the hours stacking up on Leta's chances of dying. If Olisha could sense where Narratha had been staying, then she had to have known that the girl was still alive. Cassandra did not come here to seek revenge.

While she mourned the lives of those she loved, nothing she did here would ever bring them back. But, Leta still held a shot at living. She was the most innocent of all of them, and Cassandra could not live the rest of her life wondering if the girl made it out. She had to be the one to do this. The signs were all there.

Moving along the edges of the walls, she kept her sickle forward, scraping for anything – or anyone – that she may come across. There was no breeze to be felt, and her skin was starting to grow moist from the insulation. She soon found an opening that she could go through, which led only to more darkness.

I can't turn back from here. I'll get lost. So many twists and turns. I hope I picked the right spot to go through. The entrance would have been a dead giveaway.

She thought back to when Ethan Winters had entered her domain. He did not make it too far in before Bela picked up on his presence. Within seconds, he was surrounded by the three women, and his nightmarish journey throughout the castle had begun.

Finding herself in his place, Cassandra chose to think like him. She already knew the dangers that resided here. She prepared herself as best she could. The best course of action was to remain as undetectable as she could. If Narratha and the other fawn were not yet aware of her intrusion, then they would likely carry on as normal.

That involved conversation and general noise – things that the brunette could listen for and avoid.

If she could get the drop on one of them and end their lives with her sickle, then the tables may turn in her favor. The thought of having to kill once again spat in the face of all she had achieved throughout her time here. She did not want it to have to come to that., but as that thought ran through her head, she knew in her heart that it was out of her control.

This wasn't the gleeful delight the old Cassandra took in pure murder. This was the defense of a helpless child who needed to be saved. She could not burden herself with such actions. Even Olisha had been aware of the weapon in her possession. The elderly fawn would have known that the pale woman who held her hand would be walking into a fight.

The ways of the fawns were that they would not kill, but from what she had been told: Narratha used that to her advantage. The rouge fawn sought revenge for what had been done to her, and the child she loved. That kind of killing was nothing but malice.

But, killing to save a life? That may have been different.

Perhaps, Narratha finally won. She made Olisha accept that violence may sometimes be the only resort when the lives of others were at hand.

That was why the brunette chose to take this on. Gibbin was a strong and experienced man, but he was not the kind of murderer that she was. Narratha had already come close to killing him back in Acomb, and she would be sure to do the same if he were here.

While Cassandra found herself weaker in strength than the butcher, she believed that this was her calling. She would pay for her sins in this castle, one way or another. She was as broken as Narratha had been, but in her own ways. Two killers who lived worlds apart, but found a life of violence in the end.

Cassandra had lived, and she had died, but if she were to die again, it would not be as a monster.

I'm coming, Leta. Please, stay alive for me.

She continued to make her way through the dark halls that were ahead of her. Not a single thing was visible, and as she cautiously advanced the abyss, it seemed like she was now going around in circles. The walls took weird turns and strange bends, forming rooms that she could not understand. This place was becoming a maze, and the more time she spent inside it, the more she felt like she would never make it out of here.

I need to find an exit. I have no idea where I'm going!

With her heart beating fast from the approaching anxiety that she faced, Cassandra decided to pause and sit down. She could feel the dampness of sweat all around her body. The dust that she kicked up along the way invaded her nostrils and lungs. She wanted to cough, but any sound was too loud. Ethan Winters had survived worse inside her castle, and if he could do that, she thought, then she could do this.

Just relax, Cass. You got this. Just recollect yourself. There has to be a way –

The low chirping of a bird caught her attention. In a blink, her head was already facing the direction of the sound. While she could not see anything, the reverberation of the calls painted a picture of a room not too far away from her. Cassandra rose to her feet and decided to investigate it at once.

It has to be that bird. Where could he be?

The bird's cries were subdued. It was like the animal was trying not to call anyone else's attention. As Cassandra slowly felt her way across the way, her ears followed the sounds. It led her around another bend and then into a sharp turn. The animal's calls echoed down what turned out to be another long hallway, but with each step, they started to get louder.

I'm close.

As her palms found themselves clutching the edges of the next entrance, the pitch-black shadows suddenly shifted with a faint, glowing light. It was an orange flare that became a light in the darkness. As soon as she beheld the sight, the chirping came to an end, and Cassandra immediately went toward it.

The room that she had entered was another, battered and crumbled section of this fortress. She could make out the blurry shapes of fallen stones and topped beams. Away from the wall, she now noticed various cracks across the ground – and more old skeletons.

It was difficult to determine exactly what had been responsible for them being here, but the destruction that the room exhibited had been nothing different than what was witnessed when Lia and Narratha fought each other. The skeletons nearby appeared to wield rusted and destroyed weapons.

As she approached the light, Cassandra marveled at the fact that a torch had just been set ablaze. The greatest tool that she needed right now had seemingly come out of nowhere, but as she took it from the wall, she thought about the bird that she had heard in this area.

Locwitary was a world of mystery.

Holding the torch in her left hand, Cassandra found herself free to safely and effectively navigate these rooms. It would make it easier to find a way out and help her reach Leta. She walked across the area where she had just been, the fire's glow uncovering even more bones. The weapons these dead people wielded were bent swords and shattered spears. Rotted husks of leather that clung to the ends of the bodies may have once been armor.

The more she looked at them, the more visible their centuries-old injuries became.

Various cracks and splinters lined their surfaces. The position of some of the bones indicated that they had been thrown a considerable distance. Except for those in particular, the rest faced the same direction.

They all pointed to one set in particular – burnt to a crisp, with a spear still embedded in its ribcage. It all was clear from that point on.

Fawns and poils fought inside here, too. All these people, just killing each other, over what? What did they win?

After another twenty minutes of searching with the aid of the torch, Cassandra eventually discovered a room that appeared to have been recently put together, possibly within the last couple of years. It held a wide assortment of tables and chairs, alongside buckets and tools. Other torches had already been lit, and the lack of dust told her that this was an area that was commonly used.

But…for what?

After checking to ensure that all was clear from any lethal eyes, Cassandra moved in to scout around for anything useful. The glow of the fire saturated the dull, brown walls of this antiqued structure. The room was filled with a bloom of mummification, yet, its heart was still beating.

The buckets were empty, but their bottoms were stained with a dark tint that could never be washed away. It had to have been blood, she thought. She recognized the sight of it instantly.

What is going on here?

There were a couple of books and papers spread around the main table at the room's center. With her gut telling her that there was something of interest there, Cassandra approached it with her torch. Her eyes gazed upon an assortment of handwritten notes, as well as a small, hand-drawn map.

Perfect.

She set the torch beside the wall, using the others that were placed above to shine their light over her. The brunette began to rummage through what was around, hoping to learn any detail that could help her through this. The map was already a gift from the heavens. It detailed what she had in store for her, as well as noting some of the rooms that she had already crossed on her way here.

'Skeletons everywhere,' one of the boxes read. 'Useless bodies. No point in moving them. Let them rot.'

She followed the trail, leading to the room where she was now.

'Sorting Chamber.'

"What does that mean?" She mumbled to herself. Cassandra traced the line further ahead, noting that there were still several larger rooms that were not too far away. The hallway that led her here continued on, further down, and she had only entered this location because of the additional torches. If she exited and took a left, it would proceed to the areas in question.

But, the rooms themselves were untitled. The only thing drawn on them was a handful of X's.

Why are they labeled like that?

Cassandra looked past the rooms, where she saw the illustration of staircases just a few turns out. Her journey had taken her halfway through the bottom of the castle, and the path she needed to travel would undoubtedly bring her to the upper levels. She just needed to get there.

What are these notes all about?

She pocketed the map, turning her attention to the papers and books in front of her. The stray pages contained drawings of the human body – filled with dashes and segments cut throughout. Beside the layers were numbered increments, explaining what may have been related to the duration associated with them.

That still made no sense.

Throats were circled with frantic scribbles. Thighs and calves were also singled out, with the words 'mass influx' written next to the circles. Various slash marks on one page had been re-drawn, over and over, signaling the change of numbers. Cassandra shifted through some more of the documents, but they did not add up clearly.

Names that she did not understand were scrolled down on the last, crumbled stray page. Were they the names of people? She wasn't too sure. Several were crossed out with slash marks, and it wasn't until she observed the name under the final slash mark that she discovered what these meant.

Acomb? Are these towns? Settlements? What has Narratha been doing?

Cassandra grabbed one of the nearby books. It looked like this one had been the most recently touched, despite its molted appearance. As she opened it up and flipped through the pages, she realized that this was another journal. Some of the pages were very old. Others tainted with the stains of blood.

This had to be Narratha's.

"I'm finding these cravings of mine to be growing harder to control as the months have passed. My powers are stable, and I don't believe that they will be diminishing in the foreseeable future. The taste of the blood is sickening, yet, delectable. In these moments of clarity, I turn to this book to record my thoughts. I should have done this sooner, I suppose.

I've spent these months on my own, enjoying my time in the wilderness as I have long dreamed. It's so beautiful here. It's quiet. I don't feel as detached from this world as I used to be. Locwitary is a world that we can connect with, and my nature allows me to bond with this forest. However, this world is not the way that it was meant to be. If it were only fawns, we would have been saved. Poils have torn this land apart with their war and greed, and while these trees shine in green, Deas is a reminder of what these people will do when their conquests demand more.

Again, I take this moment of clarity for what it is. My cravings are coming back, and the animals I hunt do not substitute what the blood of my sisters can bring. I found another fawn among the woods yesterday. Eanansha, her name was. A young woman, roughly around my age. I guess the stories of my actions in that commune had not reached her ears.

She and I spent the evening by a fire, conversing about this place. I learned that there were more communes scattered around this world, and she was a traveler seeking other fawns to connect with. I explained what the poils had done to us, and her gasps of sorrow were immediate. Yet, when I suggested justice, she echoed Olisha's words, saying that we must not kill.

I hugged her, pressing my lips against her cheek. This poor, fawn. Our elders have failed us all.

Her corpse is still on the ground near me, right where I plan to leave it. Cooking their flesh destroys their energy, so raw meat is the only way to go, I learned. What a waste of a surge. I ate what I could, and my cravings have not changed. I feel some sadness for what I've done, as I also mourn my dear sister, Nackia. There are breaks in the chain and moments when I am not as angry.

I just wish she listened to me, but, I couldn't take this world the way it is. Something has to be done, and when this is all over, I hope they view my actions as sacrifices. We need to kill this way of thinking, before we all die."

Cassandra kept her eyes on the page that she had just read. She tried to understand what this woman's direction was, but her mind seemed to shift back and forth between different perspectives. The remorse that she felt over the fawns she killed would degrade as she thought about what she hoped to achieve. She spoke of these 'moments of clarity' as if they were breaks from the killer she had become.

The brunette thought about how her own mind was back in her castle. It was like the woman she used to be was still buried in there, at times. The Maiden of War statue always stood out to her whenever she would glimpse it. Without context, the sculpture was nothing more than a mere curiosity.

Having witnessed snippets of a past long forgotten, she realized then that this was a reminder of a washed memory. However, Narratha retained all of her memories, for the worse.

She was not altered through experimentation, but rather gifted with power, at the expense of her sanity. Olisha spoke of a once-loving woman, who looked out for her community. Cassandra could only imagine how those days for her must have been, just as she wondered about her own past life.

Unlike her, however, the blood was what heightened the redhead's psychopathic behavior. She did not need to die and be born again in a different realm to finally switch off the mind control. Perhaps, there was a chance that the brunette could break through to her.

She was a powerful enemy, but she understood words – and that may be what was needed to end this.

Cassandra flipped through some more of the pages.

"Deas is a region of death. Its soul has crumbled, doomed to live in these grey skies. So many fawns perished here during what was said to be the largest battle of the conflict. Poils took up arms and advanced on a castle, once built by both sides. If it had not been for the gifts of the fawns, such a structure would not have been made in such a short time.

But, it wasn't good enough, was it?

We built. They destroyed.

My journey across Locwitary over the last six years has taken me here. I needed to discover our past. I've heard all the stories, and I must show the other fawns what we need to fight for! This ruined castle is a mass graveyard, filled with the bones of dead fawns and poils alike.

I admit, I marvel at how strong our sisters were. I've only found eight skeletal remains that I believe to be fawns, while the numerous others are certainly poils. They decimated them. Oh, how I wish I could have been there. To slaughter an army at the foot of a castle…

I will take up residence here. I killed a few more fawns during this warmer season, alongside some poils. My powers are growing, and when I am strong enough, I will hunt more of them down.

My misguided sisters will strengthen me, and those who have evaded justice will suffer."

Cassandra sighed as she kept her hand on the page. She rolled her lips, breathing in to reflect on how many victims this fawn may have killed. The brunette could not forget the castle of corpses that she used to call home. The blood of the deceased maids that filled the wine rooms could also fill a river. She had come so far from those days, changed by this world, for the better.

Yet, this world had brought Narratha into the same kind of lifestyle. The pendulum would swing either way, it seemed.

One more page, before the rest of the journal was slathered in dried blood.

It looked so intentional…

"These realms that exist around us, we live in their shadows as fawns. I asked my elders, when I was a child, why did we look towards them? They told me that we hold the power to glimpse into the greater beyond. No other world in any universe can do this. My foolish, young mind was in awe, and I could not wait until the day I could do the same as them.

But, that day never came…not until now…

Days ago, I sensed the residual energy of something great, and as I arrived, I found myself too late. Someone had to have arrived in our world, I thought. I could feel it in the air. Even more concerning, I felt the essence of another fawn. It was so powerful. I could only conclude that it was Lia. I was worried that the bastard who had taken her had eventually murdered her. No other fawn could have had that kind of energy, not even our elders! She was a child with extraordinary gifts.

So, for those next few days, I kept a watchful eye over that field. I could sense that something else was coming. I could still feel it in the air. When Falena and I witnessed that tall, horrid beast of a woman appear before our very eyes, I knew my theories were true. Beings from another realm had found their way into ours!

She was adorned with long, sharp claws, shouting the name of a man called Ethan. Who this man is, I may never know, but when she saw me, she demanded answers, and I quickly took her life. My powers have become so great that even a foe such as her would fall to my might. My sword ventilated her chest, and I left her there after ingesting some of her blood. I saw visions of a world that I could never have imagined, and when I opened a window to it, objects would cross into our realm. Yet, I could not cross into that world.

So, I waited, and as I did, Lia and another woman appeared. I watched as they argued, and the pale stranger cried at the beastly lady's corpse. Lia must have sensed my presence, somewhere. My, she is strong.

Falena and I are currently preparing for something great. I have followed their scent toward a town called Acomb. My windows have birthed the sight of these wretched creatures with long tongues. I do not know anything about these animals, but they may do wonders when we arrive at Acomb.

Lia and her sibling could become my greatest allies, if they choose. If not, I will devour that fawn and harness her powers for myself. Once I do, I will be strong enough to break those barriers. If Locwitary is a lost cause in the end, then we will escape.

Tomorrow is a new day for us all."

Cassandra shut the journal. She had read enough. Her heavy breathing was only a fraction of the responsibility that she now felt for what happened in Acomb. Her desire to confront Alcina had led to her and Lia landing on Narratha's radar. Had that not happened, it was likely the fawn would never have found them. She covered her mouth as she struggled against the tears that were coming in.

The brunette just wanted to throw her torch across the room and set it all on fire, if she could. She crawled down onto the floor, desperate to compose herself. This was not the place to do this, but the pain was too great.

I brought her to us…

Trying to stem her hyperventilation, Cassandra covered her mouth and nose even tighter. The last thing that she wanted was a stray cry to alert the redhead to where she was now. It would have been pathetic to die in the middle of all this. She had come so far, and she could not allow that progress to crumble.

That was when she heard a stray voice whisper into her ear, "Not your fault."

Cassandra turned around, seeing only the orange flames behind her, held up by the torches mounted on the walls. There was nobody else here, but the events that had occurred up until now begged for an explanation.

Frantic, the brunette tearfully whispered back, "Who are you?!" Her whimpers traveled down the halls and echoed back to her.

Only – the echoes sounded different.

I…I hear someone…

Sniffling as she wiped her face, Cassandra kept her sights set on the exit to the room. She had heard the voice in her ears, and the noise that came from the darkness was neither hers nor the same as the one in her ear. Someone else had to be over there.

Leta? Could that be Leta?

Picking up her sickle and torch, Cassandra filled her lungs before she stood steady, preparing herself for what lay ahead. She made her way out of the room and into the hall, where the fire opened up a clear path for her to travel.

The sounds of her footsteps bounced down the corridor, haunting her with the impending revelation of whatever it was that she may come across. The low wails trickled around her as she advanced closer, and as she moved along, the brunette could begin to sense a disturbance. The air grew thick with the festering raw tinge of pain.

Where was this hallway taking her?

At the end of the hallway was a hefty wooden door, that had been left ajar by an inch or two. Cassandra nervously slowed her pace even further as she closed in on it. The torch's fire danced as a soft wind seeped around from the openings of the entrance. Biting her inner lip, and expecting the unknown, she hooked the tip of her blade along the edge of the door and began to pull on it.

The barrier creaked with a long draw as she moved it to her left, swinging it open and inviting a world of darkness into her life. This new room was large and so cut off from light that it made the rest of the lower section look like it had been placed in the sky. Her torch's glow was diminished by the dense shadows.

Something about this room was nothing short of pure evil.

She didn't like it at all.

A tiny exhale came out from her lips, and she could hear the sound of it rattle down the back of the void. She had no idea where she was going now. This place had to be so large. The way it was drawn on the map must have not been up to proportion. She debated retreating to the walls, so that she could at least scale its path and get a sense of where she was going. But, it was too late now, she was already moving ahead. There was no pulling back.

Leta, you have to be here. Please, be in here…

Cassandra continued to walk forward, piece by piece. She waved her torch around, her sickle gripped so tightly that she thought her hand would end up crushing the metal. Even a drop of water hitting the ground would have kicked in her fight-or-flight response. She was so nerve-wracked.

Why had the crying suddenly stopped?

As her walking progressed, the boundaries of this room appeared endless. Desperation and fear got the better of her, and she decided to pull out the map again. The paper opened up and the fire highlighted the supposed layout of this section.

She saw the X's that were scribbled all around this area, but they still made no sense. Narratha's map was as cryptic as it could be, and it left no explanation as to why –

With her eyes dead set on the paper, the shifting of chains and a startled cry broke the spell of her concentration. In a flash, Cassandra found her torch released from her hand, and her legs giving out. The rush of adrenaline was too much for the brunette, and she collapsed backward, stumbling away as the bundle of flames rolled ahead.

Her amber eyes were as wide as they could be, and when the torch finally stopped, she beheld the source of the whimpering.

It was not Leta, but another grown woman.

Within seconds, she observed multiple ladies, all chained up to one another against the wall; battered, broken, and bleeding. They recoiled in fear as they saw her, curling up at the sight of whoever it was that had approached them.

As the brunette gasped, one of the women turned and glanced at her. Her shining green eyes lit up over the flame, and the glistening tears below them could not be any more evident.

These weren't just women – they were fawns.

Her broken voice spoke out to Cassandra, "Help us…"

NOTES:

What doesn't kill you, doesn't make you stronger. It only keeps you alive.

There is more going on inside this castle besides Leta. Cassandra has no idea what she has just walked into, and what lies ahead will forge the rest of her path – however long it will be.

Deas is a region of death, and it holds up to its name. The only question is: How much more death will this place see before everything is all over?

The secrets only grow darker as Cassandra's journey into the heart of evil deepens.

Thankfully, you don't have to wait long for what comes next, as this weekend is another double! Feel free to check out the next chapter whenever you please! Things have been very productive lately, to say the least 😊

I'll hold the rest of my words for the next author's notes, so see you then!