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The White Stag
Prologue: The Forest

Prologue: The Forest

In a vast, lush green forest, stood a single glowing tree. It was a massive tree that could dwarf mountains, it's branches blocking out the sun. Or at least, it would if there was a sun.

There was no moon to be seen, nor were there any stars. The forest was illuminated by the giant glowing tree, it's light gradually fading.

Despite the forest's size and lushness, no life could be seen or heard. There were no birds, squirrels, or even insects to be found. Silence reigned.

A loud, resounding crack finally broke the silence, resembling the sound of glass shattering.

The tree rapidly began to lose it's glow, eventually becoming as dark and featureless as the night sky. A large crack could be seen on the tree's trunk, stretching all the way up to the top.

For moment, silence reigned once more, filling the night with an ominous quiet. Then, footsteps echoed through the crack as something approached. These were not human footsteps, but belonged to a hoofed creature.

In fact, these footsteps were so faint an quiet, had the forest not been a realm of silence, they would be impossible to hear.

Out of the crack came a white stag. A stag so graceful, that it would put gods to shame. A stag so beautiful, that nothing dared to allow even the slightest bit of dirt to stick to it's magnificent hooves.

It's crown was as beautiful as it was deadly, yet after seeing such a benevolent and graceful being, the word "deadly" would be the last thing on everyone's minds. Yes, it gave off an aura of benevolence, kindness, and a motherly warmth that none could resist. Even the the cruelest man would melt before this seemingly divine being.

It looked up, staring at the featureless night sky with eyes as dark as the void, as if looking for something. Then, not finding what it was looking for, promptly began to walk through the silent forest.

A strange thing was happening to the forest behind the stag as it walked. Starting from the great tree, everything began to wither away, as if the plants were drained of their life.

An ominous and malevolent, dark red energy seeped out of these withered plants, making their way towards the white stag. Upon getting closer, it disappeared, as if the stag's divine aura were repelling this evil force.

The stag finally stopped before a skeleton, with a size comparable to the giant tree. It was lizard-like in appearance, yet there were some distinct differences: The massive, bat-like wings it possessed, the warmth given off by it's bones, and their strange golden coloration.

The skeleton belonged to a dragon. A dragon so great and powerful, that it could destroy worlds on a whim. Yet here it lies, no more than bones remaining of this once almighty beast.

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A single, blood red tear dropped from the stag's eye, leaving it's mark on the earth. "Ladon." A single word came out of the stag's mouth, yet it felt like a thousand.

It's voice carried unquestionable power, with the force to make giants kneel. All the while, also having the gentleness of a mother. It was deep, androgynous, and divine. But the sorrow this being felt could not be hidden.

After a moment of silence, the stag continued it's journey through the forest, stopping every now and then at the skeletons (or whatever remained) of once mighty beasts.

After what seemed like eternity, the stag finally reached the edge of the forest, the giant tree no longer visible in the distance. Beyond the forest... There was the void.

Pitch black darkness, much like the featureless sky above. However, there was one last tree remaining, standing at the very edge of the world. Behind the white stag, only a sea of withered and dead plants remained of what was once a lush forest. In this last tree was a glowing white crystal, and within that crystal, was a black hind.

The red energy which had been seemingly repelled by the stag now surrounded it, replacing the gentle and divine aura with a much more sinister one. The stag's fur turned black as the void, and an ominous red dot glared within it's black eyes.

It's antlers became vile and sinister, looking more and more like thorns. They grew and branched out until the antlers overshadowed the little tree.

A thousand different creatures could be seen hanging from it's antlers, impaled by the once magnificent crown which now functioned as a sinister hook.

"My child." The stag's voice was now deeper, more powerful, and malevolent. It had none of the sorrow and remorse that it had shown when paying respects to the remains it had encountered. "Thy judgement cometh."

A massive dark red beam shot out from between the stag's antlers, destroying the last tree and the doe within. As soon as the last tree was destroyed, the world began to fade away.

As the world faded, a magic circle appeared beneath the stag's feet. It felt strange and foreign, but all of the magic used by the gods who had sealed him and his servants away was strange. A blue light flashed where the stag once was, and disappeared, taking the stag with it.

The fading world resonated with a strange tune. A tiny, surviving shard of the white crystal sang in a feminine voice:

"Beware the snow white king,

For he is not kind of heart,

He made us scream and sing,

In pain but we could never kill the Hart,

Six gods came to ease our pain,

Six gods of unrivalled might,

But of the six only one remains,

And the rest have seen the light."

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