She couldn't put a name to it back in the carriage but now she knew the scent that Ru Feng carried. It was rain and pine. The rich green forest and the mountains were visible from everywhere. They were majestic. It was hard to imagine that there was a terrible beast hiding within.

The two of them were the only few up early that morning following a stable boy quietly to the horses. Governess Gao had said she'd hold down the fort while they scouted the ruins. "Find anything or not – report back at once. We need to tread carefully. We're not even sure how you're supposed to slay this thing," She had said. She'd also suggested that they pay a visit to the Bird Witch temple to see if they could find any more information on the prophecy.

The stable boy brought out a grey horse. He passed the reins to Ru Feng who thanked the boy and told him to go back inside. The sky began to rumble but Nong was too focused on the beautiful mare before her. She watched in awe as Ru Feng brushed and patted the animal. Was this one of Prince Edan's skills or his own she wondered. He leapt up effortlessly onto the saddle and stretched his hand out to her.

"Let's go," He said.

"Um..." Nong mumbled. "I don't know how to do that,"

Ru Feng's mouth twisted to the side as he got back down and lifted Nong in one smooth motion onto the horse. Her face flushed as he settled behind her. She was glad she was facing away from him. "Thank you," She said shyly. Ru Feng clicked his tongue and the horse galloped taking them into the forest.

A few hours later the light mist had turned into steady rain. Nong's hair frizzed so much she felt embarrassed as she pulled in her hood. Ru Feng didn't seem bothered by the downpour at all. She could feel his firm body behind her and was glad that he was warm enough that she didn't shiver to death. The trees zipped by and then soon stone and rubble.

The ruins came into view. Upturned boulders, debris, and timber littered the area. It was as if a giant had come by and stomped the castle into crumbs. And then Nong thought – this was where Ru Feng lived.

They trotted to a stop. Ru Feng jumped down and led the horse to a thick tree. He tied the reins to it and then approached Nong offering his hand to her once more. His hair was sopping wet. His nose and ears pink from the cold. He looked a lot like a cat. She chuckled at the thought.

"What?" He asked.

"Nothing," she said quickly grabbing on to him and hopping off the horse. She shook the rain off her cloak and tried to do the same for him but he moved away towards the ruins mumbling about the cold.

Nong followed Ru Feng into the wreckage careful with her steps. Ru Feng navigated fine...he'd walked through the debris hundreds of time before. He led her to a pile of toppled walls. With strength she didn't know he had – he lifted one of the slabs revealing a set of stairs descending into the ground.

"He's down there," Ru Feng said.

Nong looked at him trying to read his face for any malice. But instead he looked kind of worried. Still, he went first. "Stay close," He said. "It's dark,"

Without thinking Nong grabbed onto his cloak. She flushed when he looked back at her with a raised brow.

"Just...so I don't fall behind," She said.

"Can't you conjure a light or something?" He asked.

"Uh...I'm...too cold," She smiled nervously.

He shrugged her off. Then to her surprise took her by the hand. "Only until you get warm again," He scowled. And together they descended the stairs.

Neither of them breathed a word. The stairs took them to a single pathway which they continued to follow. The light slowly diminished and soon all was black.

"This place reminds me of something..." Nong said. Her voice echoed around them.

"Oh?"

"I've been somewhere like this I'm sure," She continued. "When I was little,"

"I thought you didn't leave the palace?"

"It might've have been a dream,"

"That's a terrible dream,"

"Most of my dreams are terrible,"

Ru Feng didn't reply but Nong felt his grip soften. "So are mine," He said quietly. Then her foot kicked over something hard and she lunged forward dragging them both hard to the ground.

Ru Feng groaned. Nong tried to feel her way around back to him. "Ru – " She called out. But her hands landed on something cold and round. Her fingers felt two sockets and...teeth. Realizing what it was, she screamed and tossed the skull away.

"B-bones!"

"Are you ok?" Ru Feng scrambled quickly to her.

"Are-are these your victims? Are you going to kill me?" She cried.

"No!" He shook her shoulders. "No! These are just people who got lost down here. I don't know who they are,"

She sucked in a deep breath.

"How do you think I felt when I bumped into these?" He cried.

Nong paused. "I'm sorry...that just...startled me," Her voice wobbled.

They took a moment longer to catch their breath. Then Ru Feng started to walk again. "Come on. We're almost there," He grumbled not taking her hand again.

They came upon a door with a lone symbol etched roughly on it. Nong could make out a rectangular shape with two spirals branching out from the top. It was a spirit lock. A rune she'd learned about. To seal a soul. Glowing against the darkness, Nong could hear it humming to her.

"In here," Ru Feng simply said. Nong held her breath ready for whatever was on the other side.

He pushed the door to the right. As it rumbled, dust particles flooded the space and Nong gasped silently at the sight before her.

A titanic stone tiger laid cramped in the center of the bare room that Ru Feng had opened. The only source of light were the fissures that ran along the beast's body imitating stripes. Whatever was inside it threatened to erupt at any moment with an eerie glow.

Roots and weeds crawled up its paws as if in an effort to hold down the behemoth though its claws were as big as herself. If this beast awoke now – the whole cavern would topple.

Nong thought back to her vision in the library and the roar that had shaken her very heart. She was supposed to stop this thing. She looked at Ru Feng who was observing her. Could she even save it? Her throat bobbed struggling to say something to him. But then she heard a familiar voice call out her name. And in the corner of the room – stood a ghostly Prince Edan.