Dyrroth opened his eyes to witness a familiar environment. Tall trees towered over him hiding the dark night sky from his gaze. The creatures of the night sing an eerie song while the cold wind chilled his body. He lifted himself from his reposed position and looked around him. This part of the woods is not the same as the first time he came here but he is sure that he's in the forest surrounding Ruby's village.

A loud wailing broke through the silent atmosphere followed by feral howling and growling of wolves capturing his attention. He followed the sound traversing through the thick undergrowth tripping a few times before arriving at the location of the source of the sound.

He saw a group of three women being chased by wolves. One of them carried a basket where the wailing is coming from while the two others carried a sword and the other one an arrow. Dyrroth watched as the two others stayed behind to fight off the wolves that are closing in on them while the one carrying the basket continued to run.

The two warriors didn't last long due to the ferocity of the beast but it was enough to give time for the other one to escape. The woman ran and ran for hours while the wolves followed suit. Soon she is tired and unable to run further with her baggage so she left it near the outskirts of a village. She cooed and whispered to the object in the basket to silence it. Her voice was distraught and fatigued but her tone is gentle which allowed the thing to drift into silence. The woman took a parchment and pen from her pocket before writing something down on it. She placed the piece of paper with the baby before abruptly standing up and taking her leave. She ran much faster than before as tears streamed down her face knowing that her end is near yet satisfied that she has done her job.

Dyrroth wasn't able to follow what happened to the woman afterward and instead looked down upon the basket she left behind. He found a little thing bundled in white fabrics and saw the parchment the woman left behind. It contained only one word but it was enough to give him the whole picture. The woman had written the word 'Ruby' most likely to indicate the little thing's name. Dyrroth knelt before the object and watched the wailing little creature.

"Why are you getting younger and younger in my dreams? I wish the next time I see you you will be a beautiful woman and not a sperm cell." Dyrroth whispered to the child who stopped her crying as she gazed up at him with innocent eyes. Her emerald eyes shined with the moonlight while her sunlight hair glistened like gold. Baby Ruby cooed at him moving her lips to utter incomprehensible words but her adorable voice delighted him.

"So you were basically abandoned. What are you doing here in the first place and getting yourself chased by wolves? You always have a knack for getting in trouble, don't you Rubaby? " he questioned as he took her from her basket and lifted her small form to the level of his face. He touched his nose with hers and rubbed them together making the child giggle cutely in amusement.

"Is there ever a time when you're not adorable or are you born to be always pretty?" Rubaby cooed again a reply before holding his cheeks between her soft tiny hands.

A familiar feeling of dread suddenly settled in his stomach making him alarmed. He looked around him and held Rubaby in his chest protectively. It was him. The wolf which he saw in his previous Ruby dream. Dyrroth didn't know why but he returned Baby Ruby to her basket and stepped away. The wolf doesn't seem to notice him as it approached the little girl. Dyrroth did his best to move and protect his little princess from the wicked intentions of the wolf but he found his body unmovable. No amount of will nor effort made even the slightest inch of his body move.

He felt rigid and nothing but a part of the background. He wanted to scream at the wolf to back away from his beloved but no voice escaped his lips. He watched as the wolf opened its maw to growl at the little girl and lifted its paws to swipe at her. Ruby only giggled cutely while reaching out for the wolf oblivious of the danger she's in. The wolf inched its face closer towards the little girl with a feral murderous look but Ruby's tiny hand held the wolf's nose making it pause.

A sudden blue glow emitted from the girl's hand and strange symbols suddenly appeared on the wolf's fur glowing a similar blue. The hostility melted from the wolf's gaze replaced by curiosity as it looked at the girl with intelligent analytical eyes.

Moments passed before the wolf took the handle of the basket in his mouth before taking the girl and dragging her somewhere else. Dyrroth's body stayed unmoving as the wolf traversed the length of the woods making sure that no harm would come to the girl. The trees zoomed past him while he stayed in the same spot. He figured that he's just a bystander in this vision of Ruby's past.

Soon enough the wolf arrived in a village. The village he figured was the earlier version of Ruby's home because of the less amount of houses and lamps. The wolf brought the basket into a familiar house and carefully placed it on the porch of the home before using his paws to knock on the door.

The wolf immediately left after hearing the approaching footsteps. The door swung open to reveal a kind-looking woman who looked around to see who had knocked until her attention was captured by the soft moaning coming from the little babe in the basket. The old woman immediately called for her husband who came and picked baby Ruby up. They directed the girl with a soft warm gaze before taking her inside the house.

The scene smoothly melted into another timeline. It was morning and Rubaby is already a toddler. The girl is playing alone in the woods while her grandpa is chopping wood and her grandma is baking something in the kitchen. A butterfly fluttered in front of the girl capturing her attention. Rubaby followed it into the woods cooing softly and mumbling gibberish.

Dyrroth noticed that she was approaching a cliff and she was mindlessly following the butterfly towards the edge of the precipice however that's when the same wolf who picked her up as a baby, snatched her from the cliff and brought her back to the edge of her house.

The next scene that followed featured a grown-up Ruby as she is now but with shorter hair and a more edgy attitude. This memory was probably a few months after her family's demise because she looked furious and scornful. She glared at the towering wolf speaking to her while clutching the handle of her scythe dangerously tight. Dyrroth cannot understand the topic they are speaking about nor can he hear it properly but the wolf's words seem to be able to persuade Ruby about something.

Ruby lends out her hand to the wolf, a gesture that he learned indicates an agreement in human culture. The wolf placed his paw over her hand as he grinned mischievously at her.

Dyrroth's brow lifted as Ruby began unbuttoning her blouse and swiping down the strap of her bra and presenting her flesh to the wolf. The beast opened his maw and bit Ruby's shoulder drawing out blood and making her face twist in agony due to the excruciating pain but she endured it. Strange symbols began burning in the air appearing on her skin and the wolf's fur. Long wisps of red and blue light began surrounding the two, clashing and tangling like fabrics in the air before binding together and intertwining as one.

The wolf released Ruby's flesh from his maw and the wounds healed instantly as if no damage has ever been done to her pristine porcelain skin. A dark blue wolf symbol burned above her breast where her heart should be before vanishing completely. Ruby fainted after this but the wolf caught her in his side where he allowed the maiden to sleep on his snow-white fur.

The wolf's eyes meet with his and Dyrroth was almost petrified due to the cold icy stare of the wolf which seems to be conversing with his soul whispering secrets and coaxing him to do something. He was suddenly pulled from his reverie when a somewhat familiar voice interrupted his thoughts.

"She was an adventurous little thing. I couldn't keep her in one place even if I tie her to it." spoke the person. Dyrroth turned to the person and saw a silver-haired male sitting on a log watching baby Ruby play while he was munching on a piece of meat. The demon noticed odd wolf ears protruding from the wolf's head as well as a pure white tail on his back.

"Who the hell are you?" he questioned directing him with a suspicious glare.

"It's not important. I'm not a part of your life so you don't need to know who I am. But you, are a very important part of someone precious to me so I get to scrutinize you too and maybe point you to a few directions away or towards my ends." the man answered with a carefree composure.

"You are Fenrisulfr. But Ruby calls you Fenrir. You're the wolf that gives her powers, right? And what I just saw is your binding contract or something. What business do you have with me? Are you planning on stopping me from finding her because I don't care if you're a God or not but I will have her back?" Dyrroth directed the wolf with a challenging look but the monster doesn't seem the least bit fazed. People who see him glare usually crumble to their knees before begging for his mercy but he doesn't have one to give.

"On the contrary I want you to find her immediately."

"What? Why? Is she in danger?"

"She's in the Abyss what do you expect? Every moment of her life is in danger it's only a matter of time before someone kills her."

"I won't let that happen. They will walk over my grave before they get their hands on Ruby."

"I know you would that's why I want you to find her already. The fates are being mischievous. I cannot determine a definite path for her so I don't know how to act to bring her back on the surface." Dyrroth ignored his words and began interrogating him further.

"Why are you showing me these dreams? What are you trying to tell me?"

"I'm just giving you a bit of context. I can't linger long in your dreams since I have no anchor in the Abyss like my brother so I can only gradually show you clips of the whole movie before you get the whole picture."

"Then why not tell me everything right now instead of showing me all this stuff? It'll save me the stress of thinking about your shit and what it means for Ruby."

"Oh, don't be too hasty. It won't make sense now but it will in the near future. By then you will understand everything and know the right thing to do for your next big crisis. That will probably be my final visit to you so keep everything in mind."

"Stop being so vague. You're her patron God or something, tell me how to protect her without making her leave me."

"Look kid, the longer she stays here the shorter her predicted lifespan becomes. The fates are showing her death every day. It's constantly changing but it will happen eventually if she doesn't leave this place."

"So what are you suggesting?"

"Nothing, because the decision falls heavily on your shoulders. But what you will decide upon is based on what I will tell you next."

"Another story? Great. Just make it quick."

"It's better if I just show you."

The scene transitioned smoothly into another location and timeline. This time the place is unfamiliar but he is aware of where he is. After all, he initiated his first major invasions to this place. Dyrroth looked up as the trees were replaced by silver towers that rose from the ground and stood erect under the brilliant light of the sun. The warm earthly colors of the forest were replaced by the proud royal colors white, blue, and gold. The signature colors of the Moniyan Empire.

Banners flew in the air while well-curated shrubs popped out here and there. Royal guards began appearing and walking systematically in their designated locations while more things covered in gold appeared.

"I'm sure it is a tale you've heard before. It is a story about a prince taken from his crib on the night of his 1st birthday by some devious people who only seek death and destruction. His name was Prince Aurelius III..."

🌹🌹🌹

Ruby hummed a soft tune as she busied herself with sewing her clothes as they were severely damaged in a few places after her showdown with the lava monster. She would prefer not to use them anymore since they're already ruined and smelly but given her current financial conditions then she doesn't have much choice about her clothing. It's really quite hard to adjust because when she was still with Dyrroth, he would provide her the best clothing tailored to perfection made from the finest materials he could find. He even gave her clothes that she could normally never afford and extremely pretty jewels too which she chose not to frequently wear.

Ruby grunted due to her thoughts. You were supposed to forget about him. He doesn't care about you so you should too. She reprimanded herself before continuing with sewing.

She is currently home alone since Terizla is out for a while because of his job as the Abyss' best blacksmith so his daily work hours are quite long but since the third darkness is approaching he might come home in a bit. She feels like a daughter waiting for her father to come home after work which is a feeling quite nostalgic for her lonely heart.

Since her grandparents died five years ago, there was an emptiness frequently lingering inside her. It's a persistent loneliness that would never leave her heart no matter how many people she surrounds herself with. The only time this feeling fled from her heart is when Dyrroth would constantly bond with her. With him, she never feels alone not one bit even if they're not talking and he's just napping on her lap while she reads her books, Ruby would feel... Complete?

She slapped herself for dwelling on such thoughts. Why is she suddenly thinking about him nonstop today? This is completely annoying and utterly unnecessary. She should focus on her sewing. Her backstitches are hideous her grandma would frown upon it if she were to see them.

"Oww." Ruby winched as she accidentally pricked her finger against the needle. A small drop of blood popped out from the tiny hole in her finger. Gods, why is she so clumsy today? Maybe she should just pause her needlework and take a little stroll. Terizla wouldn't be pleased by it but she needs to clear her mind.

Ruby placed down her clothes and needle before proceeding to exit the tent. She took a few knives and strapped them on her legs just in case she encounters any danger. She also took a sword and hanged it on her back for additional protection. She pulled up her hood to hide her identity and began walking north further away from the palace where Dyrroth is. The air is humid as usual and you can taste the fire in your tongue and feel the heat kissing your cheeks.

Strolling the Abyss requires more effort since the topography of the land is very uneven. Traversing the land is getting more and more difficult as she walks further north but her mind has little care for it since she is greatly occupied with millions of thoughts. First of all, if the information Terizla gave to her is correct, then the next major attack of the Abyss upon the Empire will be in a few months. If she's going to escape the same time as they attack then there will be barely any time for her to warn the empire of the impending danger.

Since the whole empire is still recovering from Dyrroth's most recent attack, there is little hope that the troops will be ready for another invasion. They may have astounded the Abyss with the Lightborn squad but now that the enemy knows what they are capable of, then they'll be more prepared to handle them. Additionally, Terizla mentioned new monsters that Alice is creating and whatever stuff that that witch is brewing in her pot is bad news. Ruby might need to gather some recon about this without getting herself caught or killed.

And then there's Arethria and Dothron's village. She wished that they are doing okay even without her. Before she left, the bastards harassing the small tribe no longer pay them a visit. She just wished that they never again come to disturb the kind demons.

Oh! Her rent too. She might lose her apartment when she gets home since no one will be paying for it while she's away. She'll be homeless once she escapes and returns home. And the food in her ref might be rotting or even evolved into a mutant. Plus, she'll never find a husband after all the things that Dyrroth did to her. He all but took her virginity with his "little prince". Ruby shivers remembering every dirty and degrading thing Dyrroth did to her. She might end up as an old maid with hundreds of cats and never even once knowing what actual sex is like. Oh, dear. It seems that even if she does escape then there will be no good life for her outside. Well, being a single lady is a thousand times better than being Dyrroth's fleshlight or dying in this filthy ditch.

Ruby paused for a while after climbing a tall cliff. She didn't even realize that she was already climbing to the precipice until she reached the top. Gods, how did she get up there? Was she that absent-minded that she climbed a whole tower of rock and dirt without even realizing it? How is she supposed to get down from here now?

Ruby looked down at the ground.

"Yup, that's a nasty drop. I'm totally gonna die if I jump there."

"Well, wouldn't that make my job easier?"

A startled gasp escaped her lips as she barely evades five lethal stingers that rushed to pierce her heart. Luckily, the stingers barely graced her skin only leaving a few minor cuts because she turned to look at him. Unfortunately, she fell off the cliff.

Ruby was completely petrified and astounded by what happened as she fell from the great height. She saw a dark hooded figure looking down at her from the precipice which snapped her back to reality. She pulled the knives strapped to her legs and dug them on the side of the cliff to break the momentum of her fall and soften her landing.

It didn't take too long for her to reach the bottom and when she did, she didn't waste any more time and bolted back to Terizla's home. She ran with all her might regardless if her muscles and bones are already aching and screaming, begging her to stop and let her body rest but Ruby knew that resting will only cost her life so she moved forward ignoring the screaming pain on her flesh. Her ears rang and her mind is still startled. She was only moving thanks to her instincts as her brain tries to comprehend the situation.

Someone just attempted to kill her, that's the most obvious fact. Second, someone sent that assassin because he said that it was a job. Third, it was Alice who wanted her gone. Helcurt obeys no one else but Alice as she frequently observed when she was still living in the palace. And fourth, they've found her.

The realization chilled her blood as she ran faster. Fear gripped her heart knowing that this assassin is a formidable foe. He will hunt her down until she drops dead which, given her still healing condition and exhausted body, won't be very difficult for the shadow cat.

Ruby collided against a sturdy chest but someone caught her body just in time to prevent her from falling. The maiden forcefully pushed herself from the person and prepared her blades to attack. Who she found is not the shadowbringer but someone else completely unfamiliar.

"Calm down. I won't hurt you. I was just passing by to ask a friend of mine a small favor." the man spoke but Ruby didn't believe a single word from the man's lips as she gasped and panted for breath. Her lungs burned and her breath raced to receive more oxygen for her tantalized body. She glared at the man who oddly reminded her of Dyrroth with his purple skin tone, silver hair, and inhuman crimson eyes. The only difference is his more angular and stoic face, larger built, and the absence of horns and tail.

Ruby wasn't able to observe the man's features any longer as everything suddenly darkened and fear gripped her heart. It was like every light was extinguished or misted over by a thick blanket of darkness that dominated her vision.

Before she knew it the familiar purple light illuminated through the darkness and aimed to pierce her once more. She closed her eyes and lowered her head on instinct as she awaited her doom.

She heard the clashing of blades against the stingers before everything came to a still. Silence reigned and Ruby opened her eyes to see what happened. The darkness enveloping everything had vanished and she can clearly see her surroundings perfectly well. She was astounded by the fact that the stranger had repelled the stringer and is currently standing protectively in front of her.

"Martis," Helcurt began with obvious contempt. "Why are you protecting my prey?" he seethed with spite.

"I'm not. I was also in your line of attack so I had to defend myself."

"Then you should have dodged it."

"I didn't think of that. My fighter instincts just kicked in and I blocked. That must be it. After all, why would I protect a total stranger from the Abyss' most dangerous assassin?"

"Then move aside and let me do my job."

"Of course." Martis replied as he stepped out of the way with a meaningful smile. Helcurt looked at Ruby's direction only to find her... gone.

"Ohh. She got away." the Ashura whispered as he looked at the maiden's empty spot. There weren't any signs of her left in the vicinity and no trail was left for him to follow not even a small lingering scent. It was as if she suddenly vanished into thin air.

"You will pay for this." Helcurt glared before taking his leave.

🌹🌹🌹

Ruby was able to safely return to Terizla's cottage where the gigantic man greeted her with a fresh batch of ingredients for his stew. Alarm and worry crossed the man's features as he saw her disheveled and injured state. "What happened to you? Did you wrestle another fire salamander?" Terizla questioned as she approached him.

"It was Helcurt. He came to eliminate me. I presume by the orders of Alice." Ruby answered as they entered his clay house. Terizla paused and placed the ingredients down on the table before turning to her with a serious face.

"They've found you?"

"It appears so. Don't worry, I won't get you involved in this. I will depart immediately. I'll start packing my things."

"No. You need to leave this place. You need to leave the Abyss. Now. If you stay longer you will die. It's no longer a question of if but when you are going to die."

Terizla rummaged through a chest and retrieved a small wooden box before handing it to her. Ruby reluctantly accepted the container before opening the lid. A tiny drawstring pouch is contained inside and she picked it up in curiosity before extracting its content. What she saw is a large beautiful pearl pendant with an ethereal glow. She twirled it between her fingers and analyzed its smooth glowing surface.

"What is it?"

"It is a pearl from the Sea Queen Kadita. She... and my daughter Kali were lovers. I didn't quite get how their relationship worked but I just accepted it as long as my daughter is happy. She used this pearl to go to Katida's dwelling in a matter of an instant. It can take you anywhere you can imagine but you must submerge yourself in water to activate it and pray where you want it to take you."

"I can't accept this! This is Kali's treasure. You should keep it." Ruby reasoned pushing the gem back to the blacksmith's gigantic hand.

"Yes, it is her treasure. But you need it or you will die. I have no use for it but to rekindle memory and I have no reason to leave this place. Kali would have wanted you to have it as well." Terizla took her hand and placed the gem on her smaller palm before closing her fingers to wrap around the small treasure.

Ruby couldn't argue further as a single tear fell from her eye. She never expected to experience such kindness in a place like this but throughout her stay even though this land is harsh and merciless it proved to have good-hearted people. And Dyrroth proved that there is kindness in evil since he is the first person to have shown her kindness in a cruel place like this.

Terizla pulled away and wiped the tears streaming down her face. "Your scythe is nearly done. You should take it with you to protect yourself when the Abyss finally attacks. If you stay alive for a couple more days, then I will be able to give it to you in three days' time. Promise you'll live long enough?"

"I will try. Yes. Thank you. Thank you very much." Ruby smiled as she sniffled.

"Good. You should start the stew. I don't want to leave you as it is but I have to return to the forge."

"Isn't your work time over for today? This is worker's abuse. That is so evil."

"No, it's more of a favor for an acquaintance. I met him along the way and he implored me to fix his weapon for his mission tomorrow. Don't worry I'll be back soon since I'll have the other blacksmiths do the actual process. I wouldn't want to miss your lovely cooking."

"Of course. I will hold the fort while you're gone and finish the stew before you return, Uncle Terry." Ruby smiled although it didn't reach her eyes. Terizla smiled back satisfied with her answer.

"You'll be alright, kid. And here." Terizla handed her a very sharp blue dagger. "Stab anyone that isn't me before asking questions. Helcurt is agile but you should be able to find some openings from him."

"Oh, thanks but there's plenty of daggers here already I don't see what difference another one makes."

"It's poisoned and made from a metal that hurts shadowbringers incredibly."

"Nice, this will be really handy."

"I'm going off now, little cub."

"Okay, come home early, Uncle Terry." Ruby waved as the blacksmith left the house to go chi to the forge.

Ruby proceeded with cleaning herself before dealing with their meal. She rinsed her wounds with warm water, wincing terribly due to the painful sting before applying some disinfectants to prevent it from festering. She covered them with some gauzes before pouring herself a cup of water to rehydrate her body. After releasing a tired sigh, she laid on the pallet to rest her tired muscles and let her mind drift.

She's going home. In three days' time, she's finally going home! Her mind cannot believe it. Is it a dream? Is it a trick? Is it an illusion? No, she can feel the coldness of the pearl and its chain against her palm as she held it in her hand. It's true. She is clutching the key to her escape. Soon enough she'll be with her friends and Dyrroth with be nothing more than a distant nightmare.

Ruby breathed out a sigh of relief before standing from her wooden bed and hanging the pendant around her neck.

She went to the kitchen to start their meal with a newfound determination. Fire seems to have rekindled in her heart giving her motivation to continue living and loving life. Even with her recent tragedy and her escapade with assassination, none of it seems to matter as she can finally see the end of this miserable tunnel where her friends are waiting for her.

Ruby began to happily hum a soft tune as she started washing and cleaning the vegetables Terizla brought. While she was peeling the vegetables and slicing the meat, her lips began to absent-mindedly sing a sweet song. A love song.

"If I could begin to be
Half of what you think of me
I could do about anything
I could even learn how to love

When I see the way you act
Wondering when I'm coming back
I could do about anything
I could even learn how to love like you

I always thought I might be bad
Now I'm sure that it's true I think you're so good
And I'm nothing like you

Look at you go
I just adore you
I wish that I knew
What makes you think I'm so special~"

Ruby paused her singing as she heard soft footsteps approaching and felt someone standing behind her. The maiden turned to greet Terizla back home with a dazzling smile.

"Terizla, you're back early. Did you forget something-?" The smile fled her lips as her eyes widen due to her unexpected company.

"Dyrroth... You're here."

The song Ruby sang is called "Love Like You" from Steven Universe by Rebecca Sugar. Please leave a vote because it really helps my moral and my book.