The morning was icy and chilly, a cold breeze blowing throughout. Even within the houses the people felt the wind howling within their ears. The breeze was moving with such force that it thumped against every window, making a banging sound. If a window or a door was left open, it was a much wore case.

The hail and snow had not paused it's ruthlessness. The gusts and the snow kept pouring and blowing, sparing no one. The wind encouraged the hail, making it go faster and have a harder impact. There was an unsettled fog that clouded anyone's vision, making it nearly impossible to see.

That was the morning Ellegard woke up in. The force of the icy weather had increased overnight, as though warning of a danger arising, and Ellegard knew what. 

She glanced at the window littered with icicles perching off of the ledge. Her breaths were heavy and a ringing exploded within her ears. It was so silent, she seemed to realize. Wherever she was it was a constant bustling. To be met with the sound of silence was something knew for Ellegard, and mildly excruciating. 

She cupped her hands on her ears in an attempt to contain the ringing, for it grew by every moment of silence. She shut her eyes, wincing at the exploding sound within her ears. She never knew silence could be so torturous. But it wasn't a physical pain. It was more of an inexplicable pain.

She got out of her ruffled bed that had the sheets all badly folded up along with the blanket that was just lying on the bed completely ruffled. Ellegard shook her head to get the ringing out, her footsteps the only sound echoing through her ears. Thankfully, it was a sound, and it empowered the ringing. 

Ellegard sighed as she took a seat, feeling as though a heavy weight had been taken off of her shoulders. She realized it was the armor that was making her feel heavy. Fen was right.

She glanced at her dress that she was wearing. It was a black somewhat skirt with minimal buttons. She actually looked quite good in the sleeves. Her red hair was brushed and dotted with snow particles.

She rose and went to go outside. The door closed with a creak as the howling wind pierced her ears. The fog and the cold was enhanced, making Ellegard feel extremely cold. She shivered slightly, shoving her hands in her pockets. A pleasant smile played on her face as she walked to her favorite place.

The lake was frozen, but she still loved it. There was a man perched on the ledge of the entrance to the frozen lake, his legs dangling off of the edge. Ellegard walked and took a place next to him as she glanced at the two mountains where the sun usually rose. But she knew her sunrise would be disrupted by the clouds and the weather.

Fen smiled at her as she sat down, a pleasant peace settling between the two, as though the somewhat argument they had had yesterday was forgotten.

'I was in this exact spot when it froze' Said Fen suddenly, signaling to the lake. 'The frost started from the borders and then to the center, and it happened so fact that in a blink of an eye, the lake was gone'

Fen had a melancholy expression as he glanced at Ellegard, tears brimming his eyes. 'I know what you're going to do. But do you want to? It's your choice' 

'It doesn't matter what I want to do. What matters is what I have to do. I am going to wake Dramal. For this lake, and for everyone on the planet' Replied Ellegard defiantely.

Fen simply nodded as he turned away, the tears clouding his vision. But his mouth had a small smile on them as a thought came to his mind.

'At least honor my one, single request' He said as they met eyes, locking it fiercely for a moment.

'Anything' Breathed Ellegard, noticing sympathy within Fen Rorvan's eyes.

'Come back alive'

Ellegard smiled. 'Always'

¤

'How do we get in?' Asked Ajax as they stood at the foot of Streakwood. Ellegard couldn't believe that after all those years she was back in that cursed place. They were clouded by the Torwood forest. The largest forest in the world. At the top of their vision, the tips of the legendary palace of Streakwood was visible, the golden light shining on them. It held a warmth, but Ellegard didn't feel any better about it.

'We sneak' Said Sinacul simply. Everyone except Teravere gaped at her.

'We can't just sneak into the most heavily guarded kingdom in the world! We'll get caught for sure!' Shouted Caroline.

Sinacul rolled her eyes. 'You suggest anything else?' She deadpanned as Caroline glared at her, but said nothing. An intense staring match began as the tension built up.

'All right, we'll sneak. Besides, most of the guards won't be there' Interrupted Ellegard, gesturing with her hands. It felt awful with the tension brewing up, and they were glad Ellegard had broken it.

Caroline turned to Ellegard, a mild glare on her face. Sinacul, on the other hand had a triumphant smirk on her face. She folded her hands over her chest as they turned to the gate.

'Now, the question is, how do we sneak?' Asked Ajax. Ellegard looked at him while half-thinking for an answer, half contemplating some information. Ajax was the only different one among them. He was male, and from another bloodline, that too Ellegard's bloodline's biggest villain. 

Then, the words of the prophecy dawned on her. An unlikely alliance..

Her thoughts were broken by Teravere, who had began speaking. 'Our father had built a secret entrance into Streakwood, but no one knew where it was positioned. Worse, the entrance leads straight into the throne room'

'Wait. Maybe we can try reasoning with Halivard. As much as I hate him, he's an intelligent person. He should know that the prophecy was greater than our hate. Maybe he can help us' Suggested Frostine.

'What?! Are you crazy?!' Shouted Sinacul, gesturing with her hands. She held an absolutely baffled and shocked expression as her jaw hanged open at Frostine. Honestly, to Ellegard sometimes she seemed like an eight-year old kid.

'It seems logical' Agreed Teravere as Sinacul turned her gaze to her twin sister. They had an instense staring contest for a while until Sinacul gave in, a triumphant smile on Teravere's face. Ellegard couldn't believe that just moments ago the same smile had stood out on Sinacul's face.

'Then, me and Frostine will go to the castle will go to Halivard. The rest of you lot, awaken Dramal' Said Caroline in a manner that Ellegard scowled at. She was gesturing with her hands and holding her chin up, as though she was the most royal one amongst them.

'Wait, why can't we all go to Halivard?' Questioned Ajax.

'Because' Drawled Caroline as she rolled her eyes, as though talking to a two year old. 'Halivard liked us best. Besides, we can't trust him. So we should be ready to wake Dramal right?'

Ajax nodded in understanding as everyone looked at each other. Nodding of heads was passed around as the plan was contemplated one last time. 

'Wait' Stopped Sinacul just as they were about to leave. She held her arms in front of her, glancing at everyone thoroughly. 'How are we supposed to wake Dramal?' 

'I don't know' Shrugged Caroline, a dubious expression on her face. 'Just, wake him up like you would wake any normal creature' 

They nodded again as they turned around. The first step was to find the secret entrance. But none of them even had a clue as to where to start, It might even be on the ground for all they knew. That might have seemed logical at a stage, but if it even was there, Ellegard ruled it out for there was so much snow she forgot how it was to be on dry land. Just yesterday she had been chasing after that cursed Guinevor. The sound of her horses' hooves thudding against a hard surface was long forgotten. As though a distant memory.

'The chambers' Said Frostine suddenly with realization. She looked at all of them, their eyes latched onto hers. She held a broken root of one of the trees in her hand absent-mindedly as she rose from the crouching position she was in.

'When we were young, father would speak of the dark chambers that we were to never to go to. The entrance was long and in the most dangerous forest in the world. I still didn't believe why he would keep the entrance to his kingdom so far away, but it was almost he wanted no one to find it. And he was that desperate'

'The Midwoods' Said Ellegard as she too realized the truth. She too remembered being spoken to about never entering the dark chambers. The Midwoods was the only place that fit her father's description perfectly.

'The Legend of the Entrance' Said Ajax as the pieces began to fall together. They were long from the entrance to the Dark Chambers. And to Dramal.

The Legend of Entrance, said to be the entrance to the prophecy. It could only mean what everyone thought. But the Midwoods would be a problem for them. Many resided in the "Dark Forest". Ravengards, Helborns, possibly even Shadows. Ellegard would be an imbecile to even try to challenge a Shadow. Thankfully, Shadows were bred more in the Old Kingdom. They rarely went on expeditions. But it didn't stop Ellegard's rising fears of the One. 

Apparently Ellegard wasn't the only one who had the fears. Visible, others were paling by the second too. Most likely thinking of the horrors of the Midwoods. Though reluctant, they had to venture into it, if they wanted to wake Dramal.

'Well, now that's over. How about we go to the most dangerous place on the planet?' Asked Teravere as they mounted onto their horses, shooting Teravere a glare. The smirk on her face was unforgivable as Ellegard turned around and patted her horse, Djin, as it propelled forward, in sync with the other horses. The Midwoods was not far from Streakwood, but it still made the entrance seem far away from the exit. In fact, the forest they were in momentarily was the entrance to the Midwoods, just that this forest was not as congested as the Midwoods would be. The Midwoods was rumored to be wandered by the most fearsome of creatures in the night, and Ellegard knew they couldn't pause. She had already had her serve of luxury in Cetier. She couldn't afford to waste any time.

¤

The sounds of the cricket chirping and occasional hooting of the owl was the only sound heard as Ellegard, Ajax, Frostine, Caroline, Teravere and Sinacul emerged in the entrance of the Midwoods. Though it was a natural sound heard in the night, at the moment the group felt as though it was very frightening and haunting. From every new sound Ellegard would jerk in that direction, her hand immediately on the hilt of her sword. It had happened so many times that Ellegard's hand now rested on the hilt of the sword, ready for anything.

Ajax held a frightened yet shaky confidence in his posture, riding timidly. He glanced at the sky, his dark hair brushed to the side. He too rested his hand on his sword, his mouth slightly agape, staring a the sky as though a hawk would strike them down. But his expression also held slight awe as the stars mirrored themselves into his eyes. 

The rest rode formally, without any jerking. Though on the inside it was a different story. It was silent yet deadly, as though waiting for something to occur. The atmosphere held a clenched feeling as though bracing themselves for something that may never come. Or at least Ellegard hoped it would never come.

Even the horses beheld their same feeling. They moved timidly and with a slight faltering, as though they would rather propel backwards rather than forwards. Ellegard understood the feeling. Her legs too begged her to escape the damned forest. But she managed to hold her will. Feeling the need to, she patted Djin on his mane for reassurance. Though she felt as though she was reassuring herself rather than the white stallion.

Every time a crunching sound would emerge from the silence, mostly from the horses, they would freeze, immediately going into a panic mode. Ellegard was seriously starting to reconsider escaping the forest and waiting till it was day.

With a start she realized the cricket had stopped chirping and the owl had stopped it's hooting. She froze in her tracks, the others mimicking her. She began to crouch low on the horse, her head cocking from side to side.

'There's something wrong' She whispered as all of them too realized that she was telling the truth. There was something near them, something dangerous. Their hands were white on the hilts of the swords. The sweat that coated their faces dripped onto the horses as the silence lengthened. 

The cold seemed to have intensified, with an icy feeling. It was the breeze of death, one that generally occurs when there was something that had touched death itself near.

'Ravengards' whispered Ellegard as she along with unmounted and pulled their swords out of their scabbards. Frostine's fire was lit as they waited. The swords seemed to have disrupted the silence and caused tension, everyone waiting for the next move.

Suddenly figures stepped out of the shadows from the trees, each of them wearing a purple or black cloak. Their faces were shrouded in the darkness of their hoodies. Each of them had glowing purple eyes, the only thing visible in their face. 

Ellegard frowned. There wasn't supposed to be so many Ravengards. Unless, they were guarding something. 

The Entrance..

Her thoughts were put to a stop by one of the Ravengards jerking forward, pointing it's spear as Ellegard. She charged, as her sword met with the Ravengard's with a clash. She knew she couldn't win. Ravengards were powerful beings, even more so when they came in large numbers.

She slashed, easily parried by the metallic sphere. A slight spark occurred when her sword met with the spear. Her sword darkened slightly at the end where it met with the spear. She could hear the Ravengard chuckle darkly as she jabbed. The Ravengard sidestepped, sweeping at her feet. Ellegard stepped back as the Ravengard shot again, jabbing it's spear into Ellegard's side. She evaded just in time, diving to the ground. Thankfully the snow worked like a cushion. 

She glanced up at the Ravengard who moved it's spear in her direction. He jabbed as it planted into the ground where Ellegard was. She had rolled to the side right next to her sword that had fallen off from her hand. She grabbed it and with all her power she slashed at the spear tip. It didn't cut through it smoothly like Ellegard wanted, but with some effort, it broke. The Ravengard, who had been trying to pull the spear of the ground stumbled back as Ellegard didn't waste a second. She rose up and stabbed her sword into it's shoulder blade. The Ravengard, who was about to plunge it's sword into Ellegard froze, the blood leaking from it's shoulder. It fell to the ground as Ellegard took her sword out, the edge coated with blood.

She glanced to the side to see that the others were doing better, and they were all close to Frostine, who had the best effect on the Ravengards. They were beings of ice and snow, so fire was the best option.

Frostine seemed to be drained from channeling so much of the Elemental force. But with a yell she blasted the last Ravengard. Suddenly a purple shield raised up, made up of.. energy. It blocked the blast but the rest of them surrounded it. It seemed to realize it was cornered and suddenly turned into a purple energy, and flew away. Ellegard frowned. Ravengards never did that before.

Sinacul walked away as they moved closer. 'Ravengards have never been able to do that before' Said Ellegard as they nodded in agreement.

'Hold your discussions' Said Sinacul as everyone turned to her. She was glancing down at a wooden door. 

They had found the trapdoor.