[Land of the Opal Sun]
[The Sun Palace]
Theo walked down the red hallway, occasionally passing by and greeting the palace’s servants. When asked about Aria, all of them gave the same answer - that the princess never left her chamber. Then, he saw two familiar figures approaching him.
“Theo!” A little girl ran up to him, dressed in a clean black dress.
“Io,” Theo smiled, kneeling down on his left knee. “Have you been well?”
“You know me. It’ll take more than some errands to wear me down,” Io giggled.
“That was because the other maids covered for you when you were busy distracted by soap bubbles and the clouds,” Diana sighed. “And the Captain of the Royal Guard is standing in front of you, so show your proper respect.”
“Oh,” Io gasped and quickly bobbed a curtsy to the man.
“A pleasure,” Theo replied before getting to his feet. “Lady Diana.”
“Sir Theo,” the older maid bowed her head.
“I know it’s a bit late, but I’m truly sorry for your loss,” Theo expressed his condolences.
Diana shook her head and said, “Please don’t be. I’ve prepared myself in case something like this happened.”
Though Theo sensed the confidence in the maid’s reply, he noticed the faint tear marks below Diana’s eyes. The couple were childless, but their times together were filled with warmth and happiness. “If you need anything, Lady Diana, just let me know. You have taken care of me ever since I was little, so please allow me to return the favor.”
“You can thank me by speaking to the princess,” Diana retorted. “She is being her old stubborn self again, locking herself inside her room like a sulking teenager.”
“Well, it has been a tough week. Perhaps she needed time to settle her thoughts.”
“Nonsense. Ariadne is the Opal Sun Princess, and last week shouldn’t bothered her too much,” Diana huffed. “Both of you grew up together, Theo. You should know that she’s not as weak as you thought she was.”
“That is true,” Theo affirmed her words. “I just hope she didn’t decide to act irrationally to channel her frustration.”
“That’s precisely why you need to talk to her,” said Diana before her eyes shifted toward Io. “Come now, little lady. You have a mess to clean up in the kitchen – a mess that you made because you were too preoccupied counting the beans.”
“Aw, shucks-Uh, I mean, Yes, ma’am,” Io stammered. The girl trotted away, leaving Diana behind.
“What a handful child,” the maid exhaled.
“But you look like you enjoyed it,” Theo chuckled, causing Diana to glare at him. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to say that.”
“Please send my regards to the princess, and,” Diana paused to take a quick look at both ends of the corridor. “Be mindful of what you say and to whom you speak.”
Theo’s eyes narrowed. ‘Does she know about the mole as well?’ He thought. Without even uttering a word, Diana confirmed his suspicion with a simple nod. “Thank you, Lady Diana. I’ll make sure to heed your advice.”
“Now, I better chase down that child before she breaks something. Good day.”
Theo quietly observed the maid trotted down the hallway. “Right, that’s enough distraction for the day,” he muttered before continuing his journey to the princess’ chamber.
***
[Meanwhile...]
Sam opened his eyes and the first thing he saw was a large garden blanketed in snow. Frosted hedges and trees occupied the area; between them was a stony pathway leading toward a distant white-brick wall. His head pointed heavenward, and the moment he saw the northern light, he knew he had returned to the Subconscious Realm. “Here we go again,” he immediately stood up; his eyes surveyed the area for threats.
“Woah,” said Lucy as she walked out from behind Sam. “It’s so…ethereal.”
“And peaceful. Too peaceful,” Rupert grumbled, poking the hedges with his finger.
“Which is good, brother. The sooner we get this done, the sooner we get out here. It’s freaking freezing,” Lucy remarked while rubbing her clammy palms together.
“Yeah, that sounds like a great idea,” Rupert replied, his teeth chattering. “So, where to next?”
“Forward, I guess. That wall looks promising,” Sam returned, fixing his sword strap.
GRRR!
The trio froze after hearing multiple growls in the vicinity.
“Uh, was the ground supposed to sound like that?” said Rupert.
“I don’t think that’s the ground,” Lucy responded.
The hedges began to quiver, and from them, nearly a dozen of white-fur wolves crawled out. Their shining black eyes stared ravenously at the trio; their fangs gradually became visible as they approached their potential meals.
“Close your eyes. When I give you the signal, I want you to run toward the wall,” Sam ordered softly, his hand slowly reaching for the katana.
“Why don’t we blow these mongrels away? That’ll be easier,” Rupert chided.
“And risk destroying the garden? We have no idea what that’ll do to Adam,” Sam reprimanded the elder Nightingale.
“Alright, just be careful,” Lucy whispered back, nervously eyeing the wolves.
Sam took a few deep breaths to calm himself down. He only had one chance, and if he mistimed his action, the wolves would undoubtedly rip him and his friends to pieces.
Shortly after, one of the wolves barked, triggering all of them to rush in simultaneously. Sam swiftly pulled his sword out slightly; the exposed edge emitted a bright that caused the wolves to howl in pain.
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“Now!” Sam shouted, and the trio bolted toward the wall without a second thought.
It did not take long for them to hear the wolves barking again, followed by the pattering of their paws.
“Oh, shit! Stop! Stop!” Rupert cried out before coming to a sudden halt. The path in front of him had crumbled away, leaving behind a bottomless pit.
“Crap, talk about shitty luck,” Lucy grumbled.
“This must be the Cold Spot’s doing,” Sam deduced. He spun around and saw the pack approaching. Furthermore, the wolves started to close in on each other and their bodies began to fuse. Their once solid physique now coalesced into a massive pile of snow that raced down the pathway like an avalanche.
Sam attempted to unsheathe his sword, but it was too late. The snow now towered over him, and he instantly grabbed hold of Lucy’s and Rupert’s arms before the white wave swept them off their feet.
The trio held on to each other as they were dragged nearer to the edge of the cliff. They could barely breathe, let alone move their limbs. Rupert tried to reach for his weapon, but the snow slapped his hand away as if it were doing it on purpose.
“Oh, fu-!” Lucy yelped as they were thrown off the cliff.
Their fall, however, was cut short when they slammed against something solid. The trio groaned from the sudden change in momentum and their aching bodies.
“Hah, how’s that…for a shitty luck?” Rupert chuckled.
“Shut it.”
“Let’s not get too comfortable,” Sam reminded the Nightingales as he sat himself up. Looking down, he saw the cold abyss waiting impatiently for its prey, but the only thing that prevented them from plunging into the darkness was the transparent glass beneath his feet.
“Well, this is new,” Lucy remarked. “But it beats falling into another pit.”
“Um, guys…,” Rupert’s voice trailed off; his eyes focused on the cliff.
The pack of wolves had returned to their original form and moved aside to form a path. Soon after, a bulkier wolf appeared between the pack; it had glistening ash-grey fur and a pair of deep, blue eyes. Despite its feral appearance, it seemed calmer than the rest of its pack.
“I think it’s time to go,” said Sam, sensing something off in the air.
The grey wolf howled; its blaring voice prompted the trio to cover their ears. A brief moment later, dark clouds began to gather in the sky, creating a much larger and menacing-looking cloud.
“Oh, shoot. It’s a hail,” Lucy stated, scowling at the blackened sky.
“Move! Now!” Sam yelled out, seconds before sharp, water pellets rained down on them.
The trio sprinted as fast as they could to the other side of the chasm, hoping to avoid the incoming hailstorm.
“Too peaceful, he said,” Lucy jeered at her brother.
“I don’t think this is the time for that,” Rupert lashed back.
“That’s enough, you two! Now start climbing unless you want to be turned into skewers,” Sam exclaimed.
“Jeez, dude. That’s dark,” the elder Nightingale grimaced before starting his ascent.
With the frozen rain closing in, the trio quickly climbed the steep, rocky cliff. Barely five minutes since they began, Rupert was already nearing the top and he did not even show any signs of exhaustion.
“Come on, guys! What’s the hold-up?” Rupert gloated.
“Hey, careful! And stop kicking the rocks!” Lucy scolded while avoiding the falling stones.
Sam could only sigh at the sight of the siblings bickering with each other. But funnily enough, he felt relief to see them this lively again after recovering from their injuries.
Rupert eventually reached the top and immediately extended his hand to his sister. However, before Lucy could grab it, an icicle fell from the sky and crashed into the wall next to her. The ice shattered upon impact, causing Lucy to lose her footing.
Fortunately, Sam managed to catch her by the arm before she plummeted to her death. “I got you!” Sam cried out, “Are you alright?”
“Yeah, just a bit…rattled,” Lucy shook her head; her ears were still ringing from the collision.
“Alright. Hold on, and don’t move,” Sam clasped Lucy’s wrist as tightly as possible.
“Wait, you’re not-!”
With a roar and the help of adrenaline, Sam threw Lucy up the cliff and she subsequently landed on Rupert’s back. The elder Nightingale let out a squawk and began rolling on the ground in pain.
Lucy ignored her brother’s whimpering; her mind was already fixated on one thing. “Sam!” she yelled, “Grab my hand!”
Hearing her voice, Sam steadily made his way up, but then, something caught his attention. Within the darkness of the abyss, he saw a pair of red, glowing eyes staring at him. No, it was as if he was staring into his own eyes.
“Sam! What are you doing?” Lucy’s anxious voice snapped him out of his daze. Sam looked back at the abyss, and the eyes were no longer there. Was it his imagination, or was there something else going on here? He silently wondered.
“Sorry,” Sam apologized before grabbing the female Nightingale’s hand. Lucy hauled Sam up the cliff just in time as the hailstorm arrived at their position.
Rupert stepped between the cloud and his sister; both of his kamas drawn. “You’ll make a fine target practice,” the elder Nightingale smirked. He joined his sickles together, producing a loud click sound. The curved blades slid to one end of the long pole, combining into one. Now in Rupert’s hands was a large, imposing scythe – a stark contrast to his lightweight dual weapons. “Hah, it worked!”
“Rupert, you can’t-!” Lucy stopped after seeing Sam raise his hand at her.
“It’s fine, Luce. Let him have this one.”
A mirthful smile appeared across Rupert’s face as he pulled his scythe over his right shoulder. “See ya. Not.” He swung his weapon horizontally, unleashing a powerful squall that reduced the dark cloud into nothing, and clearing up the sky once again.
The wolf pack who had been watching from the other side scampered back into the shrubbery, leaving the grey wolf behind.
“That one certainly got some guts,” said Rupert.
The wolf tilted its head sideways as if it heard the elder Nightingale’s comment. It then slowly bowed its head down, much to the trio’s surprise before turning around to chase its brethren.
“What just happened?” asked Lucy, still befuddled by the wolf’s action.
“I’m not sure, but I don’t think it’s coming after us again,” Sam replied. Suddenly, he felt a light punch in his chest, followed by Lucy’s furious voice.
“What happened to you down there? You’ve just froze when I called you.”
“I…I don’t know,” Sam stuttered.
“Is there something you’re not telling me? Ever since the mausoleum, you’ve been…quiet. What’s wrong?”
With Lucy’s worried eyes fixated on his, Sam reluctantly expressed his concern, “Since my last trip to the Subconscious Realm, I’ve been seeing a shadowy figure with eyes like mine, following me around. I’m not sure what’s going on, but I felt like it’s trying to remind me of something important.”
“And have you talked about this to anyone? To Markus?”
“No, I didn’t want to bother him. Lucy, I’m…I’m starting to think I’m losing my grip on reality.”
“Hey, look at me. You’re not going crazy,” Lucy grabbed Sam’s arms, and spoke with a softer tone, “It’s just your memories coming back. Perhaps the figure you saw is someone from your past – a family member, maybe? Whatever it was, it’s not because you’re losing your sanity, alright?”
“Yeah, you’re right. I’m sorry,” Sam took a deep breath to center his thought.
“Don’t be,” said Lucy as she pulled her arms away.
“If you two are done with the lovey-dovey, can we focus on the reason we are here in the first place?” Rupert interjected, smiling from ear to ear.
“Please don’t say something like that again,” Lucy exhaled.
“You know full well I can’t make that promise, little sister.”
“True, he will definitely bring that up in the future,” Sam continued.
“Can we go now?” the female Nightingale swiftly changed the topic before stomping away from the two men.
“Oh, I will definitely bring that up in the future,” Rupert muttered.