CLII.

She ran as fast as legs could carry, often stumbling down,

‘Fore abusing the flow to catch her fall, finding safer ground.

This path out of the valley was steep and with danger abound;

A remnant of a flooding stream adorned in a winter’s gown.

The stones beneath the thawing snow shuffled briskly about

As she breezed downwards ever faster, mindless in her rout.

For terrifying, gnawing screeches will rapidly drown

The valley with its cacophony of savage renown.

CLIII.

Abruptly, the Guardians became her greatest nemeses.

The white peaks looked down at her with scorn, yet she could not spot

The shadowed beasts; to boot, the goddess was by languor besot

No longer, disorienting the lass in her moment of unease.

The reigns then felt a potent tug from deep within her frame,

Which caused her to stumble again. The Witch began to reclaim

Her clouded sight, peering through shut eyelids: “Lass, tellest me, please,

Where are we? What hath happened? My head in pain, pierced, displeased!”

CLIV.

Blood continued to rush through her stiffened and sharpened muscles,

The hurry barely holding back her yielding state of mind.

She answered the divine’s plea: “Oh gods! I’ve done a deed maligned,

Aurianne! Such A fool I’ve been, and of course these troubles

Would find thee awaken and uncover my wretched folly!”

The witch was puzzled: “Of what dost thou speakest? Utter calmly,

Young fawn; what uncovered folly? Thy haphazard rush puzzles

Me utterly.” She stumbled and slurred through her words with struggles.

CLV.

The lass felt that same blood which fuelled her strength rush to her head:

“Please, do not seekest out thy anger’s scorn, promise me this!

I had not known, forgotten the lore which one cannot dismiss;

The same lore thou hath given me, guided me to carefully tread!

I finally saw a freedom, a solitude, a wonderous thing;

And in my arrogance, the final days of the world I bring!”

She huffed and sobbed, as tension flared up like a sickening dread

Filling every corner inside her chest, yet no tear was shed.

CLVI.

Aurianne began gathering her wayward composure:

“What sayest thee?! What hast thou done, my pet? Oh, please young lass,

Pray tell I say, what folly hast thou wrought in my mind’s loss?”

Ríona hesitated as her wits began a closure.

Unconsciously, she pulled back from this incognizant instinct;

In doing so, uncovering her secrets in an instant,

Barely keeping a hold from the grimoire’s lore exposure.

Alas, all other secrets were made bare in her wits’ enclosure.

CLVII.

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Due to such concentration, she slipped again and fell lower

Down the valley’s path, bruising her shin, cursing into the void;

And thus, Aurianne now saw all that occurred. Now purely devoid

Of all its mist. She put all the muddled clues together ‘fore her,

Revealing her plan had been expertly spurred into action

By Sky, who played the part unknowingly with great attraction.

While Ríona’s unfettered use of flow was a foolish error

Which drew the beasts to the boundary, ‘twas not the darkest of terror.

CLVIII.

Nay, a penultimate push was yet to be required,

And the Witch would make sure of that. She swore in a feigned huff:

“By the Curse! Hast thou no reason anymore?” However, too gruff

Were such words. Hence, she turned to a tone fiery and inspired:

“All be damned, ‘tis what thou hast been bred for! Thou art of Mockwir!

Blood of warriors, kings, to those values thou mustest adhere!

Blood which brought the north to their knees in eras long retired

And now will lead thee through this age which is in darkness mired.”

CLIX.

“I am thy patron; I’ve always been! I gave thee cunning,

I had given thee wit! I shan’t ever leave thy side, my apple!”

Said the goddess, alas, it seemed the lass paid no heed, grappled

At her trouser, planning on healing it with the flow running

Down her hands; however, Aurianne snapped, catching her hand:

“No! Thou shalt not use the magic abound this freezing land!”

Ríona closed her eyes to block the senses from humming

An irate tune, yet the goddess continued with her words stunning.

CLX.

She needed the girl to compose herself if the plan was to succeed:

“Thou shalt find thy destined way through thy sheer ingenuity,

And finally use all the skills I hath given to thee!

Bleed thy Mockwiran blood, let the discomfort grow thy seed

Of resolve or hast thou forgotten how thou hath found the Tsar?

Never in the past has a superficial wound, barely a mar,

Stopped thee in thy tracks, so say I again, thou mustest bleed

If thou art to learn! So, stand up, my dear!” She finished her plead.

CLXI.

As Ríona’s eyes opened, her eyebrows could not suppress

The displeasure. The witch let the air stand still, if only

For a few heartbeats before saying: “Today thou shalt boldly

Become what thou couldst not on that fated day of thy egress.

No longer shalt thou be a young fawn; this I now bestow!

The final trial. Today thou shalt become a full-grown doe.

No longer a young lass but a blossomed maiden in success.”

Aurianne found the last of her thoughts, ending her address.

CLXII.

Abruptly, Ríona heard rocks rumbling with a severe

Reverb as she stiffened her muscles with new-found resolve,

Bursting into a leaping escape. She would not starve

Herself of a chance to escape, and would rather adhere

To the goddess’ every advice through this harrowing plight.

All that was left, was now in the hands of her might.

Never for a moment’s worth would she use the flow to interfere

With what tradition decreed, never to fall or ever fear!