Savage - Prinxiety [Sequel To "Monster"] [COMPLETED]

Chapter Twenty-One

Roman exhaled, his breath forming little crystals in the air as it condensed. The temperature was dropping as they continued their way up the mountains passed the old palace. They were all getting exhausted again, but the prince was determined to keep moving despite his companions' protests. 

"Do you even know what we're looking for, Roman?" a very tired Luis questioned, nearly falling asleep on his horse. 

They had been riding for about three hours, although it was getting increasingly difficult to tell the time. The sky was darkening and the mountains were beginning to surround them. "I'm assuming that some dark mage's evil lair is going to be fairly obvious," he replied irritably. "Although, even if we can't find it ourselves, we have someone who's been there."

"Yeah, cursed Virgil dude, do you know where we are?" Thorn snapped. 

The dark prince flinched at her tone and Roman noticed that he was beginning to look even paler than usual. There were bags hanging under his eyes and his mannerisms said that he was anxious. "It's... the lair is inside the largest mountain," he said, not quite answering the question. "It was carved from the rocks by Dorchadas and his followers many centuries ago to keep them hidden from the mages that were hunting them down..."

"Yeah, but how do we find it?" she reiterated. By her tone, it sounded like she was losing her temper. "We need to know how to find it if we want to get you fixed."

Virgil fidgeted with his ties but it was no use. He whined a little and closed his eyes tightly, breathing heavily. The prince's expression fell into one of concern and fear as he watched him. "Virgil what's-"

"It's entrance isn't hidden! We'll be able to see it over the next rise!" he gasped out, seemingly hyperventilating. 

Roman stopped his horse and looked back at the dark prince with blatant concern now. "What's going on with him?" the younger prince asked fearfully, stopping his horse too. "He's like... he's acting like he's being controlled or manipulated or something! Which he could be! Should we panic?"

"No Luis, that will not help," Roman replied, leaping down from his horse and rushing to get the dark prince off of the one he was riding on. He placed his hands on his shoulders and tried to look him in the eye, but Virgil's gaze was looking around wildly. "Virgil, speak to us, what's going on? You're not looking too good," he reached up to touch his forehead, which was ice cold, "you're... you're not burning up but rather freezing! What-"

The cursed Virgil suddenly gasped and looked him right in the eye. "DON'T CONTINUE!" he yelled, looking pleadingly at the prince. "He'll kill you! He'll kill all of you! Turn back! Turn back now-"

He fell limply against Roman after his outburst, chest moving up and down quickly. He held him up the best he could and looked to the others for help. 

"What the hell was that about?" Thorn murmured, swallowing nervously as she eyed the dark prince in his arms. She moved forward and hovered her hand over him, a faint peach glow emanating from her palm. "I've... I've never seen anything like this before."

"That's probably because this has never happened before," the prince said, carefully carrying him onto his horse. "Which is why we need to get to this asshole and stop him."

The other two looked more nervous than they did before, but they agreed that they needed to get to this lair and save the real Virgil before they missed their chance. With the cursed version of him unconscious on Roman's horse, they continued their journey over the rise. The sky was growing darker by the minute, and whenever they found plant life on their path, it was black and twisted like it was made from nightmares themselves. The group's nerves in general were spiking.

As they came over the top of the hill, Roman's eyes widened. In front of them was a massive mountain, the stone of which was carved into a castle like the cursed Virgil had said. The entrance was carved to look like the mouth of a dragon. 

"Whoa..." he breathed. 

It was terrifying, knowing that his Virgil was in their waiting for him. The words of the dark prince were ringing in his ears. He'll kill you, he'll kill all of you, turn back, he repeated, staring at the entrance. Does he mean that Virgil's captor will kill us? Or was he talking about someone else?

Roman shook out his head and set his jaw; his Virgil was in there, and he made a promise to get him out. "Let's go," he said to the other two.

They motioned for their horses to move forward, which they did so, but extremely cautiously at first. They were getting more skittish the closer they got to the massive dragon's mouth. As they grew closer, he noted how realistic the stone carving was. It was so real looking that he thought it might come to life and snap them up at any moment.

He pushed his anxieties away and kept his gaze forward as they got closer and closer. After so long, he'd get his Virgil back. After a whole year of pain and grief, he'd see him again, for real. The very thought was enough to motivate him up to the steps of the castle. 

They dismounted their horses as they reached said steps. The cursed Virgil was still unconscious, so Thorn and Luis supported his weight with their shoulders as they began to walk up. However, there was someone waiting in front of the massive black wood doors that led inside. The group froze.

The man's face was completely shrouded in darkness, making it impossible to tell what he looked like or who he might be, but as they broke from their trance and started forward again, they could see him grin. 

"I've been waiting for you, my mice," he said. His voice sounded like nails against sandpaper, and it sent chills up Roman's spine. "You've played right into the cat's claws."